Tonight, we will be celebrating Anna’s 4th birthday (which is actually tomorrow). When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday dinner, she said, “Chicken, noodles, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and salad.” I loved hearing how she chose such nutritious foods- she makes me proud! In Dr. Walt Larimore’s book, Super-sized Kids, he cites how research shows that parents’ eating habits and physical activity prove to be a strong example to their children. Your children will follow your lead in all things, including a healthy (or unhealthy) lifestyle. So tonight, I will be partaking in an assortment of my little girl’s favorite foods! And yes, we are having cake. I’m using Dr. Oetker’s Organic Vanilla Cake Mix, layered with my strawberry filling, and frosted with Publix’s buttercream (I added a block of 1/3 less fat cream cheese, a little powdered sugar, and then a dash of milk to make it tastier).
All posts in category Motivation
Monkey See, Monkey Do
Posted by M. Terry on February 13, 2011
https://wholetothecore.com/2011/02/13/monkey-see-monkey-do/
Working Off a Donut
Thankfully, I am not a big sweet eater. However, when I am tempted to grab a quick treat, I think about how far I would have to run in order to work it off. The vast majority of the time, I figure it’s not worth it. Take a look at “The Hole Truth” from this month’s Runner’s World. Next time you see the “Hot Doughnuts Now” sign lit up, ask yourself, “Is is really worth it?”
Posted by M. Terry on February 5, 2011
https://wholetothecore.com/2011/02/05/working-off-a-donut/
Sufficient Motivation, Insufficient Funds
This weekend is the Melbourne and Beaches Music Marathon here on the Space Coast. The marathon and half marathon will take place on Sunday. On Saturday, they offer a 5K and an 8K race. I was planning on entering the 8K, but money is a bit tight right now and I didn’t think it was very wise to pay the race fee. Since I still wanted to challenge myself, I printed off the race route and ran tomorrow’s race this morning. I wish I could say it was a beautiful morning, but the fog was thick! It was still a great run, and I was pleased with my time. If you want to challenge yourself, you can find a list of races in the Central Florida area at The Running Zone. If you live outside of the area, try finding a running store in your neck of the woods and see if they can help you. Happy racing!
PS – I checked out the results for the race and, with my time, I would have placed 6th in my age group! 🙂
Posted by M. Terry on February 4, 2011
https://wholetothecore.com/2011/02/04/sufficient-motivation-insufficient-funds/
“Cardio +” on a FL Winter Day
I’m not sure if today should be called a winter day. It’s beautiful outside so I took advantage of it , and Joel and I went for a run after dropping the girls off at school. This run was a cardio + session… plus a 21 lb baby in a jogging stroller and plus the Melbourne Causeway. We also will be heading to Grandma’s and Grandpa’s house this afternoon, and we have a walk planned to visit the horses in the neighborhood. I hope that those of you who are not piled under snow will have a chance to get out and enjoy the weather today. There is nothing as inspiring as a gorgeous day!
Posted by M. Terry on January 31, 2011
https://wholetothecore.com/2011/01/31/cardio-on-a-fl-winter-day/
Rest for the Weary
This week has been a bit crazy. Both my girls had a 48 hour head cold, my husband has had it for five days, and he had the added responsibility of preaching today. These “events” have thrown many things askew. Today I have been quite tired. While my mind was telling me to go for a run, I heard my body loud and clear, so I rested today- no run, no weights, no workout of any kind. I even to a break from cooking! For dinner, I grabbed my frozen meatballs, threw them in a pot, and put together some meatball subs- minimal assembly and minimal mess! Anna helped pulled out the grapes, blueberries, peppers, and cherry tomatoes, and voila!- dinner was served. I am looking forward to a good night’s rest and some normalcy (whatever that means!) for the upcoming week .
Posted by M. Terry on January 31, 2011
https://wholetothecore.com/2011/01/31/rest-for-the-weary/
Good Luck at a Pot Luck!
While I love the fellowship aspect of a pot luck, I dread the choices presented on the food table, and not just for myself and my family, but for all who attend. The best way to combat this is to bring a healthy dish yourself. Today, my church is having a pot luck after service, so I am bringing a salad. 
I am tossing together some chopped artichokes, sundried tomatoes, and white beans and serving them on a bed of spinach with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. While my girls do like spinach salad, I am making them a special yogurt parfait so they have something a little extra special, and they don’t feel like they are missing out. While I know the vast majority of people will choose to eat potato salad over a spinach salad, I feel like I am maybe giving someone the opportunity to make a delicious and healthy choice. I also used Hodgson Mill’s gingerbread mix to make some mini gingerbread muffins. (Scott loves these so much that I did buy the box of 6 packages off Amazon! Sometimes you can find it at Publix.) I then simply melted some dark chocolate and dipped the tops of the muffins into the chocolate- a treat that is tasty and won’t throw you off course!
Posted by M. Terry on January 30, 2011
https://wholetothecore.com/2011/01/30/good-luck-at-a-pot-luck/
Shoes- The Great Motivator!
There is an instant connection between lacing up my new pair of Nikes and my motivational trigger. I love trying out new running shoes for the first time. It always pays off with a high-powered, feel-good run. Today was a gorgeous day to give my new Nike Shox a test drive. I took the risk of blisters and completed a long run in good time. 
So, what is your motivation? How do you celebrate your accomplishments? I once did a 5 mile run with some ladies, and one said that she was heading off to have a large french toast breakfast to reward herself for a good run. For me, I think about how hard I just worked, and how I am not going to negate all that I just accomplished by heading off to consume all the calories I just burned. Find another way to reward yourself for achieving your goals. Whether it is escaping for an hour to read a book or magazine or buying new workout clothes, you will still feel rewarded without undoing all your success!
BTW – The best part of my run today was that, as I walked home as my cool down, I saw a familiar piece of paper on the sidewalk. I picked it up and scored a Winn Dixie ‘$5 off a $55 purchase’ coupon that I will be using later this week at Publix!! God is good! 🙂
Posted by M. Terry on January 23, 2011
https://wholetothecore.com/2011/01/23/shoes-the-great-motivator/
20 MINUTES TO TONE
Since time is of the essence for me, I don’t have the luxury of devoting 30-45 minutes to weight training 3-4 time a week. So I take 20 minutes and pack it full! Upper body, lower body and core all get combined into this compact time slot, and I usually get one of these workouts in every 4-5 days. Fitness magazine often has some great 20 minute circuit training routines. These workouts involve no rest between sets, so while you are toning, you are also incorporating cardio to help burn some extra calories. This particular express workout from Fitness magazine involves quick video clips on how to perform each exercise. 
Search through their list and find some of the sessions that suit your goals, and then set aside 20 minutes, 2-3 times a week, to achieve those goals.
Posted by M. Terry on January 21, 2011
https://wholetothecore.com/2011/01/21/20-minutes-to-tone/
Eating Whole and Clean
I approach eating using a whole or clean foods approach. This truly is a simple lifestyle to understand and follow. Clean/whole foods basically includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, lean proteins, low-fat dairy, and good fats like nuts and olive oil. I try to avoid processed foods as much as I can. Processed foods are, more often than not, stripped of nutrients and have additives to ensure long shelf-life. I much prefer to keep the nutrients in my body and the chemicals out! 
One of my family’s favorite places to go is Whole Foods Market. I love the booklet they put out every other month. The present one has some great ideas on how to eat clean. Check out their Four Pillars of Health and explore some of their other great suggestions too.
Posted by M. Terry on January 15, 2011
https://wholetothecore.com/2011/01/15/eating-whole-and-clean/
Heart, Soul, Mind, & Strength
One of the main reasons I strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle is because, as a follower of Christ, I must be obedient to Jesus’ command to love the Lord with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Lk. 10:27) In order to serve Him and others, I need to be physically able to give Him all that I am. It takes a lot of energy to keep up with all that a woman and/or mom is called to do, whether within her household or within the community. I recently began reading the daily devotionals from the Proverbs31 website, and this particular one titled “Honestly” was the one that catapulted me into finally beginning the blog which I had put off for too long. God spoke, and I listened. I hope you enjoy reading it and find the time to read some of the other posts on there too!
Posted by M. Terry on January 11, 2011
https://wholetothecore.com/2011/01/11/34/
Proverbs 31 Devotionals
Whole to the Core Blog 