That is so great. I find one of the best ways of connecting with my family is something that is active then talking after we have completed our walk, bike ride, run, or hike!

The kids were getting bored today because we have a full FREE day! So I was thinking that every day we need to do a little chores, a little exercise and a little relaxing. This kept us off the TV and even though I had to listen to whining during the chores part they ended up goofing off outside for longer than expected. We're also doing a little reading/crafts/quiet play time. For exercise Charlie was trying to ride his bike 100 times around our cul de sac.

I got my 30 minute walk in this morning to ward off the stiffness from yesterday's walk. It always sets the mood for the day at "happy".

Dug for the patio today. I'm wiped OUT.

Ok, my tip for today is to go to mydailyplate.com and USE it to track. I've been doing it for awhile, but not really reading and looking at the info. I just looked back and I am NOT getting enough fiber. I need to make a change in that way. Also, surprisingly enough, I'm not getting enough carbs. I eat a TON of carbs, which is why I was so surprised .... the best part about it is that it tracks all the stuff automatically for you. You just tell it what you ate and it figures it out. :)

We are doing all the same things and having the same conversations. However, at times it just sort of makes me sad? annoyed? bothered? Years ago nobody was spending their time & mental energy PLANNING to be healthy. The lifestyle just sort of made it happen. Cars weren't the NORMAL mode of transport for kids. Processed food didn't exist. Fruits & veggies were eaten often and usually out of the family garden. I long for the days I don't wake up thinking about exercise & eating and nutrition. Can you tell I'm having a MEH Monday? ;) Thanks for the tips & inspiration. Back to the real world!~

Michelle,

I hear you. I've thought the same thing. Why can't being fit and healthy just come naturally? Why can't things just be that simple? Anyone have any thoughts?

video + computer games.

we didn't have them growing up and we rode bikes A LOT. I think the computer, videos + TV are not encouraging physical activity. Seriously. Erik and I don't have kids, but I don't think it's a bad idea to either A) not have video game systems or B) limit use .... 30 minutes a day, max. Maybe reward of extra 15 minute intervals if you go run around outside for an hour? Am I being unrealistic?

Also, I think peer pressure is a good thing. For example, I wanted salad w/ my lunch today. We were having a frozen pizza (i know, i suck), b/c we'd spent 2 hours digging for the back patio and I wanted something quick. But I wanted to have something a *little* healthful before we had the pizza. I asked E, but he didn't want one. He came upstairs, saw I was having one, and wanted one, too.

If you have kids, it will probably be easy. It seems most kids I know want to be like their mom/dad. So ... if mom and dad are eating their own salad in their own bowls, kids might want to do it, too. :)

From watching kids, they seem to respond well to ownership of something. So .... if you want them to eat veggies and they don't want to .... how do you go about it?

I suggest the following:

Get a packet of seeds (tomato, cucumber, whatever), get a few little cups, let the kids plant the seeds, and watch them grow. If they are anything like I was when I was little, I'd check the darn cup every DAY. MULTIPLE times/day. When it gets big enough, let it go outside, get used to the climate/etc. Then ... put it in the garden (or, if you want, a big pot .... doing a container garden would work, too). My bet is they'll watch the thing grow, flower, then eventually put on fruit (ok, veggies). After all of that watching, who WOULDN'T want to eat what THEY grew?

:)

Well every kid is different. Charlie declares loudly "I am NOT a vegetarian!" which means he doesn't each vegetables. Nicholas on the other hand would like a fruit and veggie sampler platter for his meals. Charlie has a gag reflex sensitive to foods, Nicholas does not. You think you have control over your kids cause their little then you find out! Not!

My husband has a new technique for Charlie. Put the green bean in your mouth for 30 seconds. You can swallow it now or hold it in your mouth for 30 seconds then spit it out. Someday he will be an adult and eat a variety of foods...I just know it!

I did my sit up tape this morning then did my 15 pushups and some arm and leg exercises. Tahoe is four days away!!!

I talked to my acupuncturist about no sugar. She said it would help my spleen. Which in Chinese lore is weakened by sugar, but also craves sugar when it's weak! Sounds familiar. :)

Regarding family exercise. My mom never drove us anywhere. Even on rain days. She would always say "ride your bike!" or "you won't melt!". Those days of freedom on the bike were great. Just think of all that freedom my mom had not driving us everywhere! Wow! That's why we're all undone too, with no time for anything.

We don't have video games cause I can see the slippery slope. Our neighbors do though and I think Charlie is well versed in it. Last year the kids watched a lot of TV in the summer and Charlie payed for it when school started. He has an uncanny ability to memorize entire shows and play them back in his head at will. To the exclusion of anyone trying to talk to him. Yes, alarming! So TV is really limited this summer. And in August I'm going to have a no TV week or something before school starts. The saving grace is when he learned to read he could channel that extreme selective focus into a book!

Laura, I so agree about kids being different. I have one child who can't get enough of any kind of food. She'll eat anything and try pretty much anything once. She'll take a salad any day of the week. I have one daughter who really likes salad and is also fine to take the junk food when given the chance. My other two kids LOVE junk food. I'm thrilled that my son took the initiative to make a healthy plan.

I agree with Karen that kids totally do better when they take ownership in something. And that is a really good idea. We have a garden this year and the kids have definitely eaten more veggies, in part because they got to watch the food grow.

We also don't have any tv channels. We have a dvd player. Laura, I feel the same way you do about video games. We don't have any video games. We don't watch tv at all during the day and only very occasionally in the evenings. We probably only watch a couple of hours a week. The kids ride their bikes, scooters, and play outside, and play games for most of the day. Mike and I were just talking yesterday about how little the kids watch tv and we're so glad. When we moved here we decided not to hook up our cable and it's been worth it.

Now if I could just convince my husband! I would love to be a no TV channel house!

My husband really misses the tv channels during football season and my Dad doesn't like it all when he comes to visit. There have been times when all of the boys go out to a sports restaurant just to watch the games together.

There are definitely some down sides to it...but overall it's been very good for our kids and our family.

I was tired today. We did a lot of running around. I told Charlie I was too tired to walk today. He said "it's okay momma, you're skinny enough." :) Gotta love him.

I got some new boots for fall at the Nordstrom sale (Frye). I've been manifesting these boots since last year. I call them kick-A** boots cause it makes me feel empowered to say that. All the outfits I want to wear them with are skirts. :) You know how I've been doing my sit up tape twice a week. Well when I tried on some outfits with my boots I was happy to see I am making progress! I guess all that wishing I used to do wasn't really working. I've realized I have to do the work to get the payoff. Now the trick is to keep it up!

Davina, we basically grew up w/ no cable, and I don't think I missed much.

Erik, however, is a sports editor and also fanatic. Going w/o cable would just be too much for him. Like, we won't even consider satellite b/c it doesn't carry the local football/baseball chanels he'd want.

Sheesh.

Ok, could someone PLEASE explain this to me .... I drink like a man (again) last night, eat way more calories for the day than I should .... including fatty chips+dip in my less-than-sober state, and MY WEIGHT IS DOWN AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Seriously. What gives? Anyone have an explination for me?

Wow. So a few of my exercise YouTube videos are from sparkpeople.com

So I went to their Web site ... it's SO jam-packed with info!!!!

The blog is great, too: http://www.dailyspark.com/index.asp?iPage=1

Check it OUT!

HOLY COW!!!!!!! Their video library is INCREDIBLE!!!!!!! AND it's FREE!!!!!!!

http://sparkpeople.com/resource/videos.asp

Karen, I always think of it like this. Everything is a delayed reaction. You work out and eat good, a month later it shows. You drink beer and eat like a man, a month later it shows! Watch out August!!! :)

Pulled out of my tired beyond belief day and got up and walked 30 minutes this morning.

I can't wait to check out all the sparkpeople stuff. It sounds amazing!

Davina, wish me and Karen could join you in Atlanta...bet you'll have an awesome workshop!