A Day in My Life.

So I have seen several blog posts lately that feature a little glimpse into the busy schedules of other people's lives. It was so interesting to read so I thought I would feature one of my own days. I am a stay at home mom of one but that certainly doesn't mean I sit at home in my pajamas and watch Oprah. I have read several articles lately about the increasing prevalence of depression in stay at home moms, but there are four things you can do every day to combat depression. Here is a little glimpse into my life, including the four things you can do to promote wellness in your life.

9:30 am - Rise and shine! No this is NOT typical but we are weaning our one year old off bottles. This means lots of late nights and early morning loves and cuddles to get our little guy back to sleep. Jackson is still sleeping so I hop in the shower and get dressed. This is actually the first thing you can do to combat depression. Getting showered and dressed is an accomplishment in itself. You will feel so much better and be surprised at how much more you will accomplish during the day. Sweats are comfy but can promote laziness if you aren't careful.

Jackson is still sleeping so I run downstairs and start a load of laundry.

10:00 am - I finally have to wake Jackson up because I don't want to disturb his sleeping schedule. For breakfast I have a 4 egg white omelette with a little sprinkle of shredded cheese and a Chobani Greek yogurt. I'm going to pass on my am snack because I ate so late. Usually I have a piece of low fat string cheese or a 100 calorie bag of almonds. This is the second this you can do to combat depression. Make sure you are eating healthy! Avoid sweets and simple carbs like white bread. Caffeine can also suppress serotonin so limit your intake. Make sure you are eating foods with antioxidants such as broccoli, carrots, peaches, spinach, blueberries, oranges, and strawberries. Also make sure you are eating smart carbs such as whole wheat bread and healthy fat which is found in avocados, olive oil, tuna, and salmon. Remember to eat every 3-4 hours!

10:30 am - Clean the kitchen and vacuum our front room.

11:00 am - Get Jackson dressed for the day. This is not normal at all either. Remember our schedule is a little off today because of the rough night we had last night!

11:30 am - Jackson and I go out for a walk. It's sunny but cold. We only make it a half a mile but being outside did us both a lot of good. Plus, I burned 100 calories! This is the third thing you can do to fight depression! Aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day. If it seems to be too much, simply start small with 3 times a week. Just get up and moving as much as you can.

12:00 pm - Lunch time! I ate a tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread with celery and a little dill. Usually for lunch I eat 2 cups of vegetables but my son decided he was not going to finish his banana so I finished it for him. The drink is to flavor my water. It's called Sustain Sport by Melaleuca. It has 30 calories, vitamins C, E, and B12. I drink it before my workouts and it really does help prevent muscle cramping. My husband and I are using it to stop drinking diet sodas. It's working well for me...not so much for him!

12:30 pm - Clean up after lunch and spend a little time with Jackson before his nap.

1:00 pm - Put the baby down for a nap and listen to him scream for 20 minutes because his milk is in a sippy cup and not in a bottle!

1:30 pm - Get into my yoga pants and head downstairs for a workout. I really, really don't feel like running so I throw on an episode of Pretty Little Liars and walk at 3.0 mph for 40 minutes. I burn 215 calories.

2:30 pm - I do a little social media and browse the internet for a few minutes. It's the first time I've had a little "me" time. I set a time limit so I don't wast my whole afternoon. I also make sure the TV is off. This is forth thing you can do to combat depression. Have you ever sat in front of the TV for an hour without even realizing it? For me personally, it causes feelings of guilt and laziness. I could spend my time being a little more productive. When my husband is at work, the TV stays off. At night we watch our shows together and relax. I don't feel guilty because everything is already done!

3:00 pm - My favorite part of the day! My protein shake! I have some fresh pineapple I need to finish off so I whip up a pina colada protein shake. It is frothy, sweet deliciousness! I use one scoop of vanilla protein powder, one cup of skim milk, half a cup of fresh pineapple, a few drops of coconut extract, and some ice cubes. I add all the ingredients to my blender and enjoy.

3:15 pm - Finish vacuuming downstairs and throw in another load of laundry. 

3:30 pm - Jackson wakes up from his nap. I give him a snack and we play together for a half an hour. 

4:00 pm - I start dinner. We had chicken fajita bake and a green salad. Here is the recipe: 

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 large bell pepper
• 1 large red pepper
• 12 flour tortillas

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken strips in a greased 13×9 baking dish.
2. In a small bowl combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt
3. Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat.
4. Next add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine.
5. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Serve on tortillas with desired toppings.

Here was the result! 

It was so yummy and very healthy!

6:00 pm - Eat dinner with the family. 

6:30 pm - Clean up dinner and play with Jackson. Dad chased him around the house and Jackson loved it!! It was so adorable! 

7:00 pm - Bath time for baby and story time with mom and dad. We read him Llama Llama. It is his favorite book. He laughs every time we read it to him! 

7:30 pm - Jackson and mommy get a bedtime snack. Jackson wanted Ritz crackers. I had a 100 calorie bag of smart pop popcorn. It is my favorite snack by far! It fills me up before bedtime. I eat a bag every night. 

8:00 pm - Jackson goes to bed and he is finally content because he gets his bottle. 

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm - Matt and I are finally alone! We catch up on our TV shows. Right now we are hooked on Supernatural! 

10:00 pm - I get ready for bed and read my book. Right now I am reading Game of Thrones (amazing!!!). 

11:00 pm - Lights out and bedtime! I usually browse my phone for another half an hour but I am trying to drop that habit. 

So that is pretty much my day in a nutshell. What do you do differently if you are a stay at home mom? How do you combat the blues? Let us know in the comments section! 

Tasty Tuesday!

So the first round of my diet bet is officially over and I hit my 3% weight loss goal. I won a grand total of $20.08. I know it doesn't seem like a lot but as time goes on I have the potential to win a lot more money! I'm excited to start round two and I know it will be the hardest round yet. I need to lose 6.8 pounds by February 10th. This will prove difficult because my 5 year wedding anniversary is coming up very soon and we are dining at The Melting Pot. For those of you who have never heard of The Melting Pot, it is a fondue style restaurant with a romantic, fine dining atmosphere. I am so excited! 

I keep thinking about all the delicious calories I am going to consume and it helps me get through the week. Healthy eating does not have to be boring though! Today, a good friend of mine invited me over for lunch. We had a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with avocado, goat cheese, and spinach. It was delicious! Here are some other ideas for healthy lunch sandwiches:

• Lean roast beef sub with mustard, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber. 
• Tuna melt on one slice of whole wheat bread with tomato and shredded cheese. 
• Avocado and white bean tortilla wrap. 
• Grilled chicken sandwich on a whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, and pickle. 
• Grilled chicken and spinach tortilla wrap. 
• Prosciutto, lettuce, and tomato grilled sandwiches on whole wheat bread. 
• Hummus pitas stuffed with lettuce and tomato. 
• Chicken Caesar salad tortilla wrap with light Caesar dressing.  
• Turkey panini with sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese, red onion, and spinach. 

Just remember to use a healthy bread, cut out the fattening spreads, and load your sandwich up with healthy vegetables. Do you have a favorite sandwich you would like to share? Please leave your ideas in the comment section!