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Healthy PCOS Meal Planning Tips

I have been compensated by Glucerna for this post; however, I am sharing my own thoughts. All opinions are my own.Talk with your health care provider about a diabetes management plan that’s right for you. #GlucernaHungerSmart #CollectiveBias

For the past year I have been on journey to live a healthier, more vibrant life. My main reason for this path of health-mindedness? I am currently living with Polycyctsic Ovarian Syndrone, or PCOS, one of the most common hormonal endocrine disorders for women in this country.

Living with PCOS essentially means that the hormones produced in the ovaries aren’t functioning as normal. With this syndrome hormones, our bodies chemical messaging service, regulate all physical responses needed to properly process growth and energy production. With PCOS, these same hormones aren’t relaying messages correctly, which leads to an extreme hormonal imbalance. Moreover, PCOS affects women of all ages, races, weights, and heights, and if left untreated, PCOS can lead to permanent infertility, Type 2 diabetes, depression, a stop of your period cycle, and obesity.

Women are at higher risk for PCOS if they:

Have a mother or sister with PCOS.
Are obese.
Have a family history of heart disease.
Have a family history of Type-2 Diabetes.
PCOS can be passed down from either your mother’s or father’s side.

As you may have guessed, living with PCOS can sometimes be a daunting task. PCOS side effects affect the very essence of what it means to feel feminine and healthy, including cystic acne, infertility, weight gain, facial hair, and thinning scalp hair. Not only are these symptoms difficult to control, but are also embarrassing to speak of even with close friends or physicians.

But there is hope! Over the past year I have found a lot of affirming research that proves that PCOS symptoms can be managed by simple, fun, affordable methods at home. Here are my nine favorite personal tips for how I manage the symptoms caused by PCOS.

Researchers have found that one key to living with PCOS is managing insulin levels. To keep on top of my blood sugar levels, I test my blood sugar levels with a blood glucose system daily. I also monitor the foods I consume weekly as past experience has shown me that when I dine on carb-heavy fare my blood sugar levels experience insulin spikes. These spikes lead to changes in hormonal balance, and can greatly affect my PCOS. To prevent these spikes, I make the conscious effort to limit carbohydrates and refined sugar-based products, such as diet sodas, candy, dried fruits, refined grains, juices, and coffeehouse drinks to between 10-12 grams per day. For me, it’s all about choices. I can either have a small almond milk frappuccino or a cup of pasta with a meal. I cannot have both.

Fiber is a girl with PCOS’s BFF. Fiber both balances blood sugar levels and aids in removal of excess estrogen from the body. Excess estrogen can worsen PCOS, creating an imbalance of hormones. I eat 2-4 ounces of fiber-rich foods such as whole grain oats, brown rice, quinoa, flax seeds, chia seeds, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, celery, or celery daily.

Do you remember those awesome, old-school food pyramids from elementary school cafeterias? The charts which showed dancing fruit characters designed to encouraged kiddos to consume our hearts desire of fruit each day. While fruits can be healthy food options, veggies are the real franchise players for those living with PCOS.

As fruits have more concentrated sugar, known as sucrose, which can affect those who are more sensitive to carbohydrates, such as individuals living with PCOS. To ensure my hormone levels stay consistent, I make sure to remember my 3:1 Veggie-To-Fruit ratios, which is three servings of veggies to one fruit consumed per meal, per day.

This strategy also allows me to not only help naturally stave off blood sugar spikes, but to consume most of my daily allotted vitamins naturally, limiting the amount of supplements and vitamins I consume. This is also a great money-saving strategy, as the money previously spend on vitamins can help supplement the cost of pricey organic produce.

This one is by far the hardest for me. You see, I’m a cheese-loving gal. I adore melted, gooey cheese. Now before anyone says, but cheese is good for you, consider this. Though dairy is rich in calcium, dairy is also rich in naturally derived hormones from cows, and avoiding the consumption of any extra hormones is critical to those living with PCOS symptoms. As a result, I limit my personal dairy consumption to only organic cheese, yogurt, and spreads three times a week, in 2-3 ounce servings, no more than three times per week.

It goes without saying that exercise is a blessing for those living with PCOS symptoms. Exercise helps my body remove excess insulin from my bloodstream, essentially leveling out my hormone levels. By working out each weekday for 30 minutes, I’ve been able to lose sixty pounds, feel more energized, and feel better about myself too!

Researchers have found that one of the best way to avoid hormonal imbalances is to avoid saturated fats, especially those found in animal products. One way I help limit saturated fats in my diet with Meatless Monday meal options. For each Meatless Monday, I opt for vegan meals rich in fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium dishes. Some of my favorite meat-less ingredients are beans, lentils, peas, pumpkin seeds, hard-boiled eggs, legumes, and hummus. Not only is this a health-conscious option, it also helps save my budget a whopping $240.00 annually.

Women with PCOS are more prone towards experiencing depression and mood swings due to excessive hormone levels. I myself often find myself more emotionally frustrated with my PCOS symptoms, as it seems that my own bodies seem to purposefully work against me.

With everything from weight loss issues to having difficulty conceiving, PCOS has in many ways taken a toll on my emotional well-being. To combat this, I intentionally make time for myself. I make relaxing my mind and body a personal priority. I like to indulge in budget-savvy ways of rejuvenation such as a bubble bath, watching an old movie, devouring a new book, or simply taking an afternoon nap. These small, purposed moments have helped me maintaining a more positive attitude towards all aspects of my life.

Another way I help keep my PCOS symptoms at bay has been to implement minimalist menu plans. Why minimalist meal plans? These meal plans focus on simple, repetitive, organic food options. When creating meal plans include 1-2 rotated breakfast and lunch options and varied, themed dinner options which help me plan, prepare, and present my family with consistent meals each day. An added bonus? Not only will these planned options not spike my insulin levels, these meals each generally cost under $5.00 per meal to create.

Here is the minimalist meal plan my family will be having this week:

Monday
Breakfast: Organic granola cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Turkey slices, carrot sticks, and celery , with diet light lemonade.
Dinner: Three bean vegetarian chili and steamed green beans.
Dessert: DIY Greek yogurt and blueberries.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Organic granola cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Sliced pork tenderloin, carrot sticks, and apple slices, with diet light lemonade.
Dinner: Taco Tuesday.
Dessert: DIY Greek yogurt, granola, and strawberries.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Organic granola cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Turkey slices, carrot sticks, and celery , with diet light lemonade.
Dinner: Chicken, carrot, broccoli, and quinoa bake, with diet light lemonade.
Dessert: DIY Greek yogurt, granola, and blueberries.

Thursday
Breakfast: Organic granola cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Sliced pork tenderloin, carrot sticks, and apple slices, with diet light lemonade.
Dinner: Chicken breast, Zucchini, Greek yogurt, and quinoa gyros, with diet light lemonade.
Dessert: DIY Greek yogurt, granola, and strawberries.

Friday
Breakfast: Organic granola cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Turkey slices, carrot sticks, and celery , with diet light lemonade.
Dinner: Meatball hoagies, side salad with boiled eggs, carrots, and DIY Greek Yogurt dressing.
Dessert: DIY Greek yogurt, granola, and blueberries.

Saturday
Breakfast: Organic granola cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Sliced pork tenderloin, carrot sticks, and apple slices, with diet light lemonade.
Dinner: Crockpot Chicken mole, served with quinoa, corn, and diet Light Lemonade.
Dessert: DIY Greek yogurt, granola, and strawberries.

Sunday
Breakfast: Organic granola cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Turkey slices, carrot sticks, and celery , with diet light lemonade.
Dinner: Crockpot Asian chicken, broccoli, and quinoa rice, with diet Light lemonade.
Dessert: DIY Greek yogurt, granola, and blueberries.

When you have PCOS and insulin resistance, healthy snacking is a vital part of your successful healthy lifestyle plan. While I strive for a 1,200-calorie diet, I know that eating three small meals and three portion controlled snacks each day is the only way to help normalize my menstrual cycles and blood sugar levels.

In terms of portion control, I make sure to include lean sources of protein with each meal. And when snacking, I also opt for whole-grains, fibrous fruits, and vegetables, seeds, and nuts rich in healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocados. Snacking time are also spread throughout the day. I generally snack around 10:30 AM, 3:30 PM, and an evening snack around 7:30 PM. These pre-planned snacking times also stave off food cravings, so I don’t feel compelled to binge. This is done to both keep my metabolism up and my blood sugar levels stabilized.

A fun tip: I generally prep bento box snacks, such as homemade trail mix or a piece of fruit for on-the-go snacking.

Also, some of my favorite on-the-go snack options are:

1/4 cup hummus with raw cucumber
2 squares of good-quality chocolate (70% cent cocoa content)
1 tablespoon almond butter six celery sticks
2 boiled egg halves with half a sliced avocado
A sliced apple with 2 tablespoons almond butter
1/3 cup sliced chicken breast, mixed with DIY Greek Yogurt & lemon juice on celery
2 pieces of sliced turkey breast rolled with raw veggies
1 cup unsalted Popcorn, 15 cashews, and 1/8 cup unsalted sunflower seeds

And to maintain healthy blood sugar levels each evening, I drink a chilled Glucerna® Hunger Smart™ shakes. These shakes help me maintain my healthy, PCOS-friendly lifestyle. Glucerna® Hunger Smart™ help me to manage my hunger, and with CARBSTEADY®, are a delicious way to safely include digestible carbohydrates designed to minimize my nighttime blood sugar spikes.

I like having choices and variety in my evening snacks. Knowing that I can opt for Glucerna® Hunger Smart™ Shakes, in both yummy chocolate and vanilla, gives me great, daily snacking options. What’s also nice is that each shake is a total protein powerhouse as each shake contains 15 grams of protein, only 6 grams of sugars, and 1 carb choice per bottle.

Another bonus? Glucerna® Hunger Smart™ Shakes are specially designed for people with diabetes. I know that I can indulging my nighttime sweet-tooth with these awesome shakes, I am in no way undermining my daily blood sugar monitoring success.

What’s even better? Not only do these shakes have 50% more protein than leading weight loss shakes, but they contain 66% less sugar, making them a very smart choice to easily manage food cravings.

Now when I really want to indulge in a really luxurious treat I have other options as well. I use the Glucerna® Hunger Smart™ Vanilla Shakes to make a cool, creamy Strawberry, Peanut Butter & Chocolate smoothie treat!

To make this smoothie I simply blend up the following, per serving:

1 cup frozen strawberries
1 Glucerna® Hunger Smart™ Vanilla Shake
2 squares of good dark chocolate
1 dollop of dairy-free, sugar-free whipped cream

As you can see, these Glucerna® Hunger Smart™ Vanilla Shake smoothies are especially scrumptious during the humid heat of Summer here in Dixie! With Summer soon upon us, this will be my go-to nighttime treat!

No matter how you serve Glucerna® Hunger Smart™ shakes they are out of this world! But what I really love about these shakes, are that they help enrich my diet with a good source of digestive supporting fiber and 25 additional vitamins and minerals. And if you live with diabetes and PCOS symptoms as I do, you know that managing blood sugar spikes can be challenging, and so it’s the little wins that count!

Keep in mind, when consuming Glucerna® Hunger Smart™ shakes, or any other health shake, this should only be done so under the medical supervision of your health care provider.

I encourage you all to check out these awesome snack options the next time you are in-store at Walmart Super Centers, right in the Diabetic supplies aisle. And for those savvy-saving online shoppers, it’s worth noting that Walmart is currently offering a bundling deal for the Glucerna® Hunger Smart™ shakes, where you can get $3.00 off when you buy two packs by mail. Just another great way to save money, while staying healthy!

So friends I hope this list will help manage PCOS symptoms. Do you have PCOS or diabetic symptoms that you daily manage? Have you ever tried Glucerna® Hunger Smart™ shakes? Do you have any tips for living with PCOS symptoms? I’d love to hear about it!

Here’s to better living!

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Free Family-Friendly Movie Night Ideas!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #DataAndAMovie #CollectiveBias

Debt is a serious problem for most Americans. We live in a society where everyone wants the coolest gadgets, a nice car, and an even nicer home. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, the good life is hard to achieve, nor does it come cheap.

While nearly everyone has debt, that doesn’t make it any easier to live with. And it was this reason my family set out four years ago to rid ourselves of all of our unnecessary consumer debt. We knew that the best way to live the good life was to simply spend less and earn more. But what was not so obvious to us initially is that we also needed to be able to live well while spending less.

Going into our debt-free journey we knew that redefining our new budgeted lifestyle would entail limiting our overall budget, way back! We started with a weekly allotted food budget of just $60.00. We no longer eat out. We packed lunches. We downsized our furnishings. We went from being a two-car household to a shared vehicle family. I even started working from my home office to cut my work-related overhead business costs.

While we intentionally scaled back nearly every aspect of our lives, one area my family decided not to compromise on was on our family movie nights. You see, we are a very close-knit family. We love seeing the latest and greatest of what Hollywood has to offer from the comfort of our homes. We are also a very tech-savvy, gadget-loving clan. We just couldn’t continue to pay a premium price to do so. A complete revamp of our family home entertainment was in order.

The day we returned our cable boxes was a very dark, gloomy day for us. This was our fun stuff, our daily entertainment. We knew we had to come up with a plan to revamp our entertainment fix. Our saving grace during this time? By cutting cable and home phone service we would save us $4,200.00 annually!

We quickly found out there are a lot of at-home streaming options available, and many of our favorite shows could be viewed online with only basic internet service. I mean, how awesome is that? We contacted several different internet providers, and were able to negotiate an affordable monthly package. We had their highest internet package installed the same week for half the price we were previously paying!

Also, since we had already owned a gaming system, viewing popular streaming services was a breeze. We subscribed to several affordable subscription streaming services and were able to pick right back up with many of our families favorite cable programs the same week. An added bonus? We allocate grocery apps rebate savings to pay for our services, making our family streaming free!

As a family, we also switched our cellular provider. We no longer wanted to be tethered to a cellular contract. We opted for pre-paid service because while working from home I can speak to my husband online, leaving us in need of only one single family line for my husband who works outside our home. The question remained, which service would we choose? After checking out several local options, we chose the Walmart Family Mobile Services.

So, why this plan? The Walmart Family Mobile provided us the option of affordable cell phone plan without being locked into a long-term contract. Plus, there’s no credit check required and no annual contract to sign.

Switching to Family Mobile was an easy process for us. First, we picked up a Starter Kit in-store. As a side note, Walmart also helps families with the cost of activation. The Starter Kits are cheaper than before and now on rollback for just $19.88 (regularly $25.00)! This offer lasts until July 7th.

My favorite part of our Walmart Family Mobile plan is that this quality cellular service comes with unlimited talk, text, data (10GB 4G LTE), plus a free new release movie feature (a $7.00 value) on VUDU every month for only $49.88. Keep in mind, you will be required to purchase one month of the plan to lock-in these features.

Disclaimer: All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to here or your local Walmart for current pricing

Another great budget-savvy reason to join Walmart Family Mobile? Walmart Family Mobile offers great selection of budget-friendly phone options. We opted for the Cool Pad Rogue, currently priced at $19.88 (on Rollback from $39.83). Keep in mind that Walmart Family Mobile does not have contracts so you have to pay full price for their phones, this initial price is totally worth the up-front cost from what we will save each and every month!

And do you know who was most excited about this new Walmart Family Mobile Plan? My husband! He chose the Android Cool Pad Rogue, which is currently priced at only $19.88 (on Rollback from $39.83). As a gamer, my husband goes through quite a bit of data, so a limited plan would not work for our family. Thankfully with the larger data bucket of 10GB of 4G LTE data my husband can checkout his favorite free game Harthstone to his content!

As for me, I also use the bucket of data to look up recipes on Pinterest, listen to my favorite Pandora stations, check out families movies with the littles online, and even to help save money while grocery shopping in-store at Walmart with several grocery rebate apps!

The Walmart Family Mobile is perfect for families like ours that need affordable cell phone service without long-term contracts. And with unlimited talk, text, and data for up to 5 lines on each account my family will always be able to affordably stay in touch. I’m glad my family switched to this solid service at such an affordable price. Being able to stay tech-savvy on a budget rocks in my book!

As a family we think it’s important to get involved in our families media lives. But helping our family become both savvy savers and critical media consumers can be easier said than done. Our sure-fire way to stay involved with our families media picks by hosting a family movie night each week. Luckily, our Walmart Family Mobile Plan comes with one free new Vudu release each month, and so we build this into our monthly family movie schedule! What’s really nice is that we can watch our free Vudu movie not just on our phones, but on our Playstation 4 and Smart TV.

Here are a few tips for affordable family movie nights :

Schedule it. Make it a regular date and time and don’t break it. Make it a family-only time to unwind and spend quality time together.
Take turns choosing the movie. If you’ve got little kids, pre-select a group of films for them to choose from. Enforce a “no complaining” rule for whatever film is chosen.
Prep for your movie. My family knows that family movies in our home means one thing, crock pot freezer meals! But what’s really fun? I match themes to movies, such as making Crockpot Tagine Chicken the night we watched Casablanca!
Location, location, location. We host film nights in our den. We put away all toys, bring out the bean bag chairs for Moroccan-style lounging.
Snacks please. In our den you will find a theater candy machine full of gluten-free treats including cereal, trail mix, dried fruits, and acai berry candies! No need to go to head the lobby around here!
Talk about it. After the credits roll on our Vudu movies, we always make time to chat about what what we watched. We discuss everything from book-to-film adaptations, animation variations, and Hollywood history.
Make it educational. Often after movie nights we visiting our local public library to follow up on interests piqued by the movie.
Make it a life lesson. Talking with kids about how movie characters handled fictional situations can be a subtle way to reinforce your family’s values or get kids to open up about their lives. Lessons learned, friends!

Last evening we had a fun watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Mind you, I had to go back and watch some parts again due to giggles and laughing from my family during the movie. Luckily, with Vudu you get 2-day rentals with each code redemption so I was able to re-watch my movie while curled up in bed. Luxury at it’s finest, my friends!

It goes without saying that the Vudu credit is just one more awesome reason that our family loves the Walmart Family Mobile. I encourage you all to check the Walmart Family Mobile at your local Walmart Supercenter to see if this mobile plan could save your family hundreds of dollars a month too!

So, friends have you ever considered giving Walmart Family Mobile a shot? If you’re a current subscriber, what do you think about it? I’d love to hear about it!

Here’s to saving!

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9 Lessons Learned from the Kon’Mari Method on Books

Hello again, friends. If you’ve been following along, you know that last year I read Marie Kondo’s international best-seller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and each week this month I will be sharing with you nine ways the KonMari Method has helped to improve the organization and quality of life in my home over the past year.

Last week we discussed how my morning dress ritual was transformed from dreadful to peaceful by way of the Kon’Mari Method. This week I want to focus in on the second category outlined in Marie Kondo’s book, my collection of books.

While I firmly believe in personal accountability and speaking one’s truths, I will also freely admit this category was a little intimidating for me. I was more than a little nervous about decluttering my books this past year. It makes logical sense to donate unused, unnecessary, unworn garments hanging in my closet. I mean, if I could neither fit nor wear, why own it? Books, on the other hand, were another story.

Why was this chapter so trying for me? Well, I love books. I have had a long love affair with the written word for as long as I can remember. To this day, I still consider Jane Austen and her heroines, Lizzy, Jane, Emma, Diana, Elinor, and even Mary Crawford to be great friends of mine. Did I also mention I married a book hoarder as well? My husband, an educator, anthropology major, son of a former librarian turned college dean and lover of all things Tolkien. He is my book hoarding co-conspirator and soulmate. So when I read that books were the second category that we needed to take on, I knew we were in trouble.

Though I was not a fan of parting with any titles, I was committed to finishing the entire KonMari process. We gathered all of the books we owned, which, we found out, were scattered everywhere– in our bedroom, under our bed, in our dining room sideboard, in the living room entertainment center console, in every nook of my office, piles in the den, everywhere. And the cookbooks, the stacks, and stacks of cookbooks in the kitchen were more plentiful than dust and dreams. Every room contained weathered books that we had to collect and bring together and sort!

There were so many. I soon realized that I had kept all of my literature anthologies, sociology reference editions, legal dictionaries, Art History volumes, books I had reviewed for this blog, and much, much more! Then there were stacks of hand-me-down books that my husband never actually planned on reading, and I have no idea when they came from. And let’s not forget my collection of each and every book Nicholas Sparks, Anne Rice, Charlaine Harris, and Candace Bushnell ever wrote. It was a mess!

Luckily, with the KonMari method the sorting of books centered around keeping editions that “spark joy,” and not around parting with any book that sparked joy for our family. There were many books that were easy to part with, only a dozen or so books that we were kind of on the fence about, and few that we just couldn’t give up. Once we finally had sorted through everything and decided what was important enough to keep, we ended up with two huge piles. One pile of books to donate to our local public library, and a second pile that would fetch a fine price online for store credit through Amazon’s trade-in program.

In all, we parted with 1,237 books. Kept only 203, of which nearly half were my husband’s teaching and lesson planning guides, which are necessary professional development tools.

What really sparked joy for me while Kon’Maring my books? My leather and cloth bound books, my Jane Austen collection, not only remained but were now beautiful editions that stand out on my built-in bookshelves. I also kept my most-loved Charles Dickens novels, my husband’s graphic novel volumes, and a few family classics from Tolkien too!

An added bonus? We freed up an entire floor-to-ceiling bookcase to house family photos, vintage records, and fun heirlooms. Kon’Maring my books has been a true success.

So, here’s nine lessons I learned from the Kon’Mari Method on books:

When it comes to books, live in the moment. Why had we kept all of these books for so long? Simple. I suffered from “Oh I’ll read that someday” or “So-and-so gave that to me, so I can’t get rid of it,” but the truth of the matter is, if a book has sat on my shelf for over a year I’m not going to read it and it’s okay to let the books go onto new homes and new eyes.
Location, location, location. If we’re keeping books that we don’t really plan on reading, that’s just wasted space, and in our small house, we can use all of the extra space we can get! Let the book go!
e-Books are awesome. I acquired most of my books before e-readers were really trendy. But now that I own an iPad I can add numerous titles, most of which are free to my online cloud services without taking up one square inch of my home.
Public library here I come. We have a fantastic public library in our area. So unless it’s a book I know I’ll read over and over again, I will reserve it from my library first. Plus, I can read these books to my heart’s content, and have up to six weeks to read each title at my convenience without these borrowed beauties taking up any valuable real estate on my bookshelves.
Bigger, better deals. My library is also very good about getting new released out to patrons within a week of release, in most cases. So far I’ve been able to read or request the books I want to read without ordering from Amazon. In fact, my library has an online book request section. I also now check out the OverDrive app, an app which allows users to check out newly released books from their local library from the comfort of their own homes as an e-book selection for one month. This has saved my budget nearly a hundred dollars a month!
My sinuses thanked me. No matter how often I dusted my books, I often sneezed around my older, dusty editions. Since donating so many volumes my sinus headaches and allergies have lessened considerably.
My reading style shines through. Books, like clothing, are all about style. Every book I kept is now a forever book. Each book represents my interests, passions, and tastes. Should I move, downsize my home, or move abroad I know that the books I own are non-negotiable keepers. I can see just what types of fiction and memories I like to read, what cuisines I enjoy cooking most, and what stories truly impacted my life. I went from owning random books to a sophisticated, cultured, curated home library.
I can be a more giving person. I still review cookbooks, non-fiction, and memories. Now, instead of holding onto every book simply because I carefully combed each page, reviewed each tile, and vested time into each author’s central message, I can enjoy a good story and pass those books on to others. I also now gift a lot of books and have enjoyed sending books to friends and family out of state and country.
I am not a sellout. It took me some time to come to terms with the idea of parting with my books did not mean that I didn’t love each and every author, genre, and edition. That getting rid of a title didn’t mean the information they presented to my mindset would be taken away from me. This is hoarder mentality. I no longer had to be the woman who felt she was letting down Marie Antoinette simply because I do not keep her narratives on my bookshelf.

In all honesty, decluttering my books was cathartic to my soul. I continue to be amazed at the relief I feel when we get rid of stuff! A year later my home library has been transformed from a rest stop for unknown titles to a working, always in progress home library.

I’m excited to take on another area next week– so stay tuned for papers and document decluttering!

Here’s to more organized homes,

Other posts in the series:

Part 1- The KonMari Method: Organizing Clothes

Part 2- The KonMari Method: Organizing Books (You’re here!)

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The Art of Living With PCOS!

Today starts like any other day. I am 33 years young, I am 5’6”, and weigh 238 lbs. I am down one pound since last week. I walk my dogs but beyond this am not terribly active. My lifestyle causes sedentary behaviors; I work-from-home, blog, run two internet businesses, and perform advocacy work online as well. I am an internet-based excuser! Today this changes! Spring has sprung, and so shall I! I have taken up yoga, and have started working out with a pedometer on as well!

I live with PCOS, or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which can be one of the hardest and most intimidating diseases to cope with. To give you a little briefing of the disorder, PCOS is basically an imbalance of hormones in the female body that leads to a host of issues. Though the cause is unknown, PCOS is thought to be tied to being caused by poor blood sugar, or a family history of fertility and diabetes issues, though that isn’t always the case.

PCOS basically means that the hormones produced in the ovaries of a woman aren’t functioning as normal. Hormones are chemical messengers that trigger many different processes in the body, including growth and energy production. Often, the job of one hormone is to signal the release of another hormone, but in an individual with has PCOS, their hormones aren’t relaying messages correctly, which leads to the imbalance. What researchers do know is diet and moderate exercise, are two of the biggest ways to treat and possibly eliminate PCOS. PCOS affects women of all ages, races, weights and heights.

If left untreated, PCOS can lead to permanent infertility, Type 2 diabetes, depression, obesity and varying bodily changes such as irregular or painful periods, acne and facial hair.

With all of this said, for this weeks Battle of the Bulge: Budget Style, I wanted to share a few tried and tested ways I manage my PCOS:

1) Monitor your insulin levels: Researchers have found that the key to living with PCOS is all about managing insulin levels. Insulin is the hormone associated with your blood sugar. When too many carbohydrates are eaten, or poor quality carbohydrates, insulin spikes and then drops dramatically. This leads to a change in hormonal imbalance and greatly affects those living with PCOS.

Each day I limit carbohydrates such as sodas, candy and sweets, dried fruits, high sugar fruits, refined grains, starchy carbohydrates, refined and added sugar and any drinks containing sugar such as juices, coffeehouse drinks, etc. to between 10-12 grams per day; which means for me I have choices. I can either have a sugary soda, a small frappuccino, or a cup of pasta with a meal. I cannot have all three. This also goes for fruit, fruit juices, and power bars, too!

2) Make Fiber your BFF: Fiber is a girl’s BFF. Fiber balances blood sugar levels and also aids in removal of excess estrogen from the body. Excess estrogen can worsen PCOS, creating an imbalance of hormones. Daily, I eat 2-4 ounces of fiber-rich foods such as whole grain oats, brown rice, quinoa, flax seeds, chia seeds, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, celery, or celery. It’s also worth mentioning that fiber is also good for digestion, complexion, and helps stave off heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and over sixty forms of cancer isn’t half bad either!

3) 3:1 Ratios: We all remember the awesome old-school food pyramids in our elementary school cafeterias, which showed dancing, singing fruit characters, which encouraged kiddos, like myself, to consume our hearts desire in fruit each day. And,while fruits are healthy foods, veggies are the real all-stars, franchise players for those living with PCOS. Why? Fruits have more concentrated sugar, sucrose, which can affect those who are more sensitive to carbohydrates, such as individuals living with PCOS.

So for me, I make sure to remember my Veggie-To-Fruit ratios, which for me is 3:1, three veggie options, for each fruit option, or three cups of veggies per dinner, to one fruit, eaten at either breakfast, lunch, or in my case, my favorite summer treat, a one cup serving of frozen raspberries!

This strategy allows me to not only eat more veggies than fruits, especially non-starchy vegetables, keeping starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn, peas, and winter squash to one small serving a day, I’m also more selective in what fruits I consume, such as berries, green apples and grapefruit; think of fruit as a candy, and remember…moderation first!

4) Organic Dairy Only: This one is by far the hardest for me, and that is the restricted dairy rule. You see, I’m a cheese gal! I live for melty, gooey cheese. Even after having studied and lived in France for two years, if one was to ask me my top five memories of the country, cheese would be in the top three, for sure! Now before anyone starts rolling their eyes, and saying, but cheese is good for you, consider this. Though dairy is rich in calcium, dairy is also rich in natural hormones derived from cows. Avoiding any extra hormones is critical to living with PCOS.

So for me, I limit dairy to only organic cheese, yogurt, and spreads, twice per week, and in 2-3 ounce servings.

5) Bust a move: Exercise has one of the most profound effects on managing your hormones and your insulin levels. for me included. Not only does exercise help the body remove excess insulin into the bloodstream, which levels out hormones, it also helps to decrease negative food cravings by the increase in serotonin levels. Exercising everyday for at least 30 minutes has helped me to lose sixty pounds, feel better, and look better, too! Also, for those suffering from s amenorrhea, or the absence of your period, recent studies have shown that increasing exercise to five days a week, and losing five percent body weight, generally less than twenty pounds, helps regulate cycled naturally!

6) Quit smoking: I won’t harp on this topic…much. I have never been a smoker, but many in my family have, and let me tell you there is nothing awesome about PCOS or Smoking. If you smoke and have PCOS, the only option you have to successfully treat PCOS is to quit. Nicotine, along with alcohol, have been proven to worsen PCOS, not to mention a host of other issues. And if this isn’t enough reason, stop smoking because there is someone, somewhere that loves you to pieces, and wants to alive and well. Stop smoking…please! Public service announcement, ended.

7) Always saturate colors, not fats: Researchers have found the best way to avoid hormonal imbalances is to avoid saturated fats, especially those found in animal products. Healthy plant fats, including coconut, seeds, and fish, are ideal for optimal heart health.

For me, I generally go with Meatless Mondays, which by cutting meat from your diet one night per week, can help you to:

Limiting Your Cancer Risk. There are numerous medical journals and studies that suggest eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risk; noting that both red and processed meat consumption are associated with colon cancer.
Potentially Reducing Heart Disease. A 2012 study from Harvard University study found that replacing saturated fats with foods rich in polyunsaturated fat, the lipids found in nuts and vegetable oils, reduces the risk of heart disease by twenty percent.
Help Prevent Diabetes. Research suggests that higher consumption of red and processed meat increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Help curb Obesity. Cutting meats out of your diet, even for one day a week, can help lower body weights and body mass indices, according to a recent study from Imperial College London.
You May Live Longer. Red and processed meat consumption is associated with increases in cancer mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.
You Can Improve Your Diet. Consuming beans, lentils, or peas one day a week can results in higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium. with lower intakes of saturated.
You Can Reduce Your Carbon Footprint. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide; which is 3-times the amount omitted by cars.
Water Conservation. Going meatless for one day a week, can help conserve vastly needed fresh water supplies, as an estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef production; feeding the cow and the like. Soy, in comparison, uses only 220 gallons of water per pound consumed.
You Can Help Lessen Fossil Fuel Dependence. Consider this, according to the FDA, 40 calories of fossil fuel energy are expended, for every one calorie of beef consumed in this country. Eating one day a week without beef, for example, is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand.
Cutting Your Food Budget. Cutting meat out of your weekly menu by one day, will save you nearly $20.00 a month, and $240.00 annually!
Causing You To Think Outside The Box. Going meatless one meal a week will cause you to look for new ways to prepare dishes. Think globally. Try more ethnic dishes. Going meatless can help expand your culinary palette!

So, for me I like to think you can always go hog wild saturating the world with color, not fat.

8) Healthy Proteins: Getting enough protein is key to managing your insulin levels. Protein satiates the body’s craving of amino acids, which boost brain function, manage hormones, increase energy, and increase metabolism. Most women with PCOS suffer weight gain, and eating more protein than carbs is a great way to balance hormones and lose weight.

For me, I eat at at least 20-30 grams per meal for best results on insulin levels; good options include pumpkin seeds, hard boiled eggs, beans, legumes, and limited amounts of hummus.

I hope this list may help those who have PCOS, or those you know that living with the disease. So, readers…do you know anyone living with PCOS? Perhaps yourself? I’d love to hear your tips, advice, and bits of wisdom, too!

Here’s to better health,

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$26.45 Minimalist Meal Plan

Hello, hello everyone! Happy Meal Plan Monday! This week’s menu will be a continuation of this month’s Minimalist Meal Plan Monday’s. Here’s a recap for those new to minimalist meal planning. There are the five categories I took into consideration when setting up this month’s minimalist meal plan:

Consistency: The goal of minimalist meal planning is to consistently prepare and present my family with home cooked, healthy meals each day this month.

Cost: Posted meal plans are based on seasonal sales cycles with attention paid to both frugality and minimalist efficiency. This weeks menu reflects our budget of $160.00 monthly for a family of three.

Power Consumption: I wanted to plan meals that do not require vast amounts of energy zapping stove-top and range preparation. A little food for thought: did you know that it costs an average of 18-24 cents an hour to run a gas range, 24-30 cents an hour for an electric range, 16-20 cents an hour for a microwave oven, a mere 3-5 cents an hour to run a toaster oven or convection top. With this in mind, I will be gearing this month’s meal planning to encompass dishes that utilize minimalist power consumption standards. Meals this month will utilize my toaster oven and convection stove top for all my baking and needs.

Streamlining: I was a little apprehensive about whether or not my family will be turned off of the idea of food simplicity. I quickly realized that my family love whatever I cook them, and with this in mind extreme food plan simplicity will give me an extra hour each day to devote to spending time with my family and not in my kitchen. In order to streamline my meal plans, to have a true minimalist food strategy I am going to assign each day of the week with a single meal.

Travel: I wanted meals that could be planned monthly in advanced and shopped for locally (I live in a small town with limited mass shopping or chain retailer options) either weekly or monthly, depending on need. As I shop in reverse, buying groceries on rock bottom pricing and then shop from my pantry, this keeps weekly food costs low.

To create your own minimalist meal plan, think about which dinners are your family’s favorites that don’t take too much effort to prepare.
Consider which do you prefer to cook?
Think comfort meals. Think simple and keep it basic.
When creating your meal calendar this week assign one meal to each day of the week, taking into account school, work, and activity schedules. Leave your least busy days for meals that take the most amount of time to prepare.
Leave one day open each week for creativity in the kitchen, for ethnic, slow-cooked, heavy on the ingredient, new to you from Pinterest meals for weekends or Tuesday and Thursdays when poser usage rates nationally tend to be 20-30% lower on average. Focus on energy, your own and your household power usage as well!
Themes can be your best friend in minimalist cooking plans. Think Meatless Monday’s, Meatball Monday’s, Taco Tuesdays, Tofu Tuesday’s, Stirfry Wednesday’s, and Slow-Cooker Sunday’s!
Adjusting two meals a week to meatless options can help lower your grocery budgets by a quarter each month. This month we will be trying to expand Meatless Monday’s to also be Meatless Thursday’s as well.
This month breakfast, snacks, and lunches will be standardized. We will be having sandwiches for lunch, cereal and smoothies for breakfast. And yes you could do without snacks and increase lunch and breakfast portions, but I find smaller meals several times a day work better for my health, and so that’s how we will be rolling.

So what does this leave me with? My new monthly minimalist meal plan will consist of default meals streamlined around items already on-hand that require less than a half hour to prepare, and cost under $5.00 per meal to create.

Monday
Breakfast: Cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Turkey and cheese sliders, with Crystal light lemonade.
Snack: Grapes and String Cheese.
Dinner: Three bean vegetarian chili, steamed corn, and corn bread.
Dessert: Greek yogurt, granola, and blueberries.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Turkey and cheese sliders, with Crystal light lemonade.
Snack: Grapes and String Cheese.
Dinner: Taco Tuesday.
Dessert: Greek yogurt, granola, and blueberries.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Turkey and cheese sliders, with Crystal light lemonade.
Snack: Grapes and String Cheese.
Dinner: Chicken, carrot, broccoli quinoa bake, with Crystal Light lemonade.
Dessert: Greek yogurt, granola, and blueberries.

Thursday
Breakfast: Cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Turkey and cheese sliders, with Crystal light lemonade.
Snack: Grapes and String Cheese.
Dinner: Bakes Zucchini, Greek yogurt, and quinoa gyros, with Crystal light lemonade.
Dessert: Greek yogurt, granola, and blueberries.

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Turkey and cheese sliders, with Crystal light lemonade.
Snack: Grapes and String Cheese.
Dinner: Meatball hoagies, side salad with Greek Yogurt dressing, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Greek yogurt, granola, and blueberries.

Saturday
Breakfast: Cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Turkey and cheese sliders, with Crystal light lemonade.
Snacks: Grapes and String Cheese.
Dinner: Chicken mole, served with steamed rice, corn, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Greek yogurt, granola, and blueberries.

Sunday
Breakfast: Cereal with almond milk and strawberries.
Lunch: Turkey and cheese sliders, with Crystal light lemonade.
Snack: Grapes and String Cheese.
Dinner: Crockpot cheddar, chicken, and broccoli rice, with green beans and Crystal Light lemonade.
Dessert: Greek yogurt, granola, and blueberries.

Cost of food shopped from pantry and freezer: $26.45

So that’s all, everyone! I’m hoping that this streamlined plan will leave me feeling anything but restricted. With my family eating well and meal planning becoming more automated, I’m thinking of bringing back Family Game Nights! Incorporating minimalism into my weekly meal planning will help me be a few steps closer to realizing my minimalist dream. That said, if this streamlined plan doesn’t work for my family this month I can always change my plan again!

I’m ready to take back an extra hour from my day, each and every day this month. I’m ready to devote more time on creative endeavors, taking advantage of work opportunities, spending time with my family, and not slaving over a hot stove.

So, that’s what we will be having this week. I’d love to hear what’s on your menu as well!

Here’s to Monday meal plans,

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What I’ve Been Lovin’ in April

Hello again, everyone! It’s hard to believe another month is almost at an end. But before we say adieu to April I wanted to share with you all some of what I’ve been lovin’ this April.

Food:

Homemade BBQ Sauce from Scratch Mommy.
Homemade Applesauce and 10 way to enjoy it from Yummy Inspirations.
Homemade Yogurt in a Crock Pot from Creative Simple Life.
Kombucha fruit snacks from Homemade Mommy.
Sweet potatoes and chocolate grain-free cake from Homemade Mommy.

DIYs:

Homemade Sunscreen Lotion Bars from MommyPotamus.
Cheap, Easy Life Hacks Guaranteed To Repel Flies by Little Things.
DIY Spring Car Care Tips from Popular Mechanics.
DIY Self-Massage for Post Workouts for Women from Women’s Heath.
DIY Pet Fountain from Instructables.

Podcasts:

Cultivating the Lovely Podcast by Mackenzie Monroe of BoldTurquoise.
Tiny House Podcast from Tiny House.
Sorta Awesome Podcast co-hosted by Rebekah Hoffer and Megan Tietz.
The Minimalists Podcast.
His and Her Money Podcast from HisandHerMoney.com

Periscopers:

Stacy Meyers from Humorous Homemaking. Stacy is an OG of scoping and not to be missed!
Larisha Campbell from Wereparents. Larisha makes simple, budgeted, organic cooking easy!
Amiyrah Martin from 4hatsandfrugal. She’s currently scoping on positive budget affirmations!
Zaggat guide on periscope. Watch awesome food, eateries, and culinary experts each morning!
Alex Pettit gives the latest tech tutorials, advice, and demos live on periscope!

Music:

Prince videos on Youtube. A true icon, need I say more?
Are you a lover of Motown? Check out the House Cleaning Station on Pandora radio!
If you love Delta blues as much as I do, check out the PBS Roots & Blues online station.
Check out Folk Streams online for awesome Creole and Zydeco music.
If you were made in the 80’s like me, check out Billboard Music Top Charts of the 80’s on Youtube.

Books:

Do you love down-home, stick-to-your-ribs, country cooking? Then you are in luck as the new cookbook from Francine Bryson, Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen Cookbook has plenty of recipes to satisfy your childhood comfort cravings.Francine speaks my language when it comes to food. Her book focuses on the best of southern cooking, from Chicken and Dumplings Like Mama Made to Coconut Party Dip, Deviled Ham Dip, Aunt Fanny’s Buttermilk Salad, Old-Fashioned Squash Relish, Grits and Bacon Fritters. This author knows what she’s selling and she knows her way around a kitchen. To find out more about this book, click here.

In the new relationship book by Pastor Dave Willis, “The Seven Laws of Love: Essential Principles for Building Stronger Relationships,” explains in detail the seven laws of love found throughout Scripture offers age-tested advice on how to live out those words in order to have better relationships with your spouse, family, friends, neighbors, and even enemies. Willis contends, “If Christ is not the center of your marriage, you will never learn how to love your spouse completely.” To find out more about this book, click here.

Do you love adult coloring books? Then be sure to check out Wonderland by Amile Shen. Why this book? Well, there is nothing like relaxing while creating fast, beautiful art. And this coloring book is fantastic. Wonderland follows the story of Alice’s age old tale of adventures quite closely which allows readers to color along with Alice and her companions from page to pages. Moreover, Amily Shen’s illustrations are beautiful. To find out more about this book, click here.

One of my favorite new cookbooks is the I Quit Sugar Kids Cookbook, by Sarah Wilson. What I liked about this book: Wilson’s cookbook and guide to sugar-free living are a refreshingly, friendly, helpful voice in a sea of holier-than-thou handbooks for health and diabetic living. After following the authors advise for several weeks and laying off the sweet stuff, I generally felt, well better. This book is helpful, easy-to-follow, and is helpful resource guide and go-to recipe guide. To find out more about this book, click here.

As someone who strives to live a minimalist lifestyle, in both my home and business, I’ve following Joshua Becker, on his site Becoming Minimalist, for the past several years. What I liked most about Becker’s site, his idea that minimalism can be a sound, obtainable goal through the presentation of reasonable minimalism. In Becker’s latest book, The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own, he extrapolates on his blogs central minimalist theme, as well as the benefits of owning even fewer personal effects. For those who would like to know more this book click here.

Finds:

Vanessa Blair’s Beadery Craftique on Facebook for awesome handmade, Summer-inspired jewelry.
Katie from PurePeriwinkle on ETSY. Her Dave Ramsey Envelope System Wallets are amazing!
Carrywell Reusable Bag Organizer has been my go-to shopping bags for the past season. Love them!
This cat tunnel toy has been a huge hit at our home!
TJ Maxx is carrying Magic Bullet Dessert Makers for only $9.99! Amazing deal!

So folk, this is what I’ve been loving this past month. Since April is not currently on the books, you still have time to go out and find something that truly sparks joy in your world. And for those of you who have lived April to the max, how was your month? Have you scored any awesome freebies, chanced upon an awesome new music station, or curled up with a new, thought-provoking book? I’d love to hear about it below!

Here’s to May,

2 Comments

My $26.45 Weekly Minimalist Meal Plan (Week 4)

Hello, hello everyone! Happy Meal Plan Monday! This week’s menu will be a continuation of this month’s Minimalist Meal Plan Monday’s.

Here’s a recap of the five categories I use to help me create minimalist meal planning for the past three weeks:

Consistency: The goal of minimalist meal planning is to consistently prepare and present my family with home cooked, healthy meals each day this month.

Here’s what I purchased this week:

2 Swiss Mix 100 Serving Tubs, $3.31 (regularly $12.81 each)
5-pounds Organic Carrots, $2.51
5-pounds Cole Slaw Mix, $1.51
Driscoll’s 2-pound Strawberry tub, $2.51
2 2-gallon bottle pack of white vinegar, 2.51
Total: 15.66

2 bags of organic Celery, $0.49 each bag
BOGO EarthBound Farms Spring Mix tubs, $3.99 (used 2 1.00 peelie coupons & $0.25 from checkout51)
Iceburg lettice head, $0.69
Mango, $0.59 (submitted for $0.25 back from iBotta)
BOGO Ronzoni Pasta, $1.50
2 Manager’s Special mushroom packs, $0.79 each.
Halos bag, $3.00
Total: $10.32 after rebates

2 Whole Wheat Loaves, $0.84 each (double bagged for deep freeze)
3 Loaves of sliced rye bread, $0.50 each (double bagged for freezer)
Tony’s Pizza, $2.50 each (submitted for $0.50 iBotta rebate)
Smithfield marinated pork roast, $3.21 (submitted for $2.00 iBotta rebate)
Total: $6.39 after rebates

Soap refill, $1.00 (submitted for $0.50 mobisave credit)
Speed Stick deodorant, $1.00 (submitted for $0.50 mobisave credit)
Jenny-o Turkey Bacon, $1.00 (submitted for $0.50 mobisave credit)
Total after rebates: $1.50

Weekly total: $33.87

To create your own minimalist meal plan, think about which dinners are your family’s favorites that don’t take too much effort to prepare.
Consider which do you prefer to cook?
Think comfort meals. Think simple and keep it basic.
When creating your meal calendar this week assign one meal to each day of the week, taking into account school, work, and activity schedules. Leave your least busy days for meals that take the most amount of time to prepare.
Leave one day open each week for creativity in the kitchen, for ethnic, slow-cooked, heavy on the ingredient, new to you from Pinterest meals for weekends or Tuesday and Thursdays when poser usage rates nationally tend to be 20-30% lower on average. Focus on energy, your own and your household power usage as well!
Themes can be your best friend in minimalist cooking plans. Think Meatless Monday’s, Meatball Monday’s, Taco Tuesdays, Tofu Tuesday’s, Stirfry Wednesday’s, and Slow-Cooker Sunday’s!
Adjusting two meals a week to meatless options can help lower your grocery budgets by a quarter each month. This month we will be trying to expand Meatless Monday’s to also be Meatless Thursday’s as well.
This month breakfast, snacks, and lunches will be standardized. We will be having sandwiches for lunch, cereal and smoothies for breakfast. And yes you could do without snacks and increase lunch and breakfast portions, but I find smaller meals several times a day work better for my health, and so that’s how we will be rolling.

So what does this leave me with? My monthly minimalist meal plan will consist of default meals streamlined around items already on-hand that require less than a half hour to prepare, and cost under $5.00 per meal to create. Also worth noting, before I venture out to the market I first shop from my pantry and cabinets, only add weekly sales that are 60% or more below cost, and then create easy meals around these ideals. With this in mind you’ll find my menu for this week below.

Cost of food shopped from pantry and freezer: $26.45

So, that’s what we will be having this week. I’d love to hear what’s on your menu as well!

Here’s to Monday meal plans,

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