A post not about Calvin

Dare I say it? I think I will.

Dave and I really enjoy healthy eating.
We do. Honestly. Not that I don't indulge in a burger and fries and, my favorite, a milkshake every once in a while, but we really like what it feels like to eat healthy.
A couple of weeks ago, we decided to make some healthy eating goals for ourselves and for the fall. The idea was simple...make some goals that won't put us on a strict diet but would encourage us to get back on the track of healthy eating. Back on track, you ask? Well...yes. When I could finally eat after my first trimester, I ate whatever I wanted. I'm not ashamed to say that during one morning staff meeting at work I ate 5 donuts. All this to say, we had let many of our healthy eating habits fall by the wayside when I was pregnant, and we were both ready to get back on track. I had my last 10 pounds to lose and Dave had some fitness goals of his own he wanted to accomplish.

So...Goal #1- Exercise at least 4 times a week.

For Dave, this is a bit easier. He's taken back up with jogging (yes..even in the extreme heat). His jog takes him about 45 minutes total, and it's located right outside our front door. For him, it's easy to fit in. For me, it's going to be a bit harder. I started back to Jazzercise about 4 weeks ago. Jazzercise is offered once in the morning and once in the evenings. While I love it, the class time is not particularly ideal for me when I go back to work. If it was just 30 minutes later, then I'd have an easier time making it there. But, alas, it's not. So, making it there in the evenings after work will be hard to do. It looks like I may have to adjust my goal to three times a week...twice during the work week and once on Saturday.

Goal #2- Drink at least 64 ounces of water per day.

When I first checked into the hospital to deliver Calvin, I was pretty dehydrated. They pumped me full of fluids and I had a pretty convicting conversation with the nurse. I knew water was important, but I thought that, in reality, it was just fluids you were supposed to get. Let's just say the nurse, in her kind way, told me I had been irresponsible about that and that I would need to improve. I agree.
A trip to the Dollar Tree, and Dave and I bought these to help us with that goal.

They are 32 ounces, so we just need to drink down two per day. Not hard! And we've always purchased Cyrstal Light drink mixes, which really help when we're needing a change. Can I just say...I've already seen the benefits of this. My lovely case of postpartum acne has started to clear up, I'm less tired, and 3 of the last 10 pounds have come off as well. I've discovered, through some online research, that water is gasoline for your metabolism. If you're not giving it the gas to run on, its not working as hard as it could be in burning off your extra calories. So...if you're looking for a way to get over that hump of weight loss like I was...drink water.

Goal #3- Eat at least 6 servings of fruit and veggies a day.

This is perhaps my favorite and most fun, as well as most challenging of our goals. My favorite and fun because I really do love fruits and veggies. Fruit is just so stinking good, and the perfectly cooked and seasoned veggie is wonderful. Challenging because, well,  fruits and veggies are not ready to eat all the time like good ole prepackaged chips, granola bars and other carbs. Dave and I both admitted that we would eat more fruits and veggies more often if it didn't take so much prep work. Lettuce has to be cut and washed (and it is way too expensive to buy the precut bags!), as do all the veggies that go in a salad. Most fruit needs to be washed, strawberries need to be cut...all this just takes time. Despite this fact, we've been doing well with this goal. We've gotten over our laziness and washed, chopped and prepared fruits and veggies at every meal. But...with work  starting back up again for both of us, I decided I needed to go the extra mile to ensure that we keep these goals during the fall semester.

 So...this weekend I turned all of this....

Into this...

That's washed, cut and prepared tomatoes, lettuce, grapes, bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, mushrooms and cucumbers. Not pictured is our bunch of bananas, apples, nectarines, bag of spinach, baby carrots, and green beans. I think we're ready to master goal #3.

While I wouldn't consider myself a health and fitness guru, I've always been interested in it and aware of the benefits of a balanced diet. So, don't be surprised if you see me sharing my favorite fruit and veggie recipes on here over the next few weeks. In fact...let me share one now.

A great way to get 2-3 servings of fruit in the morning is a smoothie. And this non dairy mama has figured out the perfect one.

1 banana

1 handfull strawberries

1/2-2/3 cups Vanilla Almond Milk (it's better then it sounds!)

Ice cubes- about 6

1 pack of zero calorie sweetener.

Blend it up and you get this pretty colored and delicious tasting morning breakfast, all for around 250 calories!

I've got 7 pounds to go before I get back to my prebaby weight, and hopefully these goals will help me get there. I'd love to hear your recipes for your favorite fruit and veggie dishes or for you to share your healthy lifestyle secrets and tips. And, if you have time, check out my healthy mother inspiration here. She maintains a great balance of health with the slightest bit of indulgence.

And finally, because no post is complete without a pic of the boy.....