Healthy Eats #Celebrate365

Now that all of our Christmas gatherings are over, it is now time to get organized for the New Year, and I'm not just talking about how to fit all the new toys into our house...  The most popular New Year's Resolution is making healthier choices, so my Celebrate 365 co-hosts (Carlee from Cooking with Carlee and Jan from Tip Garden) and I have decided to host a Healthy Eats Recipe Blog Party!

The New Year is a great way to have a fresh start and as I have been thinking through my goals for 2018 I have been thinking about making healthier choices.  2018 actually marks the first year in many years that I have not been pregnant or nursing.  One of my body's main jobs has been taking care of kids over the last six years literately and while yes, one of my main jobs will continue to be taking care of four kids, my body at least isn't physically supplying nutrients for more than one person.

Now while I said for the first time I'm able to concentrate on my body, I am still feeding my growing family three meals a day, so I would love to see all bloggers link up their healthy meals and recipe ideas for individuals and families.  Feel free to share all of your 21 Day Fix, Keto, Paleo, Weight Watchers, high-protein, clean, etc. recipes so we all can get inspired to be healthier in the New Year!

Are you making plans to be a healthier you in 2018?  What is your favorite healthy recipe or food to eat?  Be sure to link up in the Blog Party and Comment for a Cause!

An InLinkz Link-up

Summer Goal Accomplished

One of my New Year's Resolutions this year was to get healthier:
Healthier for myself,

                        Healthier for my family and 

Healthier for my future children.  

I did a really good job of watching my portion sizes and snacking during the first part of the year, which gave me decent results.  This summer I decided to take it to the next level by starting to exercise.  In June I joined a "Couch to 5K" program at my local wellness center.  This is an interval training program where at the beginning of the program you walk longer than you run and by the end you are running longer than you walk.  The goal of the class was to complete a 5K at the end of August that supported our local recreational lake, the Beeds Lake Restoration Run.  Our first class in June had over 30 people in it and yesterday, I'm happy to say that I was one of 6 class members that completed the 5K!

My goal at the beginning of the summer was to not just complete the 5K with the rest of my class members, it was to run the entire 5K - and that is exactly what I did!  Now, my pace may have been pretty slow, but it didn't matter to me.  I finished my first ever 5K race in 42:31 minutes!  Now all I can think of is where I should register to run next and try to increase my running pace so I can beat my time.

Thank you to My Farmer and LP for giving me time to run this summer and time to join the class at the Wellness Center.  I was so happy and proud when I saw both of you standing at the finish line cheering me on, along with the hugs I got as soon as I finished.

I wish I had some photos of me at the end of the race, but we had to get back home so we could check on my in-laws new puppies!

What would you rather see, me sweaty after a race, or hour old Chesapeake Bay Retriever puppies - I mean really...  Aren't they so cute and adorable?

I Can't Believe This is a Children's Book - "Vegan is Love"

A guilty pleasure of mine is watching the Today Show in the morning and earlier this week there was a piece about a new children's book that will be released on April 24th called Vegan is Love.  The Today Show piece discussed the book's topics from animal testing to eating habits.  It also questioned "is a vegan diet healthy for children".  In the end the dietitians and doctors they interviewed said it was healthy at any age to be a vegan.  I just can't find it good to get protein, calcium and many more vitamins through a diet which would have to include supplements, especially for kids.  My family and I choose to eat meat and dairy, and by doing this, we get all of our vitamins and minerals naturally through our food.

One quick side note, I took the online poll from the Today Show that asked "What do you think of kids eating vegan diets?" and out of the over 4800 votes, 40% voted "Great Idea!  We are vegans."  I was in the 35% that said "I disapprove.  That can't be healthy for kids."

So from all of this, what are you going to do or say when you see Vegan is Love next to the Velveteen Rabbit in the children's section at your local bookstore?