DIET – Page 4

Mom’s New Best Friend

December 6, 2016 By Shannon Bird Leave a Comment

my red dress (shein) / leather jacket (andrew marc) / white sunglasses (banana republic) / black nikes (nordstrom) / black choker (forever 21) / avent bottle (phillips event ) / hollands sweater (crew cuts) / pink joggers (joyfolie) / britons burberry sweater (nordstrom) / khaki pants (peek) / blue sneakers (sperry)

18 months later and I am still not ready to say goodbye to breastfeeding. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy some freedom once in a while. Thanks to our new best friend, the bottle.

Lately we have started the weening process by incorporating bottles throughout the day. I’m trying to slowly reduce my milk supply to avoid mastitis. This being Briton’s first bottle experience I went with the bottles I used for Holland, when I pumped for her exclusively when I had bells palsy and she had a hard time latching onto me and gaining weight (we later found out she was both tongue and lip tied). I found most success with Avent Anti-colic bottles.

I also love how I can switch out the nipple to a sippy cup. We are using the nipple for now because it is so close to nursing. This is another reason I had Holland on the Avent anti-colic bottles, because she could simply latch with out the nipple collapsing on her. She didn’t get any unwanted air in her stomach and she never burped after feeding, so she went to bed without a fuss.

Below I have shared actress and new mom Sarah Chalke first child experience with colic and how she’s trusting Philips Avent to ensure the best feeding experience for her new daughter, Frankie.

Every baby is unique whether it be colic, lip tied, tongue tied, hard to ween, etc. We as moms can all agree we want our babies to feel comfort and have an enjoyable feeding experience, because when baby feeds well everyone sleeps well 🙂

To learn more about Avent bottles be sure to visit www.philips.com/Avent and follow both social accounts @Philips.Avent (Facebook) and @Avent_US (Twitter) #PhilipsAvent #AventMom #WhatsTheFuss

Compensation was provided by Philips Avent via Momtrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Philips Avent or Momtrends.

Zumba #treatyourself Challenge With Shannon

November 15, 2016 By Shannon Bird 4 Comments

*all clothes can be purchased at & were provided by zumba.com

The other day I wrote my current workout routine, (see post here) and how I no longer attend my gym classes since having kids, so I bought a couple of my favorite workout dvd’s, amongst them Zumba.

Zumba must have felt bad for me lol, but immediately after my post I got an email where Zumba challenged me to do something for myself.

I sit here almost laughing just thinking how yesterday when I went to get my brows done I had all three of my kids on the table sitting either to the side of me or on my stomach, and how one of them bumped the esthetician elbow as she was shaping my arch therefore causing a little more hair to get removed than planned.

Yeah, I think I am due for a little Shannon time.

I want to extend this #treatyourself challenge to all of you to do something nice for yourself.

I would love some ideas, so if you have any fun ways you are going to treat yourself please let me know 🙂 I am thinking along the lines of mani-pedi 🙂

Workout For The Soul

October 27, 2016 By Shannon Bird 3 Comments

Busting the old sneakers out and for good reason. Lately I have been in a funk, and have been feeling BLAH!

Is it the season change? I hate cold weather, (hopefully one day I’ll appreciate it, because it’s my husbands favorite), no it’s been a really sunny fall.

It all started when summer ended, Olivia left, and my life became more confined to my mini van running from activities, errands, drive throughs, preschool, ect. I literally could feel myself becoming a slug.

I needed to increase my activity levels along with my endorphins…so here I am, back at it.

Just because I am not technically trying to drop pounds, I am loving all the changes I have started to feel in just a short (very short) amount of time. I have been sleeping better, I go to bed way more tired and wake up energized. I love that I can feel my muscles again, I feel alive when I feel my muscles ache.

If you have started to feel at all in a funk or like a slug this fall I strongly recommend adding a little exercise routine into your life.

I am no pro, but I do one of two things: a fat burn cycle on the treadmill, or my personal preference workout dvd’s.

I rotate every night between

zumba (wear wrist weights that have finger holes preferably)

turbo jam (wear wrist weights)

Bob Harper (I do 20 mins beginner with 3 lb. weights, and I feel it every morning)

Tae Bo (wrist and ankle weights) *only wear ankle weights when doing stationary movements, never go running in them it will cause you shinsplints

Youtube (the 8 min abs, buns, arm, legs, and stretch, all while wearing wrist and ankle weights)

I am all about switching it up, working different muscles, and using light weights for sculpting. I do it after my kids fall asleep. I can no longer wake up before them and workout in the morning. I am personally more of a night owl so a night routine works best for me.

Another thing I have noticed is I have been eating a little less dinner and no desserts, knowing I am going to workout after helps me control myself a little more.

I also have been laying off my diet Dr. Pepper and chocolate covered cinnamon bear addiction, kinda. My cravings have simmered down a lot more since my routine.

This is what works for me and my lifestyle. One day I’d like to get back into a gym and take classes again. But my kids get sick in all gym daycares and I am not going to wait until they grow up until I workout again. So for now I workout with my tv, and it’s the 30 mins a day of solo time I look forward too most.

Have a great day everyone!

Happy National S’mores Day

August 10, 2016 By Shannon Bird Leave a Comment

s’more sleep sweatshirt / kangaroo shoes Payless / free people grey jeans, similar / glasses / choker

Happy National S’mores Day! A friendly reminder for all of you who didn’t know this was a holiday. And a little tutorial brought to you by a favorite scene of Hudson’s favorite movie for all of you who may not know what a s’more is or a refresher course for those who haven’t had one in a while. ENJOY!

This years National S’mores Day falls on the perfect day, a Wednesday. A holiday “smooshed” right in the middle of the week & right-smack-dab in the middle of summer. It always lands on August 10th, but not always on a Wednesday.

I hope everyone had a wonderful S’mores holiday!

Be The Best You With Benefiber®

August 9, 2016 By Shannon Bird 92 Comments

chambray vest (banana republic) / peach dress (banana republic) / 33 dose and 67 dose Benefiber® Healthy Shape Dietary Fiber Supplement

Today I am going to fill you in on a little secret on how I have been helping to maintain my weight this summer: every morning right when I wake up I stir 1 rounded tablespoon of Benefiber® Healthy Shape Dietary Fiber Supplement in my water bottle. Benefiber® Healthy Shape is a 100% natural, clear, taste-free and completely dissolvable (in most dietary beverages) daily supplement that helps you consume fewer calories and curb cravings*. Add it to drinks, bottled water and your favorite recipes. It is tasteless which is a huge plus. What I have noticed is I do not snack, hardly ever, because I feel fuller longer from my previous meals. I have been able to maintain my weight and have had a very pleasant experience. The fiber doesn’t upset my stomach, I feel like adding Benefiber Healthy Shape® to my daily routine has really benefited my day, and summer.

Currently my weight management goal is trying to maintain my current weight while toning. I always have such a hard time in the summer maintaining because I feel like there is always a party going on. I love how just adding Benefiber Healthy Shape® to my daily routine has helped me curb my appetite and has stopped me from excessive snacking and frivolous social eating.

Use As Directed

Other healthy tips I have to include more fiber into your diet are:

1. I never choose white bread, pasta, or rice. I use whole grain options instead

2. I eat fruit instead of juice drinks

3. I eat air popped popcorn instead of crackers or granola bars as a snack

These are just simple ideas; things that have helped me maintain healthy eating habits for my children and myself.

What are some of the things you do to make your eating choices more fiber-enriched?

Let me know in a comment below for your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

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Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right

August 3, 2016 By Shannon Bird 12 Comments

And I am back. I have been doing that thing you do when you have been away from your home for a really long time, trying to get it all back to square one. All day yesterday I kept crying as I was unpacking thinking of all the wonderful memories that we made on our trip. And how amazing it was to have the opportunity to go to such a fun place. I kept asking myself how did it get ruined? And how come I don’t want to think about where I was, heck I don’t even want to visit my blog, because it all seems like a scary place to me. For that reason I have decided to take the post down. My blog is a happy place for me, and sometimes it feels like its where I can be the most “me”.

Every time I would re-read the story I would feel dirty and want to take a shower to rinse it all away. I apologize for ALL of you who read this and felt the same. You don’t deserve that and didn’t ask for that. And for that I am sorry that I put it up here.

I want my blog to reflect light and happiness at this time, and at all times.

Another question I keep asking myself is how did I become the very thing that I was fighting against? Did I become a bully? A cyber bully? Did I use my power to do bad instead of good? It was never my intention. I wanted change and an apology, will I ever receive either? I don’t know. I am having a hard time wondering how I went from the victim to now the aggressor, or did I? Did my post cyber bully someone? I don’t want to bully, I wanted truth, I wanted change, and justice.

But sometimes justice isn’t the most important, and we can get too hung up on it. Yesterday I called my in-laws land line. I haven’t done this in years. No one picked up. Dallin’s mom answered on the message recording. Her voice seemed disappointed, maybe it was my own guilt, I don’t know. I haven’t heard her voice since Christmas and it was so good to hear. I immediately knew that I don’t care what happened, who was right who was wrong. That she was not happy with anyone, or me. That we were letting the wrong side win.

I have never been more sick to my stomach than the last couple of days. And I need to make it right. I should never of taken this fight public. In all honesty I didn’t know what to do, all I want are good feelings at this time and am focusing on our families future health.

These songs have awesome lyrics I am not suggesting anyone is a “Beast” or any “romantic” feelings. Again I hope to create nothing but the happiest of feelings, and Disney does this best! More new fun posts coming soon.

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