A guilty pleasure...

This post has absolutely nothing to do with exercise, fitness or health. Nor is it about parenting. This post is about my secret guilty pleasure...gaming. I am a gamer. If I find a game that I like I will play it all hours of the night until I finish. One time (before I was a parent) I played a game for almost a week straight so that I could finish it. Sounds like a bit of a problem, right?

Well, because I know I can get a bit addicted (angry birds, plants vs. zombies, Gardens of Time, ahem) I try to limit my playing time. I'll play a game for a few days or even a month and then leave it alone for awhile. I've been so afraid of being caught up in gaming that I haven't purchased one game for my XBox 360 or Wii that isn't fitness oriented. But when I was given a giftcard by Walmart to purchase something utilizing the Pick-Up today option, I decided to go ahead and purchase my first game.

Oh, I didn't mention I love Zombies too? I just finished World War Z - The Oral History of the Zombie War, fascinating book...seriously. Anyhow, I purchased Left 4 Dead 2 online at Walmart.com and chose the pick up today option. It was simple. When my order was ready for pickup I received a text message, about two hours after I placed my order.

I went to the store, visited the pick-up area and had my game in minutes.

Confession: I haven't cracked open the game, yet. I'm just waiting for my son to go to sleep. If you don't hear from me in a week or so please send in reinforcements. I just may be too deep in Zombieland to get out on my own!!!!!


Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and was given a giftcard to make my purchase.  I was also compensated for my time.  All opinions as usual are 100% my own. 

Pedicure at Home! (video post)

Today is Memorial Day and for most of us it is the sign of the official start of summer! And what happens in the summer? We wear less - clothing, sandals make a comeback and of course bathing suits! I've already shown you my body in my bathing suit and although I'm not at my "fighting" weight, I have to admit that I still feel GREAT in my skin.


The one area of my body that I am not too keen on showing are my feet. My feet are sorely neglected, as a runner my feet and toes get battered and I try to leave them alone as much as possible. Toenails that fall off and thick calluses to protect from blisters are just my reality as a runner. However, I cannot keep my feet under wraps for the entire summer so that calls for an intervention. Check out my video to see my at home pedicure process! 







All of the supplies that I use for my pedicures are available at Walmart and with an initial investment of about $25.00 I can give myself pedicures at home for the entire summer (and beyond). This beats spending $25 every time I walk into a beauty shop and honestly? I think I do a better job! 


Disclosure: I am a Walmart Mom and was compensated for writing this post. As usual, all opinions are my own! 

Exercise and Eat Together as a Family! (Giveaway)

Contest Closed Giveaway winner: Catherine of Evolving Mommy! 

My  four year old son Mekhi has watched my transformation from a couch potato to an athlete. I started working out on a consistent basis when he was just 2 years old and from the beginning he has been an active participant in my workouts. If I am at home using my Wii or XBoX Kinect to exercise he is right beside me doing Zumba, the Michael Jackson Dance experience and even EA SPORTS Active. Although we don’t use it very often, he also enjoys playing with the Wii Fit Plus – exercise is disguised as games so he really has a ball.

My weight loss journey has enabled him to gain the understanding that exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle. He models my behavior and even when I’m not working out he will take the initiative play his exercise DVD. I encourage active movement with him by reading books that highlight the importance of exercising. As a family, we are committed to exercising together. He knows that when I run a race I am likely to receive a medal and he is always on the lookout for my race “bling”. On Thanksgiving I ran a Turkey Trot 10k and he ran his first “baby” trot and won a medal! He still talks about the day that we ran “together”!

In addition to exercise, I am working on developing healthy eating habits with my son. I admit that it is challenging, my son is an extremely picky eater and there are very few things that we can eat in common as a sit down meal. However, I can get him to eat breakfast (usually waffles or cereal) and we sit down together and talk about how good our food is!

He is a grazer so during the day when he enjoys a snack I usually join him. Carrots, grapes and watermelon are fruits he really enjoys. Sometimes he will eat a banana and on special occasions he will drink the shakes that I make. It is my hope that as he gets older his palate will develop and we can have more frequent sit down meals together. Studies have shown that families that eat together are overall healthier and more active than families that eat in silos.

I know that I have laid the foundation for my son and I to be healthy together as a family.  As he gets older I intend to reinforce the messages about diet and exercise that I am giving him now. I predict that in a few years we will actually be running races together and it will all be because we made healthy choices at an early age.

The Together Counts campaign is designed to encourage families to eat right and exercise together.  Families across the country are taking to the PLEDGE to balance eating together with physical activity. This is a simple process, to take the pledge click HERE. 

GIVEAWAY

The good people at Together Counts want to help put one lucky reader on this path (or continue) by providing a $100 giftcard to Sports Authority. I’m going to make this giveaway really simple – just tell me what you are doing to ensure that your family is getting “healthy together”. This contest will be open until June 5, 2011 at 11:00PM EST Good luck!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but as usual all opinions are 100% my own

Zumba, Fitbloggin and Me! (Video Post)

I have spoken about my love of Zumba several times here on Cutie Booty Cakes. But I really don't think ya'll understand. So, without further ado, here is a video of me shaking my money maker at Fitbloggin, doing Zumba with a group of I'd say almost 100 women with an amazing instructor, Shadidah!







I loved my class so much, in fact that I immediately decided to share my joy of Zumba with everyone by becoming a Zumba instructor! I was dancing next to my friend Mrs. Fatass and she was telling me that becoming an instructor was on her list of things to do in the near future. It was a lightbulb moment for me. And my decision was further solidified when Lorraine of  RunWifeyRun said, "Girl, this is you!"


After the 45 minute class I checked my trusty Polar and noted that I'd burned 713 calories! Perhaps you didn't read me - 713 CALORIES!!!!! What is not to love about a workout that doesn't seem like a workout and burns an amazing number of calories????? Well, Thea of Shrinking Jeans isn't convinced that this is the workout for her but I give her props for trying and Christy, the editor at Shrinking Jeans said she enjoyed the class just by watching me! 


So, my decision has been made. I'm becoming an instructor and I plan on sharing all of my adventures with you along the way. It might not always be pretty but I guarantee you this journey will be fun for you and me!


 Do you Zumba?

I Have Swimsuit Confidence!

This week is National Swimsuit Confidence week. I am joining Land's End and showing the world that I have confidence in my swimsuit. I have long been a fan of Lands' End, they have styles for every body shape and size. Really! When I weighed over 200 pounds I wore a Lands' End suit and I wear Lands' End now. For this campaign I was sent the suit in my photo. I LOVE IT! When I put it on I thought "I can wear this on the tennis court, to the grocery store, anywhere and no one would know I'm rocking a swimsuit!" 

This suit is perfect for when I take my son to the pool or the beach because I can run around after him without worrying about a swimsuit malfunction! LOL!  Actually, I think there are times to don a sexy two piece but when I'm in my mom role I need to be comfortable and this swimsuit fits the bill. One of the great things that I like about Land's End suits is the ability to mix and match sizes. My top is one specifically made for us DD ladies. And if you wear a size differently on the top and bottom, you can do that too. As a matter of fact, I designed my suit! I could have chosen a different bottom if I wanted to and as a matter of fact I still can. I have swimsuit confidence and love Lands' End. 

I've posted my photo in my swimsuit today and you can join the movement too! 

• Get the Twibbon – Go to http://twibbon.com/join/I-Have-Swimsuit-Confidence-2 and display the “I have swimsuit confidence!” Twibbon on your Twitter profile photo.  Send a tweet to @LandsEndPR proclaiming “I have swimsuit confidence!” #landsend for a chance to be entered to win a $500 Lands’ End gift card – winner announced May 27.

• Participate in a Week of Tweets – Mark your calendar each day May 23 – 27, 2011 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. CDST so you can join in the series of National Swimsuit Confidence Week events on Twitter. Follow @LandsEndPR and tweet at #landsend.  We will be announcing exclusive swimwear promotions, giving away great prizes and inspiring women to embrace their swimsuit beauty.

• Bloggers Join the Movement – On May 23, 2011, 21 women from Curvy Girl Guide will show off their swimsuit confidence by posting a photo in a 2011 Lands’ End Swimsuit.  You can join in by posting your swimsuit photo on May 23, 2011 to inspire your followers – send a link to libby.schmeisser@landsend.com for a chance to win one of five $100 Lands’ End gift cards.

Disclosure: I was sent a Land's End swimsuit for my participation HOWEVER this in no way influenced my opinion. As a matter of fact, I just purchased a Land's End swimsuit before my trip last month to Disney. So, yes, this lady is already a fan!

Fitbloggin 11

I'm here at the fabulous Marriott Waterfront Hotel at the Fitbloggin 11 conference. I'm meeting my friends in real life, exercising and enjoying being around my fellow fitness enthusiasts. I look forward to hosting the Sears Fit Studio party this evening, I have to give a big shout out to them for sponsoring attendance!

I've already run a 5K (plus some, in my usual fashion I got lost) and am about to go do a Kettlebells workout, followed by Zumba and then resistance training! Love it!

Good Day Atlanta!

Good Day Atlanta! 

Welcome to all the viewers of Good Morning Atlanta who saw my segment today on Moms in Business as I discussed Cutie Booty Cakes. If you are interested in purchasing one of my "Cutie Booty Cakes" click here! I customize so if you don't see the style that you want please let me know and we can work together to make your vision happen!  If you are a budding Momprenuer you will want to join us tomorrow at the Loudermilk Center for the Moms in Business Unite Conference where I will be revealing more tips about having a successful business and you will also hear from a great line up of Momprenuers! 

Although I didn't mention it on my segment, my business Cutie Booty Cakes has been integral in launching my career in social media. I am active here on my blog where I talk about all things health and fitness, social good, health and my travel adventures. I am also active on facebook, twitter, youtube and have chronicled my weight loss journey here. As a result of my presence in social media I've had the opportunity to work with large brands like Walmart, Nestle, Hanes, EA SPORTS active to read more about me check out my bio! 


I hope that you can join us tomorrow at the conference and be sure to come back and visit to hear about the latest going ons in the life of this mompreneur! 

FitBloggin 11

On April 2, I completed my third THIRD half-marathon when I ran (and walked) the NYC 13.1. That race was the roughest ever and I know I wouldn't have completed it without some help along the way. The photo above is of me and Grace. Grace and I ran the race "together" we pushed each other along when the going got tough. The last few miles were difficult but we'd encourage each other by saying "looking good" "keep it up" "almost done" amazingly, before the race Grace and I had never met before. But we shared the common bond of determination to finish the race and our smiles tell the whole story, as difficult as it was, we did it! 


I have many  Grace's in my life. As a blogger many of the relationships I've developed are online with people that I've never met in person but still consider my close friends. There is an entire crew of women on The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans that have encouraged me to lose weight, run a half-marathon and just stay fit and healthy. This week, I will be meeting many of them for the very first time - in real life, because without a doubt, we know each other! 


I'll also be meeting my friend Kia, we are friends from the mamavation campaign (among other things) and she has been a constant cheerleader for me. I cannot wait to meet this woman! 


Attending FitBloggin is going to be so much fun, learning more about blogging, hanging out with friends AND running a 5K, Zumba and other exercise. Absolutely Heaven! My trip to FitBloggin would not be possible without my sponsor Sears FitStudio. 


Tomorrow I will be guest hosting the #FitStudio chat from 7:30-8:30 Central. And on Friday, I along with other FitStudio bloggers will be hosting a special event at FitBloggin. If you are going, I hope you stop by and if not, please chat with us tomorrow and live tweet with us Friday night!

Healthy Choices

Admittedly I've fallen off the healthy eating wagon. I have moments and glimmers of good eating but sadly ice cream and other sweets call my name. Cooking has become more of a chore than a joy but I know that I have to make some changes. That is why when I was invited to try Healthy Choice, I was excited. Yes, it is frozen food but with meals that are less than 400 calories and my personal choices are full of protein (I choose the shrimp entries) I figured why not try it? Especially when I learned that in a study done when 10 meals a week were replaced with Healthy Choice options, participants lost an average of 6 pounds over a 30 day period. Sounds good to me! 

And I must admit that after tasting the meals, I am hooked. I really enjoyed the Garlic Herb Shrimp. It was a steam in the carton entree with asparagus, zucchini, shrimp and a light sauce. It was delicious with a light kick. I will certainly be eating it again. And the Shrimp Diablo was also enjoyable. Adding healthy choice for my lunch will be a great idea for me. 


Of course, I am also going to up my vegetable and fruit intake. I usually have a banana in the morning with my breakfast smoothies but I have to eat more fruit. And my body is craving salad. For Mother's Day I had an amazing Kale Salad with a homemade balsamic vinegar and lemon dressing with Mandarin oranges that was delightful! 


I am happy to report that I have been exercising at least 3 times a week for the past couple of weeks and I plan to continue. I am starting a training plan for my half-marathons coming up in the fall so I'm excited to add healthy eating to my program. I will keep you up to speed on how things are going with my exercise and eating, hopefully in a month I'll have lost at least 6 pounds! 


OH, and I almost forgot! With the purchase of specially marked Healthy Choice Meals, a meal will be donated to End Child Hunger. It is simple, you just visit the website and add the code on the box. Healthy Choice making a great choice for myself and helping others at the same time! 






Disclosure: This is a compensated post sponsored by The Motherhood and Healthy Choice. 

Pssst - Hint, hint, What I want for Mother’s Day

On this Mother’s Day eve, I realize I’ve been talking about Mother’s Day all week and I’ve yet to mention what I want. I guess in many ways I wasn’t really thinking about it from my personal perspective. Given my current situation, I’m not that optimistic about receiving anything this year. But that is okay, when I take into consideration all of the blessings that have come my way this year, I can’t complain. My mom has been integral in helping me with childcare when I travel and she has also traveled with me, which has been amazing!

But, I must admit that if a couple of people got together to get me one of the following gifts, I wouldn’t be mad about it!

First on the list: An emerald ring. May is my son’s birth month and I’d love to have a pretty emerald ring that signifies my son’s birth. Isn’t it lovely?

Next up: Something a bit more practical, I have wanted a stand mixer for well over 5 years now and Kitchen Maid is the one I’ve been eyeing. Somehow, I’ve just never made it in the store to purchase one but believe me if this was my Mother’s Day gift, I’d love it!


You all know that I’m a runner and I really like things related to fitness. I’d love to get this Garmin Forerunner 205, I love my Polar and wear it everytime I work out BUT I’d really like to be able to get my split times and have an alarm when I decide to walk/run. Yes, I’d be wearing two watches but a girl can never have too many accessories, can she? 

Finally, I really like Dance Central for X Box 360 Kinect. I’m simply not always able to get out and run (my schedule, no childcare, etc) so having this game is a fun way to get exercise in. No, it isn’t marketed as an exercise tool but I dare you to play this game for an hour - you let me know if it is a workout!

So, there you have it, my wishful thinking Mother’s Day list (and they are all available at Walmart). Any one of these things would make me extremely happy! I’m pretty sure I won’t be getting any of these things but I’ll be just as happy enjoying a Mother’s Day brunch at my best friends home while our children play together. Material things are never as important as relationships and really, Mother’s Day is a celebration of the greatest love of all! Family.

Disclosure: I'm a Walmart mom and I've been compensated to share my Mother's Day wishlist with you. 

A Great Mother's Day Gift - Kodak Pulse Frame & Easy Share Camera

Last week my mom, son and I went to Disney World. We were not together the entire time and my mom kept saying "I forgot my camera! I have no pictures". Although I couldn't help her with the photos from the character breakfast she went to with my son, I had documented most of our adventures at Disney on my camera phone. And I knew that as a Walmart Mom, there was a Kodak Pulse frame waiting for me that I could give to my mom for Mother's Day!


The frame is amazing. I set up the frame for my mother (I wanted to make sure everything was working properly before giving it to her AND I found that although the process wasn't difficult, it did take me a few tries to get it right) and added photos to the frame immediately. I boxed the frame and gave it to her so all she had to do when she arrived back in New York was to turn it on, connect to her WiFi and view. She Loves it! And I love that when I am on the go, I can send photos by email to the frame and she can constantly see new photos of her grandson!


In addition to the frame, I received the Kodak Easy Share camera. There are a few things that I really like about it. First, it is tiny and it comes with a carrying case. This may not be important for everyone but for me I like to drop point and shoots in my purse and I rarely go to the store to purchase a case which puts a camera in danger of being damaged. Not an issue with this camera! 


With this camera I also have the ability to share photos on my favorite social networking sites and send email photos directly to my Mom's frame. This is a great feature, I just wish it was an immediate upload to the sites- but as it stands, I have to upload photos to my computer first and then share the photos. Another thing that I really like is the simplicity of use, my three (soon to be four) year old son can take photos and we can share them with grandma! 


Overall, I like the camera for its portability and photo quality. I love that with the frame I can send photos of my son to my mom and I don't have to be harassed about her lack of current photos! A great Mother's Day gift all the way around! 


Disclosure: I am a Walmart Mom and I received these items for review in addition to compensation. All the views as usual are my own! 

Mother's Day - Give the Gift of Hope!

Mother’s Day is this upcoming Sunday and many mothers in the United States are looking forward to breakfast in bed, sweet treats, flowers and being doted on (even if it is only briefly) by family members. But there is a segment of mothers who may be celebrating but don’t have a home to call there own to celebrate in. That is why I am proud to support the Nestle Family initiative to honor special mothers and for every mother honored $1.00 will be given to support Mercy Housing, a national organization that is working to create a more humane world where poverty is alleviated, communities are healthy and all people can develop their full potential through affordable housing and supportive programs.

Visit the facebook page and honor a special mother in your life. As a participant in the campaign I’ve been given a $50.00 giftcard to donate and of course, I’m donating it to Mercy Housing. I have another $50.00 that I am giving to my mother, she is my role model and encouraged me to make a difference in the lives of others at an early age. I want to honor her by giving her this gift that she can pass on to help others. Finally, I have a third $50.00 giftcard that I’d like to give to one of you to donate to Mercy Housing or another charitable cause that you support.

All you have to do is tell me who you will honor with your donation and I will randomly select a winner!

(contest is open until Wednesday, May 11th, 11:00PM EST)

Disclosure: I am a Nestle Family Blogger and have been given the giftcards for donating but no other compensation was given for this post. I believe in giving the gift of hope!

World Asthma Day - May 3

My son is a statistic. He is one of the one in five children in Georgia that has asthma. I actually learned that he has asthma when I was invited to become a Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Mom to Mom Blogger. At an early age my pediatrician said that Mekhi had "asthma like" symptoms but it was too early to detect. At my meeting with the pediatrician at Children's I was told asthma is asthma is asthma. Mekhi's asthma acts up when he runs and also when he has a cold. 


Tomorrow is World Asthma Day and the great folks at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta are having a twitter chat from 3:00 - 4:00 pm EST. The discussion will be led by nurse practitioner Jodie Rodriguez and you can join the conversation by  asking question via the Children’s Twitter account, @childrensatl or follow along using the hashtag #CHOAChat. More details can be found by visiting:http://www.choa.org/asthmamonth

Mother's Day Breakfast

My son loves the kitchen. He truly enjoys making cookies, pancakes, waffles, everything. And surprisingly, he doesn't make that much of a mess. With Mother's Day fast approaching, I know that he is too young to shop but I will fill the kitchen with the essentials for him to make me an easy breakfast in bed. 


One of my favorites morning treats - a yogurt breakfast parfait! Greek yogurt, mixed berries and Kellogg's low-fat granola topped with almonds. Quick and easy and Mekhi can say "I made this for you mommy!"


If you want to inspire your little chefs to make this simple meal for you on Mother's Day here is the recipe:

Recipe:

4 oz of plain non-fat Greek yogurt -

1 cup frozen Dole Mixed berries (You can use any fruit that you like - fresh or frozen, whatever suits your taste buds)

Kellogg's low fat granola cereal 

6 almonds

And this is a guilt free and healthy breakfast, packed with protein! A wonderful way to begin a day of celebrating you! 

Disclosure: I'm a Walmart mom and was compensated for sharing my idea for a simple Mother's Day breakfast.