So I said I was going to try to be better at house keeping, I am proud to say that I have done my dishes every day, and been doing at least a load of laundry a day too (that are not cloth diapers) I also decided it was time to lose the 20 some odd pounds I put on after Tiny was born, that's right AFTER I only have 4 pounds to lose from my pregnancy, the rest are from before and after. Le Sigh.
So I know that I am BAD at giving up food, and I remember seeing one of those "the more you know" commercials that said eating a healthy breakfast helps you weigh less, so do eating whole grains, and obviously cutting out "junk" now this is the hard part for me. "Junk" is not just sweets for me, or even potato chips, junk can also be me having a salty craving and eating an entire can of black olives on a whim. Yes I can see you over there making that disgusted look, but I don't say anything about some of the things you think are tasty and I think are beyond retched. But I also LOVE healthy foods like veggies and salads, my sister teases that I make them unhealthy with the amount of ranch I douse them in, and I always assumed she was right, but honestly I don't. I am also switching to "light" ranch as soon as I have finished using the 2 bottles in the pantry. I also stole her "secret" recipe for low cal veggie ranch dip, with is a 16oz tub of fat free sour cream and a packet of ranch dip powder, mix it up and leave it over night in the fridge to "get friendly", as those tv chefs say. I can eat 10 carrots and 10 green olives with a tbls and 1/2. That is a 107 cal snack. 50 of which is my green olives *Heart my vinegary foods*
So to help me on my journey to health I needed help. I am BAD at REMEBERING that I'm on a diet. I know I know I should remember, but then I get bored, or hungry, or have a random craving and find myself zombie like mowing threw something I really shouldn't eat, or should only eat so much of. So I made myself a "sticker chart" of sorts. I get X's in boxes for good behavior and get .25 towards a Mommy only fund. And I get blacked out boxes for bad behavior (junk food, ect) and I have to give up .50 from my mommy money. I also found a website and app called myfitnesspal. I LOVE it!
It helps you set goals and tells you how many calories you are allowed to eat in a day, you add in exercise you do and it gives you bonus calories. I think this is what motivates me. I'm given 1300 calories in a day. This seemed like SO MUCH, until I started adding "recipes" for my favorite foods. Yeah, no wonder I'm fat! If I don't go out for more walks (its summer and hot so our walks have tapered off) or SOMETHING then I don't burn calories and can't eat. Insert sad face here. So I look at that remaining calorie counter as a challenge. Hmm, well I just did house work, how many did I burn. Uh-huh, well I just spent 20 mins in the back yard WEEDING, what now. And then there is a feature that lets you see what fitness pal friends are doing, like Friend burned 700 calories today! and I look at my 300 and think, hmmm. What else can I do today to bump that number up. I am reminded of being in my weight lifting class in high school with 2 of my best friends. We were super competitive with each other. At first our teacher did not believe that we were doing reps of 300-500 calf raises, but we were, we had to one up each other constantly.
So to challenge my computerized nemesis (and new best friend) I chose to take the boys on a long walk today. At first I said 20 mins, then I pushed it to 30. I was SO proud of myself, pushing a 60 lbs load (preschooler and big stroller) and carrying a 19 lb baby on my back. I KNOW I burned more than the app is giving me credit for, but that's OK. I had my low cal veggie and vinegar snack, I am looking at dinner now. Im trying to add in more recipes that I can make quick and easy that are not canned. I also need to see about a few of my FAVORITES for this fall. During the fall and winter we are big on home made ground beef stew (my sister the genius because I hated the texture of beef chunks) and lasagna, shepards pie, ect, ect. These don't sound very healthy to me, I also have a hard time stopping when I start eating these delicious meals.
I guess I need a treadmill, then I can walk as I eat the bad stuff...
So how are all of you keeping active out there?
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Motherhood Humor
I need to print this out and put it on my fridge, and door, and vanity mirror. Just to remind myself how true it is, and that's its ok not to be perfect.
Motherhood and Serenity
Five days ago I packed myself and 2 small children, as well as all our luggage onto a train for a 4 hour ride. Yes I now realized the pure insanity in this! As the miles flew past my frustration grew and grew until I was ready to scream at the world. After our very very long trip I repack our little cart with all our luggage, strap the baby to my back and buckle the harness to Sam and we head to our destination, only mere blocks from the train station... All up hill. I don't mean, oh this is a little more difficult to walk. I mean bent nearly in half to have the leverage to push the cart up the hill, while wearing an 11 month old baby and leading a 5 year old child. I was already at my wits end by the time we stepped off the train. I am truly surprised I made it at all, but there was that stubborn streak that refused to be defeated.
We reach our destination, my best friend, and the boys' godmother's, apartment. A 3rd floor walk up with steep rickety stairs. For the first time in my life I stood waiting un awkwardly. Knowing I looked out of place, knowing that people were staring, and I didn't care. I didn't have the energy left for it. After what seemed hours, and was less than 10 mins, Bekah arrived home from work and carried most of the stuff up the stairs, giving me a much needed break. She even watched the children as I showered and washed off the sweat of frustration and exertion from my body.
But that night Sam regressed to his terrible bedtime behavior and I fought him for HOURS to lay down, eventually it was Bekah that coaxed and bribed him to bed. After a week of excellent behavior I felt like an utter failure again. Bekah reassured me it was the change of scenery and the new excitement that comes with it, but I was dubious.
I felt this was a less than good start to our 5 day vacation and that it all seemed so bleak as I could not handle this nightly. But finally he fell asleep, and eventually I did too.
The next day we went thrift shopping (a favorite pass time of ours) and I came across a book, one that is hardly a secret, but one I never thought to pick up before. "Chicken soup for the mother's soul" I had been deeply fond of the teenager ones when I was younger and grabbed it on a whim as it was only $1.50. I began reading it and with each story my stress and frustration building over the last year and a half slowly washed away on a tide of tears. I encountered women much like myself, imperfect and ignorant of what to do. Sharing stories that either touched my heart, or made me think of our lives. Others gave me ideas of how to be a better mother. As Bekah had to work much of the time we were there I spent my days making sure her immaculate home wasn't destroyed by my 5 year old tornado like ours has been. I hand washed dishes each day and spent time with my children and time reading quietly.
I began to feel a sense of contentment and peace within myself, finding that I COULD be that kind of mother, the one that keeps a perfect home and still does other things (This has inspired me to try harder at home, you will likely hear my adventures in this endeavor) I felt myself reminded that I chose to have my children because I loved them, I remembered what a gift I had been given in these amazing little boys. I also got to enjoy a little Skype and see the love of my life and hear his voice for the first time in 2 months. I was better able to handle the things Sam did that had been causing so much anger and frustration only days before. On the long drive home (no train thank god) we played games like I spy and Highway ABCs and that peace in my heart and soul remained. I found more joys in the shear brilliance of my oldest son, and the heart warming love for my youngest at the sounds of his babble and snores.
I feel like vacation only gave me part of this serenity, I feel that reading this book has helped me even more. I wonder what other inspirations there are for me to find, I also wonder if I will remember to look for them when I feel that frustration building again.
We reach our destination, my best friend, and the boys' godmother's, apartment. A 3rd floor walk up with steep rickety stairs. For the first time in my life I stood waiting un awkwardly. Knowing I looked out of place, knowing that people were staring, and I didn't care. I didn't have the energy left for it. After what seemed hours, and was less than 10 mins, Bekah arrived home from work and carried most of the stuff up the stairs, giving me a much needed break. She even watched the children as I showered and washed off the sweat of frustration and exertion from my body.
But that night Sam regressed to his terrible bedtime behavior and I fought him for HOURS to lay down, eventually it was Bekah that coaxed and bribed him to bed. After a week of excellent behavior I felt like an utter failure again. Bekah reassured me it was the change of scenery and the new excitement that comes with it, but I was dubious.
I felt this was a less than good start to our 5 day vacation and that it all seemed so bleak as I could not handle this nightly. But finally he fell asleep, and eventually I did too.
The next day we went thrift shopping (a favorite pass time of ours) and I came across a book, one that is hardly a secret, but one I never thought to pick up before. "Chicken soup for the mother's soul" I had been deeply fond of the teenager ones when I was younger and grabbed it on a whim as it was only $1.50. I began reading it and with each story my stress and frustration building over the last year and a half slowly washed away on a tide of tears. I encountered women much like myself, imperfect and ignorant of what to do. Sharing stories that either touched my heart, or made me think of our lives. Others gave me ideas of how to be a better mother. As Bekah had to work much of the time we were there I spent my days making sure her immaculate home wasn't destroyed by my 5 year old tornado like ours has been. I hand washed dishes each day and spent time with my children and time reading quietly.
I began to feel a sense of contentment and peace within myself, finding that I COULD be that kind of mother, the one that keeps a perfect home and still does other things (This has inspired me to try harder at home, you will likely hear my adventures in this endeavor) I felt myself reminded that I chose to have my children because I loved them, I remembered what a gift I had been given in these amazing little boys. I also got to enjoy a little Skype and see the love of my life and hear his voice for the first time in 2 months. I was better able to handle the things Sam did that had been causing so much anger and frustration only days before. On the long drive home (no train thank god) we played games like I spy and Highway ABCs and that peace in my heart and soul remained. I found more joys in the shear brilliance of my oldest son, and the heart warming love for my youngest at the sounds of his babble and snores.
I feel like vacation only gave me part of this serenity, I feel that reading this book has helped me even more. I wonder what other inspirations there are for me to find, I also wonder if I will remember to look for them when I feel that frustration building again.
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