Make It Work

There are two kinds of excuses for me when it comes to making healthy lifestyle choices.  1) The kind that even as I'm telling them to myself I know they are solely created to make me feel better about whatever it is I'm wanting to do.  2) The more legitimate excuses like being a mom and a wife who works full time and would like as much time with my family as possible.  But they are both excuses!  If something is a priority, then you will find ways to make it work. 

Ever since I became a mom it has been a struggle to find time for workouts.  I feel guilty taking time away from my kids.  My husband and I decided to join a gym together and it has been wonderful.  The childcare area is called "Kid Zone" and my boys look forward to going most of the time.  Even though the kids don't mind going I still began to feel bad getting home so late and not having very long to play with them before bedtime.  At work, I have an hour lunch break every day that I really don't need (because I pack a lunch and eat while I'm working) so I decided to start running during that hour.  It actually gives me more energy for the afternoon and it's wonderful to leave work, go home with my family, and have my workout behind me!

A few weeks after I started running on my lunch break my sister in law (who works at the same school) suggested that we workout in the school gym to a zumba video a few days a week.  The director approved, and it quickly turned into a regular zumba class 3 days a week!  There were 8 participants today and even more that plan to join next week.  You never know what's possible until you ask!

This week I'm going to share a dinner recipe and a dessert idea. 

Veggie Pasta With Turkey Sausage

As you can see there are not very many ingredients.  It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.  I use whole grain pasta, heart smart spaghetti sauce, and butterball turkey sausage.  Choose any veggies you like. I use squash, zucchini, onion, red pepper, and fresh garlic. 

Saute veggies and turkey sausage with a little olive oil and black pepper. Add spaghetti sauce once veggies are fully cooked.   Boil pasta in a separate pot. 

 When finished put them together, add a little Parmesan if you like, and 1 large serving (shown in picture) is only 405 calories.  My husband and boys both approve of this dinner : )

A very simple dessert that I like to have requires only 3 ingredients:  Vanilla yogurt, fresh fruit, and crushed graham crackers.  If using Danon light&fit yogurt, the serving shown in the picture below is just 125 calories.  And it's delicious!

Tip of the week:  Try Natures Own Honey Wheat 40 calorie bread.  Some low calorie bread, to be honest, tastes like cardboard.  This one does not!  It's very tasty and a great way to make low calorie sandwiches for lunch.  This is not a commercial, I just really love this bread and use it all the time : )

Don't forget to share your own tips and recipes with me! 

My Blog Intro

My history is not so good when it comes to blogging.  I am not a great writer and my grammer is often corrected by others...not to mention names, but a man that I am married to, and an older sister of mine, correct me the most : )  When I started my first blog I wasn't sure what to write about since the 3 or 4 people who were most likely to read it would have already heard my most current life news via email, phone calls, or facebook.  But now ... NOW I have something I am excited to write about and share with others.
Health and fitness have always been important to me.  I've enjoyed sports and workouts since I was probably two years old.  After highschool (when my metabolism started to change) my interest in nutrition increased!  But, just because these two things have been important to me for a long time does not mean that I have maintained a healthy balance in both these areas.  Food.  I LOVE food.  I will admit that it is a struggle to consistently put the right things into my body. Cheddar peppers, cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, and icecream are obviously not very nutritional, yet they are SO delicious and hard to resist.  When I'm at home thinking about making a sandwich and all the work that goes into it (toasting bread, slicing avocado, getting out lunch meat, sprouts, light mayo, etc.), the easier option is to call my husband and ask him to bring me a  cheeseburger on the way home.  The silly thing is, I know it would only take a few minutes to make a sandwich and that would definitely be the better choice. 

Lately, I have found myself more motivated and more consistent with making healthy choices on a daily basis.  I am enjoying ALL sorts of wonderfully nutritious meals and snacks.  Physical activity of all sorts including running, spinning, zumba and any type of group cardio class have kept my workouts from being mundane.  I plan to share recipes, ideas, and pictures of the meals and snacks that I am eating each week.  Being a very busy, working mom with little time to plan and prepare (or little desire...one of the two),  I have found ways to quickly prepare foods that are both healthy and tasty. 

Living a healthy lifestyle does not have to be boring.  I know I'm not the ONLY one with recipes, tips and ideas so feel free to comment with those of your own!  I look forward to blogging with you :)