We Have A Winner!

Whew! I was losing wind there at the end! That was a long contest!

I know this series wasn't my usual fun home improvement projects that everyone comes here for, but I hope that everyone read most of them. Some days were about simple changes to make you more healthy. Some days were about remembering to have fun.

The one thing I hope everyone took out of this series is that it's important to take care of yourself before you take care of your home.

Anyways, I bet you want to know who the winner is!

The winner was picked by random.org. I wrote each name, each day, numbering as I went.

The winner is...

Ali from Day 12!

I hope everybody had fun!

Day 31: Be True to Yourself

This doesn't have anything about being healthy. Really, the main goal in life is to be happy, even in our mistakes.

The biggest way to remain happy is to be true to yourself.

Hate your job? Then maybe it's just not your type of career.

I'm only a sales associate right now, but I love my job. One of the main reasons is because I love working with and helping people. That's also why I'm training to become an RN.

I guess I'm writing this because I have been teased numerous times over the past years about not being "a girl."

Why?

Maybe I'm not obsessed with pink, nail polish, chocolate, scrapbooks, expensive jewelry.

LaDeDa.

And I'm not saying that's bad! Don't get me wrong, all those things probably rock!

It's just not for me. It's not who I am.

I would rather stuff myself in a workshop all day long than get a manicure.

I would rather shop at Menards rather than Victoria's Secret (though that's the only place I go for bras!)

I would rather read a woodworking book rather than a trashy romance novel.

But I also clean up pretty decent in a pair of 5 inch heels ;)

That's me. Because I'm true to myself.

 

Are you being true to yourself? Tell me about your personality, your likes or dislikes, what your perfect day would be. Anything.

You will be put into a drawing for all this free stuff:

2 Elizabeth Arden lipsticks, an Elizabeth Arden makeup clutch, and a cute deep red tote.

The giveaway ends at midnight tonight! Hurry up and leave a comment!

Day 30: Listen to Your Body

Your body sends you signals tons of times a day.

You get pangs in your stomach when you're hungry.

You get heavy eyelids when you're sleepy.

It's important not to ignore anything your body is trying to tell you.

Today, as soon as I woke up, I was running around like a mad woman. Get all kids bathed, dressed, wrap presents, pick up a cake, go grocery shopping, make lunch, clean the car....

Then coral a bunch of kiddos for a bowling birthday party.

It was quite the day.

I got home a little before 7pm, and thought,

"Hey, it's only 7! I can get a lot done before bed still!"

I got out my miter box and hand saw.

I stared at it.

Nope.

I couldn't bring myself to do any more labor today.

So I'm in the middle of playing video games with my husband instead =D.

Both my mind and body were exhausted today. My body was telling me to give me a break, already!

And I listened...

Day 29: Maintain a Healthy BMI

Maintaining a healthy BMI reduces the risk for so many problems.

Just to name a few:

-Type 2 Diabetes

-Coronary Heart Disease

-Certain types of Cancers (breast, colon...)

-Hypertension

-Stroke

-Liver Disease

-Gall Bladder Disease

-Sleep Apnea

Being overweight is classified as having a BMI of 25% or more.

Are you overweight? Use this calculator to find out.

If you are a serious athlete, though, your measurements may be skewed from this chart. Muscle weighs more than fat, so a healthy body builder can have the same BMI as an overweight person.



Ever since I started having kids, I've been battling my weight.
Before kids, I could take down an entire pizza by myself and still maintain a great body. I used to love my body.
Now I just want to be healthy again. I know my health risks. I want to still be alive to see great (maybe great great?) grandchildren.

So I've been plugging away, day by day, getting back to a normal BMI.
I'm happy to report that I'm not that far away!

Don't forget to leave me comments for the final push to the end of this giveaway! It ends at midnight tomorrow! The winner will be announced on April Fool's Day!

And yes, I'm still a day behind. Haha, I just seem to never be able to catch up!

Day 28: Cut Out Soda

Hehe, I almost titled this "Cut Out Pop"

Must be the north coming out in me =P

Anywho...my husband is a soda junky. Or energy drinks....

They:

rot your teeth

discolor your teeth

give you high blood pressure

make you fat

don't fill you up (like water would)

make you gassy ;)

Okay, here's the bottom line: If you wouldn't give a 2 year-old any soda, why would it make sense to drink it yourself? It's not like our systems are any different from a small child's.

(Okay, it's different with honey and small babies. That causes botulism)

I guess I was never really huge on soda. I'll grab one once every now and then, maybe at get-togethers. But all-in-all, I go almost every day without one.

If you're not a big water fan, try these to put in your water. They are small enough to pop in your purse, just in case you want to make a healthy decision today ;)

Propel. This stuff is yummy! It kind of makes water taste like Gatorade.

Crystal Light is great when you have a craving. The tartness helps me sooo much! It tastes like lemonade. You can also get the pink lemonade.

Now, I know what you're thinking..."Why not just buy Gatorade or lemonade?"

The packets are healthier. Just trust me on this one.

Day 27: Take Care of Your Skin!

I'm not going to preach the basics of good skin care.

You know, drinking lots of water, not smoking, wearing SPF, blah blah blah...

You should know those.

All I'm saying is to develop a good skin routine.

I'm still in my 20s, so of course I have yet to develop that first wrinkle.

This is what I use:

For my stretch marks:

I use a good combination on Palmer's Cocoa Butter (to prevent stretch marks), and Bio Oil (to reduce the ones I already have).  Darn kids......but they're worth it!

I can honestly say that I can see a noticeable difference. Yes, you can definitely still see my stretch marks, but Bio Oil turned the color from purple or silvery to a normal tan. I feel MUCH more confident!

For Cracked Lips:

Yeah, it might seem a bit odd that I use Lansinoh's nipple cream, but hey, if you've ever breastfed and used it, you know how fast it heals cracked skin.

I actually have some under my nose right now because my skin is so cracked and sore from this stupid sinus infection. I know I'll wake up tomorrow with beautiful skin again!

For Anti-Aging:

Besides wearing SPF, I also use Cocoa Butter on my face. It sounds weird, but it boosts collagen, and that prevents wrinkles.

Other things for my battle against wrinkles:

Ceramide Gold Ultra Restorative Capsules Intensive Treatment for Face and Throat.
It feels a little greasy going on, so I use this at night so that I don't have grease-face during the day. I've never gotten any breakouts from it!

Oil of Olay Regenerist The stuff is much more affordable than the Ceramide capsules, and I love that this goes on smooth like lotion so that I can wear it during the day.

Day 26: Vitamin C

I hope everyone knows the one major benefit of Vitamin C: an immune system booster.

Maybe if I had been getting more Vitamin C, I wouldn't have gotten pinkeye, a sinus infection, and pharyngitis.

Yup, all three...

Why do I need it?

1. Works as an antioxidant

2. Boosts collagen formation (buh-bye wrinkles!)

3. Breaks down cholesterol

4. Boosts metabolism

5. Helps heal wounds faster.

How much do I need?

All women age 19 years and above need at least 75 mg per day.

If your a male reader, or just trying to get your spouse on the right track, men need about 90 mg per day.

Can I take too much?

YES! Do NOT take over 2,000 mg a day. It becomes toxic! If you are taking a Vitamin C-enriched daily multivitamin, don't start hoarking down oranges and chewing those (yummy) Vitamin C tablets.

How can I get it?

Check out this chart from Anytime Health to keep track of how many mg you are getting.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) - Anytime Health: "FoodServing sizeVitamin C content (mg)

Strawberries --1 cup --95mg
Papaya --1 cup --85mg
Kiwi-- 1 medium--70mg
Orange  1 medium  70mg
Pepper, red or green, -- raw½ cup--65mg
Broccoli, cooked--½ cup--60mg
Cantaloupe--¼ medium--60mg
Kale, cooked--1 cup--55mg
Brussels sprouts, cooked--½ cup--50mg
Orange juice--½ cup--50mg
Pepper, red or green, cooked--½ cup--50mg
Mango--1 cup--45mg
Grapefruit--½ medium--40mg
Snow peas, fresh, cooked--½ cup--40mg
Grapefruit juice--½ cup--35mg
Artichoke, boiled--1 medium--30mg
Sweet potato, baked with skin--1 medium--28mg
Potato, baked with skin--1 medium--25mg
Avocado--1 medium--24mg
Pineapple--1 cup--24mg
Cauliflower, raw--½ cup--23mg
Snow peas, frozen, cooked--1/2 cup--20mg


Doesn't seem that hard of a number to reach, hey?

Day 25: Take Care of Yourself When You're Sick

"Do as I say, not as I do."

My dad's favorite saying =).

In a perfect world, we would sleep our sicknesses away. People would wait on us hand and foot, bringing us chicken noodle soup, breakfast in bed, hot teas. Mmmmm...

I'm EXTREMELY sick right now. I've had a sore throat for the past week, but it turned into something epic.

Not only is my nose dripping goo, but my eye is, too!

Ick, enough of the graphic details.

Anyways, unfortunately, this isn't a perfect world. I had to get up early this morning to study for an exam tonight. Afterwards, I have to read 2 chapters, write a paper, and submit it before my class tomorrow morning. That means it will be a late night tonight. After my class, I took a coworker's shift. Then I work all day Saturday.

Blah.

BUT I know how important rest is when you're sick, so my husband has been extremely cooperative with waiting on me. He's running my errands, taking care of the kids, cooking, and cleaning.

He's my hero <3

So, though it may seem hypocritical to "demand" that you take care of yourself when you're sick, when here I am with an insane schedule, I'm just reminding you to enlist help when you can.

Now excuse me while cuddle up in my Snuggie with some Chai Tea, school books, tissues, and Vicks.

Give me some "Get Well Soon" comments to cheer me up and I'll throw your name in to the giveaway for all this free stuff!

Day 24: Laugh Every Day

Laughter.

So good for the soul.

It's a calorie burner, that's for sure.

Not only that, but laughing more reduces your risk for heart disease.

I'm lucky that I have a funny family. Especially my son, John.

Mom: John, who do you want to invite to your birthday?

John: Ava, Claudia, Zoey A. and Zoey T.

Mom: What about Joseph? Isn't he your best friend at school?

John: Yes, but he's just my school friend. I don't want him to come to my birthday.

Mom: But he can be your friend after school, too. Let's invite him.

John: No, I want only GIRLS to be at my party!

Mom: Why?

John: Because they're cute.

I guess Joseph would be competition for the ladies, haha! Yeah....he's only turning 5.

What a kid...

Tell me the last funny thing you heard or saw. You'll be entered into my giveaway!

I'm thinking about throwing another item into the giveaway, but I'm not sure what yet...

Day 23: Be Part of a Group

 

Humans are pack animals. We do better in groups. We are, however, more diverse than a pack of wolves.

Humans can be content in a pack of 3, or a pack of hundreds. We're not picky =D.

When you're part of a group, you have a sense of unity, a sense of belonging.

No, work or school doesn't count.

So become a part of a group.
Try:
-starting a playgroup with friends that have kids. Or join a playgroup that's already formed. Mine meets every 3rd Thursday of the month. I thought it would be really lame, cliche, or cheesy, but my daughter and I had a blast. Next month we are going to the YMCA for an obstacle course!

-join a gym. If you go at the same time every day, you will start to notice that some people are on the same schedule as you. You have just formed a pack!

-if you're in school, try joining a club. I never did this in high school, and I'm regretting it. Now I don't have time to be in clubs at school. Only my honor roll membership.

-have a hobby? Find others that enjoy your hobby. Sewing circles, anyone? My mother-in-law goes to a scrapbooking workshop once in a while. Though I have yet to go with her, I know she has a blast being there!

Day 22: Take a Multivitamin Every Day

Day late, dollar short.....come on, Brittany, get with the program!

I'm not a pill person. Heck, I rarely even take aspirin. Then again, I'm one of the lucky few who almost never (knock on wood...) gets headaches.

I do, however, take a multivitamin every day. I used to try iron pills (I have low iron, hence the crazy amounts of coffee), but they taste terrible, they are way too large, and I don't like them.

Though I try to eat healthy, I know that it's tough to get all the recommended servings! Taking a multivitamin will ensure that you don't rob your body, even if you don't have the best diet ;)

I like this one from Walgreens:

Source

If you're over 50, you could try this one:

Source

Though I'm not a fan of the "No Iron." I know that sometimes people reaching that age have higher rates of constipation, they still need iron. Eating healthy can reduce constipation.

Anyways, when in doubt, go with a favorite:

Source

Though I don't think that I have any male readers, all of these multivitamins come in "men" form also! If you don't feel like buying separate ones for you and your spouse, there are regular multivitamins, too!

Do you have a favorite multivitamin that you take? Tell me why and you could be entered in a drawing for my giveaway!

Day 21: Earn It

Remember when you used to save your allowance for that special toy you wanted at the store so badly? Great satisfaction comes when you earn something.

I, personally, get sick to my stomach when I buy something expensive out of a whim.

I got my new entertainment center for my birthday (from my hubs).

The problem was that we had a tiny box T.V on it.

We did have a flatscreen, but apparently water gun fights in the living room are a bad idea.

We had the funds for a new T.V, but I wanted to save up for it.

So I piddled away my paychecks (we live off my husband's), saved birthday money, returned cans for deposits, cashed in change, and did odd jobs.

Last night, we bought our T.V. =D

I'm still not sure how I want to decorate it.

Maybe an awesome vase on one side and a bowl on the other. Take down the pictures...

I don't know...

Anyways, we were up very late last night setting this all up.

I couldn't be more happy that this purchase was planned. It made it even more sweet when my hubs pulled into the driveway with it!

Tell me what you last saved up for! You'll be entered in my giveaway for all this free loot!

And yes, I realize that I'm still a day behind. Not only have I had the busiest week known to man, but I got sick. I'm just starting to feel like myself, so hopefully I will get back on track!

Day 20: Cut Down on Takeout

Takeout is rare in my house. It costs too much, it's completely unhealthy. We just don't do it.

I'm not saying that we never do takeout, or fast-food.

Try to keep takeout of fast-food to a 1-2/month limit.

Really addicted? Maybe 1-2/week. Set a reachable goal for yourself.

Tips:

-Pack your own lunch for work. Better yet, pack it the night before so that you don't give yourself the excuse of having too hectic of a morning.

-Make large amounts of a meal and freeze manageable portions for future meals.

-Make dinner preparation a family event. My kids enjoy helping me, so I look forward to cooking with them.

-Not a cooker? Try signing up for a cooking class. You may find out that you love cooking!

Tell me how many times you have takeout/fast-food to be entered into my giveaway!

Day 19: Take the Stairs

This is a no-brainer. We hear it all the time, but I know most of us ignore it.

I'll give you a break if your office is on the 54th floor of your building =P

One of my campuses is 3 stories tall. I take the stairs. It takes less time than waiting for the elevator, and I get a mini-workout by taking the stairs (especially lugging around 50lbs. of books!)

Please take the stairs today!