Simple Ways To make Better Choices In 2016 #NourishWhatMatters

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NourishWhatMatters #CollectiveBias

For a long time I have prided myself as person who really thinks choices through, but recently I just stopped. My exercising was non existent, my food choices were questionable and my excuses became abundant. 

I am so glad this was just for a brief season of life.

Today I want to share with you some simple, practical choices that I made to start nourishing what really matters again, myself. I hope they leave you encouraged and confident that you can make better choices and nourish yourself too.

#NourishWhatMatters

  The first area I wanted to start with was my nutrition.
As a busy mom I seem to default in two different directions, especially at lunch time. I either eat anything, like literally anything. Crust off a sandwich sure! I don't take the time to think about my lunch choice. My other default is to make a guess about what I think is a good choice and then eat the same exact thing for lunch EVERY single day until I just can't anymore. Not only does this result in eating meals I don't enjoy, it is boring!

I knew there had to be a better option and it turns out there is!

Recently I was shopping at my local Target, a great place to look for health and wellness inspiration, when LEAN CUISINE® MARKETPLACE Vermont White Cheddar Mac & Cheese caught my eye. I started looking at more Lean Cuisine® options and box after box I found amazing flavors, but there was more.

I discovered just what it was that Lean Cuisine® offers

Gluten free options

Protein packed options

Organic ingredient options

And tons of delicious flavor varieties

It was the perfect answer to my problem!

No more boring lunches, no more I don't have time to think about my food choice so I'll just eat anything.

It was so easy, so convenient and so good.

Right now Lean Cuisine® meals are on sale for $2 at Target and don't forget to grab your $1 off 5 coupon that started on 1/3

Other good choices I have been making
* Drinking more water and less coffee or soda. Giving up some coffee has been hard, but I feel better when I drink more water
*Keeping track of my steps. There are so many great options now days. It is so nice to have a tool to use as motivation. Sometimes I even find myself pacing the house to get some steps in.
*Parking further away from the door at stores. Definitely a hard choice to make when its cold but those extra steps are worth it.
*Find a workout buddy and/or support. When you are doing something new it is always great to find support in others. You can also check out Lean Cuisine's® Well Being for more support and rewards.
*Add exercise to your everyday life. Dancing with the girls and jumping on the trampoline do more than make my girls laugh.
*Be consistent! Set a schedule and stick with it. Your schedule should be based around a time that you can be consistent. For me, that means early mornings.
*Keep it simple. You don't go from a couch potato to a marathon runner in a week. Taking on to much is frustrating and an easy way to burn out fast. Keep things simple and slowly work your way forward.
*Set a goal and give yourself plenty of grace. The best way to keep myself motivated is to pick a goal But I also set goals knowing that if I don't achieve them when I hoped I would, I can keep pushing forward. Missing a goal is not failure unless you give up.
*Have fun! Do I really need to explain this one?!

Making better choices isn't always easy but with Lean Cuisine® at least meal time can be.

One good choice often leads to another and then another. 

Why not start today?

For more information on Lean Cuisine®  check this out!
What Lean Cuisine® Marketplace flavor would you like to try?
What is one good choice you can make today?

Pumpkin Run 2015 Race Recap

 Saturday was the 33rd annual Joplin Pumpkin Run. This race has been around longer than I have folks. It is a hilly 5 mile course around a park just outside of town. I have wanted to do this race since I was a newby runner and two years later it finally happened.

But I wasn't the only one running!  The girls hadn't ran a fun run since July so I signed them up too and boy were they excited.

The fun run started out with "the rise of the great pumpkin".

And a hay ride to the start line.

Marissa ended up being the 4th kid to cross the finish line (that's my girl). 

She is a natural with her effortless style of running. She just has a way of making it look so easy.

Emily wanted to know what place she was so I told her she was "place # super awesome"!
She was THRILLED with her final result ;). She loved running this race with Meme (my mama). 

Good job ladies!
Instead of medals the kids were given their own little pumpkin.
It REALLY is a pumpkin run :). 

With the kids run over we were ready to get our 5 miles on. 

Our goal was to finish. No pace or time agendas made.

It is so nice to go into a race and only be thinking about having a good time. 

And that we did!

This photo pretty much assures that we were the happiest bunch of runners out there that day.

(especially seeing we had just ran up that hill) 

When it came to the end of the race Lacey gave me a run for my money with a sprinting show down. I believe the exact words she said were "It's on Beth" as she kicked it into warp speed. I some how magically managed to beat here by hundredths of a second. 

It was  pretty much the coolest thing ever and for a few seconds afterwards I thought my heart might explode. 

At the end of the day this is where we fell we finished with 47:something times, exactly where I expected us to be.  So the Pumpkin run was a race worth waiting two years for.  Fun with friends, a fun run to remember and another race shirt for my wardrobe.

I think that wraps up races for a while.
Until next time, happy running!
Now it's your turn. Grab the button in my sidebar and link-up for this weeks Tuesday Talk! Beth - Our Pretty Little Girls ~ Michelle - Grammie Time Keri - Living In This Season  ~ Christina - Waltzing In Beauty
Lauren - Simply Free ~  Becky - BYBMG
Jess and Katie - Sweet Little Ones ~ Whitney - Polka Dotty Place
Laura - Life Is Beautiful ~ Elizabeth - All Kinds Of Things
Sarah - Abiding In Grace ~ Stephanie - Wife Mommy Me
Emily - Morning Motivated Mom

An InLinkz Link-up

Jumping To A Healthier You!

Happy Monday morning friends. 

I hope that you had a great weekend!

Today I want to talk to you about something near and dear to my heart,

 Exercise!

Today I wanted to share one of my favorite ways to add some fun to my exercise routine, the benefits it provides and a great new product that makes it easier.

Jumping rope can:

*Improve Coordination

*Decrease foot and ankle injuries

*Burn a high numbers of calories

*Improve cardiovascular health

*Increase endurance

And that only names some of the benefits.

Long gone are the days when jumping rope was something that little girls did with beaded jump ropes.

Allow me to introduce you to the TKO Soft Grip Jump Rope. 

It is 9 feet of smooth PVC rope, has comfortable soft grip handles and functions smooth enough to make the least coordinated of us look like a pro in not time. 

My favorite part about this rope is easily the handles. They are the perfect size making them really natural to hold and have an excellent grip. Did I mention they function perfectly too? Half of the battle of jumping rope is a rope that works smoothly. The TKO Soft Grip Jump Rope is top of the line.

TKO workout ropes are affordable and fun letting you add variety to your fitness routine. That means less boredom at the gym or anywhere you choose to take your TKO rope!

Jumping rope is such a versatile way of exercising.

HIIT  or endurance, traditional jumps, high leg, one leg, alternating. 

The options are abundant!

Utilizing your legs, arms and core muscles jumping rope is a full body workout that can burn up to 170 calories in 15 minutes, yes please! I have absolutely loved rediscovering my love for jumping rope and I know you would too.

Thank you TKO for letting me try your product and share it with my readers today. 

Be sure to check out these other great products from TKO as well.

 I received this product free in exchange for my review. 

For more info you can see my disclosure statement.