Moving Momz: How good it feels

My girlfriend, with her 2.5 year old and her 4 month old in tow, went for a 15-18km bike ride yesterday (the exact distance difficult to measure).

I was envious.

It seems to be the thing with pregnancy for me. I crave the things that just aren't practical for me at the moment.

So I am living vicariously through her (unfortunately am getting no skinnier for it).

Today though, I was re-energized while take my daughter for a swim.

Why I had I stopped going?

It's not like I took a class, or did laps, but I forgot just how good it feels to get out there and move.

It is so easy, to start something, and then let 'life' get in the way of it all.

I swore I wouldn't do this with my second, and yet, here I am...counting all the things that I am not doing that I promised myself I would do.

STOP!

Stop, stop, stop. Okay, so that isn't helping either. We all know how this goes, then I start feeling crappy about what I am not doing, which leads to more of my not doing stuff in asome sort of pouty defense or tantrum.

Instead, I am going to wake up tomorrow, and do my best. I might not be getting out for a 15km bike ride, but I can still do something...maybe I will pull out one of my workout DVD's if the weather refuses to cooperate...

Do something...remind yourself of how good it feels to just do something.

Wondering how the love challenge is going?
Okay truth be told, we have been hit and miss lately. Mostly hits, but sometimes the day ends and I am lying in bed thinking to myself "whoooppps!"
What's worse, I keep forgetting to jot things down, and trying to remember the little things can be difficult after a long day. For now, let me just tell you that we are doing something even if it's small...and I'll catch you up on a later post.

Operation Meat vs. Veggie: First Night-Four Stars

Okay...so tonight I made the Brussel Sprout & Mushroom Alfredo Fettuccine...

Just as I finished cooking it up, and started serving my hubby commented, "So it's a veggie dish then hey?"

I cracked up laughing...okay, so this dish is not going to pull the wool over his eyes. Fair enough.

So despite the fact that it was meatless, he said during the meal " the combo of brussel sprouts and mushroom is actually quite good". YES! That's right-he liked the brussel sprouts. Okay, in all fairness it's not that he hates them to begin with, he just doesn't love them the way I do, and wouldn't choose them.

Then, with a few mouth fulls to go, and a few extra servings sitting in the pan, he sat back and said "wow-I'm actually really full, I'll just finish up the veggies here".

A full man is a happy man.

Final verdict on this new recipe, he says "I'd like to see you make this again."

Cost breakdown...

Mushrooms: .385kg/$2.95
Brussel Sprouts: .255kg/$1.12
Fettuccine Noodles: $2.89
Alfredo Sauce: $4.49

Total for aprox. 3 people--> $11.45  That's just $3.82 a person!

Whoooaaa, okay I am actually shocked at that.

What I could have done better...I actually bought the sauce instead of making it, hard to believe that meal could be cheaper, but it definitely could have had I done that.

What it would have cost with meat--> ~$16.45 or $5.48 a person.

So not a huge savings, but considering everything--I think we'll definitely being doing it again.

The only bummer, Jayna didn't like it, at all...not even pureed. Go figure.

So overall, I'd call that a 4 star dinner!

My recipe (and to be fair-I do a lot of eyeballing, so you'll have to give it your best shot) or find a recipe online-remember, I didn't make the sauce from scratch, but after checking recipes later-it's super easy to do.

Cook up the pasta, while that is going you can start to cut the brussel sprouts into thin slices, add to a hot pan with about a cup of water and let cook up for about 3-5minutes. Then drain water and add about 2 tbsps of butter and sliced mushrooms. Season as necessary. Because I chose a garlic alfredo I just added salt and pepper. When the mushrooms are brown and brussels cooked add in the sauce and turn the temperature down to low, let simmer while the pasta finishes. If you have some fresh herbs-some fresh parsley would be a fabulous touch!

Moving Momz: Fruit vs. Veggies

I love my fruit.

I am pretty sure that I ate about 4 cups of strawberries yesterday, that doesn't include the grapes and blackberries that I also ate. (Expensive taste-I know...)

When it comes to veggies though...well, there was celery and green pepper in the chilli we had, but that was about it.

I blame it on my sweet tooth.

Veggies aren't nearly as appealing as ripened, sweet fruit.

Canada's Health Food Guide for my age is 8 servings of fruit and veggies.

Key word being: and.

So, this is my challenge, and I am encouraging you to try it to.

I am going to try and eat 1/2 and 1/2. If you also have a fruit love, veggie indifferent attitude as I do, give it a try...

At the very least, being conscious of the amount of veggies you eat (or don't) should help you become more aware when given the option to choose between the two...

Maybe even help you lose a few pounds? (Or like me, keep me from gaining to much during pregnancy.)

GOOD LUCK!

Moving Momz: When the rain gets you down... (and other excuses)

It's pretty hard to get motivated some days.

There are often 100 excuses.

My baby is sick, it's raining...

(Oh yeah---and I just don't feel like doing anything...)

We all know how we feel after we get a good workout in though, and shouldn't that be enough to motivate us?

Not always I know.

Especially when it feels like the couch and warm blanket is calling you...oh yeah, and the bag of chips and chocolates you picked up at the grocery store yesterday...

So today, whatever your excuse is for not wanting to pick your butt off the couch---I understand. But you aren't off that easy. You don't have to go for an hour long walk, you don't have to go for a run, jump on your WiiFit, lift weights, go swimming...no you don't need to do that.

However, you can go and vacuum the house, paint that wall or room that you have been putting off, sort out the recycling, do some laundry, wash the floors. It doesn't have to be anything major-but you need to do something. I need to do something. Burn off a few extra calories, feel good about accomplishing something with your day, and make sure that you don't eat more calories than you plan on burning....

Sometimes, it just about moving...or 'not-sitting'. Promise-we'll all feel better.

Now, away you go...

See you tomorrow, with a freshly painted bathroom!

Moving Momz: Eat Less, Move More

 

In a culture of yo-yo dieting we, as a society, have come to expect weight loss to be some big science.

It's not.

My husband happens to think this SNL is hilarious.

I think it really does speak to those of us who have been bombarded by everything from Atkins, to grapfruit and beer diets.

Get off your couch, your computer chair, whatever it is you are sitting on...give this 'miracle' a try-you'll be shocked at how something so 'simple', and 'cost effective' can 'change your life'.

Ciao.