Halloween Recap, a Second Sugar Break, & Why I Don't Work Out

I used my trick or treaters this year. I started to wonder what a non candy Halloween would look like and the next thing I knew I was on Amazon buying mini gliders, spider rings, glow in the dark bugs, glow stick  bracelets, and mini bubbles. And I was excited like a nerd about it. I had a lot of apprehension about the possibility of an old fashioned egging or making small children cry, so on October 30th I went out and bought a mixed bag of mini M&Ms, Snickers, & Skittles. The candy lived inside of the ghost (a decoration my grandmother made with paper mache, a balloon & a milk jug) and the toys were in an open bowl. 

 At the end of the night the candy was gone, but I will have no problem with the possibility of not buying it next year. EVERYONE was nuts over the glow bracelets. I didn't make them into bracelets, just kept them straight like little sticks. Kids were running around with them & when we handed them out the reactions were fantastic. The runner up non candy giveaway was the mini bubbles. Everything else was kind of meh. The reason the candy was gone is because after they picked a toy I was like "and take some candy, too" because I did not want that stuff lying around the house. More on that in a sec. In the mean time, please enjoy Ariel and the Strong Man: 

So back to getting the candy out of the house. I decided sometime last week that I was ready to clean out the refined sugar again. I haven't gained weight, but as sugar has been around once a week (or sometimes twice if I can find an excuse) I'm ready to get it all the way out again and feel really great for the holidays. It's a good reason to resist all of those side treats that seem to be around EVERY DAY of December, and why wait until January 1st to feel and look great? People take pictures during the holidays, so let's all try and look good for the pictures. I am definitely not as concerned about it this time and am actually looking forward to how great I'm going to feel having it totally gone. It all starts tomorrow & will run through December. I'm giving myself Thanksgiving, ending it on Christmas Eve, and adding two free days to throw around. The rules I stick to are: no obvious refined sugar, but yes to wine. I'll stay away from honey, pure maple syrup, & dried fruit for about ten days and then pull them back in. All other natural sugars are in. 

Another item on my feel better list is working out. I haven't worked out since my first pregnancy. That would be... August 2012. There. I said it. I'm not proud of it, but I've never been one of those people who is really intense about it. And if I'm being really honest, I was doing pretty well with running until April 2012 and that's when I really quit. Here are my best reasons for not working out:

Morning sickness

All day sickness

So pregnant right now

So tired

I just had a baby 

Breastfeeding. It's like working out and so I've already really worked out

I JUST had a baby (nine months ago)

It's the summer in Texas... It's too hot for this.

Then I had a brief period of walk running and THEN:

Oh, I thought that was morning sickness before, THIS is actually morning sickness

Constantly

for 27 weeks

So pregnant again

Just had that baby, again

Breastfeeding, again

I'll start working out when the baby is one

The baby is one, it's July. If I start now I will die

Maybe when he drops his morning nap

I JUST had a baby (15 months ago) 

Do you know how hard it is to push a double jogging stroller? against the wind?

With my two most favorite workout excuses

 And here we are, all caught up to present day. While I do believe that somewhere around 80% of what you look like depends on what you eat, it's GOOD to be as healthy as you can be. I am not unhappy with my size, I'm not looking to lose any weight. In fact if I start working out, some of my non muscle is going to turn into muscle so I will likely gain weight. The thing is, I can't stand it when people complain about something and ignore the fact that they could change it. So if I'm still looking for more energy, more tone, more stamina, and I want my kids to enjoy physical activities, it's time to lead by example. It's not going to be intense, I'm going to have to commit to it, but there it is. I'm going to start working out again. Just need that new pair of running shoes. The world is your gym. Thank God Houston is so beautifully flat!