Mommies Magazine

Fitness Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Posted on 20. Nov, 2009 by Angel Lynn Diamond.

Ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry, pumpkin pie, holiday cookies. Sounds like the holidays to me and it is filled with scrumptious food! Oh, it is so difficult to resist all of those holiday goodies, but good news…..you do not have to!

Most people tend to gain extra weight around the holidays and although understandable, we hate ourselves for it in the morning. The holidays come only once a year. We go out of our way to prepare for it and invite family and friends to celebrate with. There is no reason why you cannot enjoy some holiday cooking without sabotaging your diet.

Here are some simple steps to follow to avoid gaining weight over the holiday season:

*Eat anything that you want. Just be sure to eat small portions. You can safely sample a little bit of everything, but do not overdo it.

*Be sure to exercise faithfully over the holiday months. This is not a time to be slacking in the exercise department. You may get away with it at other times of the year, but the holiday temptations will catch up to you and it will show on the scale.

*Get in some extra fitness time if at all possible. Schedule it into your plans and make it a priority. Instead of exercising 3 times a week, plan to exercise 5 times a week.

*Take it easy the week before Thanksgiving and Christmas. Try to cut out any snacking.

By following the simple steps above you should be able to avoid gaining weight over the holidays. Just remember that if you are tempted to overeat your clothes will not fit right and the numbers will show up on the scale. We all know how awful that feels.

Continue Reading

Feeding America: Helping Those in Need This Holiday Season

Posted on 19. Nov, 2009 by Angel Lynn Diamond.

While we are busy cooking our hams and turkeys and baking our pumpkin pies there are some who are wondering where they will get their next meal from. Thanksgiving is still too far off in the future to worry about for them because the present is more important. Their stomachs are empty right now and their children are asking for food. Imagine yourself going to bed hungry. Worse yet, imagine your children asking for food and you have none for them.

So many people are hungry in our world. Some people never had much in terms of materialistic items and food to begin with. Other people lived the “American Dream” and had it all, so they thought, and then they lost their jobs. Slowly they lost other things as well in their lives.

Feeding America is a non-profit organization that helps to feed millions of people each year. Help someone else that is less fortunate than you are this holiday season. Give to others who do not have. Bless someone’s life and share with them what you have been blessed to have. Do unto others, especially now during our holiday season.

For more information visit http://feedingamerica.org/.

Continue Reading

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait: Healthy, Low-Cal and Delicious

Posted on 09. Nov, 2009 by Angel Lynn Diamond.

As the years have flown by, faster than a speeding bullet at times or so it seems, I have become smarter and wiser. I have become more health conscious and enforcing some strict rules upon myself. In part, like the rest of you (admit it), this is due to fear.

I am more consciously aware of my body and fighting back. I am a rebel at times and will not be defeated (at least not without a struggle). I am eating healthier and exercising more often.

Vegetables are great and filling. You cannot go wrong there, so eat away vegetable lovers!  Fruit is excellent for you as well. For those of you with a sweet tooth you can even pretend that fruit is like candy. (Okay, maybe not like candy, but sweeter than vegetables.)

I was never a huge fan of yogurt, but could eat it happily for a few days out of the week. About two months ago, at the urging of my niece, I decided to try a popular fast food restaurants yogurt parfait and let me tell you, it was delicious and only 160 calories. I am sold on this and whenever I need something sweet I grab one of these healthy, but sweet treats!

photo credit: Siege N. Gin

Continue Reading

Love Them French Vanilla Cappuccinos!

Posted on 04. Nov, 2009 by Angel Lynn Diamond.

Like so many of you, I have to have my coffee every morning in order to start my day off on the right foot. Without my coffee in the morning I am like a fish out of water. It is a chance that I am unwilling to partake of. I try to limit my coffee intake throughout the day or at least choose decaf, but that first cup of coffee, complete with that bad caffeine, is a must-have in my life.

Not too long ago, maybe about a year now, I have become quite fond of another hot beverage. To say that this hot, delicious beverage is good is an understatement. It is way past good, even shooting for the super fantastic category. French vanilla cappuccinos are in a league all of their own. There is one particular food chain that surpasses all others in my book. I am sure that I do not even have to mention names, but if you have not tried one of theirs, you must.

While looking for a recipe that will squelch my thirst for one of these things when I cannot get out I found this (http://www.recipezaar.com/French-Vanilla-Cappuccino-264750) recipe. I cannot vouch for this myself as I have not tried it yet, but I will. From all of the rave reviews that I am seeing, however, I am getting anxious to make one.

photo credit: Ewan-M

Continue Reading

Mom Jeans: The Jeans That Have Everyone Talking About Mom

Posted on 30. Oct, 2009 by Angel Lynn Diamond.

Mom Jeans. This is a hot topic lately. Mom jeans are the jeans that we wore way back in the 80s that everyone loved. Now they are a cause for disgrace and disgust. If you do not remember back that far (some of us need a quick reminder, as our brains have been busy on other things, such as life) I will refresh your memory.

Mom jeans are the high-waisted jeans that taper at the ankle. The zippers on them are quite long, say about 8 or 9 inches. They were popular, but not very attractive unless you had a flat tummy. For one thing they tend to show your front essentials quite distinctively since they are pulled up so high. The derriere is also unattractive in these, as they tend to flatten out the curves that some women possess. They were often seen in cahoots with a thin belt.

Young girls wore them back then….us. Some of us never gave them up as fashion changed. It is true that some people are creatures of habit and we find change difficult. I finally gave up my mom jeans a few years back, but it took getting used to. I have to admit that the jeans that I wear now are a lot more comfortable. However, make sure that you are wearing the right underwear or else you will be the topic of another discussion that is quite popular.

photo credit: sam shot-put-ski

Continue Reading

H1N1: What You Need To Know

Posted on 28. Oct, 2009 by Angel Lynn Diamond.

The H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu, is a relatively new virus first seen in April of 2009. This contagious flu is spread in the same manner as other flus, passing from person to person. Spread by coughing, sneezing and sometimes touching something that another person has touched with the flu, this virus is making headlines.

The main symptoms of the H1N1 virus are headache, sore throat, coughing, fever, stuffed up or runny nose, chills, fatigue, body aches and pains, diarrhea and sometimes vomiting. Children, young adults, the elderly and persons in a “high-risk” category are most affected by this new virus.

To help protect you and your loved ones against this virus there are steps that you can take to help decrease your chances of contracting this virus. Some simple health measures include:

• Staying home and away from crowds if you are ill.
• Avoiding people who are ill.
• Avoid touching your face including your eyes, mouth and nose.
• Wash hands frequently or use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
• See your physician as soon as possible if you suspect that you are ill.

A H1N1 vaccine is available for those interested in receiving one. You should contact your physician for more information.

Continue Reading

Movie Review: Fireproof

Posted on 26. Oct, 2009 by Angel Lynn Diamond.

If you have not already seen this movie then I highly suggest that you do. Watch it with your mate. It is a powerful movie that shows what God can do in your relationship and in your lives. It also shows what evil can do if you let it get a grip on you.

This movie is about a couple on the brink of divorce. The husband, played by Kirk Cameron, is insensitive and self-absorbed. He is a hero in his work as a fireman, but not a very pleasant man to come home to.

The wife, played by Erin Bethea, is heartbroken and wants to end their marriage. She then begins to form a relationship with a flirtatious doctor at work, which only complicates things of course.

Cameron’s movie father tells his son to give it 40 days and hands him a book on how to save his marriage. By doing little thoughtful things each day for your partner you will strengthen your marriage. This book has a day-by-day, to-do list of meaningful and loving gestures that is giving of yourself to your partner.

During this time a very confused Cameron accepts Christ into his life. At first these things do not impress Catherine (Bethea). Eventually after realizing that her husband is changing she turns around. The ending is remarkable with Catherine coming to her husband and telling him what he means to her. She also, impressed with his change, questions him and he tells her about Christ.

Fireproof

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $28.96

Amazon Price: $17.99

This wonderful movie has an important message for couples. The power of Christ is what makes the difference.

Continue Reading