Everything but Nothing Summer Day

Growing up, my brothers, neighborhood kids, and I would leave the house in the morning, MAYBE come home for lunch, and return home when our moms dragged us in by our dirty sweaty arms. We’d take bike rides or hikes that included impressively steep hills, cover distances that give a nod to my one brother’s ultra marathon habit, and create adventure and imaginary worlds that even Impress Roald Dahl. Or so we hoped. We would build forts with sticks and ferns. Play backyard kickball and made up games. 

And this week my sons did the same thing. They went on a hike in the woods in the back of our neighborhood. Play driveway basketball. Ate ice pops. And got dirty and sweaty. 

Next week we resume swim lessons and an array of camps, but this week they are enjoying free unscheduled play strengthening their bond as brothers and learning what it really means to Play. 

The Authentic Mom Typical Weekly Meal Plan

As you will see, my meals during the day really don’t change. Fruits and veggies are swapped in and out based on what is seasonal. But other than that, dinner and infrequent meals out offer me variety. I find that having predicable meals like this lower my stress when it comes time to food shop and prep. My weekly grocery bill is roughly around $110, depending on extra events like kids’ parties or holidays. I do bulk buy meats at SAMS Club once every other month or so, but since I am feeding myself, my husband, and 4 sons, I works with our budget.

I designed this meal plan from what I’ve learned from Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet as well as Autumn Calabrese’s 21 Day Fix Meal Plan. Since incorporating what I’ve learned, I’ve found my daily meals as a whole more balanced and my performance and energy levels more regulated and optimal.

1. Breakfast, 7:30 am
a. Steel Cut Oats (about ½ cup cooked) with 1 TBSP chia seeds, 1 TBSP wheat germ, and ½ tsp honey OR agave nectar. 2 Hard Boiled Eggs.
b. Scrambled Eggs (1/2 cup egg whites and 1 whole egg w/ cracked pepper) and chopped veggies (2 mushrooms, handful of spinach, ¼ tomato, and onion). Topped with ¼ avocado.
2. AM Snack 10:30 am
a. 1 cup milk, 3 ice cubes, 1 scoop shakeology well blended
3. Lunch 1:30 pm
a. Fruit Salad (about 2 cups chopped grapefruit, berries, kiwi, banana. 1 TBSP almond slivers and 1 TBSP raw coconut shavings). 6 oz nonfat plain Greek Yogurt with tsp honey or agave nectar.
b. Veggie Cruddetts (1 cup sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, etc) and canned tuna mixed with 1 tsp hummus or spicy mustard, capers, finely chopped onions.)
4. PM Snack 4:30 pm
a. Salad ( About 2 cups baby kale, arugula, spinach base and seasonal veggies)
b. Nonfat Plain Greek yogurt with agave nectar or honey.
5. Dinner 7:30 pm
a. Meat, veggie (baked zucchini or asparagus etc), and grain (brown rice, sweet potato, etc)
b. Meat and grain
6. Evening Snack 9:30 pm
a. Hot Tea
b. BONUS air popped corn

10 Things About Me

I can not tell you how hard this was. And how easy. Coming up with 10 things I like was the easy part… but then I had to make sure I was picking the 10 things I like THE MOST. I decided to keep people out, since to me it went without saying, people are more important than things.

The hardest was 10 Dislikes. I found myself thinking of things I would do anything to avoid. I realized that a lot of these were situations and feelings not so much as ‘things.’ I also realized that a lot of them were very ‘first world problem’ things. It is what it is…

What are your 10 Things??

10 Likes: (no order)

1. Historical Fiction

2. Urban Fantasy Novels

3. Whiskey

4. Fashion

5. Biking

6. Hiking

7. Spa STUFF/ ANYTHING

8. CLEANLINESS

9. Working Out

10. Chocolate

10 Dislikes: (no order)

1. Clutter/Mess

2. Foul Smells

3. Being Ignored or Dismissed

4. Feeling Bloated

5. Being HUNGRY

6. Cauliflour

7. White Gravy

8. SPAM

9. Cliques or Clubs

10. Being told what to do, especially if it is unsolicited.

The Basic of Me

I between having my fourth son, moving, settling into a new home in a new state, and undergoing major construction in said home, I have neglected my blog! So much has changed, but a lot has stayed the same. We welcomed our fourth son, Kai Walker to our family February 18th, 2013. My husband was promoted and moved from Texas to Connecticut, with all of us in tow. We are now right in the middle of transforming our 1.5 bathroom 1928 Colonial into a more modern 3 bathroom home with separate laundry and mudrooms and closets. It’ll look great when it’s done- just not there yet.

I am still a stay at home mom, while my three older boys are in school and my youngest runs me haggered. Whenever people ask me about myself, this is the role that always first comes to mind, so I guess it is what defines me the most. Boymom to 4. Interesting tidbit, I also have 3 younger brothers that enjoy teasing me and ruffling my feathers. They are all single and without children, so what stresses me out and sends me in a tizzy amuses them. I am also a wife, certified PiYo instructor, and online fitness coach.

I enjoy working out and along with PiYo, I am currently doing Insanity’s Max:30. I really love the intensity and especially the after burn. There is just something about being able to brag the next day, or even hours later about feeling sore. Kind of a badge of honor about working so hard. I love feeling strong and imagine myself being BadA$$ like the heroines in the books I read, even though I am actually really girly girlish.

Speaking of books, I love reading. My current favorites are Urban Fantasy (Psy-Changeling series, Elemental Assassin, Night Huntress) and Historical Fiction. Right now I am reading David Gemmell’s Troy series and am on the 3rd book, Fall of Kings. Plus I am always a sucker for a good romance. 🙂

I rally like dressing up, getting my hair, makeup, and nails done despite being surrounded by so much testosterone… or perhaps because of it??

But, I also enjoy being outside and getting good and dirty and sweaty. I love biking, hiking, and exploring with my family.

Just Another Day

When asked by a friend what we were planning to do the next day, Father’s Day, my husband replied, “It’s just another day.” My husband has the same attitude about birthdays.

I’m not going to lie I felt shamed. I had been asking him for well over a month what he would like to do. If there was something special he wanted. If there was somewhere he would like to go. If he would prefer to go out with friends, be alone, or have us around. But he’d reply, “It’s just another day.” Just like he has done every year since I have known him. This day is bigger than just one man and one day.

We celebrate Father’s Day to honor our own fathers here and gone. What they have taught us and the memories we have of them.

We celebrate so our children are able to embrace their fathers and express gratitude for their fathers.

We celebrate so our children understand that fatherhood is not simply a paycheck but a honorable and meaningful role in their lives.

We celebrate because without spotlighting men who try their best to be the best they can be, less than best would become common.

 

We went out on the bright, cloudless Sunday and collected our spots equipment and took to the fields. Playing, learning skills, and bonding. I saw my sons giggle, squeal, and embrace their father.

 

Breakfast Fruit Salad

I have recently fallen in love with fruit salads. Specifically for breakfast. And to be completely honest, it’s not really about the fruit. Not really. The secret?

Coconut Flakes.

Here I have diced grapefruit, kiwi, strawberries as well as blueberries chia seed & coconut flakes.

I have stumbled upon fruit salads with the add ons while playing with this new meal plan from the 21 Day Fix. This particular meal is 1 purple, 1 blue, & 1 orange. While reading and researching I discovered I was doing Ok filling the other containers but not doing great with blue and orange, so it has been a challenge to find a way fit them into my daily diet. And even better I not longer NEED to blend my fruit in shakes as much and enjoy actually eating it.

Why I Chose Juice Plus+ for My Family

Why does Juice Plus+ make sense for me? And more importantly for my family? I believe in my children and know that I must help them realize their potential through experiences, training, education, and most importantly nutrition.

My first child, Ethan, was born only one week early. However, it did not come without complications. He came out just fine. Healthy, robust, and full of life. However, when he was put on my chest and the nurses and I tried to coax him to breastfeed, it just didn’t happen. The first time, the second time, and every time after that. I was made to feel like it was my fault, like I was deformed, doing it wrong, or incapable. Still, Ethan needed to be feed, and to all of our surprise we discovered, he could not suck. At first, he had to be fed with a syringe. I remember my OB mentioning something about what would we do without technology (I guess to make me feel better). It didn’t make me feel better.

Ethan grew into a very intelligent, rambunctious, little boy. I was astounded by his intellect and athletic ability. Knowing what I knew of my own childhood, I never expected to have such an awesome kid. I didn’t think I had it in my genes.

Then something else threw me for a loop, Ethan refused to eat any fruits or vegetables. When it came time for us to feed him baby food it was a complete disaster. He clamped his mouth shut for everything from rice cereal to peas and carrots.

Beyond my children, I had another challenge within my family. My husband was also a notoriously horrible eater. And while he was a very successful wrestler, I noticed that his brother was a lot taller than he was. His sister was also not short. And even though he barely got sick, when he did, the bugs and germs that affected me really knocked Doug out. I was concerned that his poor food choices were causing all of these things. I could not make my husband eat foods he didn’t want to (he is a grown man). But I needed to do everything in my power to give my picky eater son a fighting chance.

That’s when I started putting Miracle Reds, Amazin Greens, flaxseed, wheat germ, PediaSure in shakes and pancakes. The problem was that at Ethan’s young age, he still would not consistently eat all these fortified foods, and to be honest, I was making them as consistently as I should.

My family grew (I now have three young boys), but my challenge remained. How could I consistently offer the variety of nutrients that my family needed and that they would eat?

Then I found Juice Plus+ Gummies. All three of my sons love fruit snacks, and Juice Plus+ Gummies have the taste and texture of these same treats. Now my sons can get 17 fruits, vegetables, and grains every single day without me having to even ask them to. And along with a healthy diet, they are now on their way to realizing their potential.

Slowly

Sometime while I sing with my 3 year old, he requests that I sing a song “ssllloooooowly.” Its a sign that the is enjoying our singing, our time together, as well as expressing his need to better understand and grasp the language in the song.

If we were to choose something in our day that we could do sslllooooowly what would it be? Would you choose something easy like getting out of bed. (Who likes getting out of bed fast?). Or something hard, like driving? Would you choose something that is somewhat new or not a usualy part of your day? Or something that is a daily ritual or habit?

Whether it be eating, driving, talking, walking, or even exercising, try doing something slowly. You might discover a new appreciaition for the task or find out that maybe you have not performing at your best in the old FAST way.

Get Up a Little Earlier

Its crazy. And Insane. Even arguable inhumane. But I like getting up early. Oh it is painful when I first lift my head off my pillow and blindly shuffle to the bathroom. But the whole time I am thinking, “Breakfast alone”. WHAT?!?!

Let me back up a bit. For me to get up early and make it worth the effort, I have to get up at least two hours before everyone else in my family. That means on a school day when my children need to rise at 6:30, I am dragging myself out of bed at 4:30. In the morning. Yuck.

BUT if I get up by that time, I can complete my morning workout video, unload the dishwasher, have the lunches packed, breakfasts made and out on the table, my breakfast consumed, and even get started on my daily chores. It sounds like a whole lot of making time to do work. But its more than that.

You see the way I look at it, the kids are going to need to be fed, the laundry isn’t going to do itself, and the house… well in our current financial situation hiring someone to clean it is out of the question.

But when I accomplish my responsibilities on my time, without being rushed, I am able to calmly deal with other tasks. Like wake my children, help them pick out their clothes, KINDLY and PATIENTLY talk about their day and what is planned. GENTLY remind them of their chores and tasks that they need to accomplish that morning.

Also, if I am not thinking about finishing their lunches, the breakfasts that aren’t near ready, or how HUNGRY I am, I can fully take stalk of my children’s mood and orchestrate the morning. And this alone makes it all worth it when you concider the unpleasant feeling of rising so early.

Add that to the opportunity to chill out with my children while they eat their breakfast without running around tying up loose ends… well I’m sure you get the point.

Monday Speed Workout

Yesterday I posted one (actually two) of my favorite post workout meals. Today I would like to post one of my favorite workouts. My Monday Speed Workout.

I would like to preface this by saying I have yet to think of myself as a runner. I am not entirely sure I actually like running. But I do know that it is that one sure fire thing that helps me achieve my weight loss goals and after awhile I kind of crave it, especially when I go more than 3 or 4 days without some kind of run workout.

This workout is a very high intensity zone 4 and 5 workout. My heart rate gets up above 180, which is zone 4 for me when I run. I have been slowly working on my speed since before I became pregnant with my 3rd son. Then when I was cleared to workout after he was born, I ended up back at square one. I found it difficult to jog at a 5.5 on the treadmill. While I could go on forever at a 5.0 or lower, any faster would kill me. But over the past 2.5 years I have slowly built up my endurance to where I can run half a mile at a 7.3 and even a 5K at a 6.0 (or dare I say faster?). My point is that speed is relative to the individual (as the actual number your heart rate is at). So as long as you are getting your heart rate up to where you find it hard to say more than one word at a time, then you are good and can forget the rest.

For this workout I like to do a mile warm-up. I like to start the treadmill at 5.3 and every minute add one (so after minute 1 I would be at 5.4 on the treadmill). I continue this until I have run 1 full mile. Then for the next mile I do two minute intervals. I usually end my first mile warm-up at around 6.4 so I add 5 onto where ever I ended my warm-up (6.9) and run that for two minutes. Then I bump the speed back down to 5.4 for a minute and then 5.9 for another minute. Then 7.0 for two minutes. Then 5.5 for a minute and 6.0 for another minute. By this time I am close to my second mile, so I finish it at a 7.0 for a full two minutes. Then for the next mile I walk on an incline of 15 at 3.3 trying to bump up the speed 1 every minute. By then end of the mile I am around 4.6 jogging up a very steep hill, huffing and puffing.

Then I do another mile, each time going faster and faster until my last interval I am running at 7.3 for two minutes. I then do a one mile cool down, gradually going from around 6.5 taking my time until I find myself slowly walking the last minute of my mile at around 1.5. And then I am spent.

Like I said, it took me a long time to get to those speeds. For me they are a great challenge, but everyone is different. For example my husband could do his intervals starting at a speed of 10, whereas when I started I was only able to manage 6.0 for a two minute sprint. The big thing to remember is that you need to start it knowing that you will need room to grow at least 4 (or more depending on how fast you are going) up.