Fit by 40, Week 3

When I was younger I had a lot of naturally healthy habits. For Fit by 40, Week 3, I worked on remembering these habits and trying them out again. That way I can see what still works and pass those strategies on for you to use too! In addition to maintaining what went well in Week 2, I worked on the following areas :

What Went Well, Week 3:

1. Slowing Down: I remember one of my aunts telling me on multiple occasions that she liked to watch me eat because she could see that I was really enjoying my food. She noticed that I ate slowly and enjoyed the taste and texture of what I was eating.

So what changed? After college I worked two jobs. I was very determined to pay off all of my college loans by the time I turned 30. Each of these jobs left very little time for eating.

I was blessed to begin teaching several months after graduating from college. My lunch break was 20 minutes long, technically. It took several minutes to get all of my first graders situated at recess, between the zippers that were stuck, the lunches that were forgotten and the last minute bathroom trips. Then I would run to the bathroom myself and finally go to lunch. At that point I usually had about 14 minutes left. When you take another two minutes away (so that I could make sure I was on time to pick up my class), I was left with about 12 minutes each day to eat lunch. That was actually pretty good when you consider my other job!

In addition to teaching, I waitressed and bartended several nights a week. I often went home between jobs with only enough time to change. If I had 15 minutes, I would eat quickly (again, eating as fast as possible), often finishing an early dinner in the car. On nights where there just wasn’t enough time to eat at home, I would order something right when I go to the restaurant and eat as quickly as possible before it got too busy.

While meal times are still busy with four young kids, I do have the time to eat more mindfully now. This week I worked on really focusing on what I was eating. It took a little longer and I noticed that I was satisfied with less! I think this strategy will continue to work for me as long as I remember to use it.  

2. Eating smaller portions more often: I know, this sounds counter-intuitive! When I was younger, I often ate small quantities more frequently. This ensured that I was never so hungry that I over ate at meal time. I have found that now, for a variety of reasons, there are some days that I allow myself to become ravenous and then I overeat at the next meal. This week I have been having a small piece of fruit or a handful of crackers when I feel myself getting hungry between meals. I noticed that I am actually eating less at meal time. Instead of going back for seconds, I am usually satisfied with one serving now (as long as I remember to slow down).

3. Drinking More Water: Although this isn’t a strategy from my youth, this week I finally met my goal of drinking more water! Every time I filled a cup of water for one of my children, I made sure I drank some water too. (Well, almost every time.) Also, in addition to making sure they had water bottles for sports practices, I brought one for myself too.

 

Areas That Need Work, Week 3:

1. Exercise: I did not exercise this week. I am hoping that this will change next week! My plan for success is to actually schedule some exercise time rather than hope time will open up.

2. Eating Sweets: We went to two birthday parties and a First Communion party over the weekend. I indulged in some cake and ice cream on both Saturday and Sunday, though I also did choose healthier options too!

3. Getting More Sleep:  My youngest had a few restless nights, meaning I was up more than normal. Coupled with a few late nights and early mornings, I felt the lack of sleep catching up to me by the weekend.

Related Post: Fit by 40, Week 4

Even with all of the parties over the weekend, I feel that I was able to stick to my plan in general. I really worked on listening to my body. I focused on eating when I was hungry and eating an appropriate amount. Parties have been an excuse for me to overeat in the past. While I did indulge in cake and ice cream, I knew I would be doing so. I took this into account and ate fewer of the other party treats. 

 

What are your successes and challenges this week? Do you have any healthy habits from when you were younger?