Doesn’t it always seem like just when you get started on something good along comes a speed bump to try to slow you down. A nasty bug hit our house with a vengence this past week taking us all out of commission for a few days.
Of course, being sick screwed with the diet and exercise plan—big time. Plus we got another couple of inches of snow and some nice slush to cover the snow and goopy mud. Excuses, excuses, excuses.
Back on track though—and I’m going to start journaling my food intake this week. Anyone else out there tracking their food intake? Do you just use the old fashioned notebook approach, an app, or something else? I would love to hear some suggestions.
And, while we’re offering up suggestions, I would love to hear what kind of music you listen to when working out. I need to make a playlist so that I can avoid the Dora the Explorer songs while I’m walking.
Back on Track
Bringing Back the Dinner Table
We are now enjoying meals together, as a family. The way we are supposed to. I’ve noticed over the weekend that all of us eating together results in me eating less and all of us eating better foods. We’re not just grabbing something and mindlessly forking it into our mouths while watching television. There is thought put into the preparation and presentation and there is conversation to enjoy while eating; allowing me time to digest and feel full.
I’m hoping that all of us eating together will help us through our toddler’s picky eating phase. She seems to be more willing to eat something other than tomatos and blueberries when she sees us eating other foods. I’m thrilled that if she is going to be picky that she is at least choosing foods that are beneficial to her. She has a 15 year old cousin that will eat few things other than pepperoni pizza, french fries, and potato chips—so I know it could be worse.
As far as my other goals, I have been successful in eating a healthy breakfast for almost a week now. I’ve been sticking to either a whole grain cereal or oatmeal with a serving of fruit. I’ve noticed that I feel hungrier though, now that I’m eating breakfast. Is it just me or does anyone else experience this?
Reflection
Two months after I first found out that I was pregnant with Lilypad, my mother-in-law announced that she had been diagnosed with stage four, metastatic, small-cell lung cancer and that it had spread to her brain. The news couldn’t get much worse. She was going to try to fight but we all knew that the prognosis was not good. My prayer was that she would make it to January to meet the newest addition to our family.
Children are what made Helene’s world go around. She provided child-care for all of her grandchildren while their parents worked and she would often “adopt” young single mothers in the community who needed help in raising their children. Helene had a way–she was no-nonsense and strict but loving at the same time.
During my first pregnancy I was kind of obnoxious. Reading all of the books, blogs, and magazines–thinking I was the foremost expert on all things parenting. I was armed with a plethora of knowledge on vaccinations, introducing foods, sleep-training, etc. Turns out, as soon as monkey-butt made her entrance into the world, I realized I knew very little. Books and research are good, knowledge is good, but the most valuable piece of knowledge is that sometimes you have to go with your gut; and that, I learned from Helene.
Dealing with my second pregnancy and a loved one’s cancer at the same time was bizarre. I was in this weird in-between world where I was feeling the most profound joy and the deepest sadness that any person can feel in life. I still feel like we are stuck in that in-between and I don’t know that we will ever get out of that place. Helene didn’t make it to Lilypad’s birthday. Her entrance into the world was marked with a tinge of sadness that will always remain.
What got me thinking about all of this is that Lilypad let out her first little laugh today, and since hearing that joyful little noise Helene has been weighing on my mind. She helped me become a real mother and I only wish she could still be here to help me navigate the years to come.
The Dinner Table
One of the goals I have set for myself and for my family is for us to make the shift from always eating on the go to eating at the dinner table. Since we’ve moved into our home three years ago, our dining room table has serves solely as a catch-all for mail, folded laundry and tons of other household clutter. But tonight is the night—I’m taking back the dining room! The table will be clean, the booster seat will be strapped in place and we will start working on making dinner time at the table a habit.
I anticipate that this will be a challenge. After all, I do have a two month old baby who always seems to want to eat when it is time for me to eat. Plus, we have a two-year old. It’s a miracle when we can even get her to eat anything except for blueberries and hot dogs.
I’m determined though. These life changes are not just about me. I want a better life for my children and it is believed that kids who are raised eating meals at the table with their parents are better off in a number of ways.
So that will cover our evening meal—leaving us to contend with breakfast. I’m a working mom and I’m still pretty new at this. It’s not uncommon for a cereal bar or a banana and a sippy cup in the back seat to be breakfast for monkey-butt. I try to find healthier foods to give her but I’m afraid that I’m passing along my bad habit of skipping breakfast or shoving something into my mouth as I run out the door. So here’s the question—if anyone’s out there, how do you handle breakfast on a busy schedule?
Watch Me Shrink & Time to Get Moving!
You may have noticed that I added a new page today called Watch Me Shrink. I plan to use this page to feature of my weight loss related information. I posted my weight as of today, a few goals to start out with and, eventually, progress pictures
One of my main goals has been to get out and start walking during my lunch hour. I want to make the most of my precious time during the day and I might as well take advantage of the impending spring and summer weather (because around here it sure doesn’t last long)! I also need to start getting ready for the Relay for Life. I committed to walking with a team this year in honor of my mother-in-law, who we lost in October to lung cancer.
It’s been a difficult couple of months to watch my husband’s family deal with this loss. And, while her cancer was the result of year’s of smoking, her experiencing brought to light just how dangerous it is for me to continue to neglect my health. Cancer and obesity have been closely linked, expecially breast cancer and cancer of the reproductive organs. I know that even the healthiest of people can get sick with one disease or another but I just can’t bear to not do everything I can to prolong my life rather than just sit idly by and take my chances with laziness.
Snow Day–Here We Go!
Welcome to my life! I’ve been wanting to do this for some time but just haven’t had the time to sit down and put things together and try to make them pretty. It took a snow day to make it happen. Fourteen inches of snow on March 22nd–you have got to love Wisconsin! I’m not going to lie, I fell asleep with my fingers crossed that I wouldn’t be able to get out of the driveway today, leaving me no choice but to stay home with the kiddos. So, this morning when my husband woke me at 5 a.m. and said, “you got your wish”, I was pleased.
I hope to use this blog as a place for me to reach out with my struggle to overcome years of unhealthy living, self-neglect, and abuse of food. Not only do I need to do this to become healthier and live longer, but I need to teach my daughters how to be healthy. I don’t want them to have to experience the problems with weight, health, and fertility that I have had to deal with. Life is hard enough without all of those things and I want them to enjoy life, live a long time, and give me lots of granbabies!
If you are on a similar journey I’d love to hear from you. How did you get started? Have you been successfull? How has your family benefited from your efforts?
