​Well here we are another January! There has been sooooooo much talk about Fad Diets .....quick fixes.....and so called scams out there I thought I would offer up my opinion!
Read on if you care what I think lol
As much as I have had days of doubt and days of wanting a quick fix I know in the end achieving a lifestyle of balance and health that is going to work for the long haul is what I need!

We can debate all day long about selling a healthy body image.....don’t be a slave to the commercialisation of being thin.....yada yada yada! This is a real issue and I recognise that....BUT the reality is if you are healthy and leading a healthy lifestyle you are going to also be blessed with a pleasing physical form of yourself so really in the end it is all the same. In my opinion. Leading a healthy lifestyle leads to you becoming the best version of yourself which is not a person who is overweight and unhealthy so really what’s the difference? Its a circle of judgement I am not willing to take part in. Nor buy into, give yourself the tools to recognise realistic images of healthy woman and strive for that!  I am also not going to apologise for wanting to look good and healthy for wanting to be strong and comfortable in my own skin. I like to look nice......I like to look pretty.....I like to show off my hard work and it has ZERO to do with me caring about what others think of me, or what the media says I should look like. It feels good to look good! It feels good to be healthy and it feels good to make positive choices in my health and fitness. Not because the magazines and media tell me too but because I have living proof!  Again this is just my opinion :) 

There is the business stand point of all these companies. There IS money to be made with some of these companies. I can see the draw for a Mom wanting to work from home and support her family. Or someone trying to add an extra income to their life so they can have that new car.....or go on that trip. Or even complete financial freedom! I know some people who have had immense financial success from the proceeds of this or that quick fix. Some " quick Fix" companies also sell a variety of quality products as I will speak on now!

There is SOME health benefits to some of the companies I have researched. The key is to KNOW WHAT YOU ARE PUTING IN YOUR MOUTH! Know what you are buying! I supplement when needed.....I add protein to my smoothie, I take greens and vitamins daily....this is not a whole lot different that what some companies preach. Its the other side of those businesses you need to watch out for. If you enter with a Health mind set and not a " I’m gonna lose a shit ton of weight in a very short period" frame of mind some of these products could benefit you. 
Before you go off and spend a whole bunch of your hard-earned money on something that may or may not make you skinny by tomorrow DO YOUR RESEARCH. Make sure you have all the facts and are not going in with a false sense of expectations. Remember.....it is still a sales game and that thing I brought up earlier about the business side of these companies.....remember that! No body is giving away their product, they are not trying to get you onboard for nothing! They may be passionate about their product but in the end it is a company a business a means to some finances for the person selling it. Go in with eyes wide open. Do your research and make sure you are supporting the company and the person trying to sell you on whatever it is. Choose people you trust if you are going to go down this road.

I do have to tell you there is NO magic pill, no Miracle concoction, no way around good old fashioned healthy food and moving your body around! If it sounds too good to be true IT IS! Wowza I am being a cliché queen....hahaha sorry! If you need something to follow or a jump start in your journey I get it and would never judge someone for doing what they feel is going to help. I just want you to know all the real truth's before you make that choice. Maybe a little quick fix is what you need to jump start your healthy journey, and if that's the case go for it .....wrap yourself up.....drink your liquid meals.....eat your powdered greens and your energy shots, do what ya gotta do...but do it with full knowledge so you don’t end up back worse than when you started wondering wtheck happened and feeling duped. I am coming from a place of experience and seeing a lot of disappointments and a lot of success along the way.  All I ask is you really consider what you are about to embark on. Don’t be fooled by Before and after's solely.....don’t buy into unrealistic claims. If you don’t know if its healthy ask a professional! There is a plethora of dieticians and Nutritionists around to help you answer the real questions honestly.
​Bottom line.......Nothing short of eating healthy and moving your body around is gonna get you to the best version of yourself for the rest of your life! The tools you choose to use to get you there are up to you, just go in with eye's wide open <3

Mmm..... I have been experimenting with "Balls" for about 15 years now!!! My first discovery was at a delicious place called Rebar in Victoria BC
Their " Energy Orbs" changed my life!
Heres my take on a choco PB version.
1 Cup Large Flake Oats
1 Cup Large Flake Oats ground ( I use my food processor for this )
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips ( I like the minis )f
3 Scoops Chocolate Protein Powder ( my new fave is Vega one in Mocha)
1 cup Natural PB softened ( I used Adams Crunchy cuz its yuuuumy )
1/2 cup Coconut Oil melted

Mix all ingredients together and form into balls. I add water in small amounts until I get the consistency I like. Place on a cookie sheet or whatever you have that will fit in your freezer. 

Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup coconut oil to dip your balls in.

Roll em......Dip em..... freeze em....and be astonished at the delishisness!!! 
Enjoy! and thanks for reading

xoxo.....Ro

C/o Shape Magazine author. Slightly Tweaked by ME but i loved the article so I thought i would share it with all of you <3
Calories get a bad rap. We blame them for everything -- from making us feel guilty about enjoying a hot fudge sundae with extra nuts to the way our jeans fit (or don't fit, as the case may be).
Yet, demonizing calories is like bad-mouthing oxygen: It's impossible to survive very long without either one. Calories fuel the body. There's nothing bad or magical about calories, it's just that body weight comes down to a simple equation of calories in (from food) versus calories out (as physical activity).


What is a Calorie?
A calorie is a measurement or unit of energy; calories in the foods you eat are a measure of the number of energy units that food supplies. Those energy units are then used by the body to fuel physical activity as well as all metabolic processes, from maintaining your heartbeat and growing hair to healing a scraped knee and building muscle. However, when you don't use the calories you've consumed, those calories get shuttled to your liver to refill your glycogen stores.


What is Glycogen?
Glycogen is your body's quick, easy-access energy reserve. Your ability to store it means you don't have to eat continuously to keep your body revved up. Still, it gets depleted every three to four hours. When the liver is holding as much glycogen as it can, some of it is passed on to muscles for short-term storage (to be used as needed ).


What causes fat?
Between your liver and muscles, you have a ready supply of calories (roughly 300 to 400, depending on your weight and metabolism) that you can access as necessary throughout the day. When you eat more than you can save in these temporary "accounts," the calories get converted to fat and distributed throughout your body.


Which food sources have calories?
Only four components of food supply calories: protein and carbohydrates (4 calories per gram), alcohol (7 calories per gram) and fat (9 calories per gram). Vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals (natural chemicals found in plants), fiber and water do not supply calories.


Calculating Caloric Intake


Cutting Calories for Weight Loss
Women should not consume less than 1,200 calories a day. In fact, a diet below 1,000 calories a day (called a very low-calorie diet or VLCD) increases your risk for gallstones and heart problems and should be followed only by obese people under a doctor's supervision. While you can drop to 1,200 calories per day and survive, doing so is not a smart idea. Going for a bare-minimum caloric intake may yield quick results, but it also can leave you listless and unable to exercise (key to keeping the pounds off), and may lead to muscle loss and a slowing of your metabolism. Even if you're careful about what you eat, a daily intake of 1,200 calories can shortchange you on important nutrients such as calcium and folate.
Your best bet for success: a moderate calorie cut (for example: cutting 100 calories from your daily diet and adding 100 calories in exercise). That way you'll stay healthy and still have energy for an active lifestyle.


Empty vs. Hidden Calories
The term "empty calories" describes foods that offer little or no nutritional value. For example, for 112 calories, an 8-ounce glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice offers potassium and supplies 100 percent of your daily need for vitamin C, while the same amount of orange soda has 120 calories and is completely devoid of nutrients. The soda delivers empty calories; the OJ does not. In general, the more a food is processed, the lower its number of vitamins, minerals, fiber and cancer-fighting agents (phytochemicals), and the higher its content of fat, sugar and empty calories.
You can roughly estimate your caloric intake by using this formula: If you are age 30 or under, multiply your weight by 6.7 and add 487; women who are 31-60 should multiply their weight by 4 and add 829. Then, multiply the total by 1.3 if you're sedentary (don't work out at all), 1.5 if you're slightly active (work out three to four times a week for one hour), 1.6 if you're moderately active (work out four to five times a week for one hour) or 1.9 if you're very active (work out almost every day for one hour).
In contrast, "hidden calories" can be found in all types of foods. These are the calories that sneak into your diet quietly, such as from the butter added to vegetables in a restaurant kitchen. Request that food you're served at restaurants be steamed, baked or broiled dry. To avoid hidden calories at home, always check the nutrition label on packaged foods.


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There has been a LOT of talk lately about Loving Who You are! This is a really important thing to learn. With all the media and the need for everyone to be so called perfect we sometimes forget that God made us a certain way....shape....body type...etc...and we should be accepting and appreciative for our god given beauty.
However....sometimes this can be seen as an "out" or part of the problem causing many to be happy...ish  with an UN HEALTHY version of themselves. YES some of us are inherently larger in size....that's fine ...as long as your larger size is not a result of your unhealthy habits rather than genetics.

Part of loving who you are is taking care of your self!!! You need to also be healthy in your own skin. You need to learn to accept and Love yourself. We all need to make sure we are not accepting and loving an unhealthy version of ourselves!
We are in control of our own self worth...and if you really wanna love yourself and who you are.....take care of you! Putting YOU and your health at the top of your list of importance KEY! You deserve to be healthy and to live a comfortable life in your own skin, and to be there for your children! Sometimes, especially those who are mother's get caught up in everything else except looking after ourselves!

On the other side of the scale .....sometimes we jump on FAD diets.....crazy concoctions and potions that claim to make us thin! YIKES.....run! Just eat healthy real food! Even our local organic markets are cheaper and more effective than some of the crazy get thin quick promises out there. Put food that is fuel for your system in your mouth! Not a powder form of food....or a highly processed snack. How about the real deal....like an apple....or a carrot....I don't know....call me crazy...what about a Banana! 
​Its not healthy to get thin via ANY other avenue than real food! Think HEALTH not thin.

Remember it is not healthy to be overweight either! Carrying around 30~ 40~ 50 ~60 or even 100 extra pounds can take years off your life and years off the time your children get to spend with you!
You do not need to look like a super model....or a fitness model....or a Movie star.....but you do need to be realistic with yourself and your health.
Obesity has reached a point of epidemic on our side of the world.....and sometimes we need to be unhappy with the unhealthy person we have become!
No sense in getting down about it and making it worse.....do something about it! Take action!! There is a world of info out there...so much FREE help it's overwhelming!!!I can guarantee if you take action....you are gonna LOVE yourself for it! Your gonna generate happy endorphin's like crazy! just simply looking after yourself is a source of happiness!
Here is a list of Illnesses, some potentially fatal directly caused by not being at a HEALTHY weight!

• High Blood pressure, hypertension - One-third of all cases of high blood pressure are associated with obesity High blood pressure is twice as common in adults who are obese than in those who are at a healthy weight.
• High blood cholesterol - 50% more likely to have elevated blood cholesterol levels.
• Diabetes Type 2 - non-insulin dependent accounts for nearly 90% of all cases of diabetes. Researchers estimate that 88 to 97% of type 2 diabetes cases diagnosed in overweight people are a direct result of obesity
• Congestive heart failure - obesity increases the risk of congestive heart failure, a potentially fatal condition in which the heart muscle weakens, progressively losing the ability to pump blood.
• Heart disease - heart attack, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, angina or chest pain, and abnormal heart rhythm is increased in persons who are overweight or obese.
• Stroke - There is a link between obesity and stroke; this is particularly the case for people whose fat is situated predominantly in the abdominal region. Overweight people are more likely to have high blood cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, but these associations are not the only explanations for the greater stroke rate.
• Gallstones and gallbladder disorders.
• Gout - the condition may develop in people with obesity incidents are remarkably higher, Gout is strongly associated with obesity.
• Osteoarthritis - Obesity may be a major factor in the development of osteoarthritis, particularly of the knee and especially in women.
• Some types of cancer -such as endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon
• Complications of pregnancy.
• Poor female reproductive health - examples would be menstrual irregularities, infertility, irregular ovulation.
• Bladder control problems - such as stress incontinence.
• Psychological disorders -such as depression, eating disorders, distorted body image, and low self- esteem.

Pleas please please......look after yourselves! You deserve to live a long healthy, Happy, Comfortable life!!! some things are out of our hands.....but at least you can live your life in such a way you can know you have done everything you can to be healthy!


Hugs and kisses to you all!!! well.......for those of you that read this far down XOXOXO


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