Slow Start Continues and It's Friday!

Slow Start to the Gym Continues

My slow start to the gym seems to be working.  I have only had normal post-workout soreness and no injuries; I have not experienced that debilitating soreness that goes on for days.  Perhaps more importantly, because I've set my expectations of myself uncharacteristically low, I am meeting (and exceeding) my expectations!  Here is how my program has progressed so far:

• Week One- get up, get to the gym, and do something for 30 minutes or more, 5 days a week (no calorie or heart rate monitoring; no "programs").
• Week Two - do a little more; push myself a bit on the cardio (still no monitoring or tracking)
• Week Three - begin a program of 3 cardio and 2 strength training sessions per week
• Last week:  Begin Couch to 5K (C25K) program; pay attention to weight and reps; begin gradual increase in weight or reps (not both).
• Begin tracking calories burned (that is this week); also because of C25K, I am noting distance. 

• Next week:  Increase cardio to 35 minutes or more
• The next step, which will probably be in 2 weeks, will be to start monitoring my heart rate.

I feel great and my motivation is high.  That's priceless to me!

Friday Tips, Tricks and Inspiration
This week's theme is making changes to reach your goals in this new year -- or to take another shot at the resolutions you've already forgotten about!

My tip for you this week is to put support in place for yourself.  I currently have 4 kinds of formal support:

1. I attend weekly Weight Watcher's meetings (for the weigh-in and the community atmosphere); 
2. I have my text friend with whom I exchange "get up and get to the gym" text messages every weekday;
3. I have my weekly call with my long-time support partner (although it isn't necessarily about weight loss);
4. I exchange a weekly email with a friend on a similar eating plan
5. Informal support systems:  My family is very supportive.  They don't offer temptations to me and my hubby makes sure I get to attend my meeting.  They all are so encouraging of my efforts.  I also have tracking and sharing websites (both for weight loss and fitness) that I frequent and a bunch of blogs I follow.  All these little things add up to a lot of inspiration and motivation.  

Yes, this is a lot of support.  And it turns out with 5 kids, that's how much support it takes to for me to keep me near the top of the priority list.

The trick is to keep some (or most) of your goals attainable and short term.  My next fitness goal is to walk/run a 5K in about about two weeks.  I have another scheduled a month later.  After that, we'll see!  My short term weight loss goal is to be "in the box" every day for 3 weeks.  Once I attain that, I will set a new goal. 

This week I offer a tongue-in-cheek look at the gym for your inspiration.  My friend Colleen shared it with me and it is too good to keep to myself.  It is both funny and true -  let me know which ones make you smile!

Strong Start and "In the Box"

Last year I lost weight with a medically supervised diet.  The classes would have been great for a beginner, but it was mostly old material for me.  However, they did teach two concepts that have been really useful for me.

The first concept is that of being "in the box."  It is an entirely different angle than "out of the box thinking" so you will need to let go of that methodology for the time being.

I absolutely love the "in the box" concept.  The main idea is that you consider everything you can eat that will support you in reaching your goals.  Perhaps your box will include lean proteins, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etcetera. You imagine yourself putting all these things in a box.  This is your box and the goal is to eat only foods from the box which will result in being "in the box" each day, every day.

The concept of thinking of everything I will eat instead of everything I "can't eat" is a solid one. I had this concept a while back but without the box.  Somehow, the "box" changes everything.  When I am hungry or in a hurry, I can think of my box and choose something in there.  It prevents that whole drama of "well, I can't eat that  or this  and there is nothing here I can eat so I will just make a poor choice and start over tomorrow."

The other concept they taught was that of having a "Strong Start Day."  Each week we checked in and the next day was our Strong Start Day.  We took a few minutes to really think through the details of our tomorrow and plan how to get all our food in so that we would not be hungry or searching for the next meal.  Would we prepare food the night before?  Did we have meetings or travel or other things require special consideration?  What obstacles might we face?  How committed are we to being in the box tomorrow?

Last week I floundered with getting back on program after the holidays.  I know, I know, it would have been better not to get off program.  I see that now.  So yesterday was my Strong Start Day.  I was 100% in the box, never hungry, and therefore not all bummed out about the poor choices I was making.  Today I woke up ready for another day in the box.

Try these two concepts out for yourself and let me know what you think!

Slow Start to a New Year

I am still getting up at 4:40 (yes A.M.) and heading off the gym.  I missed several days over the holidays but instead of giving up because I didn't do it perfectly, I decided to just regroup and get myself back in there.

The slow start is really working for me.  When I first made this commitment to my friend Colleen, I determined to do it differently.  I decided that instead of rushing in to the gym, staying an hour and a half and working myself to bits, that I would start slowly - committing to 30 minutes.  I've done some other things differently too;  my first days I did the elliptical machine and I did not monitor my heart rate or try to do intervals or anything.  I just worked hard enough to sweat and when my time was up, I'd stop and go home.  Sometimes I have worked up to 20 minutes longer if time and interest allowed.  I have not been worrying about optimal burn, tracking calories or anything up to now.  I have just been doing my cardio and leaving it at that.

Likewise, I decided to start my circuit training right where I left off when we expanded our family almost 2 years ago.  I figured lifting little children all day had probably kept me pretty strong and it had!  I was able to pick right up where I left off (to the best of my memory, anyway) and even add weight on a couple of machines.  I have already added an extra set of repetitions and when I can get through 3 sets, I'll add weight again.

I've stopped being so picky.  For instance, I've lost my iPod.  Typically, I'd refuse to exercise without it, but I've let go of everything having to be "just so."  I think it is a set-up for failure.  I grab whatever water bottle and towel I can find and I am just trying to keep it simple.  I started with the commitment of getting to the gym 5 days each week.  Now I am also committing to 2000 calories burned each week. If those two things line up so that I actually burn more than 2000, I'll be happy, but I don't have to keep increasing it every week.

It's ironic that in the face of my New Year's Resolution to "set higher standards for myself," sometimes that looks like being saner about my standards.  I am 52.  If I can successfully exercise 5 days a week for many years to come, that will be a big boon to my long-term health.  In order to reach that higher standard of a healthy old age, I needed to lower my standards for my daily activity to a more reasonable level. 

This week, I decided to start Couch to 5K again;  the difference this time will be that in slow-start mode, if I'm not ready to advance to the next week because the week I'm on is still very challenging, I won't advance.  I will wait until I can get there without getting so discouraged I quit.   I love C25K but it does get challenging at the end.

So it is fair to say that I am starting my new year with whisper instead of "shock and awe" -- maybe that will keep it from turning into "shock and flop"!  Happy New Year!

Stop Giving Kids Juice!

Note:  This is a dual post to Bright Weight Loss and Bright Love


Back in the 90's, when I first became "Mama," we all gave our kids juice.  We watered it down, of course.  Pepper didn't have full-strength juice until she got her first juice-box at a party when she was 3.  Kids got their 3 cups of milk and the rest of their beverages were juice.  It was an improvement over Kool-Aid or Soda, right?


Things have changed.  Now we realize that although juice has lots of vitamins and good stuff, it's also mostly sugar, even if it has "no added sugar."  Kids also need the fiber and chewing action of real fruit -- so that's the way to go. 

The Littles consider juice a real treat.  We give them juice on the rare occasions others would give kids soda; birthday parties, holidays, etc.  They get so excited about it!  I almost feel guilty.  Almost.

It turns out that kids who don't know better don't miss it.  Who'd have thought?  The Littles drink lots of water.  Lots.  It's inspirational.

Now I have one more reason to be the mean-juice-withholding-mama.  Turns out most of our apple juice -- my personal favorite in the 90s --  is imported from China.  Their laws regarding pesticide and safe food practices are far less stringent than ours.   It just seems like a bad idea. 

Please stop giving your kids juice.  They don't need it.  In 3 weeks, they'll stop asking.  Just, water, people, please.

Drastic Measures

Okay I give up, I surrender, I have officially waved the white flag.  There is no way I am going to fit 6 hours of exercise into my "waking hours" each week, especially when you add in the inevitable 30 minutes of prep time or travel each day..  I have tried a number of schemes and it just ain't happenin.'  The other day I sat down and took an objective look at what I really want to accomplish each day, how many hours are actually in the day and what I would need to give up. This was on a day on which I rose at 5:45 and took my first "break" from housework, childcare, cooking and paperwork at 9:30 p.m.  And guess what, the house was still pretty wildly out of control and I did not think any of the kids got the attention they deserved that day. 

The other issue is the Littles and their attachment issues.  They have been through a lot, this clan, but exercising away from them has meant checking them into the child care at the Y.  We have a great setting for kids at our Y but I really don't want to do that more often than once or twice a month.  They need to be with me.  They are so anxious away from me.  And with the weather growing more inclement, throwing them all in the jogging stroller is not always an option. 

My Grandma used to say, "drastic situations call for drastic measures."  I am taking drastic measures.  I decided to find the time in my "Sleep hours" (or at least everyone else's!)  Thanks to the inspiration of my good buddy Colleen, I am now rising at 4:40 to get to the gym by 5:00.  Weekdays, only; I'm not crazy, people!

I can fit in 50 solid minutes of cardio or strength training and still get home a few minutes before I have to wake The Captain.  If I am organized the night before, the little guy and I can even have breakfast together before his bus comes at 6:45; I'm normally not awake enough to want breakfast yet.  Dear Hubby and the rest of the gang are all still slumbering so no-one even misses me.  Truth be told, it's early even for an early bird like me, but it is worth it.  I am enjoying it so much; I have really needed some solid "me" time! 

Food Safety and other Tips, Tricks and Inspiration

It seems that there is always some food-borne illness in the news lately.  I have really been enjoying Food Safety's Newsletter  which helps me stay on top the issues.  In a similar vein, here another tip,  7 foods that experts think you should avoid.

Are we tricking ourselves with restrictive diets?  Decide for yourself; here is NPR's take on the popular Paleo diet.  Here is a review by US News;  it appears to be unbiased and based on nutrition science. I pondered this plan for a while but I thought it would be difficult to maintain for a lifetime. 

Since it's the season of parties, cookies, and other deliciousness,I thought we could use a little inspiration to stay on track.  Check out this mama on the move!

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First December Friday: Your Tips, Tricks and Inspiration!

Have we been tricked into avoiding peas?  Yes, they have more calories than some other veggies, but they also have a lot to offer, like half of our vitamin K for the day, 9 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein!  This cleverly titled article has all the facts.

If you love honey for it's pollen induced benefits, I have a tip for you:  Know where your honey comes from and whenever possible, buy locally.  This may be harder than it sounds.  Yesterday I noted that a bottle labled "Texas Honey" contained honey from 4 other countries!  Here is some disturbing news about what you may really be getting.

Today's inspirations is what seems like pretty good advice on feeding kids;  I am doing some things well; and some --well -- not so much!  Check out the article for yourself.