Coca-Cola: Balanced Living

by Kathy on December 6, 2012 · 23 comments

in Balance, BlogHer, Change, Exercise, Expectations, Faith, Family, Life, Our Home, Resolutions

I was compensated for my participation in Coca-Cola’s Balanced Living Workshop, but my thoughts and views are my own.

Next week I get to participate in a Balanced Living Workshop, here in Chicago, hosted by Coca-Cola, and the timing couldn’t be better. The holiday season can be wonderful, busy and overwhelming at times. When I am caught up in the details of preparing for our Christmas celebrations with family and friends I don’t always prioritize time to be good to my mind, body and spirit. So when BlogHer and Coca-Cola invited me to participate in and write about my experience with this event, I couldn’t have been happier or more eager to sign on. Coca-Cola’s Balanced Living Workshop will be held on Tuesday, December 11th and Wednesday, December 12th at a local hotel here in Chicago. According to the planning team,

This two-day, invitation-only event is designed specifically for Chicago-area moms like (me), who are looking to find a balanced approach to both personal and family wellness…. This action-packed workshop (will be) filled with fitness and nutrition consultations, cooking demonstrations and more! We are confident you’ll leave feeling invigorated with knowledge and insights to help create a happier, healthier, more balanced you in 2013 and beyond.

Yes, please! As an American Council on Exercise (A.C.E.) certified Group Fitness Instructor, who teaches classes part-time in my neighborhood, the entire event sounds awesome. Though I am primarily a Stay-at-Home Mom, I am always interested in learning how my family and I can eat healthier and incorporate exercise more often in our lives. It is an ongoing conversation with my family and friends, as well as clients where I teach group fitness classes. We are often exchanging tips and ideas on how to eat better, stay in shape and shed weight.

I am still trying to lose the last five to ten pounds of my pre-pregnancy weight and welcome opportunities for inspiration to make that happen. I am especially interested in meeting with a dietitian and attending a culinary demonstration, as I would like to vary the meals that I serve my family and try to introduce healthier options.

I try to teach my nine-year-old son and three-year-old daughter the importance of healthy eating and regular exercise. Earlier this year, my son and I trained together to run a 5K in our neighborhood. I wrote about our experience in this post: 3.1 with My Son.

As I have shared here in the past, I am big on making New Year’s resolutions. My family and some close friends even have a tradition of video taping each other at an annual Christmas gathering as we report back on our resolutions from that year and share what we are going to attempt in the New Year.

In 2011 I really dropped the ball when it came to following through consistently on my resolutions. There were some legitimate reasons for this, such as dealing with a chronic medical condition related to my urinary tract. But more so I just didn’t do enough of what I set out to do.

I exercised fairly regularly and watched what I ate, but eleven months later I still weigh about the same as I did this time last year. In 2013, I want to find a way to break through that plateau and reach my goal.

This year I wanted to do a better job caring for and cleaning our home, including making healthier meals and adding variety to our dinners, but more often that not our house was in need of attention and we rotated through the same meals over and over again.

I hope that participating in Coca-Cola’s Balanced Living Workshop will give me the tools and motivation that I want and need to make positive and healthy changes in my life and for my family. The agenda for the two-day event sounds really fun and interesting. I look forward to sharing about my experience and I what I learn later this month!

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Disclaimer: I am being compensated for attending Coca-Cola’s Balanced Living Workshop, as well as sharing about my expectations and experience. However, the opinions expressed here are my own.

{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }

1 kim/hormone-colored days December 6, 2012 at 8:31 am

I look forward to meeting you and can’t wait to start on a new, healthier path for our families.
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2 Kathy December 6, 2012 at 9:42 am

I look forward to meeting you too and also am really excited about what we will learn and creating healthier paths for our families! See you soon!
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3 Marianne December 9, 2012 at 8:02 pm

Your job: make sure you knock Oreos out of my hand after the event.

Much obliged.
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4 Kathy December 10, 2012 at 10:00 am

I can handle that.

See you tomorrow!
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5 Carolyn Savage December 6, 2012 at 8:46 am

Kathy, I am so excited for you. This is a wonderful opportunity and, as a loyal reader, I am looking forward to your “take-aways” with regards to this experience!

Oh…and did I mention…I’m jealous that you get to stay in a hotel room..alone. Don’t be surprised if you key in from a session and you find me soaking in your bathtub. 😉

(Just kidding..that would be sorta creepy!)
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6 Kathy December 6, 2012 at 9:48 am

Thank you Carolyn! It is an amazing opportunity and I really appreciate your enthusiasm and support, as always! I look forward to sharing my take-aways with you!

Ha, ha! You can soak in my bathtub anyday (not creepy at all)! 🙂 I wish you lived closer and were joining us at this event! I guess I will just have to wait until BlogHer`13 here in August to hang out with you, right?!
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7 tracey December 6, 2012 at 9:32 am

I am READY! Let’s hope the weather holds till then, eh? 🙂
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8 Kathy December 6, 2012 at 9:50 am

Me too and yes, that would be great! See you soon! 🙂
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9 Jeanette from Artchoo December 6, 2012 at 9:39 am

SO excited for this, too! And to meet more Chicago bloggers. I think it’s so awesome that you ran a 5k with your son; I have a 9 year od daughter and would love to try this with her. I wonder if she’ll go for it…
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10 Kathy December 6, 2012 at 9:54 am

Thank you Jeanette! My son was not on board in the beginning, but running grew on him, we both loved the time we spent training together and in the end he was really proud of himself (and I was so unbelievably proud of him too)! There are so many great 5Ks that you and your daughter could train for, let me know if you do it. Looking forward to meeting you and other Chicago bloggers next week too! See you soon!
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11 Justine December 6, 2012 at 10:43 am

Can’t wait to read about it!
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12 Kathy December 6, 2012 at 12:01 pm

Thank you J!
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13 Tai and Tarin Perry December 6, 2012 at 12:02 pm

You said it perfectly…”the timing (of this event) couldn’t be better”. We can’t wait to take in the wealth of information that will be given to us next week. Look forward to meeting you soon!!
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14 Kathy December 6, 2012 at 12:06 pm

Thank you Tai and Tarin! I am right there with you and look forward to meeting you too! See you soon! 🙂
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15 Lori Lavender Luz December 6, 2012 at 1:03 pm

Exactly what Carolyn said!

What a wonderful opportunity. I look forward to being inspired through you!
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16 Kathy December 6, 2012 at 2:21 pm

Thank you Lori! xoxo

I think it is too and can’t wait to be inspired/hopefully inspire you too! 🙂
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17 Terri Stat December 6, 2012 at 2:03 pm

I’m so looking forward to meeting you next week! I feel very fortunate to be among the mommy bloggers invited to attend!

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18 Kathy December 6, 2012 at 2:22 pm

Ditto! See you soon Terri! 🙂
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19 Keiko December 6, 2012 at 6:43 pm

Kathy, what a tremendous opportunity for you! It’s such a nice change of pace to do something for yourself that recharges and reinvigorates you (I say this as I’m sprawled out on the couch after an epic long day at the Mass Conference for Women). I hope you’ll take lots of great notes and share your experiences with us here!

And have a bottle of Coke for me. Damn that shizz is tasty 😉
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20 Kathy December 8, 2012 at 2:10 pm

Thank you Keiko! It is an awesome opportunity and a nice chance of pace, as you said. I am glad you had such a great time at the Mass Conference for Women! I will definitely take notes and share what I learn here! 🙂
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21 Briana McCarthy December 6, 2012 at 10:04 pm

Great post. See you in a few days *giddy*

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22 Kathy December 8, 2012 at 2:11 pm

Thank you Briana! Yes, see you soon! 🙂
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