Since it is a new month and I am really trying to hard to get back to my healthy self, I am setting up some new “rules” for myself. I write rules in quotes because you never know what might happen and I am not going to beat myself up is I break a rule once or twice. Rules we made for breaking, anyway, right?
I have been feeling a little out of whack lately. I seem to be spinning in circles which leads to feeling like I am doing everything half-assed. The best way for me to change that is try to get all my ducks in a row. I tried catching up on some work this weekend and mapped out my plan of attack to get things moving in the right direction. The main goal is just to be conscious and think about what I am and am not doing everyday so I can be my best self!
1. Eat what I pack. When it comes to lunch during the week, I can only eat what I bring with me. Since I work with kids, I am in snack heaven (or hell) for 8 hours everyday. I will find myself reaching for a stray string cheese or cracker even though I may not be hungry. This rule will help me think about what I am eating and plan ahead. The exception to this rule is fresh fruits and veggies. I can snack on all the carrot sticks I want.
2. Fit it in This rule is all about making an effort to be active. I really want to kick my workouts up a notch, and while my strolls with Cash are one of the best parts of my day, I need to kick my butt when I have the chance too. It will take a little extra time and effort, but I know it will be worth it to spend time working myself out everyday.
3. Watch portions. Portions are my arch nemesis. I just love food too much! I generally eat very healthy and keep only healthy foods in the house, but too much of anything is a bad thing. I will be making an effort to watch my portions. This is really only an issue with dinner and dining out. I will serve myself the appropriate portion and skip seconds. This rule is much easier said than done!
4. Limit desserts. Again, a rule that is easier said than done. I don’t believe in cutting anything out completely (with the exception of things like trans fats). I know myself well enough that I would just be setting myself up for failure or complete misery. Rather than eliminate desserts completely, I plan to have dessert only a few times a week not every night. Rule 3 will also help to keep desserts in check.
Do you have any food or exercise rules you live by or try to add to your routine?
New Rules February 8, 2010
Super Bowl Sunday February 7, 2010
Happy Super Bowl Sunday. Who are you rooting for? While I have no strong ties with either team, I will be cheering for the Saints. I love an underdog and THEY HAVE NEVER WON A SUPER BOWL! Either way, it will be a fun day.
We will be hosting our 3rd annual Super Bowl party. The Super Bowl actually has some significance in Aaron and my life. Just a couple weeks after we started dating, we traveled to Las Vegas for Super Bowl weekend. Aaron had gone several years in a row, and I had been invited by our mutual friends before Aaron and I even knew each other. I was so nervous when we started dating because I wanted it to at least work out for a couple weeks so Vegas wouldn’t be awkward. Well, 4 Super Bowls later and we have never looked back! We had a great weekend together in Vegas together. Every year since then we have hosted our friends at our house for food, beer, and fun! The Super Bowl is something we look forward to every year!
Aaron has green chili in the crock pot, brownies are in the oven, beer is in the fridge and friends are on their way (in like 6 hours) with more yumminess. We are also making tomato basil pizza and I will cut up some veggies just for good measure. But it’s Super Bowl Sunday and I don’t plan to be a perfect eater. I will just try to control myself and sit as far away from the food as possible.
I leave you with some Super Bowl facts:
- 8 million pounds of guacamole is consumed on Super Bowl Sunday. We aren’t having any at our house.
- Colts owner Jim Irsay is footing the bill for 400 people -Colts employees and their guests- to attend the Super Bowl. Pretty cool!
- Of the top 10 most watched television programs of all time, 9 of them are Super Bowls
- Over 700,000 footballs are produced annually for official NFL use and 72 of them are used for the Super Bowl.
- Super Bowl fans spend more than $50 million on food during the 4 days prior to the super bowl.
Iron Deficiency February 4, 2010
I have been really slacking on my strength training recently. I have been letting my schedule get the best of me and skimping on the weights. I lot of my exercise consists of walk/running Cash and then trying to squeeze in a run myself. That means I rarely see the gym or my free weights at home. The result is a totally lack of toning in my arms, legs and abs which I hate. While I haven’t gained any weight from skipping the weights, I know I have lost muscle.
It is my mission to change the facts above. I will be making it a priority to fit in resistance training. Whether it is a full strength workout at the gym, a DVD at home, or push ups when I have a few extra minutes.
I don’t know about you, but it is hard work for me to tone up, yet I lose definition so easy. It just isn’t fair! Do you have any no-fail strength moves to tone up quick? My favorites are push ups, tricep dips, planks, and walking lunges.
Let Mission Muscle Building begin!
Funny February 2, 2010
It’s funny how a lot of people drop off the New Years Resolution bandwagon come February because I am kind of the opposite. Well, at least this year I am. After the craziness of the holidays and recovering from being sick, January just sort of got away from me.
When I did make it to the gym, it was SO busy. It was usually after work and the time of day plus the time of year equaled lines 5 people deep for the treadmill.
Today was a different story. There was actually a treadmill empty for about 3 minutes. Of course, when I hopped off the stairmill to snag it, someone beat me to the punch. I got in a good, fast workout consisting of stairmill, free weights and some eliptical.
Lunch on the Go and On a Budget February 2, 2010
I have always been a fan of bringing my lunch to work. When I worked in an office, I brought lunch everyday unless I knew I had a lunch meeting or a lunch for a special occasion. There were people in my office who ate out everyday. There weren’t that many places to choose from which would get boring, and I can only imagine how expensive that was. When I would go to the little grab and go place close to our office and get a Greek salad, it would still be like $8. I knew I never spent $8 a day on my lunches.
Some people have a hard time with the concept of bringing lunch to work. They may think it take too much time in the morning or that the only options are sandwiches. While sandwiches are a great option, there are lots of ways to be creative with your midday meal. You just have to think outside the whole wheat bread. Here are some thoughts.
- Repurpose leftovers. I always hear that leftovers are boring. First of all, if you make food you really like for dinner, you should be excited to eat it again the next day. But to prevent boredom, mix it up. Turn pasta in to soup, or soup into pasta. Get creative and you’ll be surprised how fun leftovers can be.
- Look for time savers. A couple weeks ago I picked up a pack of frozen brown rice and frozen Asian vegetables. Combining these for lunch lasted the whole week and cost a total of about $5. This week I combined a box of butternut squash soup with a can of cannelini beans, and some onion and garlic for a hearty, healthy soup that will stretch for the whole week. Cost? About $4 total.
- Prep the night before. Have leftovers? Pack a serving after dinner for the next day while you are cleaning up. Pack what you can for the whole week. Maybe bags of sliced veggies. If you plan ahead, you will set yourself up for success!
As a general rule, food you bring from home is almost always cheaper, healthier and tastes better than take out. Use what you have, include all the food groups and you will have a well-rounded lunch on your hands for little money!
