We have been taught that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So why are millions and millions of people buying and then consuming sugary cereal for ourselves and feeding it to our kids?

Do We REALLY Believe Marketing Campaigns?

We have been told by the big cereal companies such as Kellog’s, Post, and General Mills that their cold cereals are “part of a complete breakfast” and a great way to start the day. But are they really healthy for us? Just in case you weren’t sure, let me help you with the answer to that question. No, these sugary cereals are not healthy for you! I am starting to get these cereal’s nutrition labels confused with a box of candy! So why are these cereals advertised as a healthy breakfast choice?

You might not like what I have to say, but I am telling you the truth. The truth hurts sometimes, but knowing the truth can lead to a much healthier you. That is, if you don’t ignore the facts!

As I have said before, marketers will tell you what you want to hear. You want to hear that buying this cheap cereal that takes five seconds to make for your family is guiltless because it has nutrients in it. The cold cereals do have some nutrients, but more sugar that vitamins and minerals. Most of the cold cereals out there today like “Fruity Pebbles” and “Lucky Charms” are just fortified with vitamins and minerals. Do these added vitamins and minerals make it OK to eat? No. Unfortunately, millions of people are either too ignorant to realize that these sugary cold cereals are unhealthy for them and will believe everything the marketing campaigns tell them, or they are just ignoring what they don’t want to hear, or what I call “selective hearing”.

Sugary Cereal is OK – According to Some Nutritionists

According to the nutritionists from an article posted on the abc NEWS website, sugary cereal is OK since you are consuming milk with it. Really? Apparently, the big cereal companies aren’t the only ones to blame. These nutritionists and “health experts” are trying to please too many people by telling them what they want to hear – or perhaps work for the cereal companies – if they are seriously going to justify eating sugary cereal every day for breakfast and call it good. Are these cereals OK every once in awhile. Maybe. I’ll let you be the judge of that (and let you define what “every once in a while means” to you!). Just don’t start considering the sugary cereals as healthy all of a sudden.

Concerned Parent Fighting Back

In the same article from abc NEWS that I mentioned earlier, a parent by the name of Ron English- who so happens to be a very talented artist – has decided to fight back in his own way.

Check out some of his art work below:

Ron, like many other parents, is fed up with the heavy ad campaigns from the top cereal companies that are geared towards young kids. The loveable frog character from Smacks (used to be called “Sugar Smacks” back in the day) doesn’t look so cute and friendly in the artist’s unwelcoming picture. Let’s face it, the reality of eating an unhealthy breakfast full of sugar isn’t that appealing in real life either.

What can you do?

Did you know that every day you vote. You don’t vote by filling out a ballot, you vote with your dollar. Every time you go to the grocery store you are putting money in someone’s wallet. Who are you giving your money to? If you buy those sugary cereals I have been mentioning in this article, those big cereal companies are using your money to market unhealthy foods to you and your kids. Is that what you want? Of course not. Make sure your vote counts, again and again. Let the big cereal companies know that you aren’t OK with their advertising campaigns that push sugary foods towards the young and innocent (or ignorant!).

What are you voting for at the grocery stores?

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Image Credit: Popaganda.com 

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I made these pancakes recently, and thought I would share this easy recipe with all of you.

Ingredients:

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour or Gluten-Free Flour Blend

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 cup Raw Milk or Rice Milk

1 large Egg

2 tbsp melted Coconut Oil

2 ripe Bananas, mashed

Instructions:

Step 1) Mix the milk, egg, melted oil, and bananas and beat well.

Step 2) Mix in the flour, salt, and baking powder. Batter will be slightly lumpy because of the bananas.

Step 3) Heat skillet to a medium-low heat. Put coconut oil on the pan to prevent the pancakes from sticking to the pan. Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter onto the warmed skillet. Cook both sides until lightly browned.

Notes:

Make sure that you slowly cook the pancakes to ensure that they fully cook in the middle.

I suggest that you top these pancakes with pure Organic Maple Syrup. I just warm up the maple syrup first and pour a small amount on top of the pancakes.

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

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Breakfast

Why not create a fun Christmas breakfast by enjoying some Christmas Tree pancakes or star shaped waffles?

I found some Christmas molds at my local grocery store, so I decided to make blueberry muffins and put my molds to good use! I just added some Organic raspberry jam to make a face and details.

Lunch

Whether it’s PB & J or your favorite Deli Sandwich, create a sandwich and choose which Christmas shape you want to use and go for it!

Tip: Don’t have too big of a sandwich! You will want a relatively thin sandwich to be able to make the shapes.

Dinner

Whether you choose a ham or turkey, why not have some fun with your choice of Christmas dinner meat ? After you have sliced your meat, take out the cookie cutters and have fun with creating different shapes!

I made a turkey for my Christmas dinner, and sliced the meat about 1/4 inch thick. I placed the meat on a plate and used a Bell, Snowman, and Holly Leaf Cookie Cutter and made shapes out of my Christmas Turkey. It was a pretty fun way to enjoy my Dinner.

Christmas Molds and Cookie Cutters are a simple trick to add some Holiday cheer to your meals – have fun!

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

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Marketing campaigns know that we are all trying to be healthier, and they are doing everything they can to sell you their product in an angle that makes you think their product makes the cut. They aren’t trying to make their products healthier. What does this all boil down to? The companies just want to make money, and the only way to make money is if you buy their product –whether it’s good for you or not.

Read the labels and ingredients and start learning how to understand what they really mean. It’s almost guaranteed that if something it marketed as “Fat Free” or “Sugar Free”, they are using dangerous replacements which usually end up being worse for you than the actual fat or sugar.

Most people still buy into this marketing scam – don’t let it be you.

2) You don’t get enough sleep

Sleep is underrated – by far. You should get the recommended 8 hours each night, and you will notice some very positive effects from this. Your body will feel rested and better through out the day. You will be more likely to exercise (you have the energy to make it happen), and you have a better chance of overcoming any junk food cravings you may have during the day. When you are more tired, you are more likely to “give in” to temptations. A lack of sleep negatively effects your immune system, which can make you sick. When you are sick, the chances of you keeping up (or wanting to) your work out routine is unlikely. You should consider sleep as being mandatory.

3) You like to try new “Diets”

I have already said in previous posts why I don’t like to “Diet”, but I will briefly say it again here. “Diets” tend to be short term! Make your healthy eating habits a Life style change, and you will see lasting results, which is what you want anyways? No one wants to just gain it all back again and again…so don’t! Lose it and keep it off for good.

4) You think having the occasional treat doesn’t really add up

This one almost makes me laugh, but it’s a reality check for most of us. Just one Oreo cookie is about 60 calories.

And let’s be honest…who only has one Oreo cookie? In my not-so-healthy days, I remember easily eating 10 Oreo cookies (or more), which is half of my daily calorie count. What’s worst is that I find myself still craving more cookies, and I am still hungry!

Check the calories. If your little treat is high in calories and you won’t be able to stop at just one, move on. Find something that will satisfy your hunger. A great alternative is finding a Fruit or veggie that you love and won’t resent when it becomes snack time.

5) You think you are “Naturally this Big” or “Big Boned”

That’s what happened to me too. I thought I was naturally a size 10 or 12. According to all the “medical” and “scientific” charts out there that tell you what your healthy weight range is for your age and height, I was supposed to be around 170 pounds. I don’t know who made up that bull, but if I were 170 pounds, I would not be close to healthy unless I was some body builder. As we all know, most of us aren’t body builders, so I consider those little “healthy weight charts” a piece of trash.

Once I started to get my act together and start taking my health more seriously, and listening to my body’s needs, I got down to 130 pounds and fit nicely into my size 2 jeans. Find your true healthy weight.

6) You think Skinny people don’t need to exercise

This one gets me every time. I hate how I will mention that I went to the gym and someone has to make the statement “You’re skinny, you don’t need to go to the gym”. Yes, someone really did say that to me, and No, I did not listen to them!

Just because you are Skinny, doesn’t mean you are privileged and somehow don’t need to exercise. I don’t care what size you are – Skinny or Overweight, you can benefit from exercising on a regular basis, and quite frankly, your body needs it.

For those who think Skinny people don’t need to exercise: How do you think thin people got to be thin in the first place? The answer is that the thin people exercise and eat healthy regularly. I didn’t become a size 2 by accident and neither did they.

7) You are (still!) skipping Breakfast

Ok, so this one I still don’t get. We have all been told how Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, and people are still skipping it! It may be for many reasons. You are “too busy”. Not a good enough excuse people! I wake up at 4:00 AM to go work out, make a healthy breakfast and lunch, work for 8 hours or more, make dinner, clean up, work some more, etc.

We all live a crazy and busy schedule. That’s life, and I get that. But there just isn’t an excuse anymore for skipping breakfast.

Be sure to eat something healthy – anything with processed sugar should be completely avoided.

8) You think you will reach your Goal Weight in 30 days or less

Guess what? You didn’t gain your weight overnight, and you won’t lose it all overnight either! Just because you aren’t seeing huge results your first month, doesn’t mean you should give up and say exercising and eating healthy doesn’t work. Just like you were consistently unhealthy and gained weight, you now need to work on consistently being healthy and exercising.

You will eventually lose the weight, and before you know it, you will be able to fit back into those skinny jeans!

9) You drink Energy Drinks and Sodas that are “0 Calorie” and think it’s a Healthy choice

Zero calories do not mean that the drink is Healthy. Energy Drinks and Sodas with Zero calories are another marketing tool to make these drinks seem “healthier” or “not as bad” for you. Reality is this: Energy Drinks and Sodas have zero nutrition, and there is absolutely nothing good in there for you. Nothing! Doesn’t matter if it has 300 or no calories, it’s just not good for you, regardless of the number of calories it says on the back. Your best bet is to just drink water.

10) You keep saying you are “Fat”

The way you feel about yourself plays a huge role in whether or not you will succeed with your weight loss and overall health goals. Ever heard of the popular Movie “The Secret”? Well, the Law of Attraction is real. Your mind is very advanced and sophisticated, and if you keep telling yourself that you are “fat” and “overweight”, then your brain keeps telling you to do things that will keep you in that state of being.

Start thinking “healthy” and “thin”, and your brain will start programming your thoughts and actions to lead you to a lifestyle that will help you become healthier.

It’s not all about wishful thinking, because action is involved. You need to do your part. Bottom line: Believe you will succeed and continue to exercise and eat healthy. Know that you will get there!

Good luck with your Health goals!

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

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I wasn’t the biggest fan of pre-made waffles, until I came across Nature Path’s Organic Buckwheat Waffles! With other waffles,  they are cheap tasting (bland) and unhealthy. Mainly it is the unhealthy part that concerns me.

I first got the Buckwheat Wildberry Waffles by Nature’s Path for my husband, who prefers gluten-free products. I decided I would try it one morning, and it wasn’t so bad. It was actually pretty good- Good enough you can eat it plain, which is the true test if it tastes good!

What’s great about these waffles is that they not only taste good plain, but they are Gluten-Free, Wheat Free, Vegetarian, and has No Trans Fat. For those of you who understand and know the value of Organic, this is also a USDA Organic product.

As far as preparation goes, you can add some butter or jam to it. If you usually like to put syrup on your waffles, you might want to try this with some warmed up honey for added flavor. It tastes great, sweet,  and it is a lot healthier for you than regular syrup.

Why not give these waffles a try!?

Serving: 2 Waffles

Calories: 180

Where to Buy: Health Food Stores, Grocery Stores, or visit naturespath.com

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

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Taste Test

These are comparable to the good ‘ol fashioned home-made version you might have been lucky enough to grow up with.

Guilt Free

Not only is this the best frozen hashed browns I have ever had, and lucky for you and me, it is USDA Organic, fat free, gluten free, and fairly low in calories. Let’s just say, you don’t need to hesitate about buying these when looking for convenience and taste, and this is something that will go great with your chicken and apple sausages, eggs, and home made orange juice. Hey, I believe there is a way to not only eat healthy (or at least healthier than the average Joe), but also enjoy some great taste all at the same time.

Preparation

This is pretty quick to make, just brown it on a frying pan or skillet. If you cook this with butter on the pan, just know you will be adding calories to this dish, so be careful with how much you add. A Great alternative to butter, is to use coconut oil, which is a safe oil when heated and cooking your foods.

Serving: 3 oz (about a 1/2 cup)
Calories: 80

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

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Ingredients:

2 cups Water

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Farina

2 tablespoons Creamed Honey

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

Instructions:

1) Boil the water in a saucepan.

2)Slowly add the wheat farina while stirring the water. Once all of the wheat farina has been added to the pan, remove from heat and continue stirring.

3) Add creamed honey and cinnamon.

4) Divide the hot cereal between two bowls and serve.

Notes:

Cereal will be hot, so let stand for a little bit to cool down so it won’t be so hot. The amount of creamed honey and cinnamon are really “to taste”, so the measurements provided are more of a guide of how much you may want to add.

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

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Taste

I actually like this high fiber cereal-every once in a while, It’s not so bad! If you are bored with the high carb/fiber taste, you might want to mix in some fruit, dried fruit, or maybe even some honey to add a little flavor to it. Grape-nuts is great since you don’t need to eat a lot of it, and you still end up getting full. You might want to try eating this slowly, since this does seem to expand in your stomach.

Health and Nutrition

The reason I like this cereal is mainly how impressive it’s Iron content is. For just one serving, you get 90% of your daily value of iron (based on a 2,000 calorie diet). Iron is something a lot of women are low on, and this is a great cereal to add some Iron to your diet. I was low on iron, and I couldn’t handle anymore Sugar Snap peas or Pumpkin Seeds, so I tried Grape-nuts! Of course, you don’t want too little or too much Iron, so please keep that in mind as well. It is all about balance.

Serving: 1/2 cup

Calories: 208

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

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