Moe's Journey to Best Health

Day Five

Donna, I'll email that recipe over to you before the weekend, and yes you use peanut butter.  It's tasty, I could eat it all week.  :O)

Today was a terrific day.  I could go on for hours about why, but let's just say that I'm a lot closer to my goal than I was yesterday.  It was a busy and productive day, but I got out of the office for lunch so I decided to do my mileage at home instead of at the gym.  On Friday, Day 7, I start a new work out program, so I'm laying off of the weights until then.  I'll give the gory details on my recap of 7.

I want to express how thankful I am to have such great family and friends in my life.  The support and feedback that I have received in the past week has been amazing.  It's just another reminder of how wonderful my life is and I am blessed.  Thank you!  We can do it!

Day Five Recap

Movement:  4 mile walk, 20 push ups, leg calisthenics

Nutrition:

Breakfast - Emerald City Smoothie - Raspberry Passion

Lunch - Cup of Hot & Sour Soup, Hand Shaven Barley Green Noodles

Dinner - Apricot Chicken, Cous Cous, Carrots

Goals for Day 6:

Try New Exercise Video

Goal Recap for Day 5:

Replaced Gym Cardio with 4 mile walk

Starting New Program on Friday, delaying weights until then

Day Four

Thank you Rissa for your words of encouragement and support!  You are a great friend, and I appreciate it!

Day 4 was my first day at work since I started this blog.  The focus from this Best health journey carried over into the work day and made yesterday a speedy and productive day.  I had a lot of energy and was able to keep on task.  Packing lunch for work is something new that I started a few weeks ago.  It has been great for a few reasons: 

1.  Saves a TON of money. 

2.  Keeps me from choosing unhealthy options when I'm starving at work. 

3.  Gives me more time to work out, because I don't have to leave my desk to buy food.

This leads in to food planning.  The more that I have my meals planned out ahead of time, the easier it is to make the right food choices.  If you are starving, it is not the right time to be choosing foods or creating a meal plan.  :O)  Our family sits down every Saturday morning and plans out our dinners.  From the dinner plan I choose lunch leftover days.  I'll plan out breakfast at the same time, and then make the grocery list.  Steel Cut Oats take 30 minutes to cook, so if I make a large batch Sunday morning, I can eat them during the week.

Everyone have a WONDERFUL day!  Take care and Thank you for your support!

Day Four Recap

Movement:  20 minutes on the Elliptical, leg calisthenics, 20 push ups

Nutrition:

Breakfast - Steel Cut Oats with non fat milk, blueberries, walnuts

Snack - Banana, almonds

Lunch - African Peanut Stew

Dinner - Western Casserole w/ rice mix 50% brown 50% calrose

Goals for Day 5:

More cardio in the Gym

Lift Weights

Goal Recap for Day 4:

Did my cardio in the gym!

Will do weights today.  :O)

Day Three

Thank you to Darcy and Angela for your support and comments!  Angela brought up a great issue.  Dieting and deprivation are not the key to health.  You can eat what you love in moderation.  My example is lasagna last Saturday night with ice cream.  :O)

Yesterday was a curve ball.  I woke up to find that there was a lot of snow outside and the kids schools were closed.  My plans for the day changed, and it was a day at home with the kids.  We made it a fun, active day.  After breakfast, we went out sledding.  When we came home, Maya watched a movie, and I jogged and walked on the treadmill.  So I didn't get to the gym, but I got a little cardio in.

The rest of the day was good.  I just kept myself busy to avoid the fridge.  My main downfall when it comes to my eating is avoidance or boredom.  I'll eat to avoid a project or just because I'm bored. So what I have found in general, is when I am busy and not sitting in front of the T.V, I am not digging through the fridge looking for food.

It's time to get going and start the day.  Have a GREAT day!  Thank for your continued support!

Day Three Recap

Movement:  Sledding, 2 miles, leg calisthenics, 20 classic push ups

Nutrition:

Breakfast - Cup of Granola with non fat milk, slice of deli turkey meat

Lunch - cut carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, small serving of goulash

Dinner - African Peanut Stew, rice

Dessert - Ice Cream Sandwich

Goals for Day 4:

Get in the gym for cardio

Lift Weights

Goal Recap for Day 3:

Replaced Gym cardio with sledding and treadmill

Increased push ups to 20!

Day Two

Thank you to Mom and Dad in Minnesota, Gary, and Christina for the well wishes and support!  I appreciate it!!

Today was another great day!  It started off a little icy.   Mom and I went for a 3 mile walk in the morning, but the sidewalks were all ice.  We had to walk in the grass instead of on the sidewalk, so that we wouldn't fall.  Because our walk was cut short, Dan and I went out after breakfast for a 4 mile walk.  It was beautiful and the ice was gone.  :O)  I'm so thankful to have my Mom living with us for many reasons, but it is great that Dan and I can get out for walks together.

Yesterday I didn't include beverages, so I want to add that here today... Water, water, and more water.  I did have red wine with dinner last night, but for all other meals it is water.  I do drink the daily coffee and tea but I keep the habit decaf.  In the afternoons I don't experience that "I'M TIRED" feeling when I'm drinking decaf.  If I've been kept up late by one of the kids, I will partake in a diet coke for a pick me up.  Overall, life runs smoother for me on decaf.

I'm signing out for the evening.  My sleep is vital.  :O)  Thank you for all of your support!  This is an exciting journey for me.  Good luck to all of you and have a wonderful week!

Day Two Recap

Movement:  7 mile walk, leg calisthenics, 15 classic push ups, lifted weights

Nutrition:

Breakfast - Good ole Steel Cut Oats, blueberries, and walnuts

Lunch - Cut carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, small serving of goulash

Dinner - Spicy Mexican chicken, tortilla

Dessert - One chocolate mint

Goals for Day 3:

Increase number of classic push ups

Cardio in the Gym

Goal Recap for Day 2:

Completed all goals for today!  In addition I wasn't starving at dinner, because my lunch was more substantial.  All in all it is a successful day!

Day One

Thank you Carisa, Felicia, Melissa, and Donna for your words of encouragement.  I appreciate it!!

Yesterday was a great day.  Maya woke me up at 2:30 which generally would have whacked me for the rest of the day, but it gave me the time I needed to set up this blog and she fell back to sleep.  :O)  After I emailed my friends and family announcing my new blog I went out for a 6 mile walk and it was such an incredible morning.  There were light clouds and the mountains were beautiful in the soft purple glow before sunrise.  I love having that time to myself to relax, meditate, and take care of my body.

Breakfast and lunch were easy yesterday.  Dinner on the weekends is always a little tricky, because my Mom and I love to cook and make what we have been craving all week.  We'll watch food network and say oh let's make that this weekend.  And that is precisely what happened last night.  Last week, Tyler Florence had made an incredible lasagna and so we made it last night.  To make the meal a little more health friendly, instead of a white garlic bread, we used a whole wheat bread.  On the side we served green beans, so that the lasagna was NOT the main meal.  Just a small portion of lasagna and a serving of veggies.

I wish that I could say that I ended there, but I did have a scoop of ice cream.  I keep my Saturday a little more relaxed and stay focused for the rest of the week.  Don't lose your faith in me yet.  :O)  Today is going to be a great day and another step closer to my best health.  Best luck to you all! 

Day One Recap

Movement:  6 mile walk, leg calisthenics, 10 classic push ups

Nutrition: 

Breakfast - 1 cup steel cut oatmeal, with a tablespoon of blueberries and almonds.  Note - If you have not tried steel cut oatmeal, DO IT, it's awesome.

Lunch - 24oz Emerald City Smoothie, Raspberry Dream

Snack - 1/2 pack of apples and an Americano (no cream, no sugar)  Note - I have issues with apples always being bad at the store, so I love the prepackaged ones they sell at Costco.

Dinner - Green Beans with Dill, Lasagna, Garlic Whole Wheat Bread.

Dessert - Ice Cream

Goals for Today:

Increase Number of Classic Push ups

Walk 6 miles

Lift Weights

Goals Going Forward:

Spread Out Calories a little more evenly through out the day.

Consume less refined sugar, eat more vegetables.

Note:  If you ever are interested in recipes, let me know and I can print them.

 

First Entry

My friends and family know that I have struggled with my weight for a good portion of my life.  Growing up as a child my weight consumed me and kept me from activities that most kids my aged enjoyed.  I was too embarrassed to go outside for a walk or go to a gym, because I didn't want other people to see me.

At the age of 19 I read a book that changed my life.  The premise was so simple.  All I had to do was eat, move, and breathe.  I immediately started walking, and I gained energy and confidence and lost weight.  Over the years, the walking has turned into weight lifting, jogging, hiking, rollerblading, biking, kayaking, and anything else that sounds like it may be fun.  Fifteen years ago, I would not have tried any of those activities.  Being active has given me the opportunity to coach my son's t-ball team, summit Mt. St. Helen's, explore vacation spots on foot and on rollerblades for miles, hike to beautiful mountain tops and waterfalls, walk 60 miles for Breast Cancer, practice hot yoga, and best of all in the midst of the adventures I fell in love with my husband.

I want to share this experience and help people become healthy, active, and strong.  At the same time I will continue my journey to Best Health.  This is not a journey about the scale.  I want to have energy, be strong, and feel great.

My posts will include workouts, nutrition, and of course the struggles that arise with balancing the job, family, and a healthy lifestyle.  Please feel free to ask questions, give feedback, or post comments.  I appreciate the support that my family and friends have given me on this adventure!