a new decade...a new perspective

artwork a la Arden-grade K

Welcome Back!

Well...it has been a LONG time since the blog was used.  Much like the snowman above, I kind of melted away from my writing and posting to focus on some other areas that needed it at the time...mainly ME!

When I first started writing this blog, back in the days of it being Waits and Measurement(s), it was primarily my way of tracking and being accountable for my health and fitness goals.  I was just one out of a zillion people blogging about the same topic.  Don't get me wrong, if this platform is the best way for people to stay on track and accountable, the I applaud the time and effort they give it.  In an era of social media and the ability to quick post, taking the time to sit and write may fall to the wayside.

There is also the idea of putting your thoughts and words out there in a more meaningful way that comes with blogging that has a certain amount of fear attached to it.  You are opening yourself up to a far more sever kind of judgement, but as opposed to things like Facebook and Instagram, the judgement may be less "viral" on a blog.

I have always enjoyed both reading and writing.  This blog does have a facebook page attached to it, and I will be utilizing both as I can, but this will be a more meaningful way to get my thoughts across.

So, I come back to this space from the same starting point as before, wellness.  What makes it different this time?  I have FINALLY truly realized the importance of overall wellness.  It isn't just about numbers on a scale and what size pants you wear.  To truly embrace wellness you need to see it from all angles...the most poignant being inward.  To start with self care and self love.

Over the years my husband and I have tied all the workouts and diets hoping to find the :"magic solution" that would make us feel and look the way we had hoped to look and feel.  We have done weight watchers, beachbody, biggest loser, Tae Bo, Atkins, vegetarian...you name it, we have tried it.  And they each worked great...until they didn't.  After turning 40 and seeing weight creep on and not drop off no matter what I did, I resigned myself to the fact that it was a part of life in a new age bracket.  As other "things" started to happen thought too (brain fog, fatigue, congestion that never went away) I started to again.  No I have done LOTS of research over the years in my own way, trying to piece together ideas of what would maximize my health.  I always come back to gut health and inflammation. After seeing a functional medicine doctor and talking more in depth about hidden inflammation and triggers, the hubs and I started 2019 off on a serious detox program cutting out foods and trying to narrow down triggers.

That was hell.  I won't lie.  If you have never done an in depth elimination diet, count yourself as one of the lucky ones.  It sucks.  BUT it helped me realize how crappy certain carb based foods and sugar made me feel.  This led us to tying the keto diet.  Just over a year later, having had cheat days (weeks) I have found that keto is still what works best for me at this point in m,y life.  I am not saying it's the ultimate answer, but for now...it works.

Keto led me to the one of the biggest break ups of my life.  Diet soda.  I bid farewell to my beloved fizzy goodness in May and haven't looked back.  This was HUGE.  If you have read my blog in the past you know that this is a struggle I honestly never thought I would win.

Outside of finding a new way to eat to make me feel better, like actually begin able to tell that my body was not in a constant state of inflammation, I also stepped away from "box video" workouts.  This was another huge one.  I started watching tutorials that my hubby shared on how to use certain machines and free weights at the gym (I had a real fear factor of these) and am finding a harmonious balance between those and my beloved running.

I also added grad school to my plate last year.  This has been such a rewarding experience.  I feel more confidant in the classes I am teaching and reconnecting to what made me love theatre to begin with.

So that is kind of 2019 in a nutshell, an overview if you will.  Because I am human, the holidays have gotten me off track with my food, and I can feel it, but I am working to get back on track.  I am focused on how good I felt when I cut out the garbage that brought on the sleepiness and pain.  I am starting to really love some of the strength workouts that I am creating for myself to work the areas I want to improve and seeing how it helps me in other areas of life.

What does 2020 look like for me?  Progress.  It is moving forward and continuing to make myself a priority.  I have started reading again for the love of reading (not just my textbooks for class) and have joined a book club.  I am reconnecting in more meaningful ways with friends, and maximizing every moment with my family.

What do you have on deck for the new decade?

Fit Family Challenge Days 6-9

I am not going to lie.  I have had moments in these past few days where any one of the above excuses could have worked.  I am PROUD to say that I have been pushing through.  The whole family has been.  It's actually been kind of inspirational.  It helped that the girls already had pre-planned activities, but they have been god about making sure the hubs and I made time for ourselves too.

So, since last we met, this is what I have been up to:
Day 6: walking
Day 7: swimming and walking (mini me crushed 2.25 miles with me on our walk)
Day 8: rest
Day 9: walk

Now I know what you might be thinking...um, hello, did you see Day 8?  Yes, I did.  i lived it.  But after an hour of lap swimming and a 2.25 mile walk, I was starting ton get some pain back in  my hip and didn't want to totally derail my ART therapy from the day before too so I opted to rest...just aiming for my step goal.

This has been a pretty great week.  I have been monitoring the food much more closely and making time for myself, as well as fit time for the family.  I think it may be starting to stick for the kids too.  They are learning that just because they have soccer everyday or dance they can still do other activity as well.  I mean, on day 7...we all swam together as a family for an hour, taking turns doing laps and swimming around with mini.  And THEN we all had other activities after that as well.    It was not so long ago that the kids would comeback at us with something like "But I had gym today" or "I should really save my energy for practice."  Even THEY are cutting back on the excuses as they see the benefits they are getting.

My oldest...is down almost 15 pounds and looks stronger then I ever remember.  We are taking advantage of this weekends Tax-free holiday here in Ohio to buy her all new jeans for school.  I was so proud when she stated that she needed a size bigger in her skinny jeans to fit over her "muscular thighs."  And mini me...she is crushing things in acro that two months ago she didn't' have the strength to do, the swimming is really making a difference in our arm strength.

So today starts day 10, just over a month to go before vacation and the hubs and I have a swim date planned for tonight while the girls are at dance/soccer.  If it's just the two of us we can just focus on doing laps and building our strength and lung capacity.  I mean, whew, I have an all new respect for swimmers.  It's hard.

What are your plans for the weekend?

Fit Family Challenge and a new twist

I found this picture online courtesy of Poppy over at Facing40 and thought, how perfect that this shows up on my radar right now.  Ultimately, this is my goal.. I have two daughters, one that is a full fledged teen going into high school in a few short weeks and one that truly is my little sponge.  Dad and I can say LOTS of things, but a s mother...as a woman, I am the person their sweet and crazy little estrogen filled minds will look to first.  This is why I try and keep myself accountable.  I want to be healthy for me of course...to feel good and be comfortable in the skin I'm in...but I also want to be a good example to my girls (that and the added bonus that the healthier I am, the longer I can make them crazy in these lives of ours) LOL.

I am VERY proud to say that we are five days into the Fit Family Challenge in our house and we are still going strong.  Even the pup has been getting more exercise as we have been taking her on our hikes and letting her swim in the river.  Here is a recap of what we have done so far:

Day 1: Swimming in the pool
Day 2: Swimming in the pool
Day 3: 2.75 mile bike ride (Mini me was feeling rough by the end of this one)
Day 4: Swimming in the pool
Day 5: Hike in the woods

Now some of these days had overlapping things...we hiked a few days actually, but yesterday that was our main exercise.  I feel like whatever is our main source of focus with exercise is what we will track.  It makes me feel pretty good seeing how well we are doing, and this is NOT counting that fact that I have been pretty good with my step goals too. 

I have been so proud of us that I forgot part of the other side of this coin, and that is where my new "twist" comes in.  As a woman getting closer each year to the big 4-0, I have seen this change in my metabolism.  It is not the rapid fire friend of my 20's, not even the still chugging along friend of my early 30's.  It has gotten slower, and to me it feels like it has gotten S--L--O--W--E--R.  This is hard when you have been pretty blessed in this arena for the better part of a 15 years.  My metabolism has always been there to keep my happy despite what I achieved in the exercise arena.  Well, no more I say.  This brings me to the new "twist" I am adding to my version of our fit family challenge.

I am generally pretty good about tracking my food on MFP.  But lately I have gotten into the habit of allowing the hard work I do with my workouts allow me more food.  Like if my goal is 1400 cals/day, and I burn 300 working out...I have gotten into the habit of allowing myself 1700 for the day.  And where this is OK, I know, it's not helping me remove those last few pounds I want to remove.  And when getting on the scale I also am taking into account that with the renewed dedication to working out I have to allow for some influx with muscle rebuild, I still need to be better about the choices I am making and the indulgences I am allowing. 

Today I start fresh with MFP and I am aiming to eat the allotted calories for me each day.  No more, no less (well not too many less...I need the fuel to workout out).  I am committed to doing this for a week and see how I feel and how successful I am.

If you have any great family fitness ideas, please share them!  I love swimming and getting some laps in, but I need a little variety as well.  And with soccer this week for the big kid and dance camp for the little, finding time to get to the pool will be tricky for me. 

Family Challenge Day 1

My hubby is still in recovery mode from his back surgery.  We had hoped that by the end of the 90 day window from the surgeon he would be back to 100%, that is not quite the case.  When he was in the worst part of his pain, he had lots of numbness from where his disc was pressing on the nerve that ran down his leg into his foot.  He had pain, numbness and at times had to walk with a cane.  For someone with a VERY physical job, this was hard...add in our two very active children and it was near impossible.

So now we are cleared by the doc, he can go back to doing everything he did before the surgery...but he still has this numbness from time to time and residual pain.  It's so hard for me to watch him be in pain and suffer...so what to do?  Well, last night we were sitting in our family room after dinner and he looks at me and says, "Lets see how healthy we can be from now until vacation."  Now, we have had these little challenges before, but there is more at stake this time.  I know he is worried about begin able to walk around Disney for a few days with how he is currently feeling.  With that in mind, there was no need to pause, I knew this would be good.  "Ok, lets do it!"

So here we are on day one...we have 42 days until we leave and I think that maybe by doing SOMEthing everyday it will help build strength back up in his muscles that was lost during his pre-surgical time and hopefully (fingers and toes crossed) re-strengthening this will help with his pain. 

This little challenge is a two-fold one for me though.  I have decided to help get myself back in the habit of sitting here with YOU more to blog each day of the challenge as well.  What the what?!?!  Yep, I'm going to do my best to sit down at least for a few minutes everyday and keep you up-to-date on how we are doing as well as keep my self honest and accountable about how we are doing. 

How does that sound?  What I am most excited about with this one is our inclusion of the kiddos too!  It really is a full family challenge, and to me that makes it the best!  So, what do we have planned for day one?  Swimming. 

My big girl had a soccer showcase this past weekend on the other side of the state so we all packed up and headed down.  She stayed with her team in one hotel and Mom, dad and lil sis stayed elsewhere.  Sher is going to be a freshman and we were literally just down the way from her so if she needed anything we were right there...but we tried to give her the freedom of being with the coaches, team and team managers.  We know we have to loosen the strings some now that she is in high school.

Anywho...if you know me then you know that I generally don't swim.  It seems tat whenever we have access to a pool the water is always far colder than I would like, so I just don't do it.  Well...after 4 hours in the car and sitting through 3 hours of games in 90+ degree heat, I was game for he hotel pool.  It was magical.  The water felt perfect.  We got in and swam around for the better part of 45 minutes before getting dressed and going out to dinner (a nice anniversary steak dinner to top of the night for us and some delish looking ribs for Mini Me). 

The next morning Mini wanted to swim again...with how well behaved and patient she has been so far sitting and cheering on her big sis through the heat...how could we say no?!? My first thought too was, "well we were SO hot yesterday that is why the water felt so good, today I'm sire will be no dice."  Much to my surprise the water felt even BETTER the next morning.  So Mini Me hopped in while Dadoo hit the hot tub for a few...then we had a nice family swim, ending with Momma getting a few minutes in the hot tub.  This renewed my faith in swimming a bit.  Top that off with the hubs stating both the first night and next morning how good it felt on his leg to be in the pool and how that relief actually carried out into the day for him.  Swimming is going to be a BIG part of this challenge. 

So here we go, time to "dive in!"

Currently-June 2015

I have been reading Coffee Cake and Cardio for a few years now, and just LOVE it.  If you haven't checked out her site yer....WHAT IS STOPPING YOU?!?!?!  She has been doing a monthly series since early 2014 called "Currently" and I always enjoy reading her updates.  I have noticed other bloggers loving this idea too (most recently Carrots 'N' Cake, so I thought....why not give it a try?

Currently: June 2015...so much good has come to our family this month.  I am settling in to my new job nicely (which as ah-may-zing BTW), hubby's back recovery is going well, then girls are killing it in their individual activities and I have rediscovered the gym. :)

Current Celebration: My little mini me was invited to audition for her dance studio's competition dance company.  She went in there, learned her routines, practiced her heart out and MADE IT!!  So proud of that little 5 year old ball of determination!

working it on picture day this past spring

ready to go at auditions

Current Confession: I have a TON of scrapbook stuff for my girls, and and TON of well intended ideas...but I am TERRIBLE about actually doing them.

Current Product Find: Ok, so this is really a "current" find as we discovered our love for it last year, but with the official start of summer coming up and its resurgence in our life over the past few weeks...my current product find/love is Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration.  It's light, it smells nice and it makes my skin feel great!

Current Plan: Working out.  It should seem like a no-brainer right?  But it hasn't been.  This hip thing that I am STILL dealing with has made it rough, but I am getting there.  The hubs has been inspirational here.  He is killing it with his workouts and he is still only allowed to do "so much" since surgery.  But he is giving that "so much" 110%.

Current Book: I am without right now and it is awful!  PLEASE send some recommendations!!!!

Current Purchase: My first 5K registration!  If you have been reading my blog for a while then you know that I have been wanting to do this for a long, I mean LONG, time, but something always comes up...injury, time, excuse after excuse.  Well, I have officially registered for my first one.  A group of us will be running to honor the memory of a dear friend on July 4.  We are doing the Smiles for Sophie Forever run to benefit childhood brain cancer.

Current Drink: Lemon water.  I have always loved infused water, but it seems like recently the hubs has discovered the taste of lemon water and always has fresh sliced lemons now in the fridge. 

Current Holy Moly: My baby is done with kindergarten and my big girl is off to high school.  WOW!  I am still trying to process all that.

Current Show: I have been on a rather dark streak with my netflix binging...currently it is Dexter.  I read the first book and liked it, so decided to try out the series.

Current Want: Flipbelt.  I have an iPhone6+ which I LOVE but the idea of wearing that in an armband makes me nutty!  If anyone wants to buy me one as a congrats for signing up for my first 5K...let me know, I'll tell you wear to mail it. ;)

Current Obsession: Unplugged time with the fam!  It's hard with a teenager and an iPad savvy 5 year old, but we are managing it.  They are good about getting out and getting active...so I'm ok with SOME time on devices (especially since the big one is doing summer reading on hers and the little one is practicing 1st grade website a lot...but there is also that time when it's brain rot TV or youtube).  So I am pushing for LOTS of fun family together time with NO devices....mom and dad included. :)

Inching closer to the goal

As we  all trudge forward into another  glorious year, I felt like this picture was a perfect mindset to start off the year.  I wrote a  piece( for The Journey) called Ho-Ho-Hold On that hit on the  New Years Resolution phenomenon..ALL those bodies in the gym...but it was about then that  too...it  was about taking those small steps towards the bigger goal.  What a perfectly named site right, The JOURNEY because that IS what it  is all about.

I decided  this year to try something different.  I've talked about accountability, and that is SO  important,  but what have I really put at stake?  What measurable goals have I shared with you? None.  How do you know how I  am doing other than through these fabulous updates?  You don't. How do I really know?  I don't.  and that isn't fair...to  you, or to  me.  So this year I am laying it all out there.  

It has been a rough few weeks.  This  hip pain has only gotten worse, so  I am FINALLY going to see another doctor  and see what  we can do.  My hubby is having a similar problem, so there has to be something more to it all then just an overworked hip flexor muscle.  I am excited about our appointments because we are meeting with a very accomplished kinesiologist and will both be getting full work ups...nutrition, blood  work, alignment, everything. It has been hard with all this pain to even walk  sometimes, so I am DEFINITELY not at a happy place on the scale...but  even that doesn't matter.  The goal is to  get there.   The goal is to  see what I am doing to my body and correct  the things that aren't working properly.  

All that being said...it's time to look at hard numbers.  I am a vain person.  I have NEVER  posted numbers like this before,  but I think in order to make it sink in for myself...I need to be as honest as possible with myself...and with you, so  here  it  goes.

As of  this morning, Monday 1/15/15:
Weight: 131 (not since I was preggers have I hit this number)
Bust:  34
Waist: 27
Hips: 38
Thighs: 22

How do I set a goal from here?  Inch wise  I have no idea...less is  better I guess, right?!?!  weight wise, I am at the high end of normal for  my height...so I would like to drop at least 10.  Not a huge amount, but they always say the last 10 are the hardest.    I have my work cut out for me.  I will keep you posted, and will update  the numbers once a month.  I will let you know  what the new doc says too...I am excited to see how my inner workings are doing.  I think I will be in for a shock.  The general stuff is good,  that I  know from having them done in November (cholesterol,  BP, etc), this will go  into things like thyroid and liver function, general nutrition, etc.

Not So Guilty Pleasures

Good bye guilt!  I can honestly say that I never thought I would be able think those words, let alone say them out loud.  I have always been an "all in" kind of gal, so when I make a plan of attack and it doesn't follow through 100% I always tended to chuck it all as a failure.  I would feel so guilty about missing a workout, or eating more calories then I allotted myself for a day that I would go on a bender and wallow in my guilt and depression over it.  I always come back to you though, my readers and I feel a sense of loyalty to you.  To explain why I failed or how I am going to succeed (fingers crossed) next time. 

So the hubs has been sick and I have just been feeling  out of sorts, so my workouts have been less then stellar, as in I remembered that counting taking the dog for a walk counts as SOMETHING!  food wise I have been okay though for the most part, a little over on a few days, but diligently  tracking.  Last night though I was in shock and a bit terrified to input my dinner.    We went to a new (to us) restaurant and the special was an Italian buffet.  As I have been avoiding gluten I was worried about my tummy first and foremost, but then all that cheese and sauce and deliciousness and quite frankly my mouth started to water at the thought of lasagna.

After trying (small GO ME) portions of various things, and devouring my salad, I ended up doing ok for the night.  It was the ice cream cone after my 12 year olds band concert that pushed my calories over the top for the day (totally worth it BTW).  What was most shocking was even while I was eating, I thought to myself...tomorrow is another day.  You don't have to be perfect all the time.

This line of thought s still new to me, but the fact that I am getting there makes me believe that this time the journey is different.  I think I will be MUCH more successful at my attempts this time.  We are back on track today calorie wise, have a few good workouts lined up for the next few days.  I'm ready to rock!

 

How do you handle guilt on your journey?

Not "flaking" out

As the weather gets colder and we distance ourselves from News Years's I know that in the past with the dropping of snow flakes came the dropping of resolutions, at least it always did for me in the past.  But this year I am not (snow) flaking out!  I can tell that this time around with my workouts and eating habits its different.  This time it feels like the stakes are higher, like we (the hubs and I) are REALLY going to commit to it.  Some of it is that we are realizing we aren't getting any younger (HA) but I think it all comes back to one conversation, one moment after a workout when my amazing hubs said he felt ALIVE!!  That made it all click into place.

Part of what spurred me to start this blog was the need for accountability out side of myself.  To know that there is a group of people who are looking for me to succeed, who are cheering me on from a distance.  I love that about this blog and about the facebook page, but it's more than that. I wanted to be a good role model for my kids and inspire them into being healthier.  And I have to say I am seeing it succeed!   My oldest has always been good, she is an athlete.  She is also now a pre-teen though which means a good chunk of her free time is supposed ton be dedicated to texting, instagraming, and pinning right? LOL  So when there are breaks in her sporting schedule we do need to nudge her some...this has been fun.  I did get her to join her sister in some Wii fit games last week and that was fun, after forcing her to do boot camp a few weeks ago (terrible Mom I know).  :)

My mini me, well she is a workout junky!  She loves her yoga, just "upgraded" (read more expensive) dance classes to one that includes acrobats along with tap and ballet, and we took the plunge (love my wordplay today) with swim lessons.  SHE is the one who asks the hubs and I everyday...when are you working out today?  Are you working out.  She likes to sit on the couch with the ipad and look up and cheer us on, or count down reps with the videos.  How awesome is that!

And yesterday, I caught the hubs tracking his food on myfitnesspal too!  We are finally becoming the family I had hoped we would become when this blog started!  And as we get closer to better health, I realize what seemed like such a HUGE step then is really just a baby step now.  This isn't about losing a few pounds anymore, this is about life style choices....and life in general.  I am proud to sit here and say how STRONG I am starting to feel.  Thin, no but strong YES!  And I can honestly say I'd rather be strong.  I am proud to see muscles toning and building, and I LOVE the way I feel.  Just as my hubby said almost 2 short months ago...I feel alive!

 

2014....this is OUR year!!

Be Happy

So, I finally started at least a board on Pinterest for this little blog and this was one of the first few pins I put on it.  What?  You aren't following me on Pinterest, well if you'd like to change that you can find me over on my personal page. I have to say, I just love this pin!  I feel like it resonates even more right now as the new year is starting and people have a feeling of renewal and change.  I have been using these as my "working points" for the past few weeks and am feeling good about life in general.

The first tenant of this, Think Positively, came in handy this past weekend.  I have been a pinning fool (I know, it's SO addicting)...and one pin I had I was eager to do.  When the mini and I went grocery shopping the other day we bought two big bunches of bananas with the idea of making LOTS of yummy smoothies in the mornings.  Well, Sunday morning came around and I wanted pancakes!  You know how sometimes you get an idea in your head and then you just can't shake it.  Well, my head was stuck on pancakes.  Three months ago this would have been an easy fix, but with giving up gluten I have still not bought (shame on me) any kind of gluten free flour.  I know, I know...I could be lazy and buy the gluten free Bisquick...but I have been THAT lazy.  I just haven't thought of it when at the store.  I will now.  (In looking for the link for it I have to say, LOTS of yummy recipes!)

Anywho...I digress.  So we had all these bananas, my need for pancakes, and the power of pinterest.  I decided to try banana pancakes.  They seemed easy enough, 2 ingredients...bananas and eggs.  Being the rebel that I am , I added vanilla and cinnamon sugar.

"all" the ingredients mixed up


So I had my mix ready, my pan buttered, I set to work.  This is where it gets tricky.  These little stinkers are not the easiest things to flip.


proof of my flipping fail




I was worried about "doneness" too.  Bananas are mushy.  I couldn't easily tell if they were done by looking and was worried about the eggs, so I put them in a warm (250*) oven while I continued to work on more.  Once they were all done, I let them sit in the oven for about 15 minutes.  As I was recording my "fail" on this attempt, the hubs reminded me that the only way to know if something is going to work or not is to try.  He was right!  I mean, I was judging based on looks alone (something we all KNOW we shouldn't do in life in general). 

I took the pancakes out of the oven, plated and enjoyed them with the hubs.  Not sure if its a recipe that we will do again necessarily, but they were not nearly as bad as I had thought they'd be.  Think Positively!

plated success

What are you doing to Think Positively this week?

Starting point

I know, I know I made promises about vacation updates...trust me they are coming.  I'm hoping if I leave you in suspense it will guarantee your return to my blog. :)  That and I need to finish my photo uploads so I can share  some good pics with you. 

I have been planning my triumphant return to my workout/healthy eating schedule, and with that comes the question which comes first.  If the hubs and I have learned nothing else from various diets and workout plans its that you can't do it all at once.  I think many people probably aren't as successful (note: not fail) when first starting out because they think they have to do everything at once.  They think, I want to lose weight and be healthy so I have to cut all of my fav foods out and exercise 7 days a week.  For those that actually CAN do this, I applaud you.  I wish I had enough time in my day to workout everyday...but with two kiddos and a job and pets and a social life it's not always the case.  I used to feel awful if I missed a workout.  I would feel guilty and ashamed of myself for failing.  No more!  I mean after all...

I love how I feel after a good workout, but its not better then how I feel after some QT with my hubby and kiddos.  I have been trying to find activities that we can do together.  Our local neighborhood rec was offering a Zumba class that was a parent-child one so I'm hoping that comes back in the fall.  I think my little mini me would LOVE Zumba! 

So in deciding where to start I have opted for getting back to healthy foods first.  Hearing my little one ask for salads on vacation reminded me how our bodies not only need certain foods, but will actually crave them.  We ALWAYS have fruits and veggies on hand at home for snacks...that wasn't the case on vacation and her little body was craving the healthy, wonderful taste of veggies (bursting with pride about that by the way)! 

I have been researching and am looking for input from you now.  I have heard and read both sides of the coin with the Dirty Dozen list.  I love that there is an emphasis on what is best to eat organically, I'm sad that people think if they can't get those foods they cant eat them at all. I think my "winner winner (skinless) chicken dinner for right now is the Prevention magazine  25 Ridiculously Healthy Foods.  I love seeing a list of foods (not judged by their organic or inorganic qualities) that are good for you with a brief reasoning as to why you should eat them.  It's also a list that is reasonable and easy to do with kids.  I can honestly say that my kids eat about 95% of the things on this list...many without even knowing it. :)  My big girl is harder.  She has her dad's sensitive taste buds with a very basic palette.  I can't really hide avocado in her food, but I can sneak flax seed oil in.  It's a give and take.

After coming home from vacation we need to do some grocery shopping and I have decided that this list, these 25 "superfoods" are going to be in my cart at some point or other.  I want to keep a healthy rotation going.  will they all be always, no.  I am a realist.   Do I wish we could keep salmon in the house to have whenever the mood struck, yes...but truth be told fish tastes better fresh so that is a buy today eat today or tomorrow item.  It's also not native to my area so its priced higher, so maybe we do some tilapia or orange roughy instead.  As long as we are getting some fish in every once in awhile.  My little one likes fish sticks...so I am planning a panko fish stick dinner soon.  She liked my homemade chicken strips...so we shall see.

You may be asking how I decided to start with food first, well like I said we need to grocery shop.  But all kidding aside, since I have been doing this step challenge at work I have realized that I actually do move a lot more then I thought I did.  Surprising since I have a desk job...but with just my everyday moving around (dog walks included) I am averaging 5-6 miles a day, so I KNOW I am already doing something physical that is good for me.  Going with food first seemed like the logical choice.

 

What are some of your "must have" food items to keep you going?  Or what are some good substitutions you have found/made for some of your not-so-healthy cravings?