I get how much...

A few days ago the USDA did something that caused them to receive a bit more notice in the blogging/ healthy living community. They changed the food pyramid...into a plate. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/proteinfoods.html

The new food plate is designed to make it easier for people to really understand what an actual healthy portion of food looks like. Nope a healthy portion is not just when your plate is practically running over with yummyness. ;) Rather a healthy portion is about more about nutrition, and providing all that your body truly needs. (I know it needs chocolate and other deliciousness, but it wants way more than is reasonable sometimes.)

Now let me think….where have I seen this before?? I’m sure it will come to me.

When I first heard about this, my first thought was wait. Didn't someone already suggest this to people? With a little digging I found it. This plate is designed by a company called Slimware. The flowers on this plate represent the portion sizes we are supposed to have.

I think slimware should sue the USDA or at the very least link them with the USDA website. Slimware’s product is exactly what the USDA is advocating, but taking the guess work out of it. I personally like the Downtown Chic better than the Urban Safari, but to each their own. If none of their prints are really your thing, you can always stop by your local wally world and pick up a divided plate ala elementary school. You just can’t cheat and put your protein where your veggies are clearly supposed to go.

Portion control is definitely something everyone should be mindful of, but I know that I for one struggle with it. The plates are a nifty, albeit pricey, idea. So how do you manage portion control? Are the plates worth it, and if so what pattern?

You no write, no call...

I know, I know. I've been missing this outlet lately. To be honest, I've been missing all the fun things I like doing like reading blogs, yoga, television. Work has kept me so busy that I've just been doing the minimum with regards to the fun bits.

Now, things are starting to slow down and guess what?! I'm tired! :)

I'm enjoying catching up on things and I have some things to share.

- Water consumption is up... okay it's the small things. I usually have at least one bottle of water a day. That second bottle is always a little tricky. When I pick up the little one from school, I don't drink anymore water. Yes I know you're supposed to share with your kids, but I don't want to share with her the fake sugar that is in the mix-ins I use. So I don't finish my 2nd bottle and they have been collecting. I've been throwing them in the fridge, so later in the evening I can just grab a cold bottle of water. See what I'm doing there? See?

- Activity is up... sorta. Okay so my yoga pass will expire at the end of this month. I had 9 classes to use in 4 weeks. They do not have child care. As a result the class I can really make it to consistently is 8:30 AM on Saturday morning. It's essentially Yoga Boot-camp, though of course that is not what it's called. I like this class a lot because it hurts so good, and it gives me a jump to my day. I've also been attempting to keep gym/ yoga clothes in the car in case of exercise emergencies. (You know if the world is ending and we only need someone do some side plank for 30 seconds. I'm you're girl.)

- Remember I was gushing about something called the "Healthy Living Summit"? Well they announced the when and the where. I've already asked off from work and scoped out airline tickets.

- I've also wanted to be/ have more fun. I find at times I get bogged down in the everyday, and then I look up and the whole week has flown by. So I've done an impulsive weekend trip, and I've got some fun trips coming up this summer.

So what are you guys doing? Are you making life what you want it?

Baby steps

If today's goal had been, get to work on time (8:15 AM) then I totally would have been golden. However, today's goal was to be in at 8.

Whoops...

However, 8:15 AM is definitely a step in the right direction. My arrival time at work, every now and then, gets a bit ridiculous. We're not talking 10 AM or anything, but definitely closer to 9 than is really ideal. But I must say, dragging myself out of bed actually at 6 AM hurt. And yet there have been days when I've done that and felt hung over I was so tired.

But alas, today was a good day. No sleep hangover. I missed breakfast due to phone calls and the controlled chaos that is the office. I know that in a little more than a week, missing breakfast is not going to be an option. So I'm playing with some ideas to streamline my breakfast/ eating in the morning. Fruit is always good, but it doesn't give me that full feeling that a bowl of oats does. However it scores major points when it comes to mobility.

The menu planning is definitely going to be something that is going to be making an appearance here. I’ve sorta been doing it, whether actually writing it all down or having a rough idea of what possible meals are in the fridge/ freezer. I think doing a post or two will help me to see what we’re having regularly, show me where to add some variety, and realize how much of some things we really do eat.

Then there is my want to be active. I think that at this point I’m going to work on actually getting all the way to yoga, going to the new gym, and throwing some walking in as well. We’re about to hit that busy point in our season at work, and I think that I will be wearing a pedometer (shh!) to see just how much walking I do daily. Until then I’ve thrown in the occasional walk to the next building instead of emails or calls for warmth and variety.

When you’re making changes to your life, do you kind of slowly ease yourself in or do you go full throttle toward the new? How well has it worked?

Ideas...

It's challenging to get moving.

I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir.

Yet, it's still a push even though I know it's coming.

I'm pretty sure that my gym has figured out the way to get me in more. Invite the toddler to have a grand time. They had her hook, line and sinker with the purple balloon.

She's been playing with it since Tuesday. :)

Alright... here are the ideas:

- 30 miles in 30 days Sounds cool right..except I don't run...

- Meatless March: this is apparently so common. There isn't just one site devoted to it. I am kind of digging this one because I don't like cooking meat at home. I'm okay with eating it, but I don't like to have to handle/ smell it.

- H2O Boost. I'm not a water person. I really don't like it but it's definitely something I need. I see it in my skin and feel it in my hair... my cells are calling out for it.

- Menu Plan: I think it's just necessary at this point knowing just how busy my days are about to become.

What do you do to challenge yourself to do the healthy things? Make the good choices more interesting?

"Make a healthy choice... now make another"

These are some pretty wise words I've seen twice tonight both at Healthy Tipping Point and over at Peas and Thank you (granted Mama pea didn't exactly say those words but that was the gist).

Here's the thing, I'm not terribly religious but sometimes I think things happen not merely by coincidence. For me reading both of these tonight and then having my sister in law here this weekend were things I needed to hear.

See my sister in law has a different path than I do, one that some might say is more difficult. Well this weekend when given the option to abandon her plan for the weekend, she actually made plans to make sure she had time to work out. ON VACATION SHE IS WORKING OUT! :) She made one choice, and then another.

I feel like I really only have time to do one thing each day outside of work. I can either go to the gym or I can do laundry. I can work out or I can make dinner. It stinks, but it's life. I am having to remind myself that no one expects me to do it all and I shouldn't expect myself to do an immediate about face either.

I need to make a healthy choice...