Getting Healthy for Good: Intentions Out the Window

By Laurie Marshall

You know how you have all these Great Intentions sometimes? Like, intending to cut out soda, or intending to stop eating out as often? Then there’s intending to walk in the evenings, or write in your blog more often.

Do your intentions go by the wayside when life interrupts too? Because let me tell you… lately, intentions and a dollar bill would buy me a bottle of cheap water. On sale.

Things around my house have become just a TEEENY bit crazy this spring. Not that it wasn’t already going to be the regular amount of crazy – a son who started playing soccer and tee-ball, work stuff making me work extra hours, and my own random bouts of lunatic activity surrounding my hobbies and personal project list – but THIS spring, there’s an added level of nuts.

My 18-year old daughter found out in late March – right in the middle of her final semester of high school – that she is going to be a mommy. And while that news in itself is enough to make a Mama a little wiggy, we also found out that our little surprise is due August 1st.

I’ll give you a second to do the math.

That’s right, we get approximately four months to do nine months-worth of planning! Pass that gallon-sized canister of Lindor truffles please!!!!

My dear husband, Saint Richard, was able to talk me through some of the worst bouts of freak-out recently and help me refocus on the new priority and let go of some of the stuff I had been planning to do this spring. The kitchen re-painting is on hold, as is the garden re-design. And I’m trying to be a little easier on myself about not having time to do much sewing or writing. He even suggested that we could find one evening a week to be Mommy’s Writing Night. What a guy! Whether or not that night ever comes to fruition, the intention is golden.

My only continuing gripe is that the diet really needs to get back on track. I need to quit soothing my soul with snacks and grabbing dinner out. (Although I want to assure you I’m sticking to my no-soda or high fructose corn syrup commitments!) I really have to get a handle on my schedule enough to plan some meals for the week and make sure that I’m constantly keeping an eye on my calendar so that I can plan ahead if I need to. It’s common sense, but it’s not easy – as I’m sure most of you know.

So for the next two weeks, here are my iron-clad intentions:

• Fill the crisper drawer with veggies and make salads to go with every dinner. BONUS: my daughter is slightly anemic, so I’ll be doing her a favor to keep fresh spinach around.
• After all the required chores are done in the evening, take a 30 minute walk with Dave Matthews or Keane singing in my ear.
• Weed and mulch the front garden, and ignore the bare spots screaming for flowers.
• Get the chocolate off my desk!! It used to sit there uneaten, but lately I’m been ingesting it at frightening rates.

Good luck with all of YOUR intentions this spring – share them with others, and encourage each other!!!

Look for Laurie’s fitness tips and updates on her personal health-focused journey every other Friday on nwaMotherlode in Mom Blogs. Send questions or input to her at mamas@nwaMotherlode.com. Or click on the comment button below and share your thoughts right now! To see previous installments of Getting Healthy for Good, click HERE.