Feel Great in 8!

A couple weeks ago, my sister, my husband and I  joined a little health competition to feel great in 8 weeks. We are starting week 3 and I must say, I am loving it! I have never really had any trouble with eating healthy per say. I like wheat, and fruits and veggies and for the most part I try and pick healthy food. But this has really helped me to  improve on it  and really focus on what I am buying and eating.We are also supposed to work out  for an hour each day, which has been good to get me back in to working out. Although this is mostly a fitness challenge, it also includes spiritual things such as saying a personal prayer, reading something spiritual like scriptures, and daily challenges to help better ourselves. I have been much happier over the past couple weeks and I am very glad that I decided to do this.
 
One thing that I have noticed over the past couple weeks is that I am always thinking about food. Not in the "I am in starving, and I am not getting what I want" kind of  thinking. It is more  of the " What different meals can I come up with under these new guidelines?"

It has been actually pretty fun to find new and different recipes to try out on my family. And the best part of all of this... my daughter, the pickiest  eater in the world, (not exaggerating here either, I have her in occupational therapy to get her to start eating food.), has started trying different healthy foods!! This is a huge deal for us. She now has tried (and like!!) green smoothies, brown rice, apples, carrots and stuffed peppers with black beans!

So my sister requested that I post the recipes that I have been making  with this challenge. I am trying to have a different meal every dinner and so far it has been pretty close.

First I will start with my husbands favorite so far. Spinach BBQ Chicken Pizza. Its really very simple, it only has 5 ingredients!  I have tried it with whole wheat pitas, Whole wheat tortillas and the whole wheat premade pizza crusts, but I prefer the pitas, (pictured above). For the BBQ Sauce, you can use either a home made version, you can try this one here at The Gracious Pantry. Or if you are lazy busy like me, there are a few organic versions at the grocery store. The one I have been using is Annie's Naturals Smokey BBQ. My husband LOVES it! Anyways, spread the pita with BBQ sauce, topped with about a half cup of mozzerella cheese, cut up chicken breast, about 4 oz (or you can go with the canned version of this, big time saver!) chopped red onion, chopped spinach, (put as much as you would like, I usually just cover the whole thing with spinach since it shrinks when cooked,) then I put a tiny bit more of mozzerella for good measure, bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, and voila! Yummyness. I figure 1 pita is a serving size. They are really good and would also work for lunch, because they are quick.

My next one is my favorite so far, and I am sad I didnt get a picture of it but it was so good we just ate it right up. Sloppy Joes!! This aint no canned junk either. It was so good!! I found it here, but it honestly tastes better than it looks. I did make one modification, (I think). They asked for onions, but make sure it is red onions, it gives a little sweetness to it. I served them on the whole wheat sandwich thins, or you can put them on bread, whatever tickles your fancy. Oh and on the recipe in the directions it asks for brown sugar, but not in the ingredients. I just put about 1-2 tbsp of brown sugar in it.

Next is the one that L decided to try, and again I didnt get a picture of it, but here you can get a pretty good idea of what it looks like.  Santa Fe Stuffed peppers. They were really very tasty and had a lot flavor to them.
I dont want to bombard you with meals, so hopefully I can update as I go. Cant wait to see what I come up with next!!

My happiness project

As part of these new goals we are setting for ourselves, I decided that the best place to start would be for me to write down all that I wanted to accomplish this year, what I wanted to work towards, and how I was going to get there. After writing down this list, I remembered that I did the same thing about a year ago, (probably some new year’s resolution I was setting for myself). Out of curiosity I looked up this list to see how my goals have changed or stayed the same, and to my surprise, the entire list was different from the one I am working on now. Although I still agree with the goals that I was working on, I am glad to say that my focus has changed. A year ago, I was more concerned with losing weight, and well, I am guessing I wasn’t too please with me physically and that was what I wanted to fix. I guess over the last year, I have come to realize what is really important, and although it is still a goal to lose the weight and taking care of myself, that isn’t my main focus this year.

First off, I need to make a confession. I can’t say no. There I said it. I hate saying no to people. And it honestly isn’t like when people say that they will do stuff and then complain the whole time they are doing it. I love doing things for people and helping out. I really thrive off of it. It makes me feel good that I am helping ease someone else’s burden. I also get involved with so much that it drives my husband crazy sometimes. I just love going I guess. Some might think this is a good thing. And it can be, but when you are always saying yes…well there are so many hours in a day. And with all that I get involved in, there are bound to be things that get neglected.

 And this is where I come to my first goal. JUST SAY NO. Don’t get me wrong, I still want to help people out, but I need to learn to say no sometimes. 

Okay, so that wasn’t really one of my goals, but it is one way I am making my other goals happen. Because most of my goals involve time, and I need to make more of it for me to be able to get ‘em done. One reason for making time is my family. I feel and know that I haven’t been giving my children or husband the attention that they deserve, and although they aren’t suffering, I know that it is more important to spend time with them than to be doing all these other things that I agree to.

One goal of mine that I have started with in my home is to get organized. Earlier this month, I decided to choose a word of the year, something that I was going to strive for, and Organization was it.  I don’t just want to organize physical things, like all the books I have piling up in my bedroom, or the overflowing amount of toys in the playroom, I want to organize my life and all the goes on in it. I feel like life gets cluttered, with all of our day to day activities and projects, and all that we have to worry about. Especially as a girl, my mind is always going. By the end of the day, I am just exhausted mentally from all that I have had to think about. This year I want to try and clear away as much of that “clutter” as I can.

Another goal of mine is the spend more time with my kids and husband. I feel like this is especially tied in with why I need to say no. Up until a year ago, I was in school and I felt like all my time was devoted to homework or going to class. I decided after I got my associates, I would hold off on the rest of my education until the kids were in school because I wanted to spend more time with them. However, homework and classes were just replaced with different commitments that I didn’t need to do like doing freezer meal or scrapbook exchanges, (don’t get me wrong, I do love having a freezer full of meals so I don’t have to cook. Plus that actually allows me more time with my family where as I would have to be making a meal.) I was still neglecting my family, just in a different way. I want to change that this year. I am going to spend more time with my family, in constructive ways too.

My next goal is to just be happier. I think so many people today forget how to be happy, or forget to be happy with all that is going on. I want to relish in the good that is going on in my life and be happier. This includes spending time with family, taking care of myself and getting closer to Heavenly Father.  There are some mini goals I have that are connected to all these goals, but I don’t want to get into that and make this post more of a novel than it already is.

I did want to mention one thing though. A while back I read a book called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. (I actually probably should read it again.) It was a wonderful book about a lady that took a challenge upon herself to get happy. She felt in a slump like so many of us do at times, and wanted to change it. She decided to de-clutter her life and refocus all her attention on what matters most. It was a very motivational book and when I read it, it got me wanting to make changes in my life. The same changes I am going to work on this year. I highly recommend it.  So here I go, to work on my own happiness project.

The Girl who's waiting for me to be her.

My sister and I decided to change the name of this blog because we felt that calling ourselves wimps wasn't extremely uplifting. We want this blog to be about our goals and bettering ourselves. We only want positive things to be allowed on this blog. So if I decided that ice fishing is a goal of mine, than Kim has to be supportive of it and become an ice fisherman too.

So this post is to be about my goals for the year. Recently I read a book called Urban Homesteading, and it inspired me. I am being totally serious, I want to be a homesteader. I think it would be so much fun! Plus all the other tree huggery, economical reasons. This year I want to raise chickens, and be a maniac gardener who cans and dries all my harvest. I want to reuse as much as I can of what comes into my home. I want to to buy less, or at least if I do buy things, I want to buy them used.

My other goal, is that I want to start building things. Mostly crates and bins and stuff for the garden. I'd like to make things from barn wood, but first I'll need to convince my husband that it's a good idea to help me tear down an old barn. (With permission, of course.) This last weekend I built a work bench almost all by myself. I did all the cutting, and drilling. My husband Kris only helped me a little. It was so amazing to start with a pile of wood, and end up with a solid table!

My third goal, that should probably actually be my first, is I want to spend WAY more time having fun with my kids and teaching them things. I want to go camping and hiking, biking, and play games. I really want to learn and teach my kids survival skills, like how to make a fire without matches and things like that.(Yes, I've been watching "Doomsday Preppers" AND "Man Vs Wild") In short, I want to "get my house in order". I want to establish traditions and culture in my family.

It's weird to say, but I think most of us feel the urge to do these things. I think we're realizing that it's time for us as a people to start putting a higher value on things that deserve it, like time, good food, and skills that have been forgotten for convenience.

There is a person in my mind, who I want to be. This year will be the year that I pretend to be her, and then maybe I really will be.

Rewards

I didnt give up on my goal. Actually, I am quite proud of myself. I have gone to the gym twice so far for an hour each and my body is SORE. I also have it worked out with a friend that we are going to do a workout swap, in which I am going to watch her kids while she works out one day, and then another day, she will watch my kids for me. We are hoping to add in one more lady so that we each have two days a week that we will for sure work out, and then if we work out on Saturdays when our husbands are home, that will be a good three days every week. I am good with that at least for now. I am hoping that eventually I will get to 4 or 5 times a week.

I am also still working on the fine details of my goals, being that we have been a little busy here in the ol' homestead. However, I have decided that although my overall goal is 40 pounds, I am going to make some mini goals to reach it. First off, eating better. I know I need to define that better, but It includes cutting out sweets and sadly, I think I am going to have to cut out breads. (I love bread!!) This past week, I have been making myself some green smoothies, that include berries, spinach and flax seed. I have been using regular yogurt, but tomorrow I plan on going and getting greek yogurt and trying that out. (Any other suggestions on what I should include in them?)

Another mini goal that I am setting is that I am going to work out 3 times a week as mentioned earlier. It is going to be hard, but I know that I can do it. Yesterday, my mind kept telling me, "No dont go, you'll be fine, and you will have more time to spend with D." But I didnn't listen to the temptation. I went and am very proud of myself.

I also am going to focus on losing 5 pounds right now. I know that if I can succeed in losing 5, then I will feel a sense of accomplishment and want to do more! Although exercising and eating better provides its own form of reward, I was thinking that I should have some sort of reward for myself for completing each goal. I remember when I was in elementary, I put myself on a diet. (I really wish I had the kind of discipline that I had back then now.) I made myself work out every day after school, I ate healthy, and I was really proud of myself for doing it. Part of my reward for myself, and I have heard this several times throughout my life, is that I gave myself one day a week to have a treat. It was always Saturdays, but it gave me something to look forward to. Instead of feeling like I was working out and getting no pleasure, I allowed myself one day to forget about dieting and splurge in what I loved, sweets! It really did help and I stuck with it, and lost weight. Not as much as I wanted or should have, but I did it. And I am going to do it again. I think that reward system sounds good.

I have also read about other rewards that actually are better for you then splurging in sweets. My favorite is that when you meet your goal, you get to buy yourself something. I have already discussed this with D, and we agree that when I have met my overall goal, I am going to go out and buy myself a whole new wardrobe! This gets me excited and pumped to lose weight.

Another thing that I have done to "motivate" myself to work out may sound a bit silly, but so far it is working. When I got home from the gym the other night, I had my husband take a "before" picture me. I wanted it to be just a sports bra and boxers so that I could see the changes I am going to make. Then I went to my computer and put said pictures on my screen saver, as well as motivation sayings and quotes about why I want to get fit. Go here for some or to make your own. Now every time I turn on my computer, (which is a lot) I either see the body I dont want to have any more, or reasons for me to keep it up. It has worked so far.

What are your rewards that you give to yourself when you accomplish your goals?

Tomorrow was Yesterday

I read a quote somewhere once that said, "Tomorrow was yesterday." I dont know how many times I have told myself that "tomorrow I am going to start eating healthy." "Today's not a good day, so tomorrow I will start working out." Bla bla bla. Yeah, well tomorrow was yesterday. So today is the day. After getting up and getting the kids fed, I buckled them in the jogging stroller and went out for a walk. This was no short walk either, it was a 2 mile walk, that started out like my legs were going to fall off from itching. (I really hate when I first start walking and my legs itch like mad. Is this just me?) But as the walk progressed, things started getting a little less uncomfortable, and a little more sweaty. A good sweat though. I have been needing to go on a walk for so long, but keep using the excuse of , "It is soooo hot outside, I will start doing it when it cools down." or "I am so tired, I dont have the energy to go on a walk." (Yeah I know dumb excuses.)  Last night when I was talking to D, we both decided that it was time to get into shape. He has been lucky enough to start working out, and so he has a bit of a leg up on me, but that does not mean I can't start now. 

I know that some already know that we are planning to have another baby soon, and that we were going to start trying soon. However, after our discussion last night, we decided, (well really I decided, he is supportive of the idea though,) that I need to lose some weight before any more babies come along. I have reached my highest weight. (Not including pregnancy. However, when I was pregnant with L, I think I barely exceeded the weight I am right now and I am not pregnant.) And I just don't want to feel the way I feel anymore. I want to be able to buy smaller clothes and not have to buy bigger clothes to fit me. I want to have more energy. I want to be proud of myself. And this is not just about losing the weight. As my kids are getting older and more active, I am really hating that I cant keep up with them like I would like to or should be able to at my age.

Although I am starting today, I still need to sit down and write out a game plan. I know first of all that I want to lose 40 lbs. I know I want to do something active every day. I know I need to eat healthier, definitely cut out all the sweets. (My weakness!!) And I know that I want this to be a lifestyle change, not a diet. 

via 25.mediaMore of my game plan will be coming soon. What things have you used that work in your path to weight loss and a healthier lifestyle?

What's on the back of your card?

Recently my husband told me that one of the sports journalists that he listens to said something that struck him. It struck me too. He said that no matter what anyone says about an athlete, all he really is, are the stats on the back of his card. This makes sense for us too, I think. No matter what happens to us, no matter what our intentions are, we are what we push through and do anyways. You can either make excuses for what you haven't done, what you started and never finished, or what you did poorly, or you can buck up and do your best in spite of the reasons not to. The bottom line is, you are what you choose to do. You either overcome obstacles, or you let them be road blocks. Either way, what you make of your life is your decision.

The artist in me

I dont know about you, but I am always wondering to myself, "Self, what are you good at? What is your particular talent/s in life?" Yes, I talk to myself sometimes. ;)  Well, I have been giving it a great deal of though lately, especially since finishing up with school. Now that I have the time, (really?!?) I have been wanting to find my niche. That one thing that I love to do, and can call my own.

So as a goal to myself, I decided to discover what things I like to do and what makes me happy. I know I already have a few things, namely reading, singing, and being a goof. But I know there is more. Today I took that first step. I loaded the kiddos up in the van, drove 45 minutes to Joann's, (I hate that I have to go so far to get anywhere. So frustrating!!) and picked myself up a sketch pad and pencils. (Don't worry, I had other errands to run and things to pick up, I didnt make the trip just for paper.) Why you ask? Because I want to try my hand at drawing...and painting...and well you get the idea.

When I got home, I pulled up a tutorial on how to draw a butterfly, (That is what L told me to draw), and started at it. I found that it was actually very relaxing, even though I had noise and chaos going on around me. It took me to a place I could focus. And although I am by no means good at it, it was fun! So maybe I am on to something here!

Well?! I think it turned out pretty good for my first try! I am excited to learn new techniques and eventually start using colors. And I am excited to find something that I thought was fun, and not a chore. Sometimes I start things and I feel like I have to finish it, instead of I want to finish it.

What are some goals you have?