Lacy Ngo – Page 19 – Mindful Nutrition

The Top 5 Keys To Weight Loss

The Question

As a dietitian who has a history of weight loss struggles, I am often asked to give my professional and personal opinion on what are the top keys to sustained weight loss. (You can read my weight loss story here).

This question has really gotten me thinking. What is my answer? First, we are all so different and complex. What works for one person may not work for another person. Plus we all have different goals and “healthy” does not look the same for everyone. One person may look different than someone else, but that doesn’t mean they are not BOTH healthy.

Being healthy is not about looks. Being healthy involves mind, body, and spirit. We all have areas we would like to improve. We are all continually growing and striving to live our healthiest life. In fact, growing, learning, and striving is what makes this beautiful journey called life a fun and exciting adventure.

This is why when I was in private nutrition counseling, I talked to my clients about what THEIR goals were. I tried to let the client take the lead as we talked about all aspects of life: mind, body, and spirit.

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links (See full disclosure)

The keys to losing weight: A Dietitian's top 5 weight loss tips — To 5 Keys to Weight Loss

So before moving on…

I wanted to preface again, that health and success are different for everyone and being complex human beings, one strategy may work for some people, but not for others. Dietitians are trained in motivational interviewing. With motivational interviewing, we let the client lead and try to answer client questions based on science. We help the client figure out what strategies THE CLIENT thinks will help them the most.

Why Are These My Top Weight Loss Tips?

With that being said, here are the key weight loss strategies that seemed to benefit the majority of my clients and me. These tips seem to work for many people because these strategies:

Reduce stress and anxiety
Simplify life
Require less willpower
Reduce food obsessing
Let us enjoy our food and help us with finding peace with food and out bodies.
And yes, help with weight loss

So here they are…

My Top 5 Weight Loss Tips

Create a healthy lifestyle friendly kitchen.

Notice that key tip number 3 is ‘eat at home more’. Tip number 3, however, doesn’t work as well without tip number 1.

When our kitchen is filled with delicious healthy foods, and if we eat at home most of the time, well, then we WILL eat healthy delicious foods most of the time.

There are many ways you can create a “Healthy Lifestyle Friendly Kitchen.”

You can find some tips here.

Or you can learn how to organize your kitchen and have all your healthy breakfasts, lunches, and dinners prepared for the whole month in one day by reading the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook. Talk about having a healthy lifestyle friendly kitchen! All your healthy meals for the whole month are done and ready to go!

Develop a healthy and SIMPLE routine

We are all creatures of habit. We crave whatever we are use to eating or doing. So if we develop a healthy routine or habit, then we, by nature, will WANT to stick to the routine. Think about brushing your teeth. This is such a part of our routine that if for some reason we can’t brush them, we are chomping at the bits to get home and get those teeth brushed. Or if you are use to eating a snack when you watch TV; then, when the TV comes on, something doesn’t seem right if you don’t have that snack. It takes time, but if we form healthy habits, they will become so routine that we will not feel right without doing them.

When clients develop a routine that involves eating healthy meals at home; then they were more likely to notice lasting changes.

So sit down and think of what you would like your routine to look like. Write down your routine. Think about your daily life, all your obligations, and activities. Include all of these into your routine. Your routine doesn’t have to be rigid, but we naturally form routines anyway, it might as well be a healthy one.

How are you going to incorporate eating at home into your routine? Are you going to meal plan and meal prep on Sundays? Are you going to follow a healthy eating cookbook to make your meals? Or is eating at home impossible right now? What does your dining out routine look like? How can your form some heathly dining out habits?

Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals Helps with Tip #2

One strategy that has worked for me and many other busy families is cooking and freezing all your meals for a month in one day. Just like with Tip number 1, the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook is meant to help you incorporate tip number 2 (Develop a Healthy and SIMPLE routine) into your life.

In this ebook you actually learn how to make a month of meals in one day. Many of the meals are slow cooker recipes, so as part of my routine, I just simply throw a meal in the crockpot while I am packing school lunches for the kids in the morning. Dinner is done!

Customize your Routine with “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals”

This ebook also provides other specific tips that you can pick and choose to incorporate into your daily routine.

Chapter 4 provides an interactive quiz called “What is Preventing You From Living Your Healthiest Life?” Remember when I said we are all complex and what works for some may not work for others? Well, this quiz helps you figure out what specific strategies you think will work for YOUR life.

Eat at home more than you eat out.

Time and time again, this seems to be a key tip for many. The problem is many of us are too busy to find the time to cook and eat at home. I know at our house we have something going on almost every night. We have games and acrobats class on Mondays, soccer on Tuesdays, Dance, book club, and cheer on Wednesdays, and soccer and scouts on Thursday. We are on the go all the time.

Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals Helps with Tip #3

The make-ahead freezer meals in the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook have been the key way I have been able to incorporate tip number 3 into our busy life. Because I have these meals already done, our weeknights are so much less stressful, and we are eating at home so much more. Before these freezer meals, we were eating out, grabbing snack foods, or getting take out all over the place. As a dietitian who loves to cook, but couldn’t find the time, I knew I needed to figure something out. This is when I became known as the freezer meal lady, and my family is now eating so much healthier. My husband even lost 17 pounds within the first few months of switching to this freezer meal lifestyle!

Mindfully Eat

I saved this one for last because it is near and dear to my heart. Mindfully eating has helped many with portion control and weight loss while simultaneously helping them stop food obsessing and find peace with food. With mindful eating you learn how to enjoy your food instead of seeing food as the enemy. On the Mindfulness in Faith and Food blog and in the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook, you also learn how to not only enjoy your time eating, but also how to enjoy your time eating in the presence of God. You can learn how to mindfully eat by clicking here.

Find ways to be physically active on most days.

Physical activity doesn’t have to be an hour in the gym everyday. You can find many ways to be physically active. In fact, if you need some inspiration check out the posts below:

34 Creative Ways to Exercise

How To Lose Weight When you Are Too Busy to Exercise

How to Exercise When Your Kids Are Always Around: Exercising with Kids

Final Thoughts and Huge Sale!

Of course, since these are the biggest keys to weight loss in my eyes, the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook discusses all 5 keys in depth. If you want to learn more about this ebook click here.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what strategies have helped you grow and learn mentally, physically, and spiritually. Please fill free to share, like, or pin this if you found it helpful!

With much love,

Lacy

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

Emergency Food: How to Eat a Balanced Diet When the Power Goes Out

Getting Ready for a Natural Disaster Emergency

This week our whole state has been scurrying to get ready for the approaching hurricane, and my family is doing the same.

We found flashlights, made sure they all had fresh batteries, filled the bathtub with water, and bought emergency supplies. We also wanted to purchase plenty of food that you can eat that you don’t have to store in the fridge or freezer and you don’t have to cook. In other words, food you can store and eat when the power goes out.

When purchasing our emergency food, I wanted to make sure we were still getting plenty of nutrients by eating a somewhat balanced diet.

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Emergency food, preparing for a hurricane, preparing for a natural disaster, hurricane emergency kit — How to Eat a Balanced Diet after the Power Goes Out

The following is a list of healthy emergency food to stock for those times when you may lose power:

Whole Grains

Whole Wheat bread and crackers like Triscuit Crackers, Hint of Salt, Non-GMO, 8.5 Ounce (Pack of 6)

Popcorn and Rice Cakes

Protein Rich Foods

Roasted Chickpeas like The Good Bean Chickpea Snack-Sea Salt-6 oz

Protein/Energy Bars like the RxBar Real Food Protein Bars Variety Pack, 7 Flavors

Nuts and Almonds like Blue Diamond Almonds, Low Sodium Lightly Salted, 25 Ounce

Train Mix like the Nature’s Garden Organic Trail Mix Snack Packs, Multi Pack 1.2 oz – Pack of 24 (Total 28.8 oz)

Canned Beans

Canned Tuna and Chicken

Turkey Jerky

Fruit (Pick fruits that can be stored at room temperature)

Apples

Oranges

Canned Fruit

Canned Vegetables

WATER!!!

Dietitian Approved Healthy Packaged Snacks

Shop from the Mindfulness in Faith and Food’s Favorite Products Guide

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Healthy Hacks for Parties and Social Gatherings

How To Stick with Your Healthy Lifestyle Goals Even at Social Gatherings

Honestly, social gatherings and parties are the hardest places for me to eat mindfully and sensibly. In fact, my overeating mostly happens at parties; however, these tips and trick have helped me and my clients eat more sensibly at parties. I hope you find some tricks that may help you too.

Weight loss tips for parties, eating healthy at parties, eating healthy at social gatherings, lose weight and still be social — 15 Weight Loss Tips for Parties and Socials

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Drink a glass of water before you leave your house; then drink a glass of water before taking your first bite of food. You could use a water bottle that helps you keep track of your water intake like 30oz Inspirational Water Bottle With Time Marker and Measurements (Think Positive Aqua)
Instead of stressing about calories, focus on slowing down and enjoying your food. Make sure you put your fork down, slowly chew your food, and finally take a sip of your drink before picking up your fork to prepare your next bite.
Eat a healthy snack before you go to a party so that you are not starving when you get to there.
Don’t try everything at the party. Select small samples of the best at the table. Look at everything and rate the food before deciding what to get. If food isn’t a 10 then pass.
When people are bringing food, bring your own healthy food option for everyone to enjoy, and eat only your healthy food.
If the party is at your house, prepare only delicious healthy foods by using lower calorie versions of food and whole grains for your ingredients or using a healthy cookbook.
Volunteer to help so that you can do something else besides eating (Ex: blow up balloons)
Practice saying, “No thank you.” before hand.
Don’t stand near the food.
Pay attention to other joys around you, such as family and friends and the decor or environment.
Keep your hands busy by holding and sipping on a glass of water; sometimes we eat at parties just to be doing something or we feel like we want something in our hands.
Limit the alcohol; again hold a glass of water, diet soda, or diet lemonade.
Eat slowly from a plate. That way you won’t run out of food on your plate and go back for seconds. Just very slowly nibble food from your plate while you enjoy the party.
Sometimes you will eat more at a social gathering. Often times the problem is not how much we ate at the party, but more that we give up and overindulge as soon as we have eaten just a little bit more than usual. Sometimes we have an all or nothing approach. If a social gathering throws a kink into your routine, don’t just throw in the towel. Instead, focus on mindfully eating and enjoying your food slowly. You can be proud that you ate healthier than usual at a party even if you eat more than you usually do on a daily basis. For more information about mindful eating click here.
Take MealEnders with you. When you have finished your plate, savor a MealEnders Signaling Lozenges–Conquer Cravings, Curb Snacking, Beat Overeating, and Master Portion Control–Helps You Stick to Any Diet Weight Loss Program, 25-count Pouch (Chocolate Mint) instead of getting seconds.

Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN is a registered Dietitian and expert in faith-based mindfulness and nutrition. She is the author of several books including The Nourishing Meal Builder and Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals.

“Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook

If you are looking for make ahead freezer meals that you can take to parties or eat at home, then you can find them in the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook.

Meal planning, weight loss, freezer meals ebook — Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals eBook

The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook has 22 Chapters full of helpful information and tips including:

The “What is Preventing You From Living a Healthier Life?” interactive quiz
Mindful eating techniques and guide
A Complete Healthy Freezer Meal Plan: You will learn how to cook all of your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for a whole month in ONE day. Don’t worry, I don’t just give you a bunch of recipes adn tell you to cook them in one day. The ebook includes strategies and “Pro Tips” on HOW to efficiently cook your meals in one day.

The goals of cooking all of your meals in ONE Day are:
- More daily free time,
- A decreased grocery bill,
- Healthier meals for the whole family,
- Less daily stress, and
- Weight Loss/Weight Maintenance

Learn more about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook here.

Here are a Few Reviews for “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals”

“I have lost 17 pounds since I started eating these freezer meals. They are healthy AND taste great!!! We are now eating at home more, which has made a huge difference!” -Chad

“As I read this book, I kept thinking, ‘this is so much more than a freezer meal cookbook! Lacy needs to be a life coach! She has such a positive outlook on life!’ “The Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook is so uplifting and encouraging!”

“I can actually see a decrease in my grocery bill since I started eating these freezer meals, and my kids love them! We are eating healthier now. Plus, we are eating more meals together as a family!” -Nicole

Want More?

If you would like to evaluate your own diet and determine which tips work best for you, please take the free DIY Diet self assessment and evaluation developed by a registered dietitian.

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My Monthly Blogging Routine Including a Promote Your Blog Checklist

Bloggimg to-do list, blogging checklist, blogging routine — My Blogging Routine

*Updated on August 23, 2018

This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)

Before you Start Your Blogging Routine

Hopfully you have already set up your blog, and now you are ready to start a regular blogging routine. If you have not set up your blog, I recommend registering your domain and setting up your blog through the hosting site Bluehost.

If you want more information on how to start a blog, you may find my post “How to Start a Blog when you are Feeling Called to Blog” helpful.

Now that you have set up your blog you will need to do a few things before starting your monthly blogging routine. So here they are!

The 5 Steps You Should Take Before Starting Your Regular Blogging Routine

Step 1

You should get a Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest Business page and link these pages to your site.

Step 2

You really do want to sign up for Tailwind! Tailwind is a Pinterest scheduler. This has been so helpful for me. I am able to schedule the pinning of my posts to all my pinterest boards months in advance. I am also a member of several Tailwind’s tribes. Members of the tribes basically pin each other’s pins! You can do all this through Tailwind. You can schedule 100 pins for free. They don’t even ask for your credit card for the free trial. Click here to try Tailwind for free. After the free trial, I decided Tailwind was sooo worth purchasing, and I am the type of blogger who uses mostly the free plugins, themes, etc. So this is coming from a blogger who doesn’t purchase much.

Step 3

Purchase the “Pinterest Ninja” ebook! Really, I couldn’t purchase much when I first started. In fact, the only things I really feel like you should purchase in the beginning are:

Your Hosting Site (I recommend Bluehost)
Your Domain (Included if you decide to go with Bluehost)
A Blog Creation Tool, ie WordPress.org (You can set up WordPress through Bluehost)
Tailwind
“Pinterest Ninja” ebook

Pinterest in the number one platform to grow your blog, and you will need to know how to use Pinterest effectively. I looked into many courses and ebooks. I knew I wanted one with the best reviews and within my very low budget. “Pinterest Ninja” fit the bill so I purchase it, and I was amazed with how helpful this ebook was. I highly recommend this purchase (and so do many other successful bloggers).

Step 4

You will want to start requesting invites to Pinterest group boards. These are boards where many people pin to the same boards. We also pin each other’s pins. These boards are a great way to get your pins seen. Some group boards are open to any topic, and some are niche specific. For example, I am in a Pinterest group board specifically for dietitians.

Are you looking for a Pinterest group board to join? I have an “any topic” group board called “Best of the Blogs”. To join my group board, just follow “Mindfulness in Faith and Food” on Pinterest and follow all the requirements listed at the top of the “Best of the Blogs” board. To request a group board invite, just send me your Pinterest Profile URL through the “contact me” form on Mindfulness in Faith and Food.

I also have a niche specific Pinterest board called “Mindful Living, Health, Wellness, and Faith.” This board focuses on the wellness of the whole body: mind, body, and spirit. If you talk about any one of these topics, feel free to contact me.

Step 5

Next you will want to start requesting invites to Facebook blogging group boards. Like Pinterest boards, some group boards are open to any topic, and some are niche specific. I am a member of several faith-based blogger group boards as well as dietitian blogger group boards. I am also a member of a faith-based nutrtion group board. Talk about specific. Bloggers support each other on these boards. You can ask your questions, share blogging experiences and opportunities with each other, and read and share each other’s blog posts.

I also have a niche specific Facebook group board called “Mindful living, Health, Wellness, and Faith Bloggers.” Similar to my niche specific Pinterest board, this group focuses on the wellness of the whole body: mind, body, and spirit, and is open to bloggers who talk about any one of these topics. You can apply to join this board here.

On a personal note, I try to write Facebook comments about other blogger’s posts often, instead of always talking about and promoting my blog. I know how much it means to get that comment on your blog so I try to do this for other bloggers. I noticed something interesting when I started doing this. Although I was trying to support someone else’s blog, bloggers started supporting my blog in return. So I recommend you do this as well. Don’t do it expecting someone to recipicate. Genuinely support other blogs, and eventually you will notice others supporting you as well. One of the many reason I love blogging is that other bloggers are not the competition. Engaging and supporting each other actually helps your blog become more successful! Isn’t blogging a beautiful way to make extra income?

Step 6

If you are interested in monetizing your blog, you may want to apply to become a blogger affiliate associate. A blogger affliate associate is someone who partners with a company and promotes the company’s products on their blog. When someone buys something after clicking on the company’s link in your blog post, the blogger affiliate gets a commission from the sale. The Share-A-Sale affiliate program has become one of my favorites. I like Share-a-sale because you get to pick which companies you want to partner. Because Share-a-Sale has over 4,500 companies, you get to pick the companies and products you love and use. I only write about products I naturally talk about in my blog, and I only choose companies I actually love. Some of the merchants include Etsy, Tailwind, and even Share-a-Sale. Yes, I said Etsy! You can fill out an application with Share-a-sale here. After you join Share-a-Sale, browse the companies and apply to partner with the individual companies you love.

I definitely don’t make enough to get a Bugatti (not even close!) and move to THE LA, like my son says, but it’s nice to be able to make a little money on the side.

So now that you have these important tools in place, you can get into a writing and promoting routine.

What I Do the First Week of Every Month

The first week of every month, I write several blog post drafts. I keep these posts in draft form until I am ready to post. I often write 4-5 posts that are related to each other in a series.

But before I start writing each Blog post, I try to remember to pray. I pray that I am still following God and not just my own wants, and I pray that I say the things God wants me to say. I pray that my blog finds the people who need to read them and helps somehow.

If you have read some of my past blogs, you know I like to practice mindfulness. I feel that pausing to pray is a way to stay mindful of God’s presence and a way to stay mindful of THAT very moment. When I pray before I blog, I focus on the joy of blogging and live in the moment.

After I have written 4-5 individual posts, I am ready to post one blog post each week.

By the end of week one, I am ready to post one of the drafts. I pick one to post, and then I follow the steps below. I do these same steps each week for the blog posts I have pre-written.

My Weekly Routine

Step 1:

Proof read my blog post

Step 2:

Add pictures to the Blog by uploading my pictures or using ImageInject. ImageInject is a plugin on my page. With ImageInject, I am able to easily search for free images and photos and insert them into my blog.

Step 3:

Add any links to my past-related posts.

Step 4:

Add an affiliate disclaimer at the top of the post. An affiliate disclaimer just lets the reader know that you will get a small commission if someone purchases a product you mentioned in your post by clicking on the link on your site.

Step 5:

Add a Copyright note at the bottom of the post.

Step 6:

Add any affiliate links for products discussed in my post. (My affiliate program recommendation is Share-A-Sale)

Step 7:

Scroll down to the Yoast SEO notes at the bottom of the blog. I make corrections to my blog based of the Yoast SEO suggestions. Yoast SEO is a plugin that makes your post as search-friendly as possible.

Step 8:

Change my Meta Description. A Meta Description is a snippet that summarizes your blog post content. The search engine shows this description under the title when the searched phrase shows up in the description. You are more likely to pop up when someone searches for your blog topic when you have an optimized meta description.

Step 9:

Add tags to the post. Tags are a list of the specific items/subjects discussed in your post. The Tags are keywords and points you have discussed in the blog post. When you are reading a blog, tags are often listed at the bottom of a post to help you see all the topics and items discussed in the individual blog post.

Step 10:

Develop Pinterest friendly graphics and Instagram friendly graphics. You want your Pinterest Graphics to be vertical images. You can create these graphics using apps like Canva. Add these graphics to your blog. When you upload the Pinterest graphic, make sure you add subject words about your pin to the “Alt tags” of your pin image. (There is a spot to do this in WordPress)

Step 11:

Hit the Publish button. Your blog post is now live!

The Next Steps Involve Promoting your Blog:

Step 12:

Share your blog on your personal and business Facebook pages.

Step 13:

Remember that Pinterest image we developed in step 9? You can post that graphic straight from Canva to Pinterest. Once you have posted your Pinterest pin to a board, you have to add your link to the image. You can do this under the little edit pencil on your pin. You should add a great description while you are editing as well. Remember you can now use hashtags in your Pinterest descriptions. This will help your pin show up when people are searching in Pinterest. If you have added the pinterest image to your post, you can also pin your blog straight from your blog using your pin buttons (You can find a free plugin on WordPress that will add sharing buttons on your posts).

Step 14:

Use Tailwind to schedule your pin to be posted on additional boards.

Step 15:

Add your Pin to Tailwind’s tribes, and schedule other bloggers pins on Tailwind.

Step 16:

Support other bloggers in your group boards by pinning their pins to your own Pinterest boards.

Step 17:

Post the image you created for Instagram on my Instagram page. Again, you can post this image directly from Canva.

Step 18:

Promote your post on all your Facebook blogger group boards. I made a list of all my Facebook group boards and all the participation threads of each group. I put this list in a clear notebook sleeve. Next, I use a dry erase marker to mark when I am finished with a Facebook group thread. The marker will wipe right off of the sleeve when I am finished so that I can use the Facebook group thread list again for the next blog posts.

When I am participating in Facebook group threads, I want to genuinely support other bloggers. I try to carefully read and provide authentic and encouraging comments to other blogger posts. If you are looking for a Facebook group board to join, I have a niche specific board called “Mindful Living, Health, Wellness, and Faith Bloggers.“ If you talk about any one of these topics and would like to join this group board, you can request to join here.

Step 19:

Email your subscribers about your new post. Tell your subscribers a little about the post and about anything new or interesting happening on your blog. Mailchimp is my email marketing company. You can use Mailchimp for free for up to 2,000 subscribers. Here is another tip. Some of my post offer free printables for signing up to Mailchimp. When someone joins the Mindfulness in Faith and Food Family, they get three free printables: the 7-Day Mindul Planner, the Healthy Lunchbox Checklist, and the Mindful Lunch Box Notes.

You Are Finished! Now What?

Step 1-18 usually takes a whole week. When I have finished with steps 1-17, it’s time to post another blog and go through the steps again.

The ways you can promote your blog are endless. You can use Bloglovin’, Twitter, G+, Mix, and so much more. I have done a little with these, but I would like to do more at some point. My advice would be to promote on just a few Social Media sites, especially Pinterest at first. You don’t want to get too overwhelmed when you are first starting out as a blogger. You can build a following much better if you put most of your energy in just a few areas.

And there you have it, my blogging routine. I hope you have enjoyed this series. Are you interested in starting a blog? I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

How Does the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” Plan Work?

Healthy Freezer Meals, Healthy cooking, bulk cooking, meal planning — A Freezer Meal Healthy Eating Plan

Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals: How it All Started

I love to cook, but I found that I didn’t have the time to cook everyday. Trying to juggle cooking, soccer practice, dance class, volunteer meetings, work, cleaning the house, and all the other “mom duties” was just causing too much stress. There just wasn’t enough time in the day to do it all AND cook. We would often find ourselves grabbing take-out, going to a restaurant, going through a drive through, or eating random less healthy stuff for dinner, and yet as a dietitian, I knew needed to figure something out.

Why This Is Life Changing

Eating healthy family meals together was important to me, and the chaotic meals were stressing me out. So I decided to cook it ALL AT ONCE. More specifically, I decided to cook enough breakfasts, lunches, and dinners to last my family a whole month, and I decided to cook it ALL in ONE DAY! Let me tell you, THIS WAS LIFE CHANGING!

My family now has more energy, more family time, less stress, and our bodies have even started changing. My family is eating dinners together, and we now have so much more free time in the afternoon. I am no longer spending my afternoons in the kitchen; instead I am now present with my children. And because I am less stressed, I am a happier, more relaxed, and more patient mom. In other words, I am now mindfully living in the moment during the afternoons instead of running around trying to frantically figure out what to feed my family for dinner. So I do not exaggerate when I say these meals have been LIFE CHANGING.

Because I have been making them for my family and friends for so long, I have learned the tricks and tips on how to efficiently and quickly make all my meals at once. Making freezer meals has become one of my passions and joys in my life. I wanted to share that passion with others, which is why I decided to write the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals “eBook.

Mindfulness…

In this ebook, I not only show you how to cook your freezer meals, but I also discuss how to plate and eat your food using mindfulness techniques.

In Faith…

Health is not just about our body; it is about the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. In “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals,” I talk about how my faith journey has helped me live a healthier life.

And Freezer Meals…

For this plan, you spend one day out of the whole month cooking all your freezer meal… then your are DONE COOKING FOR THE WHOLE MONTH! So you cook 14 breakfast, 14 lunch, and 16 dinner freezer meals. Most of the breakfast and lunch meals are divided into serving sizes so all you have to do is grab one and pop it in the microwave! Yep! Homemade…easy…microwavable freezer meals! The dinner freezer meals are packaged family style. Meaning you make all of it at once so that your whole family can enjoy the meal together. Of course, you can always cook it and then eat the leftovers for lunches too. Each meal lasts my family for 2 meals or more, so these meals EASILY lasts us 30 days (a whole month)!

The goals of cooking all of your meals in ONE Day are:

More daily free time,
A decreased grocery bill,
Healthier meals for the whole family,
Less daily stress, and
Weight Loss/Weight Maintenance

No more worrying about what to cook or when am I going to cook each night. Since doing these freezer meals, our family is eating at home more because we are less likely to say, “There’s nothing to eat so lets just go out.”

As you can imagine, planning and prepping a months worth of freezer meals in one day is also a fantastic weight loss technique for ALL of the above reasons! Plus enjoying your food is probably one of the most important tips for lasting weight loss. These freezer meals are delicious, nutritious, easy, home-cooked meals that you can mindfully enjoy.

More Perks

Bonus 1: Many of these meals make fantastic appetizers or party foods so if you suddenly realize you are suppose to bring something to a Super Bowl Party (think Protein Blends Burrito Dip) or a ladies luncheon (think Crustless Omelet Muffins), you can grab one of your already done meals!

Bonus 2: You have food ready to go when a friend is in need. In my town, giving food is one way we show our love to one another. So whether your friend just had a baby or your aunt just had surgery, you can provide some food for them ASAP. These meals are perfect! Just grab one of your comfort food freezer meals and add a gallon of love and a pound of prayers, and go!

One more thing…

Because I am a registered dietitian, I wanted to include more to help you organize your kitchen and your life to promote a healthy lifestyle for the whole family. So along with the Freezer Meals I have included the “What is Preventing You From Living Your Healthiest Life?” interactive quiz as well as results and solutions based on your results.

Learn how to efficiently cook healthy make ahead freezer meals once a month; the ultimate bulk cooking and meal prep guide for families; developed by a registered dietitian

What Others are Saying about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meal” ebook

“I have lost 17 pounds since I started eating these freezer meals. They are healthy AND taste great!!! We are now eating at home more, which has made a huge difference!” Chad

The Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals ebook becomes available a few times a year. If you want to recieve an email when Mindfulness in Faith and Feezer Meals is open for sales again click here.

Cook all of your healthy meals in one day, learn mindfulness and mindful eating techniques, and learn how faith and nutrition are important for healthy and wellness — Cook all of your healthy freezer meals in one day, learn mindfulness and mindful eating techniques, and learn how faith and nutrition are important for healthy and wellness;

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

This site is hosted by Bluehost.

Mindfulness in Faith and Food Product Recommendations

Have you ever read product recommendations on someone’s website, and thought, “I want to get that product later,” but then later comes around and you can’t remember the name of the product, where you can buy it, or which post talked about the product the first place? Well, this has happened to me so I wanted a place where you could find a list of my favorite products. These are the products I have talked about throughout this website.

I hope you find this list a great resource of some of the best health, nutrition, and fitness products.

Health products, wellness, products, cookware recommendations — Health, Wellness, Fitness Products Guide

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links. (See full disclosure).

Favorite Foods and Convenience and Packaged snacks

Three Ladies Brand Spring Roll Rice Paper Wrapper (2 Packs) Round, 22cm

Ole Xtreme Wellness Whole Wheat Wraps – 4 Pack Case – 8ct

BetterBody Foods Organic Quinoa, 1.5 Pound

Annie’s Naturals – Organic BBQ Sauce Orginal Recipe – 12 oz.(pack of 2)

For a Complete list of Dietitian Approved Healthy Snacks click here.

Favorite Cooking Appliances

12 Essential Freezer Meal Products and Cookware

6 Things to Do with Your Standing Mixer Besides Mixing Batter or Dough

You can checkout the KitchenAid standing mixers and attachments here.

*Here is a money saving tip* I like going to DealYard.com to buy cookware like slow cookers at a discount.

Favorite Money Saving Apps

How I Cut My Grocery Bill in MORE than Half!

My Top 6 Money Saving Sites and Apps

*Sign up for one of my favorite grocery saving apps, ibotta for free and get $10 by clicking here!

*You can also sign up for the awesome monye saving app, ebates for free and get $10 by clicking here.

Favorite Health, Wellness, and Fitness Products

Beachbody: Do Those Beachbody Programs Really Work?

You can Stream over 600 workouts and 100+ healthy cooking shows 14 Days FREE on Beachbody on Demand by clicking here

Why I am Loving MealEnders For Help with Weight Loss

Door Shoe Rack for Pantry Snacks

Why would you need a door shoe rack, you ask? A few years ago, I bought a similar shoe rack to the one below and hung the rack over the pantry door. I like the clear shoe racks so that my children can easily see what is inside. I keep healthy snacks like popcorn, cups of mandarin oranges, and whole-wheat crackers on the lower shoe compartments. These are snacks my children (and I) can easily grab anytime. I keep a small portion of their favorite not-so-healthy snacks in the higher shoe compartments. My children can’t reach these compartments and have to ask me if they can have these snacks.

Sheet Protector and Dry Erase Markers

In my “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook, I talk about how I place my grocery list in a sheet protector. By doing this, I can use the same grocery list every time I shop. I simply use a dry erase marker to mark off items I already have, and to mark off items as a grocery shop.

Fitness Dice

These are just a fun way to get in your workout.

Games That Promote Physical Activity

The Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook

If you are looking for a detailed freezer meal plan and weight loss guide, you will want to purchase the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook.

The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook has 22 Chapters full of helpful information and tips including:

The “What is Preventing You From Living a Healthier Life?” interactive quiz
Mindful eating techniques and guide
A Complete Healthy Freezer Meal Plan: You will learn how to cook all of your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for a whole month in ONE day. Don’t worry, I don’t just give you a bunch of recipes adn tell you to cook them in one day. The ebook includes strategies and “Pro Tips” on HOW to efficiently cook your meals in one day.

The goals of cooking all of your meals in ONE Day are:
- More daily free time,
- A decreased grocery bill,
- Healthier meals for the whole family,
- Less daily stress, and
- Weight Loss/Weight Maintenance

Learn more about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook here.

Here are a Few Reviews from the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” Launch Team

“I have lost 17 pounds since I started eating these freezer meals. They are healthy AND taste great!!! We are now eating at home more, which has made a huge difference!” Chad, South Carolina

eBook Resource

I used the “eBook Ninja” ebook by Megan Johnson to learn how to write, format, promote, and sell my eBook, and I could not have made the Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals eBook without it!

I also read her book “Pinterest Ninja.” This book helped my blog become successful through Pinterest. Both of her books were so helpful!

Mindfulness Products

Bring More Mindfulness into Your Life with These Mindfulness Essentials

The Mindful Planner: Free Printable

Faith and Health Gift Ideas for You or Someone You Love

The Ultimate Gift List for the Health and Fitness Fanatic

The Ultimate Gift List for the Christian Soul

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

This site is hosted by Bluehost.

6 Things to Do with Your Standing Mixer Besides Mixing Batter or Dough

standing mixer, kitchenaid, standing mixer attachment — 6 Awesome Things to Do with Your Standing Mixer

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links. (See full disclosure).

The KitchenAid standing mixer and the multi-cooker are my two favorite kitchen appliances in my house. (okay the microwave is pretty awesome too!)

I have talked some about the multi-cooker in other posts, but today I want to talk about the six things that I like to do with my Kitchen Aid standing mixer and attachments besides mixing batter or dough.

Mix Meatloaf or Meatballs

I use the basic mixer and the flat beater that comes with most mixers to mix up my meatloaf and meatball ingredients.

2. Mix Guacamole and other dips

The basic mixer and beaters also work great for evenly blending guacamole and other dips.

3. Spiralizing Vegetables

I love the 7-blade spiralizer for making vegetable spirals. Vegetable spirals are a great way to add more healthy vegetables into your recipes!

4. Making Vegetable Lasagna Noodles with the Vegetable Sheet Cutter.

What is a vegetable sheet cutter, you ask? Think, lasagna noodles made out of zucchini!!!

5. Slicing Vegetables

I like to make freezer meals in bulk, but I don’t love cutting all the vegetable at once that go into multiple recipes. The Vegetable Slicer/Shredder makse slicing vegetable so much easier!

6. Dicing Vegetables

The Food Processor attachment, again makes it so much easier to dice lots of vegetables at once!

Is the KitchenAid Standing Mixer awesome or what! I just love all the attachments, and all the creative things you can do witht he standing mixer! Which is your favorite attachment? What are some other ways you use your standing mixer?

12 Essential Freezer Meal Products and Cookware

Make A Month’s Worth of Freezer Meals in Under 3 Hours: Recipes and Grocery List Included

The Ultimate Gift List for the Health and Fitness Fanatic

Grocery Shopping Tips for Weight Loss and Saving Money

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

This site is hosted by Bluehost.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Delivered Straight from the Farm to Your Door

One of the best ways to make sure you are regularly eating your fruits and vegetables is by making sure they are regularly available in your home.

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links. (See full disclosure).

I just discovered a company that can help us regulary keep these awesome fruits and vegetables in our homes, and I wanted to share it with you. The company is called Farm Fresh To You. This company actually delivers fresh fruits and vegetables straight from the farm to you. How fun and exciting is that! Okay maybe I am easily excitable, but really, wouldn’t you be excited when you found a box of fresh fruits and vegetables right at your door!

Fresh Farm to You; fruits and vegetables — One of the easiest ways to make sure you are eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is to make sure they are always available in your home!

How It Works

Simply go to Fresh Farm to You, and pick the box you want delivered. You can choose whether you want a mix of fruits and vegetables, only vegetables, only fruit, the “No Cooking Box” or the “Snack Box.” Next, decide if you want a Small, Regular, More, or Monster box.

Now, you can even customize your box by switching out produce. You can also order other farm products along with your box like pasture-raised eggs, nuts, grains, and honey.

You can choose to have your box delivered every week, every other week, every 3 weeks, or every month.

I just think this is a fun and convenient way to keep your family eating healthy.

Click the box below to save $40 ($10 of your first 4 boxes)!

Have you ever tried Farm Fresh To You? Which boxes did you get?

Dietitian Approved Healthy Packaged Snacks

Do Those Beachbody Programs Really Work?

Fresh fruits adn vegetables delivery — Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Depivered Straight form the Farm to Your Door

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

This site is hosted by Bluehost.

When Your Work Environment Gets in the Way of You Wellness Goals

“My Work Makes It Hard for Me to Lose Weight.” Have you ever said this?

Many of my clients and friends have said similar words, and I have been there too. Work Environments are a challenge for many, but the good news is their are easy habits you can implement to help you reach your wellness goals even when work makes it hard. Here are a few tips that can help you in a difficult work environment.

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links. (See full disclosure).

Mindfully Eat: Mindful eating can help in any environment. To read more about mindful eating click here. You can also download the Free Mindful Planner here.
Walk during your lunch break, and eat a bag lunch at your desk. Try inviting them to join you on your walk.

Break room photo

Have nourishing mood-boosting dark chocolate or healthy packaged snacks in your candy jar; instead of candy. Find nourishing and filling packaged snack ideas here.
Bring your food instead of getting fast food, take out, or vending.
Bring a pre-portioned nourishing frozen meal to work every day. Click here for the healthiest packaged frozen dinners according to dietitians.
Make your own pre-portioned meals ahead of time. You can learn how to EASILY build your own meals in The Nourishing Meal Builder books.
Have a fruit bowl instead of a candy bowl at work.
Pre-portion nourishing snacks to take to work like fruits or sliced vegetables.
Keep healthy options like carrot sticks closer to you or on your desk for when you are craving snacks.
Turn dinner from the night before into a healthy lunch, by putting a serving of your dinner into a light whole wheat wrap.
Freeze enough lunches for work for a whole month in one day with the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” Ebook

Sometimes it can be mentally draining to figure out what meals to bring to work day in and day out. If you want to take the stress out of planning your meals for work, then get it all done in a day! The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook show you how to make a month of healthy freezer meals in one day. When you are ready to go to work, just grab a pre-portioned lunch out of the freezer and go. When it is time to eat lunch, simply pop your freezer meal in the microwave for two minutes and your healthy lunch is ready to eat! If work meals are your main issue, you can just use the lunch section of the ebook, or you can make all of your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for a month in one day using this ebook!

Meal planning, weight loss, freezer meals ebook, mindful eating, healthy freezer meals, healthy meal planning for busy families — Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals eBook

Mindful Eating Can Help in Any Environment

*Remember that mindful eating can often help in any environment. To read more about mindful eating click here. You can also download the Free Mindful Planner here.

If you would like to evaluate your own wellness plan and determine which tips work best for you, please take the free Christian Wellness self assessment and evaluation developed by a registered dietitian.

The Mindful Planner: Free Printable

The Mindful Planner Free Download!

Hi All! I am so excited about this free printable 7-Day Mindful Planner! Oh how mindfulness has changed my daily life. I mean…on the days I remember to embrace mindfulness and focus on the presence of God, I am so much more relaxed, and I make better choices. The days I forget to be mindful are a different story. My mindLESS days are a stressful blur and my choices…well, let’s just say I usually want a do-over by the end of the day.

I realized I needed to make mindfulness a priority so I decided to develop the 7-Day Mindful Planner.

This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)

I love this planner!

What is Included in this Planner?

The first page of the planner provides a mindfulness daily quick reference. Then the following pages include daily mindful Bible verses, space to include mindful exercise, as well as space for meal planning (mindful eating is a huge part of mindfulness).

My favorite part of the planner, however, is the mindful gratitude journal space. (A grateful attitude is also a huge part of mindfulness). In this section, you can reflect and write about the best parts of your day. What a fun way to end your day!

You can download and print as many of these free sheets as you need! I like to print enough for a month, and put them in a pretty binder.

Get the free 7-Day Mindful Planner and join the Mindfulness in Faith and Food family here.

Related Products

The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook

The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook not only includes more mindful eating strategies and techniques, but this ebook also includes a detailed freezer meal plan and weight loss guide!

The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook has 22 Chapters full of helpful information and tips including:

The “What is Preventing You From Living a Healthier Life?” interactive quiz
Mindful eating techniques and guide
A Complete Healthy Freezer Meal Plan: You will learn how to cook all of your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for a whole month in ONE day. Don’t worry, I don’t just give you a bunch of recipes and tell you to cook them in one day. The ebook includes strategies and “Pro Tips” on HOW to efficiently cook your meals in one day.

The goals of cooking all of your meals in ONE Day are:

More daily free time,
A decreased grocery bill,
Healthier meals for the whole family,
Less daily stress, and
Weight Loss/Weight Maintenance

Learn more about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook here.

What Others are Saying about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meal” ebook

“I have lost 17 pounds since I started eating these freezer meals. They are healthy AND taste great!!! We are now eating at home more, which has made a huge difference!” Chad, South Carolina

Click here to learn more about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

This site is hosted by Bluehost.

The Question

So before moving on…

Why Are These My Top Weight Loss Tips?

My Top 5 Weight Loss Tips

Create a healthy lifestyle friendly kitchen.

Develop a healthy and SIMPLE routine

Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals Helps with Tip #2

Customize your Routine with “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals”

Eat at home more than you eat out.

Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals Helps with Tip #3

Mindfully Eat

Find ways to be physically active on most days.

Final Thoughts and Huge Sale!

Getting Ready for a Natural Disaster Emergency

The following is a list of healthy emergency food to stock for those times when you may lose power:

Whole Grains

Whole Wheat bread and crackers like Triscuit Crackers, Hint of Salt, Non-GMO, 8.5 Ounce (Pack of 6)

Popcorn and Rice Cakes

Protein Rich Foods

Roasted Chickpeas like The Good Bean Chickpea Snack-Sea Salt-6 oz

Protein/Energy Bars like the RxBar Real Food Protein Bars Variety Pack, 7 Flavors

Nuts and Almonds like Blue Diamond Almonds, Low Sodium Lightly Salted, 25 Ounce

Train Mix like the Nature’s Garden Organic Trail Mix Snack Packs, Multi Pack 1.2 oz – Pack of 24 (Total 28.8 oz)

Canned Beans

Canned Tuna and Chicken

Turkey Jerky

Fruit (Pick fruits that can be stored at room temperature)

Apples

Oranges

Canned Fruit

Canned Vegetables

WATER!!!

Related Posts

How To Stick with Your Healthy Lifestyle Goals Even at Social Gatherings

“Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook

The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook has 22 Chapters full of helpful information and tips including:

The goals of cooking all of your meals in ONE Day are:

Here are a Few Reviews for “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals”

Want More?

Before you Start Your Blogging Routine

The 5 Steps You Should Take Before Starting Your Regular Blogging Routine

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

What I Do the First Week of Every Month

My Weekly Routine

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:

Step 6:

Step 7:

Step 8:

Step 9:

Step 10:

Step 11:

The Next Steps Involve Promoting your Blog:

Step 12:

Step 13:

Step 14:

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Step 19:

You Are Finished! Now What?

Related Post from this Series

Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals: How it All Started

Why This Is Life Changing

Mindfulness…

In Faith…

And Freezer Meals…

More Perks

One more thing…

What Others are Saying about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meal” ebook

The Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals ebook becomes available a few times a year. If you want to recieve an email when Mindfulness in Faith and Feezer Meals is open for sales again click here.