SHE Media Partner of the Week: Heather of Fit Mama Real Food

Tell us a little about yourself and your blog!

I am a wife, mom of 4, group fitness instructor and real food lover. I have been a blogger for 11 years now! When I started my blog was a place for me to share my own journey to learning about nutrition and fitness. That turned into a space where I provide solutions for busy mamas that want to feed their family with real food and move their bodies in ways that make them feel good. I host a weekly podcast (Fit Mama Real Food Radio) and YouTube channel for quick home workouts and real food recipes. We’re all about balance at Fit Mama Real Food and with all my resources I keep that in mind.

How did you get started blogging?

In 2008 I was recently married and began learning more about nutrition and fitness. I simply started my hobby blog by sharing recipes and interesting facts I learned along the way (like fiber is good for you!). I began on a free WordPress hosted site and eventually switched to self hosted and began taking it more seriously when a community began to form.

Tell us about the mission behind Fit Mama Real Food.

Fit Mama Real Food’s mission is to support busy moms in their quest for balanced healthy living. What we eat, how we move and the our thought patterns all matter. When we care for ourselves, we can care for others more intentionally and find more joy in life.

What are your must-have fitness essentials?

Number 1 would be your body! You can do so much with just your body weight. I’m a huge advocate for yoga so a yoga mat is also a helpful tool.If you’re looking to add a little more to your workout, a few sets of dumbbells at varying weights will do the trick. Cute workout clothes always help too!

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30+ WAYS TO INVOLVE YOUR KIDDOS IN COOKING Stuck on where to even start with involving your kids in the kitchen? Have no fear, I’m full of ideas and ready to share! While I’m breaking these different ways your kiddos can help by age, age doesn’t matter as much as learning the skills. Remember, every kid is different and each kiddos (even siblings!) will learn and progress at their own pace. Praise the effort, not the outcome. 2-3 years old Pushing buttons to turn on/off Scooping with a measuring cup Scooping with spoons Practice pouring water into cups Mashing with a fork or potato masher Spreading nut butters onto toast Cutting a banana/soft fruit with a table knife Whisking Stacking ingredients neatly (think sandwich) Bringing tables to/from the table Rolling snack balls into shapes (a favorite in our house!) Tearing lettuce/kale into pieces Mixing vegetables with seasoning Making spice mixes Rolling dough with a rolling pin Tasting ingredients Smelling/tasting spices and learning the names Rinsing dishes Picking out recipes to make from cookbooks Having an ingredient sampling party (hello sardines I’m talking about you) Adding ingredients into a blender Picking out new ingredients to try 3-5 years old Grating cheese/carrots Cracking eggs Setting the table Making toast Continuing to practice cutting with a table knife/preparing for a sharp knife Loading and unloading the dishwasher Rinsing fruits and veggies Using a garlic press Making trailmix 5+ years old Using a vegetable peeler Preparing egg casseroles Precise measuring Making smoothies Cooking on the stovetop (scrambles eggs are a great first item!) Cutting with a knife Loading the dishwasher Unloading the dishwasher One of my favorite skills to teach my kids is how to crack an egg? Wanna know why? Because it helps me! Sure we’ve had our fair share of shells in dishes, but I’ve also needed to feed my newborn and asked Hunter to crack a dozen eggs for breakfast – and he did! It’s magic mamas. My list doesn’t cover everything- so what are some items you’d add that your littles help with? I’ve got 10 recipes that are easy to make with kiddos coming up next! #fitmamarealfood #kidsinthekitchen

A post shared by Heather Englund | Healthy Eats (@fitmamarealfood) on Jan 16, 2020 at 2:08pm PST

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This morning, before the sun was up, I was on a podcast interview with @healthymamakris (watch for the episode on her podcast in October!). Friends, it was so good! . We chatted about fitness, how to make workouts happen as a busy mama, when to push yourself + ease up and how to find JOY in your movement. (And so, so much more) Life is filled with seasons. Seasons to challenge yourself and seasons to give yourself grace + do your best. Seasons when you’re outside a lot and seasons when you hunker inside. My current season: a little push, a little rest. I love a challenging workout, but I equally love my rest and recovery days. Years back I had a much more full teaching schedule. I could handle teaching multiple classes in a day and I still had energy to spare. These days (maybe it’s the 4 kids thing), I’m good teaching 1 class a day, but not every day. I cherish my personal movement at home and they’re quick workouts, like what I share on my YouTube channel. Who knows what the next season brings, but for now, I am embracing, loving and finding JOY in this one. What’s your current season of life for fitness? #fitmamarealfood #fitmomsofig #movemore #moveyourbody #fitnessmotivation #fitnessforall #fitlife #momchat #healthandfitness #workout #homeworkout #findyourfit #healthyliving #healthymindset #choosejoy #happy #womensfitness #fitnessinspiration #lifewithkids

A post shared by Heather Englund | Healthy Eats (@fitmamarealfood) on Sep 19, 2019 at 11:02am PDT

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Went LIVE today in my stories to show you just how easy-peasy my homemade kefir ranch is! We always keep this simple, delicious and better for you ranch on hand. Our fam is O B S E S S E D! The recipe with measurements can be found on www.fitmamarealfood.com by typing ‘kefir ranch’ into the search feature, or eyeball it like I do in the videos and get after it! Once I figure out how to add a live video to my highlights 🤣 (friends, message me if you know how!) it’ll be there under “Let’s cook!” with this picture. Until then, hurry and watch it while it’s in my story for the next 22 hours! Do you have any go-to dips you always keep on hand? Homemade or not. What’s a MUST HAVE in your fridge? #letscook #fitmamarealfoodskitchen #kefir #kefirranch #eatrealfood #wholefoods #cleaneating #healthyeats #thenewhealthy #mealprep #foodprep #inthekitchen #feedingmyfamily #healthyfood #fitmamarealfood #letseat #healthylivingtips #healthandfitness #nourishyourself #eatwell

A post shared by Heather Englund | Healthy Eats (@fitmamarealfood) on Oct 3, 2019 at 2:26pm PDT

Share with us a favorite quote!

Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

What tools or resources do you use that help with your blog?

I use google docs all the time. My “work time” is scattered in pockets of time between being with my kids (only 2 of 4 are in school). I love writing out notes or blog copy on my phone then easily having access to it on my computer. I love Canva for making graphics.

What social media platform can you not live without?

Instagram is my fav place to hang out!I also love Pinterest but that’s probably because I’m dreaming up living room and bedroom remodels right now.

What ingredients do you find yourself using the most?

Bananas, eggs, kale, peanut butter and oatmeal. These are staples we use over and over again in tons of different ways throughout the week and we love em because they’re good for you too!

Food trend that you’re ready to see GO!

People being scared of carbohydrates. Low carbohydrate diets can be really helpful for some, but just because it works great for one, doesn’t mean it’s the perfect choice for everyone.

What do you focus on most when it comes to creating content?

I focus on content that helps parents save their sanity. Quick healthy dinners, lunchbox ideas to take the guesswork out of it, make ahead breakfast, naturally sweet treats are always a hit, meal planning tips, teaching kids how to be helpful in the kitchen and workouts that give you the most bang for you buck!

Share with us any goals you have for 2020.

Write more ebooks, create more printable and connect with more brands I love.

What’s the biggest lesson you learned in 2019?

I need to break big projects up more. I created a course in 2019 and really cut my own deadline close and the stress made the entire process not very fun.  I also learned there is a lot involved in creating a physical product that you sell (I made a 52-Week Meal Planner!).

What’s your favorite book?

I recently finished Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller and am pretty much obsessed with implementing his concepts.

What are your 3 favorite kid-friendly recipes?

Banana Egg Oatmeal Pancakes

Protein waffles made in the blender

Healthy raw brownies

What food bloggers do you most admire?

Cassy Joy Garcia of Fed & Fit. She’s grown a team, a brand and it’s so cool to see how she’s evolved over the years.

What do you most wish your toddler would eat?

I am lucky to have adventurous eaters! But my 6 year old won’t eat potatoes or sweet potatoes which is a bummer for me.

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

Hiking. We’re lucky in the PNW to have tons of beautiful places to hike.

What is your favorite thing about blogging? Least favorite?

Being creative lights me up, along with when a recipe or piece of content really helps someone. Least favorite – all the social media sharing that I feel like I’m always behind in.

Have you had any exciting sponsored campaigns recently?

Yes I’ve collaborated with EO Products recently which was fun because I already use and love their products!

What are you most looking forward to in 2020?

Really honing in on my community and creating THE BEST resources for them.

Thanks, Heather! You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

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