I know it's not Halloween's fault, but there is candy everywhere in my office and I'm choosing to eat it! Today I did fairly well and ate only one candy pumpkin and a tootsie roll, but it was probably because I had a doctor's appointment today and I knew that I would be told again that I've gained too much weight (and I was), so I wanted to make myself feel better by eating less candy today! Any suggestions on how to avoid the office candy jar?
One more thought. I want to eat healthy, and I really enjoy it. But why is all the healthy food so expensive and more time consuming to make? So, I thought it might be a good idea if we shared ideas on easy ways (and cheap) to eat healthy. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. I know we're all busy, and I for one do not have mucho tiempo on my hands every night to make dinner.
My idea to throw out is something I heard today. I was sitting eating my salad at work (yay!) and another woman told me her great salad idea. She said that she keeps containers in the fridge with various salad mixens, so when she gets home she just has to pull them out and combine them really quick. Great idea! You can keep lettuce fresh with a lettuce container, or in a ziplock bag with a moist paper towel around it. Then cut up some veggies, some fried chicken, hard boiled eggs, whatever you want. Make enough for a few days and put it in separate containers. Then all you have to do is mix, pour dressing and eat. It's so easy, why didn't I think of this?
(Of course you have to take the time the first day to prepare everything. And the items will not last very long if you don't eat them. But if you can eat a salad for lunch every day (or dinner) then it's perfect.)
Anyone have any ideas for me? I love fast, cheap and easy. :) --- and tasty good so my husband will eat it. ;)
Thanks for your suggestions on working out from my last post. I am sad to say I haven't done them yet, but I'm one step closer to actually doing them! I think by having this blog, and knowing that people are reading how lazy I am - I'm hoping will motivate me to exercise just so I can report to you that I did it. :)
My new goal - no soda. Soda is bad for you for so many reason. I go in cycles though. I don't drink soda for a year, then I'm addicted for a year, then I go off for a few months, and then I'm back on. I am coming from an "on" time. At work I get all the free soda I want (Heather knows what I'm talking about) so it's hard to not drink it at lunch every day.
But this week I decided to stop having it every day. At lunch I have been eating yummy salads and drinking orange juice. I am so proud of myself! I love salads, can't get enough of them. So I figured I might as well eat healthy at work when I have free salad mixins available. I am here to report that this week was successful!
Anyone want to go on the no soda diet with me? When Chris and I go out to eat - I will still get a soda. I'm not swearing it off forever. I just don't want to buy it and have it always available in the fridge, or drink a glass or 2 every day at work. Let's save it for special occasions. :) Who's in??!!
Hello blog!
I'm sorry I'm neglecting you! I promise I'll get my act together...after Election day! :)
love, Heather
You guys are all awesome. Me? Not so awesome. You'd think that this blog has motivated me to be just like you - eat healthy and exercise - but in fact I've maybe gotten worse?
Here's my problem (we'll just mention one this time around). When I get home from work I'm too tired to go to the gym. I know once I get there I'm usually fine, but boy it's so hard to get me out of the house when I walk in the door. I have the "tomorrow I'll go to the gym" syndrome.
Any help or ideas? Maybe if I weigh myself and see how much I've gained in the last year, it might motivate me...either that or make me so depressed that I'll go eat ice cream to make me happy again. (Which sounds so good right now)
The doctor told me today that I've gained "a little too much weight." I already knew that before I got on the scale and it was then verified when I got on the scale. Yes, I am 8 months pregnant, but it still depressed me! In my house we don't own a scale and we never will because I try not to judge my worth by numbers that don't mean much anyways. I've hated having to be weighed every month and then having it commented on by the doctor (even though I know that they're just trying to help). Anyways, I've decided that I'm going to take a big step within the next week to help me try to love and respect my body despite my weight gain: take a picture of myself! I haven't taken a picture in almost three months because I've been unhappy with how I look. But I need to love and embrace my pregnant self too!
Bobby and I went for a five mile bike ride this morning and feel great!!
Part of the ride was on a trail and part was on the street. It was so much fun and awesome exercise!
Just wanted to share. ;0)
P.S. This is my 6th day in a row of eating healthy and sticking to my plan!
Do any of you ladies like to ride out there?
Do you have cool experiences to share? Or any unrelated to biking???
Ok so normally take my lunch to work everyday. On occasion I eat out with friends, etc, but I really try to stick to my bring my own lunch. Not only it it so much healthier but I am saving a ton of money by doing this.
I need your help though...I am really bored of what I have been taking for lunches!
I normally take salads or wheat pita sandwiches with turkey and tons of veggies. (Sometimes I do tuna salad or even chicken salad too.)
What other cold lunch ideas do you have that will help me satisfy my taste buds while staying on the healthy path?.
Thanks ladies for your ideas!
I received an email from a health education organization to which I belong announcing the release of the revised Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans by the US Department of Health and Human Services. You can find them here.
I think it's interesting how little exercise they recommend for adults: only 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 1 hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. That's only 75 minutes a week of hard core aerobic exercise! Most aerobics classes offered 3 times a week are 45-60 minutes long! So my point is that we really don't have to push ourselves to the extreme to get a good workout and obtain substantial health benefits.
I appreciate how they say that you can perform your aerobic activity in episodes of at least 10 minutes. That makes me feel better about my walking. Being 8 months pregnant is tough. My current aerobic exercise regime consists of walking about 15 minutes to the bus stop 3 times a week, then walking 5 minutes uphill from the bus stop to work, and then doing it in reverse at the end of the day. I mix in strengthening exercises about 3 times a week, and I do prenatal yoga exercises as often as I can to help relieve my back pain. I'm hoping to keep being able to exercise (in my own little way) right up until I go into labor! And then I can hardly wait to seriously start working out again. It really is a drug once you get into it.
Today Bobby and I started back on the South Beach Diet. (Well we modify it just slightly.) I am excited to actually be back on a diet. Sometimes I just get so sick of eating poorly and it's nice to eat well and feel better.
Today I also started a progress journal of my day of eating and exercising. I have done this before and it is great because you really hold yourself accountable and it works!
Everyday I have decided to write down:
Vitamins or any medication I take
Everything I mean everything I put in my mouth that day
I also keep track of how much water I intake daily too
How I feel that day - energy level? Any headache, stomach ache, etc.
Also, any exercise that I do that day.
Today was a good day exercise wise. Bobby and I went on a bike ride on the trail behind our house. It was fun and somewhat challenging. Then I tried my new yoga video I just got. (I just tried a few segments of it.)
I ate well today too, it was a good first day!!!
So last night Bobby and I bought him a new bike! Of course we had to buy new helemts for both of us too. I am excited to bike together on the many trails of Orange County. Also, we have an awesome trail in our backyard!
We also bought a new yoga set so I can do that as well! Does anyone else out there like to do Yoga?
I went on a really long walk with my mom this morning. It was great fun spending time with her and the exercise was a bonus!
I'm still in love with my smoothies. I make one most mornings. Whenever I buy frozen fruit, I put it in small, snack-size bags so that I can just grab one in the morning. I bought four bags of frozen fruit at Trader Joe's, mixed it all up, and it made 13 bags, about 1 cup each.
I added up all the ingredients for my smoothie -
Fruit - $12
Protein Powder - $12
Flaxseed Oil - $7
Almond Milk - $6
Stevia, water, juice, whatever else I decide to throw in - Let's say $1
TOTAL - $38 for 13 smoothies, which equals about $3 per smoothie...pretty good deal! Cheap breakfast!
I use more fruit than the recipe calls for, but I'm a fruity gal. You could make it cheaper if you used less. If for some odd reason I don't have time to make one in the morning (It only takes 5 minutes!), I have oatmeal packets at work that I eat. Both meals are very filling and get my metabolism revved up for the day. Now if I could only figure out how to eat healthier at lunch!!! I'm working on it!
For the recipe and my post about health concerns that inspired this blog, click here.
I went for a walk today.
Yeah, that's not really big news, but it was big for me! I am the biggest homebody in the world...I never want to leave the house. I have too much to read, write, watch, and sleep. So this morning, I promised myself I would take a walk. I'm trying to get healthy again. My metabolism is really slow because of my thyroid problems, and I'm tired as well, so the odds are against me and I have to try that much harder. I watched conference, worked on a few projects, and then I was going to take a walk. But I looked at the time, and I was going to go to a party that started at 5. Maybe I should be on time? No, take your walk. I get in my gear and open the door...it's raining! Maybe I should stay? No...take your walk! I go to get my ipod out of the car and it's almost dead because I accidentally left it on...I can't walk without tunes! No...TAKE YOUR WALK! So I did. And my ipod didn't die. And it was beautiful...sunny & rainy at the same time, but a very light rain, like a mist. And there were rainbows and fresh air and so much to see and enjoy. I walked on a beautiful trail, uphill, and got a good workout in. Then I got home and had a glass of water, and I could feel my muscles doing something, you know that 'ping' 'ping' feeling you get after working them out. I like to think of it as bits of cellulite exploding off of my legs! :)
So, I took a walk, I feel good, and I hope this is the start of a beautiful thing.
