Long Time, No Blog!

So I've been neglecting my spokesperson blogging duties this week, but I have a good excuse. The kids are on vacation and I committed to having an active, educational, and most of all, FUN week with them. Those of you who know my children have some idea what a tall order this is since there are two of them and only one of me; keeping them separated was not an option.
The other challenge in this was maintaining my commitment to the 6FIT program. I had to figure out how to eat well and get in my own exercise with the kids around, not to mention put in enough hours at the office to keep the business running smoothly.

Recipe for failure, right?

Not this week!

On Monday the kids and I hiked and scrambled all over the Blue Hills.

Then Daddy took over and I got some ME time at a DanceFIT double-header.

Tuesday I joined a friend for an early morning run at Jamaica Pond and then had another full day planned. We visited to the BU Language and Child Cognition Labs so the kids could participate in some of their studies. Then we headed off to the JFK Library for a terrific Presidents' Day program.

There were crafts and stories, lots to learn and yes, the make-your-own-sunday bar was a big hit. We had parked our car at the Boston Common and, on the way back, we made a spontaneous stop at the Frog Pond for a few hours of ice skating and a visit to the playground.

Wednesday we all got up early and went for a sunrise hike in the Blue Hills. We explored a new trail, ate breakfast at the summit, and the kids taught us the Sun Salutation to welcome the sunrise. (Have I mentioned that they do yoga at their awesome school? Way to go Children's Cooperative Montessori School!)

In the evening, I got to feed my Zumba habit with the fabulous Miss Maeve while Daddy took the kids to Pajama Story Time at the Putterham Library.

Thursday we went back to BU for some more studies (the kids LOVE that place) and then headed to Jamaica Pond for some exercise. My Julia ran a whole loop (1.4miles) without stopping (William crashed after a mile-not bad!) and then Mommy pushed both the cherubs in the stroller for another round. Yup-115 pounds of entertainment on wheels. They serenaded me with a very loud rendition of songs from Annie Get Your Gun. It wasn't a fast run but we had so much fun-especially when it started pouring and then hailing before we could get back to the car. We were soaked, but smiling.
In the afternoon, Grandma and Grandad came and took the kids to another great program at the Puterham Library. They skated inside on paper plates and threw cotttonball "snowballs" while I did some laundry and showered. How lucky are we to live in a city with so many great FREE things to do with the kiddos?
We finished up the day with dance class for my little ballerina and a much-needed Pilates class for a very tired Mommy.

Can I just say that I don't usually attempt all of these things with the kids when I'm flying solo but I just have so much more energy and patience these days. Eating well, exercising and making myself a priority are really paying off for the whole family. I'm not going to pretend that it's all been smooth sailing. My kids are still "only children" at heart after all, but taking care of myself really makes a difference in my ability to roll with the punches. This is the first time I've ever felt so positive and energized at the end of a school vacation week. I'm not sure what better endorsement there is for this program.

So here it is Friday afternoon heading into the final weekend if 6FIT. I really wish it weren't ending and I'll definitely be signing up for the next round at the end of March. This week has really taken me to a new level, squeezing in exercise all over the place and managing to eat well even on the go. Though I haven't had time for cooking healthy family meals this week, I've had all of the daily food challenges to keep me from reaching for junk. I'm really going to miss this structure and all of the team support. Just knowing that my whole team is reading my food and activity journal has kept me mostly on the straight and narrow and is a huge motivator.

Tonight we're off to see the Wizard of Oz at Wheelock Family Theatre and tomorrow is our day at the dance studio with the added bonus of a special "Couples Workout" in the afternoon. I can't remember the last time David and I have had the pleasure of exercising together without the kids climbing all over us. On-site babysitting is a perk we never take for granted. There might be spots still open if you're looking to reconnect with your significant other!

And Sunday my oldest daughter, Stephanie, comes home from college for spring break.

 I seriously miss that girl! She's my oasis of calm in this crazy household.

So who's got a great weekend lined up? How are you going to eat well and keep moving? You can even join the virtual workout world and never leave home. Take a class or even take a walk. Your TV won't miss you and your body will thank you!

Here's to a strong 6FIT finish!
~Mari-Chris

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”

Thank you, Henry Ford, for providing my motivation last week.

I think there's a germ-sharing program happening behind the scenes at 6FIT these days. Last week I took my turn with a tough cold that settled in my chest. Even playing with the kids brought on the coughing and wheezing, so cardio was definitely off the table for me. I knew I had to take care of myself, but I did not want to lose the great momentum I've built up over the last 4 weeks, nor did I want to give up all of those exercise points.
Enter pilates!
I took Gina's Pilates with resistance tubing class on Thursday night, just as the cold was coming on, and I can't even tell you what a difference it made. Although my chest hurt and my sinuses were full the next morning, the rest of me felt really good. I'm not sure how to explain it except to say that I had a nasty cold but I felt relaxed and calm about it. Also, I realized that I could exercise even though I was sick. And then Henry Ford's words popped into my head and they have become my mantra. The mind is a powerful thing!
I pulled out some old core-focused, pilates style dvd's that have been gathering dust since I got them and I made sure to do at least 30 minutes a day until my lungs felt better. Now I'm hooked and my body is craving the gentle stretches and slower pace that pilates leans toward. Hooray for discovering a new exercise to love! And hooray for learning that a change in mindset can really make a huge difference.
I'm happy to say that I'm feeling much better and looking forward to returning to Zumba class tonight. I was having serious withdrawal!

And how did we celebrate Valentine's Day?

In 6FIT-style of course! A little vegetable love is always welcome and a healthy version of Strawberry Shortcake for dessert =)
My children made me the cutest cards (I love 5-yr-old spelling!) and my husband hung beautiful notecards (all famous paintings of redheads) all over the house to lead me to my gift from him. This girl is definitely spoiled!

And to top it all off, we had a very unexpected addition to our family. Meet Coco, who needed an immediate new home because the new baby in his former home couldn't breathe with him around. He needed a new family or he was on his way to Angell Animal Hospital, so he's our new Valentine Bunny!

Finally an kindred spirit. We had a lovely spinach salad together for lunch today-I think he likes 6FIT too!

So Coco and I are off to share a kiwi before the kids get home. Here's to a week of positive thoughts!
~M-C

Too much of a good thing is...

...still too much!

I was so excited when I finished laying out our SuperBowl spread yesterday. Veggies & white bean hummus, blue corn chips and homemade guacamole, apple slices and a few fancy-schmancy cheeses, homemade chicken fingers that William breaded himself, homemade baked fries and a truly delectable strawberry/cashew/cocoa gallete that Julia helped me make. It was gorgeous!
The thing is, by then end of that very stressful game, I had eaten too much. Not a guilt-inducing food coma or anything, it was just the first time since I started 6FIT that I went overboard. I guess having only healthy foods around doesn't eliminate the need to really pay attention when I eat. Too much of a good thing...

The same goes for exercise. I finished up cardio week without missing a day. I took my mandatory day off to do pilates instead so I got in 7 great workouts last week. Mostly I feel great about this, but my knees are really complaining now. I refuse to chalk it up to an aging body but I do need to pay more attention to the kinds of exercise I'm getting and make sure I support my knees better when I'm jumping around a lot. Again, too much of a good thing...

So on to Vegetarian Week and Attack Your Abs!

Some musings and thoughts for the week ahead:

On beets (1 of our foods of the week):

• If you haven't had fresh beets, you haven't really had beets. The canned ones just don't compare.
• Don't throw away the greens! The are delicious chopped and sauteed in a little olive oil.
• My favorite way to cook them is cubed and baked with a bit of olive oil, but sometimes I boil them. 
• Leftovers are great cold. Just toss them on your salad.
• We will probably all have red hands by the end of the week unless we wear gloves when we prepare them.
• BEET JUICE STAINS!!! EVERYTHING!!
• Beets are really good for your digestive system but beware, they often act as a mild laxative. 
• I repeat, beet juice stains everything, including your insides, so don't by surprised (panicked?) by unusual coloring as they make their way out of your system. Enough said.

On squash (Superfood #2 this week):

• Just try them all-you can't lose!
• You can eat spaghetti squash just like spaghetti. Cut it in half the long way, scoop out the seeds and bake it, cut side down in about 1/4 inch of water until it's soft, then scrape a fork down the insides and it will come out looking like spaghetti. 
• Don't toss the seeds. Roast them with a little salt or some tamari for a great salty snack. You can also roast them with brown sugar and cinnamon for a sweeter treat.
• Squash and apples are great complimentary flavors so try cooking them together.
• Pumpkin Bread! Skip the canned stuff and roast your own, then just mash it up and it's ready to go. You can use unsweetened applesauce instead of oil and it's a fairly healthy indulgence. I roast all of our uncarved pumpkins after halloween and freeze them in small batches for baking the rest of the year.

On attacking my abs:

• Let me find them and I'll get back to you.

On 6FIT:

We just passed the half-way mark and it's time to ramp up and find all of that great energy, motivation and commitment we were loving three weeks ago! Don't slump in solitude. Let your team members know what's going on so they can help get you back on track. My fellow 6Fitters were great last week when I needed a boost and I'm so grateful. And I love that the competition is heating up. Posting the standings as we headed into the weekend was a huge motivator! 

Thank you all so much for being with me for both the highs AND the lows.

Here's to everything in moderation--I'm feeling great and looking forward to another challenging week!

Who's with me?

~Mari-Chris

Trusting the process

Well, we're mid-way through week 3 in this 6FIT journey and I'm both super motivated and a bit discouraged, if it's even possible to be both at the same time.
My team took the lead and I came in second for overall points in week one. For week two, I tied for first place. Very exciting! So why am I feeling a bit sad?

Let me break it down.
Here are the things I'm doing:

• Avoiding white flour and sugar
• Eating mostly vegetables, fruits and whole grains
• Making healthy, homemade meals for my family every day
• Feeling stronger and more energetic
• Working out at least 5 times a week, sometimes more, never less
• Drinking SO much water
• Paying more attention to getting enough protein and carbohydrates every day
• Getting plenty of sleep
• Treating myself to something sweet once a week so I don't feel deprived

Here are the things I'm NOT doing:

• Losing any weight at all
• Feeling better in my clothes

I know, I know-It takes time to change your body. And it's winter so our mammalian  bodies are programmed to store energy for the cold months ahead. Not to mention that there are certain days every month that some of us feel, well, just bloated and huge. 

My rational mind knows all of this. However, there's a totally irrational part of me that wonders what the heck I have to do to take off a few pounds. I've even had a brief (very brief) bout of jealousy at friends who've had the stomach bug. Yup-I'm nuts!

The difference for me this time is that I'm refusing to give in to the desire to just go back to bed or curl up on the couch and mope. The way I'm eating and the exercise I'm getting are definitely good for me and for my family. My rational mind says "You Go Girl!. (That other part of me is wondering if Ben & Jerry are free tonight.)

Like I said, super-motivated and a bit discouraged.  If I'm going to be a good "spokesmodel" I've got to tell it like it is, right?

So, please excuse my not-so-upbeat post for today. Don't worry Team 2-I won't let you down. I'm WAY too competitive for that =)

Here's to trusting the process!

Mari-Chris