having a plan.

Once again I have a great link and thoughts from my awesome insurance lady that wants to make sure I'm staying fit.

- Spend some quality time with family and/or friends
- Be active with family/friends – get outside, have your own family or community fun run, play Frisbee, catch, ride bikes, whatever you enjoy
- Be safe! For most of us, it will be hot outside.   If you're outdoors, remember to stay cool, hydrated, and wear sunscreen!
- No celebration is complete without the food! Here are some healthy recipes you can try if you'd like: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/healthy_4th_recipes.html

I do have to say that I have not been drinking enough water.  I think that's going to be my big push this week.

Last night we all gathered around the table and chatted about being a fit and healthy family....completely instigated by Emmett.  He has decided to start a fitness program with scouts.  As a family, we've decided to all get on board.   We have a plan to start walking as a family in the evenings, reading nutrition labels on waht we buy, eating a lot more fruits and veggies, playing basketball in our cul de sac, and finding ways to be active as a family.

Here's to being a fit and healthy family!

fit. LIFE.

KAREN.

You are the winner.  By one day!  Laura gave you a run for your money. 

Karen posted 13 of the 16 days and Laura posted 12 of the 16 days!  

Karen, you win a $50 gift certificate to your fave place for summer fashion!

New contest for July:

Give your ideas (in the comments, of course) for healthy life choices...the person with the most days of suggestions will win a $50 gift certificate for an artist's day.  This means a fun day out for just you and this $50 gift certificate will go toward that date with yourself.

As moms...spouses...women...we want to be healthy so that we can hang around for as long as possible and be there for the people who count on us.  We also want to be healthy because it helps our energy, our moods, our days to go more smoothly, and we feel like we're doing the right thing.

Below are some ideas to help you prevent obesity in your home.  (from Carolina's Health Summer 2009):

Encourage activity.  Kids (and I would say we) need a minimum of an hour of daily physical activity.  Try family walks or encourage your family members to participate in a sport or volunteer in the community.

Make it a family affair.  Don't single out an overweight child or person; cook up nutritious meals for everyone and avoid buying junk food.

Limit TV, computer and video game time, and discourage eating in front of the TV.  Mindless snacking is a big source of extra calories.

Skip the force-feeding.  Don't force kids to clean their plate if they're not hungry.

Cut back on juice and other sugary beverages.  Drinking plain water, flavored water or seltzer can save hundreds of calories (and dollars).

Champion breakfast.  A healthy breakfast ramps up metabolism, gives kids energy and helps curb overeating later in the day.

Let there be snacks.  Fresh or dried fruit, nuts, low-fat yogurt and air popped popcorn can give kids a nutrient boost and prevent overeating.  But don't be too strict-let your child know that the occasional pizza run with friend is OK, too.

Be supportive.  Remind your family that you love them no matter what and that many of the celebrities they see on TV don't have realistic body types. 

You can check your body mass index (BMI) here.

healthy. LIFE.

goals.

Here are some thoughts to help you reach your fitness goals from my health insurance company. 

Goal setting can significantly increase your chances of success and achieving what you want. Below are five simple tips for reaching your goals:

-         *Write it down: By simply writing your goal down, you’ll feel more committed to it and create more     specific goals!

- S   *Start small: A good way to build confidence is to make small goals first that are easily reached. Build on your small successes.

- S   *Set reminders: Create little reminders to keep your mind on your goal. Put something on your fridge, bathroom mirror, or anywhere else you often look.

- B   *Be flexible: If something goes wrong, don’t give up. Be flexible when obstacles arise.

- R   *Reward yourself: After working hard and finally reaching your goal, reward yourself! Try to make the reward fit the goal and don’t give yourself something that contradicts the purpose of your goal. For example, don’t celebrate your weight loss with a food reward.

      healthy. LIFE.

I'm in Marfa!

I'm so sorry I didn't post on Monday!  I'm in Marfa, TX. and I'm doing The Artist's Way and in week four I'm supposed to refrain from consuming ANY media!  Crazy.

I miss you, though!  So I'm hurrying and posting to say hi and I didn't forget you.

If you want to check us out at Marfa you can click here.

I've been riding a banana bike around Marfa every morning for a couple of hours.  It's been wonderful!  I love it here.

fun. LIFE.

new contest.

We're already half way through the month!  How did that happen?

We need a new contest. 

This month we'll go with the person that is the most consistent with posting in the comments on Move it Monday.  You need to post every day from now until the end of the month.  The winner will get a $50 gift certificate to their favorite place to shop for summer fashion.

You win.  You name the place.  I'll send the gift certificate.

summer. LIFE.