Provident Living Project: Healthy Eating & Exercise

Every 2 weeks we will be given a “living project” that we will be assigned to actively participate in and report how we did. This week is eating healthy and exercise. Although the eating healthy part won’t be too bad, the exercise part is going to be the killer! I recently ran a 5k and herniated another disc in my back, and after seeing the Neurosurgeon I have been informed that all running or impact exercise or sports are no longer a possibility for me. So I am going to be posting all my updates for you to read even though they are from a week ago, I will catch you up. October 3, 2014: I will be organizing my week with a healthy meal schedule which I will plan out on Saturday each week. I will select healthy meal ideas for myself and my family. This will be somewhat of a challenge for me as I usually figure out meals each day on my driving home from work. I also tend to not make enough food for lunch the following day, and I find myself eating out quite often, and my food selections are not the healthiest. By doing this I will be eating healthier and will have more time to spend with my family each night. I am currently having some back issues after running a 5K and will possibly be having some surgery in the near future. However I would like to still stay active and I would like to try and walk with my kids for at least 15 minutes each night if I am not having any problems. October 8, 2014: I actually did it. I have planned a meal for my children every day, and we have not eaten out for 4 days (except for an ice cream for FHE) and I have even let them help me with food prep. I have decreased snacks, and am trying to have fruit and water at snack times. I have packed my lunch, but have found that I do not eat breakfast, and have picked up something on my way to work. I need to keep trying with this part of my meal planning. I have not gone a full walk with my children, but I have spent time outside with them helping them ride bikes, and helping them to learn how to do cartwheels in the backyard. I am excited that it has been successful so far. October 15, 2014: Still going strong with meal planning. We have eaten at home everyday except today was not the healthiest, I had church meetings and it was Kraft macaroni and cheese night. Before my meetings I played outside with the kids, helped the ride bikes, chased my one year old around the lawn, and helped watch the neighbor girl. I think the thing I am getting from this the most is getting out and being active with my kids, cooking with them and making memories. October 17, 2014: 1) What did you learn throughout the course of this project? I learned quite a few things from this eating better and exercise project. The first thing I learned is that I am not a morning person, second that exercise is become even harder for me now that I am experiencing pain and a herniated disc and even simple walks are difficult, third I have learned was that eating right and meal planning takes organization and time, and lastly I need more sleep than I am getting right now. 2) How would you adjust the project in the future? I still do not have the balance down, and exercise is not going to get better in the short term. I think that I am going to try and change to trying to do exercise at night with my children, and wake up in the mornings to do homework. My thought is that I might be able to get more quality sleep if I reverse the two. In regards to the meal planning, I want to try to create a meal plan during the week for the following week, so that I can go grocery shopping on Friday or Saturday, so I have every thing I need for the week. This should help cut down on eating out, as I have found that most of the time I eat out it’s due to not being prepared. 3) What are your goals for maintaining provident living habits? I am not looking to solve all my health issues and problems all at once. But I do want to continue to have the goal to eat at home primarily as this will help financially and as well as help with good nutrition. I think that I want to try and incorporate my children into the meal planning, maybe given them a day each week that they get to pick the meal. This will help teach them good eating habits, and also help them feel included and bring us closer as a family. The exercise thing will have to pan itself out after the resolution of my herniated disc, however I want to continue to be active by walking, taking the stairs and spending time playing outside with my children more. 4) How can this specific habit bless your life and the lives of your friends and family members? I think they will bless my life by being healthier, possibly losing some weight, financial benefits, and also bring us closer as a family. I also think that it will help strengthen my testimony of the word of wisdom. I want to run and not be faint Well although I did not get all that much exercise I think that I really enjoyed spending time with my children. The week seemed to be less stressful when I meal planned, and we got to have more family time by letting the little ones help out in the meals. I noticed that we spend more time talking, and less time trying to hurry the meals. What a blessing this has been to see how something so simple can bring blessings.

“Your body is a temple, a gift from God. You will be blessed as you care for your body.” –For the Strength of Youth