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From 5K to 10K in 5 Weeks - Injury-Free!

Couch to Marathon: From 5K to 10K in 5 Weeks

May 16, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

I completed my first 10K last month and it. was. tough. But I did it! And for this entry in the Couch to Marathon series, I’m sharing how I managed to get it done!

Honestly, at the time, I didn’t think much about how quickly I was progressing from running 3.1 miles to doing 6.2 miles. But it was a little bit…faster than I expected. Here’s how I went from 5K to 10K in 5 weeks, while staying injury-free!

Disclaimer: I am not a fitness expert. Please consult a medical professional before beginning an exercise regimen of your own.

From 5K to 10K in 5 Weeks - Injury-Free!

Image c/o: Daxiao_Productions / Depositphotos

How to Go from 5K to 10K in 5 Weeks

I want to stress that this is what worked for me. I know my body, my schedule, and my time demands, so I know what I can do. Please, please, please do not feel like you have to do this in 5 weeks to be a “real” runner.

Confession time: As I mentioned in my post about running my 5K, I use run/walk/run repeats, so I’m not running the entire time. That technique did a lot to help me avoid injury, but here are a couple of other tips that helped.

Add half a mile each week.

Since I had already done 3.1 miles (twice this year), I started training for the 10K immediately after my last 5K. The next week, my long run was 3.5 miles. After that, I added a half-mile to my long run each week. The final long run before my 10K was 5 miles. Once I completed 5 miles successfully, I felt that my chances of doing 6.2 were pretty good.

Choose a course you know well.

 The race I chose was held at a local park that I’ve visited with my family several times over the years. In fact, I had just walked the same route with my kids about a month prior. That was a huge help, because I knew what to expect and how to prepare.

The Reality about Running a 10K

I want to add: Even with the tips above, that 10K was HARD. During my race, I had to do the designated route two and a half times to complete the 6.2 miles. I promise that, during that sixth mile, it really felt as if the finish line was moving away from me.

When I finished, I was sore and tired and a tad discouraged. Later that day, though, I went out with my family and functioned like a normal human being, not like someone who had just run 6 miles that morning.

And that is when I started to feel like a real runner. I thought, “I’m out here with all these people and no one knows what I did this morning but me. But I’m still able to walk and talk and feel great.” It was a new (and wonderful) experience.

So  – yes, it is possible to go from 5K to 10K in 5 weeks. I did it. And, with a careful training plan, others can too!

For more fitness tips, follow my Bye Bye Baby Weight board on Pinterest!

And don’t miss the rest of my Couch to Marathon series: My year-long journey to running my first marathon!

Couch to Marathon Series


The Ultimate May Running Playlist

Couch to Marathon: May Running Playlist

May 9, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Can you believe it’s already May? Wow! This year is flying by! (Or I’m just getting old. Either way.)

I completed my first 10K this year a few weeks ago and I’ll be sharing what I learned about going from a 5K to a 10K soon. For now, though, get ready for a new month of running with this list of tracks: The Ultimate May Running Playlist!

I included some Latino music, some pop, some R&B, and some rock – just to keep everybody happy and moving on the pavement! Plus, I had to include one of my favorite tracks by the late Prince. 🙁 (Sidenote: If 2016 could stop taking our musical geniuses, that’d be great.)

The Ultimate May Running Playlist

Couch to Marathon: May Running Playlist

Where the Streets Have No Name – U2

De Que Me Vale – Gaitanes

Wish You Were Here – Incubus

Outstanding – The Gap Band

All is Well – Austin Basham

Ain’t Nobody – Chaka Khan

Breakdown – Tantric

Human Nature – Michael Jackson

Breaking the Habit – Linkin Park

When Doves Cry – Prince

Candela Pa Lo Pie – Kid G

Memrmaid – Sade

May Running Playlist

Get more tips for running on my Bye Bye Baby Weight Pinterest board!

And don’t miss my Couch to Marathon series – a year-long journey to completing my first marathon!

Couch to Marathon Series


The Ultimate April Running Playlist

Couch to Marathon: April Running Playlist

April 8, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Okay. I have a 10K to do next Sunday. Since I’ve finished two 5Ks this year, I should be good to go, right?

Wrong!

I just got back from vacation and, during that week, I ate everything there was to eat under the sun. Oh, and guess how many runs I got in during those six days? One.

So I’m desperately in need of some pep in my running step. And I’m going to start with the tracks on my ultimate April running playlist!

The Ultimate April Running Playlist

The Ultimate April Running Playlist

Fireside – Brett Bixby

Wish I Didn’t Miss You – Angie Stone

Imaginádote – Reykon

News 4 U – Fitz & The Tantrums

Summer Rain – Carl Thomas

I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) – Hall & Oates

Don’t Be a Fool – Loose Ends

Que Se Sienta el Deseo – Wisin feat. Ricky Martin

Kiss of Life – Sade

Virtual Insanity – Jamiroquai

No Letting Go – Wayne Wonder

Aqueous Transmission – Incubus

Ultimate April Running Playlist
Maybe these will actually get me moving and out the door this morning. 🙂

What are your favorite running songs right now? Share them in the comments! And don’t miss my journey to my first full marathon in the series Couch to Marathon!

Couch to Marathon Series

Why the Couch25K Plan Doesn't Work

Couch to Marathon: Why the Couch25K Plan Doesn’t Work

March 28, 2016 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

If you’ve even considered taking up running, you’ve probably heard of Couch25K. It is a SUPER popular training program for new runners.

I actually like Couch25K. It is a really easy and doable way to get up off the couch and start running.

But I’ve found that it just doesn’t work for actually running a 5K – at least not for beginners. And, since I’ve done the program twice, I’m well aware of its shortcomings.

Here’s why the Couch25K plan doesn’t work – and how you can make it work for you!

Why the Couch25K Plan Doesn't Work

Why the Couch25K Plan Doesn’t Work

Here’s why Couch25K doesn’t work for newbies: It progresses too quickly.

The first four weeks are excellent. You start with very short running bursts, followed by longer walking intervals. Over the initial runs, you get to a point where you run and walk the same amount of time. So far, so good.

During the last five weeks, though, the program gets real serious. And Fridays are reserved for straight runs. So on the last five Fridays, you run non-stop for 20 minutes, 22 minutes, 25 minutes, 28 minutes, and 30 minutes respectively.

The plan assumes that you will run a pace of 10 minutes per mile, so the final training run of 30 minutes should be enough for you to run an entire 5K. Ha!

If you’re literally going from a couch potato lifestyle to running, there’s no way you’ll reach a 10 minute pace by the end of the program. And you’re most likely not going to run three miles straight, even at a slower pace. Tigger and I have done two 5Ks this year and my fastest pace so far has been 12:12 per mile.

So if you go into Couch25K thinking that you will actually be prepared to run an entire 5K in 30 minutes by the end, expect to be disappointed.

A Newbie-Friendly Couch25K Plan

The good news is that it’s simple to customize Couch25K for your fitness level. For me, running 30 minutes straight wasn’t nearly as important as getting used to the distance of 3.1 miles.

It’s great if I can run for 30 minutes, but if my pace is slower than 10 minutes per mile I still won’t be able to finish the race. Which is kind of the point, right?

So after the first four weeks of Couch25K, I started using Fridays to progress to 3.1 miles. Instead of running for 20 minutes straight on that fifth Friday, I focused on completing two miles.

Each week thereafter, I added a quarter mile. By the end of the nine weeks, I had covered 3.1 miles (most of it running) and was ready to go for my first 5K. Which was a success!

Why Couch25K Doesn't Work

Follow along with my Couch to Marathon journey all year long! Right now, I’m training for a 10K!

Couch to Marathon Series

And get even more ideas for fitness on my Bye Bye Baby Weight board on Pinterest!

Have you tried Couch25K? Did it work for you? Let me know in the comments!


Running Your First 5K

Couch to Marathon: Running Your First 5K

March 15, 2016 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

It’s spring – and that means running weather is perfect! So if you’re on the fence about doing a 5K race, now is the time!

But if you’ve never done a 5K before, it’s natural to feel nervous and uncertain. I’ve definitely been there. But I’ve done my first – and you can too! For this edition of the Couch to Marathon series, we’re talking about running your first 5K!

Today is also another party with the Laugh and Learn linky! Check out the newest posts and our favorites from last week below!

Running Your First 5K

Image c/o: Iko-images / depositphotos

Couch to Marathon: Running Your First 5K

Signing up for a 5K is one thing. Completing it is another. So how do you make sure you actually go through with your race? Here are a few tips that have worked for me:

Choose a race with a treat.

I need a reason to do a race. It has to offer something that I might not get somewhere else. For our first race of this year, we did the Hot Chocolate 5K. It was FREEZING, but the thought that I would get a large helping of sugar afterward kept me going. 🙂

Running Your First 5K Race

Mmmmmm. That’s a finisher’s mug with hot chocolate, a banana, melted chocolate, a marshmallow, pretzels, and those Pirouline Hazelnut cookies. It was so good, y’all. Definitely worth the run.

Train hilly, run flat.

This is a tip I didn’t actually learn until our second 5K this year, so learn from my mistake! Train on a route that is fairly hilly, then choose a race course that’s fairly flat. You will run so much faster and feel amazing!

Tips for Running Your First 5K

This was taken after the 5K Tigger and I did this past weekend. Know why I’m smiling? Because the race course was wayyyy flatter than our usual training route. I ended up recording a personal best!

Run, walk, run.

Run, walk, run is the training technique pioneered by running legend Jeff Galloway. And it’s exactly what it sounds like. You run some, walk some, and then run some.

I’ve been following a set routine that gradually increases my interval times, but you could really just run until you feel like you want to stop, then walk, then go back to running. Over time, your running spurts will get longer. I use the GymBoss interval timer to tell me when to stop running and start walking. It’s super reliable and mine has been working for years!

And those are my must-have tips for running your first 5K! Have you signed up for a 5K? How did you do? Are you planning to do one soon? Share your experiences in the comments!

Don’t miss the rest of the Couch to Marathon series!

Couch to Marathon Series

For more running motivation, check out my Bye Bye Baby Weight board on Pinterest!

Running Your First 5K Tips



On to the linky!

This week we have some great links to share with you. We are very excited to bring you another great opportunity to linkup with us!

Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Welcome to our 74th week of Laugh and Learn – Home & Family Linkup! Laugh and Learn Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning.

New: We have decided to expand our linkup to home and family categories! You are still welcome to share homeschooling or parenting posts with us. That will always be part of the #LaughLearnLinkup!

Each and every week, all of the hosts will pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on three blogs.

We are also sharing the top four posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!

Reminder: Please share this linkup! You can help us build a great family, home, parenting, and homeschool group.

Laugh and Learn Linkup was created by Tina from Los Gringos Locos. We want to thank her for this opportunity and send her big hug on her new adventure.

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Selena
Selena - head shot Look We're Learning

Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!
Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram


Sarah
sarah-dedicated-homeschooler Dedicated Homeschooler

Sarah lives in Kentucky, USA, where she and her husband homeschool three children. Sarah writes for and about, families with special needs. She hopes to provide support and encouragement to all special needs parents in the homeschool community. Visit Sarah at Dedicated Homeschooler.
Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter


Haley
Haleys Vintage Finds & DealsHaley's Vintage: DIY ~ Parenting ~ Blogging

Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them learn how to make an extra income, to stretch a budget, to make crafts, and other useful information. Haley always has updates on the kids, and their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube
Stumble Upon

Reminder: To view our lovely featured posts just click on the image to go there. They would love some extra shares and comments!


Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Most Clicked on Link

What are the Advantages to Homeschooling Your Kids? #LaughLearnLinkup

What are the Advantages to Homeschooling Your Kids? by Crystal an International Bloggers Association Member


Selena’s pick for this week…

ADD 1004 BLOG SUBSCRIBERS IN 26 DAYS – FROM FEEDBLITZ TO MAD MIMI

Add 1004 Blog Subscribers in 26 Days – From Feedblitz to Mad Mimi by Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool

Note from Selena:

As a blogger, I’m always looking for ways to build my audience. These are some great tips for email list building!

 


Sarah’s pick for this week…

Top 5 Resources for Homeschooling Your Dyslexic Child #LaughLearnLinkup

Top 5 Resources for Homeschooling Your Dyslexic Child by Faithfilled Chaos

Note from Sarah:

These are some terrific resources for dyslectic children or struggling readers. I’m excited about using some of them.


Haley’s pick for this week…

Make Your Social Media Feeds Happy Again

Make Your Social Media Feeds Happy Again by Munfore

Note from Haley:

Social media is an important part of a blogger’s life. It can become old quick, but I love Audrey’s tips on how to be happy again with your accounts.


 

Badges

Your post was rocked!

To show our appreciation we have super fun badges for you!

Just go to this page. We also have a fun badge to show you linked up with us!

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the post above by clicking on the image. If you enjoyed these picks as much as we did, please share them also!
Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Have you joined our Pinterest Board yet?

Follow Tina Ernspiker’s board #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites} on Pinterest.


Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

 

Now give us your best posts!

An InLinkz Link-up


Ultimate March Running Playlist

Couch to Marathon: March Running Playlist

March 1, 2016 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

March is here, lovelies! And that means warmer running weather is just around the corner! Tigger and I are busy training for our second 5k in about two weeks and we are so thrilled to be done with early morning runs in 20-something degree winds.

Since it’s a new month, it’s time for another entry in our Couch to Marathon series: The Ultimate March Running Playlist! Read on to check out my tunes for this month!

It’s also another edition of the Laugh and Learn linky! Read our features from last week and catch the newest posts below!

The Ultimate March Running Playlist

The Ultimate March Running Playlist

Everything In Its Right Place – Radiohead

Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder) – Maxwell

Tú Eres la Razón – Olga Tanon

Can’t Let Her Go (Album Version) – Boyz II Men

Beat It (Single Version) – Michael Jackson

Back To Where I Was – Eric Hutchinson

Enjoy The Silence (Original) – Depeche Mode

Carnaval – Maluma

The Boys Of Summer – Don Henley

Shame (12″ Version) – Evelyn Champagne King

Jungle Jazz – Les Tambours du Bronx

True Companion (Album Version) [feat. Tony Morales] – Russ Freeman & The Rippingtons

Ultimate March Running Playlist

For more running motivation, check out my Bye Bye Baby Weight board on Pinterest!

Linky straight ahead!

This week we have some great links to share with you. We are very excited to bring you another great opportunity to linkup with us!

Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Welcome to our 72nd week of Laugh and Learn – Home & Family Linkup! Laugh and Learn Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning.

New: We have decided to expand our linkup to home and family categories! You are still welcome to share homeschooling or parenting posts with us. That will always be part of the #LaughLearnLinkup!

Each and every week, all of the hosts will pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on three blogs.

We are also sharing the top four posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!

Reminder: Please share this linkup! You can help us build a great family, home, parenting, and homeschool group.

Laugh and Learn Linkup was created by Tina from Los Gringos Locos. We want to thank her for this opportunity and send her big hug on her new adventure.

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Selena
Selena - head shot Look We're Learning

Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!
Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram


Sarah
sarah-dedicated-homeschooler Dedicated Homeschooler

Sarah lives in Kentucky, USA, where she and her husband homeschool three children. Sarah writes for and about, families with special needs. She hopes to provide support and encouragement to all special needs parents in the homeschool community. Visit Sarah at Dedicated Homeschooler.
Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter


Haley
Haleys Vintage Finds & DealsHaley's Vintage: DIY ~ Parenting ~ Blogging

Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them learn how to make an extra income, to stretch a budget, to make crafts, and other useful information. Haley always has updates on the kids, and their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube
Stumble Upon


Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Most Clicked on Link

Things To Know Before Having Your Third Child

Things To Know Before Having Your Third Child by Perfectly Imperfect Love


Selena’s pick for this week…

365 DAYS HANDS-ON HOMESCHOOL ACTIVITIES – ONE FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR! by Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

365 DAYS HANDS-ON HOMESCHOOL ACTIVITIES – ONE FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR! by Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Note from Selena:

Sometimes it’s tough to think of a great activity that my kids can really get into. This is a super list – one activity for every day of the year!


Sarah’s pick for this week…

Six Reasons Live, Online Classes Work for Special Needs Homeschoolers

Six Reasons Live, Online Classes Work for Special Needs Homeschoolers by Currclick Blog

Note from Sarah:

We recently began using some online sources to teach our kids. It began as a way to give me a bit of a break, but our special needs kids have thrived because of it. It’s been a pleasant experience and we plan to continue supplementing with online classes.


Haley’s pick for this week…

Southern Style Skillet Biscuits

Southern Style Skillet Biscuits by That Recipe

Note from Haley:

I absolutely love homemade biscuits! The kids do too, and for some reason I have never thought to cook them in a cast iron skillet.


 

Badges

Your post was rocked!

To show our appreciation we have super fun badges for you!

Just go to this page. We also have a fun badge to show you linked up with us!

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the post above by clicking on the image. If you enjoyed these picks as much as we did, please share them also!
Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

Have you joined our Pinterest Board yet?

Follow Tina Ernspiker’s board #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites} on Pinterest.


Laugh and Learn Linkup: Join us every Tuesday to share your favorite home or family posts!

 

Now give us your best posts!

An InLinkz Link-up


Ultimate February Running Playlist

Couch to Marathon: February Running Playlist

February 6, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Sigh. February is here. And in my mind, February is known as “the month where goals go to die“.

But if I’m going to train for a marathon, I have to keep running. Which means braving the cold, and the dark, and the really, really, hard pavement. Blah.

So I need a great playlist to keep me moving – or at least to get me moving once I make it out of the door. Today I’m sharing my ultimate February running playlist with you! You know, in case you need a little motivation boost as well.

Ultimate February Running Playlist

The Ultimate February Running Playlist

This one is a mix of 80s, 90s, and modern music. And, as in January’s running playlist, I included a song for one of the music giants who passed: Earth, Wind, and Fire’s Maurice White. By the way, if music legends could stop passing away, that’d be great.

Fantasy – Earth, Wind, & Fire

La Mordidita – Ricky Martin

Take On Me – A-Ha

Work To Do – Vanessa Williams

Drive – Incubus

Find Your Way – Kem

Rude – Magic

Praise You – Fatboy Slim

Renegades Of Funk – Rage Against the Machine

Eye of the Tiger – Survivor

Motownphilly – Boyz II Men

Landslide – Dixie Chicks

February Running Playlist

Do you have favorite songs that keep you moving – even in the cold weather of February? Share your picks in the comments!

For more fitness motivation, check out my Bye Bye Baby Weight board on Pinterest!

52 Weeks to a Healthier You: Meal Planning Tips for Moms

April 13, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’re on to Week 15 of 52 Weeks to a Healthier You and we’re going to continue working on our eating habits. Last week, we focused on mindful eating and this week we’re talking about the importance of meal planning!

Meal planning can literally make or break your fitness goals. When I plan meals, I tend to eat more healthfully with smaller portions, which of course leads to weight loss. When I don’t meal plan, well, I end up stopping at Chick-fil-A for breakfast every single morning. Not great.

This week, we’re sharing a few simple meal planning tips for moms! 🙂

Disclaimer: I am not a health or fitness expert. Please consult a medical professional before starting any new health or fitness regimen.

Meal Planning Tips for Moms

Image: Africa Studio / Dollar Photo Club

Meal Planning Tips for Moms

1. Keep your meals simple.

Okay, so if we’re actually going to plan some meals, they’re supposed to be meals we can prepare in real life. As moms, we’re busy. We’re all busy – homeschoolers, public schoolers, afterschoolers, preschoolers. Each one of us is super duper busy. So, as much as we might like to make dinner that includes handmade gnocchi, it’s probably not going to happen, especially on a weeknight.

MyFitnessPal suggests only planning meals you actually have time to make. For me, that means meals that probably have no more than 10 or 12 ingredients and can be finished in about 30 to 45 minutes. When I’m scanning a recipe and it says “1 hour” or longer, I keep on scrolling.

2. Use weekly meal themes.

Another way to make a meal plan doable is to make a list of go-tos and rotate them regularly. I have about 28 meals that I use over and over again, plus a few others for special occasions. If you’re ready to make up your own list of “go-tos”, TheKitchn recommends working from a master meal theme list.

So you could have “Taco Night” or “Meatless Monday” (which we’ll talk more about later). Once you have your meal themes in place, you can use narrow down healthy recipes that fit each theme.

3. Stick to your healthy shopping list!

Once you have your recipe and your meals planned, it’s time to go grocery shopping! Make your healthy shopping list and then STICK. TO. IT. I’m serious. Don’t buy a single item that is not on your list.

CookingLight stresses the need to stick to your plan and that also means going through with your meals! If your meal plan says “Grilled Chicken with Steamed Vegetables” and you really want some pizza (you know what I’m talking about), don’t order the pizza! Make your healthy meal. You’ll feel so much better!

Sample Meal Plans

If you’d like a sample meal plan to get you started, try these links for some great ideas!

2 Day Meal Plan: HEB

Sample Two Week Menus: Choose My Plate

Free Diet Meal Plans: Eating Well

7 Day Clean Eating Meal Plan: Shape

4 Food Pyramid Meal Plans: WebMD

Do you use a meal plan? Has it helped you eat healthier? Share your meal planning tips for moms in the comments! Don’t forget to join our 52 Weeks to a Healthier You Facebook group for more tips!

52 Weeks to a Healthier You - A free weekly action plan to help busy moms take care of their own health for a change. I definitely need this in 2015!

52 Weeks to a Healthier You: Healthy Breakfast Ideas

February 9, 2015 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

Welcome to Week 6 of 52 Weeks to a Healthier You! Last week, we took a look at our eating habits by using a food diary. This week, we’re going to start improving our diets by…drumroll…eating a healthy breakfast!

A lot of adults don’t eat breakfast at all. Personally, if I have a cup of coffee first thing in the morning, I pretty much lose my appetite. So it’s very easy for me to have a cup of coffee early on and then nothing until nearly noon. Turns out that’s terrible for our health. (Shocker.)

Let’s take a look at why we need to eat breakfast and get a few healthy breakfast ideas for the most important meal of the day!

Disclaimer: I am not a health or fitness expert. Please consult a medical professional before starting any new health or fitness regimen.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Image: Mara Zemgaliete / Dollar Photo Club

Why We Should Eat Breakfast

According to WebMD, eating breakfast sets the tone for the rest of our day. Think about it: How often have you been out running errands and realized suddenly that you were STARVING? What did you do? I’ll tell you what I did. I made a beeline for the nearest drive-thru, where I proceeded to order something extremely unhealthy. And that’s what happens when we skip breakfast or go too long without eating in general. We end up ravenous and we make bad food choices later.

Sometimes we think that skipping a meal will lower our caloric intake and help us drop pounds faster. However, the meal we skip should NOT be breakfast. Eating breakfast can actually reduce our risk of serious health conditions, including heart disease and obesity. Time.com suggests eating something that will stabilize our blood sugar levels, which means skipping the sweet rolls. *sob*

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

If you’re at a loss as to what to eat first thing in the morning, try these suggestions!

  • Whole grain English muffin with scrambled egg white and spinach
  • Scrambled egg, one strip turkey bacon, roasted asparagus
  • Oatmeal with fresh fruit
  • Green smoothie (We’ll be talking more about these in an upcoming week!)
  • Whole grain cereal with skim milk, soy milk, or almond milk and fresh fruit
  • Low-sugar yogurt with granola, honey, and fruit
  • Baked sweet potato with cinnamon and honey (That one’s from the Time.com article. Sounds great!)

Do you eat breakfast on a regular basis? If so, do you have any healthy breakfast ideas to share? Let them loose in the comments! For even more support, join our 52 Weeks to a Healthier You Facebook group!

52 Weeks to a Healthier You - A free weekly action plan to help busy moms take care of their own health for a change. I definitely need this in 2015!

52 Weeks to a Healthier You: Keep a Food Diary

February 2, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’re on to Week 5 of 52 Weeks to a Healthier You! We’ve already talked about making an honest self-assessment, drinking more water, finding fitness motivation, and improving our sleep habits. Now, we’re finally ready to start talking about what we eat.

If you’re fearing a brand new diet plan, you can breathe easy. 🙂 We’re just going to start by taking a look at what we’re currently eating by using a free printable food diary. Rather than making any drastic changes right away, it’s a great idea to see what you’re already consuming on a weekly basis, so you can make gradual adjustments that are more likely to stick.

Here’s a primer on why and how we can keep a food diary!

Disclaimer: I am not a health or fitness expert. Please consult a medical professional before starting any new health or fitness regimen.

 

How to Keep a Food Diary

Image: Minerva Studio / Dollar Photo Club

 Why Keeping a Food Diary is Important

You might be wondering: Why is it necessary to keep a food diary in the first place? Well, it’s not actually necessary, but it can be extremely helpful. WebMD explains that writing down what you eat has the instant effect of making you aware of your food choices. (I can tell you that I’ve often refrained from eating a certain junk food just because I didn’t want to have to write it down.)

It’s also helpful because you can take a look at your eating habits over time, so if you’re consistently eating a certain food, especially if it’s unhealthy, then you can take note of the time of day you choose it and what potentially triggers your cravings.

How to Keep a Food Diary

Okay, so what’s involved in keeping a food diary? It’s simple. You just write down everything you eat. Every. Single. Thing. (Yes, this includes gum and mints and those individual M&Ms that you sneak during the day.)

Along with the food you eat, Real Simple explains that it’s also helpful to write down your emotions at the time you eat. Are you sad, happy, bored, frustrated, or distracted? Keeping track of these feelings can help you spot any tendencies toward binge or emotional eating.

Free Printable Food Diary

Now, for the really awesome news! We’re giving away a free printable food diary for the week to all of our email subscribers! In this printable pack, you’ll find diary tracking sheets for Monday through Sunday, complete with spaces for meal journaling and reflective questions to help you make better choices in the future.

To get your free printable food diary, subscribe to our newsletter using the sign up form below! If you’re already subscribed to our newsletter, you’ll get your free copy in the next newsletter (which will go out on Sunday night).

Free Printable Food Diary for the Week

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This post is part of the Free Printable Day linkup from iHomeschool Network! Click over to get even more great free printables from our fellow bloggers!

freeprintableday2015

 

52 Weeks to a Healthier You: Take an Honest Health Self-Assessment

January 5, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Happy Monday all! Welcome to Week 1 of our year-long series: 52 Weeks to a Healthier You! Today we’re starting with our very first step: taking an honest health self-assessment.

In the past, I’ve often jumped right into a new workout plan or a new diet without taking the time to look at myself to see what I’m doing (and not doing) right now. Naturally, the few healthy changes I would make wouldn’t last for very long.

So, this time I’m starting by looking at my lifestyle, including my good and bad habits, to see what I’d like to change. That way, I can decide how to go about changing them for good.

Disclaimer: I am not a health or fitness expert. Please consult a medical professional before starting any new health or fitness regimen.

Take an Honest Self-Assessment - Great advice about assessing the state of your health so that you can make good fitness goals

Image: NOBU / Dollar Photo Club

52 Weeks to a Healthier You - A free weekly action plan to help busy moms take care of their own health for a change. I definitely need this in 2015!

Your Honest Health Self-Assessment

Current Health

First, let’s talk about our current health. Use our free Honest Health Self-Assessment Exercise to record the following:

Age:

Height:

Current weight:

Goal weight:

If you’re unsure about your goal weight, try this BMI calculator to find out what weight  range is healthy for your height and body type. (NOTE: I do not believe that BMI is the absolute best way to calculate health. Sometimes it can be really off. But if you’re unsure about where to begin, it may give you a good starting point.)

Now, I am NOT about to post my current weight here. 🙂 But I will say that my goal is to lose 20 pounds. That still keeps me at the upper range of my BMI, but it’s a good weight for my frame.

By the way, take a picture of yourself! You don’t have to show it to anyone. But it will be a great way to track your progress as the program continues.

Good Habits

Now it’s time to think the healthy habits you’d like to form this year. Of course, the temptation here is to write an extremely long list of completely unrealistic things like running an ultramarathon, giving up coffee for good, or becoming a raw vegan. Those are actually great goals, but if you’re living an unhealthy life right now, those are definitely long-term goals.

Instead, think about five healthy habits you’d like to start this year and write them on your health assessment. Try to restrict them to habits that are actually reachable. If you’re drawing a blank, don’t worry! We’ll be sharing some in the upcoming weeks that you can incorporate easily into your life.

Bad Habits

And, finally, we have to look at our bad habits. You know, the things you do that you know are unhealthy. I mean, I don’t have a degree in Physical Education, Nutrition, or Kinesiology. But I know that eating an entire package of Lemon Oreos in two days is not a good thing to do. (I’ve done that before.)

So, on your health assessment activity, write down the five bad habits you want to get rid of this year. We’re not going to focus on getting rid of them first. Instead, we’re going to focus on adding the good habits. Eventually, they’ll likely end up replacing the bad ones. 🙂

After you finish your health self-assessment, feel free to share your goals in our 52 Weeks to a Healthier You Facebook group! Or share your plans in the comments below!

And – get your free Honest Health Self-Assessment Exercise by clicking the link or the image below! 🙂

Take an Honest Self-Assessment - Great advice about assessing the state of your health so that you can make good fitness goals

>>>>Honest Health Self-Assessment Worksheet <<<

Hi! I'm Selena, a teacher and a veteran homeschool mom to four. I'm so glad you're here!
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