week four into healthy

...and i'm still going!  I really can't say that i'm hardcore dieting & exercising...but five days out of the week I am doing a whole lot better than most in regards to eating healthy and being active.  so here are the rules that I've made for myself in my "lifestyle change journey":

1. wake up at least an hour & a half before hubby and the kids.
by doing this, I can get a decent workout and shower in without someone pulling on my stretchy pants, before refilling a sippy cup, or searching the house for a missing slipper.  once they're all awake, before I head off to work - my time is basically their time - but I seriously can't complain...because that's kinda how I like things to be.

2. smaller portion sizes.
when I first began this decision to become a healthier version of myself, I honestly thought that I could eat as much as I wanted - as long as it was a healthier choice.  while this notion of eating endless amounts of fruits and veggies all day every day is definitely better than inhaling big macs, pringles, and sodas, I was still eating more (although healthier) than necessary for what my body needed to operate and burn.  after about a week or two of consuming large portions of better choices, my common sense kicked in.  one morning I just looked at the overflowing Tupperware container I was taking to work and thought to myself... "self, why is there so much food in there?  which starving third-world country are you planning to feed with that bad boy?"  thus, small portions, spread out through the day.  hellurrrr.

3. cut back on sugar.
this one I got from the hubs.  since he is one of my biggest motivators and greatest examples of health and fitness (did I ever tell you that he lost 125 lbs. before his mission?!!  no joke.), I'd like to think that he knows what he's talking about - some of the time.  lol!  but he let me in on the big secrets that I shouldn't be adding too much honey to my morning oatmeal, that jarred spaghetti sauce has a too much sugar, the 90 calorie light yogurt is a waste of money, and that I shouldn't be eating fruits later in the day.  lightbulb...right?

4. make your workouts count.
who are we kidding...we love being with our babies.  if I could cuddle and giggle and frolic with them in their small stature state forever - don't tempt me - I would.  I used to justify my reasoning for not exercising with excuses like i'd rather be home with my kids, i need to run these errands, i gotta clean this and that, and the best one, i must finish playing spider solitaire.  hummm.  I've also tried taking the kids along with me to workout, but i'd end up frustrated and burning about as much calories that you'd find in a tic tac.  if i'm already at work most of the day, the rest of my time away from my kids better be spent wisely.  on the days where I simply went to bed too late the night before and couldn't wake up to workout in the AM, I still feel the need to get a good jog in at night or in my living room doing youtube workouts (those buggers can be killer!) with the kids, but not being able to give them my full attention.  so i'm not going to have my babies with their grammas while i'm just casually strolling along and burning less fat than I know I could be.  let's not waste people's precious time here, folks.

 

5. prepare meals in the AM.

if I go to work without my meals - it's almost inevitable for me to not eat properly.  the seasider snackbar does have a salad bar.  and call me crazy, but I have a slight issue with spending $4.00 on a tiny tasteless bowl of lettuce.  ummm, I think i'll pass.  I would most likely choose a mouth-watering NZ meat pie which would clearly sabotage my dieting efforts.  so instead of going out and buying lunch and snacks every day, I'll toss a slab of salmon and grape tomatoes into the oven and let it bake before I start getting ready for work.  by the time i'm ready to head out the door - add a little brown rice then it's ready and good to go.  i'm noticing that these meals are also a lot simpler and quicker to make than the full-fat versions...less ingredients with simpler cooking techniques.  when it comes to snacks, I usually take a fruit (orange, apple, banana), almonds, or a fruit/nut bar.  time to prep: ZERO.  okay maybe like 4 seconds to wash and dry the apple, but who's counting?  meals that are fast and delicious at the same time?  i'm a fan...'nuff said.

 

note: this "larabar" has two ingredients: cashews and dates.  i think the simpler, the better.

6. don't eat anything after 8:30pm.

unless you're a marathon runner, it seems unlikely that you'll be burning a whole lot of fat late at night with a resting heart rate.  and since I am far from being a marathon runner, I've decided to mentally close the kitchen by 8:30.  by this time I should have eaten dinner, and be working on giving the kids a bath and getting them ready for bed so we can pick up Brandon from work by 9:15.  i know myself, and i know that if i do end up eating later at night, it can usually mean that i'll make mindless choices like stuffing a leftover burger down my throat, then feeling the guilt wash over me 5 minutes after it's gone...that's not gonna be good for anybody.

7. drink lots of water!

this one is self-explanatory.  we've all been told to drink at least 8, 8 oz. glasses of water every day.  i try to drink at least that much by the time i'm done with work in the afternoon.  this much intake of water has also eliminated my craving for juice.  i don't even touch soda...it's simply not worth it.  one more good thing about water, I've found that those times when i thought i was hungry, i was actually more dehydrated and thirsty.  although I never feel famished these days, if i do feel pangs of hunger, i'll first try drinking a buttload of water, then see how i'm feeling after that...it usually does the trick to rid myself of those hungry hippo urges.

8. measure progress by endurance time, not the scale.

the following will probably invalidate the rest of my above rules, but i'm gonna be honest anyway....I haven't lost much more weight lately.  okay, okay, i haven't lost ANY more weight.  sheesh.  yes, i'm incredibly frustrated.  yes, it's a tough fat pill to swallow.  but i'm not giving up.  i know that i'm probably gonna have to push myself harder with my workouts and get stricter on my diet to see faster results.  like i said, i'm trying to change my lifestyle here, yet still enjoy my life in the process...not kill myself.  so even though the numbers on the scale aren't going down - i am proud to say that I've improved my running time...by a lot!  it used to take me about 18-20 minutes to do one mile (you can stop laughing...now.).  I've cut that down to about 14 and a half minutes per mile!!  so that's my progress report for today.  and i'm pretty happy about it.  so please don't bring me down, because only positive or constructive feedback is appreciated.

 

happy hump day, people!