With the announcement and release of Apple’s new Health app, a slew of new apps have been appearing that take advantage of its functionality. Everything from recipe planning to fitness tracking is covered. Whether you want to simply live a healthy lifestyle or lose weight, there seems to be something for everyone.
Here are a few that I’ve discovered so far:
Human: a fairly simple app that tracks your movement and encourages you to move for at least 30 minutes a day. It’s pretty great looking and for someone who wants something simple to keep them motivated every day, this might be a good fit.
Yummly: a super clean and beautiful way to access tons of recipes and build a shopping list with just a few clicks. There are tons of filters and ways to sort the recipes so you can target exactly what you want. Pretty snazzy if you want to get inspired or keep organized for the week.
Noom Coach: an app that tracks activity and food to help you lose weight. It’s by far the simplest interface I’ve seen for adding food and has lots of suggestions and coaching tips to keep you focused. One great feature is a color coding system to help you get a more balanced diet and focus on the right types of food in the optimal quantities.
There are lots more out there and more to come soon, I’m sure! I’m holding out for a FitBit update so my flex will sync with Health. It’s pretty neat how information from many sources can be brought together in one place. It will be interesting to see what other creative ideas come of it!
We have long been prone to offering our toddler very repetitive foods for mealtime. It’s easy, she eats them most of the time and they’re easy to keep in stock. (Grilled chicken, fresh fruit and veggies, spinach nuggets, oatmeal, raisins, yogurt, apple sauce etc.).
So far, we are very lucky we don’t have a picky eater! We have always made an effort to take her out with us and feed her from our plates so she develops a taste for things. As long as she at least tries something, we try not to force her to eat anything she doesn’t want. Of course, at home there is often a game to be played so we do set some rigid requirements around our own dinner table. We are sticklers about eating what you ask for (no wasting food) and we are not afraid to let her “go hungry” if she’s being bratty. Let’s be honest, if she were actually hungry she’d be eating what was in front of her. There are also no toys at the table and we’re working on establishing conversation so there is a small bit of ceremony around the idea of a meal.
A recent phase developed of always asking for “something else” when she hadn’t finished what was in front of her. We had been in a habit of giving her one or two food items at a time and when that was finished, we’d move on to the next. Instead, we starting placing small amounts of each food on her plate to start with. If she wants more of something, she has to finish everything on her plate first. We also typically offer a “treat” once the meal is over, this usually happens to be an “ice yogurt” (a yogurt tube thrown in the freezer). If she doesn’t clean her plate, that’s fine, but she knows there’s no “treat” later. Other special treats have been smoothies, apple sauce or other foods we might not always have available. Variety seems key here as an incentive!
There are still plenty of food battles but those are the guidelines we try to live by. Consistency has always been our friend though at times, it’s so difficult not to give in! Lately, we’ve been trying to eat more often as a family. This is far more likely on weekends when one or both of us is home to cook (aka one cooks and one plays defense with the baby walker). With the babe heading towards one year, finger foods are a new source of frustration. So far, breads, grilled chicken, Cheerios and fruit are a hit. I refuse to start making three separate meals so baby Maggie is getting some major food exposure much more quickly than her sister ever did.
When I’m in a rut and need inspiration, there are a few places I can usually count on for inspiration:
I adore fall. I love the crisp weather, the crinkling leaves, the colors, the light, the lead-up to the holidays…you name it. What I don’t love are the crazy price tags on seasonal decorations!
So this year we took matters into our own hands and are making some of our own. We started with some dried hydrangeas from the garden. We purchased a $6 wreath and some crafting supplies and for under $20 we have a great wreath. Sure beats the pre-made ones that were $60 and up! For future seasons we could easily change up the bow or add some different colors for a completely different look.
Next on the list is spray-painting a few old flower pots to go on the front porch. We are sticking with mums and not much else this year. Our neighbors sent us some amazing looking squash which will add to the decor until they’re eaten.
We also scattered a few inexpensive decorations around the house with some more dried flowers. If you’re careful to choose ones that aren’t completely obvious in their seasonality, you can probably rotate them around the house throughout the year.
Now, if only I had some crazy embroidery skills I’d have some awesome throw pillows…
I’m the first to admit that washing dishes is not my forte. Thankfully, my husband takes over that job most of the time. I grew up using a dishcloth for the task, he favors a sponge or a bristle brush. If I’m being honest, I’d have to say that I get a bit grossed out by the sponge most of the time. So I’m turning the question to the world at large…
What tool do you favor when washing dishes?
I’ve actually done some research on the cleanliness of each. A brush (provided it dries fairly quickly) ranks as the most clean but the least versatile, while sponge is the least clean (mostly for the grody bits that get trapped in it). A dishcloth is somewhere in between and seems about equal to the sponge for versatility.
I’d assume that a few simple practices are also recommended:
1. Rinsing the tool after use to dislodge any leftover food particles.
2. Regular cleaning/replacement regimen (dishwasher for the sponge, washer for the cloth, etc.).
3. Exposure to high heat for killing of bacteria (sun, microwave (use with caution), dishwasher or washing machine).
Last week we were out of town longer than expected so we’ve been playing meal catchup all of this week. After a few meals out at friends and celebrating our anniversary, we had a hodgepodge of food left in the fridge by weeks end. The funny thing was, there was no coherent plan for any of it! So tonight I set out to create a meal (and leftovers for lunch tomorrow).
jasmine rice with red onion, zucchini and garlic (cooked in the same pan as the chicken so it picked up some yummy flavor)
and cauliflower with a little red wine vinegar, mustard and a titch of mayo.
Sound random?? It totally was but it sure was delicious!
This week’a goal is to prep ahead as much as possible so we can all sit down to eat together as a family. We really love establishing that routine as a family norm and Lena definitely responds well to it. She’s much more likely to eat what she’s given without argument and/or coaxing. It’s difficult when I sometimes don’t walk in the door until after 5:30 but we’re working on it!
