Something New

I've gotten into a pretty boring workout rut, mostly because this summer it was 100+ degrees outside for weeks on end, so my only workout option was the gym.

I'm a believer in the benefits of cardio and weight lifting, so I do both. However, I was quickly losing my motivation. I don't want my gym routine to ever become a chore.

So I've resolved to do one new thing during my workout every day. For example, the other day in aerobics class, I used two risers under my step bench instead of one. Today, after it finally stopped raining, I took my daughter for a walk in her stroller. I despise running, but I decided to add four jogging bursts into my walk. My daughter loved it, by the way. Must have been the change of pace and the wind on her cheeks.

I'm also trying to be more mindful of portion sizes. We always serve our food from the stove, not the table, because I've read (and believe it to be true), that people who eat from the table (family style) eat 30% more calories than those who serve their food from the stove. But because I eat so mindlessly and quickly, mostly because I'm always meeting the demands of my toddler, I tend to just toss food onto my plate, eat, and be done. How sad considering I spend a lot of time preparing healthy meals and so little time enjoying them.

I'm not baking nearly as much as I used to, mostly because baking is a recipe for total loss of blood sugar control. I love love love raw cookie dough. Sigh. So when I do bake, I make sure my sugar is under control and that I bake double batches (so I bake less often).

Small changes do make a difference for anyone, but especially those who have diabetes. I encourage you not to wait until January 1 to make better choices. After all, Halloween starts a long and tempting season of eating.