Of Growing Children and Coping Mechanisms

Today was the first day of school for my two oldest. Third grade and second grade. (Aren't they cute?)

I'm very excited for them! A new school year was always one of my favorite times as a kid. It's a fresh start. Lots of new and fun things. Friends, old and new. Opportunities to learn cool, new material.

But as a mom, I find it tremendously difficult to hand my children over to the world again. The world can be cold and cruel. I know it's just elementary school and that they are in the capable hands of wonderful teachers. It's just very difficult to sit back and let them go. I cannot be with them, available to help or correct or comfort at any moment.

And they're just growing up so fast! Third and second grade?? How did this happen?! I never considered myself to be a helicopter mom and trust me, I love having a bit of a break, but it's always quite emotionally stirring to watch my children begin a new school year.

Between the contradicting emotions of the first day of school and feeling so overwhelmed with other things going on in my life right now this is what I want to do today:

Lay in bed. Eat. Cry a little. Eat. Lay on the coach. Eat. Watch TV while eating. And then eat some more.

Man, those bad habits and old coping mechanisms die hard!

But eating and crying and laying in bed aren't going to make me feel any better (most definitely worse!!) and not help me to accomplish the tremendous amount of things I need to accomplish this week.

So this is what I AM going to do today:

Pray. Get up. Turn on some loud music. Dance. Clean my bathrooms (it's Watercloset Wednesday after all!). Drink lots of water. Feed and nourish my body. Pray some more. Tackle my to do list with vigor. Clean my house. Do some computer work. Go for a walk. Make a treat for my kids and be ready to listen to all the great things they will have to say about their first day. 

Guess I better get busy!

So...You Want to Lose Some Weight

Well, I keep waiting for this perfect moment when I'm going to have some time to sit down and write a very clever, well-laid out blog post about all the ins and outs of how to lose weight.

After a week of trying to do just that, I'm calling it.

It ain't gonna happen!

I need to follow that K.I.S.S. mantra: Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Me Stupid. Not you Stupid! You're not stupid. You just want some advice on how to get a little healthier and happier. And there is nothing stupid about that. In fact, it's very smart. So let me see what I can do to help you on your way.

The secrets to weight loss are not secret at all. They are exactly the things we hear about all the time. Eat less, exercise more. We know how to lose weight. Eat less, exercise more. It's just the doing part that is so darn hard to do. I can give you the "DO" part of weight loss, but what it really boils down to is that you are willing to DO it. That you DO it every day. And you keep DOing and figuring out different ways to DO it until you achieve what you want most in life: to be healthy and happy.

So...Here is what I did every day to lose 100 pounds:

1. Drink lots of water. At least 64 ounces. No pop.

2. Exercise at least 45 minutes. Mostly aerobic, with some strength training.

3. Eat lots of vegetables. And fruits. As fresh and unprocessed as possible.

4. Eat more lean protein. Chicken, fish, shrimp, beans, peanut butter, yogurt, etc.

5. Eat less carbs. Not low carb or carb free. Just less "simple" carbs, such as WHITE bread, bagels, pasta, chips, crackers, etc.

6. Track calories and stay under calorie allotment.

7. Have ONE treat once a week.

That's about it. I'm not saying I did perfectly every day or that I even do now after doing this for almost two years. But I am most successful at losing and keeping weight off when I am actively and consistently doing these seven things.

I'm not popping pills or doing juice fasts or going organic or doing crazy exercise regimens. I never even joined a gym. I did this stuff in the comfort of my home, with four little children, and lost 100 pounds.

It's basic. It's simple. It works. Are you ready to see if it works for you?

P.S. This is the foundation. I plan to write more in the future about other topics, such as motivation, healthy food choices, kinds of exercises, etc. This is just a good place to start.