this is a repeat, but still a good tutorial!
I have baby fever. I have it bad. Really bad.
I promised myself that before we could start trying for our third child, I would get in shape. I put on 40 lbs when I was pregnant with my 1st, M. I got pregnant with P, our 2nd, just 6 short months after M was born. Six months is not a lot of time to drop 40 lbs, even if you are not caring for a newborn.
P will be 2 in October. I have a lot of excuses as to why I am still carrying all the baby weight…. I will not bore you with them.
I will however share a secret with you.
My key to weight loss.
Yeah, diet and exercise works. Burn more calories than you take in and all that jazz. But for me, the key to weight loss is reward. The first jean size I dropped, I got a haircut. A real one. Not a 15 buck walk-in haircut, a real, make an appointment, get a scalp massage while you get your hair washed haircut.
My rewards lately have been scaled back a bit. We are on a budget and are doing some remodels (posts on that later) so money is tight. So now, I have a much more frugal reward. And let me tell you, it is almost as satisfying as a fancy haircut. My reward? You ask. I tell.
Homemade Heat Packs
This heat pack is a warm (obviously!), comforting, fragrant muscle relaxer and this is how you make one:
Shopping List:
Rice (not instant rice) I bought this bag of 25lbs of rice at Sams Club for under $20. You will not need this much for one… but if you plan on making lots, then this is the way to go!
1/4 yard flannel
- adjust the size to whatever you want. 1/4 yard is the biggest I have made. It fits me perfect, covering my entire lower back
- I have seen others use cotton, but I like flannel best. It is softer and holds the heat in longer.
- feel free to play with the shape a bit too. With the 1/4 yard of flannel, you would have enough to make a crescent shaped neck heat packet.
Peppermint tea bags
This is one of my favorite gifts to make for people. It is fast, cheap and people love it.
How To:
take your 1/4 yard of flannel fold it in half – right sides together.
- For all you beginner sewers, right sides together is sewer slang for folding the fabric so the pretty pattern side is facing in.
sew around the two long sides and half way down the short side, leaving just enough open on the short side so you can pour rice into the bag. Do this twice.
Turn it inside out.
Stitch two parallel lines down the middle. This is optional, but suggested. I like doing this because it helps keep the rice in place and from it shifting all over . The last thing you want when you finally get to put your feet up, turn your favorite guilty pleasure reality TV show on, and get the heat pack in place is for the rice to slide all to one side. You want even heat people. Take the time. Make the two parallel lines.
Fill with rice.
Open tea bags.
Sprinkle in the peppermint tea leaves. I like 1-2 bags, depending on the size of the heat pack.
Sew the rice opening closed. Twice.
Admire your work.
Put the pack in the microwave…yes, I do a lot of microwaving.
Heat on high for 3 minutes to start. Heat it longer…if you can take it!
Put up feet, click on TV, position pack on sore muscles from your long workout. Breathe in the soothing peppermint. Feel your muscles relax and whisper a friendly thank you to, me, Meg of thoughtsnstuff.com
Oh and a side note. If you live someplace cold like I do, they make great hand warmers. Make two 4in X 4in squares. Stick them in your kiddos coat pockets, and they can have warm hands while they walk to school or wait for the bus!
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Thanks, I’ll be making these for Christmas Gifts This Year. My in-laws are in their eighties, since my husband is alot older than me.
I’m also making them homemade hot chocolate mix because I really like a hot cocoa recipe I found on the internet and because my garden didn’t do well enough so that I would use up all my new canning jars I bought this year.
I’m also going to make one for me, it’ll be a treat.
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That’s great Lauralee. The one that is pictured in the how to I made for my Grandma. I too will be making tons of these for Christmas this year. I have yet to make any for my in-laws so all 10 of them will be getting them.
One extra tip, if you have a funnel. A canning funnel or even a clean car oil funnel, they are really helpful when filling the packs with rice. It will save you some serious vacuuming time if you use a funnel!
Good luck and enjoy!
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What a neat idea!! I could use one of these for my back RIGHT NOW!
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Great tutorial! I think I could even do this, and I’m challenged when it comes to crafting.
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I love these, Meg. It is much nicer than my sock & rice heat pack.
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Mommie Daze- You can do it!
I swear even my tom boy, doesn’t have a crafty bone in her body sister can do this… Go for it!
Desiree Fawn- It takes a total of maybe 23 minutes from when you first turn the fabric right sides together to when the microwave beeps and your heatpack is warm!
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Amy Bellgardt Reply:
September 14th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
If you can’t sew, can you just staple the sides? lol
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I’m going to make one of these for my husband. He has to apply heat to a recent sports injury – this is the perfect way to do that!
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Condo Blues- the sister I mentioned above in the comments (tomboy/not crafty) is actually a athletic trainer at a collegiate level. She uses these with her athletes, but only at 20 minutes at a time. I don’t remember why. But you can over heat an injury, just like you can over ice it.
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Thank you! I would now go on this blog every day!
Have a nice day
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Ugh, I liked! So clear and positively.
Zoran
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Rewards are what work best for me, too! I am trying to get rid of those dreaded last 5 pounds (you know, the ones that NEVER come off) of baby weight, and I have rewards lined up for myself, like getting my eyebrows threaded and having a really good haircut, etc. When I first made my list of possible rewards, I looked over it and realized that some of it was food. Uh…not a good idea, Tiffany!
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I have already seen it somethere…
Charlie
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I have heard that the rice can scorch and smell burned. Have you found this to be true? Someone recommended deer corn but that seems kind of bulky. Thanks.
Wishing i were a SAHM again,
Samantha
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I have never had problems with the rice scorching. I have heard that flax scorches…badly. I have heated mine-a lot and have never had a problem. I have given many away as gifts too and no one has mentioned smell, I do put tea bags in mine though to add a nice smell, but I don’t think the tea would be able to cover up a scorching smell.
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Samantha Reply:
September 29th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Thanks. I think i will go with the rice it sounds like it would mold better and be more comfortable. Good luck with #3 and the weight loss.
Just an FYI i lost 30lb after my daughter was born as a vegetarian (also cutting out fried food completely) We only eat poultry/seafood at my house. Hope this helps.
Samantha
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Thanks Samantha! For 30 pounds I would cut out eating all together!
We already do a meatless Monday, maybe I will up it to more than one day a week. Its great for your body, the environment and also forces me to find new recipes.
Hope the heat pack works for you, if it doesn’t you can always just dump out the rice and try something else. Let me know how it goes!
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Hi,
Thank you! I would now go on this blog every day!
Robor
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momspark.net – da best. Keep it going!
Thanks
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Greatings, Everything dynamic and very positively!
Joker
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momspark.net to GoogleReader!
Rufor
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I had one of these years ago. I loved it. but it got lost somewhere. Am going to be making a new one or many…Good Luck on the weight!! I am down 25# with 25 more to go. walking 10 to 15 minutes about 3 times a day helps me. I have a busy day too. Two of my girls are grown but still have one at home and elderly grandparents that I help care for. Smaller portions and lots of water. Two small ones keeps you busy but you do all you can to care for yourself and them.
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Meg Reply:
December 5th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
I hope you can make good use of it, I am sure you will. I love to use mine. It is so warm and comforting-especially now that it is winter!
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These would be really nice for soothing my sore muscles. I have seen them before but did not know they were that easy to make.
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Can I ask what wattage your microwave is? I’m worried about overheating and the fabric catching alight… have you ever heard of such a thing happening??
Thanks for a wonderful tutorial, I will make some of these!
Karen
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Meg Reply:
August 6th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
@Karen, Good question. I don’t know what wattage our microwave is but I have made at least a loads of these as gifts and everyone I gave them to loved them and never had a problem.
I have heard of people having trouble with heat packs filled with Flax instead of rice, but I never heard of someone having a problem with rice.
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