Today's Good Things:
Glorious 1 mile morning walk
decent food choices up to dinner
Today's Not So Good Things:
Rough Monday.
Tough attitudes
Not enough exercise
Poor ending to my good eating day
What a Monday. I woke this morning cheerful and got out the door after bible time to get in my walk before the rain and muck set in. It was such a breathtaking morning. Shimmering frost on every branch, pine needle and the fog giving a fairytale haze all around. I audibly gasped when I looked up from watching my feet while I walked at the beauty of it. Praise the Lord for His splendor!
Then I walked back in the door. Sigh. No one else had shared my experience and it showed. All day long felt like we had to keep calling a "Do Over" on our day and it just never really got great. I'm praying tomorrow is better. It has to be better, right? Someday, Monday will be my favorite day of the week, I just know it. ;-)
With the weather acting poorly, I am home instead of out having coffee with friends. I could have really used the evening out, but dh is working hard to allow me to relax and get in some reading this evening. That is lovely. I'm feeling so tired these days, I don't even think about getting in a workout of any kind. I really did love my walk this morning, though, so I'm hoping to get one in each morning and still get my afternoon walk in too. Something about being outside is filling a need I have right now. I'm going to follow that this week and enjoy it.
I'm aiming for 1600 calories daily this week, upping it just a bit from last week to see if it helps keep my supply strong. However, ending the night with pizza for dinner, even if it was thin crust, isn't going to keep me at my goal. Sigh. Sabotaged myself again. :-/
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
My Daily Burst of Sunshine
Grapefruit has become my all time favorite food. The juicy, tart-yet-sweet, aromatic burst of sunshine greets me every morning. I love the heavy feel of it's smooth skin and the amazing citrus smell as the juices pour out at the first slice. That gorgeous red, pink, or even white flesh is irresistible. No sugar, please. No salt either. Just plain, fresh, preferably chilled, tropical dreams dripping from my spoon.
My reason for choosing grapefruit as a main staple in my diet is due to the high fiber and high water content along with the great taste. I can get a bit of sweet without sugar. The rejuvenating citrus smell is one of my favorites. Any citrus fruit will win my heart, but grapefruit is at the top of my list. I'll admit, I'm quite selfish with my fruit of choice. At our house, grapefruit is a Mommy-Only food. Occasionally, my husband will have one, but he doesn't care for them, really. (so, more for me..yay!) If Mommy shares her grapefruit with you, you're getting a real treat. ;-)
Along with my personal affections for these little gems, I've found some other great health benefits locked up in my fruity treasure. Here's a quick list and a link. You'll find more than you ever thought you needed to know about this Paradise Fruit. (I learned that today! :D)
Grapefruit: One of the World's Healthiest Foods
Powerhouse of Vit. C - boosts immune system, promotes healing of conditions such as asthma and arthritis, and reduces risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Provides the antioxidant, Lycopene - believed to fight cancer
A source of Limonoids - inhibit tumor formation, may help prevent breast cancer
Lowers cholestoral
Prevent kidney stones
Protection against colon and lung cancer
May help prevent weight gain by lowering insulin levels
Boosts liver enzymes - clears out toxins
Repairs DNA
Wowzers!
One last thing I can say about the gift of grapefruit. Not only has it become my favorite way to wake up in the morning, but it has become a welcome way to end the day on occasion. When I've had a day with some bad choices food-wise, I will enjoy another bowl of juicy goodness before bed. I love knowing that I can put something in my body that will help undo the damage I may have done. Every bite and slurp is helping to cleanse my system. I love that I actually *enjoy* this prescription for healing. I love that I can enjoy a snack before bed without guilt or regret. I love that what I am enjoying is a food created by the Lord and given for me to use and enjoy. I can truly praise Him for that!
Grapefruit has become my Ultimate Comfort Food.
(Yes. I did just write an entire post on a food. And you just read it! :-P
And guess what I've asked for for my birthday. Yep, a fancy grapefruit spoon. Heehee! )
Sunday February 27, 2011 Shovelin'
Snowed in from church today. We slept in. My dd treated us to a lovely breakfast of french toast and fresh fruit salad. Yum! Our day was so restful, but some of our lazing around brought back some bad habits. It didn't take long for the munchies to set in with all that hangin' out. That's when the Shovelin' began--chips n' salsa with diet pepsi. Not only that, but our lunch was made up of lazy food, hot dogs, sweet beans, french fries from a bag, and more chips with cream cheese dip, so high on carbs and fat. By afternoon time, I was feeling gross--can anyone say heartburn and indegestion?? After an almost nap, I needed to get moving.
I headed out for a walk in the fresh snow. It was beautiful and just what I needed. When I got back, dh and I spent close to an hour outside shoveling and clearing snow. Now *that's* the kind of Shovelin' I needed!! :D
After a quick trip to town for a few essentials (diapers, milk, and treats for today's workers), I am proud to say I resisted the ice cream and enjoyed my new favorite food...grapefruit. Mmmmmmm.
So, no guilt about our food choices today. They definitely weren't great, but I got moving, refreshed myself, and put something good in my body to help move out the bad. That's a good recovery and what I call Progress.
I headed out for a walk in the fresh snow. It was beautiful and just what I needed. When I got back, dh and I spent close to an hour outside shoveling and clearing snow. Now *that's* the kind of Shovelin' I needed!! :D
After a quick trip to town for a few essentials (diapers, milk, and treats for today's workers), I am proud to say I resisted the ice cream and enjoyed my new favorite food...grapefruit. Mmmmmmm.
So, no guilt about our food choices today. They definitely weren't great, but I got moving, refreshed myself, and put something good in my body to help move out the bad. That's a good recovery and what I call Progress.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Down a Pound - Kinda
Weekly weigh-in today showed I was down .8lbs. After my morning gleaning and breakfast, I checked again and it showed a full pound loss. So weird. How many times have I said my scale drives me crazy? So, after playing "musical scale" I did see it consistently show a full pound loss. I had already logged the .8, though, and posted my super cool "award" to show my progress for the week, so I'm keeping it at the .8. ;-)
Now, let's see how much damage I do this weekend. Sure would be nice to see the same number come Monday. :-P
Now, let's see how much damage I do this weekend. Sure would be nice to see the same number come Monday. :-P
Saturday February 26, 2011 Feeling Gross
Today's Good Things:
Gleaning Day
Great fun at a church family sledding party
Decent choices on food *considering*
Today's Not So Good Things:
Feeling Gross
I've been fighting a headache/throat/ear thing for about a week. It comes and goes, which is weird. Baby is finally over the worst of it. Tonite I feel like my head wants to explode. Blech.
Today was a fun day. We had a blast at a sledding party. I think it will go down as one of my children's all time favorite days ever. The only thing that would have made it better was if Mommy would have gone down the enormous sledding hill. (you had to be pulled up by snowmobile!) I'm not sure why I didn't go. I know it would have been fun. I should have given it a whirl. There was just something in me that wouldn't do it. I'm no sure if it was just that "Mommy never does things like that". I'm not sure if it has to do with my adversion to doing things that make me feel out of control. I know I have a great fear of getting hurt and have proven to be terribly danger-prone. I *was* busy tending to littles, taking photos, checking on baby, et al. Aren't I always busy doing those things? Yes. Aren't they always the excuse I use to sit on the sidelines? Yes.
Thing is, I don't need to always sit on the sidelines. I could try something new. A five minute go down the hill would have been a great way to join the fun. I still did have a ton of fun. It was a great day. Next time, I'll set aside my old excuses, break my habit, probably shock my family and Do Something New. :-)
Gleaning Day
Great fun at a church family sledding party
Decent choices on food *considering*
Today's Not So Good Things:
Feeling Gross
I've been fighting a headache/throat/ear thing for about a week. It comes and goes, which is weird. Baby is finally over the worst of it. Tonite I feel like my head wants to explode. Blech.
Today was a fun day. We had a blast at a sledding party. I think it will go down as one of my children's all time favorite days ever. The only thing that would have made it better was if Mommy would have gone down the enormous sledding hill. (you had to be pulled up by snowmobile!) I'm not sure why I didn't go. I know it would have been fun. I should have given it a whirl. There was just something in me that wouldn't do it. I'm no sure if it was just that "Mommy never does things like that". I'm not sure if it has to do with my adversion to doing things that make me feel out of control. I know I have a great fear of getting hurt and have proven to be terribly danger-prone. I *was* busy tending to littles, taking photos, checking on baby, et al. Aren't I always busy doing those things? Yes. Aren't they always the excuse I use to sit on the sidelines? Yes.
Thing is, I don't need to always sit on the sidelines. I could try something new. A five minute go down the hill would have been a great way to join the fun. I still did have a ton of fun. It was a great day. Next time, I'll set aside my old excuses, break my habit, probably shock my family and Do Something New. :-)
Friday, February 25, 2011
What If?
Journal Entry: February 21, 2011
"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be Holy, for I am Holy.'" 1 Peter 1:13-14
I've been quite frustrated that my efforts at losing weight have not met with the results that I read they should. According to the information out there and the reports of my tracking, I should be having great success in meeting my goals.
Lord, I went into this confident that I could "do it right". That I would discipline myself and it would work. The perfectionist in me wants to scream.
I realize that by being overweight, I feel a disdain for myself. I feel like a failure. Living with the results of my ignorance of the flesh, my lifetime of sinful indulgences - it's painful. You have forgiven me. I am FREE! And I want it to show. Everytime I make a right choice, when I resist a bad one, I want it to be evident in my physical stature. I want to see the good from doing good. And I want others to know as well, so they don't see me and think I am still what I once was.
It's all tied up in me, isn't it? I am so concerned about how I feel about myself. I am so aware of how others view me and my body. I continue to seek the glory in this time and again. I'm so hung up.
Lord, if I never lose another pound, will I still praise You? If I stay this size for the rest of my life, will I remain faithful to a holy life? You have commanded me to not be conformed to the former lusts of my ignorance. You have commanded me to be holy in ALL of my behavior. Will I obey these commands even if my body doesn't change? If I never see that magic number on the scale? Will I walk this path for Your glory rather than my own?
This, again, I must remind myself, is not about me losing weight to become a smaller size. It's not even about me being in perfect health so I can do more for You. This is about me being and doing what You have called me to today--right now. Making right choices right now with my eyes fixed on Your glory right now--not when I've met a goal, dropped a size, or posted a great "after" picture for the world to praise You (and me...::blush::)
You must recieve glory everytime I break a habit, resist a temptation, and do a hard thing to honor You. And no one else may see it, yet You do. You see my heart and these things are my acts of worship--private worship to You.
Show me. Strengthen me to be holy as You are holy.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thursday Februray 24, 2011
Today's Good Things:
Morning 15..wooohooo!!
Good school day
Great eating day
Got in 1.5mile walk this afternoon with hubby (lovely out!)
My box of new curriculum arrived today..yay!
4th day of successful potty training!! (only 3..maybe 4 accidents the first week..not bad!)
Today's Not So Good Things:
Nothing to report here. :-)
I'm doing pretty well with the lower calorie amount. I feel a little hungry when I exercise, but if I choose the right food, I can meet my calorie goal and chase the hunger away. In fact, I've been aiming for a few hundred less than 1500 each day to make up for the 1000 calories over I went on Tuesday. Blah. I have 400 more calories to make up before I break even. I can't believe a Whopper, fries and a Boston Kreme for dessert from my honey would mess me up for a whole week! Crazy thing is, I wouldn't have even cared a few months ago. That wasn't "normal" but it was definitely not something I would have bothered about. To top it all off, I felt sick to my stomach that whole night and couldn't sleep. SOOOO not worth it. (remind me that next time I smell that flame broiled aroma :-P)
Tomorrow is our relaxed day for school. I hear we are expecting snow and ice. I hope not, as we are all aching to go swim for the day. I'd love to get some good exercise in before the weekend. If we can't get out, we'll plan to get in some good shoveling and some good workouts on the wii. That, and kicking back with my new teacher's manuals. ::bliss:: :-D
Munchin' on carrot sticks tonite. Did you know that 1 medium carrot has 33mg of sodium? That's weird.
Morning 15..wooohooo!!
Good school day
Great eating day
Got in 1.5mile walk this afternoon with hubby (lovely out!)
My box of new curriculum arrived today..yay!
4th day of successful potty training!! (only 3..maybe 4 accidents the first week..not bad!)
Today's Not So Good Things:
Nothing to report here. :-)
I'm doing pretty well with the lower calorie amount. I feel a little hungry when I exercise, but if I choose the right food, I can meet my calorie goal and chase the hunger away. In fact, I've been aiming for a few hundred less than 1500 each day to make up for the 1000 calories over I went on Tuesday. Blah. I have 400 more calories to make up before I break even. I can't believe a Whopper, fries and a Boston Kreme for dessert from my honey would mess me up for a whole week! Crazy thing is, I wouldn't have even cared a few months ago. That wasn't "normal" but it was definitely not something I would have bothered about. To top it all off, I felt sick to my stomach that whole night and couldn't sleep. SOOOO not worth it. (remind me that next time I smell that flame broiled aroma :-P)
Tomorrow is our relaxed day for school. I hear we are expecting snow and ice. I hope not, as we are all aching to go swim for the day. I'd love to get some good exercise in before the weekend. If we can't get out, we'll plan to get in some good shoveling and some good workouts on the wii. That, and kicking back with my new teacher's manuals. ::bliss:: :-D
Munchin' on carrot sticks tonite. Did you know that 1 medium carrot has 33mg of sodium? That's weird.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
A Lesson from John the Baptist
A Lesson from John the Baptist:
John ate to live; he did not live to eat. John was busy serving his master; and his master was not his own hunger. Food was his servant, not his friend...
The above quote is from the book I've been reading. I added some more notes tonite. Great thoughts on exercise, food, habits, and walking in the Lord's strength.
You can find the link on the page titled My Tools.
John ate to live; he did not live to eat. John was busy serving his master; and his master was not his own hunger. Food was his servant, not his friend...
The above quote is from the book I've been reading. I added some more notes tonite. Great thoughts on exercise, food, habits, and walking in the Lord's strength.
You can find the link on the page titled My Tools.
Wednesday February 23, 2011 Recovery Mode
Today's Good Things:
Good day for lessons
Did well eating to recover from overeating yesterday
Fun night out mallwalking with the fam
Date with my dd to get hair cuts
Today's Not So Good Things:
Overslept and missed bible time
Still not getting in my 15's
Yesterday was going so well. Then I overate in a big way for dinner. Ended up feeling horrible that night too, and couldn't fall asleep until almost 2am. Blech. Not worth the calories, that's for sure!
Today I've been in Recovery Mode trying to clean out my system and make up for the ground I lost. I did pretty well. Grapefruit for breakfast, large salad for lunch, some dry cereal for an afternoon snack and a 6 inch. sub for dinner. We walked 1.5mile around the mall tonite too. So, I ended the day with 400 calories to spare. Add that to the 100 extra from a couple of days ago and I still have some work to do to break even. It's insane that one meal can undo a whole week's worth of work. Lesson Learned.
I'm still aiming for 1500 per day on calories and that's going well, except for last night. Ahem. Overall, it seems that I can use the 1500 as a good gauge. However, if I add in exercise, I do find I start feeling tired easily and a little weak. So, I will have to be sure to eat back my calories burned and keep watching for any loss of supply as I go.
I'm having a hard time getting in my water these days. I'm not sure why. It was never hard to drink more than my current goal. I was actually thirsty for that much water. But, lately, I just haven't wanted to drink it. I'm either not thirsty or the water just tastes blah. Oh well, it's not the first time I've forced something down because it's good for me. ;-)
I got some great reading done the other day in my book. I'm hopeful I'll have some time tonite to add a bit to my notes here. It all depends on Baby Dear, though. ;-)
Good day for lessons
Did well eating to recover from overeating yesterday
Fun night out mallwalking with the fam
Date with my dd to get hair cuts
Today's Not So Good Things:
Overslept and missed bible time
Still not getting in my 15's
Yesterday was going so well. Then I overate in a big way for dinner. Ended up feeling horrible that night too, and couldn't fall asleep until almost 2am. Blech. Not worth the calories, that's for sure!
Today I've been in Recovery Mode trying to clean out my system and make up for the ground I lost. I did pretty well. Grapefruit for breakfast, large salad for lunch, some dry cereal for an afternoon snack and a 6 inch. sub for dinner. We walked 1.5mile around the mall tonite too. So, I ended the day with 400 calories to spare. Add that to the 100 extra from a couple of days ago and I still have some work to do to break even. It's insane that one meal can undo a whole week's worth of work. Lesson Learned.
I'm still aiming for 1500 per day on calories and that's going well, except for last night. Ahem. Overall, it seems that I can use the 1500 as a good gauge. However, if I add in exercise, I do find I start feeling tired easily and a little weak. So, I will have to be sure to eat back my calories burned and keep watching for any loss of supply as I go.
I'm having a hard time getting in my water these days. I'm not sure why. It was never hard to drink more than my current goal. I was actually thirsty for that much water. But, lately, I just haven't wanted to drink it. I'm either not thirsty or the water just tastes blah. Oh well, it's not the first time I've forced something down because it's good for me. ;-)
I got some great reading done the other day in my book. I'm hopeful I'll have some time tonite to add a bit to my notes here. It all depends on Baby Dear, though. ;-)
First Reward
I finally got around to going for my hair cut today, celebrating my first reward for working off 10 pounds. My 4yo dd and I went together for a date and had great fun.
She actually got a more noticeable cut, but I'm so happy to have my layers and bangs back again. I have to play with it some more to style it the way I like, and my eyes are still puffy in the photo from having my brows waxed. I'm so glad to have it done and now to brainstorm about what my next reward will be. :D
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday February 21, 2011 Happy Monday??
Today's Good Things:
Bible time (awesome journaling time)
Smooth meal times
Swift tidy up from the weekend
Decent day school and chore wise
Good attitude day for me, which led to good attitude recoveries for the others
Good day eating-wise
Got in some fun activity with the children on the wii this afternoon
Coffee night with friends
Today's Not So Good Things:
A little heavy on the carbs
I am thrilled at how our day went today. It was a delightful Monday. Though it started out with the normal tiredness and grumping that seems to plague us each week, the Lord was gracious and gave us a swift recovery on all ends. Honestly, I think it was all in how He helped me handle things. It's quite humbling to see that when I have my attitude and tongue in check, our day can go so well. Sigh. I'm learning, Lord...and I have SO much to learn! Thank you for being patient with me.
I have some journaling I want to get on here from this morning. I had a very important conversation with the Lord today and He challenged me greatly. However, I don't have time to get it on here tonite, as it's already getting late and my eyelids are drooping. I hope to soon, for sure.
I've set my goal at 1500 calories per day this week. That's 300 less than what I've been aiming for. I want to see how that will affect my efforts since I'm still not seeing the losses that my charts are saying I should. Really, it's just another "try it and see" thing I want to do this week. I admit, I have fun looking at this from different angles and trying on new strategies. Nothing has been working so well that I am not willing to go with something new. Not looking for a fad or trend, mind you, I simply like to experiment a bit and see how my body reacts. I'm not sure how I'll do with that lower calorie amount. I was pretty worn down during the light workout I did this afternoon. It may be that I still need to those extra calories even though the baby isn't nursing as often.
I also worked on developing a new habit today. I've been trying to stay vertical during our lesson time. If I sit to work with someone, I tend to not want to get up. Then begins the routine of asking others to get things for me, tend to littles for me, delegating tasks here and there...which all leads to me being inactive and disconnected to many things going on. When I stay on my feet, not only do I keep moving, but I have better "surveillance tactics", I am willing to do more, and I tend to work a bit faster. It also seems to motivate the others to be more diligent regarding their tasks. So, how long does it take to build a new habit??? I'll be at this for a while, but I think it's going to be worth the effort.
That's all for tonite. I look forward to sharing more. Too bad I can't do that while vertical. ::giggle::
Bible time (awesome journaling time)
Smooth meal times
Swift tidy up from the weekend
Decent day school and chore wise
Good attitude day for me, which led to good attitude recoveries for the others
Good day eating-wise
Got in some fun activity with the children on the wii this afternoon
Coffee night with friends
Today's Not So Good Things:
A little heavy on the carbs
I am thrilled at how our day went today. It was a delightful Monday. Though it started out with the normal tiredness and grumping that seems to plague us each week, the Lord was gracious and gave us a swift recovery on all ends. Honestly, I think it was all in how He helped me handle things. It's quite humbling to see that when I have my attitude and tongue in check, our day can go so well. Sigh. I'm learning, Lord...and I have SO much to learn! Thank you for being patient with me.
I have some journaling I want to get on here from this morning. I had a very important conversation with the Lord today and He challenged me greatly. However, I don't have time to get it on here tonite, as it's already getting late and my eyelids are drooping. I hope to soon, for sure.
I've set my goal at 1500 calories per day this week. That's 300 less than what I've been aiming for. I want to see how that will affect my efforts since I'm still not seeing the losses that my charts are saying I should. Really, it's just another "try it and see" thing I want to do this week. I admit, I have fun looking at this from different angles and trying on new strategies. Nothing has been working so well that I am not willing to go with something new. Not looking for a fad or trend, mind you, I simply like to experiment a bit and see how my body reacts. I'm not sure how I'll do with that lower calorie amount. I was pretty worn down during the light workout I did this afternoon. It may be that I still need to those extra calories even though the baby isn't nursing as often.
I also worked on developing a new habit today. I've been trying to stay vertical during our lesson time. If I sit to work with someone, I tend to not want to get up. Then begins the routine of asking others to get things for me, tend to littles for me, delegating tasks here and there...which all leads to me being inactive and disconnected to many things going on. When I stay on my feet, not only do I keep moving, but I have better "surveillance tactics", I am willing to do more, and I tend to work a bit faster. It also seems to motivate the others to be more diligent regarding their tasks. So, how long does it take to build a new habit??? I'll be at this for a while, but I think it's going to be worth the effort.
That's all for tonite. I look forward to sharing more. Too bad I can't do that while vertical. ::giggle::
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Sunday February 20, 2011
Today is Sunday and is my day off from logging. The last few weeks that has meant that I've overeaten, even though I'm supposed to use it as a day to use what I've learned from logging and make wise choices on my own. It's been really hard to do with our Sunday habits. :(
Today was good, though. Instead of going out for the breakfast buffet on the way to church, I had a couple mini bagels with natural peanut butter. (bagels aren't what I consider a "healthy" breakfast, but they are a HUGE improvement over an all you can eat buffet. ;)) I packed the leftover tortellini soup that I made yesterday for lunch with fresh fruit and plain non-fat yogurt. We had that at my IL's after church and I had the tiniest bit of apple crisp for dessert.
That was really good, but boy was I craving (and even hinting to dh) to stop for a Whopper on the way home. I hate that! Being out makes me want drive-thru. So dumb! We eat mostly whole foods at home. I cringe at the idea of serving my family boxed and canned foods, yet I love eating at restaurants and fast food...and so does dh. Good thing is, we've enlisted our children to help us break the habit and they've been great about deterring us. So, we won that battle but dh still stopped for some potato chips on the way home. (his weakness ;-) ) Still, potato chips shared between 8 people (baby doesn't eat those yet) is much less than a whopper.
Tonite we enjoyed yummy Ranch beans and I have several other crockpots going to cook up the rest of the beans for the week. (we've learned to like beans here ) Now I'm craving pizza. I think it's because these are habits we've built and my brain is stuck in that mode. I just nibbled on some turkey breast and carrot sticks, hoping that will chase the silly pizza thoughts away.
It's almost time to nurse baby and head to bed for the night. I'm coming down with a head cold, so I'm hoping for a full night's rest. She's fighting something too, so I don't have high hopes. It's been a rough few nights.
I'm hoping to feel well enough to meet my exercise goals tomorrow. I've grown a bit slack the last few weeks and I'm wanting to get back on track.
Today was good, though. Instead of going out for the breakfast buffet on the way to church, I had a couple mini bagels with natural peanut butter. (bagels aren't what I consider a "healthy" breakfast, but they are a HUGE improvement over an all you can eat buffet. ;)) I packed the leftover tortellini soup that I made yesterday for lunch with fresh fruit and plain non-fat yogurt. We had that at my IL's after church and I had the tiniest bit of apple crisp for dessert.
That was really good, but boy was I craving (and even hinting to dh) to stop for a Whopper on the way home. I hate that! Being out makes me want drive-thru. So dumb! We eat mostly whole foods at home. I cringe at the idea of serving my family boxed and canned foods, yet I love eating at restaurants and fast food...and so does dh. Good thing is, we've enlisted our children to help us break the habit and they've been great about deterring us. So, we won that battle but dh still stopped for some potato chips on the way home. (his weakness ;-) ) Still, potato chips shared between 8 people (baby doesn't eat those yet) is much less than a whopper.
Tonite we enjoyed yummy Ranch beans and I have several other crockpots going to cook up the rest of the beans for the week. (we've learned to like beans here ) Now I'm craving pizza. I think it's because these are habits we've built and my brain is stuck in that mode. I just nibbled on some turkey breast and carrot sticks, hoping that will chase the silly pizza thoughts away.
It's almost time to nurse baby and head to bed for the night. I'm coming down with a head cold, so I'm hoping for a full night's rest. She's fighting something too, so I don't have high hopes. It's been a rough few nights.
I'm hoping to feel well enough to meet my exercise goals tomorrow. I've grown a bit slack the last few weeks and I'm wanting to get back on track.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
My New Fave!
I was playing around with my Wii Active 2 the other night after my workout. I created a 16 minute workout for my morning routine, hoping I'd have something new to do since I'm getting a little bored with the stair climbing. So, I built a workout around a 10 minute step aerobics routine. It's SO fun! I'm sure I looked like a crazy woman trying to figure out all the steps, but I had such a great time.
It's a little challenging to get the steps right, which I like. There are at least 6 different routines to choose from, some with dancing and even kickboxing. Ha! These will keep me busy for a while. I like that I can build the workout for the short amounts of time I have to spare in a day. It's great to have an activity that I look forward to getting in each day. :D
It's a little challenging to get the steps right, which I like. There are at least 6 different routines to choose from, some with dancing and even kickboxing. Ha! These will keep me busy for a while. I like that I can build the workout for the short amounts of time I have to spare in a day. It's great to have an activity that I look forward to getting in each day. :D
Thursday February 17, 2011 Alone
Today's Good Things:
AMAZING warm temps to enjoy!
Busy grocery shopping with the children made for a nice break
Enjoyed a lovely walk this afternoon
Getting some alone time this evening
Today's Not So Good Things:
Didn't resist a cookie at the grocery store
Still nibbling on the cookies dd made last night. Sigh.
Feeling a little bummed about some items on the grocery list
First, I just want to say how much I enjoy having a little time alone. I'm not sure if all moms of many feel this way or if it's somehow connected to me growing up as an only child. Every so often, I crave alone time and tonite is my night. Bliss.
Second, WOW! What a gorgeous day. No coats, driving with the windows open, melt everywhere you look. It was fantastic! The sun was shining gloriously and we couldn't help but want to be out in it. What a lovely thing to happen to a family battling cabin fever. I was able to get out for a walk late this afternoon with my husband. It was so nice to hear my feet hitting the pavement instead of the crunch of snow. I even wore my sneakers!!
Third, I lost my battle last night. My sweet dd wanted to make a special treat for the family, especially thinking of me. She's so kind and made my absolute *favorite* cookie (no bakes) of all time. Sadly, I just cannot resist these little babies. I mean, not just resist having one but I can't resist eating the whole batch! I'm hanging my head in shame trying to figure out just what my problem is with these addictive treats. I have no idea how many I ate, but there were some still on the plate when I woke up this morning. *blush* I would have loved to have eaten the rest for breakfast, but I packed them away quick and then promised them to the children for later. Whew!
Lastly, I'm kind of bummed regarding our menu. I feel so stuck with it. I've made weekly menu successfully for years, but I have not been able to get a grip on cooking lately. My days have been so high stress that when it comes to dinner, my dear husband often will bring home some take out or take us out to eat just to give me a break. That is bad on so many levels. :-( This week he asked me to buy some convenience foods to deal with this issue. I know it will help in some ways, but I *ached* putting some of those items in my cart today. It was just so hard to do! I did find some No Sugar Added canned spaghetti sauce....nope, still doesn't make me feel much better.
I keep praying, looking for a way to find the time to make the freezer meals that would make our life easier and still keep us eating the best way we know how. Sigh. I know there is a way to do this. I just haven't been able to see it yet. In the meantime, my family gobbled up the hot dogs and boxed macaroni and cheese for dinner. Even the attempt to "healthify" it by adding half a bag of mixed vegies didn't help. It's just depressing.
The scale is hovering right around the same number I saw at my last weigh-in. I'm just hoping I won't see a gain come Saturday.
AMAZING warm temps to enjoy!
Busy grocery shopping with the children made for a nice break
Enjoyed a lovely walk this afternoon
Getting some alone time this evening
Today's Not So Good Things:
Didn't resist a cookie at the grocery store
Still nibbling on the cookies dd made last night. Sigh.
Feeling a little bummed about some items on the grocery list
First, I just want to say how much I enjoy having a little time alone. I'm not sure if all moms of many feel this way or if it's somehow connected to me growing up as an only child. Every so often, I crave alone time and tonite is my night. Bliss.
Second, WOW! What a gorgeous day. No coats, driving with the windows open, melt everywhere you look. It was fantastic! The sun was shining gloriously and we couldn't help but want to be out in it. What a lovely thing to happen to a family battling cabin fever. I was able to get out for a walk late this afternoon with my husband. It was so nice to hear my feet hitting the pavement instead of the crunch of snow. I even wore my sneakers!!
Third, I lost my battle last night. My sweet dd wanted to make a special treat for the family, especially thinking of me. She's so kind and made my absolute *favorite* cookie (no bakes) of all time. Sadly, I just cannot resist these little babies. I mean, not just resist having one but I can't resist eating the whole batch! I'm hanging my head in shame trying to figure out just what my problem is with these addictive treats. I have no idea how many I ate, but there were some still on the plate when I woke up this morning. *blush* I would have loved to have eaten the rest for breakfast, but I packed them away quick and then promised them to the children for later. Whew!
Lastly, I'm kind of bummed regarding our menu. I feel so stuck with it. I've made weekly menu successfully for years, but I have not been able to get a grip on cooking lately. My days have been so high stress that when it comes to dinner, my dear husband often will bring home some take out or take us out to eat just to give me a break. That is bad on so many levels. :-( This week he asked me to buy some convenience foods to deal with this issue. I know it will help in some ways, but I *ached* putting some of those items in my cart today. It was just so hard to do! I did find some No Sugar Added canned spaghetti sauce....nope, still doesn't make me feel much better.
I keep praying, looking for a way to find the time to make the freezer meals that would make our life easier and still keep us eating the best way we know how. Sigh. I know there is a way to do this. I just haven't been able to see it yet. In the meantime, my family gobbled up the hot dogs and boxed macaroni and cheese for dinner. Even the attempt to "healthify" it by adding half a bag of mixed vegies didn't help. It's just depressing.
The scale is hovering right around the same number I saw at my last weigh-in. I'm just hoping I won't see a gain come Saturday.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Tuesday February 15, 2011 Valentine's Day - Part 2
Today's Good Things:
Prepped the breakfast table before bed for a special breakfast
Got a little extra sleep after baby was up in the night
Made a lovely Valentines breakfast for the children
Organized the Brainery a bit
Good meal choices
Enjoyed a valentine's day party with the children
Workout with dh for date night
Today's Not So Good Things:
Slow start this morning
Still am not getting in my Morning/Afternoon 15's
Munchie run this afternoon
A few too many chocolates from my valentine's bag ;-)
Since Valentine's Day fell on a Monday it didn't go over so well at our house. I'm not sure what happened, but everyone had a hard time yesterday. So, I decided to try again today, hoping that my efforts would warm the hearts of my family. We still had some bumps along the road, but in the end, we had a lovely day. I was thrilled to see the children's faces as they decorated and made valentines for each other.
After a yummy dinner of baked buffalo chicken and a large garden salad, my hubby and I decided to get in a workout together for our date night. We were both so tired, but figured we'd push to get it in before relaxing together. Let me tell you, we both got smoked with that workout! Add these factors together:
No workout in over 2 weeks + First workout of Phase 2 in the 9 week challenge + a 28 minute workout with 53% of it working the lower body = 200 calories burned and my legs are already hurting!!
Note to self: You WILL have to start over building muscle if you let that much time lapse between workouts. DO NOT do that again!!
Prepped the breakfast table before bed for a special breakfast
Got a little extra sleep after baby was up in the night
Made a lovely Valentines breakfast for the children
Organized the Brainery a bit
Good meal choices
Enjoyed a valentine's day party with the children
Workout with dh for date night
Today's Not So Good Things:
Slow start this morning
Still am not getting in my Morning/Afternoon 15's
Munchie run this afternoon
A few too many chocolates from my valentine's bag ;-)
Since Valentine's Day fell on a Monday it didn't go over so well at our house. I'm not sure what happened, but everyone had a hard time yesterday. So, I decided to try again today, hoping that my efforts would warm the hearts of my family. We still had some bumps along the road, but in the end, we had a lovely day. I was thrilled to see the children's faces as they decorated and made valentines for each other.
After a yummy dinner of baked buffalo chicken and a large garden salad, my hubby and I decided to get in a workout together for our date night. We were both so tired, but figured we'd push to get it in before relaxing together. Let me tell you, we both got smoked with that workout! Add these factors together:
No workout in over 2 weeks + First workout of Phase 2 in the 9 week challenge + a 28 minute workout with 53% of it working the lower body = 200 calories burned and my legs are already hurting!!
Note to self: You WILL have to start over building muscle if you let that much time lapse between workouts. DO NOT do that again!!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday February 14, 2011 Valentine's day
No time to post! Off to enjoy my evening with my Sweetie.
I was high on carbs today. Ate to deal with stress at a few points. Not smart.
My meals were healthy. Dh took us to Subway for dinner which was a quick save from the pizza we had originally decided on. (it's so cheap so that makes it easy to choose) I was good and saved half my foot long for lunch tomorrow and picked the baked chips so I got the prize for the lowest calorie chips tonite. :D (yes, we had a contest..heehee)
After that great meal, no one minded stopping for some ice cream on the way home. It was a fun way to celebrate a special day and the whole time I ate it I could honestly say I was eating to honor the Lord. No guilt, just happiness at enjoying a special evening with my family. :D
Tomorrow I need to get my body MOVING!! It's time to get back on track with my exercise and activity. The week promises to be a meltdown, so I'm excited to get out and do some walking. Yay!
I was high on carbs today. Ate to deal with stress at a few points. Not smart.
My meals were healthy. Dh took us to Subway for dinner which was a quick save from the pizza we had originally decided on. (it's so cheap so that makes it easy to choose) I was good and saved half my foot long for lunch tomorrow and picked the baked chips so I got the prize for the lowest calorie chips tonite. :D (yes, we had a contest..heehee)
After that great meal, no one minded stopping for some ice cream on the way home. It was a fun way to celebrate a special day and the whole time I ate it I could honestly say I was eating to honor the Lord. No guilt, just happiness at enjoying a special evening with my family. :D
Tomorrow I need to get my body MOVING!! It's time to get back on track with my exercise and activity. The week promises to be a meltdown, so I'm excited to get out and do some walking. Yay!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Seeing Zero
I'm down 3.6 this week! Shocking. I'm thinking some of that is muscle, as I haven't been weight training at all, but I'm celebrating. It's so nice to see the scale go down after a month or so it not moving.
And, I am now in the zeros! Meaning, I've moved out of the teens and into the zeros. So much closer to getting under 200. (I still cringe to see that I am over 200 pounds. :( )
Another milestone, I've met my first goal of losing 10 pounds and have earned my first reward. I'm calling today to set an appointment for myself and my four year with my hair dresser. I've needed a hair cut for a long while and it's exciting that I've "earned" it. :D It will be a special treat for the two of us.
And, I am now in the zeros! Meaning, I've moved out of the teens and into the zeros. So much closer to getting under 200. (I still cringe to see that I am over 200 pounds. :( )
Another milestone, I've met my first goal of losing 10 pounds and have earned my first reward. I'm calling today to set an appointment for myself and my four year with my hair dresser. I've needed a hair cut for a long while and it's exciting that I've "earned" it. :D It will be a special treat for the two of us.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011 Oh, My Aching Feet!
Today's Good Things:
Lots of great time baking with my littles and preparing for the tea party
A houseful of new and old friends :-)
I resisted the goodies!!!
Today's Not So Good Things:
Slept late and missed bible time
I didn't get in any "exercise" today, but I think I walked a couple miles in my kitchen today! Whew! We were busy as ever preparing for and enjoying my oldest's annual Valentine's Day Tea. I baked tarts with my girlies, helped cut out hearts with my oldest and friends, decorated, set tables, prepped lunch, tidied, swept, and vaccumed, prepped food, greeted guests, taxied guests, served drinks, helped with crafts, cleaned up messes, loaded and unloaded dishwashers, and a few other odds and ends. ;-) It was a very full day and my feet are hurting! So, I can't log it, but I know I walked A LOT today. I should get one of those pedometers for days when I know I'll be up and running like that. It would be neat to see just what mileage I get. ::giggle::
I did so great eating today. I resisted all the treats and enjoyed a lovely, healthy blueberry muffin for an afternoon snack. Dinner was simple and easy, which was such a blessing after our busy day. I would have been so tempted to get some easy burgers or something, but we were smart and loaded the crock pot with potatoes so we could enjoy a healthy meal at the end of a hard day. Baked potatoes topped with broccoli, turkey-ham, and cheese.
I totaled my day and still have enough calories to enjoy a piece of peanut butter and jelly toast and still be under my max eat to lose goal by about 100 calories. I'm excited. I've been trying to stay under the 1800 mark by 100-200 calories now that Baby isn't nursing as often. And, I REALLY like peanut butter and jelly toast. We only have jelly when camping or when we make tarts. So, there's a little jelly at the bottom of the jar and I'm claiming it. I resisted the jelly tarts today, so I don't mind if I do. :D
Tomorrow is weigh-in day. I didn't look this morning, so it will be a surprise however it goes. I did not get in much water today, so I could be in trouble with that. We'll just have to see.
I'm looking forward to a nice weekend. Busy tomorrow shopping and prepping food. We are going to a baby shower on Sunday at our new church, so excited! I haven't been to a baby shower in YEARS!!
ETA: I decided against the pb&j, reminding myself that I am avoiding the yeast breads, even if my dear husband brought some home from the store. :-P Enjoyed a decaf coffee with chocolate creamer and another healthy muffin instead. Put me higher for calories, but it's a better choice overall. :-)
Lots of great time baking with my littles and preparing for the tea party
A houseful of new and old friends :-)
I resisted the goodies!!!
Today's Not So Good Things:
Slept late and missed bible time
I didn't get in any "exercise" today, but I think I walked a couple miles in my kitchen today! Whew! We were busy as ever preparing for and enjoying my oldest's annual Valentine's Day Tea. I baked tarts with my girlies, helped cut out hearts with my oldest and friends, decorated, set tables, prepped lunch, tidied, swept, and vaccumed, prepped food, greeted guests, taxied guests, served drinks, helped with crafts, cleaned up messes, loaded and unloaded dishwashers, and a few other odds and ends. ;-) It was a very full day and my feet are hurting! So, I can't log it, but I know I walked A LOT today. I should get one of those pedometers for days when I know I'll be up and running like that. It would be neat to see just what mileage I get. ::giggle::
I did so great eating today. I resisted all the treats and enjoyed a lovely, healthy blueberry muffin for an afternoon snack. Dinner was simple and easy, which was such a blessing after our busy day. I would have been so tempted to get some easy burgers or something, but we were smart and loaded the crock pot with potatoes so we could enjoy a healthy meal at the end of a hard day. Baked potatoes topped with broccoli, turkey-ham, and cheese.
I totaled my day and still have enough calories to enjoy a piece of peanut butter and jelly toast and still be under my max eat to lose goal by about 100 calories. I'm excited. I've been trying to stay under the 1800 mark by 100-200 calories now that Baby isn't nursing as often. And, I REALLY like peanut butter and jelly toast. We only have jelly when camping or when we make tarts. So, there's a little jelly at the bottom of the jar and I'm claiming it. I resisted the jelly tarts today, so I don't mind if I do. :D
Tomorrow is weigh-in day. I didn't look this morning, so it will be a surprise however it goes. I did not get in much water today, so I could be in trouble with that. We'll just have to see.
I'm looking forward to a nice weekend. Busy tomorrow shopping and prepping food. We are going to a baby shower on Sunday at our new church, so excited! I haven't been to a baby shower in YEARS!!
ETA: I decided against the pb&j, reminding myself that I am avoiding the yeast breads, even if my dear husband brought some home from the store. :-P Enjoyed a decaf coffee with chocolate creamer and another healthy muffin instead. Put me higher for calories, but it's a better choice overall. :-)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Thursday February 10, 2011 Too Many Treats
Today's Good Things:
Productive day getting my house in order
Lovely afternoon walk with my sweeties
Good choices on food...until dinner time
Scale is still down
Today's Not So Good Things:
Too many treats with dh
Slept in late making it difficult to get our day rolling on time
Still not getting in my Morning 15s
I was doing so great today. I had my sights set on the scale being down almost 2 pounds and wanted to work hard to keep it that way. Dinner time hit and I'm not really sure what happened. Dh has been so busy going to meetings, we haven't had much time with him these days. We decided to spend the hour before he left hanging out and sharing some kettle chips. I was good with that, I had plenty of calories to end my day.
Well, those chips must have opened the door to indulgence. While we were cleaning up dinner dishes, I gobbled up the one leftover muffin on the counter. Then, when dh got home from his meeting, we both enjoyed some peanut butter and jelly toast. Man, didn't we treat ourselves enough? One thing really does lead to another. I ended the day still eating to lose, but I was hoping for a stronger finish.
Tomorrow will be busy and challenging. My dd is hosting her annual Valentine's Day Tea Party. We'll have a houseful of friends and treats. I'm going to keep my hands too busy to munch...I hope!
Productive day getting my house in order
Lovely afternoon walk with my sweeties
Good choices on food...until dinner time
Scale is still down
Today's Not So Good Things:
Too many treats with dh
Slept in late making it difficult to get our day rolling on time
Still not getting in my Morning 15s
I was doing so great today. I had my sights set on the scale being down almost 2 pounds and wanted to work hard to keep it that way. Dinner time hit and I'm not really sure what happened. Dh has been so busy going to meetings, we haven't had much time with him these days. We decided to spend the hour before he left hanging out and sharing some kettle chips. I was good with that, I had plenty of calories to end my day.
Well, those chips must have opened the door to indulgence. While we were cleaning up dinner dishes, I gobbled up the one leftover muffin on the counter. Then, when dh got home from his meeting, we both enjoyed some peanut butter and jelly toast. Man, didn't we treat ourselves enough? One thing really does lead to another. I ended the day still eating to lose, but I was hoping for a stronger finish.
Tomorrow will be busy and challenging. My dd is hosting her annual Valentine's Day Tea Party. We'll have a houseful of friends and treats. I'm going to keep my hands too busy to munch...I hope!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Updating My Reading Notes
I added some great quotes from the book I'm reading. I started part 2 earlier this week and have been greatly challenged. If ever you want to find this page of quotes other than following the link noted in this post, click on the My Tools button near the top of my blog to get there.
Here are a couple thoughts you'll find there:
"Little is much if God is in it. Learn to live a simple life and eat accordingly."
"Daniel looked beyond food. The Bible says he did not let food defile him; but he also did not let food define him..."
"Instead of working toward perfection in weight management, the people who suceed inch toward progress."
"There are no shortcuts to successful weight management and good health -- physical or spiritual health."
Here are a couple thoughts you'll find there:
"Little is much if God is in it. Learn to live a simple life and eat accordingly."
"Daniel looked beyond food. The Bible says he did not let food defile him; but he also did not let food define him..."
"Instead of working toward perfection in weight management, the people who suceed inch toward progress."
"There are no shortcuts to successful weight management and good health -- physical or spiritual health."
Tuesday Feb 8, Wednesday February 9, 2011 Press On!
Today's Good Things:
Bible time
Making some headway on educational materials
Dh offered to do the shopping on his way home, allowing me to rest
Under for calories
Today's Not So Good Things:
Woke up with my head feeling like a fish bowl
Couldn't fall asleep, baby was up in the night, woke early
No exercise
Last night was our date night and for a treat, dh arranged for the children to go to Grandma's for a couple hours. That was lovely. In the past, when we've been able to do that, we generally would go our to our favorite restaurant. We'd share an appetizer, enjoy a favorite entree and splurge for dessert. It's a special night, right? Well, we're done with those excuses that allow us to overindulge. Just because we are having a special evening together does not mean we need to set aside our good habits and sabotage our hard work. We can enjoy each other without feeding our food passions. We've been working to find new ways to make our date night special and we did pretty well last night.
We started with a plan to go mall walking. Once there, we realized that the food court wasn't going to provide us with very healthy options. So, we bundled back up and walked across the street to Applebee's. (we haven't been there in years, I think. Not since our family outgrew the seating arrangements there..lol!) After perusing the menu, we both decided on a yummy choice from their Under 550 calorie options. Then we reminisced over our old favorites. Buffalo wings, burgers and fries, Lava cake...mmmmmm. Good stuff, but oh! The horrible, overfull feeling by the end of the meal.
So, we both enjoyed our delicious entrees. Mine was a yummy teriyaki shrimp with fresh vegies over whole wheat chinese pasta. So good! Dh had a lovely chicken breast smothered with peppers, onions and cheese served with fresh broccoli and herbed potatoes. We left satisfied, but not stuffed. We left feeling good and ready to move!
We bundled back up and trucked back over to the mall. After several laps, some great conversation, and a quick stop to buy some socks from off the clearance rack (great deal!), we headed back to pick up the kidlets. What a refreshing evening. Instead of indulging and ending the night feeling bloated and guilty, we made great choices, destressed and created some new ways to enjoy our time out together. We're learning! :D
-----------------
Last night was a rough. Not sure if they slipped me caffeinated coffee or what, but I could not fall asleep no matter how I tried. By the time I finally drifted off, Baby was waking at 1:30am for a snuggle. Not her usual, and I vaguely remember getting up with her. By the time 5:30 wake up call came, I was sore tempted to skip Bible time again. However, I was in too much pain to sleep and couldn't breathe, so I guess the Lord wanted me up. ;-)
Today was a good day, but I rested mostly. I have a lot of pressure in my head, feeling like I have liquid in my ears. I'm coming down with something, so I loaded up on the grapefruit and made a giant batch of yummy Winter Lentil Vegetable Soup to enjoy throughout the day. That was smart, as it made our crazy dinner time doable, since dh had to head out as soon as he got in for a town meeting.
Life here just keeps feeling so topsy-turvey. I'm not really looking for any kind of routine to settle into. I don't think we'll see anything like that for a long while. We have a long road ahead of us and it's going to get more difficult as we go. Along with working on making wise food and activity choices, I need to get more diligent in my prayer life. Our family needs protection and strength right now. My dh needs encouragement and support like never before. It's a new battle and I'm grateful the Lord has been working to prepare me for it. May He keep me focused while I stand watch as well as press on. It would be easy to set aside my goals for this season, telling myself I need to put my energies elsewhere or that I don't have time. But, this is life. The Lord is always going to bring changes and challenges to us. I need to learn to live the best way I am able, making choices that honor Him and building habits that strengthen my faith in the midst of these challenges. He gave His life that I might live. I need to remember that I am to give my life that He might live in me.
Bible time
Making some headway on educational materials
Dh offered to do the shopping on his way home, allowing me to rest
Under for calories
Today's Not So Good Things:
Woke up with my head feeling like a fish bowl
Couldn't fall asleep, baby was up in the night, woke early
No exercise
Last night was our date night and for a treat, dh arranged for the children to go to Grandma's for a couple hours. That was lovely. In the past, when we've been able to do that, we generally would go our to our favorite restaurant. We'd share an appetizer, enjoy a favorite entree and splurge for dessert. It's a special night, right? Well, we're done with those excuses that allow us to overindulge. Just because we are having a special evening together does not mean we need to set aside our good habits and sabotage our hard work. We can enjoy each other without feeding our food passions. We've been working to find new ways to make our date night special and we did pretty well last night.
We started with a plan to go mall walking. Once there, we realized that the food court wasn't going to provide us with very healthy options. So, we bundled back up and walked across the street to Applebee's. (we haven't been there in years, I think. Not since our family outgrew the seating arrangements there..lol!) After perusing the menu, we both decided on a yummy choice from their Under 550 calorie options. Then we reminisced over our old favorites. Buffalo wings, burgers and fries, Lava cake...mmmmmm. Good stuff, but oh! The horrible, overfull feeling by the end of the meal.
So, we both enjoyed our delicious entrees. Mine was a yummy teriyaki shrimp with fresh vegies over whole wheat chinese pasta. So good! Dh had a lovely chicken breast smothered with peppers, onions and cheese served with fresh broccoli and herbed potatoes. We left satisfied, but not stuffed. We left feeling good and ready to move!
We bundled back up and trucked back over to the mall. After several laps, some great conversation, and a quick stop to buy some socks from off the clearance rack (great deal!), we headed back to pick up the kidlets. What a refreshing evening. Instead of indulging and ending the night feeling bloated and guilty, we made great choices, destressed and created some new ways to enjoy our time out together. We're learning! :D
-----------------
Last night was a rough. Not sure if they slipped me caffeinated coffee or what, but I could not fall asleep no matter how I tried. By the time I finally drifted off, Baby was waking at 1:30am for a snuggle. Not her usual, and I vaguely remember getting up with her. By the time 5:30 wake up call came, I was sore tempted to skip Bible time again. However, I was in too much pain to sleep and couldn't breathe, so I guess the Lord wanted me up. ;-)
Today was a good day, but I rested mostly. I have a lot of pressure in my head, feeling like I have liquid in my ears. I'm coming down with something, so I loaded up on the grapefruit and made a giant batch of yummy Winter Lentil Vegetable Soup to enjoy throughout the day. That was smart, as it made our crazy dinner time doable, since dh had to head out as soon as he got in for a town meeting.
Life here just keeps feeling so topsy-turvey. I'm not really looking for any kind of routine to settle into. I don't think we'll see anything like that for a long while. We have a long road ahead of us and it's going to get more difficult as we go. Along with working on making wise food and activity choices, I need to get more diligent in my prayer life. Our family needs protection and strength right now. My dh needs encouragement and support like never before. It's a new battle and I'm grateful the Lord has been working to prepare me for it. May He keep me focused while I stand watch as well as press on. It would be easy to set aside my goals for this season, telling myself I need to put my energies elsewhere or that I don't have time. But, this is life. The Lord is always going to bring changes and challenges to us. I need to learn to live the best way I am able, making choices that honor Him and building habits that strengthen my faith in the midst of these challenges. He gave His life that I might live. I need to remember that I am to give my life that He might live in me.
"Daniel's real triumph wasn't in the fiery furnace. It was gained, first, at the banqueting table. If he hadn't triumphed over his appetites, he never would have had faith to face the furnace." Gregory L. Jantz, The Spiritual Path to Weight Loss, p.61
"Behold, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14
Monday, February 7, 2011
Monday February 7, 2011
Today's Good Things:
Bible time
Decent eating choices
The scale was down from Saturday - hope it stays!
Good on water
Got in almost 6 hours of pain free sleep! (still woke struggling, but I'll take it!)
Afternoon mile in the beautiful sunshine, walking on the sparkling ice that lined the road. Breathtaking.
Coffee with friends
Today's Not So Good Things:
Tough day for mothering a 2-almost-3-year-old....sigh.
We all felt very Mondayish today
For some reason, school has become all consuming. I'm not sure what has happened. We used to be able to get done with everything by 1ish, but now we are going until 4pm somedays. I was hoping it was just because we were behind last week and this week would be better. Today was another long day. However, we didn't get rolling until 10am, so prayerfully we'll get an earlier start for tomorrow.
The late start kept me from my morning 15. That was a bummer. However, my darling son surprised me by making a giant ceasar salad complete with chicken for lunch. He knows how to win my heart. ::swoon::
My walk this afternoon was amazing. It was so nice outside, I felt like I could have stayed out all day. I wanted to, but I knew we needed to get back to work.
I've felt very preoccupied since last week. Dh and I have been discussing high school for our oldest. That has led to all sorts of research, thinking, praying and reading on my part. It looks like we may be making some big changes for our education materials soon and it's been filling my thoughts on all ends. I guess it's that time of year. ;-)
I'm hoping I can get things together early enough to give us a decent start tomorrow. I'd really like to get outside and enjoy the weather if it's warm again. If not, I'm declaring it a Wii Challenge day and see who dares take me on!
Bible time
Decent eating choices
The scale was down from Saturday - hope it stays!
Good on water
Got in almost 6 hours of pain free sleep! (still woke struggling, but I'll take it!)
Afternoon mile in the beautiful sunshine, walking on the sparkling ice that lined the road. Breathtaking.
Coffee with friends
Today's Not So Good Things:
Tough day for mothering a 2-almost-3-year-old....sigh.
We all felt very Mondayish today
For some reason, school has become all consuming. I'm not sure what has happened. We used to be able to get done with everything by 1ish, but now we are going until 4pm somedays. I was hoping it was just because we were behind last week and this week would be better. Today was another long day. However, we didn't get rolling until 10am, so prayerfully we'll get an earlier start for tomorrow.
The late start kept me from my morning 15. That was a bummer. However, my darling son surprised me by making a giant ceasar salad complete with chicken for lunch. He knows how to win my heart. ::swoon::
My walk this afternoon was amazing. It was so nice outside, I felt like I could have stayed out all day. I wanted to, but I knew we needed to get back to work.
I've felt very preoccupied since last week. Dh and I have been discussing high school for our oldest. That has led to all sorts of research, thinking, praying and reading on my part. It looks like we may be making some big changes for our education materials soon and it's been filling my thoughts on all ends. I guess it's that time of year. ;-)
I'm hoping I can get things together early enough to give us a decent start tomorrow. I'd really like to get outside and enjoy the weather if it's warm again. If not, I'm declaring it a Wii Challenge day and see who dares take me on!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Thank You for Praying!
For those who are praying for me regarding my challenging sleep habits, THANK YOU!! This past weekend I've been able to get in 5 to 6 hours of straight sleep before waking for my usual "adjustments". ;-) I was also able to get in a few hours worth of nap on Saturday, leaving me feeling so much better and eager for the week ahead.
It's Sunday and I'm still working on rest so that I'm as ready as can be in the coming week. I'm praying the Lord keeps my mind stayed on Him as I seek His plans for me each day. I continue to keep my health goals in mind as I work out some needed changes in our home education plan. I'm looking forward to getting back on track with exercise this week while making wise food choices that strengthen my body.
Thank you, again, so much for praying. It's amazing what just a few extra hours of deep sleep can do for a body. I trust the Lord as I continue to seek Him in this season. He is certainly revealing to me the power and blessing of prayer.
It's Sunday and I'm still working on rest so that I'm as ready as can be in the coming week. I'm praying the Lord keeps my mind stayed on Him as I seek His plans for me each day. I continue to keep my health goals in mind as I work out some needed changes in our home education plan. I'm looking forward to getting back on track with exercise this week while making wise food choices that strengthen my body.
Thank you, again, so much for praying. It's amazing what just a few extra hours of deep sleep can do for a body. I trust the Lord as I continue to seek Him in this season. He is certainly revealing to me the power and blessing of prayer.
Friday, February 4, 2011
The Yeast Experiment
So, last month we decided (well, okay *I* decided and the rest of the fam grudgingly went along ;-) ) to give up yeast breads for a month. We've battled yeasty issues forever, so I wanted to see if this would help. I'm not interested in a doing a complete yeast free diet, as that requires us to restrict our food choices to an extreme that I'm not comfortable with for our family. However, I was confident that giving up the yeast breads would be very helpful in a variety of ways, so we gave it a whirl.
I noticed some changes. First, I've battled yeast infections since I was pregnant this last time around. I didn't get it to go away completely and have dealt with itchiness off and on over the months. This past month, not at all. That's cool.
I also noticed a couple of weeks ago that my skin was looking great. I don't have major issues with my complexion, but I have breakouts every so often. I hadn't had any for quite awhile.
So, last weekend was my ds's birthday. We splurged and enjoyed yeast breads for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also, some breads that we were going to deliver to a friend weren't needed, so we ended up keeping them and eating them all this week. It was sort of like going back our normal habits of having toast with breakfast, sandwiches a couple of times a week, rolls with dinner. Just normal for us. Now, these are "healthy" breads. All whole grain, expensive brands that we are blessed to receive free. So, I don't mind our family enjoying them, and they sure make life easy when I need to serve something fast and easy.
But, guess who broke out this week? Me AND my oldest dd. In fact, I've never seen her have such a breakout on her face.
Guess who's starting to notice a bit of itchiness? Me.
Guess who's NOT going to be getting more yeast breads on a regular basis? ;-)
I'm grateful we don't have allergies or intolerances. Because of that, I don't feel the need to restrict our diet with "Nevers" and "Not Allowds". However, I'm more than willing to keep those things that I know affect us negatively out of our regular diet.
So, Yeast Breads and Sugary Sweets...You Are Outta Here!! We'll enjoy your company if we meet while we're out or visiting or possibly invite you again for a special occassion. But, we're just never going to be Close Friends again. :-P
I noticed some changes. First, I've battled yeast infections since I was pregnant this last time around. I didn't get it to go away completely and have dealt with itchiness off and on over the months. This past month, not at all. That's cool.
I also noticed a couple of weeks ago that my skin was looking great. I don't have major issues with my complexion, but I have breakouts every so often. I hadn't had any for quite awhile.
So, last weekend was my ds's birthday. We splurged and enjoyed yeast breads for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also, some breads that we were going to deliver to a friend weren't needed, so we ended up keeping them and eating them all this week. It was sort of like going back our normal habits of having toast with breakfast, sandwiches a couple of times a week, rolls with dinner. Just normal for us. Now, these are "healthy" breads. All whole grain, expensive brands that we are blessed to receive free. So, I don't mind our family enjoying them, and they sure make life easy when I need to serve something fast and easy.
But, guess who broke out this week? Me AND my oldest dd. In fact, I've never seen her have such a breakout on her face.
Guess who's starting to notice a bit of itchiness? Me.
Guess who's NOT going to be getting more yeast breads on a regular basis? ;-)
I'm grateful we don't have allergies or intolerances. Because of that, I don't feel the need to restrict our diet with "Nevers" and "Not Allowds". However, I'm more than willing to keep those things that I know affect us negatively out of our regular diet.
So, Yeast Breads and Sugary Sweets...You Are Outta Here!! We'll enjoy your company if we meet while we're out or visiting or possibly invite you again for a special occassion. But, we're just never going to be Close Friends again. :-P
Friday February 4, 2011 Unplanned blessings
Today's Good Things:
Restful
Spontaneous trip to visit with dear friends
decent recovery on eating choices after yesterday
Not So Good Things:
Still not getting in my exercise
No logging for a couple of days
Today was nice. It's our relaxed day for schooling and we ended up running an errand which allowed us to make a visit with some of our dearest friends. What a lovely day to end the week. We packed our lunch, so I won the victory over a Drive-thru run that dh had suggested. Ds loaded the crockpot with potatoes before we left, so we had a healthy dinner of baked potatoes, leftover sweet beans and bagged salad for dinner when we got home. It was so nice to come home to a healthy and EASY dinner and fight off the temptation to pick something up on the way home. Breakfast was a lovely treat of eggs scrambled with apple-cinnamon chicken sausage topped with cheese prepared by my 13yo dd. She added in whole wheat toast and cranberry juice to make it special. (it's gotta be a special occassion for us to have juice!) Dd is working on earning a Keeper's badge, so we've been enjoying her kitchen creations lately.
So, I was happy with our eating choices today. Yesterday, not so much. All the talk of getting Off Track and back On Track, it's important to think about. I think getting off track is easy, normal, and definitely what we all struggle with in many aspects of our walk with the Lord. It seems to me that the recovery is what matters most. How quickly do we notice we are off course? How willing are we to acknowledge our shortcomings and identify the causes? What is our strategy to get back on course? Getting a plan of attack seems the smartest thing to do since getting Off Track can happen before we even know it.
When I'm derailed with my health goals, the first thing I do in my recovery mode is to meet my water goal. Once I've got that going, I work on my eating choices. Then I work to add in at least one activity each day to be sure I'm moving. If I do just one thing, it's a pretty good bet I'm going to want to do more because it feels so good. That seems to help me refocus and begin again.
Restful
Spontaneous trip to visit with dear friends
decent recovery on eating choices after yesterday
Not So Good Things:
Still not getting in my exercise
No logging for a couple of days
Today was nice. It's our relaxed day for schooling and we ended up running an errand which allowed us to make a visit with some of our dearest friends. What a lovely day to end the week. We packed our lunch, so I won the victory over a Drive-thru run that dh had suggested. Ds loaded the crockpot with potatoes before we left, so we had a healthy dinner of baked potatoes, leftover sweet beans and bagged salad for dinner when we got home. It was so nice to come home to a healthy and EASY dinner and fight off the temptation to pick something up on the way home. Breakfast was a lovely treat of eggs scrambled with apple-cinnamon chicken sausage topped with cheese prepared by my 13yo dd. She added in whole wheat toast and cranberry juice to make it special. (it's gotta be a special occassion for us to have juice!) Dd is working on earning a Keeper's badge, so we've been enjoying her kitchen creations lately.
So, I was happy with our eating choices today. Yesterday, not so much. All the talk of getting Off Track and back On Track, it's important to think about. I think getting off track is easy, normal, and definitely what we all struggle with in many aspects of our walk with the Lord. It seems to me that the recovery is what matters most. How quickly do we notice we are off course? How willing are we to acknowledge our shortcomings and identify the causes? What is our strategy to get back on course? Getting a plan of attack seems the smartest thing to do since getting Off Track can happen before we even know it.
When I'm derailed with my health goals, the first thing I do in my recovery mode is to meet my water goal. Once I've got that going, I work on my eating choices. Then I work to add in at least one activity each day to be sure I'm moving. If I do just one thing, it's a pretty good bet I'm going to want to do more because it feels so good. That seems to help me refocus and begin again.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
I Dream of Sleep
I was planning to write up a post on my ongoing battle with sleep. Since I've been hinting at it and getting some questions, I guess it's time. It's definitely a key factor in this stuggle I've had to lose weight and live healthy.
Way back when I was a teenager, (WAYYYY back...lol) I would have spurts of time where I would wake unable to take deep breaths. I had abdominal cramping, and pain in my back and rib cage. I typically would move to the couch which gave me some better back support and it would eventually subside. This would happen for one night, maybe a few in a row and then it would go away. It would happen several times a year, but always went away.
We never knew what caused it. I never saw a doc. We figured it was maybe growing pains, and since it went away, nothing was done.
Through my adult years, I continued to have these infrequent "spells". Eventually, I learned tricks of propping pillows "just so" to avoid the spasms. The best I could understand what I was feeling was that my diaphragm was pinched or not expanding properly, leaving me gasp for breath.
Near the end of my 6th pregnancy (about 3 years ago now) I started having these night breathing issues every night. I credited it to third trimester woes and waited longingly for baby to come to get some relief. Unfortunately, the relief hasn't come.
Once baby was sleeping through the night, I realized that I was still battling for sleep. I now can get in about 3 and sometimes 4 hours of sleep before I wake with muscular spasms in my rib cage, back and abdominal pain, and reaching for that deep breath. At its worst, I was barely able to move and roll my way out of bed and needed to be vertical for 10 to 15 mintues before I could breathe normally. Currently, I can get from my bed to the recliner and it takes about 5 minutes of purposeful deep breathing to find relief. I can feel my organs or diaphragm or something shifting and making room for breath again. It's quite the experience. And I enjoy it, every night.
I did get some relief last year about half way through my pregnancy. All of a sudden, it was gone. I could sleep a full 8 to 10 hours without pain! What bliss!! And, oh, did I sleep!! I have never slept and enjoyed sleep so much as during that pregnancy. Even the night before my anxiety-ridden induction, I slept like a rock.
Alas, as soon as this baby was sleeping through the night, leaving me the luxury of doing the same, I am back to the same old pattern. Fortunately, this year I am resigned to the reality of it. This is a far better place to be than the terrible depression that I walked through because of this last year. My body was so physically drained that I could not mentally or emotionally cope. Right now, I struggle, but I am able to press on.
So, I currently live on 5 to 6 hours of sleep each night, taken in 3 hour clusters. Half the night in bed, half the night in a recliner. That, of course, doesn't account for times when Baby is fussy, stays up late, wakes up early, toddlers are sick and just normal life stuff happens. Actually, the normal life stuff is totally fine with me. It's part of who I am and what I do. The mystery of why my body doesn't work right, that really drives me batty, as there is no way of seeing an end or solution to the problem.
We bought a new mattress. No help.
I've seen my family doctor, a D.O. He kindly told me I probably have a spasmodic diaphragm that can't be helped. I'll just have to "live with it". He gave me a diagnosis of "Obese". Sigh.
I've discussed this with my midwife, and, even though very caring and concerned, she was only able to agree that losing weight is probably my best strategy, given her hunch that this is somehow related to sleep apnea.
I went to a different osteopath for several months. He believes I have overlapping ribs and a twisted diaphragm. He worked on those areas diligently, but I had no relief. I figure that I've had this issue for 20 years or so, probably it will take him a while to fix it. ;-) Unfortunately, our checkbook doesn't have quite that much patience.
So, here I am. Dreaming of a full 8 hours. Some nights I've gotten close, but I wake in terrible pain. I've googled my fingers raw looking for anything that seems to fit my symptoms. I have found others struggling with the same issues, but none have found a resolution.
In a big way, this motivates me to work hard at losing weight. If it could bring me some relief, I am so eager for it! Yet, I'm unsure if it's the secret weapon. I have had this problem all of my life, even when I was at my smallest size which was not overweight. It could be exasperated by my size now, I'm more than willing to agree to that. It could be linked to sleep apnea, which would at least give me a cause and a way to cope. Possibly, once we have work and an income again, I'll be able to have that checked out.
In another way, this is one of my biggest obstacles to losing weight. The lack of sleep will often leave me in that "hazy" feeling that comes in those early newborn days. I often feel like I am in a constant "survival mode", eating what is easiest, falling asleep when I should be awake, and lacking the drive I need to do Good Things.
For now, I work hard when I have the energy to do it. And then, when I hit a week that my body just can't keep up, I rest a bit more. It's the best way I've found to cope while I pray and continue to ask the Lord to lift this burden in whichever way He sees fit.
Way back when I was a teenager, (WAYYYY back...lol) I would have spurts of time where I would wake unable to take deep breaths. I had abdominal cramping, and pain in my back and rib cage. I typically would move to the couch which gave me some better back support and it would eventually subside. This would happen for one night, maybe a few in a row and then it would go away. It would happen several times a year, but always went away.
We never knew what caused it. I never saw a doc. We figured it was maybe growing pains, and since it went away, nothing was done.
Through my adult years, I continued to have these infrequent "spells". Eventually, I learned tricks of propping pillows "just so" to avoid the spasms. The best I could understand what I was feeling was that my diaphragm was pinched or not expanding properly, leaving me gasp for breath.
Near the end of my 6th pregnancy (about 3 years ago now) I started having these night breathing issues every night. I credited it to third trimester woes and waited longingly for baby to come to get some relief. Unfortunately, the relief hasn't come.
Once baby was sleeping through the night, I realized that I was still battling for sleep. I now can get in about 3 and sometimes 4 hours of sleep before I wake with muscular spasms in my rib cage, back and abdominal pain, and reaching for that deep breath. At its worst, I was barely able to move and roll my way out of bed and needed to be vertical for 10 to 15 mintues before I could breathe normally. Currently, I can get from my bed to the recliner and it takes about 5 minutes of purposeful deep breathing to find relief. I can feel my organs or diaphragm or something shifting and making room for breath again. It's quite the experience. And I enjoy it, every night.
I did get some relief last year about half way through my pregnancy. All of a sudden, it was gone. I could sleep a full 8 to 10 hours without pain! What bliss!! And, oh, did I sleep!! I have never slept and enjoyed sleep so much as during that pregnancy. Even the night before my anxiety-ridden induction, I slept like a rock.
Alas, as soon as this baby was sleeping through the night, leaving me the luxury of doing the same, I am back to the same old pattern. Fortunately, this year I am resigned to the reality of it. This is a far better place to be than the terrible depression that I walked through because of this last year. My body was so physically drained that I could not mentally or emotionally cope. Right now, I struggle, but I am able to press on.
So, I currently live on 5 to 6 hours of sleep each night, taken in 3 hour clusters. Half the night in bed, half the night in a recliner. That, of course, doesn't account for times when Baby is fussy, stays up late, wakes up early, toddlers are sick and just normal life stuff happens. Actually, the normal life stuff is totally fine with me. It's part of who I am and what I do. The mystery of why my body doesn't work right, that really drives me batty, as there is no way of seeing an end or solution to the problem.
We bought a new mattress. No help.
I've seen my family doctor, a D.O. He kindly told me I probably have a spasmodic diaphragm that can't be helped. I'll just have to "live with it". He gave me a diagnosis of "Obese". Sigh.
I've discussed this with my midwife, and, even though very caring and concerned, she was only able to agree that losing weight is probably my best strategy, given her hunch that this is somehow related to sleep apnea.
I went to a different osteopath for several months. He believes I have overlapping ribs and a twisted diaphragm. He worked on those areas diligently, but I had no relief. I figure that I've had this issue for 20 years or so, probably it will take him a while to fix it. ;-) Unfortunately, our checkbook doesn't have quite that much patience.
So, here I am. Dreaming of a full 8 hours. Some nights I've gotten close, but I wake in terrible pain. I've googled my fingers raw looking for anything that seems to fit my symptoms. I have found others struggling with the same issues, but none have found a resolution.
In a big way, this motivates me to work hard at losing weight. If it could bring me some relief, I am so eager for it! Yet, I'm unsure if it's the secret weapon. I have had this problem all of my life, even when I was at my smallest size which was not overweight. It could be exasperated by my size now, I'm more than willing to agree to that. It could be linked to sleep apnea, which would at least give me a cause and a way to cope. Possibly, once we have work and an income again, I'll be able to have that checked out.
In another way, this is one of my biggest obstacles to losing weight. The lack of sleep will often leave me in that "hazy" feeling that comes in those early newborn days. I often feel like I am in a constant "survival mode", eating what is easiest, falling asleep when I should be awake, and lacking the drive I need to do Good Things.
For now, I work hard when I have the energy to do it. And then, when I hit a week that my body just can't keep up, I rest a bit more. It's the best way I've found to cope while I pray and continue to ask the Lord to lift this burden in whichever way He sees fit.
"And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake ; for when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Wednesday February 2, 2011 Where's the Balance?
Today's Good Things:
A bit of extra sleep this morning, decent sleep for the night too
Timely start to our day
Baby was back on her nap schedule
Healthy meals made even while a bit behind
Helped dd learn to make stir fry for dinner, she also made some yummy cookies
Got caught up on school work and added in a new subject
Today's Not So Good Things:
No exercise
Too many yummy cookies
No bible time
Still struggling to get enough rest
I keep wondering if there will ever be a time when I can Get It All Done.
This week I've been working hard to get us caught up in schoolwork after last week's downfall. I think we've got it now, and I was even able to add in a subject that we haven't been working on since before Christmas. Granted, we weren't done until 4 this afternoon but, I'm pleased with our progress.
I've been able to make some decent meals as well. Lunch is especially hard, and so far we've had Leftovers (M), Salsa Black Bean Soup (T), and Taco Salad (W). That's a big score when I'm focused elsewhere.
However, my house is untidy, my laundry is a load behind, (do not mention the baskets of unfolded clothes waiting on the couch ::blush::) and I haven't worked out all week. Today I didn't even get my 15's in. Sigh.
So, it always ends up being one or two things done and one or two things undone. I wish I could find the balance, because they really all need to be done. I mean, it's not like I'm trying to do more than the basics on any given day.
Meals
School
Exercise
Laundry
Clean (and really that's just tidy & quick cleaning, no deep stuff here until our days off)
Oh yeah, and somewhere in there I try to sleep. Sleep is a depressing subject for me, worthy of its own post. Suffice it to say, more could get done if I was getting all the rest my body needed. And there lies the battle I've been fighting for several years now. I struggle to not use it as an excuse, but the reality is, without adequate rest, you cannot reach the level of health that is best for you.
And so, some weeks I can push and get in the exercise. Other weeks I can push and keep up with lessons. Some weeks my house will look great. And some weeks I rest, trying to buy a couple extra hours of sleep where I am able. It doesn't feel like a balance, but, maybe, if I turn my head and look at it funny, it really does even out.
A bit of extra sleep this morning, decent sleep for the night too
Timely start to our day
Baby was back on her nap schedule
Healthy meals made even while a bit behind
Helped dd learn to make stir fry for dinner, she also made some yummy cookies
Got caught up on school work and added in a new subject
Today's Not So Good Things:
No exercise
Too many yummy cookies
No bible time
Still struggling to get enough rest
I keep wondering if there will ever be a time when I can Get It All Done.
This week I've been working hard to get us caught up in schoolwork after last week's downfall. I think we've got it now, and I was even able to add in a subject that we haven't been working on since before Christmas. Granted, we weren't done until 4 this afternoon but, I'm pleased with our progress.
I've been able to make some decent meals as well. Lunch is especially hard, and so far we've had Leftovers (M), Salsa Black Bean Soup (T), and Taco Salad (W). That's a big score when I'm focused elsewhere.
However, my house is untidy, my laundry is a load behind, (do not mention the baskets of unfolded clothes waiting on the couch ::blush::) and I haven't worked out all week. Today I didn't even get my 15's in. Sigh.
So, it always ends up being one or two things done and one or two things undone. I wish I could find the balance, because they really all need to be done. I mean, it's not like I'm trying to do more than the basics on any given day.
Meals
School
Exercise
Laundry
Clean (and really that's just tidy & quick cleaning, no deep stuff here until our days off)
Oh yeah, and somewhere in there I try to sleep. Sleep is a depressing subject for me, worthy of its own post. Suffice it to say, more could get done if I was getting all the rest my body needed. And there lies the battle I've been fighting for several years now. I struggle to not use it as an excuse, but the reality is, without adequate rest, you cannot reach the level of health that is best for you.
And so, some weeks I can push and get in the exercise. Other weeks I can push and keep up with lessons. Some weeks my house will look great. And some weeks I rest, trying to buy a couple extra hours of sleep where I am able. It doesn't feel like a balance, but, maybe, if I turn my head and look at it funny, it really does even out.
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