31 Days: Bonus Lean Cuisine Coupon

I spent last month participating in the 31 Day Challenge, trying to re-establish what healthy New Year's resolutions meant for me. Obviously, losing weight is always a plus but I think it's more important to contemplate how everything is interconnected– diet, exercise, sleep, attitude. These things all affect each other and you can't really expect long-term change without balancing all of them.

Bearing that in mind, I don't see my lifestyle changing much now that the 31 Day Challenge has come to a close. I've been pretty happy with my progress. (She says as her husband walks into the room bearing donuts…) I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. I exercise daily, drink water, try to be a better example for my kids. I have actually really enjoyed using Lean Cuisine as my go-to lunch menu and occasional dinner bail-out. They taste good, are quick and easy to prepare and great to stockpile in the freezer for your moments of weakness. I suggest stowing some Skinny Cow treats in the freezer, too, to stave off your sweet tooth!

If you're a Lean Cuisine lover, or just want to see what the fuss is all about, I have a great deal for you. As a member of the Lean 11, I was given a special "buy four, get one free" coupon to distribute:

Supplies are limited, so get yours now! (FYI, I do get brownie points for getting folks to download it. Healthy brownie points, that is, and a chance to win a prize.) It's also posted on my sidebar, so feel free to tell your frugal friends.



Disclosure: In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am being compensated for my participation in the 31 Day Challenge but all opinions are my own.

31 Days: Recap

Today is the first day of February, which means my 31 Day Challenge has come to an end. Officially, anyway. I think that the impetus to eat better and exercise more is going to stick around for quite a bit longer. My weight loss wasn't huge- only about six pounds- but I know that being more mindful of what I consume is a permanent change.

To check up on the progress of the rest of the Lean 11, visit the 31 Days website. Here's a Whrrl about my month.

More check-ins at home

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before:

after:

Disclosure: In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am being compensated for my participation in the 31 Day Challenge but all opinions are my own.

31 Days: Exercising Options

Here's way more information than you probably want to know about my workout regime…you will see how unnaturally obsessed I am with Jillian Michaels. It's true.

More check-ins at home

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Disclosure: In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am being compensated for my participation in the 31 Day Challenge but all opinions are my own.

31 Days: Reading Healthier

One of the biggest challenges in adopting a healthy lifestyle is changing the way you think about everything. Food, sure, that's a given but have you ever thought about how your outlook on other things impacts your eating habits and your physical activity? It may not be a really big surprise to you but I've only just realized how much everything in life is interconnected.

Soon after signing on to the 31 Day Challenge (check out the new site!), I read a provocatively-titled post by Julien Smith: How to Lose 20+ lbs in January 2011. It's not as much of a how-to as a call to action, less about losing weight and more about taking ownership of your body. I dig it. He points out some simple things to consider and provides a good reading list to get started with. I borrowed Tim Ferris' much-ballyhooed The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman from the library but was kind of put off by its macho swagger. (It had some good info but overall read like a phone book-sized Men's Health article.) I'm not interested in getting ripped as much as being moderately fit. Yep, I'm a middle-of-the-road girl sometimes.

I received a copy of Oxygen's Pick It Kick It to review. It's not necessarily something I would pick up on my own (its bright colors and lascivious design makes it look like a tabloid tell-all mag about junk food) but it's really pretty smart. Little nutritional factoids and tips can help you a make smarter grocery shopping and dining out choices. For example, if you abhor healthier whole grain breads and will only eat white breads, it suggests you consider choosing sourdough. Why? Because the lactic acid in sourdough aids digestion. Smart, right? It's all about thinking about what you're eating.

Pick It Kick It author Diane Hart is the Executive Editor for Oxygen Magazine and Editor In Chief of Oxygen’s Special Issue Publications. She says that “Eating right doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive – it is a simple matter of making the right choices and that comes from knowing what foods are better than others.” Amen, sister! Here are her tips for eating healthier when dining out:

1. Stick to restaurants known for their healthy food options
2. To cut down on fat intake, order low-fat salad dressing on the side, and then dip your fork between bites to get the flavor without the extra fat
3. To cut calories while keeping taste and nutrition, mix your OJ and other fruit juices with equal amount of mineral water, plain water or seltzer and give the other half to your dining partner
4. Avoid bagels and muffins: Portion sizes have doubled in size and calories over the years, while muffins contain the bad stuff
5. Swap artificial sweeteners for honey, a half-teaspoon worth is just the right sweetness
6. Takes up to 20 minutes for food to digest: chew food thoroughly and slow down
7. Don’t “save your calories” by skipping meals: Not only will you slow down your metabolism, but you will be famished by the meal and most likely overeat
8. Anything “creamed,” “scalloped,” “au gratin,” “sautéed” or “breaded” is most likely loaded with fat: Go for “smoked,” “barbecued,” “roasted,” “grilled” or “broiled”
9. Buffet-Style Dining: Avoid it but tips if you must-Do an initial walk around and find vegetables and other clean etc., next get the small plate and load up on the proteins and other clean foods. Watch out for sauces and fried foods, skip breads and pastas
10. Portion control: Most people underestimate the calories in a meal by 150 to 400 calories; box off half of your meal for leftovers, less calories and two meals out of one saves money

Bob has been reading a lot of spiritual books by world-renowned Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and has told me a lot about his theories about mindful living. I'm anxious to check out Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life written by Thich Nhat Hanh with nutritionist Lilian Cheung, which combines diet and meditation for a holistic approach. I'm interested in learning how to approach weight loss without the vanity commonly associated with it. Losing not to achieve attractiveness but a sense of balance, if that makes any sense.

What do you think?


Disclosure: In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am being compensated for my participation in the 31 Day Challenge but all opinions are my own.

31 Days: Eating Healthier

I wrote a little last week about the  31 Day Challenge I'm participating in. It's been pretty easy to eat lighter and healthier after the overload of heavy Holiday food. We've kept a lot of fresh vegetables in the house and have been eating a lot of salads. I've stocked up on Lean Cuisine frozen meals and Skinny Cow frozen novelties, which I am using primarily for lunches and snack attacks. Here's a recap of my shopping trip to stock up on them:

More check-ins at Walmart Supercenter #1507

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I have been very surprised with how tasty the Lean Cuisine meals are, overall, although I think the real secret behind them is portion control. I could probably eat two meals in one sitting, although that would defeat the purpose! I try to supplement them with a salad or fruit and have gotten used to finishing meals without an overly full feeling. Bob suggested we use the kids' plates for our own meals and see how much weight we'd lose. I suspect he's onto something there!

Disclosure: In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am being compensated for my participation in the 31 Day Challenge but all opinions are my own. 

31 Days

I've never had what I would really call a healthy body image. I spent most of my childhood and teenage years thinking I was fat, although in retrospect I was being silly. When I see old pictures, it makes me sad because I spent so much time hating my body instead of enjoying what it was capable of. I thought I was fat and clumsy and never wanted to join in any kind of physical activity, at school or at play. I consoled myself with thinking it was okay to be a bookworm, smart was enough. It wasn't until I was pregnant with Roo that I started thinking about my body in terms of health versus attractiveness. Looking good became less important than being fit and healthy. Food became a fuel source more than an activity. I actually wanted to exercise, to make labor and delivery easier and safer for myself and for my future baby.

Over the past seven years, with two natural childbirths under my belt, I lost my sense of personal well-being. Moms notoriously put others' needs before their own, but it's no excuse for my laziness. I never really worked to lose the weight after Jasper was born and our lives got busier and somehow, here I am almost four years later with an extra fifty pounds weighing me down both physically and mentally. Obviously, I am in need of some changes, so I was glad to be asked to participate in a 31 Day Challenge to start 2011 off in a healthier way. Lean Cuisine and The Skinny Cow have asked eleven bloggers to document the changes they're making this first month of the new year… allow me to introduce the Lean 11.

Mel/Mama Buzz
Zippy/Champagne Living
Nicole/SAHM Reviews
Wendy/The Local Cook
Tara/This Military Mama
Shelby & Steve/Glitterful Felt Stories
Eliza/The Life of a Home Mom
Brandi/Mama Knows It All
Ellen/Confessions of an Overworked Mom
Lisa/East Texas Saver
and, of course, me- Naomi/Superdumb Supervillain

Our goals vary, from weight loss and strength training to energy gain, but we're all committed to taking steps toward a healthier 2011. I've started doing the 30 Day Shred DVD again and already feel a change in my energy level and muscle strength, although I've actually gained a couple of pounds. I'll be reviewing other fitness games and books this month, letting you know how they work for me, and counting my calorie intaking using Lean Cuisine meals for lunches and The Skinny Cow treats. I picked up a couple of these to stock my freezer and was surprised at how much better Lean Cuisine meals look than I remember. Lots and lots of choices to suit most palates.

As a bonus, if you collect twenty codes from boxed Lean Cuisine meals before March 31st (excluding Market Creations), you can redeem them for a cute lunch bag. I am partial to the graffiti style, personally.

Okay, on to the accountability. Here I am, post-Shred, at the beginning of January.

I know, it's not pretty. One of my big resolutions for 2011 is to stop running away from cameras, like I've been doing since I was 9 or 10, so I am keeping it real with an ultra-rare snapshot of me in workout clothes. Shudder.

What are your goals for the new year? Share them with me!

Disclosure: In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am being compensated for my participation in the 31 Day Challenge but all opinions are my own.