Changes to My Eating

So I began this journey on June 18th and have lost 6.2 pounds so far. I decided to combine a few different "diet" plans to work for me and it's really made a difference! I love pasta and fried foods but knew they needed to be almost non-existent in the beginning, so I've taken most of these foods off my list for now. I've also removed fruit until next week-June 19th, the reason is to rid my body of sugar and cleanse my system. I do have a few carbs in my day but portion control is key and I only have them at one meal. Below is a small list of lifestyle changes I've implemented, not too much but enough to get me losing weight and feeling good.

DRINK YOUR WATER

Water is extremely important for your skin, body balance and overall health. I drink one bottle of water (16.9 oz) as soon as I wake up, before I eat breakfast or have my coffee. I drink another bottle between breakfast and lunch and then at least one more in the afternoon. I know this may seem like a lot at first but I promise it helps you feel full and eat less.

LEAN PROTEIN


One plan I am taking advice from is South Beach. The basic concept is broken down into three phases. Phase 1 is no carbs or sugar for two weeks. You eat only lean proteins, beans, green veggies and dairy. You are allowed two caffeinated drinks a day but decaf is recommended. This is a great way to watch the numbers on the scale drop quickly!

SMALLER PORTIONS


I thought this aspect was going to be difficult for me. As a society we have grown way too comfortable with big plates, big spoons, and big portions. I decided to eat all of my food on a small salad plate, use the smallest spoons we have, and use measuring cups to scoop my food out of pots and pans. I bought spoon shaped measuring cups from Target and they work really well.  I no longer go back for seconds and eating leftovers from my kids' plates is totally off-limits. When I was younger the Clean Your Plate  motto was heavily enforced. Even though I've tried to end this way of thinking, when I see food on my kids' plates I'm quick to eat it. I caught myself doing this a few months ago when I went to my in-law's.  Grandma made breakfast and the kiddos were not eating very much. I cleaned my plate and then proceeded to eat off of their plates so my MIL would not feel insulted. When I told Bryan about it he said I was being ridiculous and to not worry so much. But there was a need in me for her to feel the kids liked her cooking and that they were good eaters. I've spoken with other Moms who eat off of their kids' plates so I know I'm not alone. Stopping this behavior is a big step for me...now we give the leftovers to the dogs! And when I feel the urge at the dinner table I ask Bryan to take the plates away or instruct the kids to clear the table.

GO TO BED HUNGRY


The last food I ingest for the day is approximately 4 hours before bedtime. The first week I had a headache every night but now it's not so bad. Your body isn't working on extra food to digest and can get ready for the following day. But be warned, you will wake up hungry the next morning!!

WORK OUT

I'm doing 20 minute High Interval Training workouts every other day to two days. These work you hard in a short amount of time and your burn plenty of calories. A lot of the workouts you can do at home, I am currently working on The Firm and love the videos. Working out with weights is great for your body. Pinterest also has plenty of workout tips. Just get moving!!!!

LIMIT FAST FOOD


Eat more at home...duh!! You don't have to be a gourmet cook but try to eat at least 9 meals a week at home. I do plenty of recipe searching on the internet and you can find very simple recipes. Plan your meals ahead and it saves you even more time. I will post more about meal planning soon.

Transitions Through Childhood

We as humans go through some amazing transitions throughout our lives. Not only do we mature at a speedy rate when we are young but as we grow into adults physically and psychologically we experience multiple transitions. I began thinking of this the other day while at our local YMCA pool. Our neighbors had invited us to go and as we entered the pool I was flooded with memories of the recent summers the kids and I spent there.  In the summer of 2009 my ex-husband disappeared and I had no clue as to what to do. We joined the Y and I took the kids to the pool almost every day. Jonah was only three months old so I never brought him outside. The following summer he began walking and he toddled around the pool in swim trunks that were so long on him they looked like pants. Then last summer he quickly became acquainted with the frog slide and jumping off the side into the water, laughing the whole time. As these images ran through my mind I realized how fast time flies and also how easily we parents get caught up in the daily bustle of life and forget we are witnessing these little lives change daily.

How many of you are parents to teenagers? Can you remember being their age and feeling like your friends were your reason for living? Teenagers naturally want to separate from Mom and Dad and begin to make lives of their own. The hormonal changes for boys and girls during this time are on hyper drive and can cause major disturbances in any household. I’m sure some of you Moms and Dads (if any Dads actually read this!) are wondering where in the world your sweet baby girl went to and how was she replaced with this overly sensitive, dramatic young woman.  I know boys go through many hormonal transitions as well and can become very moody and distant from his parental units. I remember being a teenager and feeling so disconnected from my parents at times. My sister and I never got into much trouble but the temptations to “push the envelope” were certainly there. And for many families today divorce, economic stress, addiction, and many other trials can have detrimental effects on children’s natural transitions through life.  And even if you are providing your teens with a solid foundation, great support and lots of love, they still can seem to become different people in your eyes!

Parents who have young children like mine probably remember all to well those sleepless weeks with babies and also the joys of watching them roll over, crawl, climb on the couch, eat normal food, begin to walk, and then begin to talk. So many changes come about in such short periods of time but while we’re in the midst of them we feel like the days are dragging by so slowly.  My children are transitioning with their new Dad and I will admit, these beginning weeks have not been super easy. Because none of them remember their biological Father being around they relate way more to me than Bryan. I had told him when we first met how tired I was of being both the fun parent and the disciplinarian. Being a completely single parent is extremely difficult. Tonight at the dinner table he told the kids, “I’m the bad cop and Mommy’s the good cop”. I laughed because it’s true. My kiddos have to transition from one parent to two and it will take time. But I believe that parents can make the transitions a bit easier if we really listen to our children, try to remember how it was to be their age, and to keep in mind that they do not fully understand what is changing inside them either.

Give your kids love, personal space, healthy boundaries, and stick with your rules. I know that’s not always easy and I’ve given in many times. But keep trying and pray every day that each transition can be seen as a new adventure - even when you want to pull out your hair and theirs!

Introductions

This blog does not have one main idea. My mind works in circles being a mother, wife, job seeker, wannabe writer, and organizer of my home. I've always wanted to write and I have found this may be the easiest way for me right now. I hope to post about my current weight loss journey, stories and advice about raising children, yummy recipes I find, and the challenges I have overcome in the past. You can use the tabs at the top of the page to find specific posts. I'm not really sure how all of this will work but I hope to take you on a journey of hope, laughter, love, life, and survival. So when life gives you challenges, rise to the occasion and kick some butt!!