Hi, all! I'm Zontziry, otherwise known as Z around the Puget Sound (betcha can't guess why).
So, I actually almost didn't sign up for the challenge because of the 30-minutes-a-day, 6 days a week goal. I used to be a workout-a-holic! If I didn't work out for 90 minutes and burn at least 1000 calories according to my heart rate monitor, I didn't feel like I'd exercised enough. Even when I was on jury duty for a few months, I joined a nearby gym to take advantage of the 90-minute lunch times we had to get a workout in (certainly not a 90-minute workout, but they were intense, short workouts with a mile fast walk to and from the gym -- I typically was still red-faced and a bit sweaty as the trial restarted in the afternoons). Fast forward to being pregnant with my son, and I struggled to have energy to do anything the first trimester and have been trying to get back into a workout groove ever since (he's now 2). Being sick every other week (or so it seems) hasn't helped any (ah, gym daycare germs); going to sleep at 1am because I'm crafting or doing my chores compounds the issue. When I realized I was balking at joining the challenge because I thought 30 minutes a day for 6 days of exercise was pushing it, I figured I probably needed this challenge more than I wanted to admit.
A couple questions for the group:
1. 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day: is that 4-5 servings each, or 4-5 servings of either fruits or vegetables?
2. 30 minutes a day exercise: if I work out 60 minutes one day, does that count as 2 days of exercise?
As for my personal challenge: I tend to get stuck in a rut when it comes to cooking. I generally cook healthy meals, but after a few weeks, as I'm preparing my next 10-day menu, I lose inspiration and end up really struggling to come up with meal ideas. Having a goal of trying one new healthy recipe each week will hopefully make me spread my culinary wings a bit. I have another side goal (not included in the challenge) of getting to bed earlier so I can get a workout in before my son wakes up, though doing a downward dog yoga pose with a 2-year-old hugging your head or crawling underneath you, or doing pushups with him deciding to climb onto your back does add a certain element of added challenge...
I'm looking forward to getting to hear from you all during the next five weeks!
So glad you signed up! Isn't it interesting how much becoming a mom can change your life/routine/sleep/health? It's worth it, but takes some figuring out. :) i'm still not quite there!
ReplyDeleteAs far as question 1, I believe it is fruits OR veggies (not 4-5 of each one). And I asked Angela about #2, can I make up exercise by doing an hour the next day? She explained the focus of this challenge is getting into "daily habits" so it is intended to be done every day.
Thanks for the help, Jen! I actually am enjoying the every day workout so far, both in terms of scheduling my life better and getting back into a habit of exercising. It's actually helped me work yoga into my workout routine, too! I checked with Angela on the fruits and veggies and she said it's combined, not each. *phew*
ReplyDeletecheck out the website skinnytaste.com
DeleteI have found a lot of yummy healthier recipes on it that have even pleased my picky 5 yr old. She even takes some of my favorite calorie over load recipes and revamps them like Cafe Rio pork.
Good luck!
I love doing yoga! But, it does add a new dimension with the additional weight of small children (or not trying to squash them when they're underneath you).
ReplyDelete