I installed the My Fitness Pal app and have been logging everything I eat, and all of my activities for the last 4 days. It. Is. Depressing. Did you know that the serving recommendations on most (deceivingly) single person packaged foods is almost ALWAYS half of the container??? As a fan of the big cans of Campbell's Chunky soups, I figured while I was at the store last night I'd compare a can of Chunky Chicken Noodle to a can of Chicken with Whole Grain Pasta from the Campbell's All Natural section.
Um, excuse me? Those things looked almost the exact same. Oh, and do not even get me started on the differences between the Campbell's "classic recipe" and "healthy kids" recipe. Why would they not just switch ALL of fun shaped chicken noodle soups to the "healthy kids"?? Good thing my girls like the Princess shapes, because watch out Scooby-Doo, your sodium levels are going to catch up with you one day!
All this shopping around and comparing my foods has been an eye opener. While at the doctors office the other day, I weighed in at 180 lbs (Yeah I'm sharing that info with you, keep it to yourself). This means that in the four months since my son was born I've only lost total...15 lbs? That sounds great until you remember that 7 lbs 8 oz of that weight was all him in there. 180 lbs is a doozy of a downer for me. I hate that number. That number can go straight to hell. I look in the mirror and I don't think I LOOK like a 180, but I am. Which of course makes me look at myself entirely different. It also makes me think about the way I eat. I stay at home, with access to all sorts of goodies in my pantry and refrigerator. You might think to yourself, well then why buy those things? Yeah, well see, about that, I don't eat junk food. Occasionally I will have some chips, but you won't find me just sitting at the table with Double Chocolate Fudge ice cream and a Twinkie. See, I like to snack on things like a handful of Cheez-Its, maybe roll up some turkey sandwich meat and eat that, and if I'm really feeling "snacky" I'll pop some popcorn. These things are not necessarily unhealthy. In fact, most of the snacks in my fridge could almost be considered "rabbit food". People like to use the phrase "quality not quantity". Well this is my problem. When I shop I am more worried about the "quality" of my food (which is GOOD, hear me out) because I want my family to eat healthy. But as I am snacking throughout the day I am realizing that my quantity is pushing the limits. The first day I logged everything I ate for the day, I was flabbergasted. I ate THAT much food? With THAT many calories?
This sucks friends. Because I can no longer feign ignorance to my eating habits. And now that I have mastered eating quality food, it is time to master the quantity of my food.
That process so far has been remarkably easy. It started with wanting my children to eat better (go figure). At each meal I began to reword our go to "You need to eat" phrases. Instead of "You better eat/finish your food" we say, "You only have to eat until your tummy is full, but you do have to try what Mommy cooked for you." This has not only taught them that they can tell us when they are full, but also, it has been the cause of them trying new foods. "What, I don't have to finish everything? Heck yeah I'll try a bite of this broccoli roll up thing that looks so gross. Wait a minute! I like this!" It works like a freaking charm, friends! We also talked to them about the importance of not eating after your belly is full.
Which is good, because now Monster S reminds us at every meal. "Mommy, it looks like you are eating a lot of food. Are you sure your belly isn't full?" and "Daddy, remember, Mama told us not to eat after your belly is full, because then you'll get fat." Wise words Monster S, wise words.
However, in between meals it is more difficult. There are only so many different ways to keep yourself busy and entertained when you are holding a sleeping baby. It's just easy to eat when I'm bored. Sitting in front of my computer is only exercise for my fingers, and I'm not sure that really counts. Can you burn calories when you are typing a million words a minute? Not to mention, once I've done my general "pick-up" around the house, there usually isn't much cleaning left to be done. It would also be a lot easier to just go to sleep at night if my Monster Man would sleep too.
This is my dilemma friends. I need some exercises/workouts for the non-athletic. Workouts that I can do while I am cleaning. Until I've figured that out I guess I'll just have to shake my hips a little extra during my dance marathons with the Monsters.
Raise your glass (of water) my friends, to what I hope is permanent habit of eating the right foods, with only the occasional candy bar and bag of chips! I mean really, it is all about the baby steps, right?
You add me on the app! I mostly just like to add my recipes so I can see the nutritional information lol I also have plenty of at home workouts on my blog that typically don't require and equipment :)
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