Mamavation Monday: Healthy Snacks

Are you excited that summer is finally here? Is it a bigger deal for us, people in colder regions, than it is for those of you residing in warmer climates? The pools here in Chicago are finally open and summer has officially started. My family usually spends a lot of time outdoors. Swimming, playing, cycling, hiking – there are so many ways to keep your family moving. What do you absolutely love doing? My whole family loves long Sunday cycling trail rides or zoo trips. Did you notice that great outdoors make kids hungry much faster than when they are in close proximity to a fridge? My options are usually limited to whatever is sold around or anything I packed in a snack bag. Our public pool only has vending machines, and the last time I check nothing good comes out of the vending machine. What would you consider a good on the go snack?

Here are some ideas from Mamavation Moms:

Hanan (@LilacCityMomma): Fruit, nuts, string cheese, popcorn, yogurt and carrot

Wendy’s (@WeightsOver): sliced apple with a tsp peanut butter, 1/2 banana with a tsp peanut butter, baby carrots with a tsp dressing. Also when I have to go out, I put 1 tbls nuts and 1 tbls dried fruit in a baggie.

WOW – those are some great ideas! For even more great ideas we are inviting a special guest.

Special Guest: Jasmine (@Healthy Jasmine)

If you haven’t met Jasmine yet, you don’t want to miss this opportunity – she is simply awesome! After months of talking to her in social media outlets, I finally got to meet her in person few months ago. Believe me, she is as cool in person as she is on Twitter!

Jasmine’s passion for health and well-being stems from her own childhood. While her love of cooking and baking from scratch came from her own mom’s kitchen, Jasmine grew up drinking pop (soda, Cola, Coke, whatever) and hating her veggies. In 2006, Jasmine was diagnosed with a gluten, soy, and dairy sensitivity that explained a number of symptoms: weekly migraines, digestive problems, acid-reflux and fatigue. Freeing herself of medication and living healthy, she now makes it her mission to help others heal themselves through diet and lifestyle changes.

Jasmine now works as a Lifestyle and Wellness consultant, freelance writer at the National Pregnancy Health Examiner, and Chicago Family Health Examiner for Examiner.com. She is the Program Coordinator and instructor for an online course that she authored, Professional Certificate in Women’s Personal Exercise Training and Wellness through Educational Fitness Solutions, Inc. She is also a Master Trainer for Healthy Moms(R) Fitness and their Social Media Director. Don’t forget to visit Healthy Jasmine’s website for all kinds of great information.

MAMAVATION TV: Join us Monday night at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV.

BLOGGING CARNIVAL: This week’s blogging carnival is sponsored by Omron. Two blogging carnival participants will each receive an Omron pedometer. To be eligible inlcude the following disclmber and link back to Mamavation website. “This post is sponsored by Omron and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway” at the bottom of your post. Link up your post here.

SISTAHOOD: If you are interested in pledging to the Mamavation Sistahood, Monday is the time to do it. Please go here for instructions. Invitations are done on Wednesdays over Twitter. (Or later if I get swamped)

GIVEAWAYS (You must attend Mamavation TV show to win):

Omron pedomter (2 winners)

To Enter (leave a comment for entry):

Hit the Linky
Tweet out this message “Giveaways LIVE on #Mamavation TV. This week sponsored by @omronfitness http://bit.ly/Klyqsh Join us 4 healthy snacks talk w @HealthyJasmine” (Unlimited Entries for tweets)

Extra Entries (leave a comment for EVERY entry):
Download the Alexa tool bar, http://www.alexa.com/toolbar (this will help your Alexa rating go up and will help Mamavation too!) (1 entry)

Comment on a Mamavation Monday post. (2 entries for each blog you visit)
Tell a Sista this week WHY she is special on twitter using the #mamavation hashtag (1 entry)
Subscribe to the RSS feed of this blog (1 entry)
Follow @InspiredRD on Twitter (1 entry)
Become a fan of Healthy Jasmine on Facebook (1 entry)
Follow @omronfitness on Twitter (1 entry)
Give @Bookieboo Klout points, +Klout in Fitness, nutrition, health, social media, or parenting. (1 entry each)