I was enjoying a snugly baby on my lap when Michael started getting the lawn mower out. Keeghan took one look and
Keeghan: RIDE RIDE RIDE!
Michael: Ride?
Keeghan: YEAH YEAH YEAH!
Michael: no, you cannot ride on the lawn mower.
So Keeghan went and got his shoes and brought them to me, whereupon it was MY job to break it to him that, shoes or no shoes, he for sure would not be riding on the lawn mower.
Pardon my potty mouth. I hear there’s a bumper sticker for that.
I want to say THANK YOU to my wonderful workout buddy, Jenn B. (Sorry, she’s not a blogger, or I’d link up so you could hear about all the AWESOME progress she is making- getting up at 4 am to get her workouts in before work, sticking to The Plan even after being up all night with a sick kid, and more. PLUS she raised a lot of money for breast cancer research this year and did the 60 mile walk!!!! But she doesn’t toot her own horn so I guess I’m doing it for her.) We have been checking in every day, and her encouragement means a lot to me and helps keep me on track.
Jenn, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU! Yes, we can!
Won’t you join us? Follow along and chime in on Facebook or Pinterest. Or put a little love down there in the comment box! YES WE CAN!
Part of this whole journey I’m on with my awesome fitness buddy Jenn is to replace my guilty pleasures with healthy ones. Because self-denial may be virtuous, but it’s not what’s going to get me healthy and keep me healthy in the long term. And by that, I do not mean that I am swapping my favorite foods for so-called “guilt free” versions of the same things. Because I’m really happy for you that the fat free, gluten free, sugar free, food free brownie shaped THING you just pinned to your Healthy Life board is only 99 calories per serving, but I’ll tell you what it ISN’T. It is NOT A BROWNIE. My taste buds are not stupid, and they know a brownie when they eat one. Brownies have sugar, fat, gluten and CHOCOLATE. Eating a cardboard cutout of a cookie does not make me feel like I do not want a cookie. It makes me feel like I want a dozen cookies, because I have been ROBBED. What I need are totally different foods to enjoy- healthy things that don’t just tick the “nutritious” box on my To Do List for the day, but actually make me smile when I eat them.
So, I’m trying things I used to not like (Yeah, turns out I’ve really been missing out on pistachios for the last several decades…) and seeking new things to try. Today, I have discovered Numi Organic Puerh Chocolate tea. Now, they had me at Chocolate, but it’s also called “Skinny Girl’s Tea.” I’m guessing “Strong Mama Who Can Totally Keep Up With Her Kids and Will Grind You Into a Fine Powder If You Mess With Them Tea” takes too long to say, so we’ll go with Skinny Girl. In other words, it’s meant as a healthy treat. I’m not always a tea lover, but this stuff has me hooked! (Try substituting it for the Chai in a South Beach Chai Smoothie. OH YES! I added 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder. Awesome.) Brewed with milk instead of water, unsweetened, it was a delicious pick me up.
In other news:
Me: Ian, put your jacket on, baby, it’s time to leave for school.
Ian: OH NO! MOMMY! I FORGOT TO WORK OUT!
Me: You’re going to have to do it later. It’s time to go.
Ian: No, Mommy. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
Me: Yes, honey, it is important, but not everything that is important is urgent… Oh my gosh, your lunch is not packed.
Ian: Hooray! Now I have time to work out!
When I came back with his lunch, I found him doing the yoga video I had just finished. Probably better than I did it, and quite certainly cuter.
Well, week two had the biggest eating day of the year smack in the middle of it. So I cannot be pleased enough to report that I made any progress at all! Nothing gets me off track like leftover pie, but even that didn’t stand in my way! Once again, my biggest loss was around my midsection, which is great, since my waist/hip ratio has been indicating that I “may be at increased risk for diabetes, heart disease…” and a bunch of other things that really bring you down so I’m skipping them. But my point is, that measurement is headed in a healthy direction right now- AWESOME. Because I’d really like to skip all those things and just stick with “healthy.”
Sorry, no funny face today… maybe next week.
Monday Progress Report:
I feel like I should specify here that I’m tracking my TOTAL progress. So when I say + or -, I mean vs. day 1, not since my last progress report. It helps me to keep the big picture in mind, so I don’t get discouraged on weeks where progress is smaller.
Day: 15
The scale has moved: -7 lbs
The inches have changed: -8 inches
I feel: Pumped up. Really, really pumped up. And I can feel less strain on my knees, even when I’m carrying my GIANT BABY. (Seriously, he’s really big.) Ready to kick week three WHERE IT HURTS!
I’ve walked: 19.16 miles and counting!
See? Really big.
What about you? How did you do this week? Are you ready to join us? YES WE CAN!
PS- thanks to my friend Casey for passing on some pants that don’t fit her any more, or I’d still be in my room, looking for something to wear. I don’t keep stuff that doesn’t fit me any more… More on that later.
Ian woke me up at 2 am and announced “Mommy, I have something to tell you!” I wish I could tell you what it was, but I’m afraid he was informed that I didn’t want to hear it and to go back to sleep. Which he did, curled up next to me. It made for immediate hug opportunities at “up time.”
Keeghan’s new words in the last 24 hours have included acorn, copy, hug, and (wait for it!) Dude. (awesome, right?)
I hope you have a beautiful Thanksgiving.
Ian has a rabid penchant for “kid food” which does get indulged just a wee bit too often. But there are bright spots, and one of them is that he likes salad. He declared my favorite vinaigrette “disgusting” (then ate a whole bowl, but never mind) so tonight I made him a yogurt dressing (no sugar!) which he also declared “disgusting.” Keeghan ate the leftovers with a spoon, though, so we have a 50% approval rating- higher if you count my vote.
No- sugar added yogurt dressing
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon mild table mustard
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp cider vinegar
Mix well. Thin with a little milk, as needed.
My salad had chicken breast seasoned with lemon pepper and basil, heirloom tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and capers on a bed of romaine lettuce. I find it helps me not to get tired of salad when I cook the chicken right before I eat it, do I’ve been doing one boneless, skinless breast at a time in my Round Covered Baker. (that’s a Pampered Chef product, but I imagine any stoneware casserole would work.)
and sometimes, it’s a truck wash.
My fitness buddy Jenn and I are going STRONG on our program- the South Beach Diet and the 10 lb slimdown. We both feel awesome and, in addition to trimming our waistlines, have noticed some positive changes in our skin. I realize that a sample size of “two” doesn’t exactly meet the standard for “rigorous scientific study,” but it should easily exceed “encouraging anecdotal reports.” We started this with almost identical goals, and we’ve made almost identical progress, which is SO FUN even if it’s not likely to last. And there is NOTHING more encouraging than seeing lots of progress right away when you start something new, right?
If you’re not familiar with the South Beach diet, its claim to fame is that it makes you lose “belly fat” first- and since that is most people’s “trouble spot,” it’s quite a selling point. Your mileage may vary, but in my experience, it’s also true. Most of my losses came from my trouble spots this week- and my midsection is definitely slimmer.
Aaaand… we are two for two on the goofy facial expressions. But I did my hair for you today because YOU PEOPLE ARE SPECIAL.
Monday Progress Report:
Day: 8
The scale has moved: -6 lbs
The inches have changed: -5.25 inches
I feel: Really good! I still have lots of energy and don’t feel worn out at all. I’ve had one or two days where I was sort of sore, but not terrible.
What about you? How did you do this week? Are you ready to join us? YES WE CAN!
(PS- that’s 20% of my weight loss goal there! In one week! I’m so pumped!)
