Friday, April 26, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Summer Slimdown
In stark contrast to the last post, Adam and I have been trying to eat a bit healthier to lose those extra pounds that seem to come with marriage and being parents.
We're big believers that fad diets aren't for us, so we're just doing the good ol' reliable eating more healthful foods, less calories, and working out. Which has worked for both of us in the past.
I have such a love/hate relationship with food. I have no problem with the exercising part. It's all about food for me. I love food so much. Like...Dr Pepper, chocolate, and chips + salsa could be my major food groups. But alas, I know those things aren't healthy for me. The key for me is the old adage "all things in moderation," because I know if I cut them out completely, I won't stick to it.
Anyway, the whole point of this is that I found a really good article last week that had some great tips I wanted to share. Here they are:
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Article by Kim Eagle
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/blog/10-slimming-tips-to-get-you-ready-for-summer#ixzz2RJUyvUKF
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Now obviously, I'm not perfect and when it says things like "Never eat out of a bag"...I know that's not realistic for me. Or "Eat at home 5 days per week," well...uh...probably won't happen. But we can definitely cut back on those things!
On the flip side, I think the whole "No eating after 9pm" thing is great, and a good challenge for me. And me posting about this here is really for the purpose of staying accountable.
Another thing I added to this...I made a "Motivation" list. A list of things to look at when I'm having a hard day or feel particularly challenged by all this trying-to-be-healthy stuff. Some of the things on my list are really vain and I would never admit to them, some are events that are coming up that I'd love to look a little skinnier for...you get the gist.
We also added in a cheat day every two weeks, cause our the goals we set go in two-week increments. So if we make our goal, we get to look forward to a cheat day! Hooray!
Just thought I'd share! That's a lot of reading, so if you got this far, good for you!
We took "before" pictures, so if we're successful and if I can work up the courage, maybe we'll post before and afters when the time comes. :)
We're big believers that fad diets aren't for us, so we're just doing the good ol' reliable eating more healthful foods, less calories, and working out. Which has worked for both of us in the past.
I have such a love/hate relationship with food. I have no problem with the exercising part. It's all about food for me. I love food so much. Like...Dr Pepper, chocolate, and chips + salsa could be my major food groups. But alas, I know those things aren't healthy for me. The key for me is the old adage "all things in moderation," because I know if I cut them out completely, I won't stick to it.
Anyway, the whole point of this is that I found a really good article last week that had some great tips I wanted to share. Here they are:
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1. Eat at home 5 days per week: Do not eat out for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks (Monday through Friday). Not only will this benefit your calorie intake, it will also help your wallet! Even when a menu item might seem like a healthy option on paper, you don't know how it was prepared. Eating out also makes it harder to keep portion sizes in check.
2. Decrease your sugar intake: If you want to lose weight, you'll need to limit how much sugar you consume. Most people have no idea how much sugar they ingest per day. For example, did you know that one cup of orange juice has 22 grams of sugar? Or that Starbucks' Venti Blended Caramel Frappuccino has 81 grams of sugar? Try cutting your sugar intake by half each day, and you'll notice decreased cravings for sugary treats and after a week or so, you should lose a pound or two.
3. Never eat out of a bag: You know those times when you are starving and you grab a bag of chips? Before you know it, the bag is empty! Never let yourself eat out of the bag. Instead, take one serving (check the label on the bag to verify a serving size), and put it in a bowl. Then put that bag away! Eat your serving, and move on with your day!
4. Eat your vegetables: Make it a point to consume one-to-two vegetable servings with all meals! My favorite vegetables (and ones that can be consumed in unlimited quantities) include: kale, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower and spinach. Limit the intake of vegetables that are higher in carbohydrates (such as peas, carrots, potatoes, corn, and beets).
5. Be cautious with fruit: Fruits provide vitamins and fiber. However, due to the sugar content, it is a food you should consume in limited quantities each day. According to the USDA's MyPlate.gov, a woman between the ages of 31-50 should eat 1.5 cups of fruit per day. A man between the ages of 31-50 should have two cups of fruit per day. How much is one cup of fruit? Check out this chart.
6. Limit your alcohol consumption: If you must drink alcohol, I recommend one-to-two drinks per week at a maximum. Avoid all sugary, mixed party drinks! You should measure the quantity of your cocktail to one serving. So, one glass of wine is only five ounces. There are two reasons to limit the alcohol consumption. First, to decrease empty, non-fueling calories and second, to avoid senseless eating. Alcohol causes decreased inhibitions that often lead a "who cares" attitude for your weight loss goal.
7. No eating after 9 p.m.: Let's face it, healthy eating doesn't happen after 9 p.m. Not only will you sleep better if you avoid calories before bed, but you will also eliminate the mindless calories eaten when you are simply bored at night.
8. Weigh in weekly: Weigh yourself once a week so you can keep track of your weight loss. You should weigh in on the same day of the week and log it on paper or on a helpful tracking tool like MyPlate. A healthy amount of weight to lose per week is one-to-two pounds.
9. Exercise and cross train: I recommend you work out five-to-six times per week. Cross training is essential for these workouts. Try and do something different each day! The more you change your workout routine, the more you'll shock your body, and the more your body will change!
10. Stay accountable: The moment you tell your friends and family about your weight loss goal, you are truly committing to your challenge. If you are hesitant to get accountable, you are likely not going to give a 100 percent effort in your quest to drop those pounds.
Put these 10 actions into play for the next 30-to-60 days, and you'll be ready for summer when June comes around.
Article by Kim Eagle
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/blog/10-slimming-tips-to-get-you-ready-for-summer#ixzz2RJUyvUKF
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now obviously, I'm not perfect and when it says things like "Never eat out of a bag"...I know that's not realistic for me. Or "Eat at home 5 days per week," well...uh...probably won't happen. But we can definitely cut back on those things!
On the flip side, I think the whole "No eating after 9pm" thing is great, and a good challenge for me. And me posting about this here is really for the purpose of staying accountable.
Another thing I added to this...I made a "Motivation" list. A list of things to look at when I'm having a hard day or feel particularly challenged by all this trying-to-be-healthy stuff. Some of the things on my list are really vain and I would never admit to them, some are events that are coming up that I'd love to look a little skinnier for...you get the gist.
We also added in a cheat day every two weeks, cause our the goals we set go in two-week increments. So if we make our goal, we get to look forward to a cheat day! Hooray!
Just thought I'd share! That's a lot of reading, so if you got this far, good for you!
We took "before" pictures, so if we're successful and if I can work up the courage, maybe we'll post before and afters when the time comes. :)
Monday, April 22, 2013
Fudgy Chocolate Chip Muffins {Recipe}
I made these last week and thought they were amazing (way better than chocolate cupcakes in my opinion!), so I thought I'd share. Sutton helped...so if my measurements were a bit off of the recipe, who knows. But they were yummy anyway!
And these are in no way healthy, so...we'll only make them every once in awhile. :)
Fudgy Chocolate Chip Muffins
1/2 c applesauce
1/4 c margarine, softened
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla
1 c all-purpose flour (I did half whole wheat flour)
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups with paper bake cups.
In large mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla until well blended. Add applesauce. Blend well.
Add flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Blend. Stir in chocolate chips.
Fill muffin cups 3/4 full of batter.
Bake at 350 for 22 to 26 minutes.
(Optional ingredients: cinnamon in batter, powdered sugar sprinkled on top after they've cooled.)
Recipe from allrecipes.com
And these are in no way healthy, so...we'll only make them every once in awhile. :)
Fudgy Chocolate Chip Muffins
1/2 c applesauce
1/4 c margarine, softened
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla
1 c all-purpose flour (I did half whole wheat flour)
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups with paper bake cups.
In large mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla until well blended. Add applesauce. Blend well.
Add flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Blend. Stir in chocolate chips.
Fill muffin cups 3/4 full of batter.
Bake at 350 for 22 to 26 minutes.
(Optional ingredients: cinnamon in batter, powdered sugar sprinkled on top after they've cooled.)
Recipe from allrecipes.com
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
April Insta 1
Sutton got some stamps from his Grandma and Papa for Easter and he'd never done stamps before, so it was a lot of fun (and very messy).
Sometimes Adam takes his pet Draco out of his cage in his classroom, and it seems he likes to climb on people's shirts.
We tried a "naughty jar"...taking his favorite cars away when he was naughty and putting them in a jar where he could see them but not play with them. It didn't work. When I took them out to give them back to him, he just put them back in the jar himself.
Before the Shockers played their last game in the Final Four, we had to go to WSU's student center to pick up Adam's graduation cap and gown. Sutton found some sweet Shockers memorabilia while we were there.
Sutton was in charge of bringing a snack for his class so I made cookies. One of those moments where I felt like a "real mom."
When I picked him up from school that day, he wanted to eat a cookie in the car. But it was past nap time, so it was tough to finish it. :)
I was sick for a couple days, so I kept the kiddo in pjs all day (and I stayed in them too). He was so excited because I rarely let him stay in them all day.
The Thursday I was sick, I was in bed all day long (except for taking Sutton to and from school). I was glad it was the one day of the week he has school, because I could hardly function. Diesel stayed with me the entire time I was in bed. I love my little foot-heater.
The next day, I was still feeling iffy, but Adam had gotten a babysitter and tickets to see a band we really like - AWOLNATION. So I sucked it up and we had dinner at Chili's before heading to the concert. Adam hates this photo but I like it. Sorry buddy.
And he liked this one, but I didn't. :) So we're even.
The concert was really good, except for towards the end when the people around us got in really close and I started getting claustrophobic. That always happens to me at concerts. But we made our way through the crowd to the back where there was more space to enjoy the end of it.
The next day, we went with Scott to the zoo. We ended up buying a zoo pass, so we're excited to use that a lot this year. If you ask Sutton which animal he likes best, he always says the turtles.
Scott bought us all lunch at the cafe there. This is how Sutton decided to sit while eating his chicken strips.
It was getting close to nap time and so Sutton was nearly in meltdown mode when I tried to get his photo with Scott. This was the best I could do. :) They're buddies.
I took Rachael's brother Alex's senior photos one evening and we had to get a photo together. :) You can check out his session on my photo blog.
My aunt and uncle live out in the country and we had lunch there a couple Sundays ago. My uncle set up a whole shooting range and Adam brought his guns. They had a great time, and I brushed up on my shooting skills for a bit before going inside to play with their newborn kittens.
The aforementioned kittens...they were 2 weeks old! And so sweet.
Sutton likes making "soup" in our birdbath and wanted to make some one day when it was cold and rainy outside. So I told him he could make some in the house. I filled a bowl with water and he mixed in rice and soy nuts.
One morning I took Sutton swimming at the indoor pool at the Y. He hadn't been swimming since last summer, but he said he remembered it and he was so excited. When we got there, he was pretty nervous at first and clung to me, but after awhile he got braver and loved going down the frog slide. He even made friends with the lifeguard since we were the only people there.
After swimming, he was REALLY thirsty, and needed two cups of juice.
A cat abandoned her kittens in Adam's parents backyard and Jessica and the kids had been nursing them for a couple weeks. Sutton got to play with them one day and Jess took this photo that I love. Unfortunately, the kitties died and we had to have a funeral. :(
From the day of the ice storm. It was crunchy when Diesel would walk through the grass to potty.
For a Throwback Thursday, I posted this photo from our honeymoon.
And this one of little Adam.
Sutton was being SO good last Thursday morning which was such a change from our norm lately. He even wore his own backpack to and from school which has never happened before.
After his nap that day since he was being so good, we had dinner and then went to play at the park. We ended our night with some frozen yogurt. This was the first time Sutton chose all his own toppings. He ended up not liking the Mike n Ike's in there, but downed all his gummy bears and strawberries, and even stole my strawberries.
We all went for a jog (well, I biked and Sutton rode in the stroller) one day.
Friday night we went to a birthday party for Adam's cousins. They're both baseball fans, so it was a baseball themed party. They had Cracker Jacks and popcorn and cotton candy. Sutton had a ton of fun eating all those things plus cake, and playing with his second cousin Kennedy. It's fun that he actually plays WITH other kids now.
While Sutton was busy playing, I got to snuggle with his other second cousin, Noah. Such a cutie and such a chill baby.
Once he tried the cotton candy, he stole the rest of Adam's. :)
Telling me not to take his picture. Sorry, kiddo.
We took him to the racetrack Saturday night because he loves cars and is convinced he is a race car. Sutton Racecar, to be exact. He was unsure at first since it was so loud, but he really liked the demolition derby part, where they all crashed into each other.
Do anybody else's kids like to play in the (non-moving) car? It's one of his favorite past-times.
We took a walk to the park Sunday night where Sutton met a friend and had a fun time playing for like an hour.
This was his little friend who ended up living not too far from us. They loved playing together so hopefully we meet her at the park again soon!
After the park, we came home for a late dinner on the porch.
Monday we took cousin Breegan to her horse therapy. I'd never been, so it was really interesting to see what they do with her there.
Sutton liked watching but wanted to go in the corral.
Monday night I took my friend and fellow-photog Jaclyn's photos with her hubby Mark and their two dogs. She'd taken family photos for us a few times in the past and we'd never been able to set up a shoot for me to return the favor before now. So glad we finally made it happen!
Yesterday morning we had to wait in line at the Tag Office. Twice. Ugh. I hate that so much. But I took lots of stuff for Sutton to do, and he did great. The night before, he fell face first into a wall when he was running around the house, so he had this giant bump and bruise on his little (big) forehead.
Last night Adam was grilling burgers and Sutton was out with him, driving his car around. Then Adam started chasing him and Sutton was just squealing with delight. I love watching these two together. :)
Sometimes Adam takes his pet Draco out of his cage in his classroom, and it seems he likes to climb on people's shirts.
We tried a "naughty jar"...taking his favorite cars away when he was naughty and putting them in a jar where he could see them but not play with them. It didn't work. When I took them out to give them back to him, he just put them back in the jar himself.
Before the Shockers played their last game in the Final Four, we had to go to WSU's student center to pick up Adam's graduation cap and gown. Sutton found some sweet Shockers memorabilia while we were there.
Sutton was in charge of bringing a snack for his class so I made cookies. One of those moments where I felt like a "real mom."
When I picked him up from school that day, he wanted to eat a cookie in the car. But it was past nap time, so it was tough to finish it. :)
I was sick for a couple days, so I kept the kiddo in pjs all day (and I stayed in them too). He was so excited because I rarely let him stay in them all day.
The Thursday I was sick, I was in bed all day long (except for taking Sutton to and from school). I was glad it was the one day of the week he has school, because I could hardly function. Diesel stayed with me the entire time I was in bed. I love my little foot-heater.
The next day, I was still feeling iffy, but Adam had gotten a babysitter and tickets to see a band we really like - AWOLNATION. So I sucked it up and we had dinner at Chili's before heading to the concert. Adam hates this photo but I like it. Sorry buddy.
And he liked this one, but I didn't. :) So we're even.
The concert was really good, except for towards the end when the people around us got in really close and I started getting claustrophobic. That always happens to me at concerts. But we made our way through the crowd to the back where there was more space to enjoy the end of it.
The next day, we went with Scott to the zoo. We ended up buying a zoo pass, so we're excited to use that a lot this year. If you ask Sutton which animal he likes best, he always says the turtles.
Scott bought us all lunch at the cafe there. This is how Sutton decided to sit while eating his chicken strips.
It was getting close to nap time and so Sutton was nearly in meltdown mode when I tried to get his photo with Scott. This was the best I could do. :) They're buddies.
I took Rachael's brother Alex's senior photos one evening and we had to get a photo together. :) You can check out his session on my photo blog.
My aunt and uncle live out in the country and we had lunch there a couple Sundays ago. My uncle set up a whole shooting range and Adam brought his guns. They had a great time, and I brushed up on my shooting skills for a bit before going inside to play with their newborn kittens.
The aforementioned kittens...they were 2 weeks old! And so sweet.
Sutton likes making "soup" in our birdbath and wanted to make some one day when it was cold and rainy outside. So I told him he could make some in the house. I filled a bowl with water and he mixed in rice and soy nuts.
One morning I took Sutton swimming at the indoor pool at the Y. He hadn't been swimming since last summer, but he said he remembered it and he was so excited. When we got there, he was pretty nervous at first and clung to me, but after awhile he got braver and loved going down the frog slide. He even made friends with the lifeguard since we were the only people there.
After swimming, he was REALLY thirsty, and needed two cups of juice.
A cat abandoned her kittens in Adam's parents backyard and Jessica and the kids had been nursing them for a couple weeks. Sutton got to play with them one day and Jess took this photo that I love. Unfortunately, the kitties died and we had to have a funeral. :(
From the day of the ice storm. It was crunchy when Diesel would walk through the grass to potty.
For a Throwback Thursday, I posted this photo from our honeymoon.
And this one of little Adam.
Sutton was being SO good last Thursday morning which was such a change from our norm lately. He even wore his own backpack to and from school which has never happened before.
After his nap that day since he was being so good, we had dinner and then went to play at the park. We ended our night with some frozen yogurt. This was the first time Sutton chose all his own toppings. He ended up not liking the Mike n Ike's in there, but downed all his gummy bears and strawberries, and even stole my strawberries.
We all went for a jog (well, I biked and Sutton rode in the stroller) one day.
Friday night we went to a birthday party for Adam's cousins. They're both baseball fans, so it was a baseball themed party. They had Cracker Jacks and popcorn and cotton candy. Sutton had a ton of fun eating all those things plus cake, and playing with his second cousin Kennedy. It's fun that he actually plays WITH other kids now.
While Sutton was busy playing, I got to snuggle with his other second cousin, Noah. Such a cutie and such a chill baby.
Once he tried the cotton candy, he stole the rest of Adam's. :)
Telling me not to take his picture. Sorry, kiddo.
We took him to the racetrack Saturday night because he loves cars and is convinced he is a race car. Sutton Racecar, to be exact. He was unsure at first since it was so loud, but he really liked the demolition derby part, where they all crashed into each other.
Do anybody else's kids like to play in the (non-moving) car? It's one of his favorite past-times.
We took a walk to the park Sunday night where Sutton met a friend and had a fun time playing for like an hour.
This was his little friend who ended up living not too far from us. They loved playing together so hopefully we meet her at the park again soon!
After the park, we came home for a late dinner on the porch.
Monday we took cousin Breegan to her horse therapy. I'd never been, so it was really interesting to see what they do with her there.
Sutton liked watching but wanted to go in the corral.
Monday night I took my friend and fellow-photog Jaclyn's photos with her hubby Mark and their two dogs. She'd taken family photos for us a few times in the past and we'd never been able to set up a shoot for me to return the favor before now. So glad we finally made it happen!
Yesterday morning we had to wait in line at the Tag Office. Twice. Ugh. I hate that so much. But I took lots of stuff for Sutton to do, and he did great. The night before, he fell face first into a wall when he was running around the house, so he had this giant bump and bruise on his little (big) forehead.
Last night Adam was grilling burgers and Sutton was out with him, driving his car around. Then Adam started chasing him and Sutton was just squealing with delight. I love watching these two together. :)
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Ice Storm {April 2013}
Most of you who read this probably live in Kansas, but for the few who don't...we had a big ice storm yesterday and the night before. Sandwiched in between two 50+ degree days (of course). I love storms and dreary days, so I was loving it, but I know most people are ready for the warm spring that April usually brings! I suppose I am too, since it means playing outside for the kiddo.
I was in the midst of getting my 2-year-old ready for school this morning and I got this text from my mom:
I hadn't even looked outside. It was beautiful! Thank goodness for awesome moms. I grabbed my camera and headed outside.
Our yard/neighborhood isn't particularly pretty like some of the others with blossoming trees all in straight rows, so I just took some photos of what we do have: ice. Lots and lots of melting ice.
Thanks Mom, for making me pause in the middle of my busy life to enjoy this beautiful morning! Love you!
I was in the midst of getting my 2-year-old ready for school this morning and I got this text from my mom:
Are u taking pix of the ice sparkling like diamonds in the rising sun?
I hadn't even looked outside. It was beautiful! Thank goodness for awesome moms. I grabbed my camera and headed outside.
Our yard/neighborhood isn't particularly pretty like some of the others with blossoming trees all in straight rows, so I just took some photos of what we do have: ice. Lots and lots of melting ice.
Thanks Mom, for making me pause in the middle of my busy life to enjoy this beautiful morning! Love you!
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