A Madison Mom’s guide to a simpler (and realistic) way to stay healthy

by Marlena Cavanaugh | November 3, 2017

You’ve been there…you grabbed a doughnut or a cookie to get you through breakfast because the morning was to hectic too even think about a bowl of cereal. You are a mom, just like me and most likely as in my life… kids, husband, the giant dog you got to make your family happy, all come before your needs.

Moms who juggle home, work, (+ homework), cleaning and their kids crazy practice schedule know exactly what I am referring to. You’re nearing 40 or already there… and you look at your body and don’t quite recognize it. The biggest obstacle is that these fancy diets that you’ve been on many times on do not work and you certainly don’t have time to spend 2 hours in a gym each day to get in shape. (Note: I do spend over 10 hours in the gym each week…. except it is by watching my daughter flipping around during gymnastics classes while I sit there and either work or chat with other equally exhausted moms).

You eat somewhat healthy when you can, and substitute a salad for a giant burger, even choosing to go with a light dressing. And no, that does not help at all. Your complexion is grey and your bags under your eyes don’t look any better. And worst of all – winter is almost here, which means dry skin and an urge to have more hot chocolate.

I finally realized that eating healthy is not just skipping breakfast or dinner. It is actually eating right. Seems as simple as can be. That means not skipping meals, managing portions and knowing what to eat.

On that note, the first thing that came to my mind was trying out one of the meal kits that conveniently arrive at your front door. All you have to do is cook it, and it’s a much healthier alternative to grabbing a frozen pizza. That idea was great and I was really excited about the healthy and fresh ingredients. After 3 days, I also realized that when I got home at 8:30PM from my daughter’s gym practice just after my husband arrived 10 minutes earlier from my older daughter’s soccer practice, neither one of us wanted to cook. Certainly not for 40 minutes. So… forget you Hello Fresh and you – happy smiling couples sipping wine in their Blue Aprons chopping shrink wrapped carrots. That’s is not how this worked. At least not in our house.

I knew I needed to get healthy and I finally found a perfect solution for it. The company is local and called Fit Fresh. It’s owned by an amazing lady – Sarah Berndt. She is a certified dietitian and she built her company with a purpose of actually making people healthier. Fit Fresh offers prepared meals that can be adjusted based on your goals and calorie requirements. With a 1-week reset Cleanse and ongoing Meal Plans, I don’t have to count calories, cook, or clean. I can just reheat my lunch in the office. It takes a few minutes to reheat dinners at night and plate them. Both my husband and I opted for Lunches and Dinners, but for those who like to have breakfast, they offer all 3 meals per day.

Meals are freshly prepared (you pick up 3 times per week if you also get your meals on the weekend). Food is delicious, even when you go with the cleanse. I would never have time to prepare the whips that go on the pancakes or the delicious seasoning on the salmon. And the Cost is really not an issue. We eat lunch out of the office each day and it’s much more affordable than that.

Fit Fresh truly changed how I eat and how much more energy I have. The Best part is that by choosing Fit Fresh I know I am supporting local farmers and a local business. Try it. It will change your life! It’s certainly one of Madison’s best kept secrets.

If you would like to learn more about Fit Fresh, visit www.fitfreshcuisine.com.