Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
My Fitness Pal
About a week ago my sister-in-law posted on Facebook a link for a free calorie counter. I have been trying to lose my post baby weight for over two years now. I had gone from 140 pounds to 198 pounds. Needless to say, anything to get rid of the weight at this point was welcome. After all, it's starting to feel not like post-baby weight, but just fat.
It kills me every time I see my pre-pregancy photos, or feel like people look at me like I'm lazy. I've done Weight Watchers, Slim fast, Acia Berry cleanse, worked out three times a week on the eliptical, and served as a referee for four youth soccer games a week -- and sometimes all in a single day. Still, I have been stuck at 193 pounds.
Today, I record everything I pop in my mouth on my cell phone with the My Finess Pal, the free calorie counter. So far, a week into it, it seems to be working. Two weeks ago I weighed 198 pounds at the doctors office; today I'm 188 pounds. I'm eating 1,200 calories a day. The app for my cell has a scanner that tells me how may calories and all the other goodies per serving. I can quickly add calories without a bar code. I can also record my activities and it will tell me how many calories I've burned.
Here's the best part: I've eaten chicken nuggets, French fries, tacos, pizza, and beer. OK, I also ate salads, oatmeal, and healthy food, too. I think the trick is I have a running calculator. so I can see if I can afford to eat Taco Bell or if I should go home and eat steamed veggies. I also get more calories the more activies I do. My workout has been three or four brisk walks for 10 minutes a day and gardening with my kids. I am more encouraged to do more activies the hungrier I get, and then after I've done the activity, I'm not as hungry. It's really weird.
I have a ticker at the bottom of my blog so you can see my progress. I want to lose 42 pounds, and today is March 6th. Look at it again in a week or two. If you're trying to lose weight too, chime in and tell me how you're doing -- and what you're doing!
It kills me every time I see my pre-pregancy photos, or feel like people look at me like I'm lazy. I've done Weight Watchers, Slim fast, Acia Berry cleanse, worked out three times a week on the eliptical, and served as a referee for four youth soccer games a week -- and sometimes all in a single day. Still, I have been stuck at 193 pounds.
Today, I record everything I pop in my mouth on my cell phone with the My Finess Pal, the free calorie counter. So far, a week into it, it seems to be working. Two weeks ago I weighed 198 pounds at the doctors office; today I'm 188 pounds. I'm eating 1,200 calories a day. The app for my cell has a scanner that tells me how may calories and all the other goodies per serving. I can quickly add calories without a bar code. I can also record my activities and it will tell me how many calories I've burned.
Here's the best part: I've eaten chicken nuggets, French fries, tacos, pizza, and beer. OK, I also ate salads, oatmeal, and healthy food, too. I think the trick is I have a running calculator. so I can see if I can afford to eat Taco Bell or if I should go home and eat steamed veggies. I also get more calories the more activies I do. My workout has been three or four brisk walks for 10 minutes a day and gardening with my kids. I am more encouraged to do more activies the hungrier I get, and then after I've done the activity, I'm not as hungry. It's really weird.
I have a ticker at the bottom of my blog so you can see my progress. I want to lose 42 pounds, and today is March 6th. Look at it again in a week or two. If you're trying to lose weight too, chime in and tell me how you're doing -- and what you're doing!
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| 2006 (135 pounds) |
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| 2009 (197 pounds) |
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Saturday, March 5, 2011
Eco Baby: Essential Tips for the Eco-Conscious New Mom
My dirt for my flower bed came in. This is making me a back yard bound Mama today. I thought I'd share an article about a few of my passions. One parenting, two being environmentally conscious, three planing new rooms. Technically some of the article can apply to anyone remodeling. I hope you all enjoy.
Eco Baby: Essential Tips for the Eco-Conscious New Mom
Eco Baby: Essential Tips for the Eco-Conscious New Mom
Friday, March 4, 2011
Struggling with my preteen girl
I love my daughter. She has been my princess and in a way, my best friend. She's beautiful, funny, smart, and a lovely person. She also seems really sad.
My daughter lives 60/40 between my house and her father's. At my house she has a stepsister, a younger cousin who she has accepted as her brother, and two little half-brothers in preschool. She shares her room and has a lot of trust with the responsibilities she's given. She is also a kid. She has media time, sports, play dates and sleepovers.
At her dad's house she is an only child. She has been the little princess there and does not have many rules to follow, mostly because she is naturally well-behaved. She has unlimited access to any age-appropriate toy, game, TV, and website she wants. She has had some pretty cool girlfriends to share with her Dad, too. I am never told whether she seems sad at his house, but she is at mine.
I can understand that, as a child, being the only child can be awesome. You have undivided attention. Being the last of seven kids myself, I became an only child by the time I was 11, when all my siblings moved out. I can also understand that having brothers and sisters is awesome, too. There's almost always someone to play with or talk to. I shared my room with my sister for the first half of my childhood, with a brother in the room next door. It was challenging, but fun, too.
I have trouble with the changes my daughter's going through. She's going to be a young woman sooner than I can imagine, I'm sure. Maybe I'm too focused on it. Some things have already changed. The most obvious are the mood swings. It's becoming more challenging every day to connect with her. She gets her feelings easily hurt during normal conversation and joking around -- mostly because she doesn't understand the context of what is being talked about. We have lots of tears I have no idea where they come from. When I try to talk to her the walls go up. This crushes my heart. I just want to hug her and make her happy like I do with my preschoolers. It's clear to me she is my baby, but will not be treated as one.
Justin Bieber is her pin up. She reads books and magazines and listens to his music, and has 30 or more posters of his face plastered on her walls. He is the ultimate star in her world. Justin Bieber to me is a way to talk to her. First I learned the words to his songs and talking about what songs she likes. Then we went to the opening night of Never Say Never the movie. We had a great time. We loaded up on junk food, wore 3D glasses and took our picture in one of those photo booths. She even told me things that were cool to know. (Not mentioning what.) But as soon as we get home the tears are turned on. It wasn't the night she had imagined. No explanation why it was such an awful night, just very upset. I can't win.
When my daughter and I do connect its magical. I am a such a proud mother. An example is when she and I are having talks about uncomfortable topics. Puberty. Boys. Bullies. Siblings. She comes alive with questions and her own stories. I finally hear about what she likes and what bothers her and what she would like to try to do to accomplish new things in her life. She is a brilliant deep thinker.
I'm a weepy mother when I'm happy. I know, how embarrassing. If I do it in our home and tell her how proud I am of her she gives that big warm smile I love to see. I am just not allowed to embarrass her in public with my happy tears.
I know she will only be this age once. I can only hope that she does keep me close to her as her entire life shifts from child to teen then to adult. I can remember how much I didn't know and how alone I felt thinking I was alone in my changes. I hope to be compationate, understanding and avalible to her and still be able to give her a little guidance here and there when she needs it.
I love my baby girl and I am sure I'm going to love my wonderful grown daughter, too. I may need lots of help an advice along the way. She's strong willed.
My daughter lives 60/40 between my house and her father's. At my house she has a stepsister, a younger cousin who she has accepted as her brother, and two little half-brothers in preschool. She shares her room and has a lot of trust with the responsibilities she's given. She is also a kid. She has media time, sports, play dates and sleepovers.
At her dad's house she is an only child. She has been the little princess there and does not have many rules to follow, mostly because she is naturally well-behaved. She has unlimited access to any age-appropriate toy, game, TV, and website she wants. She has had some pretty cool girlfriends to share with her Dad, too. I am never told whether she seems sad at his house, but she is at mine.
I can understand that, as a child, being the only child can be awesome. You have undivided attention. Being the last of seven kids myself, I became an only child by the time I was 11, when all my siblings moved out. I can also understand that having brothers and sisters is awesome, too. There's almost always someone to play with or talk to. I shared my room with my sister for the first half of my childhood, with a brother in the room next door. It was challenging, but fun, too.
I have trouble with the changes my daughter's going through. She's going to be a young woman sooner than I can imagine, I'm sure. Maybe I'm too focused on it. Some things have already changed. The most obvious are the mood swings. It's becoming more challenging every day to connect with her. She gets her feelings easily hurt during normal conversation and joking around -- mostly because she doesn't understand the context of what is being talked about. We have lots of tears I have no idea where they come from. When I try to talk to her the walls go up. This crushes my heart. I just want to hug her and make her happy like I do with my preschoolers. It's clear to me she is my baby, but will not be treated as one.
Justin Bieber is her pin up. She reads books and magazines and listens to his music, and has 30 or more posters of his face plastered on her walls. He is the ultimate star in her world. Justin Bieber to me is a way to talk to her. First I learned the words to his songs and talking about what songs she likes. Then we went to the opening night of Never Say Never the movie. We had a great time. We loaded up on junk food, wore 3D glasses and took our picture in one of those photo booths. She even told me things that were cool to know. (Not mentioning what.) But as soon as we get home the tears are turned on. It wasn't the night she had imagined. No explanation why it was such an awful night, just very upset. I can't win.
When my daughter and I do connect its magical. I am a such a proud mother. An example is when she and I are having talks about uncomfortable topics. Puberty. Boys. Bullies. Siblings. She comes alive with questions and her own stories. I finally hear about what she likes and what bothers her and what she would like to try to do to accomplish new things in her life. She is a brilliant deep thinker.
I'm a weepy mother when I'm happy. I know, how embarrassing. If I do it in our home and tell her how proud I am of her she gives that big warm smile I love to see. I am just not allowed to embarrass her in public with my happy tears.
I know she will only be this age once. I can only hope that she does keep me close to her as her entire life shifts from child to teen then to adult. I can remember how much I didn't know and how alone I felt thinking I was alone in my changes. I hope to be compationate, understanding and avalible to her and still be able to give her a little guidance here and there when she needs it.
I love my baby girl and I am sure I'm going to love my wonderful grown daughter, too. I may need lots of help an advice along the way. She's strong willed.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
An awesome read for anyone looking for a true hero
While looking for info on Urban Farms I stumbled accross this article. I think anyone who cares about people needs to read it. The Lemon Lady is amazing!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Carrot and Zucchini Bread in the bread machine
Putting away groceries I decided it was really time to do something about the carrots. I got some good ideas but I decided to juice them. To my surprise my four year old loves carrot juice. After you juice a carrot your left with carrot pulp. I could be wasteful and compost it or try to make carrot bread in my bread machine. (I don't have an oven.)
So here's my recipe
Add all the ingredients into your machine. Mix on the dough setting. When done mixing use a rubber spatula and form in to a loaf.
Cook on Bake setting. Around 50 minutes. When done a toothpick should pull clean from center of the loaf.
When I asked my husband how he would describe the final product. Warren says. " Surprisingly not bad because I would not want to eat Carrot and Zucchini bread." LOL
So if anyone makes this and improves the flavor please share with me your recipe. You'd make this Mama really happy.
When I asked my husband how he would describe the final product. Warren says. " Surprisingly not bad because I would not want to eat Carrot and Zucchini bread." LOL
So if anyone makes this and improves the flavor please share with me your recipe. You'd make this Mama really happy.
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