Better Health Through Better Choices 2012 Challenge

**pollypurebred39** · 01-08-2012, 07:39 PM

Not feeling well today, so I only ate supper. I made spaghetti, tomato sauce, grated cheese, homemade garlic bread and salad with French dressing.

Molasses

Very good for you Palooka!

Don't beat yourself up A2M you've been through a lot these past few days. And fruit prices are a killer that's for sure. I've been longing for grapefruit, but there is no way I'm going to pay a $1 a grapefruit. And that's their sale price! I remember when I was a kid our Southern family sent us up cases of citrus over the holidays. We had so much it was running out our ears. Shame I didn't appreciate grapefruit back then.

Emily, tomorrows a new day. Besides, chili is pretty good for you. I don't know about Elk, but I'm guessing it's like beef in nutrition. I don't think you've done bad nutrition wise. Maybe your body needed protein and iron?

ShadowMom, LOVE your avatar! Don't worry about the burrito, it happens

Joy0fsix! WTG! You're doing so well!

Shelli, I'm so glad things are going so well for you!

**Squidge** · 01-09-2012, 10:32 AM

Unfortunately I only really like the fruit that is more expensive here like cherries, berries and mangoes. I've never liked apples or oranges (fond of clementines though) which you can get pretty cheaply. The good offers in our local shop are on pre-cut fruit; you can get two sizable packs for £3 ($4.50) but they usually go off extremely quickly especially once opened so it's not very cost effective for us to buy them

In terms of good choices I feel like I'm getting back on track a little more. Starting to remember to take my vitamin in the morning drinking more water. The hard thing is not taking sneaky bits of chocolate before dinner or when watching TV late at night - both times when I'm feeling peckish. Since you've all been talking about fruit it's making me think we should get some in for next week to nibble on when I get hungry during those times instead of breaking out the chocolate biscuits.

**imagine** · 01-09-2012, 11:55 AM

i want to make better healthy choices this year.

More water and tea over juice or soda or even milk.

Hubby's work is doing a 5,000 steps challenge. I could have officially participated but it was through the health insurance and I was afraid of failing. I would have been given a pedomemter. Instead i decided to do it on my own. Bought a pedometer today. trying for 5,000 steps. Today I'm just wearing it and seeing how many steps I take in a day. been wearing it for about a hour and am at 275 steps.

Hubby's work I think the wellness program with the health insurance said people tend to not over eat and eat better when they write down what they ate. Not calorie count per say just log what they ate.

So I am going to take a composition book and set up a page a day.
log my water intake, my steps per day, and my food with reason why ate it. Thinking of logging how many sit ups I tried and how many push ups to try and challenge myself to increase that not daily per say but increase it.

So far today ( this am) I have had 23.9 oz of water
a piece of whole wheat toast with goat cheese and an apple for breakfast.

counting my steps

no push ups no sit ups

**imagine** · 01-09-2012, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by pollypurebred39

By the way ladies, what are fruit prices out your way?

Apples a bit less than a dollar a pound, oranges about $1 a pound
bananas 44 cents a pound grapefruit is outrageous at the grocery store but Aldi's had it on sale for 29 cents each recently

I remember $1 an orange when the children were little. There was no way I was going to keep up the orange in the stocking tradition my mom had started when I was little.

The grocery store is near that price for citrus but I discovered Aldi's here. They have reasonable priced fruit and veggies. They also have at least a few fruits or veggies on sale each week.

Like recently fresh pinapple of 99 cents each. The grocery store was selling them for $3.50 each but has lowered the prices it $2.50 each for fresh pineapple.

**pollypurebred39** · 01-09-2012, 06:53 PM

Hello Imagine

Glad to have you aboard.

I'm going to have to check out Aldi's. If I find 29 cent grapefruit I just might dance in their isles.

Squidge, I don't think I'm going to be much help. Chocolate's good for you! I've had a banner on the FV extolling the virtues of chocolate for days now. And not fond of fruit? I love fruit! It's hard to imagine. I don't think there's a fruit I don't love. Now if you'd said vegetables.....LOL!

I've been busy all day playing kitchen fairy. The kitchen was a disaster when I got up today, so I started by cleaning the kitchen. Then cleaning the fridge. Making sure not to waste anything I started making dishes of food, then cleaning up again, and repeat.

I have a container with about 10 cups mock chicken salad, a quart and a half of semi homemade blue cheese dressing, a GIANT bowl of banana pudding (that's how my guys are getting their fruit this week) A big bowl of Italian style pasta salad, and I made a 1/2 pot of Asian style vegetable noodle using the last of baby carrots in the bottom of the bag, a half bag of frozen salad, an onion, a pinch of sugar, broth, soy sauce and low carb angel hair.

The Asian style soup is mine. The mock chicken salad is DH's. The pasta salad DH's and DS1's, same as banana pudding.

Still more to make tonight, I want to make some alfredo type sauce for DS1 to put over noodles to take to work this week. Then some noodles so he can just dish them out himself without destroying my kitchen. And I found some sugar free jello I had put in a tote in the pantry when I had found them on sale, so I'm going to make 4 boxes and put in a bag of dollar store berries I bought for me. That will be my fruit this week. I need to peel the hard boiled eggs and slice the onions so they are ready for salads. Make up some dry milk, make a pitcher of tea, make a pitcher of kool-aid. I think that's it.

And then I'll clean up the kitchen again and hopefully have enough energy to sweep and wash the kitchen floor. I'll feel better once it's all done. Gathering the fragments is good stewardship.

Even though I cooked a lot of the day, I didn't eat all day. Tasted the mock chicken salad. Then had a bowl of rice krispies well into the late aftenoon. Oh and a cup of hot tea with sugar. Soup later tonight.

Need to get some water in, counting housework and cooking as a bit of exercise. Will take vitamins with supper. Benedryl & Mucinex, and nebulizer before bed. I'm taking extra care with my Asthma now, no matter how tired I am. I'm going to try and sleep at least 8 hours tonight.

**imagine** · 01-09-2012, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by pollypurebred39

Hello Imagine

Glad to have you aboard.

I'm going to have to check out Aldi's. If I find 29 cent grapefruit I just might dance in their isles.

Squidge, I don't think I'm going to be much help. Chocolate's good for you! I've had a banner on the FV extolling the virtues of chocolate for days now. And not fond of fruit? I love fruit! It's hard to imagine. I don't think there's a fruit I don't love. Now if you'd said vegetables.....LOL!

I've been busy all day playing kitchen fairy. The kitchen was a disaster when I got up today, so I started by cleaning the kitchen. Then cleaning the fridge. Making sure not to waste anything I started making dishes of food, then cleaning up again, and repeat.

I have a container with about 10 cups mock chicken salad, a quart and a half of semi homemade blue cheese dressing, a GIANT bowl of banana pudding (that's how my guys are getting their fruit this week) A big bowl of Italian style pasta salad, and I made a 1/2 pot of Asian style vegetable noodle using the last of baby carrots in the bottom of the bag, a half bag of frozen salad, an onion, a pinch of sugar, broth, soy sauce and low carb angel hair.

The Asian style soup is mine. The mock chicken salad is DH's. The pasta salad DH's and DS1's, same as banana pudding.

Still more to make tonight, I want to make some alfredo type sauce for DS1 to put over noodles to take to work this week. Then some noodles so he can just dish them out himself without destroying my kitchen. And I found some sugar free jello I had put in a tote in the pantry when I had found them on sale, so I'm going to make 4 boxes and put in a bag of dollar store berries I bought for me. That will be my fruit this week. I need to peel the hard boiled eggs and slice the onions so they are ready for salads. Make up some dry milk, make a pitcher of tea, make a pitcher of kool-aid. I think that's it.

And then I'll clean up the kitchen again and hopefully have enough energy to sweep and wash the kitchen floor. I'll feel better once it's all done. Gathering the fragments is good stewardship.

Even though I cooked a lot of the day, I didn't eat all day. Tasted the mock chicken salad. Then had a bowl of rice krispies well into the late aftenoon. Oh and a cup of hot tea with sugar. Soup later tonight.

Need to get some water in, counting housework and cooking as a bit of exercise. Will take vitamins with supper. Benedryl & Mucinex, and nebulizer before bed. I'm taking extra care with my Asthma now, no matter how tired I am. I'm going to try and sleep at least 8 hours tonight.

You can check the weekly ad here Just put in your zipcode

ALDI - Weekly Ads

I checked Lancaster Penn. and they have grapefruits for 39 cents each the add says

**auntie2many** · 01-09-2012, 07:20 PM

Polly, have you ever been busy. It sounds like you will be able to take a couple of days off of cooking now. We are having leftovers for dinner, but I did have to make some more cornmeal muffins. There were none left from last night.

Ate all meals from home. Doing great at eating out of the pantry, fridge and freezer. Almost out of meats though.

The Asian noodles sound so good for you and you love Asian cooking. Good for you for making them for yourself Polly. Praying that you get 8 hours of sleep too Polly.

Welcome Imagine!

Shelli, does your mom still live with you? If so, how is her health these days?

Squidge, Joy of 6, Palooka and all others have a great and healthy day today.

A2M

**pollypurebred39** · 01-09-2012, 07:21 PM

Ooooo!!! I'm not in Lancaster! I sure hope I'm close enough to Lancaster to fall in their sale. Going to look right now! *crossing fingers*

**pollypurebred39** · 01-09-2012, 07:30 PM

Well call me disappointed, it's still an okay deal, about 50 cents a piece. If I want them I've got to get them tomorrow. That's a long way, for just grapefruit and they are 50 cents a piece. *sigh* I can't justify the gas to buy myself 2 grapefruit. Maybe their sale next week will be better. 50 cents still is pretty high for me, I would have to use my Christmas money if I wanted them, our food budget is way too tight for a treat like that. Still holding out hope for 29 cent Grapefruits, I'd happily spend some of my Christmas money at that price.

**pollypurebred39** · 01-09-2012, 07:42 PM

LOL! As soon as I'm finished I'll be able too A2M. I'm trying to run out of steam. DH should be happy having mock chicken salad sandwiches, pasta salad, and salad for lunches and suppers this week. DS1 will be fine with pasta salad, and alfredo type noodles. If they start getting itchy for meat I do have hot dogs in the freezer. The pudding may not last for the week, I may have to make a cake to fill in the whole. If they get hungry otherwise there is popcorn I can throw in the air popper.

I still have to feed them breakfast, it's going to be oatmeal, cold cereal, or muffins this week.

Now I just need to get my behind out of the computer chair and finish.

You need to just take it easy as much as you can, you've been through the wringer lately.

**Shelli_wnj** · 01-09-2012, 09:21 PM

Hugs, polly! You are one busy lady.
A2M, my mom has gone to her sister's for the winter. her sister lives in the south, and the weather is much better for her there. in the summer it's too hot, so she comes here

Her health is so-so. Good days and bad, you know? Thank you so much for asking after her.

I did well today. And I got work for tomorrow! YEAY!!! Now, if I can just continue on doing well with food WHILE working...

**Palooka** · 01-10-2012, 12:44 AM

No wonder Bob, has a job, as the trainer on the Biggest Loser. Holy no cow, I'm so sore from doing his DVD workout yesterday. He truly kicks my butt.

I mean walking was painful today.

Good to see ya, Imagine. Will catch up later.

**Squidge** · 01-10-2012, 09:58 AM

Polly, I am DELIGHTED to hear that chocolate is good for you! I've heard that dark chocolate is supposed to be rich in antioxidants (I never researched that to find out if it's true?), but milk chocolate is my absolute favourite - I'm hoping that all the different kinds are great for your health

In terms of veg, I am the exact opposite. I LOVE vegetables. Maybe I should just keep some raw veg in, like carrots, to nibble on...

Just a very, very quick dip in today as I have an assignment due tomorrow

Had a sneaky Ferrero Rocher today, but I managed to pass up the offer of two more. Drank plenty of water and I feel pretty good. Although, I will probably OD on caffeine before the night is out.

Hope you all have the most excellent of days.

**ShadowMom** · 01-10-2012, 03:25 PM

Well, I don't know about the rest of the day yet, but I did manage somehow to resist a piece of chocolate cheesecake at work!

**pollypurebred39** · 01-10-2012, 04:02 PM

So I'm trying to nail down exactly what my goals are for 2012. Here is what I have so far;

~6-8 glasses of water a day
~a good night's sleep every night
~vitamins and supplements everyday
~taking my Asthma medication/herbs daily
~taking my BS herbs daily
~taking my vitamins for BP daily
~taking my supplements for my immune system daily
~some kind of exercise or movement everyday
~at least one fruit a day
~5 vegetables a day
~3 servings of dairy
~30 grams of fiber a day
~try to stay as close to 100 carbs a day as possible

I know that not all this is possible every single day due to financial restraints, but I'd like to hit as many as possible everyday possible for the year 2012.

Breakfast- a bowl of rice krispies, 1/4 cup of milk, teaspoon of sugar. 2 cups of coffee with light cream and sugar.

Lunch- a salad with French dressing and a bowl a Asian noodle soup.

Supper- a bowl of bean and spinach soup, 3 oz. of pork loin, 1/2 cup wild rice blend.

Snack- SF jello with strawberries

According to the can of refried beans I have here, beans are considered a vegetable. That's good because it means I'll be getting more vegetable in me.

Today's run down

Vegetables- 2 1/2 servings
Dairy- 1/4 of a serving
Fruit- 1/2 of a serving
Fiber- 23 grams
Carbs- about 200
Exercise- none, back hurts
Supplement- yes
Medication- before bed
Sleep- 7 hours, broken
Water- one glass, hope to get more in before night ends