Mamavation Monday

I totally got lazy last week and never posted. Well, maybe lazy isn't the word since I'm so stinking BUSY! I actually started a post but never got a chance to finish it. Anyway, I'm still flying by the seat of my pants on this weight loss thing. I've been making better choices, but haven't weighed recently. No exercise. Nothing I can really say about that except to say that I feel strongly that I will not be successful until I can make exercise a consistent part of my life. My husband keeps reminding me that I'm in a time in my life that is very hectic. I won't have a toddler forever. Also, summer is coming and we can do more fun things to incorporate exercise, like going to the park. I also won't have to get the 7 year old up for school soon, which means that time can go towards exercise.

On April 1st I'm beginning the Go Fresh 11 week Initiative on Raw Food Rehab. I've written about feeling drawn to the raw food way of eating. I feel like I could be happy on a high raw diet with a little cooked food here and there. This initiative will give me the education that I've been looking for on my journey. I'm so excited that I can't wait for April 1st to get here.

I'd like to say congrats to all the Mamavation finalists. I have a lot of respect for anyone willing to put themself out there like that. It takes a lot of courage and all of the applicants should be proud.

Random Tuesday Thoughts

So this blog has been about nothing but weight loss for weeks. There is more to my life.

For example...

Can someone please tell my 18 month old to stop sticking things up her nose? Seriously. Last week while eating chicken noodle soup I look over to see a noodle hanging out of her nose. A couple of days later she suddenly begins crying and sticking her finger up her nose. I'm thinking she stuck something up there but I didn't see anything and she got over it and moved on. I did notice a slightly runny nose and was wondering if there was something up there. Two days later I get her out of the bed in the morning. I'm changing her diaper and she sneezes really hard. I see something shoot out of her nose and onto her pajamas. It was a warm, gooey raisin! Um, that's disgusting. Thanks goodness she sneezed it out because that thing would have gotten really nasty up there.

Ava is the complete opposite of Abby when she was this age. Abby was quiet. She didn't stick things in her nose. She didn't try to climb onto things. Ava, on the other hand, is a tiny tornado. She leaves destruction wherever she goes. She loves to scream to the top of her lungs..."PEEK A DOOOO!!!" That's how she says peek a boo. She makes me laugh so hard but she is very tiring.

Mamavation Monday

I've been feeling pretty lost lately in this weight loss struggle. It has had such an effect on my mood. Life in general is really stressful lately and then I begin putting lots of pressure on myself to lose weight. I had to take a step back this week. I really need to relax. I can lose weight. I'm not perfect. This need for perfection holds me back. This fear of failure causes me to give up very quickly. I've had this thought so many times over the past few weeks. I tell myself to just accept that I'm a cow and that's just the way it will be because I have no self-control. There are other parts of my life that require attention. I'm trying to divide myself into many pieces, and the first thing I always let go is taking care of myself. Yes, it should be a priority, but I feel the least guilt if I sacrifice myself for other things that are more important. That sounds so ridiculous.

I actually feel positive about this week. I have a plan. One of my biggest problems has been not having a plan. I got some advice from someone, and I'm gonna give it a try 100%. I accept that I may mess up but resolve that I will immediately get back on track...not the next day, but immediately. I'm looking forward to this week. I have a good feeling about it.

This week's blogging carnival is sponsored by Fit Studio and this week's question is...

What time of day works best for you to be active? How do you make sure you stick to those planned workouts?

The best time for me to workout is first thing in the morning before the wild toddler wakes. This is very difficult for me to do since I'm pretty much in a perpetual state of sleep deprivation. Because I work nights, I don't get to sleep until 2am four nights out of the week and get up at 7am to get the first grader off to school. I don't get to go back to sleep because I have a toddler to chase. It's difficult to exercise once she's awake. I'm still trying to figure out what will work best for me.

This post is sponsored by SEARS FitStudio and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation and sponsored by Sears.

Mamavation Monday

No weight loss. I've been trying to find my way...feeling depressed. I think I'm figuring it out. I've been making good choices and I'm in a regular habit of drinking green smoothies and eating lots of healthy salads. My problem is that before the end of the day I crave junk and usually give in to the craving. It's my mindset that has to change. I've started feeling more positive about things and really do have confidence that I'll lose this weight. I want to try to be about 75% raw foods with some type of healthy cooked food for dinner. I also plan to be more involved in twitter to support my Mamavation Sistas. I haven't been good at that lately because I feel like I'm such a mess that it's strange to encourage others. I guess I shouldn't really look at it that way.

This weeks blogging carnival is sponsored by Earth Footwear.

Question: What are your strategies to fit everything into your busy life? Any areas you need to work on?

I'm not good with this. I especially struggle to fit it exercise. I feel like I'm always rushing, but I really think it's an issue of time management. I'm working on it.