Taking Care of Mom: Q&A

  I'm always surprised by the blog posts I get responses too.  They are never the posts I think will stir up questions.  But I got a bombardment of interest on my post Taking Care of Mom! (click on words to read it, in case you missed it)

Which surprised me, honestly.  I always assume people know these things already.  But I guess I was wrong.  So I want to take a minute to expound on a few of the details I wrote about.

1. Breakfast...Ideas?

Here are a few things we eat at our house before running out the door.  The kids like to eat pancakes so I interchange recipes of pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, chocolate chip, maple syrup, etc.  I like to put peanut butter or real butter on top to help them get a good dose of fat for the day.  This is usually followed by real, organic maple syrup.  I follow this up with yogurt, chocolate milk, cheese sticks, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, or sausage/bacon.  Keep in mind, I make all of this ahead of time.  I will cook up the eggs, oatmeal, sausage or hamburger patties, bacon, pancakes, and or GF breads at the beginning of the week (or whenever I get a chance) and either freeze or refrigerate it.  I capitalize on when my oven is on for baking.  If I'm whipping up something for supper that requires me to be at the stove top...then I will quickly cook some other foods that I will need for snacks or meals at another time.  We usually have some type of fruit too.  Bananas are good in the mornings for energy. We also do lots of berries.  Try to include lots of protein and less carbs (Yes, I know this is backwards from what Kellogg and Nabisco promote)...but you do not want to send your child off to school or start your workday with a tryptophan-induced carb overdose!  Fruit smoothies are another good idea.  Several days a week I make a smoothie consisting of: 1 banana, some berries, 6 oz. of yogurt or kefir, 1 scoop or whey protein, 1/3 c. of nuts, and some ice.  I eat this post-workout and it is satisfying and filling. 

Scrambled eggs and Sausage or Hamburger Patties

Gluten-free chocolate chip pancakes

2. Exercise...

What to do?  Lift heavy things isn't a very specific direction, sorry.  Here's what I recommend.  Use what you have around the house and do something different everyday.  You never get bored and you don't have to spend much money.  If you have a child that weighs less than 50 lbs., throw him/her over your shoulder, across your back, or piggy-back style and run/walk across the length of your property 2-3 times.  Rest as you need too.  If you want to add to it.  Sit down and stand-up from a chair or bench with the child on your back in between running sets across your yard.  If your children are all grown up...fill a duffle bag full of clothes, towels, sheets, shoes, etc. to add weight and throw it across your shoulder and take off!  Bags of unopened dog food are good, feed sacks, salt bags, etc. all make good substitutions as well. Do this one day.  Then, pick the bag up off the floor, throw it over your shoulder, then throw it back down on the floor 10-50 times in a row.  You'll be breathing hard after, trust me!  This can be one day's activity.  Finally, fill 2 buckets full of water and carry them across your yard or down your street as far as you can without dropping them.  Then rest and return.  Do this one day a week.  Use your body weight to make up one day's activity.  Push-ups, pull-ups, squats, sit-ups, back extensions, wheelbarrow walks, crab walks, downward dog's, walking lunges...

Then 2-3 days a week, whenever you are out and about.  Practice walking as fast as you can.  Or running as fast as you can.  I dare you to sprint from the parking lot where you parked your car into the store entrance.  Time yourself...beat that time next trip.  If you have stairs in your building--time yourself sprinting to the top and back down every so many days.  Keep track of how your time improves.  Race your kids to the mailbox or to roll the trash dumpster inside.  Race your kids to school or on the return home. 

I hope this addresses a few of the questions I had about these particular subjects.  I'll attempt to address more later on.

Have a happy Labor Day weekend!