Skip the Resolutions: 3 Ways to Stay True to You and Redefine Wellness in 2020 with Truvia

How is it already the last week of January? I'll be honest I just cracked open the new planner I just swore I needed from Target to get me into the swing of the new year, and the boys and I haven't had the chance to create the family vison board we've been talking about making to manifest our goals yet. And that's all going to have to be ok! It's a brand new decade and where the hubby and I haven't made any actual resolutions for 2020, we are looking forward to making some positive lifestyle changes for ourselves and our boys.

Do you find yourself in search of that sweet spot between the pressures of parenting and your own personal wellness, and if you've managed to find it do you mind letting the rest of us in on your secret? This New Year, more than 60% of women around the country say they’re throwing conventional thinking out the door by choosing not to make a resolution, according to a Truvia® sweetener survey.

Let's be honest, how many times have you made a resolution and then felt horrible about not sticking to it by the time Springtime rolls around? As busy parents know, keeping up a regular health and wellness routine is seemingly impossible, but a new survey reveals that we may be doing it right after all without even thinking about it.

 Earlier this month Truvia® introduced the Tru To You: Real Life Wellness pop-up in New York City where the brand reimagined the ultimate symbol of resolution season – the gym. Over the weekend visitors experienced everything from work-life balance-inspired yoga to a Smooth(ie) Operator station featuring blended, reduced-sugar treats.

Shifting and Shaking things up at Sea During the Permission to Hustle Retreat #PTHCarnival

Disclosure: Thank you Carnival Cruise & Permission to Hustle for hosting our group during such a mindful & inspirational retreat. Vera and Audrey, this was amazing! Xx 

"Before your Life Shifts........... It's Going to Fall Apart First" 

HUSTLE:

It’s just insane how quickly days fly by and even more noticeable when you realize you haven’t been devoting as much time as you’d like to your own personal growth and passions. Lately, I'd been pretty disappointed in myself and I knew I needed to shake things up ASAP, I needed to be doing more!

Two months ago I was setting off to join 40 female creatives and entrepreneurs at sea with Carnival Cruise Line for the Permission to Hustle retreat, hosted by Vera Sweeney of Lady and the Blog and Audrey McLelland of Mom Generations. When these two dynamic mompreneurs, content creators and besties announced that they were planning to get back to the roots and magic of blogging I couldn't wait to get the scoop on what it entailed and how to sign up.

Babes of All Ages Protect Your Booty with a Barre Class and Boudreaux's Buttpaste #ButtpasteBooty #Sponsored

Dislcosure: This Post is Sponsored by Momtrends & Boudreaux's Buttpaste. Opinions expressed 100% my own!

Leave it to a Booty focused Barre class in the Exhale Fitness and Spa at the Gansevoort Hotel, a chat about the newest line of protective pastes for a babies bum from Boudreaux's Buttpaste & your 35th birthday to remind you that you aren't getting any younger!  I hate working out alone so I will adjust my schedule as needed when a call for a group fitness class comes along. I'm way more motivated to work up a sweat these days with a tribe of my favorite mama's and girlfriends. As a mom and former preschool teacher those roles ended up keeping me tone and fit as I tried to keep up with all of my littles nearly 15 hours a day, plus my energy level was zilch after the commute from Midtown back to Queens during rush hour.  At work during the lunch & diapering {a.ka. the most ridiculously chaotic portion of they day}, it felt like a mad dash getting one lil' monster after the either wiped and de-crusted, while others started to smell a little less than baby powder fresh and their tushies agitated. Squatting down to pick them up, sometimes leg lifts over wooden safety gates {because their was mess everywhere} while easing them on to the table with a calmly hum song, just to bend down again to grab the wipes and sometimes greatly needed Boudreaux's buttpaste. 

Four Pomegranate Recipes for Your Next Holiday Dinner #CookwithPOM #Sponsored

Ready or not the holidays are coming, which means for many of us we'll be assuming the role of hostess with the mostest as loved ones near and far come to visit. I absolutely love a house filled with family and friends, good music, laughter and of course yummy food! I'm always looking for easy seasonal dishes that can be whipped up quickly. No fuss no muss or I'm leaving it to the hubby to prepare {he's the professional}. So when my blogger babes and I were invited to a POM- wonderful night out to learn about this trendy fall ingredient and how to mix it up into a combination of savory & sweet dishes, we were all in and of course brought our appetites.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. Opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

Our So-Called Balanced Life: Discovering Must Have Products to Simplify the Everyday #MTNightOut #ad

When you're a mama who's juggling life inside and outside of the home, a night out with other women who can undoubtedly relate is always a welcomed pass time, right? I'll be the first to admit - the mama hustle is real! C'mon, it's ok you can admit it too - finding balance can be hard and usually the last thing on our checklist is scheduling in a little well earned "me-time" in between the conference calls, school plays we'd feel guilty about missing, trips to the pediatrician that leave you in waiting rooms well passed your scheduled appointment and scrubbing the gross off the bottoms of toilets {i'm a boy mom}.  Hubby works late nights till 1am as a chef so if I can manage to get a babysitter and I'm not dealing with a Crohn's disease related flare up, there's no way I'm passing on a chance to hang out with my blogger babes. 

Picture a perfect autumn NYC evening with gorgeous rooftop views of the twinkling Soho lights, add some DIY, bubbly and stories of how we manage get it all done with must have products that help us master the chaos and it's surely going to be a good night! Thanks to Nicole Feliciano of Momtrends & Meredith Publications {Parents, Fit Pregnancy, Family Fun and Parents Latina} who gathered tried and true brands like Glad, Quaker Oats,Clorox, Philips Avent & Earth's Best, we were able to channel our creative sides while discovering & using the best products to make life easier for busy parents. 

7 Tips to Get You in the Holiday Spirit from MomTrends 5th Annual Soiree #MTHoliday

One of the absolute best parts about this time of year is to be able to step back from the busy day to day to spend quality time with your favorite people, whether family, friends or colleagues. Planning festive parties can sometimes be a headache without the proper planning: how will you decorate, what's on the menu, what to wear, how will you keep everyone entertained and ultimately will your guests have a good time?  So much pressure right? 

Well this month I attended my first MomTrends Holiday Soiree which gave NYC's top online editors the opportunity to meet with brands and featured must have products to help get us through this busy yet fun-filled time of year..So let me help you get your festive party planning started with a bit of #MTHoliday inspired tips:

1. Deck the Halls - Decor

Upon entering any space your decor should help to set the mood, guests will want to feel welcomed as soon as they walk in the door and beautiful floral arrangements will do just the trick. Teleflora offers stunning one of a kind bouquets, centerpieces and more at affordable prices that also make great gifts for loved ones with their reusable cookie jars and mugs. 

2. Eat Drink and Be Merry

While guests are mingling and catching up, a unique menu of light bites and refreshing drinks are essentials at any soiree. Are you a fan of pomegranates? Well while chatting with our favorite blogger boos, we were poured some of the most delish cocktails that featured POM juices and appetizers that had the sweetest yet tart pomegranate arils intricately mixed in, which was such an out of the box surprise. I would have never though to add them to guacamole. Yum! And if you are looking for ways to decorate with pomegranates, or to make other unique dishes stop here for some simply wonderful ideas.

The holidays are the perfect time to dig in and chow down! But after going from one party to next, weekend after weekend without a care in the world do you start to worry about how nutritious it all actually is?  I'm all for healthy eating that doesn't sacrifice great taste because who wants to feel guilty about indulging while celebrating. Tessemae's All Natural line of products include dressings, olive oils, mayonnaise, ketchup,mustard's, teriyaki and buffalo sauces that have no GMO' s or refined sugars and are perfect to marinate, roast, grill with and more! I couldn't stop dipping my chips into the Chesapeake mayonnaise, a hint of spice and so creamy.

3. Get Doll'd Up

Tis the season to be stylish! What better reason do you need to get dressed up then because you're headed out to a chic dinner, company party or family gathering? Cabi offers up great solid and print pieces that are stylish and functional from day to night and what's even better is that if you're beyond busy they send a stylist to your house. No need to stand on those crazy dreadful lines at the ,all. Our host Nicole Feliciano of MomTrends was decked out from head to toe in Cabi clothing.  Aren't you loving how she mixed her haute red pants, with a print jacket and a gorgeous gold statement necklace? 

4. Cheese for the Camera

Epson was on hand with cheerful props for posing and showed off their fantastic EcoTank SuperTank Printer that had one feature that completely blew my mind - a 2 year supply of refillable ink comes with it! I for one think that's genius because I despise running out to get ink in a crunch, but that's a long time without having to worry about it.   And there was even a mini version that's perfect for parties that's light enough to travel with and prints photos that captured all the amazing moments shared.

5. Keep Your Guests Entertained

This time of year we have so much to be thankful for, it's always a nice gesture to give back to those in need. The giving tree was a great reminder of this and allowed us all to share how we plan to give back during the holidays.

If you plan to have kids attend there's no better way to keep than busy than with a few classic board games from Hasbro that are sure to keep them engaged for hours.

6.Presenting Presents

I love practical gifts and it's a bonus if they are stylish! Igloo was on hand to show off their assortment of coolers, that are perfect for carrying lunches, wine and more!

What I love most about Mudpuppy is that their products encourage kids to be creative and to use their imaginations. There were also kits and magnetic sets that are essential to keep little ones busy during all of your holiday travel.

7. That's a Wrap Take a Nap

Planning and executing any size event can be draining and you will have earned yourself an afternoon nap the next day. Tired little ones will drift off while counting sheep in the gorgeous, luxury convertible cribs from evolur . You would never believe that being made from real wood and with such exquisite details they retailed for less than $1,000. With Bedgear Performance Bedding technology you'll have quality sleep because of their dry-wicking and water repellant materials after some of your busiest days.

Was their a product you spotted that would be a must have for your next party or make a fantastic gift?

Take a Peak at the Party & Thanks to MomTrends & the Sponsors for a wonderful evening. 

Yoga Expert Latham Thomas Helps Mamas Be Comfortable in the New Bravado Designs Yoga Nursing Bra #BeComfortable #BravadoYoga

My community of girlfriends, whether I've known them since our days swooning over boys on the football team in high school or if we've met over cocktails while checking out trendy new products at a blogger event here in NYC and instantly clicked --I'm so lucky to have a tribe of women I'm truly able to be comfortable in my skin with. One thing I know we all have in common is that as mothers, wives and business women we are multi-tasking nurturers who try to find the balance in the midst of juggling everything we have going on. It's surely no easy task but nonetheless those rare "me-time" moments are so very welcomed even if squeezed in between nursing or pumping to fill bottles, business meetings and school pick ups.

In mid-October in celebration of the launching of Bravado Designs New Body Silk Seamless yoga nursing bra and National Yoga Month,my dear friend Latham Thomas, {who I met at a launch party for celebrity stylist June Ambrose's eyewear line} who is a rockstar & expert in the realm of all things wellness, partnered with the brand to host a "Be Comfortable" yoga session at the newly opened Five Little Pillars yoga studio on Madison Avenue.

That morning I was beyond excited for the afternoon class, I hadn't been to a yoga class in nearly a year but always felt ah-mazing after leaving all my stress on the mat. I made sure to wear the new bra I received in charcoal heather (also comes in pink heather) that was so graciously sent to me prior to the class to try out. Ladies, I kid you not- even if you aren't in the nursing stage it's ok, you will absolutely love this bra anyway! There's nothing better than a bra that allows you to #becomfortable - I mean we live in them all day, they should feel great to wear, right?

According to a recent survey conducted during National Yoga Month, the vast majority of moms say that comfort is by far the most important factor when choosing a nursing bra for light activity – yet nearly half of all women say their current nursing bra used for light activity and/or yoga is just “so-so.” For those women surveyed who would rather go to the dentist (23 percent), do their taxes (16 percent), have a bikini wax (25 percent) or renew their license at the DMV (24 percent), rather than wear an uncomfortable nursing bra - nearly half said their current bra doesn’t fit well and a quarter of women also said they don’t like the way their current bra looks or it doesn’t mold to their body’s changing shape.  For the more than half of moms who practice yoga and/or do a light activity three to four times a week, a comfortable nursing bra is key.

With convertible criss-cross straps and four-way stretch fabric that molds to a woman’s changing shape, whether in the third trimester or throughout breastfeeding, the Body Silk Seamless Yoga nursing bra is luxuriously soft, seamless and wire-free for added comfort. It also features removable foam inserts for shape and discretion, as well as easy open and close clips and full drop-away bra cups for skin-to-skin contact. The bra also comes with a conversion kit for extended usage. Now moms can indulge in their favorite yoga practice or activity, in total comfort and style. The bra also features patented Silverbreeze technology which is an antimicrobial finish that is applied to the fabrics which prevents the growth of odor causing bacteria, mold and mildew that can cause unpleasant odors and premature decay of fabric and discoloration. This great feature means it'll stay fresh through your most rigorous Vinyasa class, Pilates routine and power walks.

“I’ve been teaching expectant and new moms yoga for years, and finding a comfortable nursing bra is a common concern I hear,” said Yoga expert, maternity lifestyle guru and Mama Glow co-founder, Latham Thomas. “I love that Bravado Designs has introduced a solution – a bra that feels comfortable and doesn’t restrict your movement.  It makes all the difference in the world, especially for an expectant or new mom whose body is constantly changing.”

              

Latham offers her top three favorite poses, that can easily be done at home, to help nursing moms feel their most comfortable.

·      Child’s Pose (Restore): This gentle stretch calms the brain, helping to relieve stress and fatigue, along with back and neck pain. It also helps stretch the hips, thighs and ankles. 

Instructional Tip: Kneel down to your mat and touch your big toes together. Then, press your hips back toward your heels, separate your knees to hips-width and lay your torso down onto the floor or a bolster. Simply breathe deeply and rest for 5-to-10 breaths to feel the benefits.

·      Leg Drain (Rejuvenate): Leg drain pose is an easy way to refresh and combat sleep deprivation by boosting circulation and helping to drain lymph and other fluids that have pooled in your legs, angles and feet.   

Instructional Tip: Find a wall and, lay on your back with your legs straight up against the wall. If you want, lay a folded blanket or towel under your lower back for extra comfort.  Now, rest in this posture for 20 minutes; it's equivalent to taking a two-hour nap!

·      Reclined Cobbler’s Pose (Restore): Reclined cobbler's pose is a restorative posture that supports the spine and opens the chest and heart area. This is especially comforting for nursing moms who often suffer mid back and shoulder pain from hunching forward and flexing shoulders with little or improper cushion support when breastfeeding. 

Instructional Tip:  Stack blocks on an angle and lay your bolster over the blocks so it is at a 45-degree angle. Bring your sacrum to the base of the bolster, press hands into the floor and feet into the floor as you gently lie back. Allow the spine to rest over the bolster, relax your neck and head and open your chest. Draw the soles of your feet together and let the knees splay out to the sides. Rest your arms to the sides, palms face up.

After penning love notes to ourselves,  to top the lovely afternoon guests were all treated to a personal portrait during a mini photo session with internationally recognized yoga photographer Robert Sturman, who shot us while showing of our favorite yoga poses. We all truly enjoyed this intimate yoga session and I need you guys to give this bra a try and tell me how much you love it. I promise you will want to wear it all the dang time and will even forget you have one on.

Thank you to Bravado Designs, Latham Thomas and Five Pillars Yoga for having me!

Bravado Designs Body Silk Seamless Yoga Nursing Bra is currently available in Charcoal Heather and Pink Heather for $55.00 in the US and Canada at www.BravadoDesigns.com and National and Specialty retailers including Diapers.com, Breakout Bras.com, Figure 8 Maternity.com, Bosom Buddies, The Pump Station, Yummy Mummy, and in Canada at West Coast Kids, Snuggle Bugz, andWell.ca.

Disclosure: I was invited to this event as media and received a gift bag for my attendance. Opinions expressed are 100% my own and no other compensation for this post was received.

InStyle Magazine & Single Edition's Summer Social Connecting Bloggers + Brands

Summer may officially be over but we can still revel in the fantastic gatherings that kept us busy during fun-filled events for trend watchers. InStyle Magazine and Single Edition's Summer Social was a glitzy and stylish affair where Bloggers and Digital influencers connected with brands up-close and personal. Guests from all over excitedly headed to 404 NYC to get a taste (sometimes literally) of what's hot.

It was one big party! During the cocktail reception there were passed hors d'ouevres by Gardein, flowing wine courtesy of the Brancott Estate, and hot beats by DJ Olivia Dope. In fact, as soon as you walked in, many were being pampered with a manicure by Essie! It was truly a fabulous night. 

Ode a la rose, a florist based largely in New York City provided beautiful rose bouquets on every floor -- the piece de resistance being a larger than life arrangement in front of their station. I still can’t figure out how many dozen roses there were, can you?

Thierry Mugler rocked our worlds with their heavenly Angel scent and their out of this world Alien fragrance. The first thing that I noticed about Angel was the hint of pine needle!  A fun fact about this brand is that once you’ve purchased a fragrance by them, you can refill the bottle the next time your buy for a fraction of the cost. How cool is that? Completely outside of the box scent and packaging wise, Thierry Mugler’s booth was a major highlight for me.

 And speaking of highlights, I couldn’t believe how much I loved Gardein’s vegan snacks! From their Crispy Chicken to their Crab Cakes – everything they served was not only gluten free, but it wasn’t even actual meat. I am a staunch meat eater and they had me fooled. My favorite was the Beef Tacos. Toward the end of the night, I was tip-toeing to their booth to see how many times I could “sample” their treats.

New to me was Dickinson's witch hazel. As an avid user of all things natural, it was refreshing to get to meet the brand and sample a few of their cleansing cloths. An added bonus is that their wipes are soap and fragrance free for those of us with sensitive skin! My skin has never been more #SelfieReady!

Other brands of note were Tide Pods, Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs, Zico, Neutrogena, and Sun Chips. Instyle Magazine and Single Edition were generous enough to send us home with some of these fantastic goodies too!

All in all, Instyle Magazine’s Summer Social was a fun and exciting event that has introduced me to brands I hadn’t tried before. Thanks for having me and for the fab bag of goodies we got to take home to try out.

                                                    Contributing writer

La Toya of La Toya Literally is a blogger and opera singer from Brooklyn. She is abnormally obsessed with all things Outer Space, loves to travel, and reads nearly 100 books a year. When she's not dining out or binge watching The Twilight Zone, you can catch her singing in various venues around NYC. Find her on Instagram  & Facebook

Delicious NEW Line of Healthy Starkist Tuna Flavors Launching Fall 2015

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post I was invited by StarKist to get a sneak peek of their new fall flavors. Opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Without hesitation my kids will readily admit that I am not the cook in our house. If I walk into the kitchen at any given moment my one dimpled - smirking 4 year old will turn to me and say "Mommy why are you in daddy's kitchen? You don't know how to cook, you only cook coffee!" 

He's exaggerating just a bit. In my head I'm a millennial aged Julia Child but in reality I'm only good at making meatloaf, homemade pizza and pasta dishes. When left to my own devices in the kitchen, I try to prepare meals that are light, filling and won't cause food poisoning.

As a kid I grew up eating tuna, especially in the spring and summertime because meat just seemed too heavy to digest. My mom knew how to make it just how I liked it, a little salt and pepper, diced onions and add a hard boiled egg.YUM!

Recently I attended a press preview for Starkist Tuna and I was in heaven.. three words "Sassy Deviled Eggs", wait I meant to say "Brand New Flavors". While mingling and taste testing we learned all about the new &affordable, easy to make product line.

All Products Are:

·         A natural source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

·         Already pre-seasoned and comes in the easy tear-open pouch design.

·         No mixing or draining required.

StarKist Hot Buffalo Creations:

·         Tuna to fulfill your spicy cravings with the new hot buffalo flavor.

o   70 calories

o   15g of protein

·         Looking at food trends, StarKist discovered that hot sauce is the fastest growing condiment in the U.S. , with an average annual revenue growth that surpasses BBQ, ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard combined.

StarKist Kid’s Creations:

·         A better-for-you meal that tastes great and kids will want to eat.

·         Available in two kid-friendly flavors – Bacon Ranch and Honey BBQ

o   100 calories or less

o   14g of protein to keep kids full

o   95-110mg of DHA Omgea-3 Fatty Acids to help with brain development

·         With child obesity still on the rise StarKist new moms were looking for healthier options for their kids, something that they could serve their kids at home and could be taken to school for lunch or snack time.

StarKist Salmon Creations:

·         Using premium skinless, boneless and 100 percent wild caught salmon.

·         Available in Lemon Dill and Mango Chipotle flavors.

o   90 calories or less

o   14g of protein or less

·         While tunas popularity continues to grow, salmon is growing even faster. Consumers were looking for an convenient to enjoy salmon that still has a fresh taste. StarKist Salmon Creations line provides a healthy and delicious meal option for salmon lovers with busy lifestyles 

We were presented really fun and out of the box creative dishes, with Starkist Tuna in sliders, on top of pretzels, in mini tacos and my favorite: a deviled egg! The unique new line was really tasty and flavorful but definitely not overbearing. 

Guests really enjoyed themselves with a pretty amazing digital caricature "Cartuna" station, DIY station and pictures with Charlie.

 

The Hungry Girl, Lisa Lillien who's a best selling author and Food Network star was on hand to give us a sneak peak of her new book The Hungry Girl Diet Cookbook: Healthy Recipes for Mix-n-Match Meals & Snacks.

As soon I got home I decided to add the Herb and Garlic Starkist Tuna Creations to a pasta salad I had already made to kick it up a notch. I don't have a recipe or anything for the dish above, because that just isn't my style but I swear to you if you can boil water then this can't get any easier. 

• Bring water to a boil, add salt, olive oil and pasta of choice, after it's cooked then drain.
• Cut up black olives, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella and mix with pasta
• Add Italian dressing and then salt and pepper to taste
•  Finally mix in your Tuna Creations flavor of choice.

How do you like your tuna?Bon Appetite & keep an eye out for the new line of flavors from Starkist!