As parents we are constantly trying to find ways to keep or get our families healthy.  It can feel like a never ending battle filled with confusion, frustration, overload of information and defeat.  Ah…but let’s not forget success is possible, it really is.

In the past 18months I’ve been trying to lose weight, get fit and overall lead a healthy active and most importantly happy life.  I’ve been on the diet roller coaster for 30 years now (I’m 38), so I feel I have every right to analyze and try to grasp how I got 100lbs over weight and how I’ve stayed this way.  My personal thoughts on what I like to call my fat journey is for another post.

It did raise certain other questions about childhood obesity and how as parents we’re struggling and scared that we’re not going to be able to keep our kids mentally and physically fit and healthy, and not obsessed with food and exercise.  To just have an ease and comfort with their bodies, while making good choices.  Things that have been at the forefront of my  thoughts since I was pregnant for the first time.

I rarely brag about my accomplishments as a mom, but I think it’s time I do.  I think it’s time we all give ourselves a pat on the back for something we’ve done.  As women and moms we rarely do this(sorry guys I know this happens to you too, but I write from a chicks perspective:-) As little girls we’re sometimes taught it’s not polite to brag(true or not?).  So here I go!

I have two amazing little kids(barely away from toddler years) that (believe it or not) love broccoli, green beans, cumbers, raw carrots and peppers and many other colourful items taken from nature.  They eat whole wheat bread and pasta without complaint and give my husband a hard time for drinking diet soda.  They love being active and are of healthy weight and stature.  They love to smile:-)

So now, before you roll your eyes and think I’m raising little perfect health robots(or that I’m lying) please understand they do have cookies, prepackaged mac and cheese, they enjoy playing their wii game and watching cartoons, but not exclusively.  They are happy growing little people that enjoy life, but I do want them to understand what food and activity is all about.

I do not force lecture, but since they were babies the majority of meals have contained many colors, and we talk about vitamins, protein , energy and extra food.  Yes, I said as babies, as crazy as that sounds! “Here comes the vitamin train” a.k.a. spoonful of peas!

We have a “no need to clean your plate” policy at our house but you certainly don’t get any of the extra foods in place of what’s on the plate.  We encourage trying new veggies and fruit over and over with subtlety. We talk about what it means to have a full tummy and what water does for our bodies.  we’ve even chatted about why we eat-fuel, strength etc and not because we’re bored or sad. As adults we are trying to follow these ideas and trying to break old habits! After all we know the validity of the saying of practice what you preach!

All of that being said I’m still a normal parent so…….what do I do about all of the outside influences?  TV, radio, internet and visual adverts and commercials.  All that information that bombards our kids(and us) everyday?  We would need to live in a cave not to be exposed to that stuff, let alone young impressible developing minds.

I get infuriated when companies(a.k.a. fast foods, sugary cereals, restaurants, prepackaged foods,even schools take the easier cheaper way out) and say it’s not their fault that the world is getting fat-it’s our choice after all, right?  I happen to think they’re full of shit and they understand fully the working of human psychology and what affects peoples palate and desire/reasons to eat certain foods.  They certainly understand marketing!

You ever see a macdonald’s commercial with all/any fat people?

Just the shear volume of these foods, has made our choice of unhealthy food so easy, and lets face it since the beginning of time we’ve liked the easy access of food.  Do you think the caveman would walk an extra mile for the next meal to kill if he didn’t need to?;-) I don’t think so!  It would take a month to find out the truth behind the variety of pastas alone!

So with all of the things that influence our kids how do I keep my kids healthy, never becoming obsessed with food and dieting and still saying YEAH to broccoli when they’re 15?  We know has long has the companies that produce our foods, take the easy out and produce so much junk that part will not change, So WE have to start making the next generation food and fitness smart-body smart.

I talk about crossing the street safely and physical safety with my kids, so now I guess I need to continue with our health safety chats, but we gotta keep the fun as well

What are you doing about those brussel spouts and that bike ride?

Does this video make you smile? http://www.youtube.com/user/TheRealLittleDebbie

It makes me angry-I searched this video thinking I was missing something, they surely couldn’t mean that they wanted more people to eat this stuff so more people would smile!!!!!

Being who you are is more important than being or becoming who people want you to be-end of story!  Well actually the beginning of the story.  Is this a rant, is this a story?  That doesn’t matter…why?  Because not everything needs to be labelled or confined inside a box, everything does not need a definition. Not everything and everyone needs to follow another’s idea of perfection or the ideal way to attain perfection-it does not exist.

Do not ever allow anyone to tear you down in blatant disregard, disrespect or their inability to see something from your perspective.  Even worse than blatant insults is underhanded repeated subtle digs at who you are as a person.  Repeated subtle hints that what has made you who are is wrong or not good enough.  The things and people that make us who we are(the good, bad and ugly), are the same things that have made us strong, vulnerable, weak, passionate and the soul we have become and strive to be.

Strength cannot be judged.  Passion cannot be judged…Maybe I should reword that to say never allow another persons judgement of your passion and strength(because it will happen) destroy who you are.  If you believe your strength and contribution to the world lays in you making flower door wreaths and selling them to people with drab quiet doors then give it everything you’ve got, don’t hold back, give it everything you’ve got.  Go at it with the same gusto that the chick that has politics in her veins,the guy who photographs turtles, the astronaut or the kindergarden teacher goes at it.

Don’t leave a shred of yourself to the wolves, use the nay sayers, and snobbery and pessimists behind.  Maybe they are going at being negative and disbelieving in passion with the same satisfaction that you go after what you believe in.  Don’t change who you are for anyone, there will always be someone there to push you down, but there may not always be someone there to pull you up.  You have to be the person that is consistent in believing in you.  Those negative people are too distracted to see what value you have to add.  It may be something or someone in your past or present-recent encounter or distant memory.

Do not be ashamed of what has made you who you are.  I garuntee the person that stands back and chooses to be negative and judge does not have a perfect past.  We are creatures of energy, genetics and environment.  We do not get to where we are without influences, it is what we do with that influence that counts.  Take a breath and appreciate what you’ve become.  Embrace your success and failures(or what others may see as failure).

Do not pretend.  Pretending to be someone you’re not is just mocking who you are.  Do not mock yourself.  We allow that to happen far to often.  We try to emulate someone who is successful or seems to have it all together.  Or we “fake it till we make it”.   I now realize that phrase is a load of horse shit.  Someone who has to fake it needs to figure out who they really are.  “Faking it” is not making you stronger, it is simply being a fake version of yourself.  If you Actually stand up and portray confidence( if that is what what you want to portray) whether it be on stage in front of 1000, entering the gym doors, speaking up to someone that intimidates you, or in front of a mirror (I’m not saying you are standing there fearless, or in perfection), but simply standing strong, head held high- then you have made it, you’re not faking it-you’ve made it!!  There may come a time when you feel confidence, less nervous or more pride, but you’ve already made it-no faking it.

Stop faking it and become it, become yourself.  This is probably a  message I should repeat more often to myself. I am “here” and I am doing it.  For me that means getting fitter by the day, exercising, being more active with the kids, eating right and knowing why I don’t some days.  That’s not faking being athletic, that’s being athletic and becoming fitter.  We are all waiting for a magical moment, don’t wait, just become it and live your life within “it”.  The person you want to be, because without this, being skinny, having more money or whatever your goal may be means nothing!

If you’ve searched in your soul to figure out who you are and why you’re who you are(and even if your still searching) don’t allow anyone try to tell you you’re wrong about what you’ve discovered or are discovering.   You are never wrong about your feeling-don’t allow your feelings to be judged. Use your feelings to push yourself to become who you want to be or even better embrace who you are. In much the same way we constantly tell children, “that doesn’t hurt”, “don’t cry”-who the hell can tell me not to be who I am or feel the way I feel.

A part of being and embracing who you are is realizing you may not be able to convince others what you are about, what is at your core or why you feel the way you do.  Some people simply don’t want to listen.  Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not for fear that someone won’t like you, that it is someone you “should” respect or someone that you want to be around because they add something to your life(even though you feel pathetic when they’re around).

I recently had a couple of encounters where I found myself pretending and playing along, for a couple of reasons.  I thought someone could add so much to my life that I started to follow a philosophy I did not believe in, just to maintain the relationship(my new (now former)PT and myself).

I allowed myself to be convinced that my thoughts were wrong and my method wasn’t working-when in actual fact it was working-just slowly.  I’m not even sure he got that this was happening when I tried talking to him.  Most recently I allowed it to happen again where I pretended to be a person I’m not just to appease someone.  Then I eventually not so clearly spoke my mind.   I realized it’s more important to be who I am rather than be liked.  They will judge me anyway-so may as well let them judge me for my real thoughts!

Whether it be about our philosophy on fitness, life, love or feelings-be strong in your convictions and feelings.  Try not to allow fear to rule you, as I do to often.   Fear is a stifling paralysing feeling that can leave us without passion or purpose.  I know my purpose and now must focus on caring more about my thoughts, feelings and philosophies than changing who I am to make someone else happy.  I will stop explaining myself-If I need to exhaust myself trying to make someone understand me then that is not energy well spent.

I am goofy, funny, an amazing mom and wife, I like cheesy TV movies, I have great style(but usually found in workout pants), when I believe in something my passion will be evident, I adore my friends, I think quality is more important than quanity, I am loyal(If you are one of my adored friends and family-I’m there for you), I am strong(mentally and physically), I am altering my life-now for my body and mind to reflect it.  I am not changing who I am at the core. I reflect on who I am and how I’ve got to where I am-focusing on all the positive fucking amazing things I’ve done in life and channel them to my fitness journey.  Whatever may happen along the way-I am who I am and I’m not faking anything!

Who are you-for real?  Are you faking it till you make it?  Can you accept that you’ve already “made it”…whatever the hell “it” is to you!

Oh did I mention it’s 4 A.M. and I’m typing because I can’t sleep…but that’s ok…I can sleep in in the morning and appreciate that I can have a little rare snooze in the morning and that I can/love to write…… No apologies!

Being selfish means different things to different people, to one person it may be a way of life to another it is an absurdity to never be considered.  I realized awhile back that sometimes being selfish can actually be beneficial to those around you.  Taking time out to take care of ourselves for instance can give us better health, fitness, mood, energy and time to spend with the people we love.

“Taking care of ourselves” has personal meaning to each individual.  It may be reading a book, shopping for healthy food, a cooking class, a run, gym time, time with friends, or taking time out each night to write a blog that helps them understand the weight loss process they are going through and maybe help someone along the way.

For an act to be selfish you must get a personal reward or feeling from it that is positive, that gives you something personally.

My little bit of selfish pie over the last few months has been writing something each night with the idea of posting once a week at least.  I love to write, while I put on my headphones and go to a place that is just for me.  I write from the heart, not to impress or even inspire but simply because it is where my mind and my heart meet at that time.  It helps me focus on why I’ve chosen a path to a life of fitness and health, that focus in turn keeps me motivated in times of self doubt and fear.

I have had an incredible year since I’ve started taking charge of my life and have savoured every minute of writing( in whatever format, public or private).  In recent weeks it doesn’t feel selfish anymore though.  I feel pressured and anxious, like I must write, I must post something/anything.

In the last 8 weeks I have travelled through Switzerland,Italy,Scotland and England. Lived in a hotel for 6/8 weeks.  We’ve packed up our family and made an international move from the UK back to North America.

We have visited family and friends we have not seen in years, getting 2 wee ones settled into a new life, unpacked countless boxes, living in the middle of a construction and landscaping zone(much of which we are doing ourselves), and trying to spend quality family time together.  I felt my fitness and healthy habits start to slip away, but now I’m back into my exercise and good food routine.

So recently my writing has not felt selfish and it should.  It feels like work(except for this little piece).  So I’ve decided to be selfish in another way.  I’ve decided to take a little break from writing and minimize my twitter and Internet time.  Right now I need to channel my energy elsewhere into things that are for me and my family.  My workouts and healthy cooking have become a priority again, I am not perfect yet but getting refocused.  Spending fun time with my husband and kids is a must for me and them.

So sometimes selfish means shifting priorities for a little bit.  Making a choice about where to channel time and energy.  Making a free choice to do what you want for yourself.  I hope people will continue to read, maybe take a look around at some of my old stuff!  I know I do sometimes, because as I said…. this started as my SELFISH TIME, so I use it as inspiration to get and keep going sometimes.  I’ve managed to take a few minutes here and there to read other blogs and am so grateful to someone I respect and care about for nudging me in this direction.  Have learned so much about myself and from others.  Cheers to taking care of ourselves!

Feel free to express yourself here and say what you do to be selfish.  Do you think it’s OK to shift commitments and priorities?  What do you do that’s just for you?

Sunshine beautiful Italian sunshine. Sitting poolside after some much needed splash time with my kids, allowing my body to relax and my mind to drift while resting my head.

My kids continue to play, smile, run, giggle and enjoy the moment.  They are so blissfully unaware of the vehicle that allows them to be so free(their bodies).  Each day when they run into a room I am grateful to my core for the health and function they have.

I think of my daughter especially, at what point will things turn for her?  When will she go from being unaware of her appearance to paralysingly aware of every visual cell of her existence?  Also for my son, at what point will his attitude towards his physical presence change?

Will they linger in front of the mirror or avoid it at all cost because of the image they perceive is reflected back.  Will he constantly be concerned that he is not strong/muscle bound enough or will she analyse and devalue herself because she is not what she believes perfection to be.  I hope that doesn’t happen, but how do I stop it?  How do I ensure my both my son and daughter appreciate their bodies for what they are.

I want to empower them to make healthy choices for movement and fuel, to help them appreciate the positive attributes they have.  I want to ensure that they simply don’t base self appreciation on what they think is perfection.  It feels like a battle that’s going to be a long and tough fight.  Needless to say, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to empower my kids, I hope I’ve done that from the beginning. Let this be my regeneration of a promise I made to them when they were born.

A brief scan around the poolside reveals a variety of body types, a vast array of bathing suits and collection of people from different backgrounds.  I’ve lived in the UK for almost 2 years and visited several European countries, it makes me wonder if a little thing called PERFECTION that we’ve embraced in North America isn’t becoming the norm every where.

When did we decide our bodies are something to be ashamed of, and that we can only be proud of them if visual perfection is attained.  As a society we’ve never been so unfit and fat, and yet somehow be completely obsessed with the “ideal” body that is flawless.  A correlation-I think so.

It starts a vicious cycle of dieting. Buying into the latest sugar free, low fat, low calorie, supplement filed, diet and exercise plan out there.  Diet companies bet on the fact that you’re willing to try the next thing to get that perfect body.

Back at my Italian pool side many of the women are fairly trim and fit, but far from perfect.  They proudly wear bikinis, showing lean strong arms(but cellulite on the legs), fantastic legs( but a little belly jiggle)- they walk tall and proud and appear to be relaxed and certainly not covering up to walk across the poolside.  They appear not to need perfection.

I wonder if an acceptance of imperfection, while aiming for health and peace of mind is the key.  To not make our children so conscious of every perceived flaw.  It just leads to chasing something that doesn’t exist for most people.  It’s a great example of why it’s so important to focus on our strengths, but embrace all parts of ourselves.

How do we achieve being a fit healthy society without aiming for visual perfection?  How does an entire society of perfection driven people change their out look on life?  I’m willing to bet that there are people that will read this and say that you don’t want a perfect body, you just want health, fitness and to reduce your weight enough to fit in that one pair of jeans.  But I think if you look back, there’s a time where this all started with that one small part of your body being the problem.

We’re so terrified that someone will see our imperfections.  I strongly believe in being healthy, fit, slender and strong.  It’s time to take away the perfection part of the formula, it is a poison to our self image and self esteem.  We feed it to our kids whether we realize it or not.  We need to instill positive reinforcement at every opportunity, enable confidence and cherish difference.

So I leave my little Italian vacation a little more relaxed, some color in my cheeks and a renewed passion to empower my children to never allow anyone to tell them they need to be perfect.  I know I need to embrace this concept for myself.  I need to be an example of the brilliance of imperfection and the need to acknowledge our strengths.

It is time to define what we want for ourselves, our friends, family and our children.  This is not something that is limited to North America, but from my limited travel I can say that we appear to be far more obsessed with perfection and covering and fixing every perceived flaw.

I have much to learn myself and I’m working on it.  I will work on my own body image not by getting thinner and losing weight, but by appreciating the strength and fitness I’m gaining and who I am as a person.  I cannot allow my daughter and son to grow being consumed by perfection, I will do what I can to ensure that a mirror will not reduce them to tears and self loathing.   They are my PURPOSE, it cannot be about a pair of jeans or a bathing suit, it has to be more.  They will be strong mentally and physically, know how to stand tall and proud and shed more tears for joy than sadness.

please leave your comments, experiences, emotions and thoughts.  Am I alone in thinking we need to change?

In life we encounter people everyday.  There are our families, our life long friends, some we barely notice or speak with, it may be a brief momentary encounter, others that lead to aquitances, work relationships or life long friendships.  No matter what the relationship, there’s a high probability of us making an impact on each other.

One year ago was at my heaviest and the most unhealthy I had ever been, it was the peak of my frustration.  I had no energy, felt lost, lacked motivation and direction, I had felt weak(mentally and physically).  I have been on more diets and tried more fads than I can even recall and I’ve had periods of good health and fitness.

I needed something new, something life changing and something that would help me get my health and my life back.

I was occasionally dabbling back at my gym, had just completed a charity walk and had a knee injury( could barely stand on it, let alone do much else).  I cried, I was angry and I didn’t know what else to do.  I decided to call the number of a private personal trainer from the gym.

I had no idea how this worked in the UK, but deep down expected the same result. I thought I’d walk away with a written plan or sign up for a few sessions.  Boy did I get a surprise!   My call was returned by a guy named Thor (I really didn’t think this was his real name, turns out it was)!

A very assertive scottish voice was on the other end of the phone.  A bit intimidating I must admit.  He started the conversation quick and to the point.  He wasn’t really taking new clients, but let’s see if we’re a match.  He asked what I was looking for, what was I doing now, what I wanted to get out of training, and what was my level of comittment out of 10.   All I remember  saying was: 12/10, wanted to get fit, lose roughly 100lbs and step out of the “gym box”(possibly learn some boxing).

His first challenges to me before meeting:  He gave me a few days of specific gym activity(based on what I said I could do), write out a 3 or 4 day honest food journal, and email him with all.  I did that, then we arranged a time to meet.

I have been in life threatening and life saving situations, had 2 babies, encountered brilliant and aggressive minds, been enamoured by incredible amazing paople and I’m rarely intimidated.  I have also had personal trainers before, but that day I was so nervous I almost cancelled and then when I got there, I almost left.  Anything involving my weight is my biggest challenge in confidence.

I have a great gut instinct and I’ve learned to trust it.  I stayed-I met.  We were about to start a pattern of events that would be repeated hundreds of times, he carried a pair boxing gloves and Thai kick pads, we went into an empty squash court and life began again.  We started straight in, he asked me a few health questions, we reviewed the emails we exchanged and then got moving.  He showed me a few basic punches and we went from there.

I had no idea what the following year was to bring.  I was exhausted after that first workout, I had no cardio stamina, I was uncomfortable in my skin and in my clothes.  I was awkward in my punches and kicks, we did some weight work in the gym, I worked on my rowing technique and learned about intervals and building cardiac endurance and physical strength.

I moved my sessions from 1 to 4 per week.  Why?  This was a gradual process that happened as I learned how much I loved my kick box/MMA/self defence workouts(we still haven’t figured out what to call it!).  I did a crazy amount of work on my own.  He taught me about diet, food, metabolism, and physical activity .  Even though that sounds like a lot, it was the easy part.

I’m  not sure I believe in luck as we would call it, but this is where I say I’m lucky.  This  is the year that I met someone that changed my life.  Rarely do we encounter people that have impact enough that will change who we are as people and how we live our lives.  I have: my personal trainer/coach.  I feel like I’ve found the real me, I smile more, I’m more content, more confident, and I’ve learned my life is mine.  My worth is not based on how I look in the gym or in a pair of jeans, who I am is not a number on scale.

There were subtle conversations during workouts, formal coaching sessions and a friendship that developed over the year.  I’ve learned that you cannot judge a book by it’s cover, that if I allow it, there are people that can impact my life in ways I could never have imagined.  I know that most of us struggle with who we are and what we want.  I’m human, the expectation of perfection is not realistic.

I need not wait for my life to start after I reach a certain number on a scale, I start living the life I want now.  Find things I love to do that will keep me healthy and fit and make me smile.  I have a new outlook on my life, I’ve always been an adventurous person and some how lost myself, allowed myself to be consumed by my body.

I wish I could package the genuineness, the encouragement and passion for life that my coach lives.  The greatest things I got from this past year is that I’m worth it, to give myself a chance, and I’ve finally got the concept that whatever I do must have a purpose.  I have found my purpose.  That purpose can grow as I change and take new paths in life, but without direction and a purpose, I’ll just get lost again.  One of the most amazing conversations I have had recently was about quitting.  I know that quitting is not an option-I will not quit my life.

This has been a year of many tears, frustration, encouragement, guidance, toughness(on both sides), determination, compassion, and few bruises!  I was trained through a year long knee injury and the frustration of a messed up metabolism.  He encouraged me to follow my creative side and taught me that it was part of who I am. I get that being vulnerable, crying, and seeking help are not signs of weakness but signs of guts and strength.  This was meant to be an appreciation to my trainer, but I could not write it without describing what this year has meant to me.

I’ve lost a couple of close friends in the past couple of years(people that left this world far too soon).  I realize  life is too short, it needs to be embraced, we need to acknowledge the people that help make us who we are and who we want to be.  Whether it be family, friend, coach or trainer.  I will never again have too big an ego, be too self conscious or be too afraid to miss an opportunity to embrace life or miss telling someone how much I appreciate them.

My travels to the UK will end shortly and I will leave behind a person I may never see again, a person that has helped me find my way back to myself.  An amazing human being that is greater than his shell may tell, someone that has helped me be a better mom, wife, nurse, friend and human being.  The extent of my gratitude cannot be expressed by writing a simple note.  I think someone like this probaly has no idea how many lives he’s impacted and changed.

I wish I could share what I have learned from Thor with everyone struggling to be themselves or to find fitness and health.  It’s about more than learning self defence or being encouraged to write my blog, or accepting that I’m a great mom, but it’s about that and the fact that I can see myself for who I am and what I can be-and appreciate both.  People have said to me that it’s easy to lose weight when you can afford a personal trainer, but until we get the mental part of the journey(no matter how short), we will struggle and for the first time ever I think I get it.  I wish I could share it with everyone.

Life is not about holding back, waiting or doubting, it’s about going forward, never settling and always living. It’s about being myself and not apologizing for that or my imperfections.  Embracing who I am and who I want to be.  Valuing and appreciating who I’m lucky enough to encounter.  Each encounter can make a lasting impact, if I let it.  I’m absorbing each moment, and knowing it’s ok not to get instant results or be perfect.  It’s about living life.

A thank you cannot even begin to express how I feel, so maybe sharing what I’ve learned can somehow show how grateful I am.  So Thanks T!  For the endless hours of teaching me to defend myself and my family, unending encouragement,helping me believe in writing, knowledge, skill, coaching, kicks in the ass(or accidental punches to the head;-), toughness, compassion, adaptability, creativity(you think outside the box),passion for what you do, incredible confidence without arrogance, for being real, and somehow knowing how to balance it all! www.ThorHolt.com www.outsourcefitness.com

I would love to hear your comments on your experiences with people that have changed your life! What’s your story?

A family road trip yielded many wonderful memories but also highlighted the extent to which unhealthy food is more readily available than nutritious food when travelling.

We were travelling for 4 days with our children and stayed in 2 different hotels, both  decent hotels in star rating, service and in general.  We arrived roughly around 10 PM at the first hotel with 2 hungry children.  I had packed healthy snacks for the road, but we were later than i had expected arriving at the hotel.

We had the option of room service.  The menu included mostly “bar food” and drinks.  I asked if it was possible to get something for a child, luckily I got a wonderful person at reception that personally went to the kitchen and got toast and yogurt(no brown bread to be found).  Now this might sound “picky”, and I am very grateful to the reception clerk, but it is the beginning of the realization of the difficulty of easily attaining healthy travel food.

Many hotels now serve a buffet style breakfast.  The main buffet line is filled with bacon, fried eggs, beans, fried hash browns, sausages, you get the picture!  Around the corner are the few whole grain cereals(mixed with multitude of sugary ones), oatmeal is available, but you must remind yourself and seek it out.  Fruit is a hit and miss, I just want to find it simple and clean!

For lunch and Dinner, the menu: some of it greasy, some of not, some of it actually incredibly delicious, but not much of it health conscious.  Now if this were a meal I was to have once a month that would be one thing, but chances are, if you’re staying in a hotel and on vacation, it is not a once in awhile thing.  You may be eating there for several days or even weeks.

There are multiple options with heavy sauces, fried food, white rice and pasta, minimal vegetables, fried meat etc.  If you want healthier options, they are just that-the options!  And even then it is very rare you will find places that will give you brown rice, sweet potato or whole wheat pasta, even in the most high end of places.

The “Children’s menu” is my biggest pet peeve.  First off, the portion sizes are ridiculous, no child should eat that much food in one seating!  This is where I’m grateful I’ve avoided the “eat until your plate is empty” rule!  The menu mainly consists of french fries, white pasta, fried chicken or fish, and grilled sandwiches made with white bread and rubbish fillings etc.

All of this being said I understand we make choices in life, about our health, our bodies and our food!  Every day we decide what we will eat, how active we will be and how we live our lives.  I get that not everyone is trying to loose weight and get fit and people like to indulge or treat themselves and their kids(either once in awhile or often).

What I don’t understand is how at this point in time, how hotels and restaurants don’t make healthy choices more readily available.  Why can’t the chips, fried foods, dense and non whole grain options truly be the options.  It is possible to make delicious healthy food, and no it doesn’t have to be incredibly expensive.

My kids will eat whole wheat pasta, cut raw vegetables, fruit and meat/fish that hasn’t been covered in batter and deep fried, they also get to have the occasional cookie, ice cream and cake etc.  What I do want is that we give our kids the respect that they deserve that they are capable of eating food other than rubbish.  As a parent I’d like to have easy access to good nutritious food.

As an adult I also want those choices readily available.  So every meal has been a challenge.  I hope someday hotels will learn that people would like healthier choices up front.

My husband travels often for work and I know what choices he often has, It must be difficult but not impossible to make healthy choices for anyone travelling often for work!

So here’s what I did, not perfect but it’s a start:

KIDS MENU:

~ ignore the kids menu~it’s usually crap

~ order soups, sandwiches(ask for specific whole wheat bread with your choice of topping) from the starters menu, or “just ask” if they can make it.

~ Ask for a quarter of the serving size when giving kids fries/pasta etc.(be assertive, the server may ignore our request)

~ mix it up, if  kids want a few french fries, that’s ok sometimes-let them have it with vegetable soup, whole wheat sandwich etc

~ ask for cut up veggies carrots,peppers,cucumber-most places will do it

~ try to avoid fast food places.  If going there I order 1 fries and 1 apple pack and each of the kids gets some apple/some fries and kids love wraps!

~ beverages: milk, water, minimal juice. ( I sometimes add a little apple juice to water for them, but they will drink plain water.

~ have fun- have a little ice cream:-)

ADULTS:

~ take time to look over the menu.  Don’t go for the obvious

~ Ask for brown rice, whole wheat pasta and brown rice-they may have it, but not use it thinking no one wants it.  The more we ask-the greater the chance hotels will start to “get it”.

~ Ask for half size portions when can’t get the options I want.

~ Ask for grilled instead of fried, if they got fish/meat to fry-they’ve got it to grill.

~ salads, with any main entree is an option even if not listed, as is smaller portions of pasta, potato etc

~ Ask for a plate of raw veg to munch on as with the kids.

~ Think about what your meal will have as components and think of an alternative for one.  I often used extra veg or a plain/spiced chicken breast as an option.

~ I treat myself sometimes!

I’m not a dietician or expert, just a mom and wife saying what I do to keep me and my family as healthy as possible.  I’m not perfect, but none of us are, so I’m just moving from trying to doing!  Leave me a comment with your thoughts and other hints!

April 2009 I had reached a peek of frustration with my weight(I had discussed weight loss surgery with my doctor and been on every “diet” in the book!).  I was lost and looking for something to get my passion for health and fitness recharged.  I found a pamphlet at the gym(where I occasionally forced myself to go to).  It was for a breast cancer 1/2 or full marathon walk in Edinburgh June 21 2009.  It would start at midnight and go until completion.

Not only was this a walk challenge designed to raise money for breast cancer, but had a purpose to get women to focus on fitness.  So I decided, I would do the 1/2 marathon.  Once the decision was made, I wasted no time in signing up and letting everyone know what I was doing.

They supplied a training schedule, with a warning that said- train, it’s not as easy as it sounds.  So I followed along, started eating a little better(but I still made poor choices).  I stuck to my training schedule.

Two weeks before the walk, pain in my knee became unbearable.  I saw my doctor, the recommendation was that I shouldn’t complete the walk, but if I was insistent on doing it, I should stop if the pain increased.  Ice and ibuprofen became my friends!

Eventually June 21th arrived and there I was.  I really can’t do it justice to describe the environment.  An overwhelming feeling of pure energy, elation, and an uncontrolled desire to shed tears without warning and for no specific reason.  Just overpowering flood of unspecified emotion.

A sea of pink hats, 12,000 people (mostly women, volunteers and participants), countless decorated bras, exposed bellies, tears, laughter, music and the biggest pink tent I’ve ever seen!  All put together by an incredible lady~Nina Barough  http://www.walkthewalk.org/Home

Welcome!

I had decided that I would do this by myself, my own little challenge.  Although, no one was truly alone, I was sharing stories with people I met briefly and would probably never see again. Pounding music, inspirational speeches, crazy warm up dances, stories of strength, sadness and power.

At midnight the 1st groups were off.  Walking first through the beautiful streets of Edinburgh,(the Edinburgh castle and cliffs entirely glowing with pink light) and then on through gorgeous parkland.

At mile 7 or 8 the pain in my right knee was becoming worse.  There were many times I thought I might quit.Often walking and talking with others, then times of peace, calmness and my music.  The last 5 miles of that walk were almost unbearable, not to mention not very functional.  At mile 12 I was teary from the pain and stopped every 10 minutes for a few seconds. Then I was done, there it was~ I finished.

Maybe quitting would be the sensible thing to do, but I couldn’t. I was surrounded by people that had been through and survived much worse.  I thought about what I wanted my kids to know about that night.  I thought about the reason a walk like even need exist.  I was lucky, I could walk, I could breath, I had a chance at fitness and health. I thought about a friend that was my age that had died 6 months earlier(not from breast cancer, but far too soon).

I was done, so time for a nice long sleep!  I was looking forward to a day out with my family the next afternoon, but when tried to stand after my nap, I couldn’t put any weight on my leg.

One year later I’ve finally been pain free for 3 or 4 weeks, I’ve had a full year of physio, it was found I had multiple issues(that weren’t recognized), and pain almost everyday.  I’ve missed some activities with my kids, I couldn’t train as intensely as I wanted, absolutely no running, climbing or fast walking.  I’ve been grumpy and frustrated at times.

BUT~

One year on: I found a brilliant trainer and coach, I’ve lost 22lbs(in the last 9 months), I’ve gained massive muscle, I am strong, I am fit, my resting heart rate is in the low 50s, my blood pressure is perfect, I have learned self defense, I’ve found a love for indoor rowing and kickboxing.

I have learned when one path can’t be taken you find another.  I have 10 fold the energy, patience and enthusiam to do things with my kids-we are just choosing alternative paths!  This week I ran for the first time, the run was behind my childs bike as they learned to ride~if I had not started on my fitness journey I would not be able to run behind that bike at all.  I will do what I can to be here as long as I can for my children.

I’ve been asked several times if I regret walking in that 1/2 marathon.  I’ve had fleeting moments of negative thoughts, but can honestly say from the bottom of my heart that I do not!  Not for more than 5 minutes.  It’s strange that I can say that, but it’s true.  I appreciate that event more than anyone could imagine.  It gave me my life back.

You may not notice a big difference between the 2 pictures below(taken june 2009 and june 2010)-but I remember how I felt then and know how I feel now~One year~No regret!!

Would you regret it?

I just thought I should update(feb 2011) that  my surgery didn’t happen because I moved country at the scheduled time, but with the help of physio, sports massage and chiropracter I’m doing great and may not need the surgery right now! We’ll see, but still worth every second!

june 2009

june 2010

It’s been an interesting and challenging adventure into the world of twitter, blogs and all that comes with it!  This past year has been one of changes, challenges, rediscovery and stepping outside the box for me.

I’ve started to nurture my mental and physical health.  A love for new fitness activities and routine and a balanced clean diet has helped me lose weight and gain fitness and strength.  A greater key to my health has been the mental aspect, part of which has been starting a blog.

I’ve always had a love for creativity and writing.  When my coach suggested I start writing about my weight loss I thought he was a little crazy, to be honest.  Since then I’ve figured out he’s full brilliant and unique ideas!  A much under appreciated and noticed coach and trainer! I started my little blog, managed to set something up, and set it to private.  It was meant as a creative and cathartic outlet for me and for him to get some insight into my thoughts.

I’ve always been a relatively guarded person, but knew that this would be important and enjoyable.  A month passed and I decided to let my blog go public.  Then next came twitter! So I thought why not?  Maybe someone can get something from what I write, I could learn from others and it’s a quick why to communicate with my coach.

I began to really enjoy both writing for my blog and twitter, but then what I had always been a bit concerned about happened.  I had a rather crude and disturbing message sent to me.  It is not worth my time or further mention, that’s all I’ll say.

It left me wondering if this was worth what I was getting out of writing.  After a couple of days I decided yes!  That was nothing worth my time-I’m focusing on the positive instead!  I love what I’m doing and resources and connections I have chosen.  It helps me stay on track with diet and exercise and gives me a great communication path with my coach and other sources of information, inspiration and guidance.

I think I may have decided differently if it weren’t for a group of simultaneous events. I had two beautiful comments on my blog, I saw an interview with www.binduwiles.com and words of support and encouragement from the most amazing coach/trainer anyone could ever wish for www.ThorHolt.com www.outsourcefitness.com

So, I will continue to write, change my life  and embrace the aspects of my life I love. I hope everyone that loves to create by writing, speaking and doing will continue to do so and soak up the positive that comes from it!