(Montana Mommy)
Well, I have once again dedicated myself to losing the last 10ish pounds I have not been able to get rid of since giving birth to my oldest daughter. Almost 2 months ago, I joined Weight Watchers...on the advice/recommendation of other women in the same boat as me. I have skipped a few weeks of meetings here and there, but even when I do miss a Saturday morning meeting, I am always thinking about points! Points, points, points! AND it's working! I am down about 6 pounds now, so it's slow going, but that's better than taking it off quickly as I have in the past and then quickly putting it back on. This has been a big change for me, but it's not so drastic that I want to give up on it.
I think it's FINALLY going to work!!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Best Article EVER!
I really want to share this article with all of you, but the picture is a little small to read. Try right-clicking and saving or copying and pasting so you can enlarge it enough to read...SO WORTH IT!!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Good Read
(NorCal Mommy)
I recently read Dr. Tim Kimmel's book Raising Kids Who Turn Out Right
and loved his ideas and suggestions so much that I had to send a copy to Montana Mommy! She is loving it too, and so I had to blog about it...
This book comes from a father that shares his current experiences with his own children as well as his education. He is the Executive Director of Family Matters (a non-profit ministry that helps families through each stage of life). This book did not guide me through teething or weening or potty training like so many other resources do; this book talked about how to teach your kids things like integrity, poise, and how to pass on a "legacy of love." I never really sat down and thought about how to teach those kinds of things, just thought that if I have them then I would pass it on. According to this book, there are many opportunities to "parent on purpose." Ha! Imagine that! Again, I never really thought about "parenting on purpose" just thought about wanting the best for my child, teaching her right from wrong, and hoping it all went according to plan. This book helped me to identify specific situations (and create situations) that I could teach my child about these intangible, but oh so important, character traits. I won't give away anymore, but I will say that it was entertaining as well as thought provoking. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!
I recently read Dr. Tim Kimmel's book Raising Kids Who Turn Out Right
and loved his ideas and suggestions so much that I had to send a copy to Montana Mommy! She is loving it too, and so I had to blog about it...This book comes from a father that shares his current experiences with his own children as well as his education. He is the Executive Director of Family Matters (a non-profit ministry that helps families through each stage of life). This book did not guide me through teething or weening or potty training like so many other resources do; this book talked about how to teach your kids things like integrity, poise, and how to pass on a "legacy of love." I never really sat down and thought about how to teach those kinds of things, just thought that if I have them then I would pass it on. According to this book, there are many opportunities to "parent on purpose." Ha! Imagine that! Again, I never really thought about "parenting on purpose" just thought about wanting the best for my child, teaching her right from wrong, and hoping it all went according to plan. This book helped me to identify specific situations (and create situations) that I could teach my child about these intangible, but oh so important, character traits. I won't give away anymore, but I will say that it was entertaining as well as thought provoking. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Here's the Skinny... (at least mine)
(Nor Cal Mommy)
So after the calorie counting madness, I decided to not do something that would just discourage me in the end (although people assured me that calorie counting would get easier as I learned each food’s calorie content!? No thanks!). I’m smart enough to know that vegetables are good and cake is not. So I began implementing little tricks I had picked up along the way:
1) Make your dinner plate 2/3 vegetables and then split the other 1/3 between lean meat and complex carbs.
2) Eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day (for me, I still had breakfast, lunch, and dinner, just smaller portions because I added balanced snacks between meals).
3) If you took too much, you DON’T have to eat it all! (This one was hard for me because growing up I was always told, “Take what you want, but eat what you take.” I just package the leftovers for the next day.)
4) Smaller plates. This one is everywhere and at first I thought…I am not going to buy smaller plates or eat off of a cake plate! But I use this concept when having a treat after dinner like Chocolate Cheerios or frozen yogurt by using a coffee mug instead of a big bowl.
In addition to these small (but helpful) tricks, I committed myself to more exercise! I am up to 25 mins of hard stair stepper cardio and 25 mins of stretching, yoga ball ab exercises, and resistance band upper body toning 4 times a week! This was hard at first, but now I look at it as my time to de-stress and have a moment of solitude while doing something good for myself. What little tricks have worked for you?
So after the calorie counting madness, I decided to not do something that would just discourage me in the end (although people assured me that calorie counting would get easier as I learned each food’s calorie content!? No thanks!). I’m smart enough to know that vegetables are good and cake is not. So I began implementing little tricks I had picked up along the way:
1) Make your dinner plate 2/3 vegetables and then split the other 1/3 between lean meat and complex carbs.
2) Eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day (for me, I still had breakfast, lunch, and dinner, just smaller portions because I added balanced snacks between meals).
3) If you took too much, you DON’T have to eat it all! (This one was hard for me because growing up I was always told, “Take what you want, but eat what you take.” I just package the leftovers for the next day.)
4) Smaller plates. This one is everywhere and at first I thought…I am not going to buy smaller plates or eat off of a cake plate! But I use this concept when having a treat after dinner like Chocolate Cheerios or frozen yogurt by using a coffee mug instead of a big bowl.
In addition to these small (but helpful) tricks, I committed myself to more exercise! I am up to 25 mins of hard stair stepper cardio and 25 mins of stretching, yoga ball ab exercises, and resistance band upper body toning 4 times a week! This was hard at first, but now I look at it as my time to de-stress and have a moment of solitude while doing something good for myself. What little tricks have worked for you?
Friday, May 14, 2010
Random thoughts...
(Montana Mommy)
Random thoughts forwarded to me by an aunt of mine (author unknown). I thought they were well worth passing on! Let me know what you think of them.
1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer's history if you die.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map quest needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind-of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to the ten-page paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this --ever.
15. I hate it when I miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Darn it!) but when I immediately call back it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
18. My 4-year old grandson asked me in the car the other day "What would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the heck do I respond to that?
19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
Random thoughts forwarded to me by an aunt of mine (author unknown). I thought they were well worth passing on! Let me know what you think of them.
1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer's history if you die.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map quest needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind-of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to the ten-page paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this --ever.
15. I hate it when I miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Darn it!) but when I immediately call back it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
18. My 4-year old grandson asked me in the car the other day "What would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the heck do I respond to that?
19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Calories?!
(Nor Cal Mommy)
Ok, I'm serious about losing this baby weight finally! So I got a gym membership, workout clothes and shoes, and made my orientation appointment with the personal trainer. I get to the orientation all pumped and ready to learn how to maximize my time at the gym. Only to find out we are going to sit and talk abo
ut how unfit I am now and what I am NOT doing that I should be...and it wasn't all about working out! So he asks me my goals and where I am at now. I tell him I think I'm about X lbs (increasing what I actually think so that when I step on the scale it won't seem so bad) and that I would like to lose 10 lbs in the next 3 months. Reasonable. He chuckles a little and says, "That won't be hard!" Ha! What does he know? He LIVES at the gym and eats and breathes nutrition. Ok now it's the time of truth...the dreaded scale. I take of my shoes, my sweatshirt, my iPod, and anything removable and step on. The scale is tilting further and further...what?! I am actually a half a pound MORE than what I had said I thought I was? Remember, I told him a little more so it wouldn't seem as bad. Now I'm depressed. We go back and do the fat pinch test (ouch! but whatever I'm over it), take measurements, etc, etc.
He says, "It's simple math. If you want to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you take in." He informs me that for my body type and goals I need to only eat about 1,000 calories a day! What?! I don't know, I have never calorie counted before, but that seems like I'd starve!
I text Montana Mommy. She is shocked too, but we decide to do calorie counting during my upcomin
g visit. First we want to see what we eat on a normal day, then try to stay within a certain calorie limit. Have you ever counted calories? It is HARD! Not everything comes with a handy dandy nutrition label and a measuring cup to portion out that measly 1/4 cup of cereal! You literally have to count and measure everything...this is going to be a long road ahead! If anyone has any tips or ideas, I'm all ears!
Ok, I'm serious about losing this baby weight finally! So I got a gym membership, workout clothes and shoes, and made my orientation appointment with the personal trainer. I get to the orientation all pumped and ready to learn how to maximize my time at the gym. Only to find out we are going to sit and talk abo
ut how unfit I am now and what I am NOT doing that I should be...and it wasn't all about working out! So he asks me my goals and where I am at now. I tell him I think I'm about X lbs (increasing what I actually think so that when I step on the scale it won't seem so bad) and that I would like to lose 10 lbs in the next 3 months. Reasonable. He chuckles a little and says, "That won't be hard!" Ha! What does he know? He LIVES at the gym and eats and breathes nutrition. Ok now it's the time of truth...the dreaded scale. I take of my shoes, my sweatshirt, my iPod, and anything removable and step on. The scale is tilting further and further...what?! I am actually a half a pound MORE than what I had said I thought I was? Remember, I told him a little more so it wouldn't seem as bad. Now I'm depressed. We go back and do the fat pinch test (ouch! but whatever I'm over it), take measurements, etc, etc.He says, "It's simple math. If you want to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you take in." He informs me that for my body type and goals I need to only eat about 1,000 calories a day! What?! I don't know, I have never calorie counted before, but that seems like I'd starve!
I text Montana Mommy. She is shocked too, but we decide to do calorie counting during my upcomin
g visit. First we want to see what we eat on a normal day, then try to stay within a certain calorie limit. Have you ever counted calories? It is HARD! Not everything comes with a handy dandy nutrition label and a measuring cup to portion out that measly 1/4 cup of cereal! You literally have to count and measure everything...this is going to be a long road ahead! If anyone has any tips or ideas, I'm all ears!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Mom! What’s for Dinner?
Montana Mommy‘Sweet, Sticky, Spicy Chicken’ has become one of my “Go-to dinners” for our family.
This recipe was suggested to me by Nor Cal Mommy-she found it at www.allrecipes.com.
With a couple of minor changes to the recipe found on the website, I now make it often- and it’s not too spicy for the kids!
•1 tablespoon brown sugar
•2 tablespoons honey
•1/4 cup soy sauce
•2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root (I use powdered)
•2 teaspoons chopped garlic
•2 tablespoons hot sauce
•salt and pepper to taste
•4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch strips
•1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions
1.Mix together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and hot sauce in a small bowl.
2.Lightly salt and pepper the chicken strips.
3.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken strips and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.
Montana Mommy’s changes
1.Dredge the chicken in flour first (many others suggested this too).
2.Double the sauce ingredients.
3.Only use 1 tablespoon hot sauce!
4.Add steamed broccoli to the chicken before serving.
5.Top it with cashews too!
Serve over rice and enjoy!
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