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Sunday, December 11, 2011

Holiday Fitness Challenge - Update

Well, it's been over a week since I promised myself that I would not gain any weight over the holidays and it's time for an update.

If you missed my post outlining the challenge, you can find it here.

Food

My son used to attend an all-day daycare where his lunch was provided and I also had 4 extra hours in my day to take care of all the things on my to-do lists. Yes, lists is plural. Yes I have multiple lists. I am a lister. Shut up!

Anyhoo - I guess 4 extra hours alone gave me the time to make myself a good healthy breakfast and lunch without really thinking about it. Because now that E is home by 12:30 every day I find I am rushing through meals, ie grabbing a cereal bar for breakfast (horrible for you) or making a peanut butter sandwich for lunch (bread makes you fat, mkay?).

E also takes a home-packed lunch to school now and I make sure he has a good, healthy variety of lunch foods each day. One of the best things I did was get him a Planet Box. It's the coolest, most useful lunch kit I've ever seen. The plastic or tupperware ones are fine but the metal Planet Box is a step above. It's also a higher price tag, but worth it, in my opinion.

As I was packing his box the other morning with blackberries, greek yogurt, carrot sticks and bunny grahams I thought to myself, "Self - you're a complete idiot. You take the time to shop for and pack a healthy lunch for E and then you eat like shit because you're in a hurry. PACK TWO LUNCHES, BRAINIAC."

Yep. That's how I'm going to provide myself with good midday food - packing two lunches instead of one. That way when it comes time to eat it will all be ready and laid out and actually a time-saver.

Exercise 

How do you fit in a workout when you are slammed with preparing for the holidays? Here is my pro tip for those of you in warm climates with a park nearby: Go there. I know right? I'm brilliant. Look - getting to the park once every day or two has a multitude of benefits.

You get fresh air, you get a break from the tedium of whatever else you were doing and your kids will love it. You can get exercise by climbing, sliding and pushing the swings along with the little ones. Sure it's not an epic workout, but it's better than sitting on the couch eating Santa chocolates.

If you are really into it there are lots of exercises that you can do while your kids are playing in the playground.

1. Park benches are usually the ideal height for doing squats. Tap your butt, don't sit.
2. Do walking lunges around the play area.
3. Do incline pushups on the benches.
4. Do dips on the benches.
5. If there is an appropriately clean spot, you can do crunches on the ground.
6. Do a standing ab workout.
6. Sit on the bench and do your kegels, ladies.
7. Plank. Your kids will think it's hilarious.

If you are saying to yourself, 'But my kids are 4-legged and hairy!' try doing most of this stuff at the doggy park.

Pop in a workout DVD or find one on Netflix. Even Hulu has some yoga and whatnot. Or just go for a walk. If it's cold, bundle up and cruise through your neighborhood (on foot!) with the kids to check out some holiday lights.

Cheats - The Holidays Made Me Do It

  • two Oreo cookies 
  • a bar of dark chocolate
  • a gingerbread latte
  • two home-made gingerbread cookies
  • half a churro

Results

Actually dropped a couple of pounds since the beginning of the month but that was likely due to having 'lady bloat' then. So basically I've had some cheat foods but I'm maintaining the status quo.


How are you doing? Are you keeping your journal? Getting exercise? Anyone have good quick exercise tips for those of you covered in winter snow (besides shoveling the driveway, heh heh)?



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