Health

I’m acting on billboards.

I’ve recently read two fantastic posts written by two friends that put a fire under me in regards to exercise. I don’t plan on running (I would have to drive to somewhere else in order to run and my only childless options for workout times are 4 am or 10 pm), but they were inspiring nonetheless so I thought I would share them with you.

::  Run From Your Problems? by Danielle at Further Up and Further In (absolutely hilarious)

::  He didn’t make me fast, but I still run for His pleasure by Tsh (Simple Mom) at (in)courage (just beautiful)

I also have to express my utmost gratitude to my lovely Whole30 support group on facebook (*another* point for social media) for helping me kick my addiction to Dr. Pepper. Several women suggested I try flavored seltzer water. I was dubious, but I bought some La Croix and gave it a try. The first sip wasn’t so great. But I kept going back for another sip. And another. Within a DAY, people, I can say that seltzer water completely took away my craving for Dr. Pepper. That is nothing short of a miracle. It has been a few months. I still have had a few Dr. Peppers here and there, but they aren’t as satisfying and I have no trouble going back to my seltzer water. (I drink either La Croix or Seagrams.)

Day 1/2:
It was afternoon when my friend Danielle, who wrote one of the above posts, told me she had just finished week 1 of the Whole30 Challenge. I decided then and there to join her and DO. THAT. THING. I managed a Costco shopping trip during peak sample hour without snitching. And then my awesome hubby brought home an ice-cold Dr. Pepper for me, and I *didn’t drink it*!

Dinner was a Romaine salad with chicken, grape tomatoes, avocado, toasted sliced almonds, and Caesar dressing (okay, that isn't legal, but I'll be doing some dairy). I also had a few pea pods and a little smoothie (banana, baby spinach, pineapple (canned but not sweetened), and frozen blackberries).

Day 1:
Breakfast—Eggs and Aidells chicken apple sausage
Lunch—A repeat of yesterday’s salad
Dinner—Roasted broccoli/sausage/slivered almonds

Day 2:
Breakfast—A handful of pistachios with a few (sweetened) dried cranberries (We jetted out of the house and that’s all I had time to grab.)
Lunch—Celery with almond butter and a small bowl of spaghetti meat sauce (no noodles, but the sauce had sugar in it)
Dinner—Oven-baked chicken fajitas with avocado and fresh tomato (and a little bit of cheese and sour cream) and a few pea pods
Dessert—Fried plantain (in coconut oil) with sea salt
(And that’s with a box of donuts in the house all day!)
Exercise—(misc.)

Day 3:
Breakfast—Eggs, Italian sausage, and kale (with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese)…so delicious!
Lunch—Left-over chicken fajitas
Dinner—Potluck food: BBQ chicken, chicken fajitas, watermelon
Dessert—Homemade chocolate Larabar
(Made Rice Krispie treats and managed to not eat any)
Exercise—(misc.)

Day 4:
Breakfast—Eggs, Italian sausage, and kale (w/ parmesan cheese)
Lunch—Left-over chicken fajitas
Dinner—Tuna w/ mayo (sugar-free) over romaine lettuce with grape tomatoes and sunflower seeds, and pea pods
Dessert—A little bit of chocolate Larabar
Exercise—Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred (oy vey)

Day 5:
Breakfast—Eggs, Italian sausage, and kale (w/parmesan cheese)
Lunch—Banana and almond butter, sweet potato chips
Dinner—Left-over chicken fajitas
(Made Rice Krispie treats again and managed to not eat any, but those marshmallows were relentlessly calling my name…)
Exercise—I really had to talk myself into working out again, because I was sore and had a million other things to do, but I got myself all ready…and then the DVD player wouldn’t work. I decided it was fate, and skipped the exercise.

Day 6:
Breakfast—Eggs, Italian sausage…
Lunch—Sweet potato chips (yeah, I was lazy)
Dinner—Taco salad
Dessert—The real deal at book club, and it was *delicious* (I had promised myself I could still have this treat!)
Exercise—Would you believe I talked myself into exercising at 11:30 pm to make up for the dessert I ate? My DVD player still wasn’t working, so I had to work out on my own.

Day 7:
Breakfast—Eggs, Italian sausage… (I’m exciting, I know.)
Lunch—Taco Salad

 

And five days of single parenting. Not bad for a week’s work!