Today I want to share a personal triumph...I actually got up early, worked out, showered, had some quiet time to read/pray, and made a healthy breakfast for my family ALL BEFORE 3 out of my 4 fellow family members were out of bed (Max got up while I was working out and kept giving me crazy stares like "this is not, mom...she's usually still in bed when I get up!" It doesn't matter how late my kids go to bed, they are always up ridiculously early. This is why I've always shied away from getting up before them. I am NOT a morning person, but...)...It felt GREAT. And, while I am feeling a bit tired, I have to say I can definitely get used to this. It's a wonderful feeling to be up and prepared for the day and in turn be ready to give your family a wonderful start to their day.
So, I thought I'd share with you what my new plan is for the beginning of each day; the focus being on eating healthy and working out. In a later post I want to share with you my personal "Stay-at-Home Mommy Schedule". I'm a HUGE believer in schedules, to-do lists, and staying organized. And while I've failed at it a number of times over the years, I always give it another try. To me it is the ONLY way to make it through the day when you have several other people and things to focus on besides yourself. I've avidly researched other mommy's schedules to get ideas on how to make mine work and I've definitely found it can only be a guide, never something that is set in stone because you just can never plan for what will happen in your day. It's the same for eating healthy and working out...You will mess up, you will forget or just not fill like it one day, you will be tempted...And that's okay. Use it as a guide, do your best, and before you know it, it isn't something you have to do, it's something you want to do because you've naturally made a significant lifestyle change over time. Make it something simple for you to follow regardless of how easy or stupid it seems to someone else; only you know what you're capable of and whether or not, realistically, you can stick to it.
Eat Well.
Ohh, eating healthy...how I loathe thee!!! In all seriousness, there is a large part of me that really wants to eat healthy and make wise choices when it comes to what my family puts into their bodies. However, the other very large part of me really just wants to eat deliciously, sinful foods (hello, sweets!) all the time and indulge in anything and everything! I LOVE GOOD FOOD. I love to eat out, I love to cook and experiment with new recipes and new foods, and I really enjoy making up my own recipes, which I do frequently (let me say here that this DOES NOT apply to baking. See, I tend to not measure things, blame Rachael Ray if you need to, and this doesn't work well when you bake... Just a friendly head's up! When baking, you probably want to stick to the recipe. Unless of course this happens to be one of your talents, then by all means go ahead!). But really good food isn't usually healthy (plenty will disagree with me but you cannot substitute ooey-gooey sugar loaded yumminess with sugar free, carb-less desserts...you just can't, people. But it's time. I truly desire a healthier lifestyle and 2012 is the year I plan to make it happen. And so far I haven't been disappointed and my kids haven't noticed either (bonus!). Yesterday was the day I really began incorporating healthy meal choices into our diets. After a day spent grocery shopping and racking up a hefty bill, I had lots of fresh and healthy ingredients on hand and therefore felt inspired to begin. For dinner we had cauliflower crust pizza. Yes, I know it doesn't sound appealing and honestly it doesn't smell the best while you are preparing it, but it's totally worth the end result! It tastes pretty much like pizza (although mine didn't quite slice up like pizza, but it tastes like it all the same), it looks like pizza, and best of all you can indulge in several slices without having a horribly heavy, bloated, and guilt-ridden feeling that all that thick-doughy crust usually leaves you with. If you're interested in trying this version for yourself, here is the link to the recipe:
http://www.eat-drink-smile.com/2011/04/cauliflower-crust-pizza.html
The second healthy meal replacement option I've incorporated into my family's diet are good old Spinach Smoothies! I first heard of spinach smoothies last year from our family chiropractor. She swears by them and always starts her morning (and her family's morning) off with one. The benefits are AMAZING and best of all, if done right, you cannot taste the spinach at all. A salad in drink form...what a healthy, beneficial, and energizing way to get your family off on the right foot (and sneaking in those veggies for the kids...or yourself if you're like me and not a fan). I made the first one last night for Otto and I as a late night snack and we were both so impressed. I made a big batch this morning for the whole family as a simple, healthy breakfast and the kids were so excited to watch and then super eager to drink this new creation (that, before you add the fruit, is a vivid green color...what fun!). They did ask me while I was making it why I was putting "salad" in our smoothies, but after the first sip they were hooked! Please give spinach smoothies a try; as crazy as it sounds, it is worth it to your health and really does taste SO delicious! Here's the recipe I make:
The PopEye Smoothie
(makes two 8 oz servings)
1 cup vanilla no-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup 100% no sugar added cranberry juice
a generous handful of spinach (start here but once you're comfortable, do a small handful per serving...added benefits!)
*Pulse the above ingredients in a blender on low until spinach is chopped to fine pieces.
1 banana, cut up (fresh or frozen)
3 whole strawberries (fresh or frozen)
10 pieces of chopped mango (fresh or frozen)
(You can also use fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries in place of the mango or in addition to it. Be creative; this is very versatile. Flax can also be used for additional nutritional value.)
*Add to the blender and blend on low until "smoothie-like texture".
A few Ice cubes.
*Add to the blender and blend on high until incorporated.
*Pour into two glasses and ENJOY!
The original recipe, nutritional information, and more healthy smoothie recipes can be found at:
http://www.fitsugar.com/Healthy-Delicious-Spinach-Fruit-Smoothie-Recipe-10692176
Live Well.
One of the most important and valuable things you can do for yourself is to work out; the benefits aren't just physical; It also helps you to feel recharged, mentally and emotionally, too! I haven't always made this a priority in my life. In all honesty, it's been about 2 years since I've worked out consistently. Why I was successful then has a lot to with the fact that a. I had a buddy system in place to keep me accountable and to motivate me and b. before that I worked at Curves as a trainer and, well, it's kind of a job requirement. In my younger years I was quite active but I don't think it's something I even realized; it was as intricate a part of my life as attending school daily, sleeping, maybe even breathing so I never thought twice about it. I just did it. I have a total of 18 years experience in being an active participant in competitive power tumbling, cheer leading, dance, and track. To go from something like that to basically just loafing around is quite a lifestyle change! But anyone that's done any of those things for many hours a week for many years, probably has had a time when they wanted to do quite the opposite! While, at twenty-seven years of age, I don't think competitive tumbling or cheer leading is in the cards for me any longer, I do hope to regain some of that drive and desire back of keeping my body fit and healthy. And so it began today...the first (I'll admit it, baby steps) back into consistently working out. The plan? I found earlier this week an online blog by Lauren Conrad that had to do with exactly this topic. I don't typically follow her blogs but stumbled upon it and this caught my eye: "Shape Up: My 7 Days to Skinny Jeans Plan" and I began to read. It seemed simple enough, even for me, with some easy rules to follow to get you back into that pair of skinny jeans that were just a bit too tight after all that holiday indulging. And while my goal isn't exactly to fit back into a pair of pants (although I did dig out a pair of skinny jeans from 2008 that were hiding in the dark corners of my dresser drawers that were, yes, a bit tight), I did think it was a helpful, easy plan to get me motivated and ready to make a change. Some highlights? It's a one week commitment (I can do this!), you choose a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner option (she gives you many simple to prepare options so the work is done for you), and a once per day work out option (the work is done here too; she lists several plans for you). While I'm not doing exactly what she's laid out for meal plans (I've worked in some of my own), I am attempting to follow the workout plans as they seem, for the most part, beginner level and not too time consuming. Today I did the "circuit" plan which I tweaked to my own tastes a bit: 5 minute jog in place to warm up, 50 jumping jacks, 25 crunches, 25 squats, 10 push-ups, 25 lunges, 25 bench dips, 60 second wall sit, and a 60 second plank. I repeated this cycle twice and ended with a 5 minute jog-in-place cool down and some stretching. My legs were shaking and I was breathing heavy (a good indication that, yep, I'm out of shape). The whole thing took me about 30 minutes which was perfect; long enough to make me feel I accomplished something but not too long to where I wouldn't be up for doing it again. I really encourage you to try this if you're a "healthy eating/working out-aphobe". It's simple and really reaffirms that, after-all, "yes you can do this!!". Over the next several weeks I plan to definitely step it up, of course. I'd like to get back to my morning runs as I really do love them (but hate it in the winter) and I'd also really like to start yoga and pilates. I'll keep you updated on my progress. If you'd like to learn more about Lauren's "7 Weeks to Skinny Jeans Challenge" you can go to the following link:
http://www.laurenconrad.com/post/shape-up-my-7-days-to-skinny-jeans-plan
After making the decision to change your lifestyle and start up a healthy diet and a consistent plan of working out (Eating Well and Living Well), I think you're well on your way to an abundant, long, full, and happy life don't you think? And really, who could ask for more?
Until next time, make the decision to...BE WELL!
~Mel
***Please share your healthy eating and work out tips, habits, recipes, and goals in the comments below. Let's motivate one another and get some accountability going here!!! :)
***I tried to upload some pictures I took of my Cauliflower Crust Pizza and Popeye Smoothie but it was an unsuccessful attempt. Be patient with me, I'm new here...I'll get the hang of all this soon! :)
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