Category Archives: Healthy Living

Gift Ideas for Fit Moms

Mother’s Day is coming up (May 12th to be exact) and I am sure many of you are thinking what you should get your Mom to show her how much you appreciate all her hard work and love.

Especially if you are a grown adult and realize just a what a pain in the patooty you really were as a kid. Maybe that’s just me.

Anyway, I thought I would share a few gift ideas that I think would be awesome for that woman in your life!

1. New workout clothes: Let me tell you, I geek out over new workout clothes. Probably a little more than regular clothes. Okay maybe not, but I love shopping and I get so excited to see new shiny things in my closet that help me look  and feel my best.  Plus, for those of us who could use a little motivation, new workout clothes actually help motivate us to get our sweat on.  (If you haven’t tried this little trick, do it! It works!) Stuck on where to shop?  You can check out places like Lululemon, Nike and Ellie if you have extra cash to spend or check out Target, Marshall’s, TJMaxx, and Old Navy! Great options even if you are on a budget.

2. A Deep Tissue/Sports Massage: We work our bodies really hard, so it is okay to take care of it and relieve those tight, aching muscles.  Plus, you mother deserves it whether she works out or not.  On our rest days, we usually bust out the foam roller (which if she doesn’t have one would be a great gift as well!) or do a yoga/pilates routine so a nice indulgence will definitely hit the spot.  Help her take care of that temple!

3. Subscription to Her Favorite Fitness/Health Magazine: I love reading on my quiet time and I know many other women who do too.  If she has ever uttered the words “I love this magazine” and you know she doesn’t have a subscription…..grab her one!  They are a relatively inexpensive gift that keeps on giving all year long.  I personally love Oxygen Magazine, Women’s Running magazine & Clean Eating Magazine to stay up to date on all my health and fitness news.

4. Heart Rate Monitor: This is something that is a definite tool.  Yes, you can probably pull up an app of some sort on your phone, but honestly I don’t think it will be as accurate as having one that is on your body.  I am personally wishing for the Polar Ft4 (in Pink!) but there are other really good ones from Nike, Bodybugg, and FitBit

5. A New Fitness Program:  I have a confession to make. I have fitness ADD. Which basically means that I need to change up my fitness routine. A lot.  If you have a fit mom in your life, she probably has to do the same thing. And that is a good thing! It means she is interested in making her body as strong as possible and willing to challenge herself.  A great way to change it up is to have a great fitness program on hand at home.  So even if she works out at the gym, having a few workouts that will give her the results she is looking for at home when she can’t get there is a must.  Not sure what she would like? Talk to me!  We can figure out the best program for her that she will love (and use!) or grab a e-card so she can pick out a new program for herself.

Hope these ideas help you pick the perfect gift for the Fit mom in your life.

Do you have any favorite fit gifts to share?

Tiff

 

Ready To Change or Not

willpower or not

There are a lot of reasons why we can choose not to do something.

Especially when that something means we have to change our habits and way of thinking.

*I don’t have enough money to start

*I have no energy because of A, B & C.

*I don’t have any time

*I have young children who keep me busy

*Eating healthy is expensive (so are doctor visits and medicine….just saying)

*I don’t have the willpower

*I don’t believe that (name workout program/product here) works

*I am so sore the next day I can’t do anything (what did you expect from working out?)

*I am too tired

*I can’t get up early

*I don’t like schedules

*I don’t like cooking/I’m not a good cook

People!  I say this with all the love in my heart.  Stop the insanity and just call it what it is. You just don’t want to change.  Period.  You ask for advice. You talk to people who are working out. You want the results. You want to be a part of groups and get motivation. But that motivation won’t do anything for you unless you get off your cute behind and do something about it!

If you think that changing your habits/thoughts/lifestyle doesn’t come with a cost…you are fooling yourself. I am not necessarily talking just about money either (although that does for some reason keep a person from moving forward! And those same people will buy a brand new smartphone, concert tickets etc.).  It will cost you time. You may have to wake up before everyone else in order to squeeze in that workout. You will have to say NO to things you used to do before.  You may have to spend a little more in groceries so that you can make sure you have healthy food options in your house.  You may have to *gasp* cook more!

Listen, I get it. Change is uncomfortable.  I thought so too. All those excuses I typed above?  I made them. Pretty much all of them.  So forgive me if you have talked to me and I have called you out on your excuses. It is just because I believe you can push them aside and do work.  I believe you are capable of changing. But I can’t make you. You have to want to.

You have to decide to really want to change and not let the excuses hold you back.  You hold yourself back. And that’s the truth.

Decide today to do something about it.  If you don’t like how you feel, if you want more energy, if you want to be healthier for your family…..then let’s do this!

Tiff~

Molly’s Suds-Greening Up Your Laundry

I recently found Molly’s Suds through one of my favorite blogs and I was dying to try out their product to see if this was something that I could include for daily laundry use.

Workout clothes, sports gear and unmentionables need special care so I spoke with Monica (owner of Molly’s Suds) and she graciously sent me a sample of the ALL SPORT liquid detergent along with dryer balls.

Mollys suds

I did a happy dance when I received the box. Immediately opened the cap and smelled the detergent.

Heaven. No chemicals. It smelled like Orange. From using sweet orange essential oil.

Certified Vegan. Biodegradable. No SLS/SLES or Phosphates.

And it CLEANS!!!

The most common question people ask when they try out green products is whether or not it will do as good of a job as traditional cleaning products.

They absolutely do. And I think they work better.  You don’t have to worry so much about your child getting an allergic reaction to an ingredient in certain detergents.  For those with sensitive skin, and my daughter is one of them, Molly’s Suds didn’t irritate her when I washed her Softball uniform.  The clothes maintained their color.  It didn’t leave any residue or stains behind.

Even though this was an ALL SPORT formula, I even tested out Sean’s Cloth diapers in the wash. Again, clean and odor free.

For drying,  I put some Lavender Essential Oil on the 100% wool dryer balls, tossed them in with my laundry to dry and dry clothes emerged and eliminated a lot of that annoying static that can result.  I hate static. Mostly because I hate getting shocked. Dryer balls are an excellent replacement for those dryer sheets which are toxic.  Plus, dryer sheets are not reusable and create waste. You can reuse dryer balls

I LOVE Molly’s Suds!!  Here is what they offer:

Laundry Powder

All Sport Liquid detergent

Dog Shampoo (perfect for all you dog lovers out there!)

100% Wool Dryer balls (get rid of the toxic dryer sheets. You don’t need them.)

And a surprise for my readers!  When you order from Molly’s Suds, use coupon Code HARPER15 at checkout & you will get 15% off your entire order!

So what do you have to lose?  NOTHING! Go check them out on Facebook as well and be sure to tell them Tiffany  Harper Online sent you!

Are you trying to Green up your life? What products in your home have you currently replaced with healthier options?

Tiff

 

 

Choose to Show Up

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Sometimes I like to use the excuse “I didn’t have time”.

I think maybe sometimes you do too.

But I heard this great advice to change that phrase to “I Chose to” instead.  I think it is a great way to keep ourselves accountable for our own actions, for the way we spend our time instead of blaming others.

Not always easy, but it has been helping me so far.

For example, this morning, I knew I should get up as soon as my alarm went off at 5AM. But I chose sleeping in over getting up.  I was able to get a workout in later, but it cost me. But that is the consequence of the choice I made.

I choose to show up every day. Regardless of how hard things might be I choose to make better choices.  I will do my best, and not beat myself up over it if I make the wrong one.

I choose to let this be a learning process and learn from both my successes and my failures.  Because that is how you truly grow.

So if you are one who often uses the excuse “I don’t have time”….I encourage you to change it to “I chose to”. It will help you see how much you really can control in regards to your time, resources and efforts.

Just show up!

Tiff~

P.S. Don’t forget! You have until tomorrow to enter my doTERRA giveaway! I will pick the winner on Valentine’s Day!

Santa Run 2012

I competed in my last race of 2012 and I was so thrilled to be able to do it with my husband!

Back in October, I signed both Dan and I up for the 5K Renegade Santa Run and since we paid for it, there was no backing out.  My husband hadn’t been in a race since he was in college so he was a little nervous but I told him 3 miles he can do.

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We arrived at the race location around 6:45, grabbed our packet and then sat in the car for about 30 minutes because it was FREEZING early in the morning. Holy cow. I am realizing that I do not have appropriate running attire for cold weather. Imagine if I lived in places where the weather was even more cold.

I am such a wussy California girl!

Anyway, we warmed up together. We got in the VERY BACK of the line because let me be very real here.

I. AM. SLOW. Ha!

I have come to terms with the fact that I will probably never be the fastest in my age bracket and I am okay with that. I am just really enjoy running to relieve stress, compete against myself and try and beat my time if I so desire.  I no longer feel the need to try and beat everyone I see. Although I am competitive so I might try to race past some folks ;) .

Dan told me to go ahead of him so I did. I felt a little bad, but he gave me his blessing and off I went.

Running. Relieving all the stress and emotion I felt yesterday and carried into this gorgeous Saturday.  It was nice to relieve all of this in a healthy, physical way.  This is why I love this lifestyle.

I don’t have my official time yet, but I think I ran it around 34 minutes.  Pretty proud of myself.

We did it!

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What did you do on this beautiful Saturday?

Tiff~

Cyber Monday!

Hi all!!

I love writing on this blog to post my thoughts, quotes that inspire me, things that I love…..

And the occasional great deal I find!

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Today is the last day you can tale advantage of these deals.

I love my job solely based on the fact that I get to pay it forward and share with others the gift of health and fitness. I personally have seen incredible results from TurboFire and P90X. I have lost the post baby weight and have become stronger than I have ever been.

Go here to check out these programs and savings: Cyber Monday Fitness Deals.

Plus, order through the link above and you will get me as your free Coach and get the accountability and support you deserve.

I hope this motivates you to begin a brand new beginning as a fitter, stronger and healthier version of yourself.

Have a FIT Monday!

Tiff

Picking A Food Plan is So Confusing! Aaagh!

When I first began taking charge of my health and trying to force myself to eat better, (Okay yes there was some forcing… I LOVED my Chili Cheese Fries and Pizza. sigh.) figuring out the best type of meal plan or “diet” to pick from was really confusing.

There were so many choices!!!

Paleo. Vegan. Gluten Free. Sugar Busters. Atkins. Vegetarian. Pescatarian. Whole Foods only. Weight Watchers. Jenny Craig. Nutrisystem. Juicing.

Holy freaking cow.

I began to understand why getting started was so hard.

There was a lot of information out there and quite frankly a lot of it I didn’t understand.  Everyone one of those plans above had “scientific research” to back up why their plan worked the best.

Sure. Whatever.

Now I am not discrediting these plans and their research.  I only say it this way because it can be very confusing to the average consumer as to what is really best for THEM.

So I just got started. I didn’t pick any of those above and went with a comprehensive nutrition plan that was pretty basic and easy to understand but at the same time doable.

Something I could do over a lifetime.

And guess what? I tend to enjoy consuming Vegan/Vegetarian meals as much as possible because I love veggies and I don’t crave animal products all that much. That took time of course and a ton of experimenting.  But I say this because eventually you will figure out what it is exactly that your body needs and craves. Your body craves Nutrients, not calories.

Again, this is something I can do for the rest of my life!

And that is the key.

When you are doing your research as to what types of diet would best fit your lifestyle, family and budget keep this thing in mind and ask yourself this:

“Can I maintain this way of eating for the rest of my life? Or will this be another quick fix that ends up nowhere?”

There is no magic pill, drink, celebrity diet plan that will get you long term results.  You must put in the work. Tell yourself no to the things that, while provide pleasure for the moment, can harm you long term.

Focus on health first. Long Term Health.

If you have food allergies or disorders that prevent you from consuming certain food items, talk to your doctor!  A good doctor will work along side you to help you shed the fat and maintain a healthy, fit lifestyle.  Weight loss surgery (unless you will die without it) should always be last resort.

So do your research, but for right now, start simple. Cut out processed foods and focus mainly on incorporating more veggies and fruits as well as lean proteins in your diet. Master that and the rest will be easy to figure out.

<3 Tiff

 

 

The Ultimate Reset-What Is It and Is It Right For You?

Most of the time when we hear someone say they are going on a detox, we immediately think starvation or subjecting oneself to a crazy cleanse that does more harm than good. (Hello Master Cleanse….I am talking to you.  Oh yeah…I named names).

When I first heard about the Ultimate Reset that was released through Beachbody, I have to admit, I was very skeptical.  My experience with those performing cleanses had not been favorable in the past.

However, after having several of my friends ask me about the Reset, and by conducting my own personal research, my husband and I are embarking on the detox journey beginning October 10th.

So what is the Ultimate Reset?

It is a complete, three-phase, 21 day program that provides you with all the tools you need in order to:

1. Reclaim your body’s natural balance

2. Release harmful materials that you may have hiding within your body.

3. Restore your body to its optimal state.

What the Ultimate Reset is NOT:

1. A Starvation diet. You WILL be eating three healthy, filling meals everyday.

2. An abrupt cleanse that is hard on your body. You will be provided with natural supplements that work together to provide a gentle and gradual  shift of your body’s internal settings.

3. A laxative-based, colon focused cleanse. Those don’t truly detoxify you, which is the whole point of the Reset. We want to eliminate toxins…not just have you going to the bathroom all the time!

Why would someone want to do the Ultimate Reset?

Sometimes, regardless of how often we exercise, how well we eat, how much sleep we get….our bodies can feel, well, off.  And we need to provide it with routine maintenance in order to ensure that our bodies are functioning at their optimal state.  Much like you take in your car for regular oil change, change its tires, replace breaks and fill it with the right type of fluid, it is the same with caring for our bodies.

Because if we don’t, then our bodies break down.

The Ultimate Reset can help you:

*Have more energy  and greater focus

*Experience better digestion and a more positive mood.

*Enable your body to function more efficiently

*Lose weight (This is not a weight loss program. This is a program designed to cleanse you and remove toxins. So if you are looking to solely lose weight I suggest you email me and we can discuss workouts or other programs for you.)

*Improve your overall health

Also, take note, I will be refraining from intense exercise activity for 21 days. That is going to be a hard one for us. My husband and I workout regularly so it will be a big change of focus, but I think it will benefit our bodies to rest from the physical activity and focus on the internal stuff.

If you need more information about the Ultimate Reset, please email me. Or you can check out the website where there are videos provided as well as other information for you.

I will post pictures on my Instagram and Facebook pages and on this blog, sharing some recipes and Dan and I will post a video once a week together to document this journey.

We are very excited!

What do you think about the Ultimate Reset?

<3 Tiff

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

The last week and a half has been absolutely hectic for me and my family.  Between school, ministry and Madi having a short cheerleading course at a local High School, my time posting to social media had to be limited so that I could focus on the things that absolutely needed my full attention. I still worked out and ate (relatively clean) but unfortunately I have no photographic evidence. Ha!

What has absolutely saved my life the last week or so is making breakfast ahead of time for my loved ones.  I shared this as a food prep tip and I posted a photo of my Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes which I whipped up this morning for future breakfasts.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So please don’t skip it.  I know it can be hard, but with a little planning and prep, it won’t be so hard in the mornings to get something good in our bellies.

I took the basic Whole Wheat Banana Pancake recipe from 100 Days of Real Food and replaced the Banana with 1 cup of pumpkin.  I also added to the dry mix:

1 TBSP Cinnamon

1 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie spice

Mix all together and cook like a pancake.

The original recipe does call for Real butter (whole foods remember, not margarine!), but you can substitute applesauce instead for a lower fat content.

I have also made ahead of time granola and overnight oats as well as blending a Shakeology smoothie for them.  They never leave hungry.

Again, I realize that this does take extra time to prep and plan. But I know that most of us would much rather take the extra time to prepare something good for our families than to go without or settle for empty, unhealthy meals from a drive-thru window.

What are your favorite make ahead meals?

Tiff

My First Grader And What the Heck To Feed Her

My sweet little buddy began first grade on Monday:

I am kind of alarmed that my first born is already in grade school. I mean, didn’t I just have this kid?

And she is growing so tall so quickly and her metabolism is wicked (and enviously) fast that I often find myself asking:

“What the heck do I feed this kid?!”

I love how I have battles with deciding what to feed  my kid.  I suppose that is better than being without and worrying that she will have to go hungry at night. I sadly know some families that are going through this. Kills me.

But that isn’t the point of this post today.  I wanted to share a really awesome resource that I was literally just told about today.  It is perfect for  families like me who are on a budget and are also trying to eliminate  processed foods from their families plates and cupboards and institute a love of real food.

Doesn’t that make you happy?

Madi is so excited she can’t wait to tell you about it! So here you go!

Hi Everyone! This is Madi, the totally hyper, outgoing and girly firstborn daughter of Mommy. (Well, Tiffany to you folks.) Now let’s get something straight here. I like lunchables, especially the pizza ones, chocolate milk from Starbucks and special shakes when I go on dates with my daddy.  But Mommy is on a whole “let’s get our family healthy and take care of our bodies because God made them” kick that she told us those favorite foods of mine are on the “Once in a while Treat” list. Boooo.

The good thing is when my Mommy goes shopping, she lets me come along and pick out what fruits and veggies I want to try and she lets me help cut stuff in the kitchen. Because I love to help. And I try to ignore Mommy when she says she would like to cut celery in peace….whatever that means.

Umm Mommy is staring at me so I guess I just need to tell you to go check out 100 Days of Real Food. Bye!

Okay I will explain more!  I love this site because honestly, like you guys, it can be a challenge to come up with real food for our kids that will be sustainable in their lunch boxes and that compete with the junk food that the schools often offer.  I love this site because it breaks down cost, has a free meal planner and tons of recipes. Again, perfect for families.

And whenever I love something, I tell you guys. Sharing is caring.

I am sure there are a ton more websites like this, but I was just drooling over the site so I had to post it. And what perfect timing too now that Madi is back in school.

Do you guys have any favorite meal planning websites perfect for families? Please share!

Tiff~