I challenge you to a Dual Challenge Duel

From now on I am going to post a 2 part weekly challenge on Thursday or Friday. The weekend portion will be focused on activity, and the weekday portion will be focused on diet. I think that a little peer pressure goes a long way, and that if I feel like my blog readers expect me to do something, then I am more likely to do it.

So for the inaugural weekly challenge:

Weekend challenge: This weekend I challenge everyone to do a "slow burn" type of activity in addition to whatever they were planning on doing for exercise. To me a "slow burn" is something where you are marginally more active for a long time, like a nice long walk, or a slow swim, or even the extra calories you burn from cleaning the house. (See how I'm trying not to interfere with the stuff you have to get done?) Add one extra hour of slow burn activity to your weekend each day.

The week challenge is to add something healthy to your meals this week, that is not a part of your diet. If you don't like lentils, try a lentil curry, if you don't typically go for zucchini, try some broiled with a hint of pepper. Add something that is on my super healthy foods list to your diet, even just one night this week. It doesn't have to be something you don't like, just something you rarely eat!

Here are some ideas:
Lentils
Oats
Quinoa
Acorn Squash
Walnuts
Blueberries
Bran
Flax
Eggplant
Bell Peppers

These are just a few ideas for things that some people don't eat on a regular basis. Try adding walnuts or blueberries to your pancakes, replace cold cereal with oatmeal, or try adding lentils to a soup.

I hope this inspires someone to join me in trying to add one little thing per week, to help get in shape!

Groupon FTW and a side on Pinspiration.

In case you are my mom and you are reading this, FTW means for the win.

2012 is going to be my year.

I signed up for a groupon that got us a month of gym membership for $40 for the 2 of us.

We start as soon as David's show ends on monday.

I am also using Pinterest to help motivate me. I used to look at yummy baked goods and pin them, but now I am using it as a source of motivation to eat well and drop the pounds. Here are some of the things I have pinned:

As well as 100's of recipes for healthy food and workout ideas. 

To see all my pins, check them out here! 

I know finding motivation can be difficult and I know everyone finds it in a different way, and Pinterest is a great way to boost your motivation factor when you are trapped at a desk.

The scale is lying to me.

I guess it is time for a new scale.

I stepped on it this morning and it told me I was down 5lbs from my "over the holidays" weight (15 down total) I was so happy, but I wanted to step back on to check and make sure. Then it told me I was 4 pounds heavier.

Since all I did was breathe near the scale for 30 seconds, I think it might be having some issues.

Also it seems to think the air in our bathroom weighs 10 pounds.

So I guess it is time for a new one.

Back to it and "Resolutioners"

New year means being back on the bandwagon. I know I ate poorly and sat around too much over the holidays.
So the new year is a food chance/ excuse to get myself back on track with eating right and working out. The downside to the whole "healthy new year" concept is the frustration of a jam packed gym, full of new years resolutioners.

This year I'm just hoping they buy a lot of home use equipment, then give up early and sell it for cheap on the internet. We got an elliptical machine, but i can totally see why the last owners sold it, it is squeaky and definitely not as great as the ones at the gym.

But this is my year. I'm back on My Fitness Pal (which I highly recommend) you don't need a smartphone to use it, and there is no special diet. You just tell it your weight and your goals, and it reinforces every positive thing you do. Oh and it's free. So if you are a resolutioner, definitely check it out! (www.myfitnespal.com)

The Value of Health

One of the reasons it can be so hard to get healthy, is that it can seem so expensive. Especially when you compare healthy to healthiest- like comparing veggies to organic veggies, walking outside to a gym membership. Sometimes it is hard to spend the extra money on the things that I call "motivating factors".

For me, it is hard to spend money to walk on a treadmill at a gym, when I can walk outside for free. But there is something about knowing I have spent that money that makes me want to go, to get my money's worth. Same thing with organic veggies, once you spend that bit extra, you are more motivated to eat them, because if they go bad, it is SUCH a waste of money.

For me the motivation to splurge on the gym in the first place came from something my younger sister said to me once that really resonated with me. She said "If there was a pill that was $200 per month, and you could take it and be healthy and fit, you would right? So when you pay extra for gyms and healthy food, it is the same thing, the same money" 

For some reason thinking of it like that, made the splurge all worth it, and going to the gym is what motivated me in the first place.

Little victory- Little Post

Since my new city, Calgary is a LOT more conservative with clothing than my old one Eugene* I did a bit of shopping this summer so I could fit in with the people who don't have "dress Birkenstocks"**. One of the things I bought is a hounds-tooth pencil skirt. This morning when I went to put it on, it was too big, and I had to hold it up with a belt. It isn't the white dress, but I am on my way!

* similar to saying the ocean is larger than a puddle. Seriously.

** If you think I am kidding you should see their "fancy tie dye"

Surviving the holidays.

Eating well is going to get more and more difficult. I LOVE holiday baking. It might be my favorite part of the holidays. And nothing says merry christmas less than sugar free flax cookies, or whatever healthy people eat at this time of the year. But this year my gift to myself and my husband is making good choices about our health, which means saying "No" to the snowballs and fudge, and Buche De Noel and pink peppermint cookies.

I'm just not sure if I can do that. I mean the only way to sustain this is if I don't hate every second of it. SO I need to find a way to have one cookie, not 10. And a slice of cake, not a cake.

Anyone with tips to share, feel free to do so! Any way to decline the treats, skip the eggnog and not feel like you are missing the season? I will post any advice I get as I get it. 

Healthy Holidays everyone.