Healthy Dilemmas

For me making healthy choices is a daily battle.  Even tonight I was feeling a little chubby and guilty about eating birthday cake yesterday and ice cream cake today and knowing that I am going to have birthday cake and fondue tomorrow.  I want to be healthy and thin but I just love food, especially sweets.  I have nothing against exercise in fact I enjoy walking and dancing.  I just lack motivation most days especially after several wake ups each night with the babies.  This winter weather is also a big downer.  Now I started this blog to be an encouragement to other moms and ladies, and so far this post is pretty sad.  But there is hopeJ  Here are some things that might help me and you in making healthy choices.  One thing I have been thinking about lately is that each day there are several moments of opportunity to make good choices.  For example each time I go to the fridge is an opportunity to make a good choice: apple or leftover cheesy potato soup?  Bran muffin or cupcake?  Tea sweetened with honey or coffee with cream and sugar?   These small choices can add up to big changes in weight.  According to “The Biggest Loser” just adding 2 teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of half and half to your coffee each day can add 10 pounds in a year.  No wonder I have trouble losing weight.  Another tip is to do something fun that you can include you kids in.  Sing the silly kid exercise songs and do the motions like “Father Abraham” and “Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes”.  Do some dancing in the living room.  Having crawling races.  Another tip, feed yourself like you feed your kids.  Most of us make sure our kids eat lots of fruits and veggies and little sugar.  We don’t let them have soda or Kool-Aid, but we eat fast food and cookies.  We even make sure they eat all the food groups.  We deserve the same.  Another tip, from Dr. Oz, is to use agave nectar in cold drinks, honey in hot drinks, and date sugar for baking, instead of sugar.  Make small changes like changing to lite mayo, turkey bacon, and whole grain bread.  Figure out what healthy foods you really like to eat and keep plenty of those on hand.  For me they are Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and roasted broccoli.  And give yourself a cheat day so that you don’t feel deprived.  This is a reminder to you and me that we deserve to be healthy and feel good about ourselves.  Live well.