Let's do it

Come on D! We can do it!!

Eating Out with Success- All

I finally had a chance to tackle my neglected stack of magazines during the Labor Day weekend. I ran across an interesting tip in Shape magazine about dining out. Two websites were mentioned and I tore out the article to look at later.

This website helps you find nutritionist approved dishes near you. This one lets you download a restaurant finder to your Blackberry or iPhone.

Stress Levels

I've observed something interesting in my stress levels lately and thought I need to jot it down in case things change.

So, my husband lost his job 5 weeks ago and we started getting nervous about money. While we know we're ok for a few months, the nervousness is still there. So, I started looking for a part time job, weekends only, and Courtney helped me find a direct marketing company that works great for my schedule!

And, even after adding this additional job to my schedule, I'm less stressed than I have been. I've been much busier and while I'm not getting any scheduled exercise in, I'm more active and am losing weight. This extra job keeps my mind busy that I'm not stressing about work load and am not feeling overloaded and have a better mental health than I have in quite a while.

So, remind me to read this if (when) I start losing control again :)

Take care,
Diana

Progress Report

Time for an update, don't you think? I don't understand why it is so hard to get consistent with exercise. I know how much exercise benefits my physical and emotional well-being, so what is the problem?

I have been getting in 2 formal exercises such as an aerobics class or a run and 1 or 2 informal (ie family bike ride, family walk, bowling...) but it is not enough. I've been especially lazy on the weekends. I'm hoping that now the weather is cool (below 100 F) that we will all be more inclined to get outside and just do something.

How do you keep yourself motivated?

Time Management

Well, I have been slacking in posting but I'm going to try to improve on that.

Time management is a big problem for me, partially because I am a procrastinator and find things I'd rather do, than what I have to do. So, what did I do? I found something else to add to my busy schedule. So, time management becomes even more important.

My goal this week is to write down everything that needs to be done, when they are due, and schedule my time. I need to try this for a couple of weeks and see if it feels better.

I am no longer feeling overly stressed but I have to make sure I stay on top of my priorities. I am in control of what I can control and I'm going to do the best that I can.

Tracking Progress: Courtney Month 0

I was thinking of tracking my progress for my cardio health by timing a one mile run. Let's just say that I have a lot of room for improvement! I ran the mile this morning and I probably could have run it faster, but I was simply trying to run the entire mile without stopping. My time was 13:53 which is slower than some people can walk it. My goal is to be at 10:00 by the end of November.

Time to get serious with the running again!

Eating Out with Success- Mexican

I got nothing.

Just kidding. I have a bit, but this one definitely gets me into trouble. First off, it's way too easy to eat the chips and salsa set out on the table from the moment you sit down until the moment the food is served. One trick is to count out the number of chips you are allowing yourself and place them on a little plate. You can break them into a bunch of little pieces so they take longer to eat. Stopping at just the plate takes quite a bit of discipline, especially if they take awhile to get the food out.

Another trick is to be really picky about what you eat and prioritize. Eating tortillas, rice and chips really adds up. Most Mexican restaurants have salads with fajita meat and as long as ask for the dressing on the side and use sparingly and don't eat the tortilla shell bowl they sometimes come in, it should be a healthy choice overall. Tortilla soup is another good option as long as you limit the tortilla chips and cheese involved.

I'm always looking for ways to eat out successfully at Mexican restaurants!