Tag Archives: healthy

Avoiding the Dad Bod with Rhone and My Birthday Weekend

Phew! The Five Photos, Five Stories Challenge is complete and now it’s back to, well, basically the same thing with more pictures. And most of them are current. And….okay, you get the point. If you missed them, here are days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

We celebrated my 31st birthday over the weekend and kept it fairly low key, just as I prefer. Actually, we did more than I’d normally go for, but had a great time doing so. Last year, I celebrated by running a 5k while pushing Avery (we came in 1st place!) and then went to a local brewery called Martin House.

Placing 1st in our first race together!
Placing 1st in our first race together!

Kelley wore Avery in the Ergo as I enjoyed a few craft beers. She was the designated babywearer. I can’t believe how small Avery was, she slept the whole time we were there! I thought it would be awkward, but apparently a lot of parents bring their kids to the brewery and we even saw another couple wearing their baby too.

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This time, G-Ma came over to watch our wild child so Kelley and I could go on a nice hike before heading over and enjoying a few brews together. The brewery is right along a big river with miles of trails, so we parked right there and went on our way.

It was perfect, no driving multiple places, just sweat it out on a hike and walk right up to the brewery to cool down. And sweat we did; hellllloooo Texas heat! It wastes no time warming up around here and that sun was unrelenting the entire time. We walked at a brisk pace and ran a little at the end because, beer.

RC and Kelley_B-day Hike

The overall time and distance based on the Sports Tracker app I used was 1 hour 24 minutes and 5.2 miles. Neither of us were really dressed for a run, but I kept comfortable and rather cool since I had on my Rhone Apparel shorts.

B-Day at Martin House

We hiked from the trail right up to the brewery line as they were opening. The sun continued it’s abuse, but I’d say we looked pretty cool. The Rhone Bullitt shorts I was rocking  allowed complete freedom of movement while still providing plenty of pocket space for my phone, five pennies I found on our hike (a penny earned….), and even a snail shell I thought looked cool enough to carry around.

The clothes you wear when you’re active can make or break you, and Rhone makse athletic apparel that looks and feels good and performs even better. Even after our sweaty trek, my shorts still looked good and were stench-free as we stood around the giant vats in the brewery. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for the many cyclists hanging around in their stinky bike shorts.

Good beer, beautiful wife, and shorts that don't stink!!
Good beer, beautiful wife, and shorts that don’t stink!!

Speaking of bikers, we sat next to two awesome cyclists in their 60’s and had a blast talking with them the entire time. Very lively people, and they even got me another beer! I had an extra beer coupon since it was my birthday so we only paid for one beer glass tour and I just shared some of my beer with Kelley, hence her small white cup. But after hanging with our new friends, somehow we ended up with this….

Like my “beer fingers” typo? Cab instead of can? Yeah, I had more than I needed and will stick to water or Zevia for a while. Probably didn’t help that all I had was black coffee all day, and then the 5 mile hike…..yeah, not the best pre-drinking combo. Meh, I had fun with my wife and that’s what matters most.

Keeping fit and healthy also matters a great deal in our home. Anyone who reads this blog will see that fitness and nutrition are high on the list of priorities that make up part of our daily life. So things like the Dad Bod seriously tick me off. No, it’s not cool or sexy….EVER! Our kids are a direct reflection of us, the parents, and I surely don’t want Avery thinking a dad bod is how a guy, or anyone, should look.

This definition on Urban Dictionary sums it pretty well:

Dad-Body

1. A body resembling a man who lives a sedentary lifestyle, flabby, usually comes with a keg gut. Sometimes can see penis, most of the time cannot. Body resembles his personality; dull, lifeless, and very conservative.

2. Once in shape, but clearly has lost most athletic properties. Best suited for sitting at a desk chair, possibly doing ones taxes.

Doesn’t sound appealing to me and I don’t know how anyone could be attracted to it. Plus, I want to be an awesome role model to my daughter and let her see how living a healthy, active life, is fun and rewarding.

In an effort to combat this passing fad, Rhone Apparel is having a sale for $25 off all orders over $100 when you use the code NODADBOD at checkout. On top of that, you get free shipping on all orders over $75, so you can walk away with good deal for some outstanding clothes. And if you click this link, you’ll get $20 credit towards your next purchase. In doing so, Rhone will also give me a $20 credit, so we all win, and winning, as we all know, is way cooler than losing.

Oh, hey, and guess what’s coming up? Father’s Day! Keep the dad in your life healthy and active by heading over to Rhone’s site and getting a nice pair of shorts and a shirt to keep him motivated to stay active and be able to fit into the clothes you get him!

I love my General Short Sleeve shirt and Bullitt Shorts so much that I have to keep cleaning them to reuse several times a week. I’m actually taking advantage of the NODADBOD coupon code to pick up a pair of their Mako Shorts for a little Father’s Day gift to myself. Because you never know when you’ll need the ability to swing a heavy kettlebell around…..

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….or play with your kid in the backyard.

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Yes, she has to be picked up a lot, so it’s nice to have clothes that work with your movements and not against as they don’t allow free range as you bend and stoop.

There’s more to come on the birthday front, but for now head over to Rhone and see what you like for a little gift to your self for Father’s Day or for the husband/father you love. Having a good set of clothes to keep motivated may be all it takes to avoid the Dad Bod and keep fit. Do you want your kids growing up to see dad keeping active, or just sitting around?

A Healthy Start With #TheNewSweet of Zevia

Zevia has been the only soda in our home for many years. I’ve reviewed their delicious drinks in the past and explained why it being a healthy treat is not the only thing that makes it so special in our home.

Recently, Avery had her first try of #TheNewSweet that is Zevia and now we have a small family of Zevia lovers! She literally reaches for the stuff whenever it’s in sight!

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So what is “#TheNewSweet” all about? Here are the details directly from the satisfyingly refreshing soda company itself:

Zevia is s naturally sweetened, zero calorie soda in 15 delicious flavors! They’ve asked me to put a fresh spin on my old routine in honor of Spring! Get in on the fun on twitter.com/zevia & instagram.com/zevialife by tagging them & #TheNewSweet. Head to the gallery to peep the party! Zevia.com/TheNewSweet

Here in Texas, Spring turns into Summer in an instant, which means it gets a little warm. And by “warm” I mean VERY HOT! With Avery running around and keeping active indoors and out, she needs to stay hydrated with plenty of water and energized with nutritious food.

Since she was born, we’ve only given her healthy food I made and she will eat steamed veggies without a fuss……usually (she’s still a toddler!). Carrots are viewed as a treat to her and I’m proud at how well she does when it comes to eating healthy.

Thanks to my wife, she still gets the unbeatable breast milk to drink as well as water. But now, after playing outside and needing a nice treat, I’ve started sharing a Zevia with her. Since Avery just started having liquids other than breast milk and water, we never had a routine to give a “fresh spin” to, instead this is the routine.

So far she’s tried their Grape and Strawberry sodas as well as their brand new Tonic Water. It’s a great way to make a healthy adult beverage or something fun for the kids. Like, for instance, mixing with another flavor like Strawberry because we all know how fun it is to mix things!

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At least it is in this house. Avery has been loving this combo lately. Just a 50/50 mix and some ice and you’re good to go.

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No one wants to spend too much time inside when it’s nice outside, so I prefer to keep it simple. Of course, on a rainy day, Zevia has plenty of recipes to try on their site.

And it’s not just drinks, you can bake with it for a healthy treat to eat too! I even have a recipe for Cherry Cola Protein Bread I suggest you try. Just make sure you top off everyone’s drinks before using the last can!

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From Spring right into Summer, we’ll be keeping healthy and happy with #TheNewSweet of Zevia. So when Avery is giving me “the look”…

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Before Zevia

…I know it’s time for a healthy treat like Zevia to keep things cool and calm. Judging from her cheeky grin, I’d say it’s working!

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After Zevia

Don’t forget to show how you’re enjoying #TheNewSweet of Zevia and share it on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag! Make sure to check back here soon to read my review of Zevia’s new Tonic Water and a chance to win free Zevia for yourself and your family…..if you want to share! 🙂

WIAW #11: No-Bake Mini NuttZo Pumpkin Cake

Baking can be such a hassle. Especially when you have little ones running the kitchen. Crazy kids plus a hot stove/oven NEVER mix! So, feeling creative for Avery’s breakfast, I decided to make a delicious and healthy cake that I didn’t need to bake. Wham, and I just rhymed; score!

NuttZo No-bake cake

I grabbed one of my 24 cans of Organic Farmer’s Market Pumpkin (Thank you, Amazon!), some NuttZo Power Fuel, peanut flour, and unsweetened shredded coconut and got to work. It turned out to hardly be “work” since 5 minutes later, our NuttZo Coconut Pumpkin Pie was born.

Avery was tugging at my shorts and whining for the first bite, so after I took a few quick pics, I fed my ravenous daughter.

I thought maybe, just maybe, there’d be a little leftover for me to savor, but that hope died fast. Unlike a typical pie, I found it easier to just roll into balls to feed her. At least that way I had messy fingers I got to lick!

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If there was time, I’m sure chilling it would make for a cleaner finger food, but as Jack Bauer would say, “There’s no time!”. It does cut pretty good even at room temp though.

Wanna give it a go for yourself? Do it!

Mini No-Bake NuttZo Coconut Pie

by RC Liley

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Keywords: raw appetizer breakfast dessert snack nuttzo

Ingredients (Serves 1)

  • 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
  • 2 Tbsp NuttZo (or other nut butter) at room temp
  • 1/4 Cup Peanut flour (Can use coconut or almond flour or even protein powder instead)
  • 2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 packet stevia or 10 drops liquid stevia
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Add all ingredients in a bowl and stir well to combine.

Form into a small cake, roll into balls, or just leave as is to eat with a spoon.

Enjoy!!

Powered by Recipage

 

On to the main part of the post now, my eats!

Thanks as always to the wonderful Jenn from Peas and Crayons, for creating this fun link-up for foodies everywhere! It was great then and continues to be an awesome linky now!

what I ate wednesday, WIAW

 

Breakfast – One of my many leftover cups of black coffee from Starbucks that I picked up on Mother’s Day.

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Lunch – Steamed veggies with eggs and raw broccoli on top. Then some Greek yogurt with purple sweet potato, NuttZo, and homemade banana bread. While watching Avery not take her nap!
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Dinner – Shredded chicken with black garlic and steamed broccoli and a little spicy kimchi mixed in as well.
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And don’t tell Avery, but I made another batch of the no-bake NuttZo pie for myself to have as a nighttime treat.
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Yeah, I’ll be making more of that for the both of us for sure! Have a great Hump Day!

Do you like no-bake recipes or prefer to always cook your meals/snacks?

Ever buy things you use a lot in bulk on Amazon or another site? It’s a must in our home!

Brilliant blog posts on HonestMum.com