It All Adds Up
Posted: December 28, 2010 at 1:55 pmThis is a compensated review by BlogHer and Jimmy Dean, however the opinions and feelings expressed here are my own.
2011. A new year. Normally I do not buy into the “resolution craze”, but 2011 will certainly include changes and growth for me. A new baby will fill my year, as well as working towards getting back into my “best-shape” self, where I feel physically strong and emotionally well. In order to do that, I will have to commit myself to taking the necessary steps to care for myself.
I will need workouts. Not only will workouts improve my endurance and strength (and the look of my backside – just saying), but they will also give me a mental break and time to de-stress. That’s pretty important for this momma.
I will need to provide for my personal needs. For me, that includes many things. Prayer and quiet reflection, because you don’t want to know me without them. Activities and hobbies I feel passionate about, like this blog, because they provide an outlet. A focus on sleep and rest, because its an important part of health. Hey, that goal will help the prayer too. I know I’ll be praying for sleep with a new baby!
I will need quality eating habits. I did my best while pregnant, but a pregnant body wants what a pregnant body wants. Those hormones are crazy. Even I don’t want to step in my own way of getting whatever it is I may crave.
Spending a good chunk of the year watching my typical nutritious noshing slip little by little, I know I need to refocus my healthy eating practices the most. How? The KISS method – Keep It Simple Stupid. Yes, it would be stupid of me to make things more difficult than necessary and place rules and restrictions on myself. I only want to have to defeat binge eating once, ya know.
- “The balanced diet”. I want to be sure I eat adequate protein, enough quality carbohydrates, and plenty of healthy fats. Getting enough of each will surely leave me satisfied and help provide for my body’s needs – from breastfeeding to workouts.
Carbohydrates provide a top notch energy source; fiber aids digestion and helps keep blood sugar levels stable, etc.
Healthy fats help the brain’s functioning, the production of cell membranes, the heart’s health, the absorption of nutrients, and much more.
Protein is vital to help build and repair tissues, bones, muscles, cartilage, etc. through the essential amino acids found in protein sources. It also is another viable source of energy for our bodies. Visit http://jimmydean.com/proteinbenefits/ to learn more about the benefits of protein at breakfast.
I don’t feel the need to meticulously track these components like in the past, thank goodness. How boring! I simply plan to include a form of each, in a reasonable portion, at most meals.
- Whole foods. The best place to find those essential macronutrients of carbs, fats, and proteins is within the natural foods of the earth. I want to focus on incorporating such foods, in as wide a variety as possible, into my regular eating again.
- Don’t fret food choices. As much as I want to focus on choosing whole foods, I also won’t stress myself over needing to turn to easier options at times. Let’s face it. Some days it will be tough. Sometimes I may need to reach in the freezer for something like a Jimmy Dean D-Light breakfast sandwich in the morning, when I’m rushing around to get out the door with two kids. It won’t be a go-to daily meal choice, but I do think its important for me to realize options like that are okay too. Plus, they clock in with under 300 calories and a good balance of protein (15-23 grams), carbohydrates (around 30 grams), and fat (around 7 grams). When paired quickly with some fruit or a green monster (spinach/banana/milk smoothie), I still focus on getting in those wholesome foods as well. Visit the official site for more info on the Jimmy Dean D-Lights.
It’s most important for me to still get in a balanced breakfast, rather than end up starving and reaching for tons of cookies and chocolate in the afternoon. Some, okay. Just not tons. We all know life is no fun without a little chocolate.
It’s the overall balance of things and doing what works for me and my lifestyle that matters most. In all ways, doing what suits my best interests and making choices I can live with happily and healthfully on the whole will bring me to my best-self again. A better you comes in knowing yourself and being confident in the decisions you make that keep you feeling good on all levels. So, cheers! To a year of improvement…and only you can determine what will get you there.
What decisions do you plan to make for a better you in 2011? Or how important is a good breakfast to you in a balanced diet? Comment below for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card!
Giveaway Entry Rules: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
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d) Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. Giveaway dates are 12/28/2010 – 1/30/2011. Visit the exclusive offers section for more chances to win!
Tags: breakfast, giveaway, healthy habits
A good breakfast not only gets me out of bed in the morning, but keeps me fueled and off to a good start. Without one I just feel like my whole day is a bust!
i’m planning on drinking much more water
I had open heart surgery last month due to an aortic aneurysm. So at the age of 35, being healthy is life and death. I plan on getting back into running as soon as my doctor releases me to workout and starting now I am trying to eat as healthy as possible without restricting too much. (I have to be careful as I was anorexic in high school.)
That is certainly motivation to care for yourself. I hope your recovery goes smoothly and you are feeling back to normal asap.
I’ll be drinking more water, cutting back on sugar and walking more.
I know a better breakfast can make a better day for me…I usually ditch it all together or eat so late that it messes up my eating schedule and metabolism. To better help this, I need to eat MORE throughout the day, Healthy foods…starting with breakfast. I know the “starve” is not good and the whole DIET thing I am SO tired of. With kids in school I don’t worry about feeding myself “normal” anymore until dinner. I’d like to get to a point this year that I can be on track, eat like a normal woman again…where food is just FOOD and not an enemy, enjoy it and let be a tool to improve my rotten health. After that, I can work on getting my MOVE on again and stop being a couch slouch. Having chronic illness doesn’t mean you should stop working on yourself just because you have been “dealt” a rotten hand…it means you have to work harder and better at keeping healthy!
Hope I can put these better choices into ACTION!
thanks!
ejrichter60 at gmail dot com
You can certainly do it too!I like that you are focusing on one thing at a time too – food and eating more balanced/nutritious and then the exercise. Will make it less overwhelming I’m sure. Great job!
I tweeted this too!
http://twitter.com/2sic2mooov/status/28276936924995584
thank you!
ejrichter60 at gmail dot com
I believe in eating Breakfast because it sets a good foundation for the rest of the day.
I believe breakfast sets up healthy eating for the rest of the day. Plus you need to refuel after sleeping all night! I plan to drink more water in 2011!
No more eating while watching tv. I’ve already lost 10 pounds!
I was very used to grabbing a diet coke for breakfast and that is all I would have until lunch. It made for a very crabby mom and I just didn’t have the energy. I’m finding that having breakfast really helps to start my day off right.
Tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/chipdip2010/status/28592689498816512
I’m going to learn how to take care of me, which means prepare a healthy breakfast every morning, not just think about it. Just do it!!
I plan to buy more fresh produce and cook healthier meals this year! My family deserves it!
I plan to exercise more
tweeted http://www.faithfitnessfun.com/6513/it-all-adds-up/ giveaway
After years of resolving to simply eat less to try to lose weight (and never being successful), this year I changed my resolution to add to my diet; specifically more fiber. I know I don’t get enough fiber in my diet, so I’m adding high fiber foods to each meal. It is much easier to keep this resolution, and I actually do feel better physically.
tweeted
http://twitter.com/fairydancer35/status/29313613424500736
I think having a good breakfast is essential to starting the day off right and giving me energy to get through the morning without craving something to keep me going. I’ve started drinking more water also, to alleviate those false hunger pangs.
This year I have begun running…again. Yet this time I have a goal! I’m training for a 10K in May and maybe even a half-marathon! I’m a pretty healthy eater by nature, but am trying to downsize the processed foods and focus on more natural foods!
I have cut the simple sugars from my diet and changed up my exercise routine to keep my heart and lungs pumping. I have lost 10 lbs already and plan to get back to my military weight and stay there. I can’t let the years defeat me.. LOL 🙂
I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/#!/Allhoneyhere/status/29644124332232706
I will cut back on bad carbs this year!!
[email protected]
I am trying to eat more protein this year. As a vegeterian and probably a vegan soon as it seems dairy is bothering the baby’s tummy. I really need to watch my protein intake and I know I am not getting enough right now. So more protein this year is something I am going to try and do to better myself.
I am working on drinking water. I am such a diet coke addict and need to make a purposefull choice to drink water! Also, I’m trying to eat a more balanced diet that includes (gasp!) carbs. Carbs are not the enemy! Right? Right.
Carbs are definitely not the enemy! 🙂
I actually found I made the best progress in fitness goals and physique when I had a diet higher in carbs. Gotta love that!
My goal is to slow down and breathe. I try to do too much and sometimes diving into a good book would be beneficial! Just found your blog & I love it so far!
My goal is to walk 10,000 steps per day and make healthier food choices. [email protected]
I just really want to get healthy this year. Not only lose weight, but actually be healthy!
My goal is to try to stress less. Sometimes I get myself so worked up that I don’t even know how to bring myself back down to a productive level.
My goal is to create healthy meals within a very tight budget. I prefer fresh and local foods and that is a challenge with budget constraints but I will try to think outside the box and cook a variety of foods.
2011 is all about balance for me. Balancing my hobbies, fitness, travel and my husband. I would love to be content and fulfilled with each of these this year. It’s already shaping up to be a good year!
A balanced breakfast gets my day off to the right start. I find if I eat a healthy balanced breakfast, I am more apt to follow healthy eating the rest of the day. Somehow I missed this giveaway when you first posted it. Funny, because just yesterday I did a post on the importance of a healthy breakfast.
I’m training for my first Ironman this year. With the help of a coach, I’ll be logging in some serious workouts… I’ll need to stay focused on food for fuel and making wise food choices to nourish and keep me healthy! I also tweeted your giveaway at @myliferunning !
A healthy breakfast is SO important!! I think that this is the meal that really jumpstarts your day. If you eat something fresh and satisfying you are giving your body the boost it needs to get going!
I know when I skip BF or eat something heavy (like pancakes out with the fam) my energy level just seems zapped for the day! I also workout mostly in the am hours so I need that good source of enegry to get thru the intense workouts.
oh, tweeting about this 😀
Breakfast is my most important meal of the day! I have hypoglycemia, so I need a hearty breakfast to help me get my day started. I always have some form of eggs and sausage! The Jimmy D breakfast looks really good!
I LIVE for breakfast! It’s my favorite meal of the day by far and it’s the main reason I look forward to getting up in the morning;)
I can’t go without breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. They’re all important to me! Seriously though, I need the breakfast fuel to get me going!
This year I have made the goal to run through the winter…outside. I’m always so daunted by the cold weather, but I am determined to conquer it this year.
I plan on cooking healthier meals for my family!
msjem2001 at yahoo dot com
I want to drink more water this year.
I plan to GAIN weight to get to a healthier place.
I’m training for my first 5K so everything revolves around getting me ready in time for the race in October
I have read numerous reliable articles that insist breakfast is an important part of a diet… a weight LOSS diet. Some say it instructs your body to “start burning” rather than continue to keep trying to run on nothing. Eat breakfast, lose weight… sounds good.
dchrisg3 @ gmail com
Tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/DchrisG3/status/30894706502139905
dchrisg3 @ gmail com
I plan on eating more fruits and veggies and less Diet Coke. 🙂
I plan to enjoy the moment and be more present in my life this year.
I followed the link and entered through the form
I gave up soda and am drinking more water. For me, this was a huge shift, but really not as hard as I thought it would be!
I am going to make the initiative to drink more water and consume less sugar this year.
I am useless without a good breakfast.
I joined weight watchers and have been making much better choices in food!
gina.m.maddox AT gmail DOT com