Spring has Sprung!

It's here again!  The warm breezes in the afternoon are beckoning us to come out and play and the swimsuits are hanging within arms reach reminding us of the food choices we made over the winter.  Don't despair and don't start a crash diet out of fear.  Get active and make smart choices and reasonable portions in what you eat. 

If you're not ready for a marathon, start slow...but start.  Here are some easy way to burn a few extra calories every day.

• Park farther away:  You don't need to park near the entrance whether you're parking for work, the mall, or the grocery store.  There's an added bonus.  If you park further away you can avoid a lot of door dings in your car.  If you're going downtown, park a few blocks away and choose a nice scenic walk.  Take the time to enjoy the air, the sky, and the new blooms springing up.
• Eat simple foods:  The closer you can get to a food's natural state, the better.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are fantastic and many of them are full of fiber and vitamins.  If you can eat something that looks like it did when it was picked from the vine, tree, or plant then do!
• Don't knock out dairy altogether, just keep it natural: 
• Avoid added hormones.  This is why Lovin' Scoopful uses milk from cows not treated with rBST hormone.  Those hormones are given to cows to make them produce more milk.  We can't prove that milk and cream from natural non-hormone treated cows is better, but we don't want to give rBST hormone induced milk to our kids and we're not going to give it to you.  We believe that the more natural you can go, the better, and we believe that impacts your overall health and wellbeing.
• The dairy industry asserts that dairy consumption promotes weight loss.  There are conflicting studies, but we do believe that a well balanced diet (including reasonable consumption of dairy) is the key to good health.
• Make small reasonable changes instead of drastic ones.
• It's easier to stick with these healthy choices if you don't try to knock out everything you love to eat!
• Small changes add up to a big difference in the long run.
• These small changes are easy for the whole family to pick up.  If you cut out all of the fat in your diet or all of the carbs, don't expect the kids to join you.  If you make healthier eating a habit, that can lead to better choices for both parents and children.
• Find an exercise that you enjoy and possibly even one that brings about enjoyment.
• Go to the park
• Fly a kite
• Plant a tree
• Plant a garden! (and eat what you grow)

We hope that Lovin' Scoopful can be a part of your new lifestyle changes leading to a lean healthy body you will want to show off this summer.  A 100 calorie serving of Lovin' Scoopful Gourmet Light Ice Cream (just under a measured cup for most flavors) will not derail your efforts and will certainly bring about a smile, so enjoy (and share some with the kids)!