It's so quiet here ...

There is rarely a quiet moment at my house.  Four boys will do that to you.

This blog has been quiet a lot this summer.  I like to think that is because we are all out doing and being and enjoying.  I know I have done and been and enjoyed a lot this summer.  Our school system starts tomorrow and it feels like a good time to get back into the blog world.

Summertime means lots of relaxing and, sadly, I relaxed my meal planning.  I thought I was saving myself stress or work by not planning.  I don't know why.  I know better.  Dinner time has been so much more stressful because I didn't plan.  We've eaten way more fast food and take-out than normal.  We've had fewer well balanced meals and I've been more grudging about meal prep. 

Summertime also means late nights with lots of movies and late night chats.  Staying up late makes it really hard to get up early to exercise.  As a result, I wasn't nearly as faithful at working on my fitness goals as I should have been.  I didn't do a single 5k this season.  My family did do a charity walk, but, that's the thing, we did the walk part, not the 5k run. 

My summer wasn't a complete waste fitness-wise.  I ran a PE camp for kids ages 3-12 and absolutely LOVED it.  I had from 5 to 9 kids in each camp and we ran and played and laughed and learned about being healthy and strong.  I did an 18 mile hike over the course of 3 days pulling a handcart in the rain/wind/heat of Wyoming ... and at the end of each day, I felt like I could keep going.  And, I'm down a few pounds today from what I weighed at the beginning of summer.

Somehow, I stumbled on a group on Facebook a couple of weeks ago called "Project GET HEALTHY."  A challenge started last week with the goal to spend 28 days focusing on 3 health and/or fitness goals.  I signed right up.  I needed some more motivation to get me back on track from my enjoyable, yet routine-less summer.  I set my three goals ... very basic goals, but things I'd let slide a lot:

1.  Drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water each days.
2.  Exercise at least 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes.
3.  Track my food and keep my caloric intake within the guidelines on LoseIt.com (for me to reach my weight goal, it suggests 1400 calories daily, plus calories for exercise)

It's been pretty easy to focus on just these three things.  I have loftier goals ... longer work-outs, cutting out processed foods, eating more vegetables, making my meal plans again, etc ... but I'm just focusing on these three for now.  I don't feel overwhelmed.  I don't feel discouraged.  I know these things will get make me healthier.  Will they help me lose weight?  Possibly.  Will they make me more conscience of my health?  Definitely.

What are you working on?  What small goals do you have to become more healthy?  What changes are you making as you send your kids back to school and embrace the routine that comes with that? 

Oh, and I will have my menu posted here again next Monday.  I'm ready for it!

Starting Goals.... Again

This summer has been a bit of a challenge for me to do any of my "Me" goals. 

Go to the gym?  Nope.  I have four kids at home that all need my attention.

Eat healthily?  Nope.  It's too fricken hot to cook and I'd rather just heat up some corn dogs for the kids and call it good.

Take a quick walk or run around the block?  Yeah, HECK NO.  If it's too hot to cook from my air conditioned house, there's no way I'm going out in the 110*+ heat.

So what do I do?

I've decided to get the kids back on schedule and routine to practice for school starting in a week and a half.  And that has afforded me the opportunity to get my own routine back in line. 

Here I am starting my goals.... again.

But it hit me pretty hard today.  I start my goals again every day. 

Do I succeed every day?  No.  Does that frustrate me?  Yes.  But should I try again anyway?  Of course.

Here's to a new day and a new resolve to succeed.

Checking In

Today's goal: Run 2 miles.

I got to run with my sister today.  We did the walk/run combo, but it was still a good run and I liked running with her.  I think having a partner helps, even though it will be rare for the two of us to run together much with our conflicting schedules.

Tomorrow's goal: Survive Nursery.

Does a partner help you with your goals?

Back to Basics

In the Gospel we learn that if you're struggling with some of the bigger issues of doctrine, analyze how you are dealing with the smaller bits of doctrine. 

Having a hard time paying your tithing?  How's your daily praying? 

So it seems to be with so many things in life.  If you struggle with the big stuff, maybe you need to go back to basics.

And that's where I'm heading with this blog.  I've officially signed up to run the Turkey Trot in Syracuse, UT, in two weeks.  I plan to run the entire race.  But how am I supposed to do that when I can't even keep myself on schedule to run three times a week?  How am I going to have the stamina to run in colder weather than I'm used to, while I'm pregnant, and in the first race I've entered since I was in 8th grade?  It's a lot of swallow. 

So I'm going back to basics. 

I'm going to use this blog (once again) to keep myself accountable for my goals.  And the results.  Please feel free to comment, make suggestions, complain, encourage, or just say hi. 

My long-ish term goal: Run 5k on November 20 (in 15 days)
Today's run: 3.04 miles
Today's running time: About 38 minutes
Tomorrow's goal: Run 2 miles

I'm only allowed a total of 60 minutes of exercise time a day.  I'm trying to figure out which would be better -- do I run a little bit everyday with a longer run on Saturdays (starting next week since I had my long run today)?  Or do I run my 5k three days/wk and do a strength training video the other three days/week?  I'd just run, but my back feels so much better when I do strength training and Heaven knows how much my back kills me through pregnancy. 

Ideas?