Well we’ve definitely had an interesting “Spring Break” this week. Ha!
First off, this is what it looked like as we headed to church last Sunday…
We had a full on snow storm Saturday night into Sunday! It was crazy. We accumulated a good few inches, although most of the snow melted by the end of the day.
My mom and sister live on the opposite side of the valley, up on the mountain and they said they got like a foot of snow! We went up to visit them Sunday afternoon and there were branches broken off of trees everywhere because they couldn’t handle the weight of the snow. Crazy!
Oh, and four days later, on Thursday, it was 80 degrees outside. It was super windy, but still, it was 80! Weather in Utah can be very unpredictable sometimes. I kind of love it though.
Another “fun” thing that’s been going on around our house this week is we’ve been passing the stomach flu around!!! Seriously, seriously.
My poor family.
It started out last Saturday with my seven year old getting sick.
Then Sunday night into Monday, my poor, sweet baby got sick. I was up all night long taking care of him. I felt so bad for him, but man, he and I were both so freaking thrashed the next day.
Then on Monday afternoon, my 13 year old got sick. He is my “uber germaphobe child,” so whenever anyone around our house gets sick he takes every possible measure to assure he doesn’t get sick. I was actually surprised when he went down.
Then, no one got sick for a couple days and I thought we were out of the woods.
THEN, I started to feel a little blah on Wednesday night. I was just so dead tired, had a mega headache and just felt so heavy and sluggish. I had run 4 miles earlier in the day and went to a tough class at my gym, so I just thought maybe I was worn out. But, then around midnight I started to feel nauseous too. I was like…….”Nooooooooo!”
So I felt horrible all night Wednesday and pretty much all day Thursday too. This was a weird flu for me because not only was I nauseous, but I also felt just like I’d been hit by a bus. I could barely get out of bed and when I did, it felt like the room was spinning and my head was going to explode.
It was awful.
Although, it made me realize that I think it’s actually good to get sick sometimes (in a strange, twisted sort of way) because it made me realize how grateful I am for my health! When I was so sick, I could hardly remember what it felt like to feel healthy. AND, now that I feel pretty much back to normal, I’m sure grateful my body is healthy!
Make sense?
Oh, and strangely enough, I was able to run six miles tonight! Woot! I was actually so happy ’bout that. I worried I wouldn’t be able to run at all since I’d been sick. Then, I thought maybe I’d run just a few miles. Then, I thought I’d just listen to my body and see what I could do. Well, I ended up feeling pretty awesome, so I just kept on running and made it to my goal! Yay!
When I got home, I decided to take a “yehaw” picture in commemoration!
I was actually so freaking happy because I was on my death bed just two days ago and today I ran 6 miles and felt amazing! Isn’t that just crazy??!? I think it is!
Oh, and I have to apologize for the cheesy bathroom selfie because A) It’s cheesy and it’s in the bathroom and B) We have lame mirrors around our house, so the bathroom has to suffice!
Anyway, back to our family flu saga….when I woke up this morning, my poor daughter informed me that she’d been up all night throwing up. I felt so bad for her, so I went down to her room and lovingly played this song for her…
She said, “How did I know you were going to play that song for me?” Ha ha ha.
It’s definitely been the theme song for our family this week!
Then a few hours later my poor 9 year old bit the dust. He’d been feeling a little queasy most of the morning and then he spent most of the afternoon throwing up.
I told Kev and my oldest son that they should feel like rockstars! They are the last ones standing. My oldest son has been using Clorox wipes on everything he touches.
I told my kids yesterday that it feels like we’re in the Hunger Games.
I’ve washed every piece of bedding on my bed three times this week. It’s been a lot of fun. My bed seems to be the favorite place for sick people to hang out.
Yes, it’s sure been a fun Spring Break! I told you guys I was hoping to get a little more sleep and get some Spring cleaning done, right? Well, this hasn’t exactly been the kind of sleep or cleaning I was hoping for.
Thankfully, we have been able to squeeze in a few fun things in between sick episodes this week.
This morning we took our three youngest kids to our city’s Easter Egg hunt. They do such a great job and our kids always come home with lots of candy and little toys. It’s awesome.
My daughter also got her license this week. She was soooooo excited!
It was a very windy day and I didn’t realize until after I took this picture that her eyes were closed. Dang it.
We also had a fun family night yesterday and took the kiddos to the Aquarium.
I feel a need to mention that in that top picture, my son was so infatuated with that sea turtle next to him and he wanted me to take his picture next to it…..that’s why he’s “doin’ his own thang” away from the rest of the family. Ha ha.
Oh and the baby isn’t in any of these pictures because he was sacked out in the stroller most of the time. 🙂
Afterward, we went out the dinner. It was a fun night and I’m grateful we were able to do it while everyone was temporarily healthy!
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Well, as far as health and fitness stuff goes, I have some interesting thoughts to share with y’all today. First off, I came across this infographic a couple years ago and I loved it. I’ve thought about it a lot recently and I really think it’s spot on.
This infographic was made by Precision Nutrition. There is an awesome article that accompanies it as well. You can click here to read that article if you so desire.
This infographic really makes ya stop and think, right?
Sadly, I think the majority of Americans are in the Unhealthy >20%/>30% category. Ya know, it really doesn’t take a lot of effort to improve your health just a little bit and get into a “healthy range.”
It really just takes a little bit of regular exercise and being more mindful of the foods you put in your body. BUT, the kicker is you have to do it all the time. You have to make it a lifestyle. Forever. Most people aren’t willing to do that.
I get it. It takes a lot of time and effort. It’s hard.
Sadly, most people also think that that little bit of exercise and eating better will get them a rockin’ body.
It will not.
If it did, everyone would be fit, thin, healthy and energetic!
I think if you want to lose weight, get in better shape, tone up, trim down, get that amazing body, you really have to ask your self….how much do you want it? What sacrifices are you willing to make?
I think it’s vital to find that balance of being happy with the body you’re in and the fitness level you’re at, but also being happy with the lifestyle you’re living!
As you can see in that infographic, there’s a pretty wide range of what’s considered healthy. For women, body fat can range anywhere from 16-30% and still be considered “healthy,” however of course the body will look very different and energy levels and overall health will be very different at each stage.
Again, you just have to find that balance for yourself. Find the body type and overall health level you’re looking for PLUS what you’re willing to do to get there…and then go out and get it!
And be happy with that level.
We all have different body types, different genes, different weaknesses, different strengths….we are all different and it’s awesome!
I also know there’s a wide range of “healthy lifestyles” out there and I think that’s great. There’s definitely more to health than just body fat percentage and six pack abs. Overall health also includes mental and emotional health. You have to live a healthy lifestyle that you can stick with, that you actually enjoy and that makes you happy!
AND, only you can decide what that level will be.
I really love this infographic because it really spells out what it takes to get to where “you think” you might want to be! It can help you to decide what level you’re willing to live at and then also help you to accept yourself at that level!
Make sense?
In all reality, if you want that “fitness model lookin’ body”…it is tough! Those who have it, did not get that way overnight. In most cases, it’s probably taken years to get there. They are definitely living a lifestyle that most people aren’t willing to live.
I think it’s great to actually see what it takes!
Now, on a personal note….the last time I measured my body fat percentage I was at 20.9%. When I read about the 20-22% level in that infographic, I really relate to it. It is pretty much how I live the majority of the time, minus the regular sleep thing. I suck at that.
NOW, I think the goal I’m ultimately looking for is to be at 18% body fat. When I read about the 16-19% body fat category, I relate to some of it. I live that way some of the time.
I was happy to see that they listed the transition from 20-22% to 16-19% as a “hard transition.” I can definitely attest to that! I think when a person has quite a bit of weight to lose, it’s actually not too hard to lose weight. However, when you get down to those last 10 pounds it’s a whole ‘nother ball game!
It is freaking tough and you really have to be “all in” to get there!
I think that is why I’ve been so frustrated lately because although I live a very healthy lifestyle most of the time, I don’t live quite to that level of the body type I’m seeking.
I actually love exercising, I love pushing myself, I love setting and reaching goals, I love preparing and eating healthy food and I love taking care of my body. However, I’m also a very happy, optimistic, “life life to the fullest” kind of person so sometimes I’m like….”Give me all the yummy, crappy food!” Yay!
I’m actually okay with that though because that’s the balance I like to live. I love to work hard, but I love to par-tay sometimes too! However, after looking at that infographic I’m thinking I might want to dial it in a little bit more!
I’m not getting any younger. Plus, I think it’s fun to challenge myself sometimes. Hee hee.
Sooooo, I’m going to keep doin’ what I’m doin’, but I’m just going to do it a little bit more hardcore. I’m going to legit get my sleep, I’m going to stay away from sugar more often than I am, I’m going to watch my carb intake a bit closer and I’m just going to be more consistent with my efforts.
I’ve been telling you guys for a while now that my body has been whacked. Yes, it has. I’m happy to say that I’m ever so slightly noticing it starting to chill just a bit and return to normal-ish. I’m really hoping it will start to respond to my efforts instead of just blowing up in spite of them.
Seriously tho.
If you read the article that explains the infographic in more detail, they talk more about practicing stress management as one of the factors that determines what “level” you’ll be in. I was happy to see them address that along with the whole “getting your sleep” thing because I know that is definitely my weak area.
I also know that the benefits of taking more time to relax and chill + getting adequate sleep pays back ten fold! I know it will enrich my life in more ways than just body fat percentage and the way my body looks….sooo I’m happy and excited to commit to doing a better job with it.
Well, I’ve been rambling all over the place about this infographic! I hope I’ve even made sense. It’s just really given me a lot to chew on. I like it.
We’re all on a different journey and we all lead different lives. Every day is full of choices and decisions that either get us closer to our goals or keep us from reaching them (I’m not just talking ’bout health and fitness either!) Every day is also full of learning experiences for better or worse! The goal is to keep learning, keep trying and hopefully get a little bit better and stronger along the way. That may sound cheesy, but I really mean it!
I hope you all enjoy your Easter tomorrow and I hope my family stays healthy so we can enjoy it too! ‘Night!
Interesting graphic! So we’re on day 20 of the Whole30 and I can certainly relate to the tradeoffs mentioned. I had thought I was eating fairly cleanly, but no. I think the biggest negative impacts for me include the reduction in eating out (I love to cook, but I love to eat out, too, which is difficult on this program – as you know), and the impact to our social lives. It’s become apparent to me how much of our social interaction revolves around food and beer. It’s not only difficult to pass up a drink when that’s your habit, but there’s also that moment of awkwardness when everyone asks “what’s up?” and then you have to explain things. It feels like it dominates the conversation.
Of course the benefits of cleaner eating are amazing. We sleep much more soundly, our energy level, and clarity of thought are high, and yes, we’re both down a few pounds (I know we’re not supposed to weigh ourselves, but c’mon!).
I’ve never been one for a lot of sugar or grains, and the beans and legumes thing is no problem to give up since we have allergies in our family, but I’m rethinking my whole diet after this. Maybe paleo? I don’t know. It deserves some thought.
But I will enjoy not having to give up the occasional beer in a social setting.
That’s awesome you’re on day 20 of Whole 30. Woot! Whole 30 was such an eye opener to me! It definitely made me realize how much my life really does revolve around food too! I’m amazed you’re not tempted by sugar or grains that much. That is incredible. You would be a great one for Paleo! I think there are a lot of health benefits to Paleo. I would definitely miss the grains though. And some of the dairy.
Oh no, I hope everyone is over the stomach flu now. That is just so miserable.
I know! The stomach flu is the worst. Right now, everyone is healthy. Let’s hope it stays that way!!
WHAT AN INTERESTING info-graphic. To be honest though, I don’t pay attention to the cost of health, I live as healthy as I possibly can because health to me is 100% priceless.
I totally agree with you about health being priceless! I loved that infographic though. It was definitely an eye-opener to me!
That stomach bug is very stubborn! It won’t just get one or two people. It has to take down an army. Glad all is well now.
Congrats to your daughter for getting her license.
That chart is an eye-opener. I actually screen shot it to refer to it some more. It absolutely takes time and effort to be a healthier person, but once you get into a rhythm it gets easier.
Yes, I’m soooo grateful that flu bug is behind us! I really loved that chart and thought it was so eye-opening to me!!
You are looking so good and so strong!!
I only have one little boy not in school yet, so luckily we haven’t had to deal with the flu making its rounds, but I’m sure that’s to come. Hope you’re feeling better!
Thank you sooooo much! Thankfully we survived the flu at our house. NO fun.
Balance, balance, BALANCE! More importantly though, WAY TO GO with that 6 mile run!
Thanks so much Britt! Yes, I’m eternally searching for that balance!