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 !