Not a spinner

I'm not a fan of spinning, and my legs are witnesses to that! However, the hubby loves it and now has a wish list.


The above picture isn't the exact one that he's requesting, but I did get a peek at Sam's yesterday. Costco also has a few that appear to be of better quality, but I'm not an expert.

Currently we have a small home gym that consists of free weights, a treadmill, and a 'total gym'. Disregard the unfinished floor as we haven't decided what we are going to do in our room yet. Suggestions?






I actually used both exercise machines today and feel pretty satisfied with my day overall. :)

Fruits and vegetables?

Finals are almost over and my waistline is extremely thankful because I'm consuming tons of coffee. Surely coffee can't be bad right? Well, mine is. I'm not a big fan of coffee, but started drinking it to get me through late night chemistry study sessions, and it just kind of stuck around. I doctor it with creamer and a bit of Splenda to up the sweetness factor. The result is a very calorie laden drink.

In addition to the massive amount of coffee in my diet, I'm also lacking in the fruit and vegetable area. I'm working the fruits in, but am horrible with my vegetables. Here's my breakfast the other day...French Toast with yogurt and blueberries.



I also has Cheerios with cottage cheese and a banana, but a different day.




So my goals are to drastically reduce my coffee intake and increase my fruits and vegetables! I'll let you know how it goes :)

Indulging

This has been a huge day of treats for me. Finals are approaching fast and caffeine is calling my name (usually from the coffee pot) very loudly. Today, or tonight rather, I decided to multitask with my coffee and combine it with dessert.



Of course since I indulged, my son wanted to as well, but with pizza instead of dessert.




What a funny looking pizza you might say, and you'd be correct! It isn't as unhealthy as it first appears. Notice the whole wheat crust (shaped like goldfish), which has an abundance of fiber for my little man's regularity. He actually consumes quite a bit of fiber on a regular basis and although I don't focus on increasing his fiber intake I do make sure he eats whole grains. This pizza also contains reduced fat cheese and turkey pepperoni. This proves that you can make any dish a little healthier while still tasting wonderful.

Another one of my dishes that I have altered...nachos!


Chips can add calories quickly, but make sure and add vegetables to help fill you up. I love spinach and will add it to almost anything! (spaghetti, smoothies, omelets, you name it) I've added it here along with black beans, brown rice, and reduced fat cheese. It was delicious and I don't feel deprived because I'm able to enjoy my favorite foods in moderation. After all, moderation is key to a healthy life!

Kids and Playtime

It amazes me how little time kids get to play. I really try and allow my oldest to go to the playground at least once a week so that he can meet more kids and have more interaction. I'm aware that schools have started reducing PE days and I'm still shocked. With the increasing rate of adult and childhood obesity here lately, you'd think schools would try to incorporate more physical activity. That's where us parents really need to step in and ensure our kids get a healthy amount of exercise daily. It can be difficult. I'll be the first to admit that, but it is extremely important that we teach kids at an early age that exercising can be fun.







Of course my son loves the playground, but doesn't love other exercises that I try to get him to participate in. He's a fan of yoga, soccer, and here recently pushups. A few days ago he decided to do pushups during the commercials on the Disney channel. I think he's been watching his mom too much! Occasionally we'll have him run laps or ride his bike in the house when the weather is bad...and of course this is a favorite!
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Bets are off

A few months ago, the hubby and I made a bet...one that neither was willing to break.  We both wanted to give up sodas of all kinds, so we made it interesting. If I caved, he would get a new paintball gun, but if he caved he'd have to watch the kiddos for two nights a week while I worked out.  We had a good run of 74 days, but then we  had soda!  We both had the stomach bug and I was hopeful, thinking that sprite would calm the yuckiness. It didn't.  So we called the bet off, but are ready to start it back up again.  We're trying to decide if the stakes will rise even higher this time, or remain the same. Suggestions?

We all know the dangers of sodas, whether it be diet or regular, so I found a few articles online that are helping me to say no to sodas.

http://www.myhomepersonaltrainer.com/articles/Soft-Drinks-and-Health.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20075358-10391704.html

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/american-trends/soft-drinks-america