My favorite sanity saving tips

Busy Sports Moms have limited time for chores and other household duties.  Unfortunately they haven't invented a way to add hours to the day - yet.

I have compiled some of my favorite tips and tricks that I have used over the years to help save my sanity (a little).  I hope you get some use out of them as well!

1.  This is one of my most used cleaning tips: Try using a timer.  Sometimes, you   need to be able to focus on a single task in order to really get it done.  Set the timer for 10 minutes and start tackling a chore.  Once the timer is done, time to move on to the next chore. It's amazing how much you can get done if you’re trying to beat the clock!

2.  Remember all those beautiful ribbons that came on your kid's birthday gifts?  Don’t toss them, use them to tie around your sheet sets in the closet so you'll never have to look for stray pillowcases or bottom sheets again. 

3.  Keep your old bank check boxes and use them as dividers for the dreaded junk drawer. They are great at keeping all the junk separated out

4.  Keep all of your instructions and warranties in a three-ring binder so you won't be stuck sifting through paper stacks.  You can buy those clear plastic sleeves pretty cheap and that way you don’t have to punch holes in the papers

5.  Hang collapsing shelves from a closet rod and prepare your child's outfits for the week on Sunday nights

6.  If you're still in the infant stage, stick a plastic hook on the back of a high chair to hold bibs.

7.  Use old shoeboxes to hold your kids crayons and colored pencils, pencils, erasers or anything else they need for homework time.  And put it away once you are done.

8.  Use a shoe caddy to store games and snacks on a long road trip. If you hang the shoe caddy over the back of the front passenger seat, your kids will be able to easily reach the toys/games/headphones they want without you having to dig through a never-ending bag.

What can YOU accomplish in 21 Days?

If I told you I had a program that would give you a fool proof, portion controlled meal plan that was as simple to follow as putting food in color coordinated containers, would you be interested?

If I told you I had a program that would give you 30 minute workouts but deliver the results of 1 to 2 hour workout sessions, would you be interested?

If I told you I had a program that lasted ONLY 21 days, but where you lost 5-10 pounds in those 21 days would you be interested?

If I told you I had a program that combined ALL THREE of the above into one simple program would you......never mind......of course you would!!!

If you want more information, please click the link below to provide your contact information and I will send you an email (keep an eye on your junk box as that is where they end up sometimes):


More information

Eau De 8 year old

I entered uncharted territory this week.  Our oldest is 8 and she is very active with gymnastics practice 3.5 hours a day 3 days a week.  This past week I noticed that she is now in need of deodorant (OMG WHAT??).  So knowing all the dangers of aluminum, I did not want to begin putting that into her body at such a young age.  So I went out and bought her Tom's of Maine all natural deodorant.  She is trying it out now, but this morning I read the reviews and most people say it doesn't work too well.  Which I am not that worried about because, well, she is 8 and how stinky can she get?

But in my research for reviews of Tom’s I came across this pretty cool website.  It is called Growing Basics www.growingbasics.com and is a line of personal hygiene products for big kids and tweens ages 6-13.  The products are all natural and non-toxic and most importantly for me do not contain aluminum, paraben, alcohol or sulfates.

They are priced comparatively to the other natural deodorants out there as well.  I just ordered a twin pack for her to try along with the Tom’s to see which works better for her, but I really like that the Growing Basics deodorant is created specifically for kids, while Tom’s is not. 

I will do an update once she has tried both products and I will share with you which one we like best!!

Overnight Oats To the Rescue!!

Weekends mean sleeping in, waking up and slowly rolling into the kitchen and preparing a big, involved breakfast for the family.  Well….not in MY HOUSE.

For me Saturday mornings mean waking up early, getting a workout in, walking the dogs and getting Riley off to gymnastics practice by 9am. 

Because of the hectic schedule, breakfast is always rushed and hurried, but I always want to get her full of a nice hearty breakfast to prepare her for 3 hours of practice.  While cereal is quick, it usually doesn’t keep her full for very long.

Enter overnight oats!  Yes that is right, they cook overnight – while you sleep.  So you wake up in the morning with breakfast already done and ready to eat (minus a little reheating and adding in some toppings!

I gave it a try this weekend.  We got into the kitchen in the morning and all I had to do was turn on the stove, reheat the oats and add in some brown sugar and fresh blueberries and it was ready to be devoured.

The oats were a huge hit and I felt good knowing that she had a nutritious breakfast that would keep her full and give her energy during her practice. 

The beauty of it is that you can add in anything you want!  I made mine with bananas and walnuts and it was amazing!  You can even put in a dollop of peanut butter instead of the brown sugar or use maple syrup.  Just get creative.  Below is the recipe and a few pics (I forgot to take a pic of the finished product until mine was all gone and Riley’s was near finished, lol).

Ingredients (serves 4):

4 cups filtered water (filtered water is KEY here as some tap water leaves a green slime on the oats, which is safe to eat, but not very yummy looking)

1 cup steal cut oats

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Boil 4 cups water, and bring to a full, rolling boil, then pour in the oats and salt.  Give it a quick stir and let it cook for 1 minute (set a timer, it goes faster than you think!).

After 1 minute, turn off the heat, give the oats a quick stir, cover and let it sit out on the stove ALL NIGHT.

When you wake up the next morning, simply turn on the stove to medium heat and stir until heated through. 

Pour the oats into bowls and top with your favorite toppings (brown sugar, strawberries, blueberries, bananas you name it!)

Enjoy!!

Nutrition tips for Moms on the go

Being constantly on the go can be stressful on our minds and bodies.  Having adequate nutrition really helps combat that stress and make you healthier over all.  Below are some helpful nutrition tips for busy moms, check them out!

      1)  Limit Sugar and caffeine - Too much caffeine can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb calcium, the National Osteoporosis Foundation reports.  Huge Frappuccinos may make you feel good temporarily, but the crash afterwards will just reinforce your need for them, creating even more stress.  And sugar, well we all know the deal with that.  If you need to satisfy your sweet tooth, try a few raspberries stuffed with a dark chocolate chip in the center.

2)    Eat fat…wait what?? - Omega-3 essential fatty acids and monounsaturated fats are the goal.  According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish, such as salmon, tuna and halibut, certain plants (including purslane), and nut oils. Omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development and in preventing heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish- particularly fatty fish at least two times a week.  

Flax seeds, which experts say reduce inflammation, and walnuts are also are good sources of omega-3. Also recommended are monounsaturated fats, which are found in olives, avocados, hazelnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and olive, canola and peanut oils, according to Harvard School of Public Health.

3) Drink….water that is.  You should be drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water every day.  So if you weigh 160 pounds that is 80 ounces of water every single day. If you are exercising, you will need more, according to the American Council on Exercise. How can you tell if you are hydrated? Your urine should be clear or pale yellow (unless you take a vitamins which can darken urine) and plentiful, ACE reports.
Regularly drinking fluids help promote cell function and allow for the body to regulate itself.

     4)  Consume immune boosting foods - Deeply pigmented fruits and vegetables generally have the highest amounts of antioxidants.  You’ll want to try blueberries, cantaloupes, mangoes, kiwi, pomegranates, broccoli, kale, spinach, red/yellow/orange peppers and acai berry.

     5)  Get your snacking in check - Choose fresh fruits and vegetables as snacks. Then about 10 minutes afterwards to see if you are still hungry. The fiber in fruit and veggies will help fill out up (and keep you regular, yay!!)  You can also try to snack on lean protein combined with a carbohydrate such as whole grain crackers and reduced fat cheese, light yogurt with probiotics and low-fat granola, or peanut butter and an apple (one of my favorites!)

Save TIME in the kitchen

I spend a majority of my time when at home in the kitchen.  Meal prep, cooking, cleaning, packing lunches, making snacks, I feel like I am ALWAYS in there.  But, I have employed some time saving tips over the years that help me to spend less time in the kitchen and more time….doing other chores ;)  A mom’s work is never done!  haha

Time saving tips:

      1. Keep a supply of cone-shaped coffee filters on hand—even if you don’t have a coffee maker! These handy paper cups serve as little snack cups and you don’t have to waste a good bowl or plate, and if your kids snack as often as mine these will come in handy.  Perfect for trail mix, popcorn or cut up fruit.

.         2. Get  your kids to help! When I am making dinner or packing lunches, I enlist the help of one or two eager little helpers.  I have them help empty the dishwasher, or gather half empty cups from around the house to put into sink to be washed.  The kids love to help and I love to have a third or fourth hand.

      3.  Instead of rummaging through the pantry for beef or chicken broth for your recipes (then putting the left over can in the fridge to take up much needed space) I fill an ice cube tray with the broth and stick in the freezer for grab and go use later.

      4.  To save time on dessert for the kids, take a muffin tin and line with paper liners.  Scoop your favorite ice cream or frozen yogurt in each muffin spot.  Once frozen, pop each one out and put in a gallon size Ziploc bag (try to keep the paper liners on them for grabbing ease later).  Then when the kids want ice cream for dessert no need to spend all that time scooping the rock hard ice cream.  Just grab a scoop and put in a bowl!

      5.  After cooking dinner, set your dirty pots on the stove with either vinegar and water or dish soap and water and let it boil while you eat.  When you are done with dinner, your pots will be un-stuck with food and easier to clean.

      6.  Make your dishwasher work for you!  Put like utensils in the same section of the silverware tray in the dishwasher (knives with knives, small forks with small forks, etc.) so that you can pull them out by group and put them away fast.  This also helps when you have the little ones unloading!

     7.  Just made a delicious dinner full of garlic but hate the smell in the house?  Instead of wasting time running around with air freshener or lighting all the candles in the house, while you’re cooking a meal or just after, set a small pot of water on the stove and drop in a slice of lemon, a cinnamon stick, or a couple pinches of your favorite aromatic spice. Let the pot boil for several minutes, and the smell will permeate your kitchen with its fragrance.

8.  Pre wash and chop your family’s favorite fruits and veggies and place them in a paper towel lined Tupperware (one for each type of course).  These make quick and easy to grab snacks for the kids, and you don’t even have to be involved.

The Sacrificial Sports Mom’s 

Fit Mom Boot Camp

Sports Moms are constantly on the go.  Shuttling kids between practices, picking up sports equipment, attending parent meetings, etc.  Add on top of this regular “mom duties” – errands, laundry, cooking, cleaning, work, social life (haha) – the list goes on and on.  So where in all of this do you find time for YOU?

A healthy and happy mom equates to a thriving family.  How can you be “go go go” if you are too tired and sluggish to get anything done?  How can you be the best example for your kids if you are unhappy or just not feeling like you are at your best?

Doesn’t Your Family Deserve You To Be?

Like it or not, Moms are the center of our families.  We are the boss, the nurse, the therapist, the police, the taxi – we are everything to everyone in our families.  If we are taking care of all of those things, who is taking care of us?  We need to make time for ourselves, make fitness and nutrition a priority so that we have a strong foundation to build on and the endurance to get it all done!

There are so many things to take into consideration when putting together a program that delivers results - how many calories do you need to sustain your energy yet lose weight, what types of foods will provide adequate nutrition, what types of workouts should you do?  Forget trying to figure all of that on your own, The Sacrificial Sports Mom has developed a formula that is designed to get you the best possible results for busy Moms like you:

FITNESS + NUTRITION + SUPPORT = SUCCESS

FITNESS 

You and I will work together to choose a fitness solution that meets your needs and that will assist you in achieving your goals. There are quite a few fitness packages available for The Fit Mom Boot camp, although I find there are 2-3 that are perfect for busy moms because they fit into our busy lives. These Boot camp programs are quick-hitting programs that can be completed in your own home at any time of the day you choose! No taking time out of our busy days to drive to the gym; no trying to juggle your schedule to make the 5:30 class. This is important so you can focus your time on being a supportive SportsMom.

NUTRITION

All Fit Mom Boot Camp programs include a nutrition guide that has been prepared by a team of nutritionists. Why is this important? Because nutrition is 90% of the battle. Your Boot Camp package also includes a 30-day supply of a Super-Food meal replacement/nutrition supplement that contains over 70 natural, nutritious ingredients picked from the most fertile soils from around the world. Nothing artificial!!  This is important because we want you to get off on the right foot – especially during those first 30 days when you will need it the most.

SUPPORT

When you join the 30 Day Fit Mom Boot Camp, you will receive 1 on 1 peer support from a busy Sports Mom who understands how crazy our schedules can get.  As a community, we will work to achieve your fitness and nutrition goals. When you choose to be a member of the Fit Mom Boot Camp, you will be part of a community of busy moms committed to a balanced approach to fitness in order to be the healthiest mom you can be. This support system has been set up to ensure accountability and success for all, giving you a lifetime of a better/healthier you.

SUCCESS

When FITNESS + NUTRITION + SUPPORT come together, they create results!! By joining in the Sacrificial Sports Mom Boot Camp, you will have access to all three elements on a daily basis. No matter if you would like to lose weight, increase lean muscle or just be healthier overall; the proven formula of the Fit Mom Boot camp will give you the tools to get you the results you deserve. The only thing missing is YOU!!!

JOIN THE SACRIFICIAL SPORTS MOM’S FIT MOM BOOT CAMP

To join the Boot Camp, click on the registration link below and fill out the form and I will contact you with further instructions. Space is limited as to provide exceptional personal coaching for each participant. Once the Boot Camp is full, applicants will be placed on a waiting list for the next Boot Camp.

NEXT BOOT CAMP STARTS AUGUST 4th

REGISTRATION ENDS JULY 28th

Registration link

5 days of healthy eating

If I were to provide you with a 5 day healthy eating meal plan, with 3 meals and 2 snacks per day would you be interested in trying it out? Nothing complicated and difficult – I am a busy mom too. Just real, healthy foods. You test it out right along with me for 5 days and see if you drop a few pounds, and I get to have your feedback on the meal plan when the 5 days is up. Who would like to join me?

Comment below or send me an email at thegoars@gmail.com

Fit moms = fit kids

There are numerous reasons for women to stay fit and we know what most of them are (I’m looking at you skinny jeans!).  For me, however, one of the biggest driving forces in my quest to be fit is so I can model healthy behavior for my kids.

Kids are always watching us parents, even when we don’t think they are (I don’t think my daughter just invented the eye roll on her own, lol).   They notice the way we talk about food and exercise and over-all health.  If we have a good attitude about eating right and exercising, kids will have that same attitude. 

  

This is one of the many reasons I LOVE working out at home – my kids SEE me working out.  They know that when I pull out my yoga mat and hand weights that I am doing something that is beneficial to my health and well-being.  Quite often they even join me in my workouts.  These little eyes are watching me and copying me and by modeling healthy behavior I am teaching them that they can live a long healthy life by eating right and working out.

It has been shown that children who are involved in an active lifestyle with their parents are more prone to follow this lifestyle as an adult.  I want this for my kids; I want them to grow up healthy and strong and confident in who they are!  These days obesity is running rampant in society and even more so with kids.  Long gone are the days of playing outside all day until the street lights come on.  Now it is video games and tablets and texting.  I want my kids to experience what it means to be healthy on the inside and out.

 

This is my quest.  If you would like to join me but don’t know where to start, hit me up and we can do this together!

It's crock pot freezer meal time

Well it’s that time again!  I have run out of my crock pot freezer meals and we are busy beavers with the kids’ sports every day during the week.  I plan on taking a few hours this weekend to put some together to get us through the next while.  I am a bit tired of my regular rotation of freezer meals so I grabbed a few new recipes to try this weekend.  I like to look for quick, easy recipes that don’t take a lot of prep time.  I also lean towards healthy, kid friendly meals. 

These are the new recipes I will be trying out and will be happy to report back when we try them.  Note – I prep the meals all the way up to the crock pot part, then toss them in a gallon size Ziploc.  I write the instructions with a sharpie on the bag and throw into the freezer until I use them.

Enjoy!

Salsa chicken

2 pounds (32 ounces) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

1 cup salsa, homemade or purchased

1 cup petite diced canned tomatoes (choose low-sodium)

2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning

1 cup onions, diced fine

1/2 cup celery diced fine

1/2 cup carrots, shredded

3 tablespoons sour cream, reduced fat

Place the chicken in a slow cooker. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat then layer the vegetables and salsa on top. Pour a half cup water over the mixture, set on low and cook for 6-8 hours. The meat is cooked when it shreds or reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. When ready to serve, break up the chicken with two forks then stir in the sour cream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chicken stew

2 pounds chicken, without skin or bone

2 cups carrots, chopped

4 cups potatoes, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

8 oz mushrooms

1 tsp each garlic powder, thyme, oregano, marjoram, basil, bay leaf, black pepper

4 cups water with 1 tsp lemon juice added

Directions

Chop chicken, carrots, potatoes, celery, and onion and put them in the slow cooker.

Pour the mushrooms on top.

Sprinkle on the seasonings, pour in the water and lemon juice, and put the lid on cooker.

Let cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for the day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Balsamic chicken

Ingredients

6 chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 10 oz. bag of frozen vegetables (corn, peas, carrots)

1 onion, cut into wedges

1 green pepper, cut into strips

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Place vegetables in slow cooker, then place chicken strips on top. Sprinkle garlic and spices over chicken, then pour balsamic vinegar over chicken. Cook 3-4 hours on high (or 6-7 on low). Half way thru the cooking time, remove lid, baste chicken with juices in slow cooker, and stir. Serve over rice or noodles

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chicken and white beans

2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) either Navy or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

2 carrots, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 small onion, diced

1/2 cup low calorie Italian salad dressing

1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste-

4- 3 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders

Directions

Place beans, onion, carrots, celery in slow cooker, put the chicken on top of bean mixture. Pour the salad dressing over the chicken. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Pour 1 cup water over all.

Cover and cook on low 3 to 4 hours, until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

The great wait

Having kids who are active in sports means lots of juggling of schedules.  Sometimes there are conflicts, other times there are tight windows of time to get things done.  This leads me to something I struggle with often….the great wait.

While your child is at practice, do you just drop off and pick up (literally not leaving the car)?  Do you walk them in and drop off and then do the reverse when it is pick up time?  Do you stay and watch the entire practice?

Well I think the answer varies.  It varies depending on your child’s age, the length of the practice, the sport involved.  For me when Riley has gymnastics practice (3.5 hours long) I do a combo of things.  Some days I drop her off and pick her up outside the gym in the loading lane.  Other days I go into the gym myself and work out (always trying to squeeze fitness into my busy mom life).  It just depends on what all I have going on in our lives that particular week.

Now for Denton, because of his age, I will always stay.  Or when it is swim class I am for sure parking my booty there for the whole time.  But as he gets older I am sure that will change.  However, staying with him during his practices makes it difficult to get other things done – like picking up Riley from her practice or cooking dinner/running unexpected errands (dogs are out of food – again???).  That is when it really helps having an involved hubby.  We can tag team the drop off/pick up but there is still that lost time waiting….

I want to hear from you Sports Moms.  Do you stay?  Do you go?  If you stay, what do you do to pass the time?  Leave a comment below, or share this with a friend who you know would want to chat about it.