Preparing to start Atkins Diet to kick start Weight Loss Plan

I have done Atkins before after having my 2nd baby & I am going to give it a whirl again after Baby #3. I couldn't do it forever as a forever lifestyle, but it is a great kickstart to take the weight off and then I can maintain it in a non-atkins lifestyle.

So, here are my suggestions to prepare to get ready to do the Atkins thing. Take a full week - 7 days to prepare for your Atkins plan. Print out the Phase 1 List of Acceptable foods below and really study that list and go grocery shopping and buy things off this list. You want to be prepared from Day 1 to have the Acceptable Foods in your house. This will help so much with any temptations. If you have the foods stocked in your fridge that you can eat, it will make things so much easier on yourself.

Secondly, you should eat some of the items that you will not be able to eat for a while to sorta get it out of your system. So, don't gain 10 pounds the week before starting with your Atkins Induction, but eat a chocolate bar or ice cream or have a cookie. It makes it easier if you know that you had your last junk food the week before instead of lamenting once you start "I don't know when the last time I had pie was & now I can't have it for weeks!"

Click Here for downloadable & printable List of Acceptable Foods for Phase 1 of the Atkins Plan

Goal: Lose 20 pounds in 60 days - in a Healthy Way

Goal: Lose 20 pounds in 60 days!

My goal is to lose 20 pounds in 60 days in a healthy way! I have a big event exactly 60 days from now that I need to look sharp for and get a new suit and stand in front of a large group of professionals and speak.

I am not worried about the speaking part. I am worried about looking professional standing in front of a group. I don't have a suit that fits me right now and I don't want to spend $100 or more on a suit at this size.

Some of my strategies for this weight loss program:

Workout 2x a day
- one time running and other time doing something else like tennis, bike riding, spinning, weight lifting

Eat every 2 hours
- keep my blood sugar levels even and not highs and lows

Drink lots of water
- I plan on filling up a pitcher of water at the start of the day of how much water I need to drink for the day. Then I need to let everyone know that is Mommy's water only and finish it anyway I can before bedtime

Eat only 1 cup of anything
- I have been toying with this idea for a while of only having one cup of anything - vegetables or potatoes or meat at dinner, cereal in the morning, pasta at lunch. No more than one cup of any specific item.

Switching from Regular Soda Pop to Diet Soda Pop
- I have just one pop a day - I call it my Mommy Cocktail (no alcohol) at around 3pm to give me that little boost for the day. Sometimes, I save it for nightime like I did tonite if I am up working, blogging, or cleaning late.

When I am feeling Hungry
- drink some water and if still hungry chew some gum

So, there's my masterplan so far for the next 60 days. I hope that the meeting ahead is motivation enough to get this kick started - have to speak in front of professional group, will be video taped, have to invest in a business suit. Will this hold me to it and motivate me? I sure hope so! I so want to be at my pre-baby weight and wear my wedding rings again too!

What Can You Eat Before Working Out ?

I can't eat before working out. I can't eat before tennis, before running, before any serious physical exertion. I seriously have thrown up more than once if I eat less than 2 hours before working out. Until TODAY!

I found that I can eat Fresh Fruit right before working out and not feel nauseous or pukey or puke afterwards! Yeah! Finally I can eat something before I work out that doesn't make me sick. This has been one roadblock to me working out is that I have to plan around working out 2 hours after eating. This is great news for me and could be great news for you.

If you can't eat before working out - try eating some fresh fruit like an apple or a peach or strawberries. I was so starving the other day and knew this was the only window for me to work out, so I ate some fresh strawberries as I was cutting up some for my kids while preparing their breakfast.

So, try eating fresh fruit before working out and see if it works for you!

Weekly Menu Planning Web-Site www.RelishRelish.com

Dinnertime has been a struggle for me. I feel like I am in a rut and making the same thing over and over. I came across this weekly menu planning web-site from twitter - www.relishrelish.com.

Info from their web-site:

"We offer the plan to get you out of your dinner rut for good and to prepare healthy and creative dinners, every night. You choose your weekly recipes, the grocery list is tabulated, shop once a week and have all of the ingredients needed for five meals. Each week you choose five entrees to make for the week. All dinners are kitchen-tested (no more disasters) and take 30 minutes or less prep. The comprehensive grocery list makes grocery shopping a snap. 5 dinners and sides cost less than $95 per week at the grocery store. You will notice substantial savings by sticking to a list! A Relish! subscription is only $7 per month. Monthly freezer menus are included in the subscription, plus much more!"

source: www.relishrelish.com

Started Virtual Running Club on Twitter - #momsrunning - Wanna Join?

Started Virtual Running Club on Twitter
#momsrunning

Wanna Join Us? I need external motivation and external pressure. I need to be held accountable by outside forces. I joined a Learn to Run class in the fall and it was great - I ran 2 hours with the group and a coach on Wednesdays. Then we were expected to run 3x-4x a week in between and I totally did it because I had to report to a group of people and because I would get my butt kicked in class if you didn't run in between 'cause each week it got harder and harder.

We will share our progress, struggles, tips, and training schedules. I really look forward to having a group of moms to share on this journey with me ! :-)

Struggling to Drink Your 8 Glasses of Water Each Day?

I was struggling to drink my 8 glasses of water each day. I used to put a tick mark on the calendar after I drank each glass. Then, I would think, did I put a mark for the last glass, did I forget, do I write it down when I pour the glass or after I drink it.

So, I decided to one day get out this awesome Retro Tang pitcher from my Grandma and fill it with water or Gatorade (weak gatorade made with gatorade powder just how I like it) and put it on the counter with a glass. Then, everytime I went in the kitchen I downed a glass.

There is no need to write anything down or keep track of how many glasses I did nor did not drink. I just know I need to finish the pitcher of water by the end of the day.

This has made a world of difference to me. I now don't have any problems getting in those 8 glasses of water each day

(side note: let family know that this pitcher is for you only - not for sharing)

Where can you Walk instead of Driving this Week?

I had to go to the store to get about $30 in groceries tonite. I decided to walk to the smaller grocery store that is about 1 mile away. I brought my green environmental recycled koolaide bag (from http://www.rejuicedbags.com/) and some cash, wearing my headphones and walking shoes.

I walked to and from the store at a brisk pace. I bought great salad fixings and came home and had a nice big salad with my dinner tonite.

Where can you walk instead of driving this week ?

Monday Weigh In - 2009.Mar.30

Weigh In Log.

Monday Morning.

183 pounds !

So, I started this journey at 192 and am now 183 pounds. That is 9 pounds in 12 weeks. Well, it's not quite a pound a week, but I really hope to catch up on the slack so that by the end of the year it will be 52 pounds in total weight loss.

Next week I start my next session of tennis lessons on Monday nights and I start the Spring session of a Learn to Run class on Wednesday nights. 2 nights a week spent on me and my health... unprecedented since I have had children ! 2 nights on me ! Yipee !

Love the New Lean Cuisine Spa Meals - Wild Salmon with Basil

I love the new Lean Cuisine Spa Meals !

Lunchtime is sometimes the black hole for me. I prepare and eat breakfast with the family and I prepare and eat dinner with the family. I often find myself home with the baby shortchanging myself on lunch or not eating anything at all.

So, this is the time I like to explore the world of frozen meals. I found a winner that both my 15 month old and I share. It is the new Lean Cuisine Spa Meal of Wild Salmon with Basic made with Pacific Salmon and whole wheat orzo pasta.

We both Love it ! It says it has no preservatives and is only 260 calories. That is pretty good if you ever look at the calories on a frozen meal. I also can read and pronounce everything on the ingredients list; I don't feel like there are any hidden weirdo items in the meal.

I will be checking out the other Lean Cuisine Spa Frozen meals next time I head to the grocery store !

I Love My Uppa Baby Stroller !

I Love My Uppa Baby Stroller !

My girlfriends threw me a baby shower for Baby #3, our unexpected blessing surprise baby. My two older were 9 and 6 when I found out we were pregnant with #3. Good thing I am a total pack-rat and had all of their clothing in labelled rubbermaids by age and sex. So, the boxes are all labelled: Boy, 0-3 months, Girl 0-3 months, etc.

When we moved in 2006, we discussed if we were going to keep the baby items like all those baby clothes in rubbermaids, the crib, the change table, the rocker, etc. Thank Goodness we did !

My girlfriends asked me if there was anything I needed since they know my propensity for keeping everything and putting it in a labelled bin. I said two things I needed were a new diaper bag, since I wore all my previous ones out and a really good baby stroller since I wore those out too !

They pitched in and got me the Cadillac, SUV, Hummer of all baby strollers. The Uppa Baby Stroller (they got it at HullaBaloo Maternity in Royal Oak Michigan - http://www.hbmaternity.com/) and it is the total bomb ! I love this stroller. My son Jonathan is 13 months old and I have already gotten so much use out of this stroller. I can jog with this stroller, I can go on dirt trails with this stroller, it has gone to festivals, fairs, and conferences. I love love love the bassinet option that you use when they are a baby until 6 months old.

Okay, so I could go on and on about this stroller. My point is that we take this on family walks and it rocks ! It was 0 degrees today when we went walking. I put the baby in his snowsuit and little blanket and then I used this plastic and mesh weather cover on the front and he was as toasty as could be on our 1 hour+ walk. This stroller is an investment piece. It's an investment in getting me to move more and have no worries about the baby being happy or pushing a clunky stroller.

Calcium Supplements - More Vitamins and Supplements

More Vitamins.

Calcium Supplements.

My grandmother had osteoporosis and my mom has osteoporosis. So, calcium is important in my life. Here is some basic information about calcium to get you started on deciding if you are getting enough in your life and if you need to be taking a supplement.

Daily Recommended Intake of Calcium:
Ages 1-3 = 500mgs
Ages 4-8 = 800mgs
Ages 9-18 = 1300mgs
Ages 19-50 = 1000mgs
Ages 51+ = 1200mgs
Pregnant = 1300-2000mgs

Calcium Content in Foods:
To reach your recommended intake of calcium, try to increase your consumption of calcium rich foods. Some food ideas include:

• 500mgs - 1 Packet of Instant Breakfast (like Carnation Vanilla - my favorite)
• 300mgs - 8 ounces of Milk
• 200mgs - 1/2 cup Frozen Yogurt
• 150mgs - 1/2 cup Pudding
• 70mgs - 1 cup cooked Broccoli
• 200mgs - 1 serving packet of Cream of Wheat (mgs doubled when prepared with milk)
• 60mgs - 1/2 cup Hummus
• 50mgs - 1 medium Orange

Why is Calcium Important?

Calcium is a nutrient that is essential for strong bones and for supporting your body's critical functions such as controlling your blood pressure and maintaining your heart beat. Ninety-nine percent of your body's calcium is stored in your bones and teeth. This calcium makes up your bone bank. Throughout your lifetime, calcium is "deposited" in and "withdrawn" from your bone bank depending on your needs. When your dietary calcium intake is too low, your body will "withdraw" the calcium it needs from your bones. Over time, if more calcium is taken out of your bones than is put in, the result may be thin, weak bones that may break more easily.

How much Calcium to take at a time?

Calcium is absorbed most efficiently at 500mg at a time. If you take 1000 mgs of calcium a day, split it into two or more doses over the course of the day.

Testing your Calcium Supplement for absorption.

Calcium must dissolve in your stomach before it can be absorbed in your intestines and then used by your body. A USP symbol on the label of a calcium supplement means that is it will dissolve in your stomach. If your supplement does not have a USP symbol, you can easily test it to find out if it will dissolve. Simply put the supplement into a glass of clear vinegar. This creates an acidic environment much like that of your stomach. Stir the solution occasionally. If the calcium supplement disintegrates within 30 minutes, it should dissolve in your stomach, too. If the supplement does not completely dissolve, choose an alternative calcium supplement. Be sure to discard the calcium/vinegar solution after the test.

Medications and Calcium Supplements

It's also important to consider other medications. Because calcium supplements can impair the absorption of some medications — including certain antibiotics and blood pressure drugs — you may need to take your calcium supplements separately. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about possible interactions between calcium supplements and other medications you're taking.

Calcium Supplements for Adults

Calcium Carbonate and Calcium Citrate supplements have been studied extensively and studies have shown that these two types of supplements are absorbed equally. The important thing to remember is what type of supplement will you take each day. Also, sometimes there is a huge price difference is supplements. I would test your calcium supplement for absorption. If yours fails the test, I would return it until you find one that succeeds in the absorption test.

Calcium Supplements for Kids

The Calcium Supplements I give the kids is Nature's Plus, Animal Parade, Chewable Calcium, Vanilla Sundae Flavor. My kids do not drink cow's milk. My son has a mild allergy to cow's milk that causes him to break out in eczema behind his ears.


SOURCES: http://www.mayoclinic.com/, http://www.health.state.ny.us/.

Eat within 30-60 minutes of waking up to lose weight !

Tuesday Add on of the Week.

I will eat Breakfast everday within 30-60 minutes of waking up.

Eating Breakfast Boosts Metabolism
- "breaks the fast" of hours and hours that your body did not have any fuel or food
- a revved up metabolism started early so that it burns the maximum number of calories
- the longer you go without food, the more your body conserves energy and stores food as fat
- if you don't eat, your blood sugar levels dip and cause you to overeat to compensate

Eating Breakfas helps you to Avoid Hunger
- breaks the fast of not eating for 8-10 hours or more
- people who eat breakfast consume fewer total calories throughout the day
- eating a meal early in the day gets your leptin production started
- leptin is a hormone that suppresses appetite, so the early the start of production the better

SOURCE: http://www.webmd.com/, Journal of the American Dietetic Association, University of Texas

Monday Weigh In - 2009.Mar.02

Weigh In Log.

Monday Morning.

188 pounds.

The only thing I changed this week was to make sure to eat breakfast... to eat within 30-60 minutes of waking up. I hardly "moved more" this week !

Monday Weigh In - 2009.Feb.23

Weigh In Log.

Monday Morning.

190 ! Great ! Gained 2-3 pounds. One step forward, 2 steps back !

You know the toughest thing is that Life Gets in the Way. There is so much that happens in life. I was so shocked by this one and bummed. I totally didn't drink water this week and totally didn't eat breakfast.

Not eating breakfast is a horrible habit of mine... my mom didn't eat breakfast growing up, she probably didn't when she was prego with me. I just am not hungry for like 2 hours after waking up, then after 2 hours sometimes I get busy and just forget until I am famished and it's lunchtime. More on breakfast later.

It seems there's always these circumstances that I can't eat good because there's so much going on. I can't workout and go for a 30 minute jog because there's so much going on.

Well, you know what? When isn't there going to be so much going ? How can I fit eating and moving into my life. Something is always going to be going on !

X-Weighted T.V. Show - Watch other people's journeys to taking off the pounds

X-Weighted T.V. Show - Watch other people's journeys to taking off the pounds

I watch this t.v. show, especially late at night while working in my home office and blogging :-). It's called X-Weighted. It follows someone on a 6-month journey of weightloss. It shows their trials, tribulations, successes, failures, and struggle.

I like the host and personal trainer, Paul Plakas. He is tough and doesn't take any excuses. When I hear different people's excuses, it makes me think of mine.... in the past 6 weeks my three kids have had chicken pox, there are nights the baby doesn't sleep well, there are work deadlines, there are people coming to visit, there are weekends we go away, etc... all these excuses for not moving more !

"X-Weighted is a series of one-hour documentaries about adult Canadians each fighting their individual war on fat. The participants carry from 40 to 150 extra pounds each, they run, climb, pump, bike and dance their way to healthier weights, during periods of four to six months.
X-Weighted records all the plans and pitfalls, gripes and grit that go hand-in-hand with achieving this often-exasperating goal. The emphasis is on the underlying causes and ongoing triggers for excess weight as these frank but feisty people grapple with their personal flaws, emotional baggage and suppressed conflicts."

SOURCE: http://www.slice.ca/, http://www.paulplakas.com/

Monday Weigh In - 2009.Feb.16

Weigh In Log.

Monday Morning.

188 - Lost 1 pound. It sort looked like 187, but I would rather go with 188.

Lent starts next week. I am playing around with the idea of getting up at 6am everyday to do my "move more" time. I stay up late each night from midnight to 2am, so 6am is pretty rough for me. However, I seriously want to lose this weight. I want to be fit and healthy and trim. I am going to be 38 this year and the big 4-0 is not too far away.

I want to go on a ski trip with my husband; we have not been since our honeymoon in 1996. I want to run the Detroit Free Press Marathon in Detroit that (for more info http://www.detroitfreepressmarathon.com/) crosses the USA and Canada border twice. We lived in the Detroit area in a small enclave town called Hamtramck for 10+ years and it would be great to go back to the area and accomplish one of my goals on my Life To Do list. I wanted to do it before 30, then 35, and now darn it by 40 !

I need to keep reminding myself why I want to do this when I find my motivation waning. I want to be healthy and happy and in shape for myself and my family. I want an active family life filled with outdoor time and skiing, playing tennis, and running around the park. It's hard to keep up when you weigh in the 180s and 190s.

My dream would be to be a size 10... My fantasty would be to be a size 8. I am only 5'4" tall, 8 would be a better size for my height... anything in the single digits would be a fantasy I would love to live !

Move More Log - 2009.Feb.10.

Move More Log.

Work out until you puke !

I don't recommend this ! However, I worked out so hard tonite that I puked. I think it was a combination of working out so hard and having eaten dinner so late before tennis lessons. I need to not eat 2 hours before a workout, especially a tough workout. I was so hungry tonite, but we ate dinner at 6pm instead of 5pm because the baby took a late nap and I joined him !

Some Tennis Tips from our instructor:
1) Keep your eye on the Ball !
An amazing amount of people don't keep their eye on the ball as long as they can.

2) Follow Through on your Swing.
I so don't do this. I stop swinging shortly after making contact with the ball, I sure don't follow through all the way over my shoulder.

Tennis Tips from me:
1) Don't power slam the ball into your partner all the time, a really bad habit I have because I am always playing people much better than me and this a technique I have apparently developed because it makes it harder for them to return the ball slammed right at them.

2) Control the ball. We practice on half of the court with our partner. At first, I was bummed and now I can see that I am worn out playing half court, imagine if I played full court. If I can't control the ball on the half court, how am I going to control it on the full court ?

Monday Weigh In - Weigh In Log - 2009.Feb.09

Weigh In Log.

Monday Morning.

189 pounds - Gained 1 pound.

I almost didn't do weigh in this week. My husband said not to do it so I wouldn't get depressed or upset if I gained weight. I have 3 kids in various stages of the chicken pox and didn't move much this week.

I did get use my big foam step (for aerobics) and did step-ups with hand weights and my 13 month old was hilarious trying to step up with me, around me, in front of me. I worked out my core more with his extra help !

Anyways, it was too cold, the kids were sick, I was tired and didn't get much sleep. As I write this, it all is a bunch of excuses. Valid excuses, but excuses nonetheless ! How is that in 24 hours a day, I cannot devote just one hour a day to Move More and get in a workout ??!!!??

Move More Log - 2009.Feb.03

Move More Log.

Worked out in the house today.

12 degrees below zero - jogging outside - No Thank You !

So, I decided to do some step-ups on my foam aerobic step. My 13 month old found this very interesting and exciting. I did at least 50 of the 150 step ups I did holding him and the others dodging him stepping up next to me, behind me, in front of me. I figure he gave me an extra core workout. I used 5 pound hand weights for 50 of them. You don't think 5 pounds is much per arm, but do 50 of these step ups while doing bicep curls with these weights and they sure feel heavy fast !

Then, I did 100 sit-up crunches with my back on the floor and my knees bent on my couch. My 13 month old loved this even better. He kept running up and pulling up my shirt and poking my belly button and saying "ing! ong!" (he doesn't say the d part yet of "ding dong"). Then, after doing that about a dozen times, he decided to run up to me and jump on me in a tackle like he does with his daddy when they are wrestling on the floor.

I was cracking up the whole time! What a fantastic workout buddy I have !!!

Monday Weigh In - Weigh In Log - 2009.Feb.02

Weigh In Log.

Monday Morning.

188 pounds. Totally didn't think would lose a pound this week. Made some good food choices, didn't move a whole lot... soo cold this week.... temps 10 below zero, 12 below zero !

I don't think of myself as a "fair weather runner" as my sister-in-law (who is in great shape) calls herself. But I don't go running anytime it is below zero - that's just too cold !

Move More Log - 2009.Feb.01.

Move More Log.

Ran 2 Miles Today.

I ran the movies back to the video store instead of driving them.
It was uphill on the way. I walked one block from the house to the main street and I walked again when I got to the parking lot of the strip mall of the video rental store.

It felt great to get out. Of course the weather was in the 30's today, which it won't be for the rest of the week. I had to get out today ! I was exhausted and sweating afterwards. I worked out for the first time with my new MP3 player. We all got MP3 players for Christmas. KMart had this great sale on MP3 players before Christmas - $29.99 for 1G. The regular prices were $49.99-$59.99.

This was great because I can't stand flipping radio stations using my old sony arm band radio. It is still in great shape, but it stinks to be out exercising for 30 minutes and have over half of that be commercials or dorkus djs talking in the morning !

Work Out Wear for Winter Weather - Move Move - 2009.Jan.31.

Move Move.

Work Out Wear for Winter Weather.

I went out running today. I haven't been in a long time. I chose to run the movies back to the rental store instead of driving. It is exactly 1 mile each way. There's a bit of uphill on the way and I always seem to forget that until I am shuffling up that hill.

I found some great and inexpensive winter running gear when I was shopping around in the Fall. I took a 12 week Learn to Run class and needed some gear besides my yoga pants and sweatpants, especially when it started to get colder. I searched high and low for these items because I wanted high performance and a great fit at a good price.

LOWER HALF
I wear these running tights made out of 86% polyester and 14% spandex. I looked all over for different tights and the best ones were the Athletic Works brand sold at Wal-Mart for $12.96. They were even better than the $80 pair I tried ! I was pleasantly surprised. I got these in a size smaller than I am currently. I am a size 16-18 right now and am an extra large. In these tights, I got a large that worked better and fit better since they are an underlayer for me.

Then, I wear a pair of microfleecy pants made out of 100% micro fleece polyester. Again, I looked all over for this second layer and found the ones by the Athletic Works brand at Wal-Mart were the best and most comfortable. They also only cost $12.96. I got these fleecy pants in my size of extra large they are my outer layer and run true to size.

UPPER HALF
First off, I wear my Panache High Impact Sports Bra, Model #2001. I need to really contain those girls. I am a 34G -yes, that's right ! I love this workout bra. It fits great and looks great. I got my bra at Bravo Intimates in Royal Oak Michigan. The owner, Rebecca, hooked me up. I cannot workout without this bra.

Then, I put on this compression workout tank top. I again really looked all over for a suck you in tank top made of lycra or spandex to hold it all in while I ran. Again, I lucked out at Wal-Mart of all places. I almost never fit in a shelf bra and had no problems with this one. It has like these gussets or extra lycra underneath the shelf bra and on the sides. I don't have the tags or name of this one and I think this cost $19.99. It is worth every penny !

After this layer, I wear an Under Armour black longsleeve super comfortable top - that I actually got at a resale store. It is a super soft cotton breathable non-compression top.

If it's really cold out like it was for the Santa Shuffle 5K Run in December 2008 of this year that I ran - Then I put on one more long sleeve shirt.

After this layer, I wear a fleecy quarter zip sweatshirt in a bright color so I can be seen while running.

Last on the top half is an outwear nylon slightly puffy vest - black on the outside and purple on the inside. I got this at Kohl's for $24.99 by Sonoma. They had $60-$80 vests by Chaps and other brands. I didn't want to spend that much for a running vest. I chose a vest because I didn't think I could run with my arms all bundled up too.

"Eat This, Not That !" - Books - 2009.Jan.28

Books.

"Eat This Not That !" by David Zinczenko & Matt Goulding

I record Oprah everyday and review the shows quickly when I can to decide which ones I will keep and watch later and which ones I will ditch. One that totally caught my eye was about making good choices and decisions on healthier options and how so many people make the wrong or less healthy choices.

This is exactly what I need. When I eat something, I want the most bang for my buck nutritionally and if it can be a small change from eating a cheese pizza to choosing the ham and pineapple pizza which author David Zinczenko said on Oprah was the better choice - I am all for it.

"The smartest eating choices--made simple! The secret to looking, feeling, and living better than ever is not by depriving yourself of the foods you love. It's by making the best choices in a variety of real-life situations. Based on the most popular column in both Men's Health and Women's Health magazines, Eat This Not That is a comprehensive guide to what to eat at home, from the supermarket, even at a fast-food counter. Do you know why a hot fudge sundae is a good dessert option? Why potato chips are better than fries? And why Swiss cheese is three times healthier than Cheddar? With this simple, illustrated guide to hundreds and hundreds of foods--along with the nutrition secrets that lead to fast and permanent weight loss--now you will! " SOURCE: overstock.com company provided book review.

I have not read this book, but I am going out to buy it this weekend. I will give you updates on future posts.

Monday Weigh In - Weigh In Log - 2009.Jan.26.

Weigh In Log.

Monday Morning.

189 pounds. Yeah, broke 190 !

Get Up & Get Out - Even if it is Cold ! - Move More - 2009.Jan.25.

Move More.

Brrr ! Boy, is it cold out there !

It was 3 degrees Farenheit today, but felt like -7 degrees. Our family wanted to go rent some movies. So, I had the brilliant idea that we should walk to the movie store because I have jogged there and I think it something like a mile there and a mile back.

So, my husband and I bundled up the 1 year old baby, 7.5 year old, and 10 year old and the whole family headed out for a walk. Halfway there, we realized neither one of us told our 7.5 year old to put on her snowpants, so she was getting cold. She got a few piggyback rides from my husband while I pushed the baby in the stroller, and my 10 year old threw the football around and zig-zagged like a puppy in the snow all the way there.

My 7.5 year old and baby are dog lovers. So, it was great anytime we saw dogs or puppies - many of which had sweaters on. We saw a beautiful lab/border collie mix 4 month old puppy that was adorable and the kids went wild for.

We got to take a break at the movie store and everyone got to pick their own non-new release movie for 99 cents. The walk home was dark because of the sun sets so soon. Boy, did I walk quickly. My husband said to my son that he has never seen Maria and I walk soo fast. Well, I had the winter wind shield on the stroller to keep the baby warm, but Maria and I wanted to boogie home as fast as we could to get out of the dark and cold and to warm us up by walking fast.

I feel great that we got out and sucked in gobs of fresh oxygenated air after being in that stale winter in the house air all day, got some blood flowing to our entire bodies with exercise, and did good for the environment by not using our car.

Is there somewhere you can walk today instead of driving ? Can you make it a family fun event ?

My Favorite Salty Snacks - Eat More - 2009.Jan.24.

Eat More.

Salty Snacks - Gotta Love Them !

So, I love salty snacks. So, I thought that I would look at a few of my favorites, their ingredient list, and Nutrition info.

Lay's Original Wavy Plain Chips
Ingredient List: Potatoes, Sunflower Oil, Salt
Nutrition Info: 280 Calories, 19 Chips, 18 grams Fat, 220mg Sodium, 3 grams Protein

BetterMade Butter Braided Pretzels
Ingredient List: Wheat Flour, Salt, Vegetable Oil, Artificial Butter Flavoring, Corn Syrup, Yeast
Nutrition Info: 110 Calories, 22 Pretzels, 1.5 grams Fat, 390 mg Sodium, 3 grams Protein

SunChips - Harvest Cheddar
Ingredient List: Whole Corn, Sunflower Oil, Whole Wheat, Rice Flour, Whole Oat Flour, Maltodextrin, Salt, Cheddar Cheese, Whey, Buttermilk, and other stuff.
Nutrition Info: 140 Calories, 15 Chips, 6 grams Fat, 160 mg Sodium, 2grams Protein

SmartFood Popcorn - Cheddar Cheese
Ingredient List: Popcorn, Vegetable Oil, Cheddar Cheese (the real stuff !), Whey, Buttermilk, Salt, and Disodium Phosphate

Nutrition Info: 160 Calories, 1.75 cups, 10 grams Fat, 290mg Sodium, 3 grams Protein

Hum? Time to find some more salty snacks. I do like cheese and crackers for a snack too. I do agree with the portion sizes that each company determined. All of my snacks were under 200 calories except the potato chips. This research inspires me to put the potato chips last on my list. So, do your research on your favorite snacks and maybe you will be influenced to purchase one over the other and make a healthier choice.

Gatorade powder to mix it up how you like it - Drink More - 2009.Jan.23.

Drink More.

Gatorade Powder comes in a can to mix it up how you like it - high fructose corn syrup free.

I struggle with getting enough liquid and water in me each day. I found a great way to help me with my problem. Gatorade Powder comes in a can and I can add it to a pitcher of water that I have to drink for the day. I don't like the strong flavor of the bottled Gatorade or all the high fructose corn syrup. If you buy the powder, you get dextrose instead - yeah, yeah, not great, however better than high fructose corn syrup.

I love that I can custom flavorize it to my liking. I am someone who waters down her orange juice with 50% water. So, I just barely flavor my water. This is better than drinking pop and more environmental and way more economical than buying Gatorade pre-made bottles !

Community Recreation Classes - Move More - 2009.Jan.22.

Move More.

Community Recreation Classes.

Sign up now for an inexpensive way to bring recreation to your life so you can Move More ! Just type into Google: "Community Recreation Classes [your city, state]" and a listing for your city or nearby city should come up. You can also call your city offices and ask them if they have a recreation catalog of programs. Your local library is another fantastic resource.

Aren't your kids signed up for everything and anything ? How many nights and days a week are your kids doing activities ? How many days are you doing something for yourself ? Imagine one night doing something physical for yourself, being by yourself for a couple of hours, spending time with you - a person, not a mom, not a dad, not a businessperson, not an employee, not a boss, just yourself.

Do you want to dust off your tennis racquet like me and get ready for some fun this summer? Maybe you want to brush up on your swimming strokes so you can go to those exercise swimming lanes at the health club and feel confident about your skills? Or maybe you want to join a Learn to Run or 5K Run Club and train with a group of people like yourself?

Devote one evening a week to a fun recreation course for yourself. Your husband and kids will survive without you one night ! I really enjoyed a Learn to Run class this fall and it really motivated me to run during the week so I could keep up at class on Wednesdays. Our last night we did a 5K run in 50 minutes and I survived. I also did a 5K Santa Shuffleabout a month later in 43 minutes ! I couldn't have done it without Rob, one of my running partners from my class - he runs much faster than I, but stuck with me the whole race so I wouldn't finish last ! Thanks Rob ! I was also joined by my husband with our 1 year old in the stroller for the last lap which was super motivating !

Brita Water Filter Coupon - Drink More - 2009.Jan.21.

Drink More.

Coupon from Brita Web-Site.

I was looking up more info about Brita Water Filters and came across the web-site:
http://www.filterforgood.ca/ - you can get a $5 off coupon off a pitcher or sink mount system or $3 off a filter.

They also had a lot of great information about filtered water vs. bottled water.

Why is bottled water waste a concern?

• Worldwide, an estimated 2.4 million metric tonnes of plastic are used to bottle water each year.1


• An estimated 70,000,000 plastic water bottles are dumped in North American landfills every year.2


• It takes three litres of water to produce one litre of bottled water.3


• In 2004, total consumption of bottled water was estimated at 154 billion litres - that's about 25 litres for everyone on the planet.4


• Ditching bottled water keeps Mother Earth and your wallet green. Bottled water is 240 to 10,000 times more expensive than tap water.5 Despite the cost, almost one third of all Canadian households primarily drank bottled water in 2006.6


• One Brita pitcher filter can effectively replace as many as 300 standard 500 mL bottles. So you can get great-tasting water without so much waste. Talk about refreshing.


• The average Brita pitcher filters 908 litres of water a year for about 19 cents a day. Put in perspective, to get the same amount of water from bottled water would require 1,818 500mL water bottles a year - at an average cost of a dollar a bottle, that's $4.98 a day.


• For about $10 each, you can purchase a 946mL reusable FilterForGood bottle, saving you hundreds of dollars a year on bottled water.


• Hydration at its best - carry the water you need and reduce your impact on the environment - one reusable FilterForGood bottle can last for decades, making it easy to stop buying single-serve bottled water to fulfill your everyday hydration needs.


• Many people drink bottled water because they believe it to be of a higher quality, cleaner and better-tasting, but that's not necessary true.


• Two of Canada's largest bottled water brands use purified municipal water taken from cities including Vancouver, Montreal, Brampton and Calgary.7


• If you don't like the taste of your tap water, try Brita. Nine out of 10 consumers say "Brita clearly tastes better," according to an in-home usage study. They preferred the taste of Brita water - filtered through pitchers - to tap.


• In Canada, the responsibility for ensuring drinking water supplies are safe is shared between the provincial, territorial, federal and municipal governments, with Health Canada taking a leadership role.8 The City of Toronto tests its drinking water every four hours!9

1 Arnold, Emily, and Janet Larsen. "Bottled Water: Pouring Resources Down the Drain.", Earth Policy Institute. 2 Feb. 2006. 28 June 2007.
2 "Global Campaign News" The Polaris Institute
3 "Bottled Water and Energy: A Pacific Institute Fact Sheet" Pacific Institute, 2006
4 "Global Bottled Water Consumption, by Region, 1997 to 2004"
5 The Polaris Institute
6 "Households and the Environment 2006" Statistics Canada Environment Accounts and Statistics Division System of National Accounts
7 "Anne Kingston, "Green Report: It's So Not Cool" Maclean', May 14 2007
8 Health Canada, Environmental and Workplace Health
9 Toronto Water - Frequently Asked Questions

Brita Faucet Mount Filter - Drink More - 2009.Jan.20.

Drink More.

How to drink more water in your day?

Since 1996, our family has used a Brita Water Filtration Pitcher and have been very happy with the quality and taste of our water. I have been wanting a sink mounted version for over a year now, because I think about all the water I use for cooking and it's not filtered. If I am steaming vegetables for my family, shouldn't that be filtered water ?

So, for Christmas this year 2008, I invested in a Brita sink filter. I got it at Costco for $34.99 and it comes with one replacement filter. Based upon average use, each sink filter should last 3-4 months. I am so happy with it ! I feel so much better about cooking with filtered water and it is so convenient to just turn on the tap and get filtered water in a snap.

We still have a Brita Pitcher for the fridge. This just adds convenience to my life and makes us get more filtered water in our lives and helps up my consumption of water.

Tennis Classes/Lessons - Move More - 2009.Jan.19.

Move More.

How do you move more in your everyday life ?

Well, I signed up for weekly tennis lessons for the next 12 weeks. I wanted to dust off my old tennis racket and improve my skills and practice my serve (that hasn't seen the light of day in 10+ years !) so I can play tennis with my husband, friends, my children, and other couples this summer.

Monday Night Tennis Lessons. Whoah, was I out of breath !

My partner in class is an 11 year old 6th grader named Chris. I am glad we are partners as it reminds me of my 10 year old son and I don't know if he would fair to well with some of the high schoolers in the class. All of the older women took the class with a friend. So, it works out well.

I wish it I wasn't so winded, but I need to work on improving that by Moving More !

Monday Weigh In - Weigh In Log - 2009.Jan.19.

Weigh In Log.

Monday Morning.

190 pounds.

Monday Weigh In - Weigh In Log - 2009.Jan.12.

Weigh In Log.

Monday Morning.

191 pounds.

Do you Drink at Least ONE Glass of Water a Day ?

Do you drink at least ONE glass of water a day ?

You would be amazed at the number of people - men, women, and children that do not even drink ONE glass of water a day ! I will be listing my "Add on of the Week", something that I am adding to my daily routine, week-by-week. This week it is to make sure that I am drinking at least ONE glass of water a day.

My kids have to drink a glass of water before any other beverage. In the morning, before they get to drink the orange juice they love, they have to drink a glass of water. At lunchtime, I send them to school with a thermos full of filtered water. At dinnertime, they have to drink water befdore having any other beverage. Before having a soda pop on Friday night family night with pizza, pop, games, and movies - they have to drink a glass of water.

Drink up ! Set a good example for those around you. Start with just ONE glass of water a day !

Monday Weigh In - Weigh In Log - 2009.Jan.05.

Weigh In Log.

Monday Morning.

192 pounds - an all-time non-pregnancy record ! It is time to do something !