Category Archives: health and fitness

clean eating, fitness, healthy lifestyle

health and fitness, mommyhood, random thoughts, Run Away., women

When you’re about to get REAL serious about running. 

4 Comments

Well, I’ve done it. I’ve signed up for a fitness challenge and I can’t decide whether I’m so excited I could jump out of my skin, or I’m so nervous I could… um… have to run to the bathroom. Like I’ll be doing in the middle of every workout because CHILDBIRTH KILLS BLADDERS.

Now that that’s out of the way, let me tell you about where I am right now in my fitness journey.

I’ve decided to train for a half marathon. That’s 13.1 miles, in case you’ve somehow never driven behind that annoying person who’s got a sticker on their rear windshield. (And yes, if I am able to complete a half marathon, I will forever be that annoying SUV in front of you with the very same sticker. Because DANG THAT IS FAR.)

When I decided to train, I had been running 3-4 miles 3-4 times a week, plus at least one other weight-based workout per week, and probably some yoga. That was a little less than a month ago. During this month that I’ve thought about really getting my game on and running until my legs fall off, I started back up talking to a running friend of mine, who coincidentally leads a mom’s fitness group here in town called Stroller Strength (here’s the link if you’re local!). Melissa is amazing, encouraging and inspiring, and when I realized it was challenge time (I’ve done three of these babies before) I jumped out of my skin with excitement and anticipation.

There are definitely chemicals released when you work out (Endorphins, I love you.) and I think I released them immediately when I got on board with this challenge. Here are a few things that are involved with the challenge:
1. Friends. I realized that some friends I’d made during my stints with SS in the past were still going, and I’ve already met some new gals I’m excited to get to know. It’s always more fun when you’re not alone, and accountability makes a HUGE difference when you’ve set a fitness goal you’re trying to actually achieve. Melissa also puts us on goal-based teams, so naturally I’m on a running team, and I’m psyched.
2. Food/Exercise/Water/Rest Log. This baby is DETAILED, and we check up on each other’s logs throughout the 9-week challenge. We also have clean eating weeks (cutting out all processed foods) where we cut even more crap out of our diets for a week at a time. It’s magical (and so hard).
3. Extra workouts. This is everything from regular SS class (boot-camp style weights workout), “fun run” together, yoga, Sculpt class (for toning) and running my booty off on my own time until I achieve my goals. When I’m mid-challenge, I shoot for a workout of some sort every day, even if it’s short, even if it’s not strenuous. Get moving, burn calories and build muscle. Every. Single. Day.
4. Meticulous scheduling. I don’t usually work out at the same time every day. I don’t even work out on the same days a week. But this time, I’ve got a few more things going on if I want to make it to lots of classes and get my miles in. Obviously, the farther I run, the longer it takes, so I have to plan longer and longer into my schedule the farther I am able to go. Also, one of the classes is on a morning that I work, so I have committed to making it to the other two classes a week EVERY WEEK to make the most of them. Perk: I can bring the kids to class if I need to. Best thing about SS, ever. I’m gonna have to start sleeping in my workout clothes to save time.

I already feel like I’m in a pretty good place, fitness-wise, because I eat fairly healthy most of the time, I’m already working out regularly, and I’m enjoying this healthy lifestyle instead of being miserable in it like some folks are (shout out to you guys, because it’s tough to do it when you don’t like it). But my goals are steep. They’re things I’ve never done before, and that’s scary. Here goes…

Goal (9 weeks from now): Register for and run (read: survive) a half marathon. I will be adding a little bit about upper body strength to this, because that’s a separate goal that won’t necessarily just come alongside my runner’s training.

Halfway goal (so 4.5 weeks from now): Survive ten miles. In a row. I know right. That’s WAY more than half a half marathon. (Say THAT five times fast!)

For the past couple of months, my “goals” when I go out to run are to make sure every single mile is under 10 minutes, and to make sure my first two miles are under 9:30 or so. Those are loose goals, and I don’t always keep to them. But today at our baseline weigh-ins/stat recording, my timed mile was 8:31 and my 400m “sprint” was 1:39. I already started faster than I thought I would, but I think that has to do with being on an actual track. I typically run in my neighborhood, which is hilly, so my miles aren’t as accurate. I’m going to have to adjust my perspective on timing when I’m running on a track, apparently.

In other semi-related news, today while grocery shopping at Costco, I happened upon ONE LAST FITBIT Charge 2 in my size. It was destiny. I’ve been looking at those, Garmin running watches, and the Apple Watch, and just hadn’t decided what to get until today. So now that I’ve got a tool to use, I’m going to get used to it (and get it used to me) and be obsessed with it for the next nine weeks at LEAST. You’re welcome.

SO! Now that you’ve gotten a complete update on how I’m working on my fitness (cue the song that will be in your head all day) you can say you’re keeping me accountable. Is anyone else working on their fitness? Tell me your goals! Tell me your process! I’m open to suggestions and can’t wait to hear if you’re committed to a health goal, also!

food, health and fitness, home, mommyhood, random thoughts

The Best Ever Pancake Recipe for Moms Who Aren’t Chefs

2 Comments

 I make hot breakfast for my kids almost every single morning. There are very few exceptions – mostly because I set a particular precedent and now they won’t eat cold cereal. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Anyway, because of this fact, I’ve gotten really creative with the breakfasts I make, specifically in the pancake department. I found that I could hide almost anything in a pancake, in a good way. I make a new-fangled pancake batter with some crazy ingredients, I scramble a couple of eggs to go with them, and serve a side of fruit. BOOM! Healthy breakfast, please and thank you.

If you want to know my pancake secrets, here are a few suggestions.

  1. Start with Bisquick (or whatever type pancake mix you prefer). I like Bisquick because it doesn’t have a ton of sugar in it to begin with, but it’s a good base so you don’t have to add things like baking powder or salt. I typically include the ingredients it suggests for pancake-making (a couple of eggs and some milk), then I flavor it with whatever mood I’m in that day.
  2. Add in vanilla extract. I ALWAYS dribble in some vanilla extract to the batter. No excuses not to. I make my own (well, my mom makes it, but I help!) so it’s extra special, but if you’re not a creative guru like my mama, regular vanilla will do.
  3. Get some fruit. Usually, I opt for whatever is overripe/soft/abounding/neglected in our kitchen. Banana works well, but we also like blueberry and strawberry, or a combination of those. Mash it or puree it, and stir it in. Do it before the milk, because it often means you need less milk, because it’s juicy.
  4. Grab some flaxseed. Or chia seed. Or almond flour. Or whatever power powder you have around. Even ginger or turmeric could hide if you have a careful hand. You can likely sprinkle in a couple of tablespoons of the powders (or a teaspoon or two of the spices) without it getting noticed by kids or husbands.
  5. If you’re feeling generous, dump in some chocolate chips. Or if you’re like my family, Craisins. Sprinkles could also be fun if you’re celebrating something! Finely-chopped nuts are good, too, if your family is okay with nuts and likes a little crunch (Banana walnut pancakes, I’m looking at you.)
  6. Mix in some peanut butter or cocoa powder for a new spin on flavored pancakes. Peanut butter adds protein, of course, and makes them wonderfully thick and fluffy. Cocoa powder gives them a chocolatey tone without a ton of sugar… although I find that you need to add a little sugar (if you’re using Bisquick especially), honey, or other sweetener to combat the slight bitterness. I typically go for coconut sugar.
  7. Shape them like Mickey Mouse, snowmen, or caterpillars if you’re feeling fancy, and top them with some pure maple syrup. More flavor than “pancake syrup” (sorry, Aunt Jemima) and no artificial ingredients!

Pancakes please kids almost every time you make them, so I hide all sorts of goodies in there and call them healthy. I’ve stopped measuring things entirely and just go by looks. If the batter’s consistency looks like it’ll cook up on a pan, your breakfast won’t fall flat. BA-DUM, TSSS! (My husband told me that would be funny. If you didn’t laugh, it’s his fault.)

In case you’re wondering, this is just another post about my love affair with breakfast food.

food, food, health and fitness, home

How to Go Gluten Free (Without Hating It)

Leave a comment

This post also appeared on the Grit and Grace Project. I’m a contributor there – go check it out!

I’ve gone gluten free for several periods of time in the past few years, and even now, I’m a little gluten-less-than-usual. And guess what?! It’s not as hard – or as miserable – as you might think. Yes, you make concessions. Yes, there are foods that you will probably miss. But depending on the reason you’re going gluten free (allergens, weight loss, or to support a family member who has to make that choice), you might be surprised at how successful and even happy you can be while you’re off gluten. Here are a few suggestions to help you along in the process.

  1. Don’t feel like you can’t eat bread. Or pasta. Or whatever your glutenous pleasure is. There are plenty of gluten free breads, pastas, and even beers out there. Of course they don’t taste the same as your favorite sourdough, but they can be great substitutes.
  2. Make the effort to search for gluten-free recipes. The main reason I suggest this is because it’s much more successful than trying to leave out or substitute the gluten in your normal recipes. There are many substitutes; for instance, flour can be substituted by brown rice flour, coconut flour, almond flour, and others. But those don’t always measure cup for cup, and they don’t always substitute well, especially when you’re baking. There are many recipe bloggers that have already figured out the best substitutions, so why not just use their methods? Don’t reinvent the wheel.
  3. Stick it out. If it’s not an absolute requirement to go gluten free (ie: allergy-related) and it’s just an experiment, then it’s tempting to add gluten back in sooner, rather than later. But my advice? Stick it out for a couple of months (yes, whole months!) before you start adding it back in. Whatever your desired results are, it might take a couple of months to start seeing them.
  4. Be creative with how you eat your vegetables. Lots of types of food (Asian food, for instance) don’t have much gluten in them in most cases. Gluten free doesn’t mean salads only, or that you can’t be full after your meal. But it might mean you’ve got to be a little more creative with what your meals look like. If you usually eat a pasta of some sort with your vegetables, try eating rice instead. If you typically eat a bagel or toast for breakfast, try oatmeal. There are other grains that are just as filling as wheat.

It’s possible to go gluten-free and love it! Here are three blogs that I like to check out for delicious meals, practical ideas, and even baked goods!

Against All Grain – Danielle isn’t just gluten free, but all of her recipes are! She also has a cookbook, if you’d like it on paper.

Elana’s Pantry – Elana has some great recipes I use often (specifically for sweets/baked goods).

Delightfully Gluten Free – Cassandra is helpful with knowing what products to buy to help out your kitchen’s ingredient stock.

*Also helpful for gluten-free eating are blogs that focus on recipes for those with celiac disease.

Don’t believe all the bad things you’ve heard about going gluten-free. It’s possible to go gluten-free and love it! You’ll never know until you give it a shot, though. What do you have to lose?

health and fitness

So I Got Some New Shoes…

2 Comments

I wouldn’t necessarily classify myself as a runner; that trendy word happens to have a lot of stigma, like (over)sharing how many miles you went every time you do it, having a sticker on your car that says “26.2”, etc. But I do run. I run a few times a week, if weather permits – and no, I don’t run in rain or freezing cold. I guess that’s part of why I don’t consider myself “a runner”. I enjoy it, I’ve participated in a few races, and I like running to be my cardio.

I’ve been wearing Nikes for the past few years, as my “training” (a term a use loosely) has ebbed and flowed during pregnancies and cold weather, and fluctuated from running to lifting to yoga, and back and forth. I like doing lots of different kinds of things, and I think that’s healthy for your body as well.

But dang. This week, I got some new shoes. Nice ones. Running shoes. Brooks, to be exact. I’ve only been running twice in them, but they’re like wearing pillows tied onto my feet! I guess my other shoes had been a little worn, but these are a whole new world. After the first run I went on, I thought, I gotta find a race in the spring! A short run in new shoes and I’m already looking for a race? I must be crazy.

I realized that it doesn’t take much to get a little motivation going.

I’ve never been one to really understand expensive and trendy-looking workout gear. Yes, I understand if it helps the function, i.e. bras that fit well, shorts that don’t chafe, socks that don’t cause blisters, etc. But when the exercise clothes are expensive just because they look cute? That annoys me. I didn’t understand why people would spend the money. However, the busier I get and the harder it is to carve out the time to run (or work out at all), the more I realize there is value in finding the motivation in creative places. For me, being excited about the workout gear makes me excited to use it. New fun leggings? I need an excuse to wear them! Comfy and supportive new shoes? I better go break them in!

Naturally, I’ve had the shoes two days, and I ran at least a little while both days. It’s rainy today, and I’m not ready to get these brand new babies wet just yet, but my enthusiasm hasn’t been dampened yet! (Get it? I got the jokes!)

Now for a question for you: I’ve been considering doing “the runner thing” and finding a bracelet that will keep track of my mileage covered, calories burned, etc. Right now, I’m just running with my iPhone in an arm band (or the stroller pocket, if I’ve got it). Music is a nice perk, but not totally necessary. Does anyone have one they suggest? I’d like to be able to link it up with my phone/computer to import workout details so I can keep track. Mostly because I’m nerdy and I like looking back at it. It sounds like (from talking to a few people) that there aren’t many options for one that keeps track of your mileage when your phone isn’t also on your person. So that’s my main desire. (Also, I don’t want to spend a million dollars!)

health and fitness, mommyhood, women

I work out for me. 

2 Comments

This past week, I noticed that I was angry a lot. I was frustrated about every single thing, big or small, that might normally just annoy me. It’s really hot outside. It’s really hot inside. We’ve been busy, but not really in a fun way. The kids are messy, loud, and getting on each other’s nerves. I’m not getting enough sleep. The 2yo is acting particularly threenagery (let’s just say that’s a word) recently. All of these things are things I can usually take in stride. But the past week or two, they’ve been building up, clogging my good feelings and just plain stressing me out. 

Finally, I realized that I hadn’t been keeping up with my workout routine very well. Now, I’m not an every day-er, or even a certain days of the week-er. Maybe those are the reasons I hadn’t gotten any exercise in. But either way, two weeks of no exercise is not good for me, and I finally realized it. It was time to stop making excuses about my busy schedule and the heat. 

You see, I don’t necessarily put on weight or get flabby from not working out. I mean, if I didn’t for a long time, I’m sure I would. But I don’t immediately see the effects of laziness on my body. (Not that a SAHM mom of three under five should in any sense be seen as “lazy”.) But I temporarily forgot that my body, my mind, my soul, all need some exercise. 

Working out isn’t something I personally do to see a magic number on a scale, fit into a certain size, or or achieve a certain “goal” (screw the thigh gap). I do it for the way it makes me feel. It helps me work through frustration. It helps burn calories and energy, and exhaust me into sleeping better. It sets a healthy example for my family about the importance of exercise. It is “me time”. It sets the tone for my productivity. It even makes me feel great about that glass of wine that’s coming in the evening. In short, makes me feel good. I don’t need a better reason than that! I do it for me. 

faith, health and fitness, home, mommyhood, random thoughts, women

Reflecting on 2015

Leave a comment

The time has come, this late December, to look back at the year and revisit what happened, what we learned, what we accomplished, what we wish we had done. It’s a terrifying and wonderous thing, to realize that a year is almost over, and a new one is beginning. Some of us made big plans for our year, set goals and worked hard to achieve them. Others of us made loose plans and rolled with the punches. Still others may have been lost in the throes of 2014 when we began, unsure of what 2015 would bring, or the tone that would dominate the months of uncertainty.

As we reflect and gather our thoughts on 2015, here are 7 questions you may ask yourself to wrap up the past year. I’ll even answer them for myself, and reflect alongside you.

  1. What was the biggest event in your world this year? Something you can tell your children’s children about, years from now…   This year, D was born. We began the year with trepidation regarding his health, and were happy to welcome a perfect little guy into the world in July, after a night of hard labor and a blessedly quick delivery.
  2. What purchase turned out to be the best decision ever? And why?   We bought a new car, a GMC Acadia, just before D was born. We knew we needed a new car (three kids needed a bigger car than my Camry), and weren’t quite sure what we would get, or how much space we really needed. The Acadia was the perfect blend of space we needed day-to-day and space we would need on a road trip. We’ve been very happy with it!
  3. What was the funniest thing that happened this year? Is there anything that you still laugh at today?   I wouldn’t always share a birth story for a big question like this, but there was a moment during my labor with D that the nurse broke my water… Hubby was taking a snooze (we’d been up all night, and I had just gotten my epidural) and I cried out when she broke my water, because it splashed all over the room. And I still die every time Hubby tells the story. He’s way funnier than I am.
  4. Who are the top 5 people you spent the most/best time with this year? If I have to pick exactly five, I’m going to choose our sweet family friends the Van Zandts. Hubby’s best friend from high school, his wife, and their three girls, who are roughly the same ages as my kiddos moved to town (into our neighborhood!) right at this time last year, and we have been blessed by their presence and closeness multiple times. They are good people to have close by and we love our time with them. 
  5. What was one thing that you did really well this year?   I think that I grew as a worship leader this year. I got to know my people better, grew in confidence behind the keys/mic, and fell in love with doing my job even a little bit more. I have some incredible co-leaders and role models to base my craft upon. 
  6. How did you grow spiritually, emotionally, and/or physically?   I’ll try to answer all three: Spiritually, I bridged the gap between having no time for a personal spiritual life and making time for myself as often as possible (Goal: daily. Reality: weekly.) Emotionally, I struggled with some hormonal changes after D was born, and again at his 4 month sleep regression (apparently, being tired makes me short-tempered and straight up angry sometimes). I battled to keep my cool some days. Physically, the last half of the year was comprised of losing my pregnancy weight, and finding a healthy exercise routine…and then losing the routine again for the holidays! Ha!
  7. If you had one word to describe your 2015, what would it be, and why? At the beginning of the year, I chose a word (phrase, actually) to carry me through the year. I had chosen “Embrace it!” to be what I wanted my year to be about. I feel like I did a pretty good job with that most of the time, however much things changed or were crazy. I don’t know if I think that was the most important word, or the word I thought about most often, but it definitely was up there. Thankful is another word I think of that goes with my year. Amid the craziness of expanding our family, I always tried to remain in a posture of thankfulness. 

Let’s hear some of your answers to these questions!

health and fitness, mommyhood, pregnancy

I Choose to Run

11 Comments

Feet pounding the pavement. The rhythmic sound of my breathing. The fresh air, and the birds chirping. The stroller I push is heavy with my two big babies inside. But I wouldn’t trade this hour of my day for anything. The clear air clears my mind, lets me have a quiet moment, even if it isn’t exactly relaxing.

I can’t always plan this hour into my day. Now that I have three children, one of them needs to be occupied elsewhere. (Read: Hubby needs to be home.) But when I can get this time in, my body, mind and soul all feel better and freer. The rush of endorphins I feel is enough to make me want to do it again, even without the other benefits.

Getting back into running after this last pregnancy and delivery honestly wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be, especially since I dropped off the exercise train way before I delivered. I was doing only yoga at the end – which is basically zero cardio when it’s prenatal yoga. My muscles were itching to get back to moving long before I actually could; I’m pretty strict with myself about waiting to start everything back until I’m 5 or 6 weeks out. My first run was a tough one, but I managed to get (running and a little walking) a mile and a half without too much struggle. The subsequent few runs worked me up to a little over two miles so far (I’m almost 7 weeks out). And (TMI – beware) I’ve been pleasantly surprised that my bladder seems to be holding itself pretty darn well… even better than a few months after I delivered J. I guess that just shows you how different your body can be from baby to baby.

My fitness goal this time around has changed a little. I’m blessed to be able to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight pretty quickly and easily, and back in all my clothes pretty soon. So instead of using those as targets, I want to make a diet change (I let myself eat like a jerk – mostly increased portions and extra desserts – when I’m pregnant/nursing) and build muscle. So, here in the blog world, I’m claiming it: I want to be toned! That’s the goal. Running for cardio and legs (also mental and emotional well-being!), and I’m going to keep up with a little yoga since it’s good for my joints and my core, and I’m going to ramp up the arms. No teacher arms for me!

What have your fitness goals been recently? Have you instituted a diet change along with them? What works for you and your busy schedule?

health and fitness, home, mommyhood, random thoughts

Currently

8 Comments

Happy Monday! I’m linking up as usual with Becky at Choose Happy and the other great bloggers for this week’s Currently. I’m also joining Jenna and Anne for their monthly currently link up.We love getting to know new people, and hearing what’s going on in your life. Link up and join us!

  
Organizing || Our whole house, but a few projects in particular. I just finished organizing EK’s art supplies – which she has a lot of for a three-year-old. She’s quite the little artist!



We also just (partially at least) set up the still-temporary guest bedroom for my mom, who came and stayed with us this weekend. The guest bedroom has officially been four different rooms in our house. Sheesh.

As you can see by the art pile in the corner, it’s not finished… ha!

Craving || venti iced chai lattes from Starbucks (with four pumps instead of six). Now you know what my current craving AND current Starbucks order is! The weather is warm, I’m on a limited caffeine intake plan (because pregnant) and so I’m relying on these babies to get me through. And I can’t handle quite as much sweetness as they come normally, so I basically get a grande amount of syrup in a venti sized drink. Most of the baristas charge me accordingly, which is lovely of them!


This picture brings me to my next point…

Wearing || this gorgeous nail polish! It may be the only thing you see on my nails all summer. I grabbed it at the drugstore totally randomly because I love that super bright coral, and it’s Nicole by OPI so I knew it would be a good polish. Anyone else have the perfect summer color?

Working on || my fitness. I haven’t been doing a great job, y’all. Confession time: every time I get a compliment on how I look good pregnant, I’m reminded how it must be leftover from my running routine I had going before I got pregnant. I do yoga every week, once or twice, which is great, but the weather really killed me. When it was cold, I totally holed up at home and didn’t do anything. A-ny-thin-gah. Basically I let my formerly toned self turn into a slob. My eating habits have stayed alright, but I’m letting myself indulge a little more than usual. (I’m pregnant, right?!) So by telling you that I’m working on my fitness, I’ve had a couple of good days here, and my plan is to keep it up. Now that the weather is much more cooperative, I’ll at least be walking more often.

My preferred workout view… outside with my Kindle.
Reading || The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. I know y’all think I totally forgot about that whole reading challenge I started. Well, I didn’t. I just have been busy/crazy/lazy/tired. Yeah, those are all excuses, but it’s just my life right now. Anyway, I just started this book today, and I’m hoping to stick with it. In fact, when I’m done writing this post, it’s next on my to-do list.  It’ll fulfill the “classic romance” category of the challenge. I’ve read so many classic romances (Pride & Prejudice, anyone? I’ve read it 14 or so times.) that I wanted a “classic” one that was slightly less popular. So Edith Wharton it was.

Naming || our baby! I think I’ve told tons of y’all because you’ve asked me, but I haven’t really officially posted it up. So anyway, baby boy #2’s name will be Davis Ryan Hsu! I personally love it (obviously- that’s why I chose it) and I think it’s a lovely name. Davis we chose simply because we like it, and Ryan is Hubby’s name, of course. So there ya go – sweet little Davis will be making his debut sometime near late July.

Well that’s all about me for now!! What’s going on with you?

food, health and fitness, mommyhood, pregnancy

Smoothie with a Punch

2 Comments

I’ve been really enjoying smoothies during my pregnancy. My heartburn sometimes gets pretty bad, so cold things are my favorite to eat right now.

Today’s smoothie was an everything-I-had-in-the-freezer smoothie.

2015/01/img_9199.jpg
I also sometimes put in peanut butter, but I only had Jif (with sugar in it) and no natural pb so I left it out. I don’t always have so many ingredients, but I just didn’t say no to anything.

I try to make most of the fruit be frozen. I just like the consistency better that way. Some of it is obviously store-bought, and some is fresh frozen. (If berries are on sale, or if my bananas get too ripe, I freeze them.)

I put the dry grains in first. Today it was oatmeal and flaxseed meal. That way they grind down finer and don’t clump as much as if you just dump them in with the wet stuff. Then I added some almond milk, then the fruit (all frozen except the blueberries) and the plain Greek yogurt. Then I keep adding almond milk till it was smooth and blending well. I never seem to add the right amount from the get go, and have to keep adding it in later.

What do you like in your smoothie? What’s a healthy thing you toss in so you get the benefit without the taste?

2015/01/img_9202.jpg

2015/01/img_9200.jpg