Fit Mama Week 1.5

Okay, okay, I know I promised to post my weight loss progress each Sunday. Well, as a wise person once said,

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” [1855 H. G. Bohn Hand-Book of Proverbs 514]

So, without further ado, here is how I did last week:

1. My first goal was to write down everything I ate and drank in a food diary. This is harder than it seems! I kept my diary 3/7 days. Definately room for improvement here…

2. My second goal was to buy a pedometer and record my steps per day in my diary.  I DID manage to buy a pedometer, but I mistakenly bought the cheapest pedometer I could find.  I guess I shouldn’t have been suprised, therefore, that the device wasn’t exceptionally reliable. The reset button appears to be overly sensitive…every time I picked up one of my children (this happens a lot, mind you), they seemed to conveniently hit my reset button with their bottom. One minute, I had racked up 1700 steps and the next minute, I was down to 16. Drat. The darned thing seemed to function better on work days (no kids!), and my average per working day approximated 4000 steps. A far cry from the recommended 10,000 steps per day. Yes, it appears I have room for improvement on this one too! 

3. My third goal was to get motivated by making a list of the reasons I would like to lose weight and get fit. I was actually able to accomplish this one (I do LOVE lists after all):

Better cardiovascular health

Better mood

Good role model for my children

Getting rid of my “mommy weight”

Other reasons too personal to post in my blog (a girl’s gotta have some secrets, you know)

4. My final goal was to post my progress on Sunday. Ahem…better late than never? 

By the way, despite my “failure” (ooh, I hate that word) to meet above goals, I did somehow manage to lose one pound last week. Hurrah! One down and 13 to go!

And now (drum roll, please), my  goals for this week: 

1. Continue with self-monitoring of food and steps per day (or minutes of physical activity per day if pedometer continues to be unreliable).

2. Review my list of motivations daily. For a decent (i.e., I’ll stay on the look-out for a better resource for you) article on using motivational affirmations to help you lose weight, click here. 

3. Drink water (or other low calorie beverage) with every meal. For a great slideshow about the best and worst beverages for weight loss, click here. 

If you are following my progress, please, please, please post your own comments, successes, and challenges. I look forward to hearing from YOU!

Best, Michelle

P.S. To see the inspirational video that got me going, check this out:

More parenting videos on JuiceBoxJungle

And if you need even more “inspiration for perspiration”, here are some other cool links to check out:

America’s Walking (PBS)

The Walking Site’s 10,000 Steps Walking Program

Mother’s Day

As we approach Mother’s Day, I wanted to share some of my favorite books for celebrating (and surviving with grace) motherhood. 

Especially for New Moms – It takes a village to raise a child, or so “they” say. However, in our modern culture, moms (especially new moms) may be physically or emotionally isolated from their social network. Here are some books to guide and support new moms during those critical early years of motherhood. 

25 Things Every New Mother Should Know by Martha Sears 

Meditations for New Mothers by Beth Wilson Saavedro 

Mothering the New Mother by Sally Placksin 

Self-Care for Moms – We are so busy bandaging boo-boos and kissing away tears, that we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves. If you are one of those moms who feels guilty about taking the time to exercise or soak in a bubble bath once in awhile, the following books are especially for you… 

Natural Health After Birth: The Complete Guide to Postpartum Wellness by Aviva Jill Romm 

Mojo Mom: Nurturing Your Self While Raising a Family by Amy Tiemann 

Mother Nurture by Rick Hansen, PhD 

Humor for Moms – Sometimes, laughter really is the best medicine…so here are a few books to help you get the giggles going (and help you get you through the day)… 

Haiku Mama: Because 17 Syllables is All You Have Time to Read by Kari Anne Roy 

If You Give a Mom a Martini: 100 Ways to Find 10 Blissful Minutes for Yourself by Lyss Stern and Julie Klappas

by Lyss Stern

 

 

Spiritual Mamas – For one of “those days” (you know, when the kids are fussy, your husband is cranky, work is crazy, and life feels just like one long “to do” list)…here are some inspirational books to pull you through… 

Buddhism for Mothers: A Calm Approach to Caring for Yourself and Your Children by Sarah Napthali 

Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood by Karen Maezen Miller 

The Circle of Life – These books celebrate life stages of womanhood – from infancy, to coming of age, to becoming a parent or grandparent yourself… 

The Blue Jay’s Dance: A Birth Year by Louise Erdrich 

The Seasons of Women: An Anthology by Gloria Norris 

Happy Mother’s Day and happy reading! 

Warmly,

Michelle 

P.S. Don’t forget to call your mother!