A Splash in the Ocean

Thoughts

A drop in the bucket.

drop-in-the-bucket

A splash in the ocean.

I keep trying to compose some great meaningful metaphor about how important small things are- how on their own they may not seem like much but when you put them together they amount to something huge. I’m not quite grasping the thought completely though. You’ll have to forgive me, I’m a little sleep deprived this morning.

When Quaker asked me to share what small actions I take for a big reward, I knew immediately what I’d say. It’s nothing significant or substantial, but its even more noticeable to ne now that I’m not doing it.

Instant_Quaker_Oatmeal_100X100_Logo

My small drop in the ocean of health & happiness is as simple as a morning walk. I’ve shared my morning walk before so this is nothing new & mind blowing, but it’s a habit I’ve had that helps me start my day right and get in a good frame of mind. It helps me ensure I take some time for myself each day. It helped me get up & moving throughout pregnancy when I wasn’t feeling well. I wish I could say its helped me manage the changes I’ve gone through in the last two months, but it hasn’t. How my time is spent is no longer up to me, it’s up to the new boss in the house. This is where I say it doesn’t matter, but it does. I miss those quiet moments of reflection and peace now more than ever.

So now that my morning walk ritual isn’t so much of a ritual anymore, it really has become my small win. Its become even more of an accomplishment; a greater reward. Sometimes it takes all day to get outside for that morning walk. But sometimes the anticipation & motivation to get outside is all I need to make it through the day. And now that walk is 1000 times more important because I do it for–and with- my son.

baby in stroller

What “Small Wins” Lead You to a Happier, Healthier Lifestyle? You can join me in a special Glam Discuss Chat  on Thursday, March 8 at 4pmPST/7pm EST by clicking this link. The topic is “Healthy Rewards: What small steps in the morning do you take to keep healthy?”

You can also take join the chat through this cool widget:

By participating in a discussion, participants will automatically be entered into the “Small Wins, Big Rewards” Sweepstakes sponsored by Glam! {There’s a $50 discussion prize and $1000 grand prize!}

 

The benefits of a warm, filling bowl of oatmeal can keep you going all morning long.
Energy. Fiber. Heart Health.
Quaker Oatmeal. A super grain breakfast.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Quaker via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Quaker.

Blueberry Cobbler Oats & DYKT #8

Breakfast, DYKT

Thank you all for the advice on my running rut– I’m sure I’ll snap out of it soon. Probably by not thinking about it 😉

Breakfast

Pumpkin oats just weren’t jiving with what I wanted for breakfast this morning. (Oh no! The horror!!). I wanted oats, just something a little different. I didn’t really have too many other mix-ins, so I decided to pull out a packet of instant oatmeal. I tried the Quaker True Delights Blueberry oatmeal- and actually really liked it!

blueberry oatmeal

It was a tad on the sweet side, but that’s to be expected with instant oatmeal. Don’t get me wrong, I love sweets- just not in my oatmeal.

I stirred in some cottage cheese and topped the oatmeal with chopped walnuts. This would actually make a really good dessert…..

blueberry oats

Now DYKT (Did You Know Tuesday!!)

DYKT #8

Did you know….

Muscle doesn’t weigh more than fat?

Of course you know that….if you think about it for a minute. Colloquial generalizations have made us think that muscle weighs more than fat. That’s what makes it ok when the scale goes up when you’ve been working out. Well, a pound of muscle equals a pound of fat. (Remember that pound of feathers & pound of bricks scenario you learned in elementary school? Still applies ;).) The real reason the scale might go up when you’re “losing weight” is that muscle takes up less room than fat. It’s much denser than fat, and therefore takes up less space. (That’s why weight isn’t always the best judge!)

A pound of muscle also burns more calories than a pound of fat, but you probably knew that too 😉 But do you know how much?!

Of course it varies from person to person, but on average, a pound of muscle burns about 50 calories a day, versus a pound of fat that only burns 2 calories a day. That’s a huge difference!! And most people don’t just have one pound of muscle. Go lift some weights!! 😉

Edited to add: Samantha Angela said this really well: “1lb of muscle = 1lb of fat but 1 cubic inch of muscle is heavier than 1 cubic inch of fat, hence the “muscle weighs more than fat” term.”