How I slide healthy food to my particular (picky) young eaters

Okay, I should start by saying I am not a very good cook, I google or Pintrest search 99% of the recipes I make. If the photo and/or reviews are good I give it a whirl. I prefer it if the recipe is simple, easy, and tastes good. If I can eat it with a baby on my hip, even better! Once in a great while I take on a challenging recipe but not very often. There, it is out there. Truth

 Over the last year I have slowly been moving away from processed foods...
Things that have pushed me towards clean eating:

1) Working as a nurse and seeing what people poor eating habits can lead to
2) Documentaries about Monsanto and GMO and such
3) Reading articles and reading food labels. Preservatives, food dyes, and sugar on everything. Eye opening!
4) Having four daughters

Is it easy? No, some days all I want is the biggest, most delicious olive and bacon burger with fries available in West Michigan. Sometimes I go on Yelp! and research where that is and strategize how to fit it into my tasks for the day. Once in awhile I go and grab that burger and enjoy it because it is progress and balannce, not perfection, I am after.

Where was I going with this? Oh yes, recipes. As a result of moving towards clean eating I am looking for things that my daughters like to eat and are great for their bodies. Hasta la vista Mickey D's chocolate shake! One of the things my daughters always go for is smoothies. I can throw a lot of healthy stuff in them and they still pound them down. It is perfect! Here is one of our favorite smoothie recipes!

1 ripe (I prefer them ugly brown on the clearance rack ripe :) banana
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup greek yogurt
3/4 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tablespoon of flax or chia seeds ( for some extra fiber)

Blend smooth, (add another small handful of spinach if you want to be super healthy) and serve.( Add more almond milk if it is too thick and ice cubes if you want it to stay cold for a while.) Perfect for pushing healthy food to particular (aka picky) eaters and a great way to start a work day.

Stepping on the field... The 30's are freeing

The 30's are freeing... Sure, I walked into them ragged, but man, I am so glad to be here.

The 20's were tough, being married young was hard, we grew up a lot together. We loved hard and fought hard. My husband and I both were in college at the start of our marriage, he was pursuing his master's, I was pursuing my bachelor's. We were both trying to start careers. It was hard to support each other, when we were simply trying to survive ourselves. We didn't make the best choices when it came to our marriage. We didn't communicate well, we didn't value each other (or at least express that). He knew how to press my buttons, and I knew how to freak out. We had a rough learning curve. Plus, we added a couple babies to the mix, while still in school, like crazy people. We moved three times, and had job changes. We were young and ignorant, we never slept enough or had any money. Writing this paragraph has me laughing and wanting to cry at the same time. I don't know what we were thinking, maybe we weren't. But we made it out, and we made it out together.

Then come the 30's and with it comes figuring out how you want to do life. What is really important? What and who do you want to invest in? How do you want to raise your family? What beliefs about God and life and relationships are really yours, and not following a tradition, for the sake of tradition? What inspires you? What friendships bless your soul and what ones constantly bleed negativity? Who do you want to be and how do you want to impact your world? It gets deep in the 30's. Life doesn't seem endless, you transition into a different Freudian stage,

I want a big life. Not large and flamboyant, (the Kardashians already have that taken anyways) but, big in terms of realness. Real relationships, real food, real experiences, real impact, real depth, real forgiveness. I don't want to live a life fulfilling perceived expectations, I want to live a life that matters, to God, to my family, to myself, and to anyone I encounter.

During my last pregnancy, I was sick, like hugging the toilet bowl for months sick, wishing time away sick, it was brutal. When I finally pulled out of that at 5 months, I was diagnosed with polydramnios at 5-6 months which made my uterus measure and my body feel 37 weeks pregnant for the following 4 months. My body hurt, and I wondered if I would ever feel like myself again. But, after Ruby was born, slowly I began to invest in myself. I don't think you impact others the way you desire when you are not happy or satisfied with yourself. Don't get me wrong I think you can definitely make an impact no matter where you are in your journey but when you are satisfied in your soul it is different. I realized I was worth investing in. Sometimes, moms and certain types of individuals/personalities especially, just have that mentality of selflessness. Selflessness is beautiful, it truly is. But it doesn't mean I need to eat my daughter's leftovers for dinner, which has totally happened more times than I dare admit. It doesn't mean that I shouldn't take time to make my body and mind stronger. You can't pour from an empty jug.

I guess that is what brought me to Beachbody. I strongly dislike that name by the way, it seems vain, like the product builds an image, when instead the goal is to promote a healthy and strong, body and mind with the support and accountability of genuinely encouraging individuals. But stepping off of that soapbox, I am really happy to be part of a company that values, health, nutrition, and fitness, that wants to see an end to obesity. I am happy to be part of peoples stories. I am happy to be able to have the opportunity. The 30's are freeing.

I would love to hear from you on your health and fitness goals. Where are you now? Where do you want to be? Can I help you get there? Please reach out if you have any questions.

Let's talk boobs... Tips for continuing breastfeeding after you head back to work

      Sorry ya'all I brainstormed plenty of ideas of what I should write about. But, I worked this past weekend so this topic was fresh in my mind. :) Hopefully, someone, or two, will find it helpful.    
         First, let me start by saying if you have quit breastfeeding or you never started I've got nothing but love for you. Whatever your reasons may be, they are your reasons, whatever you chose, it is your choice. I have read plenty about the nutrition benefits of breastmilk, but one of the main reasons I still do it is because I am Dutch, and I try to be quite fiscally responsible (AkA I am be a tight wad with some things). Do I love that it is really beneficial to my baby? Absolutely, but I also love that it saves me a lot of money.

        Statistics show that a large percentage of women breastfeed after their babies are born but a significantly smaller percentage, something like 14%, continue to breastfeed after they head back to work. Breastfeeding/pumping can be a big inconvenience.  Frankly, I find it down right annoying sometimes. This is my fourth baby, fourth time breastfeeding, and fouth time I'm heading back to work pumping.  As a nurse trying to sneak away during a shift to pump every 3 to 4 hours can be very difficult. However if you are determined to do it, go for it, you can be successful! I have only worked part time with all of my children so I won't claim to have successfully pumped while working full time. But, I have been able to successfully breastfeed for children for over a year well working as well.

    So, what are my main tips?

1. Buy a big bag, not too big but one with a cute design that is capable of holding your breast pump, breast supplies, a insulated cooler, freezer Ziploc bags, a couple bottles of water and a couple protein bars. All essentials, I promise.

2. Always have a battery adapter available. I have one I can plug into the wall but I also have one that I fill with batteries just in case I am NOT able to access a wall plug easily. I swear when you are desperate for an outlet they always hide.

3. Wear button down shirts. If you have a job where your professional attire allows you to wear a button down shirt by all means invest in a couple of cute button down shirts that you love and a couple of pumping bras, nursing bras or strapless bras. To be able to pump without having to remove your entire shirt and being able to be comfortable without your bra hanging all over the place matters.

 4. Tuck a breastfeeding cover in your breast feeding bag. This allows me to it throw the cover over me while I'm sitting at the desk if I'm really busy and working through lunch but still be discreet. You are not going to be able to get rid of the pumping know is, but have some tunes playing in the office and nobody will really know that you're doing it. Disclaimer: I don't work in a completely open joint working space.
5. Have snacks that you can eat easily with one hand and won't leave you covered in a huge mess of food. :) Sandwiches, smoothies, energy bars, all easy to handle and tasty.

6. Always have a travel size bottle of dish soap in your pumping bag. This allows you the ability to clean your supplies right away afterwards so they are dried and ready for the next time you need to pump... in a few hours. :)
6. Talk with your boss and coworkers about it. Sometimes "it takes a village". If you are open about your desire to continue breastfeeding coworkers and your need coworkers can grab your phone and your boss will know you are not taking nap breaks. (But if you fall asleep pumping, good for you! Babies can make a mama tired!)
7. Give yourself grace. It is a commitment.When you get frustrated because you have to pack your bag up again, or you feel like a milk machine, or you forgot about your milk in the bag when you got home and now it is useless, know you are not alone. I have felt all of these same feelings. There are times I want to throw my pumping supply bag out the window of my car, and then back up and run over it for good measure. But, I breath in, and try and remember I am the only person that is capable of doing this for my baby.  Relish the moments when it is peaceful, and beautiful, and they examine your face and smile at you, and hold your fingers, for those are sweet memories only you get to have.

Jennie Mulder's Life Project: Always Late to the Party...

Jennie Mulder's Life Project: Always Late to the Party...: It is a quality of those of us who are dreamers, we tend to always be late to the party. I think there is research to support that fact :). ...

Always Late to the Party...

It is a quality of those of us who are dreamers, we tend to always be late to the party. I think there is research to support that fact :). So here is my introduction, my name is Jennie Mulder (thanks for checking out my blog!).

 I am a fitness and nutrition coach, registered nurse, mommy to four beautiful little girls...

See I wasn't lying... love these little faces.  Okay, moving on... I am a wife to this hunky, outdoors man, and teacher.

He is dreamy.  I have always dreamed pretty big... With (a lot of) Heart & (a little) Hustle some of those dreams have come true. *** That is the thing with us dreamers, we always dream more :) *** This blog will follow my journey forward as an natural wonder & adventure seeker; continual learner & knowledge seeker; reforming clean eater & cook; constantly inspired & humbled mommy; fitness & nutrition pursuer; continual home renovator (the never ending project we live life in... :/ ); loving, (and let's be honest occasionally feisty) wife; family, friend, & community lover; and Christ follower. This is the Jennie Mulder Life Project.