MIA

We've sold our house and things are going to be pretty crazy for awhile. I'll be MIA for a couple weeks until we get settled into our new place. Keep making healthy choices!!

Body Language

My husband and I were talking yesterday about health, diet and exercise mostly. We decided that a book should be written {we would call it BODY LANGUAGE} about listening to your body and following what it's telling you. When you make good choices your body feels good. When you feed it garbage and never take out the trash {aka exercise} it doesn't function properly. So take care of yourself!

Everyone wants to know how to lose weight. They'll try ANY drink, shot or other new fad but they WON'T stick to what is a guaranteed formula... EAT LESS, EXERCISE MORE!!! I understand that there are circumstances where due to other health issues that isn't the case BUT for most of us, that IS the answer!!! Is is EASY? HECK NO! Is it FAST? DOUBLE HECK NO!! But it IS the way to take it off and keep it off; you have to change your entire lifestyle.

EAT LESS & EAT RIGHT. I am just like everyone else; I love to eat. Sometimes I over eat. Which I think is OK every once in awhile. I'm of the opinion that you SHOULD splurge sometimes {all things in moderation though, right?}. HERE are a few tips on eating better:

* Eat a variety of nutrient rich foods. Check out MY PYRAMID {there is a link on the side bar} to find out exactly what portions you should be eating {it really is great. They calculate your age, weight, height & activity level to determine what portions your body needs. TRY IT, you'll love it too}
* Eat WHOLE grains, FRUITS & VEGGIES. They are SO good for you!!!
* Watch your portions. It's amazing the misconception that people have as to what a portion of something is. Check into it; you'll be surprised!
* Eat regular meals. Don't you dare skip breakfast!!! It has been proven that those who eat breakfast lose weight easier, and have better health in general!!
* Know your weaknesses. Keep track of what you eat so you can see first hand where your mistakes are. Then fix them!
* Change gradually. You're more likely to succeed that way!
* There are no GOOD VS BAD food {see Intuitive Eating for more info}. Just be sure that your diet is BALANCED!!!

EXERCISE MORE. This is where I think most people give up. They don't see the results they want as fast and they want so they quit exercising all together. Exercise isn't something you do just to lost weight; you should do it continually for good health! You don't have to go out there and run a marathon either, just GET OFF YOUR BUTT and do SOMETHING! Here are a few ways to be more active:

* Get a pedometer. It's recommended that you take 10,000 steps a day.
* Yardwork and housework. Mowing the lawn, gardening, laundry, sweeping/mopping/vaccuming...
* Walk or ride your bike. Park farther away from work or the store and WALK
* Use stairs instead of the escalator
* Find others who walk/run/hike {whatever YOU want to do} and join them
* Take dance lessons
* Play with your kids
{this list is HUGE, find your own ways to be more active, every little bit counts!}

I don't focus on numbers and I don't like to throw my personal numbers out there but I think it applies here. Today I weigh 123 {which for my 5' 3.5" height is a good weight, it may not be for you; that's a whole post in itself}. It has taken 8 months to lose 16 pounds {remember I had a baby nearly 1 year ago?}. This isn't something that happens in 30-90 days! It takes a LONG time to see lasting results. Even after that "goal weight" is reached, the journey doesn't end there. Stay active to stay HEALTHY!

It'll Stick to Your Ribs!

OATMEAL! I grew up eating A LOT of oatmeal {and Malt-O-Meal and warm milk with torn up pieces of toast but that's another blog}. It's one of those things that bring back a hundred million sweet memories. We've all seen the oatmeal commercials that tell us how great oatmeal is for our health. It lowers your blood cholesterol. The best way to enjoy all the benefits that oats offer is to eat 1/2 - 1 cup every day. Does that sound like a boring breakfast? Shake things up a bit and experiment with toppers. A few of my favorites are any combination of:
MILK {in addition to the following}
brown sugar & cinnamon
fresh fruit {or canned if I don't have any fresh}
coconut & chocolate chips
almonds
yogurt
a scoop of ice cream {you have to INDULGE every once in awhile right?}

I also found a really cool website {www.eatmoreoats.com}. It also listed the health benefits as:
* Oats help stabilize your blood sugar. You don't have the roller coaster effect!!!
* Oats contain phytochemicals that fight CANCER!
* Oats fight high blood pressure
* Oats are high in fiber; which helps bowel function {something we hate to talk about but something that is super important}
* Oats make you feel full LONGER, which helps with weight loss!!!
* Oats are an excellent source of CARBOHYDRATES, making it an excellent food source for athletes!! Eat them 45 minutes-1 hour before moderate intensity physical activity and it WILL enhance your performance!

One cup of Oats contain: {*** Nutritional Value is for OATS not OATMEAL***}
Calories - 607 - 30%
Total Fat - 11g - 17%
Cholesterol - 0
Sodium - 3mg
Carbohydrates - 103g - 34%
Dietary Fiber - 17g - 66%
Protein - 26g - 53%
Iron 41%
Calcium - 8%
Manganese - 7.7mg - 383%
Folate - 87.4mcg - 22%
Thiamin - 1.2 mg - 79%
Total Omega-3 Fatty Acids - 173mg
Total Omega-6 Fatty Acids - 3781mg {that is not a typo}

Oatmeal ROCKS!! Make sure to get more in your diet!!! Your body will THANK YOU!

Family Affair

Tonight I took my two oldest kids with me on my run. It was great. We had to walk a little bit but they ran their little hearts out. They have been begging to come with me and they really want to run in a race too. It think it's important that they know how vital it is to our health that we be active and take care of ourselves. I want them to enjoy exercise, fitness and healthy choices. It's a good chance to talk with each other and motivate each other. Our family is a team and we have to work together. We will definitely be going on these little runs more often!!!

Dang Dogs

Last night I was on a run with a couple of my friends. We've ran this 5 mile loop before and have enjoyed it without incident. Tonight was a different story. We live out in the country where there is no dog ordinance or "leash law". So A LOT of people don't worry about fencing their dogs, and to be honest if I had more land I probably wouldn't either! But, as all runners will attest to, having a dog come after you really is a crappy deal!!!

We had two dogs come after us at a corner house. The owner stayed where she was and SORTOF tried to call her dogs off. {I can guarantee that if those where my dogs, I'd be running after them and they would learn then and there that that sort of behavior is NOT going to be tollerated; though I understand that some people WANT their dogs to behave that way} We threw rocks, we yelled & screamed... but those dang beasts kept coming after us. They were about 5 feet away from us at times! Much too close to have a dog bearing his teeth, growling and barking viciously at someone!!! We managed to get past the house unscathed.

Less than a mile down the road we had 3 more BIG dogs come barreling down their driveway toward us. We were probably spooked from our previous incident so immediately started throwing more rocks and yelling at them. I think they were more coming to greet us than anything but we were pretty jittery.

I called the police this morning and the only thing they can do is talk to the owners and ask them to keep their dogs under control. I WILL be buying bear spray and I WILL use it. The police officer {who happens to be a friend of mine} did remind me to take into account the direction of the wind and it may be a good idea to close eyes and mouth for a second to avoid being sprayed yourself!!

Oh the joys of living in the country!!

Hit The Hills

Yesterday I took my 4 kids on a hike with my cousin and her little one. We chose a hike that was a little on the easier side for the benefit of those with little legs {though they have A LOT more energy}. The first 1/3 of the trail is paved, then it has a big loop that gets more difficult. All along the way there are signs that talk about the area, plants and animals. It's a great hike!

I carried my 10 month old in the Kelty; a MUST HAVE. He loves that thing. We use it ALL the time!! But for hiking, it really is a lifesaver. While we were hiking I was noticing all the muscles that were getting a GREAT WORKOUT!!! Which was increased by the added weight! It felt AWESOME!!Hiking is one of my favorite exercises. You get a GREAT workout but you don't realize that you're exercising!! Well maybe you do but I get too caught up in the scenery and the amazing beauty that is around me. That and keeping an eye on my kids so they don't wander off the trail!! But it's easy to forget about the work and focus on the hike!

What I love is that you can pick a trail to fit what you want!! You want to spend the entire day hiking, you can. But if you only have a short amount of time, you can find a short trail too {or just go up and ways and then turn around}. There is SO MUCH out there to see!!!

You don't need ANY equipment for this killer workout!! Just a good pair of hiking shoes! It's a great way to lose weight! It helps with mental health; it's impossible to be out in nature and not let your mind wander, you will be rejuvinated... I PROMISE!!

I am planning a BIG hike in a few weeks!! It's one of those hikes that will be really hard but so worth it when you make it to the top!!! I can't wait. It's going to be so FABULOUS!!

The Incredible Edible EGG

I've talked about how AWESOME eggs are before. They are SO GOOD for you!! I've also mentioned that my family eats A LOT of eggs!! So it's only right and proper that these beauties get a Fabulous Friday entry! One of my favorite health facts about eggs is that the QUALITY of protein found in eggs is second only to mother's breast milk. You're getting some GOOD protein here!! In addition to it being high quality protein you get 11.1% of your daily intake in one single egg!

Other things that I've learned from HERE are:
* LUTEIN. {If you remember, Spinach was packed with Lutein} The lutein found in eggs is EVEN BETTER than that found in spinach BECAUSE it's more easily absorbed and used. It is fat soluble {it can't be absorbed without fat being present}. Lutein helps prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
*CHOLINE. Choline reduces inflamation. Egg yolks are the best source of Choline; followed by soybeans.

I found a few other cool facts HERE:
* There are very FEW foods share the same diverse nutrient makeup available in a single egg!
* Most of the nutrients are found in the egg yolk
* The cholesterol found in eggs have given them a bad rap but in actuality we NEED that fat!!! Fat from healthy sources, like eggs, is GOOD; it's the fat from BAD sources, like fried foods that should be avoided. So EAT those eggs!!!

A couple things I also found from this last website I was pretty surprised by.
* You should buy FREE RANGE or CAGE FREE eggs. The nutritional value of eggs actually is HIGHER in free range!!
* Breaking the yolk when cooking {scrambled eggs} actually damages the proteins and fats!!

I got this next info from the Incredible Egg . org

Nutrient Content of a Large Egg

Nutrient (unit) Whole Egg Egg White Egg Yolk

Calories (kcal) 75 17 55
Protein (g) 6.29 3.60 2.70
Carbohydrate (g) 0.39 0.21 0.61
Total fat (g) 4.97 0.06 4.51
Polyunsaturated fat (g) 0.682 0 0.715
Monounsaturated fat (g) 1.905 0 1.995
Saturated fat (g) 1.55 0 1.624
Cholesterol (mg) 212 0 210
Choline (mg) 125.5 - -
Lutein & Zeaxanthin (mcg) 166 0 186
Vitamin A (IU) 244 0 245
Vitamin D (IU) 18 0 18
Vitamin E (mg) 0.48 0 0.44
Vitamin B6 (mg) 0.071 0.002 0.059
Vitamin B12 (mcg) 0.65 0.03 0.33
Folate (mcg) 24 1 25
Thiamin (mg) 0.035 0.001 0.03
Riboflavin (mg) 0.239 0.145 0.09
Calcium (mg) 26 2 22
Sodium (mg) 70 55 8
Potassium (mg) 67 54 19
Phosphorus (mg) 96 5 66
Magnesium (mg) 6 4 1
Iron (mg) 0.92 0.03 0.46
Zinc (mg) 0.56 0.01 0.39

Eggs are great. We eat them for breakfast in some form nearly every morning! They are cheap too which is even better!!

10K

Saturday morning I ran my first 10K! I sent my 3 oldest kids with my parents to go camping and I had my friend watch the baby. It was FABULOUS to do this all on my own, just for myself. It was a good little run and I'm feeling great! I remembered to REFUEL and STRETCH and it made all the difference!

Feet... Meet Street... It's hard to tell but 4 of my toes have to be wrapped in SOMETHING before every run. I have resorted to using duct tape; it's a lot cheaper!!! If I don't tape them, my toes are covered in blood; not so fun. You've got to take care of your feet!!!
Here's my little self portrait before the run! It was a little harder for me to find my rhythm; I didn't get into it until nearly 2 miles in. The race started at 9:00; too late in the day if you ask me!! It got too hot! But despite those minor annoyances, I was able to run it in 60:47!! My goal was to keep my pace at about 10 minute miles; I averaged 9:43 minutes per mile!!! It was GREAT!!!

I need to remember for next time:
* REFUEL & HYDRATE WHILE RUNNING {I drank water &/or Gatorade at each station but it wasn't enough to keep me fueled. The last 1.5 miles I could feel the lack of circulation in my arms and head. I think I'll try a trick one of my friends uses; HONEY STICKS! I think I also will try taking my water bottle along with me.
* KEEP CONSISTENT PACE! I need to forget the other runners and not push myself too hard at the beginning.

All in all it was a great race and I'm proud of myself for doing it. I've been invited to run with my neighbor {she's training for a half marathon} this week. Wednesday is a 5 miler and Saturday will be a 10! BRING IT!!!

You Gotta Eat Your Spinach Baby

Whenever I think of spinach I think of Shirley Temple's "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm". When they are doing tryouts all these girls sing a horrible rendition: "You gotta eat your spinach, baby. That's the proper thing to do. It'll keep you kinda healthy too. And what it did for Popeye it'll do for you..."Spinach is GREAT!! I must admit that I'm not a fan of cooked spinach all by itself but other than that I LOVE this leafy green!! And this is what this awesome little leaf has to offer:

According to WHFOODS {World's Healthiest Foods}:
*Spinach helps protect again osteoperosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis and other diseases!
*Researchers have identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents. Compounds found in spinach fight prostate and ovarian cancer as much as 40%! Research using spinach extract have shown to slow cell division in stomach cancer cells, and reduce skin cancer! They've also found a reduction in breast cancer!
*One cup of fresh spinach contains nearly 200% of your daily vitimin K!!! Make it one cup of boiled spinach and you'll get over 1000%!!!! Vitamin K is important for bone health!
*Spinach contains high levels of Vitamin C and Beta-Carotene. They protect colon cells.
* Cooked spinach is an excellent source of iron!
* LUTEIN! Spinach packs a whollop in lutein and is considered the best food to prevent cataracts and macular degeneration {the leading cause of preventable blindness}.

Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 cup

Calories - 6.9
Carbohydrates - 1.1g
Fiber - .7g
Fat - .1g
Omega-3 Fatty Acids - 41.4mg
Protein - .9g - 2%
Vitamin A - 2813 IU - 56%
Vitamin C - 8.4mg - 14%
Vitamin K - 145mcg - 181%
Folate - 58.2mcg -15%
Betaine - 165mg
Calcium - 29.7mg - 3%
Iron - .8mg - 5%
Magnesium - 23.7 mg - 6%
Manganese - .3mg - 13%

A few of the ways I like to get in my spinach:
*Spinach Salad with strawberries {or just add some spinach to a leafy green salad}
*Spinach Salad with cottage cheese, pecans and horseradish dressing... my FAVORITE!!!
*Spinach on sandwiches rather than lettuce
*Layered in lasagne
*In Omlettes

MMM.

Cut the Cord

We hate TV. We watch it very rarely and it's only at other people's houses; we don't get TV channels at all. We do watch movies on occasion and we do have a wii that we play even less often. We have found that our kids fight more when they watch a lot of the tube and their imaginations seem to instantly go down the toilet! It's a personal choice and it works for us. But I thought I'd post some of the facts about the effects of watching TV.

We've all heard that watching television is linked to ADD & ADHD. That in of itself is enough for me to pull the plug. It literally rewires those babies brains!!! But here are some things you may not know.

SparkPeople had these points:
* Americans watch an average of 4 HOURS of TV every day!!! And even when they aren't watching they have it turned on for an additional 4 hours!! 8 HOURS A DAY?!!! Crime-iny!
*40% of Americans watch TV during dinner. Eating in front of the TV leads to overeating and dissatisfaction. When you're concentrating on watching TV you aren't mindful of what or how much you're eating.
* 50% of US homes have at least 3 televisions!! We only have one and it's in the Master Bedroom where it's very rarely used.

KidsHealth also had these points:
* 2/3 of infants, toddlers and kids up to age 6 watch an average of 2 hours of TV per day. Kids 8-18 watch an average of 4 hours a day AND almost 2 MORE hours on the computer.
* The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children under 2 not watch ANY TV! And that those older than two limit their TV viewing to 1-2 hours per day of QUALITY programming.
* The first two years of of life are critical in brain development. TV watching gets in the way of them PLAYING in which they explore, learn, interact with others and encourages healthy physical and social development.
*As they age watching TV gets in the way of spending time with family, being physically active, reading, doing homework, playing...
*Children who watch 4+ hours watching TV have a much higher risk of being overweight.
* Children who watch violent acts are more likely to be aggressive and also fear the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them.
*TV characters often portrait risky behavior like smoking and drinking. They also reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes.
*Children are also subjected to viewing MANY commercials; telling them what to wear, play with, how they should look and be. And kids believe it all!

Watching TV isn't all bad. There are great programs out there that teach children about the world around them, their ABC's and other reading skills. We love channels like Animal Planet, Discovery and PBS. But ALL THINGS IN MODERATION!!!

I want to challenge you to PULL THE PLUG for an ENTIRE WEEK!!! Then try a couple weeks! Maybe even a MONTH!! Especially during the summer when you can be outside playing and spending time with your family &/or friends.

Too much? Try these ideas:
* Limit the time spent watching TV {or even listening} to less than 2 hours a day.
*Wherever you have a TV make sure you also have books and other things to do other than watch TV.
*Keep TV's out of bedrooms {we have our there so we can better monitor how often our kids turn it on; do what works for you}
* Turn it OFF when eating meals.
* Treat TV as a privilege earned; NOT a right.
* Turn it off during the week, promote homework and reading instead
* Set a good example to your kids by limiting your own viewing time.
* Preview programs and videos BEFORE your children view them
* Offer fun alternatives to watching TV

It was hard for us to go without TV at first. But before long we realized how much time we had freed up for more important things. I'm sure that you'll find the same results. Give it a try. **As a side note, the computer is probably just as bad and should also be limited as well. Something I probably should regulate more.