A Week of Ups and Downs

Wow, this week was a major challenge. Definitely a week full of ups and downs and a major test of how i am REALLY doing with this whole healthy eating thing! First I want to start with the "downs", that way i can end on a high note, lol (maybe :/) Well, there's nothing like having 2 kids ages 2 and under with double ear infections to put a little damper on one's exercise efforts! Talk about "hell week"! I did get in a really good run including some light "boxing" on Monday. Tuesday, going with my "amp it up every week" mantra, I did about 20 minutes of OnDemand workout stuff that was really intense. Aaaannnd then it went downhill from there. I was up all night Tuesday night... and Wednesday... and Thursday with sick babies. Not that I am complaining or like this is some new thing to me. I anticipate it, but it still sucks when things are going good and I am in a good routine. But it happens; it's life. I've learned how to roll with it. I still did really good with my eating, but then I started to feel a little under-the-weather myself. I knew this week was pms week and i was already nervous about weight gain/water retention, etc... But by Friday I was chilled and achy all over and super nauseous. I actually did try to run and I got about 20 minutes of really pathetic jog/walking in until i realized i needed to rest. All weekend I felt like awful with body aches, chills, and feeling like i was gonna barf.

However, I still have to give myself a little encouragement because i really stayed on my game with my eating. On Saturday night we ordered Chinese, and I got some steamed chicken and veggies with garlic sauce on the side. Not awesome, but good enough to satisfy a little craving. And SO much better than the usual General Tso's chicken with rice and egg rolls! Today, even with the Packer game, i only had a little snack and very small dinner and not even a drop of alcohol. I think i am starting to realize how much i shrunk my stomach! My appetite is about 1/3 what is was 2 weeks ago.

On another positive note, I have really begun to see the results of my daily workouts. My legs are amazingly stronger than when i began and my stamina for running is WAY up. I know i could easily do a good hour of working out with 30min of running and 30 min of other random cardio activities and stretching, but time management stands in my way on that one. Working out is just a small speck on the timeline of my evening which also includes dinner, watching kids so josh can run also, homework, bath time, play time, snack time, bedtime routines and activities, etc...

I am SO glad this week is over and i usually dread Sundays. But i welcomed it today, as this coming week has to be better than last! But for 14 days at this, I am damn proud of what i have accomplished. I foresee buying a new pair of jeans in another week or two as a reward! :)

Lesson Learned!

You know those people that say you can eat like crap and lose weight at the same time? Only if you just eat small portions of it? I used to be one of those people. But I have had a very important realization about this subject. Sure, I think a person treat him or her self to a burger or ice cream once in awhile, but the truth of the matter is, you are what you eat. I have never felt better in my life than right now. Now that I am putting the right food in my body, I feel so energetic and renewed. Sure, I could eat a happy meal every day and still lose weight if i only eat that and something healthy later, but i am going to feel like crap after I eat that meal. I will be lethargic and I will have a stomach ache. I know from many past happy meals! :) Happy meal doesn't make you feel so happy. Maybe it should be called Makes-you-feel-good-while-you're-eating-it-and-really-crappy-for-the-rest-of-the-day Meal!!? Plus, with all the junk in that food, a person's body doesn't want to process it (or know how to properly) so it sits in your intestines for days. Gross! I look at it this way; I've had 30 years to eat whatever I want and enjoy all the yummy junk food in the world. Now it's time for me to be healthy and feel good! So when I am tempted to pick up something bad and eat it, i just think...ok, i've had this before, I know it tastes good but what is it going to do for me??? Until this becomes pure habit, I need to rationalize and reason with myself about these things! ;) I feel so free in knowing that I control what i put in my body and the food is no longer controlling me. That is a huge goal for me and I am so thrilled to be achieving it.

Ampin' it up!

This morning I checked out some of my options on the OnDemand exercise channel. I've been interested in kick boxing and they happen to have a kick boxing option. It was INTENSE! Maybe not for your average in shape person but it is for me. I did about 10min of that and then i checked out a dance workout option. That was really fun! I suck at learning choreography, but it was really fun to try and do something different. I think I will go between the two this week.

weight loss week 2

Total weight loss for week 2 : 4lbs! Even with a couple of bumps in the road this past week, 4lbs makes me happy! I really did have some rough times trying to eat well last week and over the weekend with a combination kids birthday party and packer party where there was plenty of food. I ate a taste of everything, ok maybe more than "a taste" but i didn't go overboard, which normally i would have. Also, with my crazy hormones coming into play this week, things should get interesting. I felt really crappy and tired over the weekend, mostly due to boredom and mood swings, but i really feel re-energized today and have been eating great so far. Hopefully i will have the energy to do my 30 min run/jog and i still need to do something else to kick it up a notch this week. I realize that the On Demand workout during the day may not always be an option, as today my kids didn't nap at the same time so i couldn't get to working out. Maybe i will add crunches to my workout. I'd like to add more cardio time ideally, but i'll have to play that by ear this evening.

I am still looking for some good dinner recipe ideas...We did fish last week and there was one recipe i really liked. But to be honest, I'm not much of a seafood person in general. We are on chicken again this week, which is a little boring since we eat a lot of chicken. We could possibly go vegetarian for a week, but I'd like to have SOME kind of protein involved, and no it will not be tofu! I've tried that all different ways and i just can't gag it down! I'm also am not a fan of red meat. Plus it's not good for you anyways, so i'm not missing out much there. Hmmmm...my options are slim when i break it down like that. Must think of NEW IDEAS!!

a couple days of crazy, now back on track!

I took a few days off of posting here because i was working on getting some art work done to display for Art Milwaukee. Leading up to this, especially the day of, I was SO nervous! And i don't know why?? I guess because i have not shown publicly in so long, and i haven't ever shown any 2D work. My nerves got the best of me and i just slightly went off track for a couple of days. Not to get super specific, but i had a couple pieces of pizza, a cookie and taco bell. I may or may not have been ever so slightly intoxicated after the Art Milwaukee event, so Josh and I went a little binge. Exactly what I don't want to do, and not to justify any of it, but we RARELY get out, plus my nervous energy played a big part in it as well.

Healthy and Flavorful Dinners
Instead of posting every little thing i eat every day (especially since my diet isn't all that exciting or varied) i am going to just write down the good recipes we have made. For example, last night we had a super healthy dinner of baked portobella mushroom with a bruschetta-esque filling. The filling was fresh tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flake, balsamic vinegar and then a little mozzarella cheese melted on top. I will post a pic of it later today! I highly recommend this recipe. It's filling and light and the same time; that's the magic of mushrooms!

Workout highs and lows
I really pushed myself this week in my working out. My legs are exhausted, especially when i wake up in the morning. I tried really hard to run as much as possible, however i did skip thursday since i had the art event. Friday, I really had to make an effort and did 20 minutes. My goal is to amp up the workout every week. This week was supposed to be trying to run instead of fast walking and I'd say I was about 85% successful in this venture. I am still seeing awesome results, so my motivation is high. I need to think of something to do for next week's workout in addition to the running. OH! I found the On Demand workout channels last night, ummmm, awesome!! There are SO many options; dance, yoga, pilates, cardio, kickboxing. So I will give that a try next week maybe while the kids are napping during the day!

Eating well with kids is a whole new experience

I love to think back to the days when Josh and I were living together in Oshkosh with freedom to do whatever we wanted. Taking as much time as we wanted to workout at the fitness center, or run outside. Going slowly through the grocery store, picking out something healthy to make at home. But, reality is, we have 3 kids and minimal time to prep and cook healthy dinners. Thank God my husband likes to come home and cook, AND is is creative cook!
I will be the first to admit, my kids are not ideal eaters. They don't sit around popping grapes and granola into their mouths. They have a lot of pizza, grilled cheese, mac n cheese and the occasional happy meal (which they never want to eat anyways)!! I guess they don't eat like total crap, they do have a healthier side to their diets...they love whole grain bread, peanut butter, eggs, yogurt, apples, chicken, rice, soups, etc...

Eating well with kids around is a tricky situation, especially since i am a stay-at-home-mom. Why? Because I am constantly preparing and thinking about food! This means I am always around their food and constantly tempted to nibble on whatever they are having. This is no innocent indulgence, this is total sabotage of my diet! A little leftover pancake here, a couple bites of the leftover mac n cheese there, someone didn't finish their cookie for dessert, i guess i will!! NOT GOOD! This has to be one of the hardest parts of my daily struggle with food. And just being conscious of how often I used to "clean up" after them so-to-speak it's no wonder I have extra weight on me!! Not only is it to my benefit, but it gives a clearer picture of what the kids are eating. I know we need to work harder on improving our kids diets and we can't get mad at them. Of course kids are going to fight eating veggies for dinner but it is our responsibility as parents to give them the option to eat healthy. And we eat super healthy so why shouldn't our kids model us? I think after so many years of being in that nightly struggle of "eat your carrots! eat them now, or you will go to your room!!" we just got sick of it . So it's like, "fine eat your pizza for dinner, just get something in your stomach!" It's the last thing we want to do in the evening after a long day of working/taking care of kids. So hopefully as we turn our diets around together we will introduce our healthy eating habits to our kids. The problem right now is, we don't really make kid-friendly recipes. I don't think our kids would appreciate it if we made them eat spicy chicken curry and veggies. That would just be torture. But we could leave a smaller portion out for them without the spice in it. It's all about time management and patience, 2 things that are hard to come by in our household of 5, but we are trying to get there one day at a time!

Workout side note:

So i ROCKED it out in my workout last night running most of my 30 minutes. I'm sure my runner friends are laughing at me right now, but it was HARD for me!! And i can feel it in my legs today. But it feels oh so good. Just like i said last week, it's hard but i am seeing amazing results so the motivation is definitely there. :)

1/11/11 (!!)
bfast: 1/2 BAGEL W/THIN
SPREAD OF CREAM CHEESE
COFFEE

snack:

STRING CHEESE

lunch:

RICE AND VEGGIES

BANANA W/TBSP PB

snack:

SMALL BOWL CHEERIOS

W/SKIM MILK

dinner:

PRETZEL CRUSTED TILAPIA

W/HONEY MUSTART SAUCE

SPICY BROCCOLI SLAW

snack:

YOGURT

ALMONDS

CHEESE STICK

activity:

30MIN FAST WALK/JOG/RUN

weight loss week 1

grand total weight loss for week one?...5lbs! Good, but i was hoping for 6 :) I was down a little more but i guess weight fluctuates, so it's no biggie, I don't want to get caught up in the numbers. Plus, I can feel the difference already in the way my clothes fit and my energy level, etc...which is way more important.

A new week = new goals

Starting out strong this Monday morning. I am looking forward to my evening workout as i plan to run/jog this week, instead of walk. It is my goal to amp up my workout every week. For example, next week I may expand my time to 45 minute. The week after, I may add sprints at the end of my run, the next week I may add some light free weights, etc...The idea is to never get comfortable or complacent with my workouts. I need to feel exhausted after each session. Hopefully I can come up with enough things to keep it fun and challenging. I'm sure Josh will have plenty of ideas. I am hoping he can show me how to use the stand-up boxing bag we have in the basement. I would LOVE to get into some kick boxing as well!

Another thing I need to do this week, is add some new recipes/snack ideas in the food rotation. I realize I've been eating either an apple, banana, or string cheese for snacks every time! Please feel free to pass on any ideas to me, I am not very creative in the kitchen these days. I need foods that are quick and easy but healthy. I do not have a lot of time to prep/cook. Maybe if I even try some new/exotic fruits like mango or whatever, instead of blah apples and bananas.

bfast:

EGG WHITE OMELET W/SALSA

COFFEE

snack:

1 OUNCE MOZZA. CHEESE

lunch:

CUP CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

snack:

1/2 BAGEL

THIN SPREAD PBUTTER

BANANA SLICES

dinner:

CHICKEN/VEGGIES/RICE

W SWEET&SPICY ASIAN SAUCE

snack:

HANDFUL ALMONDS

activity:

30MIN JOG/RUN

Weekend and Nighttime Eating

So normally on the weekends, Josh and I will treat ourselves to some not-so-healthy treats such as fried food, fast food, heavy snacks, etc...Since this is not the case anymore, we really need to be conscious of our eating habits on the weekends especially. Usually Friday night we'll snack and for sure on Sunday, since we spend Sundays at my parent's house for the afternoon where there are snacks a plenty. Friday we were starving and didn't eat until 6:30pm and we had Taco Bell. I guess not great but a welcome treat after a week of eating super healthy, plus we ate pretty small for taco bell!! Saturday, we did great and I really amped up my workout and jogged/ran for most of it which was HARD but it felt great after. And we treated ourselves to a few drinks and some chips and salsa that night. Also, we had gotten into a habit of treating ourselves to a yummy breakfast either saturday or sunday morning, but the egg white omelet with salsa was awesome and enough this morning. But i will admit it was hard since my in-laws were visiting saturday and sunday and they were eating bagels with cream cheese, bacon, and eggs!! But, instead of getting deterred by the food around me, I am staying super motivated by seeing great results from all my hard work. Like I said, I know Sundays are going to be my hardest days as far as staying on track. And I don't want to get into the habit of having a "cheat day" because i don't want it too be like that. I want to eat healthy ALL the time and of course treat myself to something once in awhile. I just think going all out and eating whatever i want one day a week will eventually be a downfall for me. Not that it's the same situation, but I'm sure someone who has an alcohol problem, shouldn't give themselves one day a week to get all drunk. Not saying that a person with an alcohol problem should drink at all but...I guess it works for me this way. I've done the "cheat days" before and i've fallen "off the wagon" because of it. When I was really into eating healthy and working out the summer after I graduated from high school, I allowed myself to have some once a month, like a couple pieces of pizza or whatever, and that worked much better for me. Maybe I will do something like that again.

I am super proud of myself for this first week and I am going to do my weigh in tomorrow. My weekly weigh in will be every monday since that's when i started. Hell no, i am not going to log my weight, but i will log my weight losses or gains ;) haha!

A Quick Note on Eating Out:

They always say to watch out for the high fat dressings that go along with the "healthy" salads when you go out to eat or eat at a fast food restaurant. Well, Josh and I split a McD's grilled chicken caesar salad for lunch saturday and I checked the back of the dressing packet. 1 whole packet is a serving and there are 190cals in the packet. So splitting that it was 95 cals a piece, not bad. And those salads are great for splitting with someone, or saving half for a later meal. They are HUGE!! But if there isn't the option to measure so carefully, they usually have a low-fat vinegarette option. However, I am a true believer in having a little fat with every meal, so if you use portion control, even with a fattier dressing, it's not that big of a deal.

1/8/11

bfast:

CUP OF YOGURT

COFFEE

snack:

STRING CHEESE

DIET SODA

lunch:

CAESAR SALAD W/

GRILLED CHICKEN

snack:

HANDFUL UNSALTED ALMONDS

dinner:

MINI HAM SUB

snack:

CHIPS/SALSA

activity:

30MIN RUN/JOG

1/9/11

bfast:

EGG WHITES/SALSA

COFFEE

snack:

APPLE

lunch:

CHICKEN CAESAR LETTUCE WRAP

snack:

A FEW NUTS (UNSALTED)

CHEESE STICK

dinner:

CARROTS

BEEF AND MUSHROOM W/

SAUCE AND NOODLES

1 BROWNIE BITE