Way back in January I posted about my goals to get healthy. (I originally planned to have a different goal every month of 2013. But since trying to get healthier is a never-ending battle for me, I'm continuing with that until I feel I've reached a point where I can say I've achieved my goal.)
The winter has been tough, full of illnesses and house buying stress. But I've noticed that I'm snacking a lot less and incorporating more fruits and vegetables into my diet. I don't buy many processed snacks at all anymore which means they aren't in the cabinet tempting me. I also cut nighttime snacking cold turkey. It's the only way that works for me because once I have one small snack, I can't stop and attack everything in sight.
I've been planking every day and alternating between either yoga or strength training each day. I make sure I get at least a 10 minute workout in because there is no way I can claim to be so busy that I can't take 10 minutes for myself. It might not seem like much of a workout, but it really seems to be making a difference. And since I only need to do 10 minutes I don't blow it off or stop doing it altogether. It's all about finding what works, and what works for me is small daily workouts!
I haven't reached my goal weight, and i'm 1.5 pounds away from the lowest I've been since having children. But my clothes fit better, I have more energy and my body seems much leaner and more muscular than it was before. (I'm no body builder but some of the leftover baby flab has started to disappear.) I also managed to wear a pair of my pre-Stephanie pants for the first time ever on Monday. (They are really too tight though, and by the end of the night my stomach hurt from the button digging into me. But I was still proud of being able to get them on!)
It's good to finally feel like i'm making progress toward becoming a healthier version of myself. I know I still have a long way to go, but just the fact that I started this journey in January and am still plugging away at it in March is good for me! (I have a tendency to start a project, go into it full force and then forget about it a few weeks later.)
Are you working on becoming healthier? Are there other goals or resolutions that you've been working on? Feel free to share what works and doesn't work for you!
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
January Resolution Check-In Week 3
I have to apologize for the lack of posts this week. My laptop is broken, and my husband brings his to work all day, so I haven't had access to a computer. I also realized that I never posted last week on how my January resolution is going, so I definitely have some catching up to do.
I made a resolution this year to set a new goal for myself every month. This month my goal is to work on getting healthy and lose weight. (I know it will take more than a month to lose the 20 pounds I'm hoping to lose, but I used this month to jump-start things.)
I'm excited to announce that I've dropped the 5 pounds that I put on over the holidays. I've also finally gotten my eating under control. It took a few weeks but I've slowly started changing my habits. I'm logging my food into the myfitnesspal app every single day, and most days I'm within my calorie range. I only have 2 or 3 small snacks each day, instead of eating from the minute the kids go to sleep until I go to bed. (This is huge for me, because snacking has always been my downfall.)
For the past 3 days I've been drinking water like crazy, which was one area I hadn't been doing so well with. I log in at least 8 glasses a day, sometimes as much as 10.
The thing I still need to focus on is exercise. I started out the month doing really well in this area, but I've slowly slid out of the habit. (I also haven't been feeling 100%, and can tell my body is fighting some kind of cold germ, so I'm letting myself rest without too much guilt.) As soon as I feel better I'm going to add at least some form of exercise into every day, whether it be cardio, strength training or yoga.
There's one week left in January, and even though I still have a lot of work to do this year, i'm excited by how my first month is going.
Did you set resolutions? Have you kept them? I'd love to hear from you, so feel free to comment or strike up a conversation with me on Facebook. :)
I made a resolution this year to set a new goal for myself every month. This month my goal is to work on getting healthy and lose weight. (I know it will take more than a month to lose the 20 pounds I'm hoping to lose, but I used this month to jump-start things.)
I'm excited to announce that I've dropped the 5 pounds that I put on over the holidays. I've also finally gotten my eating under control. It took a few weeks but I've slowly started changing my habits. I'm logging my food into the myfitnesspal app every single day, and most days I'm within my calorie range. I only have 2 or 3 small snacks each day, instead of eating from the minute the kids go to sleep until I go to bed. (This is huge for me, because snacking has always been my downfall.)
For the past 3 days I've been drinking water like crazy, which was one area I hadn't been doing so well with. I log in at least 8 glasses a day, sometimes as much as 10.
The thing I still need to focus on is exercise. I started out the month doing really well in this area, but I've slowly slid out of the habit. (I also haven't been feeling 100%, and can tell my body is fighting some kind of cold germ, so I'm letting myself rest without too much guilt.) As soon as I feel better I'm going to add at least some form of exercise into every day, whether it be cardio, strength training or yoga.
There's one week left in January, and even though I still have a lot of work to do this year, i'm excited by how my first month is going.
Did you set resolutions? Have you kept them? I'd love to hear from you, so feel free to comment or strike up a conversation with me on Facebook. :)
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Week 1: January Check-In
It's been one week since I wrote my January resolution post, and i'm happy to report that I've been meeting many of my goals to get healthy this month.
I've been using MyFitnessPal to track all my food, and while I've been over my allotted calories more days than not, I'm happy that I'm at least tracking.
I've been doing cardio work-outs most days. (I work on a 3 days of working out followed by 1 day off schedule.) I started out running at night after the kids went to bed and I had done all my computer work. It ended up being 9pm by the time I actually got around to it, and I would feel nauseous from being so tired. Now I'm trying to squeeze it in during nap time instead which is working out much better. (Eventually I'd like to get up early enough to do it before kids wake up.)
I've also been doing well waking up when the alarm goes off at 6am so I can have a cup of coffee and start the day with a little me-time. (I do hit the snooze a few times though...I'd like to stop that part!)
Things I haven't done quite so well:
-Drink water. I just forget. I need to track the glasses I drink to keep myself accountable.
-Snack less. I have good days and bad days with this one.
-Go to bed by 11. It's still closer to 11:30 most nights. I'm determined to change that.
I'm going to keep plugging away at all these goals to make myself healthier in January. Did you make any goals/resolutions? Have you been keeping them?
I've been using MyFitnessPal to track all my food, and while I've been over my allotted calories more days than not, I'm happy that I'm at least tracking.
I've been doing cardio work-outs most days. (I work on a 3 days of working out followed by 1 day off schedule.) I started out running at night after the kids went to bed and I had done all my computer work. It ended up being 9pm by the time I actually got around to it, and I would feel nauseous from being so tired. Now I'm trying to squeeze it in during nap time instead which is working out much better. (Eventually I'd like to get up early enough to do it before kids wake up.)
I've also been doing well waking up when the alarm goes off at 6am so I can have a cup of coffee and start the day with a little me-time. (I do hit the snooze a few times though...I'd like to stop that part!)
Things I haven't done quite so well:
-Drink water. I just forget. I need to track the glasses I drink to keep myself accountable.
-Snack less. I have good days and bad days with this one.
-Go to bed by 11. It's still closer to 11:30 most nights. I'm determined to change that.
I'm going to keep plugging away at all these goals to make myself healthier in January. Did you make any goals/resolutions? Have you been keeping them?
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Project 10 Week 3
I can't believe that a week has gone by and it's time for another Project 10 post. Wow, time flies.
Unfortunately I have not had a good week again. I go days without even remembering that i'm supposed to be focusing on getting healthy and fit. However, even without thinking about it I've done some positive things. Things like:
-Drinking water. We've had some really hot days, so I've been drinking more water than usual, which takes care of that goal.
-Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. There are so many delicious things in season which means a lot of sales on fresh produce. We have a great local market that I go to at least once a week to stock up, and I let Stephanie help pick out the fruit for the week. (As for fresh veggies, she really only likes cucumbers and grape tomatoes. I bought a big bag of carrot sticks, and I have her eat one a day. I'm hoping she'll eventually develop a taste for them.)
-Walking. Every day that it hasn't rained I've gone out for a walk with the kids, which gives me energy. And pushing the double stroller is definitely a work-out.
Things I haven't been doing so well with:
-Eating less junk. There has been a lot of pizza, ice-cream, brownies and cupcakes this week.
-Snacking less. I still can't seem to curb the urge to snack in the afternoon and in the evening.
-Snacking healthier. I have bought fresh fruit and veggies, but I just don't seem to go to them when I want to snack.
-Keeping my food journal. I seemed to have completely lost the motivation to do this, but I think that's ok. The week that I did keep the journal helped make me more aware and conscious of the food I'm putting in my body. (It hasn't yet altered any of my food choices, but at least I'm acknowledging that I'm shoveling in junk food as i'm doing it...)
Based on these things, I've decided to try something different this week. Instead of setting specific goals, i'm going to give myself rewards for the things that I do right.
As a broad, project-wide reward, I've decided that I am not allowed to buy any new clothes for myself until I've dropped the 10 pounds that I've pledged to lose. I LOVE to shop, so this will hopefully be a big motivator for me. Once I reach my goal weight, I will treat myself to a new outfit.
For a short term reward this week, i'm using wine as a motivator. I love to relax with a glass at the end of the night, when the house is quiet. So, if I stick to my snacking "rules" during the day, I can reward myself with that small glass of wine. (The rules being, if I choose to snack, I make myself one wholesome, healthy snack, and that's it. No going back to the kitchen 5 more times for something else to eat.) If I have gone overboard on the snacks, or chosen things that are clearly unhealthy (like a giant brownie. Or a donut.) then I don't get to have wine that night.
I'll start with this, and see how it goes. I'm also going to continue making sure I have at least one serving of fruit and vegetables with every meal. Lately we've been devouring raspberries and blueberries for breakfast, red grapes and carrot sticks at lunch, and frozen veggies at dinner. I'm going to stock up on all of those tomorrow at the store, along with cucumber, avocados, bananas and watermelon.
Here's to a healthy week for all of us! Next week, along with reporting my progress, I'd like to create a lunch menu for myself. I'd love to hear some of your ideas for healthy lunches so that I can use them to help create my menu!
And as usual, if you'd like to link-up with Project 10 you can do so below, and check out some of the other amazing women who are on this journey with me. Thanks to Stephanie at Stephanie's Mommy Brain for putting this project together!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Surviving the Exhaustion
Sleep?
I don't get much of it. At all. I know I talk about it a lot (probably too much for many of you) but truly, when you don't get sleep it's all you can think about. Instead of lamenting my tiredness and circling around the reasons for Joseph's night waking and possible solutions for it, i'm giving you my tips for dealing with the lack of sleep. Because lets face it, after 6.5 months where the longest stretch I've gotten is 4 hours, i'm pretty much an expert.
Drink
1. Coffee. Obviously i'm touting the benefits of this one. The caffeine wakes me up of course, but so does simply smelling it. While the first pot of the morning brews, the scent triggers parts of my brain which tell me "hey, it's time to look alive!" I also love the taste, so on those mornings where I could potentially be pretty miserable, it perks me up and makes me happy. I am also back to my daily Dunkin Donuts habit, which I refuse to apologize for. I deserve it!
2. Water, water, water. When i'm tired, the last thing I want to do is add dehydration to the mix. I drink one glass of water for every cup of coffee, and then continue to drink water throughout the day. Even though recent research has suggested that 8 glasses aren't necessary, I do my best to get and exceed that amount. It helps my body feel more alert and less sluggish.
3. Wine. When I finally get Joseph settled for the night (wait, let me rephrase. If I can finally get Joseph settled for the night) I like to relax with one glass of wine. I keep it to 2 or 3 nights a week, which makes it a relaxing treat. I enjoy the taste of red wine, and it's something I can look forward to and enjoy before heading into a night where I may possibly be pacing the floors for hours on end.
Food
1. Less sugar. I've noticed that when I consume large amounts of refined sugar I feel awful. I have a stomachache, I'm cranky, I get headaches and i'm beyond the point of sluggishness. That's not good when you're already running on little to no sleep. But I've often found that when i'm overtired my first reaction is to reach for a piece of chocolate or a cookie. I've forced myself to stop doing that, which has made a huge difference in the way my body feels.
2. More fruits and veggies. These foods naturally contain a lot of water, which aids in the prevention of dehydration. They also make me feel fuller longer so i'm less apt to binge on the sugary, processed foods that make me more tired. I've made it a point to include a serving of either fruit or veggies during breakfast, lunch and snacks and two servings at dinner.
Exercise
1. When i'm tired, the last thing I want to do is work out. But it does give me energy, and an afternoon walk outside is just the thing to get me through the rest of the evening. The fresh air is an added bonus, but even on bad weather days I will get up and do some jumping jacks or dancing with Stephanie in the afternoon. Anything to get the blood flowing through my body.
2. Yoga. I've never taken a structured class, and for all I know i'm doing all the moves wrong and have terrible form. But boy do I love yoga. I've started incorporating it into my daily life and I feel happier, more relaxed, more energized, and more peaceful. I've also noticed my body becoming more toned, which is an added bonus. I use the yoga moves from our Wii fit, but even if I don't want to take the time to boot up the system I will do a move or two anytime I find myself sliding into exhaustion and crankiness. The mats we put down to prevent Joseph from slamming his head on the concrete floor have the added benefit of being an always-there yoga mat as well.
Clearly none of these things is a perfect substitute for a full night's sleep. But as any mom knows, there really isn't such a thing as a full night's sleep once you have kids. Even if your child has slept great since he/she was tiny, most moms deal with night waking at least a few times a week. Sometimes it's a nightmare, sometimes it's needing to use the potty (or wetting the bed), sometimes it's teething pain, sometimes it's just lonely kids who want to cuddle with mommy in the middle of the night. Whatever it is that's causing your tiredness, I hope you find some of these tips useful. They have definitely been a lifesaver for me lately.
I don't get much of it. At all. I know I talk about it a lot (probably too much for many of you) but truly, when you don't get sleep it's all you can think about. Instead of lamenting my tiredness and circling around the reasons for Joseph's night waking and possible solutions for it, i'm giving you my tips for dealing with the lack of sleep. Because lets face it, after 6.5 months where the longest stretch I've gotten is 4 hours, i'm pretty much an expert.
Drink
1. Coffee. Obviously i'm touting the benefits of this one. The caffeine wakes me up of course, but so does simply smelling it. While the first pot of the morning brews, the scent triggers parts of my brain which tell me "hey, it's time to look alive!" I also love the taste, so on those mornings where I could potentially be pretty miserable, it perks me up and makes me happy. I am also back to my daily Dunkin Donuts habit, which I refuse to apologize for. I deserve it!
2. Water, water, water. When i'm tired, the last thing I want to do is add dehydration to the mix. I drink one glass of water for every cup of coffee, and then continue to drink water throughout the day. Even though recent research has suggested that 8 glasses aren't necessary, I do my best to get and exceed that amount. It helps my body feel more alert and less sluggish.
3. Wine. When I finally get Joseph settled for the night (wait, let me rephrase. If I can finally get Joseph settled for the night) I like to relax with one glass of wine. I keep it to 2 or 3 nights a week, which makes it a relaxing treat. I enjoy the taste of red wine, and it's something I can look forward to and enjoy before heading into a night where I may possibly be pacing the floors for hours on end.
Food
1. Less sugar. I've noticed that when I consume large amounts of refined sugar I feel awful. I have a stomachache, I'm cranky, I get headaches and i'm beyond the point of sluggishness. That's not good when you're already running on little to no sleep. But I've often found that when i'm overtired my first reaction is to reach for a piece of chocolate or a cookie. I've forced myself to stop doing that, which has made a huge difference in the way my body feels.
2. More fruits and veggies. These foods naturally contain a lot of water, which aids in the prevention of dehydration. They also make me feel fuller longer so i'm less apt to binge on the sugary, processed foods that make me more tired. I've made it a point to include a serving of either fruit or veggies during breakfast, lunch and snacks and two servings at dinner.
Exercise
1. When i'm tired, the last thing I want to do is work out. But it does give me energy, and an afternoon walk outside is just the thing to get me through the rest of the evening. The fresh air is an added bonus, but even on bad weather days I will get up and do some jumping jacks or dancing with Stephanie in the afternoon. Anything to get the blood flowing through my body.
2. Yoga. I've never taken a structured class, and for all I know i'm doing all the moves wrong and have terrible form. But boy do I love yoga. I've started incorporating it into my daily life and I feel happier, more relaxed, more energized, and more peaceful. I've also noticed my body becoming more toned, which is an added bonus. I use the yoga moves from our Wii fit, but even if I don't want to take the time to boot up the system I will do a move or two anytime I find myself sliding into exhaustion and crankiness. The mats we put down to prevent Joseph from slamming his head on the concrete floor have the added benefit of being an always-there yoga mat as well.
Clearly none of these things is a perfect substitute for a full night's sleep. But as any mom knows, there really isn't such a thing as a full night's sleep once you have kids. Even if your child has slept great since he/she was tiny, most moms deal with night waking at least a few times a week. Sometimes it's a nightmare, sometimes it's needing to use the potty (or wetting the bed), sometimes it's teething pain, sometimes it's just lonely kids who want to cuddle with mommy in the middle of the night. Whatever it is that's causing your tiredness, I hope you find some of these tips useful. They have definitely been a lifesaver for me lately.
Monday, February 13, 2012
I Lost the "Weight Loss" Drive...
I was doing so well with my health routine. For the entire month of January I ate right, exercised 5-6 nights a week, did ab workouts 4-5 times a week, and lost 10 (!) pounds. I was so excited, because I have never successfully started a weight-loss "program" and kept at it for more than a day or two. Sadly, the drive didn't last into February.
For some reason, I totally lost it this month. I started slowly, by dropping a workout here and there. Then the ab work started slipping. Then I started snacking more frequently. Then we had several nights in a row where we went out to eat. Then we had Stephanie's birthday goodies. And then last night, I hit my own personal rock bottom.
I've mentioned before how proud I was for not snacking at night anymore. No matter what other healthy habits were slipping, that one stayed strong. But then last night I started eating and just ate and ate and ate. I felt so gross and disgusting afterwards, so right then and there I made the decision to jump right back up and start the healthy habits all over again.
I woke up this morning even more determined to get back on track. I feel so much better when i'm eating right and exercising. I have more energy and patience, and i'm a much happier wife and mommy. It's good for me both mentally and physically, and it's also a morale boost to know that I can achieve my weight-loss goals.
I've done well so far today, and once all of the birthday and Valentine's Day treats are out of the house, I know i'll do even better. It's an uphill battle for me, and one that i'm determined to conquer. But I know I can do it. My goal is to be at my pre-Stephanie weight by the time Joseph is 7 months old on May 13th!
Here are some of the things i'm going to do to ensure I reach that goal:
~Drink water all day long
~Stock the refrigerator and cupboards with healthy, quick snacks
~Have a filling breakfast
~Portion out my snacks so that I know exactly how much i'm eating at a time
~Work out every night. (By saying this, I won't be able to put it off one night and say "oh, I don't feel like it tonight, which is ok since I only need to do it 3 nights a week. This is a recipe for putting it off and putting it off, and then missing an entire week. If I plan to do it every night, then it's ok when I have a night where I really can't.)
~Ab work every afternoon (Same principle as the exercise every night theory.)
~Plan healthy meals in advance so that I have all the ingredients in the house (There's nothing like going to start a meal and realizing i'm short an ingredient. That's a sure-fire way to ensure i'll eat an unhealthy dinner.)
I know these are small things, but I believe they will make all the difference.
For some reason, I totally lost it this month. I started slowly, by dropping a workout here and there. Then the ab work started slipping. Then I started snacking more frequently. Then we had several nights in a row where we went out to eat. Then we had Stephanie's birthday goodies. And then last night, I hit my own personal rock bottom.
I've mentioned before how proud I was for not snacking at night anymore. No matter what other healthy habits were slipping, that one stayed strong. But then last night I started eating and just ate and ate and ate. I felt so gross and disgusting afterwards, so right then and there I made the decision to jump right back up and start the healthy habits all over again.
I woke up this morning even more determined to get back on track. I feel so much better when i'm eating right and exercising. I have more energy and patience, and i'm a much happier wife and mommy. It's good for me both mentally and physically, and it's also a morale boost to know that I can achieve my weight-loss goals.
I've done well so far today, and once all of the birthday and Valentine's Day treats are out of the house, I know i'll do even better. It's an uphill battle for me, and one that i'm determined to conquer. But I know I can do it. My goal is to be at my pre-Stephanie weight by the time Joseph is 7 months old on May 13th!
Here are some of the things i'm going to do to ensure I reach that goal:
~Drink water all day long
~Stock the refrigerator and cupboards with healthy, quick snacks
~Have a filling breakfast
~Portion out my snacks so that I know exactly how much i'm eating at a time
~Work out every night. (By saying this, I won't be able to put it off one night and say "oh, I don't feel like it tonight, which is ok since I only need to do it 3 nights a week. This is a recipe for putting it off and putting it off, and then missing an entire week. If I plan to do it every night, then it's ok when I have a night where I really can't.)
~Ab work every afternoon (Same principle as the exercise every night theory.)
~Plan healthy meals in advance so that I have all the ingredients in the house (There's nothing like going to start a meal and realizing i'm short an ingredient. That's a sure-fire way to ensure i'll eat an unhealthy dinner.)
I know these are small things, but I believe they will make all the difference.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Five on Friday: Get Healthy Edition
This week brings you five healthy habits I've stuck with so far this year. (I know, I know...it's been less than a week. But I figure that if I tell all my readers i'm sticking with these habits, it will hold me accountable and I won't give them up.) As a bonus, i'll share with you the five habits I still need to work on.
Healthy Habit Success Stories:
1. Exercise. I've been doing both strength training and cardio every day this week. My husband, who works for a University, has a few weeks off this month, so I'm taking advantage of him being home at night. I put Stephanie to bed at 7, and then use the Wii Fit for 30 minutes while Dan holds or feeds Joseph. I feel happier, less stressed, and healthier. It's amazing what a week of exercise can do for you.
2. Eating less. I cut out my morning snack, and instead only eat breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. I also cut out eating after dinner. I have not had one morsel of food once the final meal is finished all week. This is huge for me, since I have a tendency to pig out at night.
3. No alcohol. I'm not giving up my wine completely, but right now I need to lose weight and get healthy, so my plan is to limit it to two glasses per week. So far I haven't had any since New Years Eve.
4. Tea at night. I keep hearing about the benefits of green tea, so I've been making myself a cup every night after my workout. If nothing else, it helps me relax and makes me full enough to not turn to snacking.
5. Sneaking in exercise. I look for every opportunity during the day to burn a few more calories. When Joseph is fussy and i'm bouncing with him, I engage my ab muscles. When Stephanie is being whiny, I put music on and we have impromptu dance parties. While i'm brushing my teeth, i'll do a few squats. When I walk to the car, i'll skip with Stephanie. I know these are tiny examples, but I figure every little bit counts!
Things to keep working on:
1. Drink more water. I keep forgetting to do this, even though I find myself so thirsty during the day. And of course we all know that being hydrated is key to weight loss, as well as being a general healthy habit.
2. Incorporating healthier options into my meals. I don't eat nearly enough vegetables, so I am going to make it a goal to have some with both lunch and dinner every day.
3. Eating less at meals. I think i'm making up for the lost snack by adding extra food into my lunches. For example, yesterday I made a salad with turkey & cheese in it, and some strawberries on the side. Then I said hmm, I think I might still be hungry, so I ate a Nature's Valley Granola bar. In reality, I know that should have counted as my snack, but I still had another one with Stephanie at 3:00.
4. Sleep. I know how important this is to my general help, and I also know i'm not getting enough. Joseph no longer gets up to eat in the night, but he does wake frequently, and every time he does, so do I. I get out of bed, pat him, and put his pacifier back in. This disrupts my sleep cycle and makes me tired all day long. I know there isn't anything I can do about it right now, but to make up for it I want to start going to bed at 10:30 instead of 11. This way I can get an extra half hour of sleep while he is in the middle of his longest stretch of restful snoozing.
5. Sticking with my plan. I have a habit of being all gung-ho about eating right and exercising, but then letting it fall away after a week or two. My continued goal is to stick with it! I want to see results, and i'm really serious about working hard to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight.
*I'm trying out "Five on Friday" instead of "Friday Fives." I like that a lot better...
Healthy Habit Success Stories:
1. Exercise. I've been doing both strength training and cardio every day this week. My husband, who works for a University, has a few weeks off this month, so I'm taking advantage of him being home at night. I put Stephanie to bed at 7, and then use the Wii Fit for 30 minutes while Dan holds or feeds Joseph. I feel happier, less stressed, and healthier. It's amazing what a week of exercise can do for you.
2. Eating less. I cut out my morning snack, and instead only eat breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. I also cut out eating after dinner. I have not had one morsel of food once the final meal is finished all week. This is huge for me, since I have a tendency to pig out at night.
3. No alcohol. I'm not giving up my wine completely, but right now I need to lose weight and get healthy, so my plan is to limit it to two glasses per week. So far I haven't had any since New Years Eve.
4. Tea at night. I keep hearing about the benefits of green tea, so I've been making myself a cup every night after my workout. If nothing else, it helps me relax and makes me full enough to not turn to snacking.
5. Sneaking in exercise. I look for every opportunity during the day to burn a few more calories. When Joseph is fussy and i'm bouncing with him, I engage my ab muscles. When Stephanie is being whiny, I put music on and we have impromptu dance parties. While i'm brushing my teeth, i'll do a few squats. When I walk to the car, i'll skip with Stephanie. I know these are tiny examples, but I figure every little bit counts!
Things to keep working on:
1. Drink more water. I keep forgetting to do this, even though I find myself so thirsty during the day. And of course we all know that being hydrated is key to weight loss, as well as being a general healthy habit.
2. Incorporating healthier options into my meals. I don't eat nearly enough vegetables, so I am going to make it a goal to have some with both lunch and dinner every day.
3. Eating less at meals. I think i'm making up for the lost snack by adding extra food into my lunches. For example, yesterday I made a salad with turkey & cheese in it, and some strawberries on the side. Then I said hmm, I think I might still be hungry, so I ate a Nature's Valley Granola bar. In reality, I know that should have counted as my snack, but I still had another one with Stephanie at 3:00.
4. Sleep. I know how important this is to my general help, and I also know i'm not getting enough. Joseph no longer gets up to eat in the night, but he does wake frequently, and every time he does, so do I. I get out of bed, pat him, and put his pacifier back in. This disrupts my sleep cycle and makes me tired all day long. I know there isn't anything I can do about it right now, but to make up for it I want to start going to bed at 10:30 instead of 11. This way I can get an extra half hour of sleep while he is in the middle of his longest stretch of restful snoozing.
5. Sticking with my plan. I have a habit of being all gung-ho about eating right and exercising, but then letting it fall away after a week or two. My continued goal is to stick with it! I want to see results, and i'm really serious about working hard to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight.
*I'm trying out "Five on Friday" instead of "Friday Fives." I like that a lot better...
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