I started reading Michael Pollan's 'In Defense of Food' yesterday. This book provides a lot of the base rules for the 6FIT program that I do through dancefit studio. Eating healthy (read - naturally). Exercising regularly. Making a healthy lifestyle for yourself!
You can participate remotely. That means, you commit to exercising 6 days a week (walking counts!) including 3 virtual dancefit classes per week. You are one in a team of 6. You communicate primarily through a Google doc spreadsheet in which you list your goals for the week, support and receive support from your teammates and log all of your food intake, water, sleep and exercise. It's an all in one spreadsheet! Logging food, sleep, etc takes about 20 minutes per day. Feeling in a rut? Just drop a comment on that day's page and you have a support system of 5 other people who will do their best to boost you and help you through it. And you are always just an email away from getting support from Maeve or Gina, the instructors of 6FIT who can provide more specific and professional suggestions.
The cost for the 6 weeks is only $180 for remote participants which includes 18 virtual (Skype) classes!
I would LOVE to have old friends and new, family and old teammates / classmates join me for the next 6FIT. We kick off Monday March 26th!
For more information, testimonials, and to register visit: http://dancefitstudio.com/6fitre.php
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Healthy recipes seem few and far between
I am an avid user of 'All Recipes' for fun new recipes. I usually use it for the "best" recipes of certain categories: soups, comfort foods, salads, etc. As of late, I enjoy searching on Pinterest the most. I could spend hours on this website! Recipes, crafts, holiday and style inspiration - it's all there. But I realized the other day that the majority of the recipes that people were posting there are very unhealthy. And LOTS of desserts! I wasn't doing myself a favor by planning my meals in advance when half the meals each week were some sort of "pasta + cheese + meat" dish. Sigh.
So I went back to an old favorite and was just DELIGHTED to see the first recipe under "breakfast" included kale! The Pioneer Woman started a show on Food Network after her world famous blog attracted so many viewers. For those of you who haven't heard of her, check it out! She is such a down to earth woman and I love her style of cooking. But she lives on a ranch and cooks a lot of meat "comfort" dishes. Regardless, I cooked up some sausage and kale breakfast strata for tomorrow and feel so good about it because even though there is sausage and cheese in it, there is also kale. One step in the right direction!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/01/sausage-kale-strata/
So I went back to an old favorite and was just DELIGHTED to see the first recipe under "breakfast" included kale! The Pioneer Woman started a show on Food Network after her world famous blog attracted so many viewers. For those of you who haven't heard of her, check it out! She is such a down to earth woman and I love her style of cooking. But she lives on a ranch and cooks a lot of meat "comfort" dishes. Regardless, I cooked up some sausage and kale breakfast strata for tomorrow and feel so good about it because even though there is sausage and cheese in it, there is also kale. One step in the right direction!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/01/sausage-kale-strata/
Friday, February 24, 2012
A happier me
I'm not a huge "hey take a look at this awesome picture of me" type person. I get uncomfortable. But I am so happy that my efforts over the past year, concluding with this last round of 6FIT have paid off. I am happy with the way I look. I'm not perfect and I still have many imperfections. But I'm happy with my body for the first time in about 2 years.
The other day I was playing with Connor and he was just killing himself laughing. I mean that deep, long, 'can barely catch my breath because I'm laughing so hard' laugh. He had just learned how amazingly fun piggy back rides are. And as I look back on this picture, I feel just as happy as he is.
I just feel sort of ... relieved. I don't feel stress or pressure to lose weight, not know what to eat to be healthy, blah blah blah. It can get so overwhelming at times!
Here were are at the end of the second month of 2012. No matter what relation you are to me - friend, family, teammate, stranger - if you want something different for your eating or exercising habits you owe it to yourself to make a change. Summer is fast approaching. Take this spring to spend 6 weeks trying new healthier habits with the support of teammates and Gina - who is just a fabulous leader and role model for 6FIT. The next session starts in March!
PS - Do you see that red and white paper with the rectangles all over it above my head in the picture? That's our weekly meal plan, something Ned and I have been doing for about a year now. I HIGHLY recommend one! Some do it on a weekly basis, some monthly. Weekly allows me to hit the grocery store once a week (which means less availability to sneak stuff into the cart!) and to have everything ready to be cooked each night so there is no last minute fast food or take out runs because we are so hungry and don't want to figure something to cook at home. It works for us!
The other day I was playing with Connor and he was just killing himself laughing. I mean that deep, long, 'can barely catch my breath because I'm laughing so hard' laugh. He had just learned how amazingly fun piggy back rides are. And as I look back on this picture, I feel just as happy as he is.
I just feel sort of ... relieved. I don't feel stress or pressure to lose weight, not know what to eat to be healthy, blah blah blah. It can get so overwhelming at times!
Here were are at the end of the second month of 2012. No matter what relation you are to me - friend, family, teammate, stranger - if you want something different for your eating or exercising habits you owe it to yourself to make a change. Summer is fast approaching. Take this spring to spend 6 weeks trying new healthier habits with the support of teammates and Gina - who is just a fabulous leader and role model for 6FIT. The next session starts in March!
PS - Do you see that red and white paper with the rectangles all over it above my head in the picture? That's our weekly meal plan, something Ned and I have been doing for about a year now. I HIGHLY recommend one! Some do it on a weekly basis, some monthly. Weekly allows me to hit the grocery store once a week (which means less availability to sneak stuff into the cart!) and to have everything ready to be cooked each night so there is no last minute fast food or take out runs because we are so hungry and don't want to figure something to cook at home. It works for us!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Friends and Family
One reason I have found it hard to completely change the way I eat is because there are people around me who don't want to make the drastic changes that I do. "Drastic" meaning they don't want to completely cut out bread and pasta from their diet, or eat no dairy in their diet. Since I am the main chef in this house, I am constantly thinking about this for my husband and 1 year old son.
I also get a little embarrassed (?) when I go out to eat or am at events where there is a sit down meal being offered. Sometimes I feel rude not eating foods that are being offered to me that I normally wouldn't cook or eat at home.
In both of these situations I have learned that small changes are crucial. On the one hand, it doesn't turn your nutritional world upside down and make you or others around you feel uncomfortable about what you are eating. Additionally, making small changes and sticking to them allows for permanent health changes, not just periods of change.
I love to bake. I mean I loooooooooooooooove it. But I've realized that when I do bake, about one fourth of the product ends up in my belly before they are even complete. So I've committed myself to continue baking, but only when I have an occasion to share the finished product with others. Maybe it means giving half to a neighbor and freezing half for Ned for his lunches. Truly - a lot of it is a change in mental attitude!
I have realized that in the past 6 weeks all I have talked about, written about, and scheduled my weeks around is 6FIT, exercising and eating healthy. After each week of leaving something out of my diet (sugar, bread, pasta) when reintroducing it I have not felt good. My stomach has been upset, I have felt more tired or I have felt sluggish. It's proof! And I am so passionate for my friends and family who are not happy with their bodies / eating habits to experience it as well. So to any of you who have felt annoyed by my over excitement I'm sorry if it came off that way. But I've jumped on this bandwagon because I've experienced the changes and hope that if you wish to make a change, you would just make it happen, too!
One last note - I do think something has struck a chord in Ned. Yesterday I asked what he wanted for lunch and he said "let's just have a nice big chef's salad". When he sat down for lunch he seemed quite impressed with the salads and even took a picture to document :)
I also get a little embarrassed (?) when I go out to eat or am at events where there is a sit down meal being offered. Sometimes I feel rude not eating foods that are being offered to me that I normally wouldn't cook or eat at home.
In both of these situations I have learned that small changes are crucial. On the one hand, it doesn't turn your nutritional world upside down and make you or others around you feel uncomfortable about what you are eating. Additionally, making small changes and sticking to them allows for permanent health changes, not just periods of change.
I love to bake. I mean I loooooooooooooooove it. But I've realized that when I do bake, about one fourth of the product ends up in my belly before they are even complete. So I've committed myself to continue baking, but only when I have an occasion to share the finished product with others. Maybe it means giving half to a neighbor and freezing half for Ned for his lunches. Truly - a lot of it is a change in mental attitude!
I have realized that in the past 6 weeks all I have talked about, written about, and scheduled my weeks around is 6FIT, exercising and eating healthy. After each week of leaving something out of my diet (sugar, bread, pasta) when reintroducing it I have not felt good. My stomach has been upset, I have felt more tired or I have felt sluggish. It's proof! And I am so passionate for my friends and family who are not happy with their bodies / eating habits to experience it as well. So to any of you who have felt annoyed by my over excitement I'm sorry if it came off that way. But I've jumped on this bandwagon because I've experienced the changes and hope that if you wish to make a change, you would just make it happen, too!
One last note - I do think something has struck a chord in Ned. Yesterday I asked what he wanted for lunch and he said "let's just have a nice big chef's salad". When he sat down for lunch he seemed quite impressed with the salads and even took a picture to document :)
We're in the final week of 6FIT - bring it on!
Friday, February 17, 2012
End of week 5!
Man, time flies! We are heading into the last week of 6FIT after this weekend, and I am excited. I have learned a lot more than I thought I would seeing as this was my second go around at 6FIT. But, old habits die hard, and I really needed the support of my team and the nutritional wisdom of Gina and Maeve to help me! But I feel great. I have more willpower to do a quick 14 min workout during the day when I get in that tired slump or find myself reaching for food because Im bored.
And I feel great in my clothes! 6 months post baby I had a freak out and I donated ALL of my pre pregnancy clothes. Like every last pant and shirt. So I think a shopping trip is in order at the end of 6FIT to celebrate my successes!
This was the hardest week for me; no bread or pasta. I included crackers and tortillas with those restrictions and tried to focus on more substantial carbs such as brown rice, quinoa, and blue corn chips (we eat a lot of Mexican cuisine in our house!) but it was tough. I fell prey to a bagels and crackers a few times. BUT I did great with the foods of the week - spinach and kiwi! I love kiwi! Someone suggested eating kiwi with the skin on for extra nutrients... I have yet to try it. Does anyone else eat kiwi with the skin on?!
And I feel great in my clothes! 6 months post baby I had a freak out and I donated ALL of my pre pregnancy clothes. Like every last pant and shirt. So I think a shopping trip is in order at the end of 6FIT to celebrate my successes!
This was the hardest week for me; no bread or pasta. I included crackers and tortillas with those restrictions and tried to focus on more substantial carbs such as brown rice, quinoa, and blue corn chips (we eat a lot of Mexican cuisine in our house!) but it was tough. I fell prey to a bagels and crackers a few times. BUT I did great with the foods of the week - spinach and kiwi! I love kiwi! Someone suggested eating kiwi with the skin on for extra nutrients... I have yet to try it. Does anyone else eat kiwi with the skin on?!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Beets!
One of my biggest goals in 2012 was to eat healthier and so far I am on the right track! I also want to try new foods and 6FIT inspires me to do that because if the food of the week is something I am unfamiliar with, I feel compelled to at least try it once because I get a lot of points for doing so!! And I have reached out to my team twice, once for kale recipes and again last week for beet recipes. Nothing worse than trying a new food by cooking it the wrong way so it tastes and horrible as possible!
Last week my sister was visiting and we set out in the morning to roast some beets to eat on a salad with gorgonzola, walnuts and spinach for lunch that day. We cleaned three beets, cut off the tops and bottoms, left skin on, and put them in a roasting dish with about a half inch of water, covered with foil and roasted for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Man, those things are a beautiful shade of purple after they are done cooking!! Lunch came and went sans our planned beet salad, so we just cut them in to pieces, sprinkled some balsamic vinegar on top and ate them as a side dish to our dinner.
And they were not too bad!
Not my favorite food ever, but I know now that if I ever see that aforementioned beet salad on a restaurant menu, I will try it in a heartbeat.
What new foods have YOU tried lately? Care to share the recipe of that or any beet recipe you like?
Last week my sister was visiting and we set out in the morning to roast some beets to eat on a salad with gorgonzola, walnuts and spinach for lunch that day. We cleaned three beets, cut off the tops and bottoms, left skin on, and put them in a roasting dish with about a half inch of water, covered with foil and roasted for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Man, those things are a beautiful shade of purple after they are done cooking!! Lunch came and went sans our planned beet salad, so we just cut them in to pieces, sprinkled some balsamic vinegar on top and ate them as a side dish to our dinner.
And they were not too bad!
Not my favorite food ever, but I know now that if I ever see that aforementioned beet salad on a restaurant menu, I will try it in a heartbeat.
What new foods have YOU tried lately? Care to share the recipe of that or any beet recipe you like?
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Mental Power is Just as Strong as Physical Power
I have never been one of those people who can regularly work out 5 - 6 days a week for months on end. I get burnt out way too quickly, both physically and mentally. I do much better making goals on a monthly basis. I can plan for the weather fairly accurately, holidays that will occur and all the parties that will take place, and have a general ideas of what my husband's travel schedule looks like for work so I know which days I will be "single parenting". And it works for me, because I am a planner - I love to plan everything.
We are now into the end of week 4 of 6FIT and I'm starting to get a little sad! Sad that I will miss my teammates daily support, sad that I will not be able to be motivated by my teammates food choices on our charts, and sort of sad that I haven't had as many high scoring days than I would have liked! Like all goals, sometimes you need to stop and make revisions as necessary. I had another unavoidable road block this week when, on Monday, Connor got a really bad stomach flu. He was sick as a dog all day which meant I needed to drop everything and tend to him. This was a first for me!! Of course he is my priority on a daily basis, but this was him clung to me literally for 12 hours straight. I couldn't cook myself food, much less log healthy food choices or get a workout in. Then Ned got it the second day, the day before he had to go out of town to work a midnight shift. So wifey mode kicked in, and I was tending two sick boys. Then I woke up early the next morning sick as a dog. Life happens (this has been theme for me this round of 6FIT!! Maybe there is a hidden message in all of this for me : ))!! And that is OK.
Mentally, I was really upset on Monday. I felt like there was so much I wanted to accomplish this week. First and foremost - new vegetarian recipes to try for "no meat" week and new stretch / tone workouts to try after a great week of cardio. But I had to take a few days off. I had to literally give myself a pep talk: "no, your teammates will not be mad at you for not getting points these few days, they will understand". I had to convince myself that all was not lost because of a few "off" days!! And the same rings true for anything in our lives: unexpected out of town work trips (a lot of my teammates have encountered this and they dealt with it amazingly!), last minute work projects, family duties, or health issues (hurt muscles, pulled body parts, etc).
Here we are in Thursday and I am back! I'm even more energized for the last two and a half weeks of 6FIT. I have new (silly?) goals, but they are important for me. What silly selfish goals will you set for yourself to make YOU feel great?!!?
(Oh and if you were wondering, my goals are: not eat meat through Sunday (finishing veg week strong), eat salmon again on Sat, no more snappea crisps!, no sugary foods until C's bday party, get outside at least once a day while the sun is still shining - hope my friends will join me on this one!)
We are now into the end of week 4 of 6FIT and I'm starting to get a little sad! Sad that I will miss my teammates daily support, sad that I will not be able to be motivated by my teammates food choices on our charts, and sort of sad that I haven't had as many high scoring days than I would have liked! Like all goals, sometimes you need to stop and make revisions as necessary. I had another unavoidable road block this week when, on Monday, Connor got a really bad stomach flu. He was sick as a dog all day which meant I needed to drop everything and tend to him. This was a first for me!! Of course he is my priority on a daily basis, but this was him clung to me literally for 12 hours straight. I couldn't cook myself food, much less log healthy food choices or get a workout in. Then Ned got it the second day, the day before he had to go out of town to work a midnight shift. So wifey mode kicked in, and I was tending two sick boys. Then I woke up early the next morning sick as a dog. Life happens (this has been theme for me this round of 6FIT!! Maybe there is a hidden message in all of this for me : ))!! And that is OK.
Mentally, I was really upset on Monday. I felt like there was so much I wanted to accomplish this week. First and foremost - new vegetarian recipes to try for "no meat" week and new stretch / tone workouts to try after a great week of cardio. But I had to take a few days off. I had to literally give myself a pep talk: "no, your teammates will not be mad at you for not getting points these few days, they will understand". I had to convince myself that all was not lost because of a few "off" days!! And the same rings true for anything in our lives: unexpected out of town work trips (a lot of my teammates have encountered this and they dealt with it amazingly!), last minute work projects, family duties, or health issues (hurt muscles, pulled body parts, etc).
Here we are in Thursday and I am back! I'm even more energized for the last two and a half weeks of 6FIT. I have new (silly?) goals, but they are important for me. What silly selfish goals will you set for yourself to make YOU feel great?!!?
(Oh and if you were wondering, my goals are: not eat meat through Sunday (finishing veg week strong), eat salmon again on Sat, no more snappea crisps!, no sugary foods until C's bday party, get outside at least once a day while the sun is still shining - hope my friends will join me on this one!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)