Family Dinner Idea

I know that it can be hard to eat healthy, let alone make healthy meals that your family will enjoy. With this meal that I found at Skinnytaste, you can make a meal that isn't only delicious and healthy, but its also super simple.

Click on the photo for the recipe!

All you do is throw everything in a crockpot, and cook the rice. My two year old couldn't get enough of this! You can eat this dish as chili, over rice, over tortilla chips, or in a tortilla. 

This gets my vote for a great family dinner idea :)

Wrap #3 Review for the ItWorks Ultimate Body Wrap

For the third wrap in a series of four, I chose to put it on overnight. I made a few mistake with this one, but nothing so series there weren't some results. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a before picture (mistake #1), because it was right before bed and I was pretty tired.

My second mistake was this: Because I didn't want to be a human rattle with plastic wrap around me, I chose to use a very large ace bandage to wrap myself up, and this didn't really stay in place very well. It also seemed to soak up the lotion a bit, unlike plastic wrap. I guess we live and learn!

Here are some photos. I will be using a picture from after my second wrap for a comparison.

Left: After Wrap 2     Right: After Wrap 3

I am definitely seeing some tightening happening in some areas, mostly closer to the top. While I have seen a bit of tightening in the main baby fat build up, I was hoping for more in that specific area. But some is a start! And it just goes to show me that the best thing I can do is to work hard to get rid of that extra weight.

Here is a picture from before wrap 1 to after wrap 3.

I like what I am seeing, and from putting the pictures together like this, I do see a difference. What are your thoughts?

Running for A Change

I'm not much of a runner. I'm more a person who wants to be a runner, but seems to always have something that gets in my way of becoming one (so, basically, I'm part of the majority of the population ;P) My biggest excuse [this time] was my sprained knee from the car accident that happened about a month ago. I thought that was a pretty legitimate excuse, seeing as how it was a physical reason. But then I realized that the only thing standing in my way of my health was myself.

So, for the last few weeks I have been taking baby steps toward being more healthy, and thus this blog was born. It's always been hard to change the way I do things when it comes to my health. It was especially hard because it felt like I was the only one doing it -- trying to make the changes alone. This is why I am sharing my journey with you -- I want to provide the encouragement to all of you as well as have a support system for myself as well. Together, we can learn to be healthy, and take care of the bodies that God has given us.

Today, I decided to take the step and go running. Let me tell you up front, I am definitely not a runner :) Running is a difficult thing, and takes a lot of motivation. I always realize that I feel so accomplished when I get done running, and when I push myself on my run. Here's the thing: You don't have to run like a pro, and you don't have to run the fastest time. You don't even have to run the whole time. Just getting off the couch and putting your tennis shoes on is a start! Walking is great, and you can work up to running...

Let's challenge ourselves this Spring... let's set a goal that we've always wanted to set but have been too afraid to do it. We can do it together!

What are your goals for this Spring?

Review for ItWorks Ultimate Body Wrap, Part 4

Today was the day to apply Wrap #2. Here are some pictures from before put it on:

And here are some from after I removed it, about 3.5 hours later (I left it on longer this time, because I didn't break out from the first one.):

I do see a small difference in the side view. What do you think? 

Let's compare my very first picture, from before the first wrap, and a picture from after the second one:

Seeing these pictures side by side, I am definitely seeing some tightening and toning. I still have two wraps to go, so we will see if there will be more results. But for now, I am liking what I am seeing! I will do my final review of the product after the 4th wrap for you all. I know this is a lengthy, multiple part review, but I want to show you the results as I get them.

ItWorks Ultimate Body Wrap Review, Part 3

Here are some pictures taken 23 hours after applying the wrap:

What do you think? Personally, I don't see much difference, but I haven't given up on it yet. Here is a side view of my before picture, and the one from above: 

Leave comments on if you think it worked/is working. Also, I was informed by a seller that the company does not guarantee inches lost, but rather toning and tightening. I just wanted to clear that up :)

If you do have more questions or want to try any of the ItWorks products for yourself, you can visit kamidempsey.myitworks.com. 

After talking with Kami about the product, she told me that because the wrap is made of all natural ingredients, it will work differently from person to person. The ingredients react differently to the stuff in my body than it might to the stuff in yours. That being said, it might take more than one wrap to start seeing results. Which is why I am going to move on to wrap number 2 on Saturday. I am also sticking to my healthy eating choices (I'd like to call them habits, but I'm not quite there yet :P) and my workout plan every day.

I will say that I was over excited to get a 'quick-fix' for my left over baby fat, and it left me disappointed. I want to stress that the absolute best way to lost weight and keep it off is the old fashioned working out and eating healthy. That will always work, no matter what :)

Stay tuned to see the results of the first wrap after 3 days as well as results of the second wrap

ItWorks Ultimate Body Wrap Review, Part 2

Okay, so, here is the beginning of the process. I'm not excited about posting my baby fat on the internet for everyone to see, but oh well. I'll do it anyway, and hope that we see results ;)

Here are some before shots:

My goal is to stand the same way for all of my photos,
so it doesn't look like I am slouching for more effect.

Ugh. Please forgive my stomach. It just goes to show why I am on a search to do things healthier... I'm just a regular everyday mom trying to get healthy and in shape. I'm glad you are all joining me on this adventure -- there are no secrets!

Here are the results after taking the wrap off (I wore it for 45 minutes):

In the corner is the little miss that gave me all those stretch marks...
And it was SOOOO worth every one!

My measurements before I wrapped were:

2" above belly button: 37"

Around belly button: 39"

2" below belly button: 42"

(This post will definitely have me working out even harder... I can't believe I'm posting these numbers! lol)

And after:

 2" above: 37"

Middle: 39"

Below: 41.5"

This wrap product says that it can help me lose up to 3 inches between the three different measured spots. There's half an inch ;)

I want to urge everyone that the healthiest thing you can do, and to guarantee that you can keep inches off, you should workout regularly, and have as healthy a diet as possible. It starts with just getting active, and choosing water over sugary drinks. Thats a great first step if you are struggling -- its all about baby steps :) I encourage you to take the steps with me -- I am simply trying out this product to see if it works, but I am going to continue to work out and do my best to stick to a healthy diet. I mean, everyone wants instant gratification, especially when it comes to our bodies. But there is no such thing as a 'quick fix'. Getting healthy is a life style change, its not just one choice, but a series of choices that you make every day... If you make a wrong one, just brush it off, don't hold it against yourself, and try again! 

In the words of the lovely Richard Simmons: YOU CAN DO THIS!

ItWorks Ultimate Body Wrap Review, Part 1

I received the package of 4 wraps today in the mail, and I was so excited to start the review process, that I am doing it in a couple (or more) parts.

Here's what you get in the mail.

Here's an individual wrap.

So, the first thing I did was read the instructions. Next, I took some before pictures and measured 3 spots around my middle: 2 in. above and below my belly button, and on my belly button. I also made sure my stomach was clean: I didn't want any other lotions or anything to interfere with the stuff on the wrap.

And now the fun part starts! It was pretty hard to do this alone, and maybe just because you are trying to wrap yourself, but it is doable.  After I cleaned and dried my stomach, I opened the applicator... applied it :) 

 The instructions told me to smooth it down, and so I did. I couldn't take pictures of me applying it, but here was the end result.

I'm not one to put my stomach out there for all to see, so this thing better give me some results :P

The next step was to saran wrap myself up to help keep the wrap in place. This was the most difficult part: I've never tried wrapping myself, and my hands we all gunky from the lotion. Here's what I look like...

side view
I accidentally deleted the front view

So, now, I wait for 45 minutes. The instructions say to wear it for a minimum of 45 minutes, and if it is the first time, to ONLY wear it for 45 minutes (in case you might be sensitive to the ingredients. All natural stuff).

So far, I feel like there is a lot of menthol or menthol-like stuff in the wraps. I felt like I opened up a jar of Vick's vapor rub when I opened the wrap, and I am hoping that the strong sensation is zapping all of those fat cells away, or at least making them smaller. 

I am going to be posting pictures as I go, and am hoping to take multiple pictures at different time intervals to see just how long it works (they say it should work up to 72 hours.)

The instructions also say that for BEST results, use the defining gel between applicators, which I didn't want to spend money on, so I am seeing if it really keeps the fat off like I exercised it off if I ONLY use the wraps, and continue to work out and eat healthy (or somewhat :P)

Stay tuned... the RESULTS photos will be posted in the next couple of hours!

Product Trial

As I posted in an earlier post, I said that I was hoping to have the opportunity to try products and review them to help you, the readers, make wise decisions. I am happy to say that I will be trying out a new product within the next day or so, and I want to hear your comments!

Product: ItWorks Ultimate Body Applicator

What: The body wrap claims to take inches off of you middle and keeping it off as if you had worked it off. It claims that it is not just water weight that you lose, but that it tightens and tones to help keep it off.

I was pretty skeptical about this, so I decided to try it. You are supposed to leave the wrap on for 45 minutes, and it will continue toning and tightening after you take it off for up to 72 hours.

Here is a video as to how they say the product works, because that is what I was interested in...


 I will be rating this product on the following things:

*Safety
*Effectiveness
*Operator Difficulty
*Cost

Here is a picture of another customer's results.

I will soon be posting my own photos of how it worked for me, so stay tuned. 

My main questions are: 

*Will is actually work?

* If it does work, will I be able to keep the results without buying the other products (defining gel, fat fighter      pills from the ItWorks company) to maintain them?

Results blog soon to come!