Category Archives: health

So there’s my disclosure – I’ve been at this for 5 days. I have no knowledge upon which to base this post other than my observations.

First things first. We’re doing a steps challenge at work. Those who chose to participate were given a pedometer, asked to set a daily step goal, and sent on our merry little way. My goal? 10,000 steps per day.

I had no idea what I’d signed up for. And I clearly didn’t research beforehand! What I’m learning is that getting to 10,000 steps per day is a LOT of work!

Eek.

Well, if nothing else, this will create quite the good walking habit! Here’s how far I’ve been and what it’s taken for me to get there …

• Day 1: 14,551 steps (un-timed walk at the park; following toddler around the yard)
• Day 2: 11,955 steps (45 minutes on treadmill)
• Day 3: 17,793 steps (30 minutes of Wii Fit Free Step, 45 minutes on treadmill, 25 minute walk at the park)
• Day 4: 11,665 steps (35 minutes on treadmill, 30 minutes of Wii Fit Free Step)
• Day 5: steps unknown (On treadmill now, as I type!)

That’s a whole mess of cardio for 10k steps. Just sayin’.

So perhaps some things I’m doing that just might help you get up and go, too?

• Walk to get things individually. I’d make a loop from the printer, to the water cooler, back to my desk. No more. Now it’s broken up into 2 trips. Same at home. I don’t count on my husband to bring the rest of the dinner ingredients up to the grill, I go get them myself.
• Daughter needs a diaper change? Gladly making the trip back down to the house.
• The walk to the mailbox? I take the long way.
• I’m parking far, far away in the parking lot. Love this one.
• I’ve been doing laps in the yard as my daughter plays in her sand pit. I can still watch her and be active at the same time!
• Instead of shouting a question/answer to my husband from across the house, I walk to him.
• Instead of checking my mailbox as I walk in the office each day, I make a separate trip.
• Obviously … cardio, cardio, cardio.

Have you tried this? Any tips or good ideas to get more steps in?

Aah, feeling good today. We have a gym here at work, and several months ago, I was going at lunch on a regular basis. Too bad that didn’t last, huh? I came in yesterday with no plan to go to the gym, but around 10:00, got the idea. I told myself that if I had a set of gym clothes in my locker, I would go. Guess what? I did, and I did! Doing so landed me a total of 11,955 steps yesterday, which makes me happy. And guess where I am right now as I write this? At the gym for day 2!

And then there’s this morning. I have a weekly conference call at 7am, and typically I’ll come in early and take the call here in the office. I’ve been switching it up lately, and sometimes I’ll take the call from home. I decided to do the latter this morning, and got the idea to do some Wii Fit Free Step while on the call. Despite having to hunt for batteries for both the Wii remote and Balance Board (That’s 6 batteries, friends! Impossible!), I did 30 minutes of Free Step while on my conference call! (And according to my Wii, I’ve lost a bit more than 0.5 lb. … proof will come tomorrow when my new scale arrives!)

Mamavation is keeping me going – you Sistas are fabulous! I’m feeling good. And I am posting this as a reminder to myself that I can do this, and that I should celebrate small successes.

What small successes do you have to celebrate?

Good grief, is it Tuesday already? Is my 4-day weekend over? Sigh.

June was one heck of a month. We had lots to catch up on, faced a not so fun reality, had a sick little one … it was one whirlwind of a month.

Thing is, it’s now July and things don’t feel any better. I know, I know, just because the month on the calendar changes doesn’t mean everything else does, too. But why can’t it? Guess that can be good and bad.

I am happy to say that I lost at least 0.5 lb. last week, and it might be even more than that. How’s that for Mamavation? My scale broke at some point late last week, so until I get a new one, I’ll be guessing. I’m working my way through this thing – coming up with creative snacks, crafting healthy dinners, and getting in motion. Here are some things I’m doing:

• Mixing it up. I can’t do a structured diet; I’d lose my mind. Instead, I pick one or two ‘favorite’ things for lunch for the week and get to choose which one I want each day. This week, my choices are a modified tomato sandwich (wheat bread instead of white, a Laughing Cow light blue cheese wedge instead of mayo) or my most favorite, Fage Total 0% yogurt with fresh strawberries and blueberries, plus the amazing Nuts About Granola Purely Simple granola. Yum!
• I build snacks into my day – either a fruit or veggie in the morning, and one in the afternoon. The catch? I have to drink 2 glasses of water before I get to eat my snack.
• I’ve been walking for everything individually. I don’t get water on my way to/from the printer, but instead make two trips. More walking = more calories!
• This week, I’ll start going to our gym at the office again during lunch. It should help get me back into the swing of things, and that plus my walks/runs at the park a few nights a week just might help me get these pounds outta here!

I’m hoping things calm down a little bit soon – at this pace, I’ll be absolutely crazy in a week or two!

One step forward, right? One at a time.

That’s how we’re gonna do this thing, and it started first thing this morning.

I was home today with a sick babe. Typically, a day at home with lots of down time would spell disaster. Not today.

Today, I’m celebrating control. I’m celebrating one small step on a long, long road to what will forever be a moving target. I was in amazing control. I ate exactly what I wanted, and it’s oh so nice!

This I can continue. This is Mamavation.

If you know me personally, you may know that I’ve been trying off and on for like forever to lose weight. As so many of us know, it’s a constant struggle. If I could rewind 10 years or so, I’d be totally happy. Unfortunately, we all know what can happen when we get married, buy a house, have kids, turn 30, etc., etc., etc.

Seems like no matter what I try, nothing works. I get discouraged, frustrated, angry. I know what it’s going to take, but I don’t want to do it … alone. That’s why I want to take the pledge and join the Mamavation Sisterhood! Yeah, sure, I want support for myself – I guess we’re all a little bit selfish like that. But I also love supporting others. Fortunately, it seems the Sisterhood is great for that!

So, what’s it going to take? 100% dedication. A commitment to not only eating right, but exercising as I should, too. And the support of others. Accountability. Time.

As a working mom with a 2-year-old, life is busy. For meals, I need something that is quick and easy, but also healthy. I often get home later than I’d like, so time really is of the essence. While I’ve been good at making healthy meals in the past, it’s the nights when I scramble to put a meal together that I fall off track. I know this can be avoided with planning – and commitment.

The other aspect is exercise. Sure, we get to the park once or twice a week. And I walk/run for 30+ minutes when we’re there. But it takes more than twice a week to make a difference. Again, a commitment.

I am here, committing to take those extra steps to be a healthier me – and to lead the way to a healthier family. It’s time for me to stop talking and start walking – both literally and figuratively.

I’m ready! Mamavation Sistas, will you take me in?