24 Days of Thanks: Day 8

I am thankful for Brayden's love of books. I've always enjoyed books and reading. It makes me smile to see Brayden engulfed in books nearly all the time. Many times a day he'll disappear and I'll hear silence, only to find him in his room "reading" books. It doesn't matter if he's looking at books alone, or being read to, either way he is focused on the book. This morning we sat in his room and read almost every single book we own. I hope he always continues to like books, and enjoy reading! Like Dr. Seuss said - "the more you read, the more you know, the more you know, the more places you'll go!"

24 Days of Thanks: Day 7

I am thankful for music. Music is just plain awesome. There's always something you can listen to to fit your mood, or change your mood.

24 Days of Thanks: Day 6

I am thankful for my adorable little boy. Brayden is the best thing that could have happened to me. He makes me want to be a better person every day and he makes my heart grow bigger every minute. Even when he's being a pill he can still brighten my day and he never ceases to make me laugh. His smile makes me melt and I am so thankful God trusted me to be his mom. I love him so much!

24 Days of Thanks: Day 5

I am thankful for the snow. Even though I despise winter, and I don't particularly appreciate snow quite this early, having to deal with the brutal cold makes warm summers that much better. Plus, I have a feeling Brayden and I will have some fun (chilly) memories in the snow this winter. That kid is all boy!

24 Days of Thanks: Day 4

I am thankful for companies that still make healthy wholesome foods! I really like eating fresh fruits & veggies whenever possible but sometimes you're just crunched for time. Pure bars are made with delicious foods that are good for you without all the extra gunk that's in most "boxed" foods these days. And to top it off, you can order in bulk from their website!

24 Days of Thanks: Day 3

Playing catch up here - been busy around this house lately!

I am thankful for video phones that allow Brayden and I to make silly videos to send to Jesse when he is gone at work.

24 Days of Thanks: Day 2

Today when I took my car to get the oil changed, I found out the that my radiator is cracked. Yippee! Not. Even though that sucks BIG TIME, I am thankful that I HAVE a car to begin with. Even if cars are expensive as all get out when something goes wrong. Fingers crossed the warranty covers it!

24 Days of Thanks: Day 1

Today I am thankful that I am healthy and able to work-out. The "high" you get from working out is unmatchable and I try to remember not to take it for granted because many people that would like to be active are unable to.




Feel free to join me in 24 Days of Thankfulness. It's good to stop and remember all you are thankful for, and all you have to celebrate! What are you thankful for today?

Food Log Peek

Just thought I'd give a little peek into what a day of eating looks like for me! I try to stay between 1200 and 1400 NET calories (because I'm trying to lose weight). NET calories means that if I eat 1200 calories, then go workout and burn 300 calories, I will eat 300 more calories. I know it seems like "well what's the point of working out," but its very important that you have a minimum 1200 NET calorie intake or your body will go into starvation mode and start conserving calories (saving fat). If you lose weight in starvation mode it is most likely muscle and not fat.

Anyway, here's a look at my diet & fitness journal for last Thursday (just a random day I picked)!

Breakfast:
1 Cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch [190 cal]
5/8 Cup skim milk [55 cal]
homemade latte [45 cal]



Lunch:
3 slices of turkey [60 cal] on
whole wheat sandwich thin [100 cal] with
1/3 avocado [80 cal] and
2 slices tomato [5 cal]
25 carrots [35 cal]
1 tablespoon lite ranch dip [30 cal]


(this picture wasn't taken Thursday, but posts = better w/ more pictures!)

Snack:
1 kiwi [55 cal]

Dinner: (@ Zupa's!)
mixed greens salad with bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, 1 hard boiled egg white, & 1 tablespoon low fat honey mustard dressing [150 cal]
2 pieces of french bread [180]

Dessert: (splurge @ TCBY)
1 1/2 Cups white chocolate mousse frozen yogurt with rainbow sprinkles [420 cal] (this was naughty! I went with the medium and should have gone with a small)

Post Workout Snack:
1 medium apple [80 cal]
special K strawberry protein bar [170 cal]
total intake = 1,655 cal

30 Day Shred Level 1 [-180 cal]
walk on treadmill for 45 minutes @ 3.5mph [-190 cal]
total output = -370 cal

Net Calories for the Day = 1,285!

InstaFriday: October 14

*Brayden will not eat solid vegetables, only pureed. And since this mama is busy, busy packing and doing homework and not pureeing vegetables, we buy these. Lots of these.


*Had a quick visit with Grandpa and build lots of lego towers!


*Got to take a nap on Mom. Win-Win! LOVE.


*Was going through some boxes in the garage and found this! I drew it very shortly after Jesse & I started dating. Crazy, feels like forever ago!


*Sleepy, sleepy boys. Driving to Salt Lake to eat at Spaghetti Factory while Uncle Ryan was visiting.


*Shower drain was clogged so I gathered my baking soda & vinegar, prepared to unclog it.. however, when I unscrewed the drain cap, THIS was the problem. GROSS!


*Quick drive to Morgan to check out the Browning outlet store, requested by Uncle Ryan.


*I thought riding Dumbo would lessen the sting of having to actually leave Toys R Us, but Brayden was not amused and still threw a fit when we left.


*Lunch today! :)


So, how was your week? Snap some pictures and link up at LifeRearranged!

Embrace the Camera: October 13

Excuse the quality, I didn't realize how awesome the quality of my iPhone camera is until my mom sent me this picture she took on her Android. Apple really is better :)



I love him :) He's so dang cute, I can't get over it! And man is he getting big! :/

Grocery Store Epiphany

I used to loathe grocery shopping. But since I started eating healthier, I actually enjoy going to the store and picking out new healthy foods and buying fresh fruits and veggies. Maybe I'm a weirdo. I mean, I wouldn't like to go every day or anything crazy.. but it's less of a chore now.

This last time I went to the grocery store I noticed something I've never noticed before:



This is the set up of the grocery section at the Super Target I go to. The entrance is at the bottom of the page. I don't know about YOUR grocery store, but this seems to be the set up of every grocery store I've ever been in. I had a few things on my list that were in the center aisles, but probably 80-90% of what I purchased was from the outer area of the grocery section.



These are the things that I purchased from the center aisles (labeled "BAD!" in blue on the drawing):
-low fat honey mustard dressing
-ketchup
-nutmeg
-sesame seeds
-kashi go lean crunch granola
-peanut butter
-whole wheat pita bread
-whole wheat english muffins
-truvia
-special k snack bars (only for emergencies when i'm really in a hurry and need a snack)
-coffee
-half & half
-graham cracker cookies for Brayden

For the most part, the center aisles are filled with sugary foods that will leave you hungry in an hour. The foods on the ends of the aisle (pink on the drawing) are even worse! They are placed there simply to catch your eye and cause you to make an unneeded purchase.

The majority of your shopping trip should be spent on the outside aisles: dairy, meat, and produce.







The biggest part of my purchase included fresh fruits and vegetables, soy milk, almond milk, skim milk, low fat yogurt, white fish, shrimp, eggs, low fat feta cheese, etc. When I put my groceries away, I scatter them in the fridge so basically everywhere I look is something healthy! Makes it much easier to decide what to eat :)

So, if you're trying to eat healthier, stay out of the center aisles!!

Embrace the Camera: October 6

Just a quick post with some pictures of me and my sweet boy embracing the camera :)





Blurry. Crazy crop. But I don't care because this is so representative of Brayden at this age. He just wants to go go go and play play play. If he ever stops it's to give me a 1/2 second slobbery kiss or maybe steal a few bites of food. It's nearly impossible to get a clear, focused picture of him - unless he's sleeping.

Now go embrace the camera with your loved one(s)!

Fitness Update

I figured it was about time for a weight-loss/fitness update.

High weight: 164 (October 2010)
Start weight: 153.6 (August 14, 2011)
Current weight: 144.6 (October 5, 2011)
Goal weight: 130



Since I started the couch-to-5k program on August 14, 7 1/2 weeks ago, I've lost a total of 8.5 inches (arms, legs, stomach) and 9 pounds. Today I did Week 9, Day 2 of the C2-5K program which means I only have one day left. I really didn't think I'd be able to work my way towards running 3 miles all at once in less than two months. But surprisingly, I can. My first 5K time was 39:30, not bad I say, not bad. So proud of myself for actually doing it, and seeing it through, start to finish! I actually have improved a TON on my mile time as well. Last summer when I first started running, my first mile time was over 16 minutes; last night, my new mile time was 9:40. Yay! Now I need to scour the internet (aka Pinterest) to find a new workout routine ;) Ideas??


Chicken, avocado, and tomato salad with Ranch & Franks Red Hot

Up until now I have pretty much just been watching calories and trying to eat more fruits and vegetables and less sugary stuff. On Monday I bought the 17-Day Diet book and started the diet yesterday. I'm not following it absolutely to a tee (I cannot STAND green tea), but using the menu plans provided for the most part. Can't say how well it's working since it hasn't even been 48 hours but I plan to do a review post at the end of the first 17 day cycle.


Everything thin bagel with turkey, cucumber, and roasted red pepper hummus


Cherry tomatoes + agua


Hard boiled eggs = love :)

InstaFriday: Sept. 30

Woahh, and bam, just like that tomorrow will be October. Pumpkins and ghosts and changing leaves followed by turkey and inevitably snow and winter. :( I really like fall itself, but I have a hard time enjoying it knowing what follows! Anywho, I am joining Life Rearranged for InstaFriday.



Here's a look at our week


We went to visit Dad and hit up the Science Zone. Brayden loved every second!


Brayden tries so hard to be a big helper! Sometimes he succeeds, and sometimes he does not. This was actually a job well done :)


Reading with Daddy at IHOP before we had to leave town :(


Headed home. Jesse stuck one of Brayden's foam blocks to my sunroof, I was sure it would fall soon but it's actually still there.. lol, 4 days later. Oh, ya think I need to wash my windshield? Yeah, me neither.


Oatmeal + Pecans + Maple Agave = Delish


Counting beans while Mom cooks


Just being stinkin' cute, getting into stuff


Making feta & basil shrimp, yummy!


Burned the CRAP out of my hand. Bumped the heating element on the oven this morning while I was flipping the bacon I was broiling. Yeah Ouch is an understatement. I text my Aunt who is a nurse and she suggested putting honey on it and wrapping it up for 24 hours, sounds funky to me but I trust her! We'll see how it looks tomorrow, the burning is gone so that's good!


Happy Weekend!