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Maintain, Don’t Gain: Week 3

Posted on December 15, 2013 by admin

How was fruit and veggie week? In the spirit of keepin’ it real, I did it, but not as successfully as I’d hoped. I did manage to get all my servings, but I also went above and beyond when it came to eating junk. I’m not even talking about the candy at this year’s gingerbread party, I mean the cheese, the puffs, the crackers, you name it, I craved it. And I caved. At least I’d alternate carrot sticks with coffee cake, but feeling out of control of what’s going in my mouth is a little frustrating! I can only imagine what would have happened to my health if I hadn’t had the onus to load up on nutrition too! I felt a little bit of a cold coming on, but I think I nipped it in the bud with some wonderful essential oils (Thieves, to be exact) and a new resolve to treat myself well.

Moving along and looking forward…

This week’s challenge: Abstain from eating your favorite indulgent fatty food for 6 days this week.

I’m not gonna lie. This one’s a toughie.

Maintain Don't Gain Challenge week 3 — This week’s challenge: give up your favorite indulgent fatty food for 6 days

Here’s how it works: check your calendar for the week. Are you going to a big party? Do you want to indulge on a certain day? (Do you have a performance review and would love to hit up a happy hour after for some nachos?) Then pick that day to be your “cheat” day. This is kind of a “giving up for Lent” exercise, but is more about examining what drives you to overconsume a certain food and face your—ahem—addiction to it.

(To be fair, the photo is of some delicious vegan cupcakes by the talented Claudina in West Seattle. They’re a healthier alternative to the usual, but they look really naughty, right?)

I’ll say, I’m addicted to chocolate. And not in the “OMG! I’m SOOO addicted to chocolate! I eat like, 3 brownies in one sitting!” I mean, the crackhead, gets the scratchies, eat-it-til-I-get-sick-or-there’s-none-left type of addiction. It’s lifelong, and gets worse during the holidays.

HOWEVER. I’ve noticed that lately, I’m craving sugar. Any craptastic crap that has sugar. And all the research is pointing to processed food and added sugar being a major factor in the obesity crisis in our country. I’m not soapboxing, I’m realizing it. I need to give up all foods with added sugar or sweetener for the week. You heard me. No added sugar for 6 of 7 days this week. And yes, I’m making vegan cookies (probably these) on Wednesday, with a class party for the kiddo on Friday. So, no cookie dough or licking the beaters, but Friday is my “cheat” day. And you’d better believe I’ll be cheating my face off. What I’m hoping to achieve is to know I can do this. I got it beat. And it’s only 6 days. So maybe it won’t be so bad, and when I get the chance to go back to it, I may not crave it as much.

So, if you haven’t already, Print out your pdf and write down what you’re giving up this week, and which day will be your “cheat” day. Is it chocolate? Cheese? Cookies? Pie? Beer? Do tell!

What is your favorite indulgent fatty food?

Feel free to comment here, tweet, or pin your progress!

Cheers!

Please note: I am not a health professional. I am not a trainer or dietician. I am a fitness enthusiast. If you embark on a new fitness or diet regimen, please consult your doctor and pay attention to your body and health. This is a social challenge to encourage health and fitness through the holidays. Your choice to participate is not the responsibility of Committed LLC.

Are You Orna-Mental?!?

Posted on December 13, 2013 by admin

I don’t know if you get a little freaked out by figuring out appropriate gifts for everyone, but I do. The big question on my mind this week was what to do for my daughter’s daycare class.
I tend to get a little OCD and go overboard for acquaintances, which I’ve learned can come off as overbearing or even overwhelming. Trying to come up with something that’s kind, thoughtful, dietary-friendly, not too difficult to make, but not boring is tough!

DIY ornament gift — PROS: cheap, easy, non-allergenic, kid-helpable, non-denominational. CONS: None! Especially if you love glitter on everything!

It hit me in a flash: initial ornaments! At JoAnn fabrics, they have cute balsa wood letters for $1.35. I picked up some sparkle paint, purple glitter, and gold cord for hanging. The only real work was drilling the holes, which I did while kiddo was at school. The backs splintered a little around the holes, but filled in nicely with glitter! So we painted, glued, and glittered for about 10 minutes, and were DONE! After it dried, I tied on the gold cord with a simple gift tag (left over from my business card project). Voila! Glitter bombed, but a simple gift for any denomination.
What are your favorite mass gifts you like to give (or have received)?

Maintain, Don’t Gain: Week 2

Posted on December 8, 2013 by admin

How was fitness week? I’ll say, the thought of embarrassing myself by NOT completing the challenge kept me on track (at least in terms of exercise). 3 fitness classes, 2 walks around the lake (~3 miles) and a 3.2 mile run this week. HOWEVER, I kind of ate my face off for no good reason. I wish I could blame it on holiday stress, but really, I don’t have any excuse! Hormones? Boredom? Who knows?

Luckily, this week’s focus is on making sure we get good nutrition & maybe skip that extra cookie because….

This week’s challenge: be sure to get EIGHT servings of fruit or veggies every day!

One serving size is defined as: fruit (1 med pc or ½ c cut), veggies (½ c cut), leafy greens (1 c ~ 4 leaves), cooked leafy greens (½ c), dried fruit (¼ c), dry beans or peas (½ c cooked).

I know, you’re gonna say, “GIRRRRL? Am I just going to cram my face with celery all day? That’s no fun!” Not at all, my friend! It’s actually not so crazy, and it’s not DENYING you anything either. If you want cake, eat cake. Just know that you are still staring down the barrel of 3 more servings of goodness and might want to reach for an apple instead.

A reason for this week’s challenge is it’s so easy to eat crap, which leaves you at a deficit for vital nutrients. And guess what happens when you’re stressed out, eating junk, and trudging through the cold? You get SICK! Ever gone through the holidays with a cold or flu? Now THAT is no fun.

I admit, I did not buy into this challenge the first time we did it, but over the years I found myself craving fresh fruit at the end of the week, instead of grabbing a slice of coffee cake. And not to sound like some hippie-dippy, wheatgrass-snorting veg-head, but your body really does feel so much better when it gets what it needs.

So, if you haven’t already, Print out your pdf and write down what you’re going to eat for the week.

And, if you need ideas of how work THAT MANY fruit and vegetables into your diet, here’s a sample day:

BREAKFAST: egg white scramble with spinach and fresh pico de gallo and an orange (3 servings right there!)

SNACK: bell pepper slices with hummus (1 serving)

LUNCH: mixed green salad with chicken and an apple (2-3 servings)

SNACK: celery slices with peanut butter (1 serving)

DINNER: Side salad with whatever you’re eating. Plus maybe some roasted broccoli on the side?

DESSERT: Go for it, if you have room! Maybe some Greek yogurt with fresh berries? Or ice cream if you’re really dying for it. I won’t tell.

SEE? Wasn’t that easy? (I mean, if you have time to make that breakfast, of course).

What is your favorite go-to fresh snack?

Feel free to comment here, tweet, or pin your progress!

Cheers!

Maintain, Don’t Gain: Week 1

Posted on December 1, 2013 by admin

Hopefully you’ve recuperated from too much stuffing, daily turkey/cranberry sandwiches, and Black Friday shopping.

Time to think about your health for a moment.

The challenge this week: be sure to get five 30-minute sessions of sustained activity.

This can be walking, running (inside or outside), dancing, heavy-duty house work, snow shoveling, anything that gets your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes. Take a break from Cyber Monday and plan out your workouts. I mean NOW! Do it now! Can you take a longer lunch to get a good walk in? Can you take an early yoga class? Print out your pdf and write down what days you’re going to get exercise, and what exercise you’ll be doing. Oh, and don’t forget to weigh in today too!

What activities are you going to do this week to stay healthy?

Feel free to comment here, tweet, or pin your progress!

Cheers!

Maintain, Don’t Gain Holiday Challenge 2013

Posted on November 27, 2013 by admin

I’m noticing a bunch of traffic to last year’s challenge, which mean’s it’s that time again!

Yes, it’s the Maintain, Don’t Gain Holiday Challenge, 2013 Edition!
Beginning December 2nd, I’m giving you weekly challenges to conquer the holiday temptations and to maintain your health and weight through the season. Final weigh-in is on JANUARY 6, 2014.

You might feel like this after a hectic holiday season. Melting Snowmen Cookies via http://www.jeannebenedict.com/

BACKGROUND:
Every year, I gained weight during the holidays. Some years, it was ridiculous (yes, 14 pounds in 12 days. I did that.) I became so sick of it because DAMNIT, I worked so hard all year long, then totally blew it in the span of a few weeks. My friend and I started a challenge about 5 years ago: to maintain our weight throughout the holiday season. I think trying to LOSE weight over the holidays is unrealistic, so this challenge is designed to force you to embrace a healthy habit every week despite being surrounded by indulgences. Every year I’ve done it, I’ve actually lost weight between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. It’s pretty simple, but not necessarily easy.

You can do this alone, or with friends, family, and coworkers. We’re getting a later start this year, but I’m carrying the challenge through the week after New Year’s to give you a chance to keep those good habits beyond the holidays! Continue reading “Maintain, Don’t Gain Holiday Challenge 2013” →

Flame Weeding: Organic Weed Killing for Badasses

Posted on November 20, 2013 by admin

The ongoing saga of our yard is this: it’s big, it’s overgrown, and it’s overwhelming.

We paid mucho dinero to have the yard weeded and trimmed back, and true to form, six weeks later, that work was completely undone. It’s not that the area is that large, it’s just a lot of varied spaces, a challenge to access, and rife with invasive, aggressive species. Since I didn’t want to pay basically RENT to have someone do this job every month, I turned to the internet for ideas.

Luckily, my friends are smart. They referred me to Seattle Tilth. They offer a great service: garden consultations to identify plants, generate a plan, and help figure out organic solutions to turn your garden into something sustainable. To me, “Sustainable” doesn’t just mean organic, it means something that I can actually take care of with reasonable effort.

Many of the ideas she gave me were great, especially flame weeding. It’s exactly how it sounds: kill weeds with FIRE! Yeah! Continue reading “Flame Weeding: Organic Weed Killing for Badasses” →

Another Liebster?!? Color Me Flattered

Posted on November 10, 2013 by admin

I come back from vacation and see a nice little comment posted on my About page: another Liebster Award! What a nice surprise from Bre over at Average But Inspired. I liked her new questions, and since my last Liebster post, I’ve started following a few more blogs worth sharing. So here goes!

Liebster Award

The Liebster is a nice way to share some love with fellow fledgeling bloggers. A brief intro of how it works:

1. Acknowledge the person who nominated you: (Thanks again, Bre!)

2. Share 11 random facts about yourself.

3. Answer 11 questions given to you by the nominator.

4. Nominate 11 other bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers.

5. Come up with 11 questions for your nominees.

Continue reading “Another Liebster?!? Color Me Flattered” →

Toddling Around Spain

Posted on November 7, 2013 by admin

We just got back from a two-week trip traveling through Spain with our 2 1/2 year old daughter. I know, poor me. But in the true spirit of being Committed, it did get a little crazy.

FIRST.
I loved the trip. The architecture was amazing, the culture is admirable (drinking and eating all the time! Siestas!) The wine was cheap and delicious. Oh, the food…

BUT.
The kiddo was a handful. She may read this years down the line, so I don’t want her to feel like I’m putting her down. It wasn’t her fault–the 9 hour time difference was rough on all of us. And she’s 2 1/2, which means discovering strong preferences, a desire for instant perfection (well, we never outgrow that, do we?), and just general upsettedness at basically everything. We thought her familiarity with travel might make things easier, which it probably did (but didn’t feel like it at the time).

Toddler dinner in Spain. — Sometimes kiddo had a low sitting threshold.

SO.
For this post, I’m going to focus on how we handled the tears and tantrums. (HINT: Wine. Lots of wine.)

We learned a few things on this trip, lessons that weren’t too unexpected:

Lower your expectations for how much you’ll get to see or do each day
Respect the schedule, but sometimes stretching it to experience something amazing is worth the crankiness
Staying in one place is MUCH easier than hopping cities (duh, but it was worth a shot)
Twos CAN be terrible, but they can also be amusing
Rely on your partner and take the burden if you’re up to it
Talk through your plans first (ie, how are you going to get off the train? Who is carrying the car seat? Carrier on the front or back?)
The carseat & baby carrier were helpful. We were glad to leave the stroller at home.
Don’t forget that you’re ON VACATION and laugh and enjoy the little things as much as possible.

Continue reading “Toddling Around Spain” →

Halloween, Already?

Posted on October 11, 2013 by admin

Halloween in our family is a REALLY. BIG. DEAL.

Actually, we take any excuse to dress up in costume. My husband loves the decorating. I love the candy. The kiddo will hopefully love all of the above.

Since we’ll be traveling this year and missing out on the good ol’ American fun, I thought I’d walk down memory lane and share a few of our costume ideas. I’m sad to not do what we had planned, but hey, I’ll take a trip to Spain over a good costume any day!

The Magician, His Rabbit, and the Assistant

I don’t know where the idea came from–I was trying to find something cute for my then-8 month-old that would work in a carrier and that we could integrate as a family. I found the bunny costume at a consignment shop, and the rest was history!

We won 8 pounds of Vermont cheddar for our efforts. I’m not kidding. We ate it all. Also not kidding.

I wish I’d taken pictures of the making of this, but I’ll try to describe it in simple detail.

Continue reading “Halloween, Already?” →

5 Reasons The Long Weekend RULES

Posted on August 30, 2013 by admin

5) I don’t have to look at painter’s tape for THREE DAYS.
Sidebar: this has been the project from hell. Talk me off a ledge if I attempt a painting project this large on my own again.

Paint project from hell. — Want to paint a stairwell, basement hall, bedroom and bathroom? Don’t.

4) NO WORK! MORE BEER TASTING!
Freelancing is 24/7. Shutting off my brain and laptop for the next three days.

3) I get to hang out with these two lovely people.

Committed Long Weekend Food — Good food with good people.

2) Bike! Bike! Bike!

Committed Takes the Toddler for a Bike Ride — Without an agenda, we’re putting the “joy” in “joyride.”

1) SLEEPING IN.
Fingers crossed that kiddo sticks with the 9:45 wake-up call that has been once per weekend.

What are you looking forward to this weekend? Got any plans to get out of town?