kindle love

I gotta admit, peeps, my favorite Christmas gift is one I bought myself...



I never want to go back to reading paper books. This device is da-bomb-diggity. For realz. And Mel sent me to a great site that shares both free and bargain Kindle books! I am in bookworm heaven!

tomorrow

Tomorrow my boy starts 1st grade. 1st grade!!! I'm going to miss him so much during the day. While summer is hectic and really takes its toll on me I'll miss his constant chatter and hearing/watching him make his sister giggle.

I am entering this school year prepared with the health of my son at the forefront of my mind. The only thing that changed last year (other than moving half-way across the country) was a solid diet of school lunches and going to Kindergarten all day. He has really gained a good bit of weight in just one year and that concerns me. I did the school lunch deal because I *thought* it was healthy and would be a good option for him. I was wrong. This year I am packing his lunches so that I *know* what's he's eating. I decided that I would share with you because if you're struggling to pack your own child's lunch you might find an idea that you want to use and the more kids that eat healthier lunches the better, right?

Here is tomorrow's lunch. Turkey and cheddar sub, granola bar, strawberries and fried apples (leftover from Cracker Barrel). The bread I used to make this more of a sub and not a sandwich is Arnold Fill 'Ems Sandwich Thins (whole grains, no trans fat, no cholesterol, no high fructose corn syrup, 100 calories and, best of all, they taste good.). The container is a Ziploc divided container.



Compared to his options for school lunches - either a Meatball Sub with Cheese on Roll, Peas, Mixed Fruit, Milk or Chicken Patty on Roll with Lettuce & Mayonnaise, Peas, Mixed Fruit, Milk - I think his meal from home (checking in at around 550 calories) isn't too bad and in my opinion seems far healthier.

What do you do? Send your kids packing or let them buy at school? Any ideas you want to share with me - spill the beans, peeps!

Two sites that have inspired me in my quest to pack healthy lunches for my son are another lunch and Mommy Needs Cake. Please visit them for lots of great ideas! (Not a sponsored post.)

confessions, check-in and more

Wow guys this has been a crazy, busy week. So busy, in fact, that I am still baffled by the fact that it's Thursday night. I can probably count on my fingers the number of hours we've actually been home this week (sleeping time excluded). But *big sigh of relief* starting tomorrow (Friday) it's not as crazy. Which is why I picked Friday to be my "let's try this again" day.

I did weigh-in on Wednesday and was up 1.4. I had a few thought-provoking comments last week (thanks, sisters) and Christie suggested maybe I was bored with Weight Watchers. At first I thought, nah I'm not bored, but after a little more mind-chewing on it I thought ok maybe she's got a point. It's not that Weight Watchers doesn't work. I know it does. When you follow the plan. My problem is my lackadaisical attitude towards it. So I thought - Hey, why not change it up? It's not like I'm 100% devoted to it (as evidenced by my weigh-in) and if something else doesn't work I try something else or even go back to counting Points. That being said, I've decided to try calorie counting. It will still require logging my food but I only have 1 number to deal with (for now) instead of 3. Something I've noticed is Weight Watchers is also all about the fiber and I'm not going to disagree that fiber is good for you but I've noticed, for me, it seems like the more protein something has the more filling it is and the less I want to snack/eat mindlessly.

Speaking of protein, I'm going to totally change topic here, has anyone tried Chobani Greek Yogurt? Oh. My. GOSH. It is the BEST yogurt I have EVER tasted. And the bonus? Zero fat and 14 grams of protein. It. is. awesome. If you like yogurt, that is. It's a little pricier than the other brands. Sale price at my local store was 10 for $10. But definitely worth it.*



Ok, back to my thoughts here (by the way this post has been writing itself in my head all week): Calorie counting is what I'm going to start tomorrow. I have a plan in place and a guide (thanks, April...you are awesome).

Exercise also needs to make its way "back" (get it, my back problems? Ha!) into the picture. My back is doing great and there's really no sense in putting it off. Game plan? 3 days run/walk (Couch-to-5K program) and 2 days strength training. I am working with Team in Training to get rescheduled for another half-marathon and am going to start looking for a local 5K to train for (gotta have a goal, right?).

WATER. Must. drink. water. We all know my crazy addiction to Diet Coke. And I KNOW it's not good for me. New plan = 80-100 ounces of water and 1 Diet Coke only if I meet the water requirement first. (This one scares me.)

So next week when I check in I will visit with you on how it went with calorie counting, exercise and water.

And finally, I need accountability. I was going to request a volunteer to be an accountability partner and I would return the favor - BUT seeing as Shrinking Jeans is starting a new challenge on Sunday and it includes teams, I'll be counting on my teammates to kick me in the butt if necessary.

*Photo courtesy of chobani.com. No one requested or paid me to post my adoration for this yogurt but I would definitely consider promoting these yogurts if contacted. I love 'em that much. Hey, I'm just sayin...