Fit Readers is a group/challenge run by Felicia @ Geeky Bloggers Book Blog and Jen @ That’s What I’m Talking About, designed to support and encourage each other on our health and fitness goals. In years past I’ve participated but just done quick updates on my Sunday Post. This year, I want my goals to be a top priority, so I’m going to share my updates in a separate, more detailed weekly post. The day it appears will probably fluctuate, though, so just keep your eyes out for it 🙂
July Update
Whoo y’all! I can’t seem to get a handle on life in this COVID world. I’m trying so hard to be a good mom, good wife, good employee, and take care of myself. That was hard before COVID and the longer I’m at home, the harder it seems to get. I think it’s because my current model is not sustainable long term and I’m just getting tired.
Goals… What goals?
I HAD been setting an emotional goal, nutrition goal, and fitness goal each month. Right now I do have a hodgepodge of goals, but they are all about one major goal: Keep my family safe, healthy, and happy as possible. Here’s what I’ve been focused on:
- Reading The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: It’s no secret that marriage is work and having children can put pressure on the healthiest of marriages. Add COVID to the mix and the stress takes it’s toll on a marriage. So I’m spending a few minutes every morning reading to try and learn a bit about how to help us stay healthy and strong as a couple.
- Writing 3 gratitude statements daily:Â I’ve done some version of this for years and I think it really helps to stop for a minute and remember that I have so much to be thankful for. It helps me to stop focusing on all the things stressing me out, which has to be good for my emotional health.
- Exercise at least 3x a week (plus daily walks). I NEED to see the scale start moving in the right direction. And in the past week it finally has. Part of that is fitness (the other part is eating…more on that next). But when to find the time, when I’m working and watching Dante all day? I realized that when he’s eating dinner around 4:30 pm (yes, early dinner – he goes to bed between 7 – 7:30 pm) I have some time because my work day is officially over at 3:30. So… I at least 3 times a week I’m pulling out my Beach Body On Demand and doing Barre Blend. It’s a 30 minute, low impact (I live on the 3rd floor so don’t want to jump around too much) workout. It’s killer and about how long it takes Dante to eat.
- Track what I eat… and use 10:5:10. So I see a nutritionist and she has an app where I can take quick pictures of what I’ve had to eat. So I’m keeping myself accountable by recording every bite. And then at work they have this program called Naturally Slim that I’m participating in – it’s not about what you eat, but how and why you eat it. One of the tools they give you is called 10:5:10. Split your food in half. Spend 10 minutes eating the first half. Don’t finish that first half before 10 minutes are up… which means you eating much slower than I am accustomed to. Then wait 5 minutes to take another bite/sip. If you’re still hungry when that 5 minutes is up, you can start on the second half, but don’t finish it before 10 minutes are up. Y’all eating slow like this has resulted in my not finishing meals that I otherwise would have because I’m giving my body time to digest and realize that I’m full. So simple and hopefully making a difference.
So that’s what I’m working on right now. Its a bit of nutrition, a bit of fitness, and a bit of emotional health. Hopefully it pays off and feel less stressed…. and lose some weight! My goal was to get down to my goal weight this year. Now, I just want to get back to where I was pre-pregnancy!
Ah, I didn’t heard about this challenge before – I like the idea of it! It’s also quite nice to see another blogger within our community who do beach body aswell! I’ve tried the barre blend but omg it’s just too much for me 😂 I prefer going on with yoga, currently going back onto the PiYo.
It’s also true that eating slower and smaller portions but more often does make a difference.
You are doing a great job – and your primary goal of keeping your family healthy is critical for your own mental well-being. Nice work. I don’t know that things will get better, especially down your way, for a while. Sending hugs and strength your way.
You work so hard and I’m so proud of you. You do the best you can this year.