Website Wednesday: Sparkpeople

    Are you looking to get a head start when it comes to this holiday season? I'm not talking about holiday decor or shopping for the perfect gifts. I'm talking about the almost enevitable 5-10 lbs. that come along with all of those yummy holiday feasts! If so, I've got a great site for you to check out- Sparkpeople!

    Whether you want to lose weight or want to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle, Sparkpeople is a great place to go. It is FREE to join, which is always nice. There are so many tools and features that you can use to help keep you on track. They even have a community forum where you can connect with other members of the site. Perhaps you would like to chat with people who have similar goals or intests as you. If so, you can join a sparkteam, or start your own team.

    Let's talk diet.

    Sparkpeople has everything you need to achieve or maintain healthy eating habits. By simply entering a little bit of basic information, you will find out just how many calories you should consume in a day. You can track your calories, as well as, fat, protein, carbs, sugar, salt, and more. They have a database of many, many different foods, or you can enter and save the nutrition information of your favorite foods. Not sure what to eat? Check out Sparkpeople's menu plans. Not sure what to cook? Check out their recipes. You can even share your own recipes. Have a question? Ask other members or ask the on staff dietition. As I said before, it's all FREE!

    Let's talk fitness.
    With Sparkpeople, you can determine your ideal weight and track your fitness progress. Sparkpeople will provide a fitness routine for you, or you can customize your own. They have some really great fitness videos, too.  They have everything from weight training to cardio kick boxing. to yoga and pilates. They even have a fitness boot camp series. Yes, all of this for FREE!

    Sparkpeople is THE place to go to track your diet and fitness, and to find motivation and support. Check it out and be sure to look for all of the other great little features that I didn't mention.
Did I tell you that it is all FREE? Now that makes smart cents!!!

Click here to visit Sparkpeople.

Thursday Review: Johnson's Body Care 24-Hour Body Lotion

    Have you ever been hanging out with friends or family listening to some music, when suddenly a song comes on that you can't help but to sing along with? You turn the volume up a bit, then start belting out the lyrics along with the tune. Suddenly everyone starts laughing. What is it? Why are they laughing? Once they compose themselves, they clue you in... It's "There's a bad moon on the rise" NOT "There's a bathroom on the right".
If so, you might like my little story that goes along with Johnson's Body Care 24 -Hour Body Lotion.

    It started 11 months ago when our youngest daughter was born. While I was at the hospital, my husband and kids put together a gift bag for our newborn daughter and me. One of the items in the gift bag was a tube of the Johnson's lotion. Now, maybe it was my lack of sleep, or maybe it was just that I was too preoccupied marveling over our sweet little girl to notice, but whatever the reason, I read it as Johnson's  Baby Care 24-Hour Baby Lotion. I mean, it came in a pink tube and it smells a little bit like the baby lotion, after all.

    The lotion was great. I would use it occasionally on my daughter's delicate skin. It kept her skin so soft and always made my hands feel soft and smooth. I like it so much that I would even "sneak" it for my own use from time to time (it is great for the elbows!). It only takes a tiny bit of this lotion, so one tube has lasted us a long time.

   A couple of weeks ago, I was brainstorming ideas of products to review for my blog. I remembered how much I like this "baby" lotion, so I put it on my list. Well, a few nights ago, there I sat, pencil in hand, getting ready to write the rough draft of my review in my notebook. Wanting to get the name of the lotion exactly right and not remembering if it was Johnson's or Johnson & Johnson (yes, now I know that they are one in the same), I looked at the tube of lotion only to realize for the very first time that this is not Baby Lotion at all. It is Body Lotion. Nowhere on the entire tube is the word "baby". Believe me, I looked. Everywhere. It's not there.

   I suppose I should be a little embarrassed that this one little detail has escaped my attention for nearly a year. Maybe I am... Just a little... But I choose to look at the bright side of things. Now I don't have to feel bad for "sneaking" it from time to time and using it for myself!

Johnson's Body Care 24-Hour Body Lotion
Overall Rating: ¢¢¢¢¢