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. 

Short and Sweet

Today's post is going to be short and sweet.  I've been thinking a lot over the past few days about what goes into my mouth and my families, and I have been reading and watching documentaries.  I need a little more time to "digest" what I am taking in.  Not wanting to break too long between posts though, I'm sending you a Friend Making Monday post!

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Questions and Answers

 

1.  What is a typical weekday like for you?  Generally I am up and at them by 6, shower, dressed, dog walked, breakfast eaten, lunch packed and out the door by 7am.  Work 730-3, then pick up the kiddos, home for snacks, homework, any and all after school activities (depending o the day), bath time, workout, stories and bedtime.

2.  Name one song that never fails to make you happy and one song that you always listen to when you’re sad.  You're Just too Good to be True (Jersey Boys edition) always makes me happy. it's my song with my mini!  When I am sad, it depends on why the sadness honestly.

3.  Did you watch the VMA’s last night? Nope, opted for a Bernstein Bears read-a-thon and Forks Over Knives with the hubs!

4.  Share at least two that you possess. Hmmm..not sure where this one is going?!?!

5.  Share one thing that you wish you had the confidence to do.  Go back to school and get my MFA in dance.  It had been a plan at one point, but slipped away with time (and years).

6. Tell us about one insecurity that people might be surprised that you have. Despite being very outgoing (once I get to know people) I am very insecure about meeting new people.

7.  If you could be the CEO of any company, which one would you choose to lead? I already am of my sweet little home based business I do with my hubs and the girls. (check us out on FB at Ardeline Arts & Crafts).

8. List at least three hobbies that make you happy.  Reading, knitting (once I FINALLY figure out what I am doing), and crafting.

9.  Is there someone in your life that you wish you could say “I love you” to?  Yes.  I wish my aunt was still alive so I could tell her, at last one more time!

10.  Share one cool thing that happened over the weekend.  I watched Forks Over Knives and started reading Crazy Sexy Diet and am having a lifestyle epiphany!

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions.  Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments!  Happy Monday, friends!

Motivated Momma

My husband is the best!  Have I mentioned that?  Only 50 million zillion times, well it is worth saying at least 1 more time.  He is the absolute bestest hubby in the world.  He has been working his butt off bouncing back and forth between P90X and Insanity, 2 uber hard work out programs.  He gets up early, gets out girls dressed, fed and off to school, works all day, has had rehearsals at night, does chores around the house and still has energy to workout for and hour+ each night!  He has been both an inspiration and a source of jealousy for me. :) 

Going into this weekend and Easter I was worried.  I have been such a slug lately and haven't worked out, have been snacking like its my job, just off my game completely.  So Friday night we got the little one to sleep early, the big one was locked in her room with her iPod and TV, so he was ready to workout.  He asked if I was going to workout too?  I looked at him and he was so genuine.  I had a few excuses, but he just kept saying..."You know you'll feel better afterwards"  and "Just start out slow."  After a few minutes it hit me...he was right!  I knew I would feel good after, and so I went up got dressed in my workout gear and set to it. 

Now, if you have been with me from the start you know I have a love for the Crunch Gym videos, 2 in particular Crunch Fat Burning Pilates with Ellen Barrett and Belly, Butt and Thighs Bootcamp with Teri Ann Krefting.  I own these two and they have been my "go to" workouts for a while now.  I love that I can feel them right away, they giver me cardio and strength and they focus on toning muscles, not "building" them per se.  So this weekend, I did the Fat Burning Pilates twice and Boot camp once.  I felt GREAT!  I think his gentle encouragement was just what I needed, and am SO thankful!  Can't wait to workout again tonight!!!!!

And now, better late then never...Friend Making Monday.

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: http://www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

 

Childhood Flashbacks

1. Did you have a set bedtime as a child?  If so, what was it? I had to be in bed by 9:00 except on Monday nights when I was allowed to stay up and watch Kate and Allie with my mom (at leat while it was still on).

2. Were you taught to be a member of the "Clean Plate Club?" Did it have affect your eating habits as an adult?  Not so much clean plate club, my dad did sometimes tell stories about when he was in Vietnam and the starving children there, but we were basically allowed to have “leftovers” though its seems we rarely did.

3. Share one thing that you were not allowed to do as a child. I was not allowed to ride my bike to the Dairy Queen until I was older and even then it was not really something my parents wanted me doing.  In order to get there we had to ride down the busiest street in town.

4. What is the cheapest gas price you can remember?   The summer I got my license I only paid 88 cents/gallon.  Oh to go back to a simpler time.

5. What was your favorite thing on the playground?  Swings for sure.  I get to enjoy them all over again with my kids too.  There is something magical and soothing about the swings.

6. Share one thing that your parents always made you do that you didn't like doing.  Church was always the hard one by high school.  It was the weekend and it was SO early HA (10am).  It must have been foreshadowing as I never attend church now.  Not for lack of religion, but rather I find it hard to conform to one set of religious doctrines.  I am teaching my children about faith rather than religion.

7. Do you remember your first kiss?  If so, share the details!  I do, but I don’t kiss and tell. J

8. Did you prefer to play inside or outside?  Outside!  Bicycles, flashlight tag, swimming, running…anything to be outdoors.

9. What was your favorite TV show growing up?  Hmmmm hard one.  I too loved Saved by the Bell Kenlie (and that was one of the best episodes….Jessie Spano), I also watched Who’s the Boss, Growing Pains, 90210, but I would say Friends or ER became my absolute MUST SEES!

10. Share one awesome childhood memory.  I feel like I had a really blessed childhood and its hard to pick out one thing.  I am very close with my mom and she and I have traveled together a lot (we would take girl trips as my dad and brother went fishing with their buddies every year in Canada)…which is probably why a spring break youth group trip to Virginia stands out as an awesome memory because it was a trip I took with my dad.  Granted, a bunch of my friends were there too…but it was awesome getting to spend that time with my dad.  We even left the group on Easter and went out to dinner just the 2 of us at the Black Angus Steakhouse.  It was awesome!

Bonus: Share a picture of yourself as a child.   I don't have any on my PC. :(
Now it's your turn to answer this week's questions!  Don't forget to come back and link up in the comments!  Happy Monday, my friends!