Why I Love Running

ATTENTION RUNNERS AND WANNABE RUNNERS!!!!! My cute cousin, Tina is trying to put a team together for the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay race! I'm already signed up, but if Tina gets a team together (shhhh....don't tell my team), I might switch! It's a 178-mile party with 12 friends (from Ogden to Park City). Don't worry...if you're a novice OR an expert runner, this race is for you. Each person runs 3 legs of the journey...all varying distances. I've heard that this race, more than any other, is great because of the camaraderie. I'm also looking forward to the kid-free (although sleepless) weekend! If you're interested, leave a comment, or e-mail me (fitmepink at gmail dot com). We're serious...and we need willing runners!

Need more motivation? Here's why I love running.

I love running...

Because it feels good.

Because even when it doesn't feel good, it feels good
afterwards.

Because I love the sweat.

Because I love the hills.

Because the best showers are post-run showers.

Because my resting heart rate is now in the 50's.

Because it's taught me to push myself.

Because I can explore my limits.

Because I sleep better and deeper at night.

Because it keeps sickness away.

Because it reduces stress.

Because it fills me with positive emotions.

Because running to music feels like dancing.

Because it's the one thing I know I can accomplish in a day.

Because it makes me feel unconquerable.

Because I could probably outrun any attacker.

Because it brings me back to childhood.

Because of the sprint to the end.

Because my kids are watching and learning.

Because it is fun.

Because races are addicting.

Because early-morning runs allow me to see the sunrise.

Because it gives me freedom.

Because no other exercise compares.

Because it's ME time.

Because ornery mom becomes happy mom.

Because when I'm done, I feel like I can conquer the world.

Because I can.

How about you? Why do you love to run/walk/elliptical/etc? And anyone interested in the race?

Health Benefits of Blood Donation

I've had a few unsuccessful attempts at having blood taken from my body. The first? College. My Freshman year at BYU, donating plasma for money was all the rage. Need money for a date? Donate. Need a new outfit for a date? Donate. Need food? Donate. I thought I'd give it a try. But I didn't make it past the screening process due to the I'm-no-longer-living-under-my-parent's-roof-so-I'm-going-to-double-and-triple-pierce-my-ears syndrome.

A year or so later, I thought I'd donate blood the real way (without pay). The problem that time? My veins weren't very good. And I didn't weigh enough! Too bad that's not my problem now!

Every time since, when I've heard about a blood drive, I've sort of plugged my ears. No thanks...I'll pass on the queasiness I'll surely experience as the blood oozes out of my body. When the sign-up sheet's come around, I've had every excuse in the book. Pregnant. Sick. Bad veins. Husband working. Washing my hair.

Until last week when it wasn't just a sign-up sheet. It was a cute, old man walking around with a sign-up sheet. I can say "no" very easily to a piece of paper. But to a walking, breathing human asking for my blood? The 60-year-old man was no Edward, but I couldn't say no.

So last night I donated blood. I actually enjoyed watching the little bag fill up with the velvety-rich liquid. And forgetting about the fact that I was saving lives (yes, lives is plural, since each unit of blood can save as many as THREE lives), I was excited by this...it's GOOD for you! Win, win at it's best.

How, you wonder, could losing blood be good for you? Well...let me first say, that this knowledge makes me VERY happy that my husband and father are very regular blood donors. Because guess what...blood donation may very well be associated with a decreased risk of heart attack in middle aged men. Supposedly, blood donation can reduce the overall levels of iron in the blood, which may protect against heart attacks!

Blood donation is like an oil change for your body! It's especially good for those with high levels of iron in their blood. Men tend to have iron stores in their blood (because they don't have a menstrual cycle...boy, they're really missing out...). Blood donation can help to reduce these iron stores. It forces the body to replace lost blood with new cells. And (for a number of unstated reasons) THAT is good for heart health.

So, dear-women-of-child-bearing-age-who-are-blessed-as-I-am-with-a-lovely-menstrual-cycle, give blood to save lives. (And to have the cute, pink bandage wrapped around your arm when you're done...not to mention the yummy treats afterwards, which I happily indulged in). And encourage your men to give blood. It may just save their own lives! Woo hoo!

Are YOU a regular blood donor? Or do you shy away from the needle like me-in-my-before-yesterday-life? Discuss!

Twitter Me Pink

You can now follow FitMePink on twitter! What? You don't know how to twitter, either? Well, check it out...and learn with us. It looks promising...like constant status updates on facebook without all the extra fluff! Check us out...follow our tweets...we'll follow you back!

Guest Post...10 Tips for Going Sugar Free

Today's guest post is by Jen. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 20, and has great tips and info on going sugar free. Enjoy!!!!

I’m excited that Robyn is having me guest post on Fit Me Pink. What a great website with relevant information for staying fit and healthy as busy mommies. (Thanks, Jen...you didn't have to say that! Hee hee...) My name is Jen and I’m posting mostly because I’m diabetic and I thought I’d offer a few tips for how to go sugar-free, or low-carb. A little about me to introduce myself to the readers… I’m 28 and have 2 kids. I’ve had diabetes for coming up on 8 years. I have type 1 diabetes which means that I am insulin resistant (ie, I have to take insulin to control my sugars and essentially stay alive). Because I was diagnosed as an adult (20 years old) I was basically expected to figure things out for myself. At the time of my diagnosis, I pretty much went information crazy. I looked up everything I could find about diabetes and learned a lot. I continue to read a lot about the condition and find it very fascinating. I love to talk about diabetes and how it affects my life. I also blog about my diabetes occasionally. You can check out those posts on my blog by clicking on the diabetes label link.

Life post-diagnosis has changed in some ways greatly and in other ways very minimally. I can still eat like pretty much every one else, I just have to monitor all of my carbohydrates. As a diabetic, I’m concerned with all sugars: glucose, fructose, and lactose. But what I have to pay attention to most on a food label or food item that I’m eating is the total number of carbohydrates. I count carbs in everything I eat and drink so that I know how much insulin to take. My diet is not completely carbohydrate-free and I don’t really recommend that sort of an approach.

Having children is one way that diabetes greatly impacted my life. I have to monitor my sugars extremely carefully and work really hard at keeping them within a very normal range. I’ve had two healthy baby boys and they both weighed about 8.5 pounds. Their lungs were fully developed and neither boy suffered any post-birth effects from my diabetes. These are my greatest diabetic accomplishments. While living with diabetes can be difficult, there are even days when I forget that I am diabetic, and for that, I am very thankful. It wouldn’t be possible without the help of all of the wonderful diabetic advancements and improvements science has brought us.

Here are my tips for going sugar free! (Very timely for me, with my not-very-successful-so-far-sugar-fast!)

1. Decide what kind of carbs you want to cut, and then set some goals.
2. Cut the unnecessary carbs. Desserts and things high in sugar often have an alternative. Be aware that some things that say "sugar-free" or "no sugar added" on the labels actually do have some carbs, so you’ll want to check the label to find out how many. If you compare it with a regular product, you usually notice at least a 20% decrease in total carbohydrates.
3. Just because it’s "sugar free" doesn’t mean it tastes like cardboard! There are a lot of really good "sugar-free," or "no-sugar-added" products that taste pretty good. Some of my favorites are: Jell-O sugar free pudding, light Dannon yogurt, Smuckers no sugar added jelly, light maple syrup, and Dryer’s slow-churned no-sugar-added ice-cream.
4. Choose a favorite sugar-free treat...and stock up! There are actually treats out there that have very few carbs, and some have none. 7-11 has a great Crystal Light Slurpee with only 5 calories per 8 ounces and zero carbs. The Cheese Cake Factory sells a "Carb Free" cheesecake that only has 6 carbs! My suggestion is to take it home and add some sugar free cherry pie filling on top!
5. Eat the good carbs! Fruit and fruit juices are good carbohydrate choices that often satisfy your sweet-tooth!
6. Try to never drink carbs or calories! There are so many great diet drinks out there…drinking empty calories or carbs really doesn’t make sense. My one exception to this rule is while working out…a good sports drink with some electrolytes can be an excellent choice.
7. Keep a back up for when you’re feeling you may cave! Gum works really well. Apparently the ever-so-obvious people from product placement at the Biggest Loser think so too!
8. Choose a day to cheat. Sometimes it’s okay to cheat. Set aside a cheat-day for yourself. One day a week (or less, if you’re brave) is good enough. A friend of mine eats whatever she pleases on Sundays. She doesn’t count calories or carbs on this day, and she’s been able to maintain an 80 pound weigh-loss for 8 years!
9. Remember how good you feel. Going low-carb can be a difficult thing to do. However, it does make you feel great. My sugars get much more level, and overall I feel so much better. Remember that when you’re about have some leftover birthday cake.
10. Do it with a buddy. Having support makes things much easier!

THANK YOU, JEN!!!! Leave Jen a comment here, or check out her blog for more good info! And by the way, the more I think about it...or try to fast from sugar...the more I realize that I need a designated "cheat day" to get me through the week. Good tips!

Killer Leg Workout...Downhill Skiing

Before two days ago, the last time I went skiing was 5 years ago. My husband and I were just dating, in the marriage-discussion mode. We (along with my younger brother) were taking a ski class together. If ONE thing almost caused an end to our courtship, it was this ski class. You see, when I get nervous/feel insecure/wish I could crawl instead of ski down a mountain, I get a bit snippy. Don't try giving me advice. Don't tell me what I'm doing wrong. I'll bite your head off. After one particular ski class, mi esposo vowed NEVER to go skiing with me again. But he did again the next week. And I tried really hard to be nice. I guess it worked, because he still has his head, and we're married!

When my brother suggested a President's-Day-Ski-Trip, I had mixed feelings. But in the end, I agreed to go...without promising to not sit in the ski lodge all day. But I faced some fears, didn't die, only muttered a few expletives to the passing snow boarders, got a great leg workout (from snow plowing all day), and actually had fun (I only entered the lodge to use the bathroom)! And as far as I can recall, I didn't bite anyone's head off. I took "suggestions" with grace (and appreciation). I guess motherhood has humbled this proud little girl a bit. Here are some of the thoughts overheard in my brain throughout the day...

• Hmmm...the kids are with Grandma...let's go see a movie instead.


• Breathe.


• Count to 10.


• Why does everyone on the ski lift insist on leaving the bar up?


• Don't look down.


• I'm going to DIE!


• Oh crap. I thought this was a GREEN hill?!?!?! When did it turn blue?


• And why is it so dang steep?


• Maybe I should try cross-country skiing instead.


• I'm going to fall...I'm going to fall...I'm going to FAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!


• Wait for me, guys!


• I'm coming!


• No, I'm not going to go faster. I like going horizontally down the hill.


• Just go ahead...I'll catch up...eventually!


• Why does that 3-year-old look like that, and I look like this?


• Woo hoo! I made it all the way down without falling once!


• Can we go back to the bunny hill?


• I feel really cool walking like a gangsta in my ski boots!

• And why am I in charge of the camera, again? I can barely hold on to the poles...do they really expect me to be able to handle taking pictures?

And my favorite conversation of the day:

Husband (to my brother and his cute new girlfriend): Today will be a good test for your relationship. It sure was for ours!

Thanks, babe!

Do you ski? Are you as terrified of the lift as I am? What fears are you working to overcome?

Running Skirt Deal!

Several words come to mind when I think back to the pain I felt after completing my first marathon. OK...my ONLY marathon (so far). Among the list of unpleasant words? CHAFING! After the first half, I think I stopped to walk at every mile marker. And as I walked, I re-adjusted my rubbing-in-all-the-wrong-places shorts.

I'm currently training for the Ogden half-marathon, and the Wasatch Back. And guess what I'm thankful for? Running Skirts! Seriously...have you tried one? They DON'T ride up. DON'T creep up unwanted crevices. DON'T chafe. And they allow you to look cute and girly while working out!

If you're interested in trying one, the girls at http://www.runningskirts.com are offering OUR READERS a discount! (Check 'em out...they offer all kinds of stuff: running skirts, athletic skirts, golf skirts, maternity skirts, plus cute coordinating tops!)

Fit Me Readers can use the discount code "fitmepink" in the "checkout notes" section. You will be refunded the 15% discount amount following the checkout process. FITMEPINK - 15% Discount on any items! Woo hoo!

Sugar Fast Failure!

Ummm....errrr....uhhhh....I don't QUITE know how to break it to you, fit me peeps. Did I, or did I not commit myself to a sugar fast? My memory is sort of failing me, so I can't remember. You see, there I was, chugging along. If I remember correctly, I went a whole week (probably the first in my life) without chocolate. I caved for a cinnamon roll, but was right back on track.

Until Valentine's Week happened.

Why is it that holidays are no longer JUST on the actual holi-DAY anymore? They last all WEEK and even all MONTH long! After the cinnamon-roll-of-gooey-goodness was consumed last Sunday, everything sort of became a blur as the week unfolded.

First, I went to singing group on Tuesday night. After being in a grumpy, sugar-free funk all week, I went and sang. And talked. And laughed. And almost cried when my friend Michelle gave me this sweet Valentine. Cried because of the nice gesture, AND because I really wanted to eat what was inside! I gave it to my husband, but vaguely remember sneaking a bite of the last remaining bar the following morning. But I can't be held accountable...I wasn't thinking clearly.

I also have a vague memory of a church party Friday night. It was a chili and chocolate cook-off. I'm not sure, but I think I entered the chocolate competition (by mistake) with this amazing recipe from Stie. I may have tasted the brownie batter. And the cream cheese frosting. And the peanut-butter-chocolate rice crispies. I know, right?

I also may have nibbled at a few of the competing entries. Just to make sure mine was the best. And it was...I won!

So I'm almost scared to say it, because I'm a rebel against my own rules. But I'm going to say it anyway. My sugar fast continues today. Last week? Erased from memory! Gone! Did you survive sugar cookie week?

Strange Food Creations...what NOT to feed your Valentine!

As I've said before, my husband loves to (lovingly) mock my strange food creations. If I'm feeding him anything in casserole, soup, pancake, smoothie, or pasta form, he warily eyes it before digging in. He just KNOWS something strange (read: healthy) must be hidden in it. And he's going to begrudgingly admit that he really can't taste the hidden stuff. As much as he hates to say it, added kale or spinach to an otherwise-all-fruit smoothie is actually pretty good. He, of course, grew up eating only "normal" stuff.

We were discussing strange foods with a group of friends recently, however, and I remembered one of his all-time favorite meals: french toast with ketchup. Oxymoron, no? To me, everything about the combination of those words is wrong. When I think french toast, I think sweet. I think cinnamon. I think fruit. I think whipped cream. I think (sugar-free) syrup. Ketchup, on the other hand is for the salt-ified foods. French fries. Hamburgers. Eggs even. But NOT french toast. I tried it once. I think I threw up in my mouth. (OK, not really. But I didn't enjoy it one little bit).

Another friend shared her family's weirdest concoction: mayonnaise, peanut butter, and lettuce sandwiches. WHAT?

I started wondering what would have been considered "weird" in my family. Taco Bell on at least a bi-weekly basis? And then I remembered. In our growing-up household, there was a special remedy for everything.

Herbal Fiber Blend (for "a more thorough evacuation of waste materials."). Just don't be fooled by the "raspberry flavor." I guarantee you've never tasted anything worse in your life. I laugh until I cry thinking about the time I made my husband try it...when we were just dating. Not a good move. Luckily he already REALLY liked me, or he would've run (as soon as he could get off the toilet). Another must-have: Barley Green. Definitely not as bad-tasting as the fiber blend, but not a drink I'd introduce at your next house party. Regardless, it's good for you. And gross. And now my parents' newest obsession? Apple Cider Vinegar. Feeling sick? Drink up! It really does have amazing health benefits, but it still tastes like vinegar.

So I guess french toast with ketchup doesn't sound quite as bad. But I'll still drink the vinegar first! What about you? Did you grow up thinking something others would consider nasty-weird was normal? And what are you feeding your Valentine?

Sugar Fast Shout Out

**ATTENTION FIT-ME-READERS...BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION GOING ON HERE!**

OK...it's time for a SHOUT OUT to a few of those going through (and surviving) a major breakup right now...with sugar!

First, Tina. On the fourth day of her sugar fast, she was "ready to lick her kids' faces clean from the sugar they were consuming." (Ha ha...me, too!) But now, she feels great! And has lost 8 pounds! YAY TINA!!!!

And here's another WOO-HOO for Sarah! Not only has she lost 7 pounds, but she is also considering the long term benefits of a sugar-in-moderation type life. She's steering herself away from the fate of many women in her family...diabetes! YAY SARAH!!!

Anyone else want to give yourself a shout out? Do it in the comments!

Here's mine...I haven't had chocolate in over a week! I Did It!

FIT ME PINK BOOK CLUB...let the conversation begin!

OK...I started the book, YOU Being Beautiful: The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty. I've only made it through the introduction and first chapter so far, but I'm really enjoying it. There were a few tidbits that I found fascinating!

Outer Beauty Has a Purpose!
First, Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen made me seriously consider my own beliefs about the importance of outward beauty. We've all heard these beauty-based cliches, right?

• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
• Don't judge a book by its cover.
• Beauty is only skin deep.

Inner beauty is completely different than outer beauty. But we tend to link them together. Both are important. But outer beauty really does matter, as much as we sometimes like to pretend it doesn't (as evidenced by the wide use of these popular sayings.)

OUTER beauty, throughout history, has served a very important purpose. It sends a message to the world about how healthy you are! Long before doctors could diagnose one's health, outer beauty sent a very specific message to potential mates. Looks were the health assessment. Interesting.

A fun fact: the definition of beauty hasn't always been the same. In the Middle Ages, pockmarks were hot! It meant you'd survived smallpox, and wouldn't die from it later. And during times of famine, you wanted to be fat! It meant you had enough money to feed your kids.

ANYWAY, I don't think the book is meant to discourage those who don't see themselves as outwardly "beautiful," but is designed to give tips on becoming as such. I still hold firm to my belief that we really are all beautiful. But I do think that our outward beauty often correlates with how we feel about ourselves...whether we admit it or not. I know it affects me. I'd like to say that I exercise to be healthy. That's partly true, but honestly, I do it because I want to look healthy. And looking healthy means looking beautiful.

The Formula for Beauty...who knew?

While reading chapter 1, I learned one (unfortunate) thing that I can never change (without plastic surgery). My nose is too big (in proportion to my mouth)!

THIS was absolutely fascinating to me. Did you know that we are all built with inborn "beauty detectors"? We look at a person, and can instantly assess his or her beauty. It's a built-in reflex! This is because of the Fibonacci sequence (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13...), or the "golden ratio." There's a lot of reasoning behind the sequence (read the book!), but it occurs over and over in nature...from tree branching to the arrangement of a pine cone to the reproductive pattern of rats! There's a predictable pattern. And the golden ratio is 1.6. (Which, by the way, strengthens my belief that there really is a God who created this amazing world in which we live...EVERYTHING is organized!)

ANYWAY, this ratio is how we make quick judgments of those we meet. A symmetrical face following this ratio is truly "beautiful." Interesting. Supposedly the ratio of the width of the mouth to the width of the nose should be 1.618 to 1.

I was curious, so I got in front of the mirror with a ruler. My lips are exactly 2 inches wide. And at the widest part of my nostrils, my nose is about 1.375 inches wide. If I did the math right, my ratio is 1.4545 to 1 (divide mouth width by nose width). So my nose either needs to shrink, or my mouth needs to be wider. Oh well.

I also took the test (which determines how close the current ME is to the potential ME). It assesses all three types of beauty: looking, feeling, and being beautiful. I have a ways to go. My total, combined score was 111 out of a possible 160.

Chapter 1

As for the rest of the first chapter, it was all about skin care. I found it sort of boring, because for me, it wasn't all new. (I physically cannot go to bed at night without washing my face. I literally can't sleep. If I fall asleep while watching a movie and wake up to go to bed at 3 am, I still wash my face!) But it did give some interesting information on ingredients to watch for, proper skincare, etc. So it's definitely a worthwhile read.

I definitely agree that proper skincare is VITAL to looking (and feeling) beautiful. The times in my life where I felt the worst about myself weren't the times I gained weight...even after having a baby. The times I felt the worst were when my skin looked horrible! I have several vivid memories of complete strangers offering me advice on how to treat my acne. Not fun memories. I piled makeup onto my poor face trying to cover up the ugly blemishes. It made them worse. I (knock on wood) haven't had a flare up since my first pregnancy, which is why I try so hard to take care of my skin! Acne is extremely emotionally scarring. As are other skin conditions. So take care of your skin!

Comment-versation

Phew...sorry for the long-windedness. Have any of you started reading yet? What are your thoughts on skincare, or beauty in general? What are your reasons for exercising? Do you workout to BE healthy, or to LOOK healthy/beautiful? Is beauty only skin deep? Or does it really matter? Does your face hold the "perfect ratio" (unlike mine)? Give your thoughts!

Draining vs. Energizing, and one of my insecurities...

Last night, we attended a family party. I got home and caved. I ate a cinnamon roll. I won't go into how gooey, soft, and moist it was. I enjoyed every. last. bite. I also won't go into the guilt I felt afterwards. But what's done is done. I ate a cinnamon roll. Moving on, right? I'm still fasting from sugar until August...that was just one of my "exceptions." Hopefully the rest of my "exceptions" will be better planned!

ANYWAY, about the family party. I had a blast. We left, and I felt totally energized. I loved sitting, chatting with my cousins who I don't see very often. I really cared about what they had to say, and felt like they cared about me. Such a great feeling!

In general, I think I'm a pretty social person. I love people. I love talking to people. I love talking with my husband. I love talking with my good friends. I love talking to my family. I even love talking with my 2-year old. They energize me. I laugh. We each contribute to the conversation. We care what the other person has to say.

Occasionally, however, I'm in a social situation where I'm not exactly myself. This usually happens when I'm with a group of people who love to talk and talk and talk and talk, without stopping to catch their breath, listen for a response, grunt, nod, nothing. I totally clamp up. I don't say a word. I leave feeling drained. Drained from too much listening, and no contributing. (I sound like such a brat...sorry!)

Does this mean that I need attention? I'm not sure. I actually think I'm a pretty good listener. I just also like to be heard. I think we all do. And I don't think the non-listeners intentionally talk and talk and talk. But for some reason, when I'm with certain extroverted people (usually ones I don't know very well...I open up over time), I pretty much have to spit out whatever I have to say in response to what they said in about .05 seconds before they're on to the next topic. And if I'm in a group with several of these people? I can pretty much count on not even having those .05 seconds to say what I want to say.

I actually really do love extroverts. They make me laugh. They have lots of good things to say. I just can't compete, because (as much as I hate to admit it), I turn into shy, insecure Robyn. And, I'm a bit jealous...wishing I could be the one stealing the show! I just need to chime in. But I don't. And I hate that I don't!

Anyway, it's funny that NOT TALKING is a small example of something that drains me. I need to talk! Don't we all?

It's no secret that life as a mom is draining enough without added drainers. For this reason, I try (not always successfully) to complete at least a few energizing activities a day to help me find balance! Here are a few of both that come to mind...

DRAINING

• not talking
• big grocery shopping trips
• spending money
• shopping, in general, for more than an hour
• getting kids ready to get out the door
• making dinner
• going anywhere with the kids by myself
• potty-training
• getting kids to eat!
• watching the news
• Sunday mornings (by the time we're off to church, I'm frazzled, and our house looks like a tornado hit!)
• talking on the phone (I'm not a good phone-call returner)
• my kids

ENERGIZING

• talking
• EXERCISE!
• friends who care what I have to say!
• friends I care about
• spending money (I love it AND hate it! Probably depends on what I'm buying.)
• eating a good meal
• getting out of the house
• going places with my kids AND husband
• running
• sunshine
• singing
• movies
• church
• reading
• blogging (I get to say what I want, even if no one's listening!)
• Saturday mornings
• talking on the phone (love/hate again)
• my kids
• my husband
• nap time
• sleep
• pedicures
• massages
• girl's night out
• fit me pink!

I guess some draining activities have to be done in order to get to the energizing ones. What drains/energizes you? What situations make you feel unsure of yourself?

EDITED TO SAY: Tina made an excellent point! Some "draining" activities are the ones that make us feel the best. Church can be draining...but it is spiritually energizing. Big parties are draining. But seeing good friends fills us emotionally. And exercise can DEFINITELY be draining. But it feels so good when you've done it!

I NEED SUGAR!!!!!! Should I cave?

I've made it an entire week without sugar. (Well...without dessert, anyway). Our weekend has been FULL of family parties. And I have resisted the temptations. At a pre-wedding "money-tree-dinner" for my husband's cousin last night, I spoon fed Danish Dessert to my baby. I inhaled it, but differently than I normally would have. I really just smelled it. I wanted it. I resisted.

Tonight, the my-side-of-the-family party had plates full of cookies, cherry bars, and more yummy goodness. My mouth watered. I got a second helping of spinach salad, and pretended the dried cranberries were just as satisfying as that cookie would have been. They were really good, but not exactly "cookie good". But somehow I resisted. We left. And my first weekend? A success. Woo hoo!

I was feeling pretty proud of myself. We got home, and as luck would have it, the doorbell rang. One of my favorite neighbors brought us a plate of yummy, gooey, warm, homemade cinnamon rolls.

And there they still sit. On the counter, calling to me.

And I REALLY want one! Should I change my commitment to ONCE a week? Or should I hold strong through the month of February? I don't want to be such a "spur-of-the-moment-snacker." That's the reason for the sugar fast...to plan my indulgences...and to really enjoy them. I'm pretty sure I would really enjoy a cinnamon roll, though. Should I give in?

I'll let you know what happens...

Fitness For Tots...Getting the strong-willed child to eat his stinkin' dinner!

OK, so I don't know about you, but I DREAD mealtime...namely DINNERtime with Mr. Stubborn-2-year-old. Every night, it's a power struggle. The food will sit untouched on his plate for HOURS until he realizes that I'm not going to budge and let him have bread/cookies/cereal instead.

I'll admit it. For a long time, I've used dessert as a reward for eating dinner. But don't the "experts" say not to use food as a reward? Isn't eating something that should just be done, regardless of what one is going to get afterwards? It's kind of a responsibility as a member of the family. We eat dinner together. We eat what's on our plates. We don't whine and moan and groan (and gnash our teeth) until we finally give in, and eat the vegetables. We just eat.

I'm not a short order cook. And I don't think you should always get "something" for eating. Just eat, d**n it! Mr. Moody (yes, the I'm-never-going-to-get-out-of-the-terrible-two's-phase-toddler has many names and faces) NOW says (before taking a single bite), "what will I get when I eat my dinner?" If I answer with, "a brownie-goodie-treat-candy-whatever," he'll eventually eat.

But I'm done. I'm trying something new. Something I started last night.

I'm doing NOTHING. I'm putting his plate in front of him. We're sitting down as a family to eat. I'm not negotiating. I'm not even talking about it. When we're done eating, he can get down from the table, even if he hasn't had a bite. If he starts asking for something to eat later, I'll direct him back to the table. He can choose.

This doesn't mean there will never be dessert. But there doesn't NEED to be. Dessert should be something occasional, something special, something you don't get EVERY time you eat your food.

Am I wrong to think that this will empower him to eat better if it's his decision whether or not to eat? Tonight he went to bed hungry. He didn't eat his dinner. But he didn't cry when he went to bed, because he knew he'd made that choice.

I'm actually going to try the same approach with potty-training. (And sorry for getting side-tracked with potty talk...this really should be another post on a different blog. Just have to say it.) Anyway, I'm not going to make a big deal out of it (he did great for 3 days, and is now rebelling and refuses to go in the potty). After the dinner non-episode (non-episode because I didn't make a big deal about his non-eating), he actually told me he needed to go potty (for the first time in weeks). I just looked at him and said, "Then go. You know what to do." He looked at me funny, then went in the bathroom and pooped!

So this is my experiment. I'm tired of negotiating. I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of rewarding for behavior that should just be expected. We eat dinner. Period.

Am I mean? Unreasonable? Right on? What are your tricks for getting your kids to eat their food? And what are your opinions on rewarding with sweets? Share your knowledge, advice, opinion, whatever!

Sugar Fast Update

Oh hi there, fitmepeeps. Have you missed me? Sorry...I've been sitting on the couch, humming a tune with my fingers in my ears to drown out the sounds of SUGAR calling to me from the kitchen.

I'm not gonna lie. It's been a MAJOR test of willpower. All I wanted to eat on Monday was leftover birthday cake. Why didn't I just throw it away? Not sure. But I didn't have a single bite. I've gone for three days now without even a morsel of chocolate. That's huge for me.

Normally, the first thing I think to do when my kids start screaming, is grab a handful of chocolate chips. Oh, naptime is over? Chocolate chips. You can't share that toy? Chocolate chips. You're mad because you can't watch Word World again? Chocolate chips. They're small, so they don't count, right? Wrong. It adds up.

So I've been a REALLY good girl! And my fridge is stocked chock full of fruit. I had to consciously decide to eat an apple instead of chocolate chips on Monday. It wasn't what I wanted, but it totally satisfied me. Now that I'm almost over the first week hurdle, I'm not stopping! How about you?

Let the wild sugar fast start!

Well, I loaded up yesterday on cookies, cake, and frosting. As I was preparing for my daughter's 1st birthday party, I'm pretty sure that's ALL I ate. So right now I'm feeling pretty motivated for the big fast. We'll see how I feel by the end of the week!

Here's my goal. I'm going to make it through the month of February with NO dessert (even on Valentine's Day...eeeeeek!) If, by the end of the month I decide it was too hard, I'll switch to allowing dessert once a week. Or I may decide to allow it once a month. We'll see. This sugar fast is great, because...you make your own rules! As you join in (in your own way), let us know what's working for you!

Don't forget to go out and find a readable copy of You! Being Beautiful: The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty. I'll start reading today, so get ready to discuss in the coming weeks/days!

And stay tuned...I have a killer LEG move to post...either later today, or later this week.

Also, if you're interested in guest posting, let me know!