The summer season is upon us and that means a summer full of cookouts celebrating everything from Memorial Day to Fourth of July, graduations, birthdays and family reunions. And, with all these cookouts come a lot of high-calorie and high-fat foods and drinks like chips, beer, soda and desserts.

As I find I’m still trying to shed both holiday and ‘owning my own business’ weight, my goal this summer is to try to demonstrate some discipline. Instead of grabbing soda, my plan is to ask for water or bring my own reusable vessel. Portion control is another obvious goal and as a guest I plan to bring my own low calorie/low fat recipe offering a healthy choice for myself as well as others.

Guiding Stars Expert Chef Erin Dow recently had a great blog post about Greek Yogurt. I have started using it in some of my own recipes lately and I find it to be a great alternative to higher fat ingredients like butter. For example, this summer I plan to try this low fat potato salad recipe:

Low-fat Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs cooked potatoes
• 2T Dijon mustard
• 6 oz low fat yogurt
• Chopped red onion to taste

So, if you see me at a cookout, look for me with my water bottle and here’s to a fun, safe and healthy summer!

Sarah Wallace works as a freelance writer specializing in social media writing services. She is a mother of two who enjoys quality time with her family and friends while trying to stay fit. Visit her website.

I don’t know about you, but the holidays were killer for me in terms of my fitness level. I started out keeping with my regular exercise routine while having a cookie here and there. Gradually, the holiday treats took over and the refined sugars made me lethargic and not wanting to exercise. Now that the holiday and Super Bowl treats are gone, it is time for me to get back into the groove by exercising daily and eating right. It all seems so logical so why is it easier said than done?

Well, it could be because it is the dead of winter in New England and the sub-degree temperatures make me want to hide under my comforter. However, I have to remember the pros; being able to fit into my clothes and staying healthy for my little ones, my husband and most importantly myself.

I’ve always followed Lance Armstrong on Twitter where he tweets about his daily training and personal insights. Seeing his tweets pop up in my stream keeps me motivated. After all, here is a man who was at death’s door with cancer, and then went on to win seven Tour De Frances and run the New York City marathon. I think I should be able to ride my spin bike for at least an hour while watching a movie.

Sarah Wallace works as a freelance writer specializing in social media writing services. She is a mother of two who enjoys quality time with her family and friends while trying to stay fit. Visit her website.

As my daughter started her first year of all-day school this Fall, I came upon the decision of whether she should pack or buy her lunch. No, it’s not rocket science but definitely a big decision (in my eyes) since it would influence her diet for the next nine months.

Fortunately, our school district is one that’s very mindful of its school lunches and has options such as organic yogurt and locally-baked bagels. Even better, the salad bar is a result of the town’s community garden. But, first graders don’t always make the best eating decisions on their own and buying lunch everyday also seemed a bit pricey.

Our household’s solution was compromise. My daughter picks two school lunches a week that interest her most and then the other three days she packs her lunch. This has been a win, win for all of us. She looks forward to pizza on Wednesdays and I feel better knowing that I still have some control over her daily diet.

This may not be everyones solution to the “Pack or Buy” decision but in our household, it’s been a peaceful one.

I work as a freelance writer and I am a mother of two. My husband owns his own business and works long hours. In an ideal world, I would love to make all my meals strictly with whole foods but with the time constraints of our busy household, this is not always the case. I may use instant rice versus slower cooking rice or thaw frozen veggies versus preparing fresh. At times I feel guilty, but for me, finding a balance between whole foods versus prepared is probably the best for my time and my sanity.

How have I found that balance? Well, if I am going to use instant rice, I read the label and make sure that it is not too high in sodium. Most “quick” prepared foods tend to be so I double-check the ingredients. The American Heart Association recommends that adults who are healthy take in no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day.

I also make sure to check for grams of saturated fat. And, don’t be fooled, it’s amazing the things that are labeled “healthy” or “low fat” but actually aren’t. Now, I’m not saying that I read labels every time I shop and lord knows none of us have time to be standing in the aisle for five minutes per item… but once I’ve compared items, I know next time which brand I prefer.

And yes, the children bring in a whole other dynamic. As we all know, kids don’t always prefer the healthiest products. I once bought my daughter an organic peanut butter but she could not stand the texture. So, I buy her a more mainstream brand and make sure she consumes it in moderation. IMO (In My Opinion) trying to find a healthy balance between whole and prepared foods is easier for my lifestyle and easier on my conscience.

They say that eating according to the season is the best way to have a varied diet and guarantee the freshest produce. So now that it’s officially Fall, what foods should we be looking for to feed our families?

Well, summer fruits are in our past and root vegtables such as onions, carrots, yams and various potatoes are now readily available. Above-ground squashes, gourds and pumpkins can be easily found as well as fruits such as apples, cranberries and pears. You may easily find recipes with these ingredients online. Recipes range from everyday meals to special dishes for the holidays.

Planning your menu according to the season can give be a change that you and your family look forward to and it also helps teach little ones to expand their palates. The other bonus is that if you buy local produce, it helps to support the local farmers and that’s always a good thing. So put on your Fall coat and get to the store so you can buy some fresh, local ingredients and make a hearty seasonal meal for your family!