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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Shake it Up, Baby!

I'm looking at this magazine about smart ways to live well and on the cover it says, "19 ways to shake stubborn fat." I look at my husband, chuckle and say, "I know how to do that," and begin jumping up and down. You know, all I have to do is stir batter in a bowl and that stubborn fat just jiggles away. Or how 'bout going down the stairs fast? There ya go...3 ways to shake stubborn fat and I didn't even have to read the article! At least I have a sense of humor, right?

We drove home from my in-laws today after visiting with them for Christmas and I began making menus and a grocery list in the car. I am really ready to make a change! Tomorrow I will go out and buy all the "good" food we should be eating anyway. And that's one of the things that draws me away from eating healthy...the expense. Do you notice how much it costs to eat healthy? And I'm not even shopping in the "organic" section, although studies earlier this year found that organic proved to be no different than what I buy regularly. As Dr. Phil is noted for saying, "So how's that workin' for ya?" Well, it's not. My cheap excuse of being cheap has not helped me or my family at all! I believe this healthy lifestyle change will have a great impact on us all not just in the weight department but in the behavior department.

I've noticed that my children's behavior changes when there are more processed foods being "processed" in our house! For my oldest daughter, who is high spirited and energetic, cutting the sugars and serving more protein and fiber, drinking more water instead of juice and moving more have helped her to concentrate better in school (we homeschool by the way).

In addition to the food altering behaviors, TV is another "diet" we are going on. Too much TV-in our house-causes more spats and lazy behaviors for everyone, even the parents! We are making TV coupons that the children will have to earn each day. Here's how they will work:

Children start with no TV at all and will have the opportunity to earn TV coupons as we go throughout the day. Each coupon is worth 30 minutes of TV time, or computer time, and they can earn a maximum of 4 each day (2 hours of TV total). They earn coupons when they have completed their chores, their schoolwork, or something I've asked them to do. When all our work is done, they have free time and they can cash in a TV coupon for TV or computer time, or play with their "toys" or read books or play outside. When 1 child cashes a TV coupon for Word Girl and another child wants to watch it, the 2nd child must turn in a coupon even though they did not pick the show. All coupons must be turned in at the end of the day even if they did not use them all. All good things have a price...if they break our house rules the coupons can be taken away, or not earned at all, and dad "explains" the house rules again. So, we're in the beginning stages if the TV coupons however cutting back on the TV and computer, I believe, will show them that there are more healthy and creative things to do besides watching mindless entertainment on a big screen.

So there will be a whole lotta shakin' goin' on around here - and it won't be that stubborn fat!!!

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