Today's Headlines

I am rethinking how I do the giveaway portion of the Bikini Ready by Spring. So far our blogger response has been very low for this. Maybe I am mistaken, and there really isn't as many women out there that share the same goal that I do. I am going to attempt to run one more giveaway along with a blogging prompt as the entry. If the links are low again then I will come up with something else for next week.

<a href="http://www.thehealthymoms.net/p/bikini-ready-by-spring.html" target="_blank"><img style="width: 300px; height: 250px;" src="http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm172/healthymoms/bikini300x250-1.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" />



This week we are giving away
Expect "ultimate" results with this amazing 45-minute body Applicator! The Ultimate Body Applicator is a non-woven cloth wrap that has been infused with a powerful, botanically-based formula to deliver maximum tightening, toning, and firming results where applied to the skin.

• Tightens, tones, & firms
• Minimizes cellulite appearance
• Improves skin texture & tightness
• Mess-free and simple to use
• Results in as little as 45 minutes
• Progressive results over 72 hours
• Made with natural ingredients

Includes 4 Applicators.
Directions: Apply one Applicator to one area of your choice (such as the abdomen, back, sides, legs, arms, or buttocks) and leave on for 45 minutes. Remove and discard. Repeat after 72 hours.



Please visit the Ultimate Body Applicator Facebook page for more information.



This week's writing prompt: How do you stay motivated to take care of yourself? What motivates you to take the time to watch what you eat and workout? Motivation is key in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Without it your goals will go on the back burner and your body will pay the price. What keeps you motivated? Share your tips.

Staying motivated is a struggle for me. When I get out of bed in the morning after taking care of a sick baby for most of the night it is difficult for me to even think about my morning workout. Thinking about my past, the present and the future keeps me motivated to take better care of myself.

I remember a time before I had five children. I was always thin, maybe too thin. When I was in my twenties I felt great laying on the beach in Florida in a two piece swim suit. I am a very determined woman and know that if I work hard enough I can and will get that body back.



Today I have five beautiful children and a wonderful husband. Just seeing their smiling faces every single day keeps me motivated to eat right and exercise. Every single day I tell myself that if I don't take care of my own health and wellness then I will not be able to take care of them.

Taking care of myself is more than just eating right and exercising. I also have to take care of the "me" inside. In order to feel good about yourself you need to have a spiritual connection and take care of your whole self. I pray to God and Jesus every single day and thank them for my blessings.

Taking care of the small things in life also keep me motivated. Showering, taking time to brush your teeth twice a day, wearing stylish clothing and putting on a little make-up in the morning are just a few small things you can do to feel better about yourself. When I do these things I know I am putting me first so that I can take care of those I love.

Looking ahead to the future also keeps me motivated to take care of my health. When I get older I want to have the energy to be able to attend my kids' school events and extra curriculars. I want to visit them when they are in college and dance at their weddings. I also want to have enough energy to enjoy life with my husband after our children grow up and leave the home.

I am blessed to have two wonderful parents who are nearing 70, but are both very healthy and energetic. My parents travel a lot and are planning a cruise in the Mediterranean this summer. They are very active for their ages. My mother volunteers at church and helps out people in her community. My dad also volunteers in their community and he still jogs on a regular basis. They also help out with their 13 grandchildren as often as they can and attend the kids' sporting events and other extra curriculars. When I am 70 I want to be just like my parents. In order to do this I need to take care of my health now.

What keeps you motivated? Leave your link in order to enter to win the Ultimate Body Wrap. I am going to run the giveaway from last week for another week due to the low entries. If you blog about this and leave your link you will be entered to win both prizes.








Cascia Talbert is a busy blogger, publisher, freelance writer, online merchant and mother of five children, living in The Pacific Northwest. With a B.A. in history and law and a passion for writing and staying healthy, she started The Healthy Moms Magazine in 2007. The Healthy Moms Magazine is currently ranked the top health blog for moms and features several health expert writers and mom bloggers. Ms. Talbert believes that if mothers are well educated on health issues and how to stay healthy, they can pass that information down to their children and reverse the childhood obesity statistics in the U.S.

Ms. Talbert is a featured health blogger at Wellsphere.com and her articles can also be found on ezinearticles.com. She also runs the Healthy Moms Social Network on Ning, manages Mom's Natural Health and Wellness Store, and is on the Social Media Advisory Board for America's Wellness Challenge.

What do Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray and Emeril Lagasse have in common? Well stocked pantries! A well stocked pantry is the quintessential tool for a well run home kitchen. A stocked pantry will get you and your family through tight budgets, unexpected bad weather, meal boredom and even unexpected guests.

The key to a well stocked pantry is variety, variety, variety. Canned goods, non perishables and staples such as rice and dry or canned beans are pantry essentials. But to really “jazz up” your pantry routine you have to remove yourself from the ordinary. Instead of the same old canned beans try different varieties. Pintos, garbanzos, lentils and others are a nutritious and affordable way to bring variety to the dinner table.

Condiments such as ketchup and yellow mustard don’t have to be replaced but, they can be paired along-side grained mustard, sundried tomatoes, salsas, tapenades and fruit chutneys to reinvent any meal. Salt and pepper are “shaker” staples but, to really “shake things up” try adding sea salt, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to your repertoire.

Long grained white rice may be your family’s favorite but try some Basmati or Jasmine rice to give your meal a new spin. Fruit is no longer excluded from the pantry either. Dried fruits like raisins (dried grapes), Craisins ® (dried cranberries) and prunes (dried plums) are great to keep on hand for snacking by themselves or placed on top of your morning cereal. Even canned fruit is fine, as long as you get varieties that omit sugar and other sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup.

Storing vegetables inside of the pantry is also fair game. The canning industry is thriving and allows consumers to partake of a myriad of vegetables no matter what the season. The vegetables are picked and canned at the peak of their freshness so take advantage of this technology, especially during their “out of season months”.

Are you looking for a touch of sweetness to add to your next cup of tea or homemade cookies? While white “table” sugar may be the norm, raw sugar, agave nectar, local honey and molasses will add a novel and interesting twist to your next afternoon tea.

Use store sales and coupons to try new and exciting products. Don’t shun the ethnic food/international aisles of the grocery store either. There is always something new and exciting lying around every corner. Keep your pantry well stocked and organized. Think of it as your own little store within your kitchen.  Follow these simple tips and the next time bad weather, an unexpected guest(s) or a case of meal boredom strikes, you and your store will be well equipped.




Lisa Leslie-Williams,  is a wife and the devoted mother of one active toddler. She quickly realized after the birth of her daughter that she was not only destined to be a mom but that her true passion lies in empowering women to live life at home with finesse and style. Even as a licensed health care professional, Lisa has spent the last 10 years living and fine tuning her “domestic life style lessons” on budgeting, beauty, family health, entertaining and all things in the kitchen. She shares these lessons and other home management tips as a life style consultant, a featured contributor and as the author of her blog, The Domestic Life Stylist. Lisa's blog was voted in the "top three", in the Circle of Moms Top 25 Home Management blog contest where she has also become a featured contributor.

To read more articles written by Lisa go to her blog: http://thedomesticlifestylist.blogspot.com/

Lisa is also the author of the ebook “21 Smart Ways to Save Money Now”. Sign up for her free updates and get your own copy today!

“Empowering women to live life at home with finesse and style”.