I'm a Juicing Momma!!!

When I began cloth diapering, I thought I was nuts, now I can't imagine not doing it. When I began reading my friend Jill's book- Breaking Free ~ Truths for Healthy Living, and began to explore the idea of juicing, I thought I was a little nuts too. Anyone who really knows me is probably still thinking I am a bit nuts.

Nuts or not, I decided to give it a try, I went out and bought the juicer Jill recommended (which I LOVE), I made a big trip to Trader Joe's and stocked our fridge with TONS of veggies and fruits. I made a commitment to juice every day for at least 30 days.

I am very happy to say I have juiced every day for 10 days so far!!!! Honestly, I think I will probably juice for a very long time, I am in LOVE!!!! How else can you be sure to eat at least this amount of healthy veggies, and be sure your kiddos are getting them too???
I will be writing more posts about juicing from here on out, to share what works and what doesn't. I am truly so glad to have found this new addition to my life and diet.

Here's the juicing books I have so far, to continue to learn and juice!!!

Stay tuned for my next post to see what my boys are thinking of all this juicing!!!!

It still works!!!!

Yup, I actually confirmed it! Our treadmill still works!!!!

I moved sweet ladybug to her own bed last night, in her own beautiful room...

wow, is she really that old already (we moved all 3 kids between 4-6 weeks)? I wasn't really ready this time but my husband reminded me that it was *time.* ;)

After taking the Pack n Play down, there was suddenly room for the treadmill to be used...guess that was my SIGN.

I took the sign and jumped on yesterday...figured I better get started if I want this weight to go anywhere. It's not just falling off ya know?

Finally!!!

I am SO thrilled!!!!! Shoprite carries their own brand of organic coffee creamer!!!!If you have read this blog for awhile, you know that I was trying to find an alternative to my regular coffee creamer. I need my coffee creamer, I am not giving it up, but the ingredients in the other one were so gross. I knew I needed to get an organic one so I could guarantee there were no GM ingredients, and I wanted one without hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup. I found it!!!!!!

So, finally, I have let go of my white sugar and switched to Agave Nectar, and now I have this creamer...I am set in the coffee department!!!!

On the right track...

I gained over 50 pounds during my pregnancy with Ladybug (the exact same with my boys also). I gave birth a little over 4 weeks ago and I have lost about 20 pounds, which means I am still carrying approx. 30 extra pounds. I was really small to begin with, so I don't have a huge desire to get all of it off, but I would like to get at least 20 more off. Even more than the extra pounds, I want to FEEL my best and I don't right now. I am naturally a very small person so the extra 30 pounds I am carrying doesn't necessarily look horrible, it just feels that way. I am much more concerned with my overall health rather than my actual weight and appearance.

So begins the REAL journey.

First, I must admit my issues, uh-um...addictions I suppose.

I am in love with sugar. I mean LOVE with sugar. I have cut back from what I would LOVE to eat, but I still have a sweet tooth that won't take a break. K's birthday cake sat out on the table all weekend and guess who cut off *just a bite* way too many times? Yup, me.

I used to eat candy, way too much candy. I have cut back a ton, to the point that I rarely eat any. BUT, if it's here-in the house-I can barely resist and often give in. When I eat some, I just want more.

I eat to fill time. I eat when I am bored, I eat, just to eat. I am very thankful I don't gain weight (unless prego) because of this problem I have, but that doesn't mean it's not a problem. Eating the way I want to is not healthy.

I don't like getting food ready. I go for the quick fix, and they aren't always the most nutritionally balanced. My diet is not horrible-at all, but it is not where I desire it to be. I need to give my food choices even more effort and thought each day.

Those are my main issues. Sugar, candy, eating just to eat, and laziness in food preparation.

My strengths, yes I do have some!!! I am good in the liquid department-I only drink water, organic milk, and occasionally purple grape juice. I do not like soda, and can easily stay away from my husband's sweet southern tea. My only pitfall is coffee-2 cups per day-but the coffee isn't the issue-it's the creamer that goes into it! I switched the sugar to Agave Nectar-so at least I am doing better there.

Another strength-fresh stuff. I eat veggies-usually raw spinach, carrots, and celery every day. I usually eat bananas, apples, kiwi, and mangos too. I love plain avocados and will eat 1 per day if we have them.

I'm sure there are a few more, but those are the main ones.

In my quest to evaluate where I am at and get on a better track-not only for weight loss, but also for overall health, I was online today. I came across a GEM of a website that is already helping me tons!!! It's called Nutrition Data-Know What You Eat. Basically you register at the site, and then you can see your recommended intakes (calories, vitamins, etc.) based on your stats. THEN, you can keep track of your food intake and even add foods they don't have in their (very large) data base.

I spent much of the afternoon dragging foods up from the kitchen to input their nutritional info from their labels! It was really easy and once they are in, I don't have to do it again!

I am now keeping a *If you bite it, WRITE it* journal, and also recording my Nutritional Data from the day. Already in just a few days I notice that I am not getting enough Vitamin D-gotta get in the sun!!

I am hoping this will help me not eat too much, stay on track nutritionally and teach me a few things along the way! Obviously I don't want to WRITE that I ate an entire box of cookies, so just the mentality of having to write it down changes it all for me (and most people, I've heard).

I don't plan to be obsessive about writing every day, but I do hope to document at least 1-3 days per week to see where I am and give myself a wake up call. IF I begin to eat bags of cookies, then I will go to writing every day!!!