You’ve Got to Move It! Monthly Challenge, January Week 4

First, a super quick recap of last week’s cloth challenge. We were only semi-successful. I’m going to actually try to be more diligent about using cloth kitchen towels and napkins more this week as well. It is something that I want need to get re-ingrained in our life habits at home. As for the other challenges for this month, we are still doing great with little/no sugar and not eating trash. Hopefully, this weeks challenge will stick just as well as the previous ones.

On to week 4′s challenge.

This week, our family’s goal is to move it more! Exercise is important, and both my husband and I understand this. Heck, our kids understand it, however, sometimes we are just to tired lazy to get our butts up and do something active after dinner. This will change this week. Trust me.

The plan going into the week is to have everyone do my son’s ATA (Tae Kwon Do) workout for his class twice this week, as well as playing outside (hopefully sled riding) and I know I can get the kids to do some yoga with me in the morning before school. Personally, I’m going to continue my training for the multiple races I’ve already committed to.  The key is to make sure we’re active after dinner because this is when we all collapse in front of the t.v., a habit I’d like to ween us off of.

So, go on…get up & get moving with us! Share your frustrations and success’ with me!

Back on the Wagon, I Mean Road…

In the past, I fantasized about becoming a graceful runner. I was well on my way when BAM, I got pregnant and slept for 3 months. I tried running pregnant, but I was not a happy pregnant runner. I found it uncomfortable and consequently looked for for every excuse to bail on my running plans.

I eventually came back to it, slowly after my son was born. Repeat the above scenario for baby number two.

Over the course of the last five years I have run , on and off again, and have actually trained for a half marathon, which I completed.  This year, however, I would like to cement running into my weekly routine. To do so, I’ve already signed up for a number of races, including an entire road race series. Yep, my years worth of races are already accounted for. I’m nuts, I know, but this was the only way I knew I would hold  myself to it.

Here’s my schedule and in all honesty, I don’t think it’s to aggressive. I’m feeling ready for my first 5k in a few weeks, so as long as I maintain some type of routine, I think I’ll be able to successfully complete this year.  Wish me luck!!

1. Feburary 4th- 5k
2. February 18th- 5k
3. March 10th- 5 miles
4. March 17th- 5k
5. April 1st- 5k
6. April 28th- 10 miles
7. May 20th – 10k
8. June 17th – 10 miles
9. July 14th- 4 miles
10. Aug 18th- 5k
11. Sept 9th- half marathon
12. Oct 7th- half marathon
13. Nov 22nd- 5 miles (possibly…)

Over the course of the year, expect updates on my training and, of course, my race results & recaps

Cloth? Monthly Challenge: January week 3

First a recap on our week 2 progress. My family did not eat out at all! I’m so proud. Yes, we save a little cash in the process, but I think making meals as a family was the more important benefit. And, so far, we haven’t indulged in much sugar this month either. We do have a small ice cream sundae every few days if everyone has had a super fantastic day, but overall the challenges we’ve completed this month are sticking.

Now, onto week 3′s challenge.

I must confess, I am a paper towel whore. I use them for everything, which is why I always feel guilty.

For those who know me, know that I am a huge cloth diaper advocate. Both kids were in them, I had my own company, I simply love cloth.

However, this challenge is not about cloth diapers. It’s about cloth towels. You know those paper things we abuse in our kitchen? If we would replace them with cloth dish towels, not only would we have an impact on our own budget, but the natural resources that are needed to actually produce them would be decreased.

I will admit, that I had switched to all cloth products in our home when I was a stay-at-home mom. Now that I’m working full time, we’re admittedly a little lazy. I will to get over the additional laundry, especially considering it amounts to maybe one extra load a week.

Generally, speaking, using cloth towels instead of paper towels simply makes me feel better and I want to get back into this habit, thus the week 3 challenge.

For the rest of this week, please try to be more conscious of how you use paper products, particularly napkins and paper towels and choose cloth when you can and share your successes here!

My 2012 Goals

I prefer the term goal as opposed to resolution because I am more sort to take goals more seriously. That’s just me. At any rate, I would like to share with you my personal goals for myself and my family for 2012.

As a family:
1. To get back on track with healthy, wholesome eating habits.
2. Spend more time being an active family.
3. Work on cutting out paper products for good, replacing with cloth if necessary.
4. Slowing down to smell the roses.

My personal goals:
1. Get back to running- run 2 half marathons this year
2. Purge the negative vibes in my life.
3. Embrace a more holistic lifestyle.
4. Keep my professional goals tight & in sight.

I don’t think any of these goals seem unattainable at the moment. I know that life can get in the way sometimes, but I’m going to work hard to keep it from interrupting our family flow to much.

I am definitely going to work hard at maintaining a focus on my own health. As a mom, I often take care of myself last. There was a time before I started working full time that I put myself first for a while, and during that period our family was much happier. If mom is happier and healthier, the family will thrive, so that is my overall objective for the year.

Monthly Challenge: January, Week 2

Last week, my family cut out the refined sugars in our diet. It was a bit easier than I thought it would be. Initially, I was anticipating wild tantrums from the kids, only to realize it was myself who was craving a fountain Pepsi and chocolate. I did cheat once, when we went out for dinner, but other than that we did really well and the kids understand that we are trying to focus more on making sure what we put in our bodies is good for us.

This week we are aiming at cutting the trash, and by ‘trash’ I mean take-out. With super busy work schedules, my  husband and I fall victim to convenience foods more often than not. We are trying desperately to break this habit by cooking more meals at home, and taking our lunches/breakfasts with us to work.

The biggest obstacle I foresee is dinner. We have a tendency to become very, VERY lazy in the evening. Not wanting to prepare anything spectacular because we’re both tired.I do have a dinner plan in place, and we were able to successfully execute it yesterday. With any luck we won’t get derailed this week.

I also have a dirty breakfast habit that I need to break. I bought myself some greek yogurts to keep at work and am making tea and coffee there as well. Hopefully this change will not only improve our overall eating habits, but also our checkbook.

So, week 2′s Challenge is to cut the take out and enjoy more home prepared meals.

Monthly Challenge: January, Week 1

This month I have alot of goals set for myself. The primary one is cutting the junk from our diets. Namely sugar.

We want to cut refined sugars in all we buy and make. We want to slowly transition in to a more clean, whole foods diet. This might be quiet a challenge having two small kids and a very busy schedule.

We know this plan will take extensive planning and organization between both my husband and I.

This first week I’m focusing cutting the sugar and replacing with more wholesome snacks. The trick will be maintaining the momentum we set.

This ties in with our over arching sustainability goals because eventually I would like to transition my family into eating/purchasing as much of our food as we can by growing it ourselves or buying locally.  I feel being able to connect our community to our dinner plates will help to root our family in the diverse fabric that makes up a true sustainable community.

I hope some of you will join us. Post your struggles and successes here so we can all learn.

(Bye, bye sugar… I hope we don’t miss you to much!)

New Year, New Perspectives

I’m entering 2012 with rose colored glasses, though not literally. I’ve set some lofty goals for myself, one of them being this blog.

You see, I love the subject of sustainability. In fact, I have a Master’s Degree in sustainability. The problem is we’ve commercialized this topic, and have allowed  it to be exploited. We buy more because it’s “green”, but is this the desired behavior by those who seek sustainability?

I’m dedicating this blog to explore all views of sustainability, including my own. How big business pursues it, how we attempt to obtain it in our own lives, how our communities aim to strive towards their own sustainability goals.

I’ll share my interpretations of what is going on in my local region of Northeast Ohio, as well as trends in corporate America. I’ll challenge you to make small changes, and share my successes and failures of the same challenges. I’ll be inviting you into my journey to making this world a little better for future generations.