Quaker Heart Health Challenge Update

by Mandi on February 22, 2012

A couple of weeks ago I shared that I had joined the MapMyFitness Quaker Challenge, committing to 15 activities in 30 days to protect and strengthen my heart. Specifically, my goal for February was to:

  • ride the exercise bike at least 4 times a week (while reading, a win-win)
  • play a game of tag with the girls on beautiful days (which we’ve been having lots of this winter)
  • go for a hike as a family at least once this month

And honestly? I’ve done okay.

We have yet to play a game outside, although I have walked around and around a roller skating rink while they skated for two hours and walked around and around a cul-de-sac circle while they skated another day.

I have been riding the bike several times a week while reading, although this week we’ve been out of town, so I didn’t even get that in!

And the weather hasn’t been conducive to a family hike, but my husband really liked that idea and we’re hoping to do that more regularly as a family as the weather gets nicer!

So what have I been doing?

Well, to start, I’m just spending more time on my feet. I’m trying to get up off my bum and just move more in general. Is that enough to achieve perfect health? No, probably not. But is it better than sitting all day every day as I’ve been doing for the past two years? Yes, I think it!

I want to do better, but I don’t want to let perfection paralysis stop me from taking baby steps toward better fitness – for my heart and for my whole body!

National Heart Heath Month may be almost over, but it’s not too late to join the challenge and commit to 15 activities over the next 30 days! Sign up for the MapMyFitness Quaker Challenge here.

For your chance to win $750 complete these two steps:

1. Share the Challenge with your friends.

2. Tell us that you’ve invited your friends to join the Challenge AND share what motivates you to stay healthy below.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker Oats Company. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.


  • Esther

    Hi Mandi! I made homemade tortillas last Sunday using this recipe: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Homemade-Tortillas 
    It was great. It uses olive oil (not lard, like “real” tortillas), and they were pliable and delicious. (The comments say to make sure to use boiling water instead of cold, and to add 1/2 tsp of baking powder, both of which I did.) They did take quite a while to bake, so I’d recommend doing them either earlier in the day (not when everyone’s starving for dinner), or perhaps make a bunch and freeze them. I hear ya about the tediousness of it all; the tortillas, while a pleasure and very easy to make, took so long to bake (making one at a time; next time I’d have two skillets going) had me wondering if the time I may be extending my life by through better eating is being consumed by the process of having to plan and make just about every meal component from scratch. Luckily I enjoy my time in the kitchen, but I’m a SAHM, so I have more time to devote than most. I think in the end it all comes down to having good lists and really thinking through the processes in order to streamline everything. Like I said, in the future I’d aim to make more than one tortilla at a time, and make a bunch to freeze. Also, when I haul out my food processor make pizza crust, I make three at a time and freeze two. 

    • http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life…Your Way

      LOL, this made me laugh: “had me wondering if the time I may be extending my life by through
      better eating is being consumed by the process of having to plan and
      make just about every meal component from scratch.”

      It would be easy to get consumed by the need to make everything from scratch, so I’m trying to make lots of large batches so that I only have to make each item once a month instead of making it fresh every time. Going to have to plug in my chest freezer soon because my side-by-side is almost overflowing!

  • Courtney

    FYI – the Santa Fe Tortilla Company Homestyle Whole Grain Tortillas sold at Costco do not have sugar (unless you are not eating gum blend – arabic, xanthate, locust bean, guar)

    • http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life…Your Way

      Yay, thank you!!

  • Darcey

    Totally understand.  I started giving up sugar this week and was completely frustrated with all the grocery products with sugar in it.  I cannot get rid of my whole pantry so I have had to do this gradually and not eat sugar as best as I can.  We are on a very limited budget for food and the cost of eating better can be completely overwhelming.  Thanks for the honesty.

  • Sheand3

    I started the challenge two weeks ago also, and I’ve been amazed at the impact it’s had on my kids.  Because I found out about it at the last minute, I didn’t ask my husband and 3 kids to join in with me.  However, my 7 yo daughter in particular has jumped on the bandwagon with me!  The kids are always asking, “Is there sugar in this?”, and often I find that if it does, the kids make different choices.  I’m so excited to see that they are being smarter about  their food choices without me having to “force” it on them. 
    I’ve been surprised to see that at times I do not miss the sugar at all, but when I really crave it is when I’m stressed and tired.  I has really shown me how much I’ve used sugar as an emotional crutch! 

    • http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life…Your Way

      Ah, yes — the stressed and tired moments. Me too!

      I love that your kids have taken the initiative to do it with you; that is so very cool!

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