TOS Review: WAY Comes Home Kit from HomeSchool Scholastics

HomeSchool Scholastics, an i4 Learning Company, graciously sent us their WAY Comes Home Kit to review. I haven't ever utilized a health and wellness curriculum, but the topics became increasingly more important for us. We both want to live a healthy lifestyle which includes eating nutritionally and exercising daily. I also wanted my daughter to learn healthy habits that she can use anywhere.

Product Description
The FIVE themed modules addressed are 1.) Getting Started 2.) Where Do You Begin? 3.) Let's Get Active 4.) The Nutrition WAY and 5.) Health - It's Personal. One lesson module is offered for each of the three academic levels. Lessons have been field-tested by homeschooling families for homeschool families around the United States and Canada. You decide on which lessons to complete, how it will be done, what you will add to it, and how long you will spend studying each topic.

Each structured lesson contains the same components in the lesson layout.

• Parent Prep includes extensive background information you'll need to teach the lesson. It's basically the core of the lesson and preps YOU to teach children relevant content. I HIGHLY recommend that you read this information each week prior to teaching. 
• Lesson at a Glance summarizes the lesson in simplistic terms. 
• Get Things Ready offers you a numbered "prep ahead" list of supplies, tools, journal pages, and optional books necessary for each lesson.
• WAY Vocab Words lists reinforcing word-wall vocabulary relevant to the content to be displayed in your home. 
• What To Do are numbered step-by-step lesson directions or guidelines for you top follow. I believe this is the core of the curriculum when used with the correlating Parent Prep information and introductory Module information.
• Art Attack are opportunities for children to illustrate or create art that incorporates learning concepts.
• Weekends with WAY (Wellness, Academics & You) are extension activities that can be completed after school or over the weekend with the hope of involving other family members. This section includes the Share It, Walk and Talk, and WAY to Play activities. You can do these activities any time.  
• Pray and Reflect are Biblical verses and motivational quotations that add meaning to your health and wellness lesson.
• WAY More Resources offers websites and additional subject-related ideas to further your study. Some of the websites are meant for adults to explore. My daughter liked the Pick Chow website as seen below. 
• Way More Fun are miscellaneous fun activities or interesting factoids that aim to engage the learner. 

All of these components are addressed in all 3 academic levels: Health Safari, Me Mysteries, and Innerspace Adventure. Individuals who purchase the curriculum will also receive access to recently released online lessons which are posted quarterly. Three new lessons are offered each quarter. We did NOT receive access to that content so I can't review that information. The website is frequently mentioned in the parent guide.  

What's Included Description
Parent Guide
The 144-page Parent Guide contains all the information you need to teach K-5th grade children. The guide begins with an Introduction chocked full of useful information about how to use the curriculum. The Table of Contents shows all the modules and lists the three activities for each of the three levels. For example, Module 1 Activity 1.2 represents the "Look at Me" activity for the Me Mysteries level. The "2" represents the second level.

The Me Mysteries level has a detective theme and is suitable for 2nd-3rd graders. The Me Mysteries level addresses Science, Math, and Language Arts criteria. The Health Safari level has a jungle theme and is meant for K-1st graders. The Innerspace Adventure level has a space theme and was designed for 4th-5th grade students.

There is a list of optional library books divided by modules and further broken down into leveled activities. The booklist is followed by an assortment of vocabulary games and activities. Each academic level is given a 1-2 page spread with explanations for vocabulary activities. The games are organized by the three curricula levels: Health Safari, Me Mysteries, and Innerspace Adventure. However, you can pick and choose any game to play with your vocabulary regardless of the curricula level so be sure to check them all out. Each curricula level contains 2-4 games to play or activities to complete.

WAY Comes Home Video and Exercise DVD
The WAY Comes Home contains segmented short video clips lasting 2-10 minutes. These videos are utilized at the beginning of each lesson if indicated as an introduction to the concept, but not all lessons have a corresponding video. The DVD also provides energetic developmentally appropriate workouts for children. Alyssa and I did these exercises together in the kitchen. When you open the DVD you will see the three leveled curricula titles. We clicked on Me Mysteries. There was a list of workouts including a warm-up and cool down. I love that it teaches children that they should warm-up their muscles before working out and that you also have a cool down stretching period. The 4 workouts included in the Me Mysteries section are: Sports Moves, Free Style, Muscle Moves, and Exercise Fun. Background music is played and you can easily hear the speaker. Alyssa enjoyed the Sports Moves workout the most. She definitely enjoyed the Me Mysteries workout over the Healthy Safari or Innerspace Adventure exercises. 

Student Journals
Our package arrived with three consumable journals. Each journal should be used with a single child. There was one for each grade level curricula: K-1, 2-3, and 4-5. The white covers were blank but the inside pages were full of colorful illustrations and text. Activities included lined pages, blank drawing spaces, song lyrics, puppets, cryptograms, surveys, charts, diagrams, and more. The activities will VARY for each grade level. All three journals follow a similar format or layout with activities related to the content. Coloring pages were at the beginning of each module in the journals. You may not use all of the pages in the journal, but you always have plenty of room to extend learning opportunities if desired.

• The Health Safari Journal consisted of blank drawing pages, color-n-cut pages, and song lyrics. Very little writing was required making this a good fit for younger leaners. 
• The Innerspace Adventure Journal for older children provided the user with lined pages. The directions were more detailed and the activities were writing intensive. This level encourages independent learning. Fewer coloring pages were included in this journal.
• The Me Mysteries Journal is the perfect combination of BOTH blank and lined paper with a decent amount of writing for this grade level. This level worked best for my learner this year. The journal consisted of wellness surveys, conversion and heart rate charts, draw and write pages, reflection pages, lined pages, etc. See the examples below.  

WAY Vocab Cards and Illustrations
We received a packet of consumable WAY Vocab Cards and Illustrations for ALL academic levels. The level was indicated in the top left corner. The cardstock printables were packaged and shrink-wrapped together. All the cards were printed on thick cardstock paper. Depending on the level chosen, 4-6 new vocabulary words were taught during each module. The cards can be cut out or displayed. The packet also included puppet templates, a set of good and poor choice flashcards, and sorting cards as seen below.

Extra Tools in the Box
The company provides you with an assortment of hands-on items that may not be found in your home. We received a Fulcrum Balance Scale, Foam Balls, My Pyramid Poster, Stethoscope, WAY Comes Home to MyPlate Nutritional Booklet, Scale Assembly Directions, Glitter Glue, Measuring Tape, 3 Sorting Baskets, Black Ink Pad, Bingo Chips or Counters, Yellow Plastic Eggs, and Teacher Instructions. I was thankful all these items were provided, because it saved me time searching for them. The MyPlate booklet is chocked full of nutritional information relevant to the study. My daughter dug into the box upon its arrival. Her excitement and curiosity grew once she saw everything we would be using during lessons.

Other Useful Items Needed

1. Writing and Colored Utensils
2. Scissors
3. Health and Nutrition Books
4. Eye Chart
5. Stopwatch or Timer
6. Paper Plates
7. Plastic Gloves
8. Clothes Pins
9. Ziplock Bags
10. Marbles or Coins
11. Tissue
12. Paint
13. Clay (Optional)
14. Microscope (Optional)

How We Used HomeSchool Scholastics
I used HomeSchool Scholastics with Alyssa who is 8-years-old working at a 3rd-5th grade level. It was used as our core health and nutrition curriculum over the summer. We aimed to complete 1 lesson per week, but we added in many extensions. By doing this, we stretched out the content over a longer period of time. I decided that I didn't want to rush through the lessons. I wanted Alyssa to absorb and apply the information to her life.

The 2nd-3rd grade Me Mysteries academic level was chosen as the starting point for us. We worked on the lessons together for approximately 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours a day depending on the number of activities we completed and the time spent on crafts. You can spend more or less time on the personally selected activities. We usually worked on activities 3-5 times per week. The sections were divided throughout the week. Literature or additional activities were added in when possible.

First, I read over the parent "Read Me First, Please!" instruction sheet. I also read the Introduction which discusses the three academic levels, themes, lessons, lesson layout, curriculum items, additional supplies, and more. I glanced at the Optional Library Book List for each module and activity noting which books I owned and which ones I needed to borrow from the library. A checkmark meant I owned the book and a "L" meant we needed a library book.

I thoroughly pre-read all five of the Me Mysteries lessons from the parent guide to become familiar with the program and prepare myself for the lessons. I decided to use post-it tabs to mark areas in the parent manual that I wanted to access quickly. I tabbed the following sections with sticky post-its: Vocabulary, Books, and Me Mysteries Activity. The Me Mysteries activity post-it moved only after a lesson was completed. I did this to easily track which lesson we were working on.

I gathered any additional items needed before beginning the first lesson. I also prepared materials while my daughter was at her father's house. I filled the plastic eggs with virtues or traits, made copies of the vocabulary words for games on colored card stock (with permission), cut out the cards, and displayed the Word Wall list. One vocabulary list was displayed each week.

The first lesson activity encouraged Alyssa to decorate her personal journal. After unpacking all the boxed items, she thought it was odd that there wasn't a cover illustration on the journals until I asked her to personalize it later. She willingly completed the task.

A short video segment was watched next if applicable to the lesson. I paraphrased the background information about the upcoming topic. I did NOT watch the video lessons ahead of time to check for appropriate content. This curriculum was tested by and for homeschoolers so I figured it would be appropriate. I was in the same room when my daughter watched the short videos. No controversial or inappropriate content was presented.

Attempted Schedule: 
Daily (if possible) - Vocabulary
Monday - Core Lesson, Video, and Journaling
Tuesday - Optional Books Read and Art Attack Activity
Wednesday - Include Me Too and Wednesday Walk-n-Talk
Thursday - WAY to Play, WAY More Resource Explorations, Extra Projects
Friday - Prayer and Quote Reflections, WAY More Fun, Extra Projects
Weekends - Walk and Talks

Catch the compliment, tic-tac-toe, and hangman were three WAY to play activities we enjoyed. She was respectful when giving her compliments and the smile on her face was unmistakable during our game of Catch the Compliment. The positive statements really cheered her up and boosted her self-esteem! The photo below shows Alyssa completing an All About Me college using drawings instead of magazine pictures. I found the letter A outline online. The collage was glued into her journal.

WAY To Play Activities 

The reinforcing WAY vocabulary activities were completed 2-5 times throughout the week. She used an online or print dictionary to define words. We chose activities from ALL three of the grade levels. I really appreciated having access to all of the teaching ideas. This really helped vary the activities and prevent boredom from doing the same activity over and over again. Mystery Cheer gave her the chance to cheer vocabulary words using a template which is provided in the parent manual. We added in different intonations and actions. She also played matching games and an erasing exercise which helped her practice spelling skills. Words spelled correctly were erased from the whiteboard. Her favorite vocabulary activities were the Mystery Cheer and matching games. I wish the curriculum provided definitions matching each word.

Me Mysteries Vocabulary Activities

Health Safari and Innerspace Adventure
Vocabulary Activities

One lesson my daughter thoroughly enjoyed was balancing energy in (food) to energy out (exercise) using a fulcrum balance scale, coins, and conversion charts. She created a daily meal plan. Then, she converted the calories  and physical activities into coins. She compared the food she planned to different amounts of exercise. This was one of her favorite activities. Although . . . I must say she never complained about anything during the review period.

We tried to fill extra time with books related to the topic. We read several books indicated on the Optional Reading Booklist provided in the parent guide. The books came from our personal book collection. Our local library was closed, because they were in the process of building a new one. If we didn't own a specific book, then I searched You Tube for read aloud books on the list. The book on the right side in the pic below is called "Eating the Alphabet." At the front of the parent manual is a complete list of books. A booklist was provided for each leveled activity under each module.

Art Attack
Her first Art Attack project was a drawing of me. The activity stated that she must choose someone to draw and describe. She labeled the picture with words and phrases that described me. Another project was a heart drawing. We needed to search for a detailed drawing online for her to copy. She really enjoyed all of the projects, but her favorite project was the drawing of me. She liked writing descriptive phrases about me and said she wanted to show me her love. Her second favorite activity was the Edible Fruit Art Craft. I photographed her art work for her journal. Eating her artwork as a snack or dessert was the best part! She also said, "I like playing with my food. This isn't usually allowed." The My Plate activity was changed. She ended up drawing and labeling food in each color-coded group. Her favorite activities were the Art Attack projects. These hands-on activities were her favorites, because it involved Art and was directly related to the content being studied. However, I do wish that there were detailed heart drawings available for her to copy or kid-friendly website links included to them rather than me having to spend time searching for them online. The My Plate drawing below combined parts from both the Include Me and Art Attack activities from several levels. I loved the Health Safari idea of finding a clear glass plate at a flea market and to attach color-coded food groups at the bottom. The blue green plate below is a hands-on way for Alyssa to track her Inner and Interpersonal activities throughout the day.

Include Me
I homeschool an only child which enabled me to add in several Include Me activities into the schedule to differentiate and extend learning. This section is also GREAT for larger families wanting to include all their children in a lesson. I loved the creativity emphasized in the "I am thumbody" activity. She drew herself at the beach, because she is a good swimmer and loves swimming. We played a fun game on the road called "I'm so hungry . . ." We took turns naming healthy foods we would eat for each letter in the alphabet. She even recorded food items in her journal using an A-Z list. Another game we played was Go or Slow. We also made changes to this game. I remember playing a similar game when I taught at a public school. I showed Alyssa a food item using the colorful online flashcards I found. She would indicate whether the food was healthy or not by jumping up high for nutritional items and doing a low squat for junk foods or less nutritious food items. The "It's What's Inside That Counts" activity was another favorite. I hid eggs with character trait qualities representing my daughter around the house for an egg hunt. This activity pulled at her heart strings. She decided to keep all the paper slips.

Weekly Walk and Talk
We took a weekend walk on the 2nd and 4th weekends or during weeknights. We chose this schedule, because every other weekend she is at her father's house. We enjoyed our nightly Wednesday walks. I initiated the topic as a reminder. We quickly discussed what she learned in her lessons using the memorized prompts from the manual. I was hoping it would spark an awesome conversation about health, but my daughter didn't want to dwell on the subject for too long. She just wanted to walk without having to do school (mother-daughter time). I encouraged her to walk and talk to her father about what she was learning.

What We Liked

• Multi-Disciplinary
• All Learning Styles Addressed
• Short Video Segments
• Adaptable and Flexible Lessons
• Promotes Active Movement
• Encourages Healthy Behaviors
• Includes Almost Everything
• Personalized Blank Journal Cover with Colorful Journal Pages
• Assortment of Hands-On Activity Choices
• Art Attack Activities 
• Differentiated (Leveled) Journals Using Include Me Activities

Possible Vendor Suggestions 

1. Vocabulary Card Definitions
2. Complete Supply Package Checklist 
3. Color-Coded Vocabulary Word Wall Card Systems
4. Flashcards for Go Slow Game
5. Add-In Detailed Heart Diagram
6. Extra Printables in Parent Manual

Overall Thoughts
HomeSchool Scholastics is an exceptionally well-written health and wellness curriculum for children in K-5th grade. The complete curriculum addresses several components: Physical, spiritual, emotional, and social wellbeing. The included Bible verses were a perfect touch. She learned about her self-concept, hygiene, nutrition, exercise, germs, diseases, and so much more. We are working through the last module, but plan on extending it further into next week. We will continue using this curriculum especially since my daughter asked if we could start the Health Safari level. She has learned a lot about herself and how her lifestyle choices both positive and negative have a huge impact on her health and nutrition.

Recommendations
I definitely HIGHLY recommend the WAY Comes Home Kit to ALL homeschool families wanting to instill healthy nutrition and wellness habits into their day. It can be used as a core curriculum, supplement, as part of an after-school program, Girl Scouts, YMCA, or by homeschool co-ops. The curriculum can be used in the classroom or a homeschool environment. Larger homeschool families will find this curriculum extremely useful and beneficial.

Price
I can't believe the company is currently selling the WAY Comes Home Kit for ONLY $29.95 (retail price WAS $49.95). They recently dropped the price after receiving feedback. To make the deal even sweeter . . .  they are now offering FREE shipping. This is an outstanding value for the complete kit and all print materials.

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Visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog for more reviews and to hear experiences about the WAY Comes Home Kit from HomeSchool Scholastics.

Blogging for Books Review: The 4 x 4 Diet by Erin Oprea

The most recent fitness and nutrition book that I reviewed was titled, The 4x4 Diet: 4 Key Foods 4-Minute Workouts 4 Weeks to the Body You Want written by personal trainer and former marine, Erin Oprea. 

My interest was sparked when I saw the book listed on Blogging For Books so I took the leap and requested it. I was thrilled when the package arrived. I am a single work-at-home homeschool mom and finding time to workout is a chore. It usually gets set aside due to exhaustion or lack of energy. I believe this book will guide me in the right direction towards a healthier lifestyle. I also know that it is time for me to take action. 

The 240-page hardcover book is a step-by-step program or guide offering suggestions and tips to help you lose weight, boost your energy level, and obtain a leaner physique. The author's motto is "Lean and Clean." In this recently released book, Erin inspires her readers to put everything they learn from the book into action. The 4-week program is thoroughly described at the beginning of the book. It is based around 4 simple yet effective principles, 4 key Tabata workouts, and 4 key foods to eliminate from your diet. 

The fantastic book is divided into four main sections. Notice all the 4's! 

What's Covered?

Part 1: The Clean and Lean Lifestyle (Chapters 1-3)

• Road to Living Clean and Lean
• What is Clean and Lean?
• Overcoming Excuses

Part 2: Eating Clean (Chapters 4-8)

• The 4 Clean Eating Habits 
• All-Star Ingredients and Kitchen Tools
• Prep Day
• Recipes for Every Meal
• Recipe Variations and Substitutions

Part 3: Getting Lean (Chapters 9-14)

• The 4-Minute Workout
• The Equipment You’ll Need
• Before and After Every Workout
• Mastering the Three Levels of Tabatas
• Tabata Variations and Modifications
• Exercises for Injuries and Ailments

Part 4: The 4x4 Diet (Chapter 15)

• Beginner Tabatas + Cutting Out Starches at Night
• Beginner/Intermediate Tabatas + Cutting Back on Sugar
• Intermediate Tabatas + Cutting Back on Sodium
• Intermediate/Advanced Tabatas + Cutting Back on Alcohol

The foreword was written by Carrie Underwood who was trained by Erin Oprea. The clean and lean lifestyle is based on the foundation that the more you move, the more you stay lean. The author believes that if you apply the four key habits to your life and utilize the four-minute workout called Tabata, then you can maintain a clean, lean lifestyle. She motivates you to stick with the program until the end for positive results to appear which include less bloating, less belly fat, improved cardio stamina and endurance, increased muscle definition, and the chance to break addictions. I skimmed the diet portion, because I was familiar with the nutritional content from previously read books. 

The author scattered tips and reminders throughout the book. For example, you should drink at least half your weight in water. She also addressed the common excuses people have for not eating right and excuses given for not working out. She encourages her readers to stay active and not play the blame game which ultimately keep you from meeting your goals. She also mentioned that it is okay to have a cheat day 1-2 times per week as long as you remember to moderate your eating habits. 

When discussing the four clean eating habits, Oprea stated which foods to avoid and when to avoid eating them. She listed the common foods or drinks high in starches, sugar, sodium, or alcohol. The author also offered healthier alternatives for daily meals to replace unhealthy choices. She explained the "why" behind not overindulging in these items and teaches others how to read labels properly.  

The author also included a short list of ten "All-Star Ingredients" and five of the author's "All Star Kitchen Tools" to have on hand. These lists are helpful to those wanting to get started quickly with the program. Each tool indicated the recipe from the book that requires the tool and other ways to utilize it. For example, the spiralizer is used when making Zucchini Noodles with Pesto and Tilapia. Other foods which use a spiralizer are cucumbers, carrots, squash, apples, and potatoes. This helps the reader better understand the usage of the tool so they don't feel like they have one use for it. The "All-Star Ingredients" section also consisted of bulleted recipes containing the ingredient and other ways to cook with that ingredient. I've had my eye on PB2 (a powered peanut butter substitute) for quite some time now for smoothies and yogurt parfaits. I recently purchased some in hopes to try a few of the book's recipes. The Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Brownies sound very appealing.   

Oprea’s book contains an assortment of delicious 4x4 recipes. My favorite recipe categories are the desserts, snacks, and breakfast selections. A few recipes included in the book that I can't wait to try are: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pecan Crunch, Stuffed Quinoa Peppers, Spicy Bahn Mi Wrap, Lemon Pancakes with Blueberry Compote, Rice Paper Wraps, Chicken Caprese, Lemon Pepper Cod, Oven-Roasted Spicy Almonds, and Cookie Dough Hummus. 

Familiar healthy grocery shopping tips are offered such as don't shop on an empty stomach and shop the perimeter of the store. These are two tips that I really need to start following soon. There were only a few ingredients that I don't purchase often such as kale, unsweetened almond milk, PB2, and Ezekiel bread. The book provides readers with ingredient variations and substitutes which makes it easier to try new recipes. For instance, a substitute for all-purpose flour is almond or coconut flour. Coconut or soy milk can replace unsweetened almond milk. Did you know that unsweetened applesauce is a substitute for butter? I will often substitute it for butter in my baked good recipes. Oprea reminds readers about this little factoid. You can try honey or stevia as a replacement and healthy alternative for sugar.

The recipes are arranged by meal categories. They include an ingredient list and basic instructions. Several cooking tips make the meal prep easy such as the use of shredded rotisserie chicken instead of having to grill boneless chicken breasts. 

Recipes Fall Under These Meal Categories

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
• Sides
• Snacks
• Desserts
• Smoothies

My favorite part of the book were the Tabata workout exercises. What is a Tabata exercise? I have to admit the first time I heard about this type of exercise was after reading an article about Carrie Underwood, my favorite country singer. She was a fan of these workouts and I've been wondering what she does to keep her body in shape and to have such great legs. The Tabata exercises reminded me of the HIT (High Intensity Training) exercises I did many years ago. 

Tabata exercises are short interval circuit training or workout sessions which utilize a variety of movements while weaving in short rests. The book provided three different levels of Tabata workouts: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Each level offers 10 different Tabata rounds. Each round is a different Tabata exercise. All Tabatas consist of 8 rounds. Your goal is to perform each of the rounds with 20 seconds of intense exercise alternated with a 10-second rest which is equivalent to a 4-minute workout. I love that she says, "You can do anything for twenty seconds." You have the option of changing the number of exercises completed during a workout session: You can do 1 exercise 8 times, 2 moves completed 4 times, or 4 exercises done twice. If you mix and match 4-6 of the 8-round Tabatas, then you'll have a complete daily workout lasting approximately 16-24 minutes. You choose whether you'll do those workouts in one sitting or spread out the 4-minute workouts throughout the day. Workout at least 3-4 times a week and you're on the road to success. It sounds a little confusing, but after reading the book it'll make sense. Her workouts are accompanied with step-by-step black and white photographs demonstrating each movement followed by thorough and detailed explanations. I do wish the pictures were larger and in full color, but that would make the cost of the book higher.

You'll want to choose exercises that workout different muscles each day. Oprea even included Cardio Tabatas in her book. Read the book for additional modifications. Mixing up a variety of exercises helps prevent boredom and keeps you interested in your workout. If I were to do the same workout every single day, then I would quickly become bored with it. This book eliminates that problem. Don't forget you should always stretch your muscles for 5-10 minutes before and after a workout. The author encourages you to also slowly add in 5,000-10,000 steps if not more as part of your daily cardio. All of this information is covered in this book. 

Gym Equipment Needed:

• Yoga Mat 
• Resistance Bands
• Jump Rope
• Dumbbell Weights
• Foam Stretching Roller
• Tabata Timer Phone or Device App (Optional)
• Pedometer (Optional)

The book gradually introduces more difficult Tabata workouts. It eases into the incorporation of four helpful clean eating diet habits: Cut out starches, reduce amount of sugar intake, cut back on sodium, and limit amount of alcohol.

The weekly meal plans offer a clean eating objective, a list of grocery shopping items to add to your cart for each meal, foods to remove from your diet, recipes to try, and a lean workout objective. References and an index can be found at the back of the book. 

Overall Thoughts and Results
The 4x4 Diet book is an easy-to-read book organized into bite-sized chapters. It is a very helpful and motivational tool. It is a short, quick read. The workout and meal plans appear to be manageable yet include a great deal of flexibility. The book teaches you how to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet and introduces you to healthier alternatives. It also includes a wide variety of ready-to-use tasty recipes.

I am already laying out my plans to implement the principles into my daily nutritional plans and routine. I would say that I am definitely a sugar addict and reducing the amount I eat will be the toughest obstacle for me. Too often I experience the awful side effects of an unhealthy diet and sugar over consumption including but not limited to sluggishness, moodiness, bloating, and highs and lows. Another obstacle for me will be not eating starches after 4pm. 

I will begin with the Beginner Tabata workouts #1 or with the Cardio Tabatas. I will aim for 3-4 workouts per week. I will gradually increase the number of Tabata workouts and the difficulty level each week using the suggestions provided. I hope that this book will be the answer to my prayers. I'll wait for my body to adjust to the new workout routine before challenging myself too much. I will, however, change the exercises daily to provide variety in my scheduled workout.

The book was informative, concise, and encouraging. The author's writing style seems down-to-earth and straightforward. I believe her workout and diet plan is simple and will be effective in yielding positive weight loss results. 

Price
The hardback book can be purchased at Amazon for $15.84 or at Barnes and Noble for $15.84. The retail price is $25.99. If you are interested in reading this book, then I would grab it while it's on sale.

Please Note: All prices are subject to change without notice.

Recommendations
Do you have a strong desire to change your lifestyle for the better? Are you wanting to understand how to eat clean and stay fit? Are you looking for a structured yet simple program that will give you the body YOU want in just 4 weeks? I believe this is a great book to jumpstart your nutrition and fitness program towards a healthier lifestyle. Erin’s passion, extensive knowledge about the topic, and her nutritional approach will encourage and inspire you. 

I recommend the 4x4 Diet book written by Erin Oprea to individuals wanting to improve their overall health and wellbeing. This is an excellent book for busy moms wanting a quick yet intense workout to help maintain a healthy weight or to get back in shape. Your eating habits may improve if you take the advice given to heart and are willing to try the workouts. I was impressed with the coverage in this book. If you are familiar with nutritional terminology but haven't heard of Tabata workouts, then you'll want to read this book. This book may be more suitable for beginners, individuals new to fitness arena, unless you are in need of a refreshing motivational perspective or a way to break a workout plateau.  

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Disclaimer

I received a complimentary, free copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest, unbiased review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  

Blogging for Books Review: Strong is the New Skinny by Jennifer Cohen and Stacey Colino

I recently received a book titled Strong is the New Skinny: How to Eat, Live, and Move to Maximize Your Power  written by Jennifer Cohen and Stacey Colino as part of the book review program developed by Blogging For Books. Are you looking for a fitness book that will get you on track for the new year? I'm embarrassed to say this . . . but I've been off track for several years now. The profound message in this book reminded me of the passion I once had for nutrition and fitness.

Author Biographies

Jennifer Cohen is a trainer, writer, studio owner, and successful health and fitness entrepreneur. You can read her weekly fitness blog posts written for Health.com. She has captured the attention of nearly 2 million of their followers. The columns she writes for Forbes are frequently read and noted as being in the top 10 list of posts read. She shares her knowledge and has contributed to Shape, Redbook, and Woman’s Day. Mrs. Cohen has appeared on numerous national media sites. She is also the Fitness Ambassador for Weight Watchers and has developed a series of bestselling DVD's with the company.

Stacey Colino is an award-winning writer who specializes in fitness, health, and the field of psychology. She is also a certified group exercise and Spinning instructor. Her articles can be found in a dozen national magazines, as well as numerous health and diet books, such as Disease-Proof: The Remarkable Truth About What Makes Us Well.

Book Description (According to Amazon)

LEANER, STRONGER, FITTER … FASTER
Sick and tired of hearing what’s wrong with you and your body? You’re not alone. It’s time for a new conversation—and a new plan for treating, feeding, and moving your body in ways that build on your strengths inside and out. Strong is sexy. Strong is powerful. Strong is achievable.  
With STRONG IS THE NEW SKINNY you can say goodbye to body-bashing and physical faultfinding, and instead learn to embrace, not just how it looks, but what your body can do—from pushups to pull ups and box jumps to rope climbs, nothing is out of your reach.

Topics Covered
Part 1: Inner Strength

• Maximizing Your Potential - in Mind, Body, and Spirit
• Your Lifestyle Checkup
• Developing Strength from the Inside Out
• The Strong is the New Skinny Diet Plan

Part 2: The Head-To-Toe Strengthening Plan

• Back-to Back Basic Strength
• Armed to Impress
• Cutting to the Core
• Getting a Leg Up on Strength 
• Assembling Strength
• Torching the Fat 

Price

You can purchase a paperback copy of this fitness and nutrition guide for $18.00 at Random House or at Amazon for $14.68.

Note: Prices are subject to change at any time.

Overall Review and Thoughts
This 239-page paperback fitness book begins with chapters that identify your inner strength and encourage you to maximize your potential. One suggestion mentioned was to create a brag box in order to record success reminders and mementos which will build up your confidence level. The program helps you develop STAR (Specific, Time-Based, Action-Oriented, and Realistic) goals and when combined with the psychological strategies for different situations enable you to stay focused. Each strategy is described and contains tips and tricks to handle the mental aspect of your situation and personal needs. As you read these chapters, you will "get yourself mentally prepared and ready" for the program. Do you know what holds you back from becoming the person you want to be? The authors can help you figure it out! 

The diet plan is solid, straightforward, sensible, and based on science research in the fitness and health fields. It's formulated around the acronym SINS (Strong is the New Skinny) and focuses on whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats. The sample menus are perfect for busy on-the-go people who desire simplicity when it comes to general meal preparation. They explain what you should eat, how much to eat, and when to eat. The authors use a formula based on height, weight, and physical activities to guide you into choosing the right diet plan for your specific needs. I do wish that there was a section in the book dedicated strictly to SINS recipes using the recommended ingredients.

The Strong Seven Plan includes a list of seven power foods that will jumpstart your goals in the first seven days. There's a list of paired foods to choose from such as kefir or greek yogurt, chia or hemp seeds, tart cherries, blackberries, or raspberries, apples or jicama, quinoa or amaranth, wild salmon or lake trout, and lentils or edamame. The benefits for each food pair are explained followed by daily meal examples for a weekly action plan which discusses how to incorporate these superfoods into your meals.

The exercises are demonstrated and explained thoroughly using detailed photo shots. The workout moves include back, arms, legs and core exercises. Furthermore, the workouts require a limited amount of equipment and can easily be done in the privacy of your own home which means the suggestions are more realistic than some suggestions I've read in other fitness books. It also won't take you hours to set-up and prep your routines. I was familiar with many of the strength-building exercises mentioned in this book, but they emphasized proper technique which is a great reminder to us all. Not to mention, many of the moves can be modified or adapted to meet your needs. The fat-burning exercises appealed to me the most. I absolutely LOVE the HIIT workouts which take less than 10 minutes to complete. I became a fan of HIIT workouts years ago. When I utilize this strategy to reach my fitness goals, I am usually more successful and see better results for my body type. The book also dives into the four essential principles for fitness training. The prominent attitude of "Go Hard . . . or Go Home" is one that drives to me to excel and empowers me to challenge myself on ALL levels. It also encourages me to not quit and to set higher expectations for myself.

I believe that the Lifestyle Assessment Test which considers both cardio and strength exercises will be useful when preparing yourself for the BIGGER life changes. It'll help you realize the strong impact power has on fitness -giving you a "can do" mentality.

The authors definitely give you the tools for success if you want to achieve it. This is not your average ordinary, boring fitness guide. It's a manual chocked full of resources that will guide you into becoming a better YOU. The knowledgeable authors have convinced me to focus on my fitness plan and workouts, eat better, and to start moving towards my personal fitness goals of becoming strong and fit in the new year. Who knows maybe they will inspire you to reach your goals?

Recommendations 

I recommend this informative and empowering book to individuals (particularly women) wanting to create a stronger, healthier, and fit body. This book will help you start the year off on a good note by encouraging you to create a healthier lifestyle. The authors want you to develop an inner and outer strength. You'll find yourself marking the pages of this book in some way or another for future and present use. This would be a wonderful self-help motivational book for fitness experts and trainers to recommend to their female clients. Visit the following link to read excerpts from the book.

Disclaimer

I received a complimentary, free copy of this book from from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest, unbiased review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  

Blogging for Books Review: I Quit Sugar: Your Complete 8-Week Detox Program and Cookbook

Blogging for Books recently announced the April release of Sarah Wilson's book I Quit Sugar: Your Complete 8-Week Detox Program and Cookbook. Do you know how much sugar you consume on a daily basis? Did you know many products contain hidden sugars? Are you aware of all of the effects sugar has on your health and well-being?

Author Biography

Sarah Wilson is a qualified Health Coach for the Institute of Integrative Nutrition located in New York. She currently lives in Sydney Australia. The author is also a television host, journalist, and blogger. Read Sarah's story and journey to quitting sugar here.     

Book Description

This 224-page book is a step-by-step program guide offering suggestions and tips for quitting sugar which will hopefully help you lose weight, boost your energy level, and improve your moods. The 8-week program is discussed at the beginning of the book using a week-by-week format. Sarah encourages her readers to try three new recipes from the book each week during her 8-week program. Visit the following link to see sample pages of the book.

What's Covered

• Start to Cut Back
• Operation Eat Fat
• Quit!
• Face the Demons
• Get Creative, Experiment . . . and Detox
• Add Some Sweetness Back In
• Recovering from lapses
• Refining and Moving Forward

She includes a "Getting Equipped" section that mentions two notes from the author on how she hates waste and loves efficiency. Her recipes utilize the same core ingredients repeatedly and she wants you to take advantage of the bits and pieces that many individuals tend to toss out. She gives the reader tips on how to create a freezer stash. One tip Sarah offers is that she freezes celery leaves to later use in stock recipes which are included in this book. I have tossed out the ends for years, now I collect them in a freezer bag for later use. The author also includes a short list of kitchen items that she prefers to have on hand. It is NOT an exhaustive or complete list, but is helpful to those wanting a simple start in the program. This book section contains information on how to stock up your pantry with staples that will consistently be used during the program. I have to say, I found this section to be quite insightful. I never realized I could make my own cream cheese and how useful and good chia seeds were for my body. A few other recipes included in this section are homemade ketchup, BBQ sauce, mayo, nut butters, and almond milk. Several of these recipes are also on her blog if you'd like to take a peek.

The back of the book consists of a shopping list, additional resources, and contributors. The shopping list is organized into three categories including pantry, freezer, and fridge items. Sarah also adds in a list of oils, condiments, sweeteners, teas, and baking bits. The list isn't comprehensive, because it doesn't include any fresh produce foods. The additional resources list her social media links and lists places to find hard-to-find ingredients. I had a difficult time finding chia seeds at local stores, but managed to find them at a nearby health store and on line for a reasonable price. I also stocked my pantry with quinoa after finding several packages on sale in the clearance section. I've been reading about the benefits of quinoa and have a strong desire to create recipes using this product. There are definitely a few ingredients that I don't tend to buy such as marcapone cheese, brown rice syrup, coconut and grapeseed oil, unsweetened coconut, almond meal, almond milk, stevia, and chia seeds just to name a few. I am not sure if I will be able to afford these items, but I will take small steps towards eating better using several of the recipes.

The book also contains 108 sugar-free recipes to help you in your journey. The recipes include an ingredient list, method instructions, serving size, and preparation notes. Several recipes include variations and seem easy to prepare. Many of the recipes seem appealing. I haven't tried any yet, but fully intend on doing so this month. My favorite recipe categories are obviously desserts, savory snacks, sweet treats, and breakfast. I can't wait to try the blueberry quinoa crumble, fudgy protein bites, sugar-free nutella, meal-in-a-cracker, coco-nutty granola, and chia and quinoa parfait. Ha! Can you tell I am a sugar addict? I head straight to the sweets. Doesn't this Raspberry Ripple look delicious? Sarah tells you how to make it while cutting back on sugar.

Recipes Categories 

• Breakfast
• Smoothies and Drinks
• Healthy Detox Meals
• Savory Snacks
• Sugar-Free Kids
• Sweet Treats
• Desserts

Overall Thoughts
Her book is organized into bite-sized chunks making it a quick read. The plan appears to be doable and flexible, but you will need to make a consistent effort and remain motivated to complete the program. The book teaches you how to eliminate sugar completely from you diet and later introduces sugar back with healthier substitutes. The variety of recipes included in the book make the idea of quitting sugar seem a little more realistic. I am sure that there will be controversial debates over whether or not sugar makes you fat. However, there are other benefits to quitting or reducing your sugar intake. Sarah does provide the reader with scientific information about the effects of sugar.

I haven't attempted the program yet. I definitely consider myself a sugar addict. I feel like I NEED sugar every single day and my sugar cravings are intense. I always feel tired, moody, and bloated. The information contained in the book was informative and extremely helpful.

The author is personable and inviting as she shares the realities of her experience with quitting sugar in the introduction of the book. She states, "There is a detox period where you will feel like crap." I love the honesty in this statement. She wants you to know ahead of time, that the program is not going to be easy and she's not trying to "sugar" coat it. She wants you to understand that your body will have an adjustment period and that it is normal. Many individuals will be able to relate to her experiences. I also like her viewpoint on using a "lets just see" approach when attempting the detox program.

Are you looking to live a healthier lifestyle? 

Recommendations

I recommend this book to individuals wanting to improve their health and well-being. Are you looking for a structured program that will help you cut back on sugar? I believe this is a good book to begin with if you are a sugar addict and want to change your lifestyle. Sugar doesn't have to rule over your life! Sarah's modernized book format and knowledge about the topic will encourage and motivate you to make better life choices with regards to which foods you eat. 

Price

The paperback trade book can be purchased for $25.00 at Random House. Amazon is currently offering the book for $15.81.

Note: Prices are subject to change at any time.

Social Media
Sarah Wilson's Blog
I Quit Sugar Book Store
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest

Disclaimer: 

I received a complimentary, free copy of this book from from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest, unbiased review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."