Put These Products In Your Cart

Sometimes at the grocery store, you may see new products yet wonder, how do they taste and are they really healthy options? If you are like me and love to try new products, here is a product round up of some tasty (and nutritious) new products out that I discovered this past weekend at the annual Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics conference.

happy family - happy creamies
I tried the Carrot, Mango & Orange flavor, they were so delicious! These snacks are made with 50% vegetables, coconut milk and have no added sugar! Quick tip: Mix these with whole grain cereal for a great on-the-go snack.

Another great product from this company is their happy squeeze line which includes varieties like: coco strawberry (made with coconut milk) and fruit & veggie twist (apple & purple carrot).

Quaker Oatmeal - Real Medleys
What is awesome about these little cups of oatmeal, all you have to do is add water and they have pieces of dried fruit and nuts in them! Plus they are made with whole rolled oats. The type pictured left includes cherries and pistachios. Each serving has 290 calories and 5 grams of fiber.

Other flavors in this line include: peach and almond, apple walnut and summer berry.



Odwalla Smoothies for Kids

These drink boxes are something even your children will be excited about! Each box has the equivalent to a 1/2 cup of fruit and no sugar added. They are available in Strawberry Banana Jungle, Mango Pineapple Island and Grape Berry Prairie flavors and they taste GREAT! They are available in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. When you send these for lunch they are recommended to no be left unrefrigerated for longer than 12 hours and try freezing them first for more of icy texture at lunch time! 

 

Please note: the above products were on display at the conference and I received samples of the products to try, although I do not receive endorsement from any of the above products or brands. 

Eat, Drink, and Still Shrink

The rush of the holidays has ended, yet there are more parties around the bend, first up... Super Bowl! Then onto Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day, and the list goes on. Try these strategies to allow yourself to eat, drink, and still shrink!

• Snack first: Going to a party hungry can wind up being a recipe for disaster, before heading out, grab a quick snack. Aim for about 200 calories or less. Quick ideas: a cup of low fat Greek yogurt, an apple and piece of 50% reduced fat cheddar cheese, or a fruit and nut bar.
  



• Game Plan: Upon arriving at the party, check out the food line-up and create a game plan. Where do you want to spend your calories? If you're a sweet lover, take it easy on the appetizers and save some wiggle room to enjoy a dessert or two!




• Balance: If you're planning the party when preparing your menu, think about balance. A mix of splurge items with plenty of lighter options too like: fruit kabobs, hummus and fresh vegetables, a roasted vegetable platter, or mini cups of trail mix.




• Water: After each alcohol containing drink, have a glass of water. This will help to keep you hydrated and lessen the number of drinks you have. Or better yet, volunteer to be the designated driver!

The Best Tools to Meet Your Fitness Goals

If you're thinking about resolutions for 2012, consider adding investing in a few pieces of fitness equipment to keep at home. Squeezing in additional mini workouts, burns calories and will help tone your body.

Here are 4 pieces of must have fitness equipment that cost about $25 or less!



1. Resistance Bands: A perfect way to tone up! Click here for a set of exercises using resistance bands from Fitness Magazine.


2. Exercise/ Yoga Mat: This is a must for yoga at home or at a gym, it will aid in your ability to stay in the proper positioning for each pose. Click here to grab Molly Sims' Yoga Workout from Shape Magazine. Of if you're more of a group exercise type, look for local listings of yoga studios or gyms that offer classes and select a class that is right for your level of experience.


3. Jump Rope: Feel like a kid and get your heart rate up with jumping rope! Try adding bursts of jump rope inbetween weight lifting to kick up your heart rate.


4. Fitness Ball: A piece of equipment that is a must have. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Read this Fitness Ball Basics article from Health Magazine before you head to the store to pick up yours. And grab this fitness ball ab slimming workout move too, click here.