Food and Fitness Fun (+ a lil FMM)

Okay, so I have been talking a lot lately about how I want to and have been trying to change how I eat and get back on track with my workouts. If you have been reading my blog for a while now (thanks) you also know that I feel like there are many times that the universe sends me signals, many more since crossing the "mid thirties" line and the great metabolic slow down.  So I started this weekend of with some worry.  Despite all the miles I have been tracking with the old pedometer, I knew it was going to be tough.  We had Friday night cocktail festivities for the hub's bday with some of our closest BFF's, then we had the cake and yumminess festivities with just the girls Saturday which ends with leftover cake goodness Sunday, Monday...you get the picture.

So I basically hid like a coward from MFP and the scale all weekend.  It was cowardly I know, but at the same time ok.  I enjoyed not thinking about the scale at least.  So, last night my big kid was out playing with friends and the little one was stir crazy, so I asked her if she wanted to hit the playground.  OF COURSE!!  Duh mom, right?!?!  So I asked the hubs to go with but he actually made us some homemade (aka YUMMY with a capital YUM) bread and needed to let it finish baking and then do a cooling process.  So I went to get the mini me ready and he says that he wants to work out.  Awesome!  Whenever her gets motivated and started he is SO good about staying on track and he tends to motivate me.  SO, good wife that I am, I say well I will take mini to the playground and she can ride her bike there and back (she needs to practice her pedaling) and that will take some time then I can give her a half an hour at the playground so he should all in all that should take about 45-60 so he should be able to work out while we are gone.  And like that, it's a plan!

So mini me and I grabber her shoes and helmet and were off.  now this may not seem like a big deal, but my sweet little bear generally pedals up and down the drive way and then calls it quits, so the fact that she agreed to ride all the way to the playground is pretty fantastic...the fact that she DID it was off the charts awesome!  She did great by the way!  She was so proud of herself for doing it.  I'm so proud of her too!  She did about a .75 mile ride in her own sweet time (and I got the benefit of the walk since I was beside her in case she fell or needing help steering-which she hardly needed). 

When I got home hubby had worked out and showered all ready (guess we were gone longer then I realized) then he quickly took mini me for a bath and started dinner with the prompt "You're turn."  So, feeling motivated already by his good example, I got in a GREAT workout!  It was painful, sweaty and gross...but felt SO good!

I also took this weekend as an opportunity to try something new and good for me food wise.  While at Earthfare on Saturday, I saw almond milk on the shelf in the dairy case.  I have been reading a lot about the health benefits of choosing almond milk over cow milk and have been wanting to try it, but didn't want to get a full sized carton for fear of it been "yucky."  So while at the store the hubs and the big girl found me this:

How cute is this little single serving sized almond milk!  It was perfect for a taste test...and guess what...Momma likey!  My hubs tasted it and was not as impressed, he will stick with the very vanilla soy milk that we buy for him and the big kid...the big kid refused to try therefore the little kid refused to try.  I have a feeling though that I can get the little one to try it with me when we are alone!  :)  Baby steps to better health!

What are some foods that you have switched to on the quest to better health?

 

 

A few more DC pics to enjoy:

and now some 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!

School Days

1.  What was your favorite subject in school?  I always loved English, although history was a very close second.

2. Did you attend elementary school and high school in the same town? No, I did K-2 in a bigger city and then we moved the summer between 2-3, but from grade 3-12 I was in the same town.

3.  Are you still friends with anyone that you met during school?  I still have a few people from grade school that I am close to.

4. What activities were you involved in as a student? I was in wind ensemble, was a majorette, soccer, track and dance.

5. Did you bring your lunch, or did you get it at school?  I bought my lunch every day.  We actually had a cute little salad bar and I hit that most of the time.

6. Did you enjoy shopping for clothing and school supplies?  I loved it…still do, it’s a whole new experience doing it as the parent.

7. Name a song or a band that reminds you of high school.  Toad the Wet Sprocket. <3

8. Did you like school?  I loved school, I work for a university now and love that!  I plan to go back and get my Masters at some point! 

9. How long have you been out of school?  Do I have to admit this????

10.  What did you like most about school?  What did you dislike most about school?  My high school was very small so I guess at times I disliked that…everyone knows you and knows your business…at the same time I loved going to a small school and have a hard time wrapping my head around how big the district is that we live in now for my own kids experiences.

 

 



Do YOU believe in miracles?!?!

This movie ALWAYS makes me cry.  Not in a sad weepy way, but in that "Oh my sweet word the inspiration and awesomeness of it all" way.  I get to the end and as the boys tie up the big game I can feel my nerves get tense (even though I know the outcome) and just wait to see the big finish and then I realize there are tears streaming down my face.  I love this story of the underdog, the groups that finally pulls it together and unifies as one to accomplish their goal.  In today's trying times, I wish there were more inspirational stories to rally America.  But regardless of the country as a whole, I took this as another nudge from the universe.

This weekend had  a lot of "a ha" moments in it for me.  Friday I took my girls to get their pictures taken and was able to slide in on a few and for the first time in a long time, when I saw a few of the proofs I was happy.  I even looked at one and thought "Not too shabby."  Then on Saturday I took Baby bear to a birthday party.  Later I saw a pic where I was in the background and had to double take because as I was looking at the kids on the bench, I noticed myself in the background and actually thought "those legs are starting to reshape nicely" (thanks again Pop Pilates)!!  At the beach yesterday (a place I am starting to really love going with the fam but always dread the actually wearing of the bathing suit) I caught myself checking out the other beach goers and realized I am actually6 looking pretty OK for 35.  Add all these little things up and then ice them with Miracle being on TV and it felt like another  sign from the Universe.  Any of you who have been following me for a while know that I have had these epiphanies and pushes before, and always try and take them to heart.  I can reach my goals!  I DO believe in  miracles, and lets be honest making workouts and healthy eating a priority REALLY isn't a miracle, it should be a give in, am I right or am I right?!?!

So now an action plan...time to get back in the saddle.  Where to start.  The pop pilates is good for workouts when crunched for time, I REALLY want to get back into my Ellen Barrett DVD's too, and I think it may be time to really try and hit the running trails.  There is a 5K I was invited to do in October...I should be able to get ready by then, right?

Any workouts you rec?

It's Time to get Moving

Back in the good old days I was crazy!  Back before children, before the stress of home ownership and being a "grown up" I felt like a rock star.  At the ripe old age of 21 my metabolism went into overdrive.  I could eat and drink pretty much whatever I wanted and see no fluctuation on the scale.  Go ahead, I will plug my ears as you get out all those nasty comments. :)  I understand...I hate that girl too!  I had to easy, too easy.  It was a blessing at the time because I saw a significant increase in the pounds from my senior year of high school through college...but it was also a curse as there was no real reason for my metabolism to just jump start the way it did so I learned nothing from that first major weight loss achievement.

Fast forward to my 35th birthday this past September.  It must have happened while I was asleep because I have no recollection of the conversation happening.  I don't know, maybe there was a secret meeting planned while I was fretting away about soccer practices or dance classes and making sure every one's schedule lined up, but there was some sort of conversation between my metabolism and my body that I was not included on.  I imagine it going something like this:

Metabolism: "Hey body, what's up, how are ya?"
Body: "feeling good Tabby, how are you?"
|
Metabolism: "I'm tired.  This chic has been running me ragged for almost 15 years, I think I need a vacation."

Body: "You do work really hard, I can't even imagine.  She NEVER works me as hard as you."

Metabolism: "Yeah, that's why I'm thinking...she's 35 now.  It's time to let her work and EARN the body I have given her over the years.  I know that may seem mean, but I just can't do it alone anymore."

Body:  I understand, here's hoping she does."

How rude! I mean, to not even INCLUDE me in this monumental decision.  Unbelievable, I mean when "Tabby" decided to jump start we sat and talked for...wait, no we didn't.  There was just an amazing jump start and my metabolism went into overdrive.  Ok, but then there was the time when...oh, no.  That was more of my selfishness.  Dang, this sucks!

It sounds so clichéd, but truly I have really felt the slow down in my metabolism since turning 35.  My hubby and I talk about it a lot.  His body type, he feels like he has never really HAD a metabolism to begin with, so I am starting to understand more now his frustration of working out and working out and not seeing a difference on the scale.  I now there are things I  can do, but need to do more research.  I read a great article today on boosting your metabolism from Active.com, and there are some great pointers in there...but I need to know more.  I need books and articles to help my on this quest.  My hubby needs answers.  I need to reconvene this meeting of the metabo-minds and get an agreement we can all live with.

What are some ways to really fire up your metabolism?  Suggestions?