what are we going to eat?

I go through times when I'm great at making a menu ahead of time.  I plan out all of our meals and my trip to the grocery store.

Lately....not so much.  Summer time makes it easy to get completely out of any kind of routine.  I'm fighting to get back into a few of my routines that I've seen get burned up by the heat.

If you're feeling like all you want is some junk food at every turn then maybe what you need is to put a little schedule back into your life.

Get out a piece of paper and make a little grid with the days of the week.  Under each day create little boxes by drawing three lines about 1 inch apart.  Now label each row B for breakfast, L for Lunch, and D for dinner.

Think about what you typically like to eat and fill in your menu.  After you fill in your menu get out another piece of paper and make a grocery list from your menu. 

Now when you are tempted to eat junk food you have a plan.  Now...when you're hours past dinner time you don't have to try and think up something to eat on an empty stomach.

Here are some menu ideas for you:

Breakfast

*Mini Wheats

*2 eggs over easy

*Piece of toast with freezer jam and a piece of fruit

*Vanilla yogurt and berries

*Fruit salad

*scrambled eggs with some cheese

*oatmeal or grits (although I totally can't gag them down...) 

Lunch:

*Turkey, tomato, mayo, and pepper on sourdough with some sour cream and cheese baked lays

*Avocado, tomato, and sprouts on wheat bread

*Left overs

*Buttered noodles

Dinner:

*Fresh tacos:  corn tortillas, grilled chicken, cilantro, salsa, cheese, sour cream, lettuce

*Rotisserie chicken, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette, fresh rolls

*chicken, cranberries, almond slivers, lettuce, balsamic vinaigrette, garlic bread

*chicken, lettuce, walnuts, feta cheese, bacon, tomatoes, blue cheese dressing, warm bread

*angel hair pasta, garlic, onion, crushed tomatoes, italian seasoning, small salad

*roast cooked in crock pot for 8 hours seasoned with onion, garlic, lemon pepper served with mashed potatoes, gravy, and salad

*grilled chicken, baked potatoes, and corn on the cob

*beef and veggie kabobs with rice

*london broil on the grill, Mediterranean salad, and grilled corn on the cob

Snacks:

*grapes

*strawberries

*triscuits and cheese

*peanut butter and celery

*almonds

*strawberries and vanilla yogurt

*apples

Weekly Challenge:  Put together a menu, grocery shop from it, and stick to it.

What menu ideas/recipes do you have for the rest of us?  Let us all know in the comments!  Thanks!

healthy. LIFE.

remember.

To think positive thoughts.  I know it's hard.  Especially when you've been up way too late, the alarm just went off, and your bed is feeling pretty cozy.  This happened to me this morning.  I lay there thinking about how soft and comfy my body felt in my bed...and that I was way too tired to get out and exercise.  Pretty soon I was thinking about how I could get out of exercise instead of all of the great benefits of getting out and pounding the pavement.

When I'm laying in my bed in the morning...I don't think straight.  I decided I need to have some things ready for me to say to myself when I'm in that place between sleep and really waking up.  Things like, "I'll feel so much better if I get out and exercise."  or "My brain gets going and is more creative when I get up and go walking."  or "I feel so much energy when I start off the day with a brisk walk." or "It will totally be worth it to get up right now."

Instead, I stayed in bed debating the issue in my mind.  By the time I decided I was going to get the heck out of bed...it was time to get the kids ready for our orthodontist appointment this morning.  And now, I'm feeling like I need to fit in my exercise at some point today.

Here are some tips from here (click for more info) about staying positive when exercising:

* Start small

*Exercise with friends

*Find an exercise that you think is fun

*Think about all of the great benefits exercise gives YOU.

*Put a picture of how you'd like to look in a place you'll see it every day.

*Ask one of your friends to be the person that you can call if you need a pep talk.

*Mix it up.  Choose your 2-3 favorite ways to get moving and alternate them each day.

*Smile when you think about exercising.

*Be grateful for the changes that you're seeing or that you know you'll see soon.

*Create a place for you to exercise.  Light a candle or do something that makes it feel like a fun place for you.

*Set some little goals and find ways to reward yourself when you meet them.  An afternoon pedicure, a morning on the couch reading a book.

*Consider the future quality of life that you're giving yourself

*If getting out of bed is the hardest part of exercising try writing yourself a letter and placing it on your nightstand to read in the morning to help you get up.

What works for you?  How do you stay positive...especially in the first little while of getting back to being healthy?  What do you do?  What do you tell yourself?

Weekly Challenge:  Keep it light, keep it fun, keep it positive...even if you aren't sure you're seeing results...and keep on keepin' on.

good. LIFE.

this is the year.

Later this year...September 13th to be exact...I will turn 40.  It doesn't seem possible that I've lived 40 full years.  It's surreal and at the same time I hardly feel old enough to count myself among the grown up people I thought of as old and wise and 40.  Back when I was 16 I thought I would probably not turn 40.  The end of the world would come or some crazy something would happen...and yet...here I am on the brink of something wonderful.

I hope I learn even more great bits of goodness in my upcoming decade than I have this past decade and I hope the little bits of wisdom I've acquired will help me to have more compassion, sensitivity, ability to say "I'm sorry", and live with more graciousness over the next years of my life.  I hope I become sweeter to others and more comfortable in my own skin and so much more.

I love where I've been and I'm so excited about what's ahead of me.

And...since it's Move it Monday...I'd like to be my healthiest, most fit self by the time I'm forty.  I've got 20 pounds to say hasta la vista to...and 3 months...and it's time to get serious.  I've had about a year where I've not been super focused.  I haven't kept my full 25 pounds off but I haven't gained them all back either (I had originally wanted to lose 35 pounds). I've tried to keep up with Move it Monday and now it's time to do more than keep up with it...it's time to live it again.

So...I'm going to get up in the morning at 7am and go walking before the sun gets blazing hot and before the green leaves rise up to meet that ball of fire in suffocating humidity.  I'm also going to hit those free weights...they are what I like the least.  (anyone have some good ideas about muscle strengthening other than free weights?  I know they're the best for building strong bones, etc...is there anything that measures up that's more fun?  I like yoga but does yoga do the same thing?)

And eating less...I'm going to start doing that.  As I've said here about a million times...it's all about eating less than you burn.  Time to get back to eating on smaller plates and looking for ways in my everyday life to burn calories.  

So what is your motivation this summer?  What are you doing to get fit?

Weekly Challenge:  Even though it's hot (at least it is here...a blazing 95 degrees with too much humidity) find a cool time of the day to workout outdoors or find a way to workout indoors that makes you feel great.

best. LIFE.

The American Council on Exercise is a great place to check out information about how to stay fit.  You can see it here.To keep kids moving, the American Council on Exercise suggests ten, fun fitness summer activities.

1. Soccer This highly active game involving both agility and teamwork has grown increasingly popular in the U.S. in recent years. To keep kids injury free, be sure they are geared up in appropriate protective equipment, such as shin guards. Soccer players should also wear shoes with cleats or ribbed soles to prevent slipping.
2. Martial arts With a variety of forms to choose from, martial arts are a great way to get kids involved in a sport that involves strength, coordination and mental discipline. Proper training and equipment to prevent injury are a must.
3. Bike riding Bicycle riding is a fun activity for the whole family. Experts suggest children ride on sidewalks and paths until they are at least 10 years old, show good riding skills and are able to follow the rules of the road. Helmets, of course, are a necessity for both children and adults.
4. Swimming Nothing beats splashing around a pool with friends, and swimming offers the benefits of a full-body workout for both young and old. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends swimming lessons for children ages 4 and up, although classes are available for babies and toddlers as well.
5. Basketball Whether it's a round of HORSE, a game of one on one, or a full-court competition, basketball is ideal for developing hand/eye coordination and teamwork. Encourage children under the age of seven to use a smaller foam or rubber ball, and lower the height of the basket if possible.
6. Obstacle courses Challenge kids to use a variety of different skills by setting up an obstacle course at the park using playground equipment or other items, such as jump ropes, balls and cones.
7. Dancing Whether your kids like ballet or hip-hop, dancing encourages them to be creative and move their bodies freely. For video arcade fans, an innovative new game challenges opponents to follow a dance routine while watching the video. Kids can spend time learning new moves while also getting a great workout.
8. Board sports Whether snowboarding in the winter, surfing in the summer, or skateboarding year-round, kids love to be on the board. Injury risk, however, is higher for these sports. For both snowboarding and skateboarding, kids should wear helmets to prevent head injuries, and surfers or boogie-boarders should always be accompanied by an adult.
9. Jumping rope Jumping rope is still a favorite on most playgrounds. Whether alone or in a group, jumping rope challenges both coordination and stamina.
10. Ice-skating/inline-skating Ice-skating, inline-skating and hockey can be both fun and safe as long as appropriate protective gear such as a helmet, wrist guards and kneepads are worn. Hockey players should wear a helmet with foam lining and a full-face mask, a mouth guard, pads for shoulders, knees, elbows and shins, as well as gloves.

     

This week's challenge:  Get your kids outside playing/exercising for at least one hour every day.

body type.

So...Move it Monday is on Wednesday this week...it's been a little crazy with school ending in 7 days.  Wohoo!

A bunch of years ago I learned about the body type diet.  I thought it was intriguing.  What I liked most was that it taught you about how your body chemistry works, why you may gain weight in certain places, and what foods are extra good at helping your particular body put on the fat.

I have to give the disclaimer though...I don't believe in any one diet...or any diets for that matter.  I think what's most important is that you eat healthy foods, keep your body active, exercise, and refrain from eating more than you really need.

I do like the idea of findyourbodytype.com teaching us about how our body may work and giving us information that will help us keep from overworking one part of our system to the detriment of another part of our body.  I hope the information helps you.  Let me know what you think...

Weekly Challenge:

Pay attention to your body.  Listen to your body.  Notice when a certain type of food doesn't make you feel good or when another food makes you feel healthy.  Listen and obey your body when it speaks to you.

aware. LIFE.