Hailey's Helpful Hints

  Hello again!!!! My apologizes for going MIA on y'all. I thought I would give myself some grace during the transition from two to four kids...overnight. We are nothing but overjoyed with the addition of our identical twin girls, Reese and Rio, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that it's friggin' HARD work!!! There is nothing like doing multiple babies at ONE time. On top of attending to two active boys, ages 5 and just turned 3. It is anything but quiet around my hood. Today however, I did have some time while my angels are napping and my boys are at school. I thought I'd log onto the blog and see what's shakin. Surprisingly, you're all still giving Hailey's Helpful Hints some love despite my absence. In fact - my one post "Tame the Tum - Spare Tire or Stress Bulge?" continues to get blown up on Pinterest! Who would have thought 4,946,000 people would be interested in such an article?? And no that's not a typo - 4 MILLION+ peeps. I t...

How genius and functional is this water bottle? It's almost as cool as my iPhone card carrying phone case with an added bonus of carrying a key. It's products like this that make me shake my head and wonder - why the heck didn't I think of this? I'm smarter than that. Perfect for the gym, long bike rides or to carry with you all day as you try to get in your 64 oz of water. Which I can't seem to master for the life of me. Tomorrow I keep saying. But for today, I sit surrounded by wine glasses and Diet Coke. Sigh. To purchase, click HERE .

I find Oct, Nov, and Dec some of the most discouraging months of the year. Sure they are packed with memorable, fun-filled holiday festivities but with those festivities come an excess of mindless eating and drinking. And a season of busy schedules and not enough hours in the day. Gym? What gym. For me it starts at Halloween. I have a sweet tooth so trying to keep my damn hand out of the candy bowl is near impossible. Insert: Gain 2 lbs. Then Thanksgiving. Dave's favorite holiday. Which translates to a menu that consisted of: mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, rolls, turkey, and cranberry. For two. Followed by round 2 at a friend's house. Insert: Too many pounds to willingly admit. Think heavy knee bends after shimmying into my jeans. And now the Christmas holiday is before my gut. I mean eyes. A few pounds heavier than my skin feels comfortable in and busier than ever. Did you know that new research shows that a 165-pound women has to pare o...

  Imagine biting into juicy strawberries or crisp green beans...in January. With the help of your freezer and tips from Teri Gault, CEO of the deal finding website thegrocerygame.com, you can savor the deliciousness of colorful fruits and veggies all year round. {FRUIT} Stock up on :: berries, tomatoes, and stone fruits like peaches, plums, and nectarines. To preserve :: Wash and pa dry with paper towels. Hull strawberries and cherries and quarter tomatoes. Peel, slice and toss stone fruits with lemon juice and simple syrup to prevent browning. Place fruit in a single layer on a baking sheet (to keep it from sticking together) and freeze; transfer to zip-top bags. Use within :: 3 to 6 months. Label the date of when you packaged with a Sharpie. Toss if you notice crystallization. {VEGGIES} Stock up on :: zucchini, green beans, peas, and spinach. Avoid produce with a high water content such as cucumbers. To preserve :: Blanch first - drop vegetables in a pot of salted boiling water ...

If you're trying to "hide" good nutrients in your children's meals or aren't even what to think of this whole guinoa craze, this is a great place to start. While quinoa (pronounced 'KEEN-WAH) is usually considered to be a whole grain, it is actually a seed, but can be prepared like whole grains such as rice or barley. Many people prefer quinoa for these reasons; first, it takes less time to cook than other whole grains – just 10 to 15 minutes. Second, quinoa tastes great on its own , unlike other grains such as millet or teff. Add a bit of olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice and - yum! Finally, of all the whole grains, quinoa has the highest protein content, so it's perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Quinoa provides all 9 essential amino acids , making it a complete protein. Quinoa is a gluten-free and cholesterol-free whole grain and is almost always organic. Lots of 2012 buzz words packed into that paragraph eh? Gluten. Organic. Vegan. I can't kee...

With summer officially underway, there are many more opportunities - lounging poolside, backyard bbq's, beach vacays - that can sobotage your diet. If you've been reading this blog long enough, you should all know by now that I'm a huge advocate for not drinking your calories. But - and a heavy but - I am all about enjoying a few cocktails. While I'm not a big beer drinker as I don't like the stomach bloat that comes after and red wine on a hot day does not sound appealing, I stick to a "skinny" cocktail. Knowing that traditional umbrella drinks can contain 400-1,000 calories per drink, I've found other ready to pour, yummy, summery picks besides the boring 'ol vodka soda that will get your swigging alittle smarter on a hot day: Skinnygirl - Pina Colada ($15) Coconut cream usually takes this rum treat into waist-widening territory. But testers of this coconut and pineapple juice concotion didn't seem to miss it. So put on grass skirt and sha...

DON'T EAT THE UNEATEN FOOD OFF YOUR KID'S PLATE. Who eats the crust of the sandwiches, the left over mac n' cheese at the bottom of the bowl, a few pieces of diced chicken or cheese here and there? I do. And it's no wonder I can't lose those last 5-10 pounds. I think I eat good. But then I catch myself finishing off the last of Chase's quesadilla or remaining Wheat Thins on Lance's highchair tray. Essentially I'm consuming a 4th meal - a meal that is not meant to be had. Mindless munching where calories add up. Accounting for an entire extra meal in my day. I do. You do it. Hey it happens. And if you're not a stay at home mom that's finishing off the last of the PB&J, most likely you'll do it at work. The "I'll take just one more for later" cookie as your walking out of the meeting, a handful of jellybeans off a co-workers desk. You might not realize just how quickly calories can add up though. An extra tablespoon of salad...

Let me preface this post by saying: “I eat these foods.” Especially Diet Soda although it's significantly decreased from one a day a few years ago to about one per week, usually longer. And I give into the "healthy" food labels - fat free, sugar free. I'm a sucker for fat free salad dressing. Although I hate that it's loaded with sugar. If you take this list literally, it will just aggravate you, so take it with a grain of salt… or maybe a rain of whole wheat. There are many terms that are misleading in the food advertising industry today. Think of how many times you see healthy phrases plastered all over food containers. Some examples of “healthy food” words on product labels: Fat Free Reduced Fat Low Fat Sugar Free No Added Sugar Diet We are supposed to believe that each of these categories makes a food healthier. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Here is what those “healthy food” phrases actually translate to: Fat free, but full of sugar...

Forget the drive-thru and those full fat burgers. This hearty, meatless meal with a Tex-Mex twist is high in fiber, packed with protein and low in fat. Eat alone or place on top of a whole wheat bun and some avocado. Delish. And ready in less than 25 minutes. Yep, you better "Pin" this. Recipe calls for jalapenos but in fear of it being too spicy for the kids, I didn't add them. Surprisingly it still had tons of flavor. You can even swap out the corn meal with rolled oats. ~Black Bean Patties with Salsa~ Courtesy of Better Homes & Garden Yields: 8 patties Start to finish: 25 minutes Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups prepared salsa 1 jalapeno pepper (optional) 2 - 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 - 8 ounce corn muffin mix (or rolled oats) 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder 2 t ablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup low fat sour cream 1/2 teaspoon chili powder Directions: 1) In colander, drain 1/2 cup of the salsa. 2) Seed and finely chop half of the jalapeno; thinly slice remain...

SWAP YOUR STANDARD CUP OF COFFEE WITH A GLASS OF HOT LEMON WATER. It is recommended by nationally known nutritionist Ann Louise Gittleman, author of "Fat Flush for Life" and other books to start your day with a hot glass of water flavored with lemon. The combination can benefit your body in numerous ways, including helping you to lose weight and keep hydrated, improving your digestion and upping your vitamin C intake. You can even spice up this morning drink to boost its benefits. Types: Gittleman recommends combining the juice of half a lemon with 1 cup hot water. If you don't want to squeeze your own lemons, you can substitute 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Make sure to use 100-percent organic lemon juice. You can spice up this drink and further rev your metabolism by adding a pinch of ground cinnamon and a pinch of ground ginger, Gittleman says. Lemons will keep for up to 10 days at room temperature, so you can shop for them weekly. You also can store fresh lemo...

For many women, getting bikini ready means tackling one dreaded area in particular — our tummies. Most of us still think the best way to achieve a washboard stomach is by doing hundreds of sit-ups. Not so, says A-list trainer and body guru James Duigan. James, who sculpts supermodels Elle Macpherson and Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley among others, insists there is no ‘one size fits all’ method for getting a flat belly. Instead, he’s identified five key ‘tummy types,’ all of which require a different approach to achieve successful toning. Once you figure out your tummy type (mine is the STRESS BELLY) thanks to the UK Daily Mail , you'll be on your way to getting the perfect midriff... THE SPARE TIRE TUMMY The spare tire: This is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate because it's caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough. HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE These people are likely to lead sedentary lives, perhaps with jobs that k...

I can't even begin to explain how flippin' excited I am about this post. My intention of Hailey's Helpful Hints is to bring you daily tips, tricks and product picks that are useful (and helpful) in your everyday. This post is the epitome of that. Hands down, one of the best products I've come across in a long time. A very long time. Why? Because EVERYONE wants to look their best! If you want to tighten up your mid-section (or anything from your chin down)...You're tired of looking at that post-baby bulge, beer gut or last year's Christmas dinner...You want to get your sexy back - not that you lost it, just sayin...You want to get healthy, naturally ...keep reading. If you personally know me or have been following my blog for some time you know I am a health & fitness guru. I've been an athlete my entire life. I'm all about calories in - calories out. That you need to get your butt to the gym. Or outside. Just get moving. I was adamant that there was ...

Almost everyone loves ice cream. Recent reports show that the average American eats almost five gallons a year! The biggest problem with ice cream, however, is that it is loaded with fat and sugar. Yonanas is offering a unique alternative that means a healthier alternative for you and your family. If you want a healthy alternative to ice cream, you've got to buy the Yonanas Mixer. Dr. Oz loves it and it gets 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon reviews . Forget running to the store for a $6.00 tub of full fat ice cream. For only $50 , you can have a refreshing, healthy snack at your finger tips anytime. What is Yonanas? Yonanas instantly churns frozen fruit and other flavorings into a delicious and healthy soft-serve treat. Simply peel and freeze any fruit that you want made into the end product of deliciousness. Place frozen fruits into the yonanas maker (works similar to a juicer), and fruit will magically transform into a ice cream like consistency. The combinations of flavors you can m...

In a perfect world, we'd all be able to spend each morning browsing the farmers' market for the ideal seasonal produce, then spend the afternoon making a nutritious meal that would bring a tear to Martha Stewart's eye with its flawless presentation. But in reality, sometimes you don't even have time to make do with what's in the fridge. You might even have to resort to what's hanging on your doorknob or stuck in your windshield wiper, the scourge of diets everywhere: the delivery menu. Ah, the delivery menu. A full meal (or more) brought to your door in 30 minutes or less. No cooking. No cleaning. It's like going to a fine restaurant—in your pajamas. A dream come true. But it can be a nightmare for your figure if you succumb to some of the common pitfalls of deliverable cuisine. Here are some things to keep in mind so you can order your dinner in without having to let your pants out. What to watch out for: Good things come in small packages. Unfortunately, ...

GET WALKING. With your dog. Around a track. Through your neighborhood. While you travel. If dieting, or better yet eating "right," isn't your thing, it is believed - based on a study conducted by Cris Slentz, Ph.D of the Duke University research team involving sedentary overweight men and women (aged 40-65 years) - that the minimum daily requirement of exercise to prevent weight gain is 30 minutes a day of walking, 3 times per week. A control group of non-exercisers all gained weight and fat during their 8-month study. Given the increase in obesity in the U.S., it would seem likely that many in our society may have fallen below this minimal level of physical activity required to maintain body weight. This is sad. You must take time for yourself and walking is one of the lowest impact, aerobic activities you can do that has fabulous health benefits. Wondering what are the top 10 reasons to walk? 1. Walking prevents type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program showed th...