Kids and Food

It never fails. Every time I talk to people about my dietary lifestyle they cock their head to the side and ask, "So what do your kids eat?" Recently I really started to unpack that question. Why is the seemingly natural assumption that my children would NOT eat the same health driven whole food diet? Or, to counter, why does everyone assume children are only willing to eat crap?  

Full disclosure here: I did the same thing. When I first started to be more aware of how much my diet altered my whole being, I really only changed my diet. (Even now, this feels shitty to type out.) I read all of my ingredients, tried new things, spent more on my food. I justified it by saying, oh well I'm training for blah. Or, well they wouldn't eat this anyway.

No. I was right. Of course they wouldn't. Because I never offered it to them.

So, I started swapping things out. Instead of french fries I made sweet potatoes. Instead of breaded chicken strips, I made chicken tenders. Instead of pizza every other night I made ANYTHING ELSE BUT PIZZA. Same with Macaroni and Cheese, which by the way, I never understood how that became a staple. There's not a single real ingredient in there. But, I digress.

Cereal- have you read your kids box of cereal recently? Go. Now. Turn the box over. Read every single ingredient. Now look at the sugar content. Now, don't throw the box out just yet. Just think about it. Stare at the box. Feel guilty about "Wasting Food." Then, throw the box out. Waste the $3 you spent on that sugary food like substance and realize that really what you are doing is making an informed decision about your child's health and then acting on that decision. You know, the same way you do EVERYTHING ELSE AS A PARENT. Immunizations? Gotta research that. Essential oils? Gotta read up on that first. Private school versus public school? Lets do some research. The food we feed our kids? Well, if it's been approved for sale then it must be good! Right?

Wrong.

So, I know. No one wants to be "That Parent." Those parents are obnoxious. I AM OBNOXIOUS. They're terrible! I get it. But do you know what else is terrible? Watching your child's health decline for the sake of convenience. That's terrible.

So, sit down with your kids. Make some informed choices, and then let them decide the types of things they are willing to try. They'll surprise you. (And before you chime in with BUT ITS SO EXPENSIVE! I'm gonna just direct you HERE FIRST. ) 

It amazes me the foods my kid will try. Here is the last shopping list my 9 year old and 6 year old filled out:

And, lest you think they are little angels that never do any wrong, here is what else they added to said shopping list:

Yup. It says poop. I mean, they're still kids. (And poop is always funny!)

I have a whole other post coming up about getting kids eating different things and participating in the kitchen. But for now, just read the back of that cereal box. And curse me under your breath. (I hear you.)

Tuesday Weigh In Day

Friends,

I don't much care for today.

I am in pain. My shoulder and knee are killing me. But mostly, my shoulder. It's throbbing up, and down, and laterally. Everything hurts. My knee sucks. I go back to the sports therapist tomorrow, so today I am going to just wallow in it and be a big ole baby. Humor me, Internets. Okay?

Here it is- Tuesday Weigh In:

151.1 pounds
67.2 SMM
19.7 Body Fat

So, up up and up. Stoked on the weight and the SMM, not on the Body Fat. But, it is what it is.

Frustrated,
Jess.
@paperback_lifter

Mileage

Reader,

I logged some serious miles this week.

Monday- 12 miles
Tuesday- 6 miles
Wednesday- 4 miles
Thursday- 5 miles
Saturday - 2 miles
Sunday- 6 miles

A total last week of 35 miles last week. That's pretty great!

Saw the Sports Doctor this morning for my knee. No lunges, no squats, no deadlifts, and no running for just a little bit. I can still use the elliptical or the bike, so I will do that to keep my cardio and endurance up.

Happy non-running,
Jess.
@paperback_lifter

P.S. Check out my instagram for the AWESOME contest I won!!!!

Tuesday Weigh In

Reader,

It's Tuesday.

Here is my weigh in info:

147.2 Pounds
66.1 SMM
18.6 % fat

Guys. This is an awesome weigh in and I'm wicked stoked.

In Marathon news, I completed my longest run yesterday; Twelve miles, unbroken. I gave myself 30 second breaks for water at the 5 and 10 mile marks. Here is what I learned on that run:

1. It was so god damn hard.
2. Now that my training runs are this long, I need to bring fuel for the actual run. Water was not enough. By the time I finished the run I was shaky and a little dizzy. I inhaled a protein bar in the car on the way home and that still wasn't enough.
3. Going unbroken seems to be best; my legs didn't seize up on "breaks."
4. The last mile was hard. I almost didn't finish. Luckily for me my sister-in-law kept an ongoing stream of baby related texts coming at me so I was distracted. She saved this run.
5. My knee held up but HOT DAMN is it sore today.

I told my coach that the next time he schedules me for a 12 miler he needs to be there to carry me home when I'm done. He agreed.

Six miles today! Then a "rest week" whatever THAT means.

95 days left....95 days.

XX,
Jess.
@paperback_lifter

100 Days Away

As of yesterday, we are 100 days away from the L.A. Marathon 2016.

Lace up those running shoes kiddos. Hit the road.

100 days.....100 days.... 99 days.....99 days.....

Go #teamdanger!

XX,
Jess
@paperback_lifter

Halloween and Reintroduction

Internets,

How was your Halloween? Ours was a blast. Kids had fun, lots of other kids trick or treating with us, grown ups all dressed up. All over general awesomeness. Also, REINTRODUCTION DAY ONE!  I got to have wine on Halloween. The limit I set myself was two glasses......I definitely went over two glasses, that's for sure. And, at the end of he night I had a Take 5 from my 9 year old's candy bag. 

Fine. Two Take 5's.

Then I made my husband hide the bags. FROM ME.

I was frantically reading The Whole 30 book, in my kitchen, a little tipsy, still dressed as a Price is Right Showgirl, trying to read WHEN candy bars were allowed on the reintroduction plan. (Hint- THEY'RE NOT.) So, whatever. I was already a bottle deep (Whoops) so I had the candy and went to bed.

The next morning I wasn't hungover. From alcohol. I was hungover FROM SUGAR. So gross. So, I guess it wound up being the best day ever for Cory and I to start our 21 Day Sugar Detox.

This will be interesting, because despite completing the Whole 30, I still eat a lot of sugar. Lots of fruit, this one. And Cory has a sweet tooth like no other. So, here we go! 21 DSD!

You know what really helps cure a sugar hangover? 10 mile runs. Marathon training, yo. Sweat it out!

xx,

Jess.

@paperback_lifter