Healthy Children

The one thing I wanted to accomplish on my lifestyle uproot was to make sure my children continued to live a healthy active life. This can be hard when you work full time, my husband works full time and well sometimes there is just not enough hours in the day. However, we have successfully done it!.

I have never been one to feed my kids junk food, unless it is a special treat. I have maybe let them have pop 5x in their 4 years of life and that's very rare thing and likely only over the last year. My kids ask for water or milk to drink over juices, and run like bats out of hell wherever they go. My mom always cooked us healthy meals with a warm vegetable, a salad, meat and a carbohydrate. However, it wasn't the healthy meals she fed us that made me fat.... It was the snacks she had in our house. We were the family that could have 10 snacks a day, they could be chips, sugary cereals, pop, chocolate, and all those fake fruit treats ( i.e. fruit by the foot) When I became a teenager, I chose those snacks all the time. I ate cookies for breakfast with a coke at school... I'd buy fries and gravy as a mid afternoon spare snack. I just ate like CRAP! I was very active but that didn't make up for all the crap I ate.

As an adult, it took me from 2000 to about 2003 to realize I was not only fatter.. ( size 24 now at this time) but I drank a case of full sugared pop on a weekly basis. I was at the point where I couldn't even handle owning a mirror. I completely changed how I ate when I started university and dropped down into a 18. Then I met my very lucky high metabolism husband, who didn't work out and ate whatever, whenever no problem diet.

Well needless to say... Back up to a size 24 I went. By the time we got married I was around the size 20-22 and to have kids I got myself down to a size 16.

Now back to healthy kids.... I refused to have my kids choose cheezies and juice for snacks. I didn't want my children to be overweight as kids and feel generally like crap all the time. I didn't want people ragging on them because of their weight and still don't.

I'm having wonderful success with this so far. They LOVE raw vegetables for the most part and beg for them at the store. A bag of snap peas or a cucumber doesn't last two days in our house. They would prefer cheese and crackers for a snack over cupcakes ( even when they ask for a cupcake they rarely eat it all, it's just to sweet)

Last night, Ainsley was going to her Zumba ( one of the many activities they have been in - soccer, swimming, mini chefs, and gymnastics as well) class and having an Easter party. We made small cupcakes and didn't opt to share a drink because cupcakes were sugary enough and there is a water fountain out the door. Ainsley came back to say she was thrilled with her party and someone brought mini carrots too! She however didn't really elaborate on the Coke that was brought to drink (which she never finished) nor on the over chocolate overload cupcakes covered in sprinkles.

To say the least when my kids through tantrums over snap peas, ask for cucumbers at supper when they don't see a salad and beg for carrots when I'm peeling them. I think I have done an alright job!

30 Day Challenge!

We all know that the journeys to fitness, no matter your shape or size, is a HUGE challenge. It takes a lot of work to be committed, focused and motivated. Those are three terms that hold heavy meanings.. you have to figure out how you need to lose weight from nutrition and exercise to understanding why you are about to take this lifestyle change or how you go to the shape/size you are.

I found a picture from December 2010 on a holiday with my dear hubby to Nashville and Memphis Tennessee for New Years. I remember a lot of the clothes I owned at this point, in fact I still have some of them! I remember fooling myself to think I was a size 18 in this picture when I had to buy size 22 jeans while on this trip. So here it is... in 2 years I have changed from barely fitting into a size 22  jeans...to a 36" waist.

 

 

 

I've met some really awesome people on My Fitness Pal, one of which has now become a Beach Body Coach and is running challenges to keep his friends motivated. I started mine yesterday. It runs for 30 days and we keep accountable to one another in the group, every one's diaries are open to see our food choices etc.

 

Day 1 - Challenge - commit to eating clean, working out daily and take a picture of what you look like now. 



 ** I was able to do all of this that day while being home with a sick child, not feeling well myself and definitely wanting to eat chocolate not salad!

Day 2 - Challenge - Sit down and make a list of all the reasons you want to lose weight. Then post it EVERYWHERE you will look at it daily

 On my desk at work!

 

 

On my visor in my car!

 

 

On my fridge!

 

 

 

On my bathroom mirror!

 

 

 

I will definitely continue to post updates on how the challenge goes! I'm pretty excited about how this turns out!

 

 

Cheers! 

 

 

** Update.. Uhh the dude that was conducting the challenge.. he buggered off..lol I am not sure what went on. We did a few challenges and then I stopped getting emails etc. However after 30 days, I am down into a size 16 pants easily by committing to tracking daily. I didnt get in all the work outs and not always ate the best but I did commit to tracking that. I dropped a good 8 lbs and it got me down into those snug pants with ease! ** 



 

Being a Mommy... Healthy Wife and Family!

I have found the last year has been a great challenge, I'm married and have twin 4 year olds.. trying to nurture these relationships, do everything we all must do to sustain a household along with keep every one's activities on par... is TIRING! Then I decide to finally work on myself... 1 year later I am still struggling to do all of it.

I have given myself numerous pep talks, allowing myself to understand that this journey to fit and healthy along with fat loss is not going to take one year alone when you have a family.. a busy one at that!

However, one year later I notice the differences in all of my family members. My husband is very supportive and assisting when I need to get to the gym. In fact, today he set up my treadmill while I napped to ensure I got some running in today. ( It is blizzarding here AGAIN!) If I want to get running a 10km, I had better start somewhere since Spring is nowhere to be found. He is also very conscience of what food he brings into the house, what he buys at the store and talking me out of ordering appetizers at midnight when not needed! Its very valuable to have a partner who supports, motivates you and assists you in your change.

My one daughter begged to stay downstairs with me while I ran, she stood close to the treadmill, made sure my water was full and even ran for a sweat towel. I'm battling a cold and was really struggling and was giving up after 10 minutes when I heard from the McQueen Cars tent " Go Mommy Go! Go Mommy Go!" so I battled my way through some more running and walked 25 minutes. I find treadmill running DREADFUL! But I need to get to it. So even 10 minutes of running is a feat for me!

Not long after I was done, I was trying to work out my calorie burnt numbers when my daughters come down to tell me they need to exercise and they have their runners on to go ! Both of my girls hopped on the treadmill and took their turns! Holding on.. walking hard and talking about how exercise is so important! They made my day!!

Here is my youngest twin doing her work out! She did 10 minutes on the treadmill and I had to beg her to take a break! Her and her sister have gotten a Yoga DVD as well and LOVE to work out in the basement to that!

The greatest change over the last year is the view of myself through the eyes of my children! I can do ANYTHING! I may not be able to run 5 kms in 25 minutes.. I may not be able to run 10 kms yet.. however to Hydie and Ainsley I am a marathon runner and off to the Olympics!! Every cheer from my children and Husband allow me to continue. I have went from only being able to run 1 minute at a time.. to constantly run 5 kms. I have went from doing body weight squats to squatting 135 lbs on a barbell, 100 lbs bench presses and deadlifting 115 lbs as well. I have dropped 2 dress sizes and see shape in my body.. and most of all... I have taught my family that having snacks of cheese, fruit and eating salad is our better options. In fact, I tried to give Hydie a treat of chips the other day and she had a meltdown demanding strawberries.

 Ainsley helping me make scrambled eggs!

 

Hydie loves her shakes! And now asks for @EnergyBits to be thrown in!

 

 Ainsley doing her yoga! This kid can pull off a tree pose like no ones business!

 

 

How has your life change included your family?!


Cheers!

Success.. and How I make it Reality!

This journey for me has been a year long so far... I haven't lost a lot of weight ( 16-18 lbs at this point) however I have transformed my body entirely.. From the shape to the fitness! I have lost 16 plus inches on my body, dropped 2 dress sizes and went from not running to being able to complete 5 kms within 40 minutes. ( not fast but COMPLETED!)

I found that tracking my food, first off in a binder than using the www.myfitnesspal.com site has been one of my sources of success...I spend 30 minutes or so on Sunday's making up my "Success Binder" menus for the week. This allows me to truly spend 30 minutes on myself and my family allowing us all to have proper nutrition. It also let's me see what my general intake should be, so if I have a bad day or busy at work day, I generally know what I NEED to fuel my body with.
I have noticed that when I do not plan my menus... I gain weight back and I feel generally like crap. This is a mind set problem.. just because I do not plan my menu doesn't mean the calories I put in my body aren't accounted for and I must be more aware of the amount I am eating.

I also enjoy having a on the go energy and protein packed snack! I found these bad boys through a friend on twitter and have been a fan ever since! In fact, I am such a fan the company made me a Brand Ambassador. So hit me up if you want to get some deals, or samples! These 100% all natural, vegan and organic bits of algae have allowed me to cut back on caffeine, they increase my energy and production in life generally and are a GREAT fuel at the gym!.
www.energybits.com

This is a photo of one of the meals I had this week. It was delicious!

I have never eaten nor cooked kale before, however I found a recipe on pintrest to stir fry up veggies, kale and cooked rice. I added some chili paste and it was amazing! I also get sick of bland boring chicken, so have been cooking it with chunky salsa and adding a little bit of cheese on the top prior to taking it out of the oven. AMAZING!

Pintrest is a wonderful way to keep food fresh, there are TONS of recipes and often you can search "Low sodium" or "low in fat" recipes as well and get numerous ideas. Keeping whats in my menu fresh with some old favorites also allows for success!

The other portion of my success... Keeping it fresh at the gym! I love my weight work outs! But if I decide one day that power cleans just aren't my thing... or I could careless to box jump Ill switch an exercise out from another work out and replace this one. I always make sure to complete all my work outs in a week but sometimes mixing it up is the key!


I also enjoy "treating" myself.. and this usually means new workout clothes! I am getting ready for spring running training and wanted to make sure I had some new duds.. It makes you feel fresh and ready for your activity. I don't like wearing sloppy clothes to the gym... you have mirrors everywhere!! This is the time to watch yourself exercise and see how your body has changed!

I have found that JC Penney and the GAP have wonderful and affordable workout attire, and JC Penney has wonderful sales right now!!

So my success is simply made... like it all should be! Being able to have simple workouts, simple menus and simple treats allow me to continue on. These are things I do not have to stress about.. now I can spend my time on telling myself I am doing awesome and to keep on!


We are all our worst enemy.. so eliminate the things that stress you.. make it easy and focus on changing your negative " I cant do this its to hard" thoughts! This change takes time.. wont happen over night nor over a week. Allow that!



Cheers!