Squeezing in Exercise When You Can

I have to laugh when I think about my tight schedule this weekend and how I desperately needed to fit in some sort of exercise. We had a mid-day birthday party to go to, and being busy as I was during the week with work, did not manage to pick up a gift. So Saturday morning comes and I get the kids fed breakfast and we wait for my husband to get up and going. Before I know it the clock says its after 10 a.m. My husband wants to go to the Farmer's Market which we usually do together but there was no way we were going to do that AND go get the gift in time. I had the idea that I would run (literally) to the closest Target for the gift so I could kill two birds with one stone. So, we split up, each taking one son. I wanted to take my 19 month old so I could run with him in the jogging stroller - and have the cargo space in the stroller to carry our loot back -  but my nearly 4 year old wanted to come with me and there was no talking him out of it. I have pushed him in the jogging stroller recently on a trail near our home but thought we would look ridiculous, with me wheeling this too-big- to-be-in-a-jogging-stroller boy through TAR-jay.

So thinking quickly, I put him on his bike, put his helmet on and grabbed a bike lock. I put his backpack on and put my wallet inside so that he would be able to carry the gift back. I have to admit, it was a pretty slow pace but I managed to keep moving the whole time. When I got too far ahead of him, he would say, "Wait up, Mom" and I would run back and circle around him.

While in the store I had to keep in mind that the gift would need to fit into my son's backpack, and couldn't be too heavy or bulky for him to bike with. The shopping was a success, and we made it back home in time for me to hop in the shower and make it to the party being just fashionably late.

My son was so proud of himself because I kept telling him what a big boy he was and how he was being such a big help to me. I was proud of myself for not blowing off the exercise and thinking outside the box! Win-win for all!

Relax and Recharge: Find Your Happy Place

After this past 3-day weekend I was reminded how important it is to get away. Between working full time, juggling two kids, a husband with an opposite schedule, maintaining my household (laundry, misc. cleaning and the never-ending flow of paperwork and BILLS), trying to work out and have a social life, I sometimes get so zeroed in on getting things done that I forget to do nothing.

There is nothing more relaxing to me than zone-out time at the beach. Whether its just watching the waves, listening to the ocean while I sleep, or getting a kick out of my kids playing in the sand and surf, I know that any time spent at the coast is good for me. I have been lucky enough to spend 10 years of my life living by the beach...but unfortunately have been back in "the valley" for the last 10 years and don't see my beloved ocean as much as I would like. This past weekend, with no "to do's" surrounding me, I could just let my mind rest and enjoy being exactly where I was. At the end of day one, I could already tell I was breathing more deeply and smiling more. Sometimes a beach visit just isn't possible, and I will strive to become better about finding alternatives. It's easy to forget that all it takes is physically removing myself from my day to day routine/environment to get a fresh perspective on things. Don't forget to find your happy place.

Dear Coffeemate, It's Over.

I once claimed that sugar-free Coffemate was my one guilty indulgence. Well guess what, 3 months later and I'm done. In my quest to clean up my diet, I had to quit the hydrogenated oil. Coffee became a bit of a challenge for me because I have to admit, I'm addicted to coffee and I like it a little sweet. I didn't want to use refined white sugar so I started using turbinadosugar. I compensated for the addition of more daily sugar grams in my coffee with eating bread with lower sugar grams. Pretty easy. But mostly I have decided that I like the flavor of coffee with just milk or cream in it. I buy good coffee and brew it nice and strong. Its pretty darn tasty. I don't miss the syrupy, sweet and fake taste of the creamer I used to spend a few hundred dollars a year on at all! (By the way, I do not endorse the Sugar in the Raw brand, I just figured it was recognizable to most people since it is served in restaurants. I actually use the Trader Joe's brand. Of course.)

Rethink That Bottle of Water

Water is good for you. Since our bodies are nearly 60% water, it is important that we replenish it constantly to keep all of our organs functioning. It is necessary to keep flushing out the bad stuff. Externally, regular consumption of water keeps your skin clear and youthful...and bathing in it keeps you clean, swimming in it is not only a form of fitness but relaxation as well.

The original idea behind bottled water was great. I have to admit, when sales of bottled water became widespread, I started to drink more water than I ever had before. I am the first to admit I am a sucker for convenience. But now, with more plastic water bottles  than we know what to do with overflowing in landfills and zillions more waiting to be recycled, the fact is they are just becoming a nuisance. The photo above is of the Great Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean. It is the size of the state of Texas, filled with 3.5 tons of trash (a lot of it plastic bags, bottles, jugs, etc.) and is located between Hawaii and San Francisco. I hate pollution, and that is a whole other issue...littering is the ultimate disrespect for our environment and pollution is just littering on a larger, corporate-sanctioned scale. But, I digress.

Doesn't it seem silly to buy water when you think about it?  You buy plastic bottle, to ingest a single serving of the contents, and toss it.  Seems kind of costly and wasteful, doesn't it? My husband was a bottled water devotee and slowly but surely I have converted him. Take note, I am not a bottle nazi. Of course when we have parties we buy some bottled water for the convenience of our guests. But by and large we avoid it on a daily basis. We have a water filtration system at our house, and I love the filtered water and enjoy the taste. I refill my aluminum water bottle constantly and take it to work with me every day.  But even if you don't have access to a permanent filtration system, you can buy a Brita filter in pitcher form that you can keep on your countertop or in your refrigerator. Just stopping to think about what you are doing before you buy a bottle of water can help save our environment. I leave you with this: A bit of every piece of plastic that was ever manufactured still exists, because it does not naturally decompose. the plastic that has been broken down by incineration releases toxic chemicals into the air which is no better alternative. Please stop drinking bottled water.

Back In the Driver's Seat!

To a certain extent we all have control over what we eat. But if you're like me, if there are temptations to be had, the temptations will be had. I have always been really good about not buying junk to have around the house. I figure if its not there, I'm not going to go through the trouble to seek it out, and there are plenty of opportunities to eat treats and goodies at any number of the family parties, holidays, birthday parties we go to several times a month.

For the last several months I had been at a job that had me driving around a lot and being constantly on he go made it hard for me to bring a lunch to work. Not only was it expensive, but many times I was not eating the healthiest of options. "Lunch" wasn't just my mid-day meal but became an escape from the fact that I was really starting to hate my job, and something to look forward to with my co-workers whose company I did really enjoy. When I had started this blog, we were all pumped up for an office weight-loss challenge, but then some changes that the company made to our job put us all in a tailspin. Suddenly we were stressed, and unhappy and our routines had all been turned upside down. Needless to say I became truly miserable. I started slacking off on my workouts because sometimes I just couldn't get motivated. Sure I was still working out fairly regularly, but stopped pushing myself as hard as I could have,  and comforted myself with extra helpings of food.

I had always read magazine articles about eating and depression, eating and anxiety, eating and stress. I guess I can consider myself lucky that I never really experienced this until I was almost 40 years old. Ugh, I can tell you I did not like it. I knew I was doing it but was so unhappy I didn't care. Thank goodness I had recently started cutting way back on sugar in my diet, because I didn't put on very many pounds. But my body did change and I am dedicated to bring the old me back!

 I have a new job and I am SO happy to be in a positive, motivating and  respectful environment.  I am thrilled that I am more in control of what I eat throughout the day. Its a small office with a refrigerator and microwave and I have been bringing my lunch to work. Easy on the pocketbook AND on the waistline. It is a win-win! I have already added 2 extra workouts to my first week on the new job, and see the light at the end of the tunnel.