Be the Change

healthy habits

It all started with the Kellogs All-Bran Challenge. I bought the cereal for this low-cal, low-fat muffin recipe. The muffins turned out terrible. Ugh, I don't even like to think about it... But, I noticed the back of the cereal box - it issued a challenge to eat the cereal for breakfast for ten days. That was a little over a year ago, and I've been eating a high-fiber cereal every morning since then.

I definitely noticed a difference after upping my fiber. At first, it was very difficult to reach the 25-30g per day requirement. I considered taking a supplement, but I thought I'd continue trying to get it naturally, and eventually it was easy. "They" say that people who get enough fiber in their diets tend to maintain a healthy weight (and lose weight) easier than those who don't.

I also used to struggle with getting enough fruits and veggies in everyday, too. There were days I was lucky to have one serving! So I set a goal to get 3 per day. Then my goal was 3-5, and now I'm consistently getting at least 5 per day. My breakfast usually includes a banana and an 8-oz glass of orange juice. There's 3 servings already! (a side note - I used to get heartburn and indigestion from fruits, but since I've started working out, I get far less of those) For lunch, I like to have big salads of dark greens topped with fresh veggies like cucumbers, broccoli and carrots. Some days (like today), I'll also have a bowl of veggie soup. I'll also have a snack of a fruit or veggie at some point in the afternoon, and I try to add one or two veggies to dinner. So I'm usually in between 5-9 servings per day!

(My daily menu changes depending upon if I have work. Especially if I work in the evening, it's more difficult to plan a well-balanced dinner for myself.)

I think it's important for myself to make smaller, attainable goals. I didn't set out to get near 10 servings of fruits & veggies per day! First, I tried for 3, and then I worked my way up. With the fiber goal, I started by just adding a high-fiber cereal, and then slowly worked my way up to the daily recommended value (it's important not to up your fiber too fast, as that can irritate your system in bad ways).

I got this idea from my sister - I have a monthly calendar and I split each day into four squares. In one square, I count my fruits & veggies. In the second, I check off if I've taken my daily vitamin. The third and fourth have to do with daily chores & cleaning around the house. If I meet my goal in each box, I get a sticker for the day.

Sounds silly, I know! But it works for me! I like stickers and I like feeling like I've accomplished something. I even started adding more goals so my vitamin square also has a spot for fiber intake and another for fitness information. At the end of the month, I evaluate my goals and adjust if needed. Also, if I've established a good habit, I might change one square to something new.

For me, that's the point of the calendar - to develop a healthy habit. It makes me look at something every single day. At first, it was really difficult for me to remember to take my vitamin everyday, but when I see that calendar, I remember.

Today's stats:

Nutrition:
Breakfast: 1/2 serving Frosted Mini-Wheats, a banana, and 8oz Trop50 orange juice
Lunch: toasted Arnold's Multigrain Sandwich Thin, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 cup Campbell's Select Harvest Light Minestrone Soup
Dinner: Arnold's Multigrain Sandwich Thin, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp grape jelly
Snacks: 1/2 grapefruit, Wheat Thins Fiber Selects

Fitness:
Wii Fit Yoga - 34 minutes, 59 calories
Wii Fit Aerobics - 30 minutes, 89 calories
Wii Fit Strength Training (core only) - 6 minutes, 13 calories

Total: 70 minutes, 161 calories burned