Spartan Kids

Tomorrow would have been my last Spartan Race of 2015. I say would have been because I am not racing tomorrow. My knee just won't hold up. I want to race the strongest 2016 I can, so I am resting, recovering, and plotting. Lots of plotting. 

My boys will still run though and I am so excited to cheer them on from the side lines. The last time Oliver ran a Spartan course he hated me. I mean, literally. There were tears. And temper tantrums. Threats of running away. But in the end, we put him on that course, reminded him that he CAN do anything, and then we walked away from him. And guess what? He did it. And then he wrote this in class: 

  "A time I felt excited about something was when I did the spartan race. To begin with I started running through mud pits! They were deep and not so deep. In this case I ran with wet shoes, shirt, and pants that all slowed me down. I then had to jump through and over a fence like structure. I climbed over the  fences on the sides. I put a foot here and a foot there and, well, you get it. Then I had to climb a towering mountain. I had no gear on and I was next to a quarry so it was hard. I made it up there and then I had to go down! That took me longer to do but I made it finally! I saw the finish line! I bolted toward it! And the I put on my medal and I finished! I did come in last but I didn't care!"

This weekend in Castaic, I am predicting the same show from Oliver pre-race. He'll hate me all over again. He'll cry, then I will walk him to the Start Line and I will leave him there. And he will race, because he knows he can.

 A very proud mom,
Jess.
@paperback_lifter

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.)

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 

Day 29....

Whoa.

Guys. That was actually REALLY fast.

I never understood why some people were using #Whole45. Now I do.

Reintroduction.

Hallelujah. Because the idea of going back to eating OFF the Whole 30 now is TERRIFYING.

I can't believe I am done with The Whole 30. Which is why I've decided to keep it going.....to a Whole 45. The results are REALLY that awesome.

But you know what my proudest result is?

My husband and 9 year old son WANT to do one. Like, they ASKED me about it.

ON THEIR OWN.

How amazing is that?

I'll just be over here in the corner, eating my food, cheering on my awesome family.

xx,
Jess
@paperback_lifter
(P.S. for more pictures of what I eat check out the ole Instagram!)

Hello!

Hi! Hello! Hey!

I survived the wedding! I DID IT. I ignored the open bar and the cupcakes that were piled high with frosting, some of them dipped in fudge sauce even. Sitting there....gleaming in all their chocolate glory.....

Who am I kidding. IT WAS SO FUCKING HARD.

But, I did it. Everyone made fun of my purse food. For the FIRST half. Then, after dinner service was delayed TWICE and I was the ONLY one eating, you better believe they wanted in on that chicken and sweet potato. I had no shame. Plopped those bad boys out onto my plate, unwrapped my silverware, and peppered everything. Like a boss.

Instead of eating cupcakes I dance the night away with little long haired Brooklyn. That boy slid on his knees across the dance floor to me, shook it to Footloose and even TWIRLED me TWICE with those little boy arms. He was a solid leader.

Tonight we are going to Oddball Fest at Irvine Meadows. But this time, security will check my bag. And probably take my purse food. So, we shall play it by ear friends.

Cross your fingers for me!


xx,
Jess.
@paperback_lifter