Pantry Makeover!

No, not the pretty, crafty, DIY kind, the food kind :). I've shared that I am on a journey to optimal health but its not just me!  We're all in it together here! Of course, my kids don't need to lose weight so their "being healthy" is a little different than mine! We are just trying to swap out some normal snacks or foods with some "whole" and more healthful alternatives. 

 

First off, fresh fruit or veggies are our go to snacks.  Apple, alone or with PB, carrots, alone or with ranch, (is it just my kids, or will yours eat anything if they can dip it?!), frozen/fresh blueberries with yogurt,

We swapped out their fruit snacks for craisins and my kids still LOVE them! (they were on sale at Costco too so WAY cheaper than (fake) fruit snacks!)

 

We've filled up on applesauce squeeze pouches. These things are the treat of all treats at my house BUT we try to save them for times we're out and about and use the big jar of applesauce at home.

 

We swapped out some crappy cookies for these fun, organic mickey cookies! Are they an anytime food? no. These are a sometimes snack for my kids (often times a "please be quiet at church" snack!)

 

We also do pretzel sticks "stuck" in peanut butter. Like I said, dipping is SO fun ;)

 

I try not to let the kiddos snack too much because then they won't eat their meals!  Not everything is uber healthy, but we're trying! And tt's not to say that they won't have mcdonalds every once in a while or treats but just hoping to become more healthy overall :) 

Half way (kind of)

About 7 weeks ago I started a program to get healthy! (If you want to read about the start, go here)  It's changed me so much in this short 7 weeks, both physically and mentally.  I'm down 18 lbs and feel great! This is the lowest I've been since before getting married and 47 lbs lower than my highest non pregnant weight. Sad, but true. I've still got a ways to go, I'm half way to my first goal. It may be my last goal or I may decide to lose a little more. I want to see how I feel :) 

This program is a lifestyle change, not a diet. I have a free health coach (who is amazing and SO helpful!) and we work on a different habit of health each week, from eating 6 small meals a day or exercising to quiet time and journaling. I have a great support network (also a habit of health) and have made the choice to be healthy for my family and myself. 

I've been amazed at how great I feel most of the time! It's when I go "off program" and eat something high in sugar usually that my body really doesn't feel well. It's amazing how when you are used to feeling crappy, crappy feels ok.  Then you start to eat well and feel great and crappy feels horrible! Lol lets hope that made some kind of sense! 

I've tried a lot of things in the past and had lost weight successfully for a while before but nothing has changed me like this program has. I'm grateful for the knowledge I've gained, the support of my family and my health coach! If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask and if you'd like to get your own free health coach, let me know and I'll give you her number! She and her husband work as a team and they are great! (And you don't have to live near them, they live in Tennessee and I'm here in AZ!) 

The Start

Today was eye opening. It was emotional.

 

But ya know, I think this is how it's supposed to start.  I think this is the right way to make a permanent change, through true self reflection and thoughtful decision making.

 

I've always been one to jump on a diet band wagon.  Maybe not the crazy, super fads, but I've definitely yo-yo dieted more than I'd care to admit. I've tried weight watchers with my mom at home, calorie counting, working out a lot, even dr supervised but I've never really asked myself or been asked "why?"

 

Why do you want to lose weight? What will you do when you lose that weight? Why is it important?

 

WHY?

 

Well shoot. I don't freaking know.  I was asked that yesterday and honestly, I guess the reason my first answer was I don't know is because its just been ingrained in my mind that I should, because society has said I should. Well that wasn't motivating. Maybe that's why I've tried and failed so many times. I don't care enough about what society thinks. I needed a better reason. A reason that meant more to me, was more motivating. And that came in admitting to myself that I wasn't "mostly healthy," and that even though I could still do things like exercise and play with my kids, I would eventually pay the price for excess weight that was on my bones (and had started already with a hurt knee), and that I want to be able to keep up with my healthy husband even when we are old. I don't want him to have to take care of me after our kids move out. I want to play with my (eventual) grand kids and be able to travel with my husband and do the things we couldn't do with kids. In short, I want to be able to take care of me. 

My apprehensions were shocking to me. I didn't know I had them. I didn't know I was self sabotaging and was afraid of losing the weight. Sounds crazy, but it's true. In deciding whether or not to start this program, I had to really take a look at what I wanted and what I was going to do. Being overweight has become my identity, or at lest a large part of it. If I wasn't overweight, what was i? That was my biggest fear. How backwards is that? I guess I just became comfortable being uncomfortable. It's been an excuse for a lot of things. If I felt someone didn't like me, it must be because I'm overweight, if I didn't get a job, or something didn't work out I would attribute it to my weight. It was my go to excuse. If I wasn't overweight anymore, what would my excuse be? That was scary to me. 

I've made the choice to change. I have the support of my husband and am glad to be starting this journey.