Fit Mama Week 6

I won’t even bother apologizing for my lack of posts over the past couple of weeks. You know how it goes…

My goals were to:

1. Keep working on self-monitoring of food, beverages, and physical activity.

2. Purchase a new pedometer and record steps per day. Aim for 8,500 steps per day.

3. Review list of motivations daily.

4. Drink 6-8 servings of water per day (including at least 5 servings at work on work days). Limit high-calorie beverages including sodas (not a big issue for me), fruit juices, and alcoholic beverages. Try drinking sparkling water, coffee, and tea (without a lot of cream and sugar) instead.

Lessons learned:

1. I suck at self-monitoring. But, I promise to keep trying. In fact, I pledge to print myself several weeks worth of food records right after I finish this post.

2. I did not buy another pedometer. I admit that I’m dragging my feet because I’ve already tried two different models and I hate wasting money on yet another gadget that might not work. Will keep using the old models until I get so fed up that I’m willing to shell out some dough for a new gadget.

3. The good news is that I’m still walking pretty regularly 2-3 days per week with a colleague at work, about 20-30 minutes at the end of each work day.

4. The bad news: I experienced a “set-back” when my family came to visit. First, Crispy Kreme doughnuts for breakfast one morning, then pies for dessert two nights in a row, and then a cake for an early bday celebration for my daughter. I regained 1 lb in this process. *sigh*

5. The good news: Reviewing my list of motivations helped me get back on track and lose 2.5 pounds over the past week or so (10 pounds to go to reach my initial goal). Yeah…one step backward and two steps forward?

6. I’m doing much better with water consumption and limiting high calorie beverages. Some examples: I keep a pitcher of water at my desk and also drink water with meals. I’ve switched to low-fat milk in my coffee instead of half-and-half (and one lump of sugar instead of two). I dilute fruit juices with sparkling water and serve over ice. I drink herbal teas unsweetened. I’m limiting alcoholic beverages to 2-3 servings per week.

Goals for next week (June 15-21):

1. Keep working on self-monitoring of food, beverages, and physical activity.

2. Make do with my old pedometer (if I can’t bring myself to purchase a new pedometer) and record steps per day. Aim for 9,000 steps per day (or walk 30+ minutes per day, 6 days per week).

3. Review list of motivations daily.

4. Continue drinking 6-8 servings of water per day and limiting high-calorie beverages.

5. Eat 6-11 servings of breads, pastas, and cereals per day (make as many servings as possible whole grain). This equates to about about 2 servings per meal or snack! If you want to learn more about the importance of eating whole grain foods for weight loss (and improved health in general), click here.

How are you doing? Please post your successes, challenges, and comments below.

Best Wishes, Michelle

More parenting videos on JuiceBoxJungle

Fit Mama Week 3

 I know, I know…I’m posting my update almost a week late! 

My goals for the past two weeks were:

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

I have done a rotten job of keeping a food record. 0/14 days! The written diary just isn’t working for me. Since I spend a lot of time at the computer (at work and at home), I think I will try emailing my food records to myself.

I DID manage to wear my pedometer at least half of the days over the past two weeks. I also figured out a potential work-around to the pedometer resetting every time I picked up my children. I now wear the thing on my left hip (duh!) since I tend to carry my children on my right hip. My average steps per day was 7,000, which represents a significant improvement over week 1.5 (see prior post), but still leaving room for improvement!

2. Review my list of motivations daily.

I WAS able to do this. Yeah!!!

3. Drink water (or other low calorie beverage) with every meal.

I did drink more water than usual, but since I didn’t keep a food record, it’s hard to really track how well I did. I don’t drink enough water at work, so I’m considering buying a Brita filter to keep at my desk, along with a glass.

Good news! I have lost 2 more pounds since my last post (3 down, 11 to go). 

My goals for the upcoming week:

1. Try keeping food record/steps record by email.

2. Increase average steps per day to 8,000.

3. Review list of motivations daily.

4. Buy a water pitcher (with filter?) to keep at my desk to encourage drinking more water at work. 

Will keep you posted! How are you doing? Please post your comments below.

Best,

Michelle

 

Fit Mama

JuiceBoxJungle has recently posted a great a new episode called “Real Soccer Mom” which is motivating me to get back into some sort of regular fitness routine. Check it out:

More parenting videos on JuiceBoxJungle

It’s now 14 months after the birth of my youngest child and I’m still carrying around 10+ extra pounds.  With my formal education in health psychology, I “know” a lot about the ins and outs of behavioral modification. Putting such knowledge into practice in my own life, however, is not always so easy. 

I’ve decided to give myself a public challenge to lose 10% of my current body weight (which equates to about 14 pounds to lose — you do the math) in 14 weeks. I will be posting my progress  each Sunday and hope you, my dear readers, will follow along and post your own comments, successes, and challenges.

So here goes…my weight loss goals for week 1 are to:

1. Write down everything I eat and drink in a food diary. Recent research suggests that keeping a food diary is a powerful weight loss tool. Click here for more information and to download a free food diary.  

2. Buy a pedometer and record my steps per day in my diary. For more information about using pedometers to help you lose weight, click here. 

3. Get motivated by making a list of the reasons I would like to lose weight and get fit.

4. Post my progress next Sunday!

Here are some additional resources that my readers may find helpful or motivating :

Baby Boot Camp

Stroller Strides

Fit for Two

Welcome Spring! (well, almost…)

The weather has been ever so slightly warmer, slightly sunnier, slightly less damp here in the Pacific Northwest. I even got a bit of yardwork done on Sunday before it started to drizzle on me. Spring is right around the corner, and my family is getting ready for some… 

March Inspiration:

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

March roars in like a lion
So fierce,
The wind so cold,
It seems to pierce.
The month rolls on
And Spring draws near,
And March goes out
Like a lamb so dear

by Lorie Hill

 

What’s Happening this Month? 

March 8, 2009 Daylight Savings Time Begins

March 17, 2009 St. Patrick’s Day

March 20, 2009 Spring Equinox (first day of Spring)

March is also National Nutrition Month. Visit the American Dietetic Association’s website for nutrition games, quizzes, and helpful information about healthy nutrition for your family.

  

Book Picks for March: 

St. Patrick’s Day by Gail Gibbons

Spring is Here by Lois Lenski

Eat Healthy, Feel Great by Dr. William Sears

 

Activity Suggestions for March:

 GO GREEN! Throw a St. Patty’s Day party for your wee ones. Ask all the kiddos to wear green clothing, serve green foods (grapes, apples, jello), and make green play-dough. Play Irish Music and have the kids parade around the neighborhood with green balloons and flowers.

GET CRAFTY! Make a seed collage. Collect a large assortment of seeds craft glue, and sturdy poster board or cardboard. Help your child spread the craft glue over their paper and then sprinkle seeds on the glue. Tilt the cardboard and gently shake off excess. Wait for the glue to dry and then repeat the process until your design is complete. Set aside to dry.

PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! Play some nutrition games and try out some new kid-friendly recipe ideas at KidsHealth.org.

 

Happy Spring!

Michelle