End of the Month Report:

Well, here we are at the end of July, it seems like just yesterday I was watching the 4th of July fireworks. There were plenty of BBQ's, family get-togethers, and festivities.  I knew that this month would be tricky as I just figured out how to eat healthy on my own, and taking on the social scene would be challenging.  Here are some things I learned:

1. You don't have to overeat just because there's lots of food.  Basic concept, makes sense, but for some reason in the past if I saw a huge pot luck I have felt a duty to taste everything and come back for seconds for the meal and get a plate full of desserts.  So now I've learned to grab a protein, a carb, and a bunch of vegetables and call it good. (Maybe a sliver of dessert:) 
2. Put the emphasis of the get-together on the people not the food! If I'm more interested in catching up with friends and family, I can't be stuck behind a plate of food.  The purpose of gatherings are to build relationships with people, NOT FOOD! (it is okay to enjoy your food though:) but also enjoy stimulating conversation because you aren't too busy stuffing your face!
3. People really are OK if you don't eat 5 desserts.  For some reason in the past I felt a duty to taste everything, so that I could tell everyone how much I liked their treats.  But I didn't this month, and nobody got in my face and demanded that I eat what they made, or made me feel bad for not trying what they made. Isn't it funny how your head can get wrapped around an idea and you can go years without challenging the validity of the concept?  
4. It is wonderful to leave a get-together and not feel gorged; just refreshed because you had time to catch up with friends and family. I enjoy not feeling guilty for eating too much.  Just don't eat too much and the guilt goes away. It's not easy when you've got a habit of overeating at get-togethers, but definitely worth trying out.

So I really want to hear from YOU to see how this month went.  Like I said, it was a tricky month and many of you are just starting, so don't be hard on yourself if it didn't go perfectly.  I would like to hear what you did try, and how it went. I would also like to hear what's challenging you, putting it into words makes it recognizable so you can make a plan of attack. 
Let's set some goals for next month and work on them together!  If you prefer to keep your comments with just me then shoot me an email, otherwise post your comments below on this blog. Perhaps your observations will help others!

just a thought....

I've been sick for 16 days, and I've got several weeks to go.  I spent the evening on the porch swing. Grateful for the opportunity to heal, but longing to go on a walk, or jog, or do a strengthening workout. 
(Those Access "candy" bars keep calling my name:)
I reflected on how thankful I was for the time I did get to spend improving my health before I got sick.

I just wanted to plant a seed in the mind of my readers tonight:

As busy as life is, and as many directions we get pulled, consider not neglecting your health. You owe it to yourself and those who depend on you and love you to take care of yourself. 

When you do take care of yourself, you send a message to yourself and those you love that you want to be the best person you can be. You also demonstrate to God the gratitude you feel for the body He gave you.

Every day is a new day, a new opportunity. There is time to eat healthy, and exercise, just make it a priority.  It's something you won't regret. 

And while you're at it, do an extra exercise count for me!

Open the Bag!

Well, I've been recovering from my illness up at my mom's house. I took it upon myself to be my mom and sister's live-in personal healthy lifestyle coach.  (Even though they say they are excited about that, I'm not sure how long the excitement will last :o)
Sooo, I'm sure you can imagine my shock and horror when I looked into their cupboard and saw the Attain Shakes had NOT BEEN OPENED YET, and had sat there for a SOLID MONTH!!!!
My mom said they didn't want to open them until they were 100% committed to eating healthy.
Uh, okay, I've got a problem with that!
Now let's be honest now friends, how many of you are just like my mom? Worried about taking that first step because it represents a committment you're not sure you can keep yet?
Here, let me figuratively hold your hand for a minute and tell you it's OKAY.  It's okay to not be perfect on the first day you decide to make some positive changes in your life.  Consider that making the positive changes in your life are like pushing a big boulder down the top of a steep mountain.  The first pushes are going to take some effort, and some of your pushing is going to feel futile and non-effective, but as the boulder starts to build momentum it gets a lot easier, and soon it starts to roll on it's own.  If your goal was to get that boulder rolling, the only way to get it started was to start pushing, even though those pushes were not 100% perfect. 
Don't beat yourself up if you don't eat every meal perfectly balanced and portioned. Don't stop trying to learn  how to develop lean muscle just because you didn't figure out how to breathe perfectly on the first day, (that can be quite confusing, but soon enough it becomes second nature).
DO take those first steps. Use the tools that make taking those first steps easier, like wedging the boulders with levers to unearth it, the Attain Bars and Shakes and Access Bars and Shakes are tools to make those first pushes and steps more effective. 
Now seriously if you have not opened your bags or boxes yet, please call me, I'll help you take that first step,,,OPEN THE BAG!

New Healthy Lifestyle Contest Daily Checklist

Healthy Lifestyle Contest Daily Checklist - Notepad


Here is a help to get you started as you learn new habits.  Setting a goal to achieve a healthier lifestyle is a worthy endeavor and one that can be reached by taking SMALL daily steps.  This checklist is a way to document the journey and help keep track of progress.
Print off this Checklist and keep it in a handy place, for me it would be hanging it on the fridge.  Print 2 copies per week and report back to me, if competition helps you stay on task, otherwise keep your own progress and see how daily decisions make a big differences in your life!

Come join me in the fun!

Well, before I dive in, I'd like explain where I've been.  You heard I had the flu, well, it ended up being West Nile Virus, and I got it bad.  It's gonna be a couple weeks at least to recover, and then some.  I'm just grateful to say I'm going to recover!!! Life changes on a dime, doesn't it :o)

So, I'd love to invite anyone intersted in sharing some thoughts about healthy lifestyle living to write up a paragraph or two and shoot me an email.  I find that the best ideas are those conversations you have in your head, or that you've shared with a friends, or family; just jot it down and share with us!  I'll put you as a guest poster for the day, and I've got some prizes for those willing to take the time to do this!

I really have enjoyed doing this blog and would hate to see the momentum die off when there is such great potential, I hope you feel the same and will share with me what's on your mind,,, it might end up as a post! 

Learn the ropes before the tough days come!

When I started working with Georgia the timing was just right for me, I didn't have anything major going on, no major crisis sapping my time and energy, and my health was fair.  It was the perfect time for me to put some effort into learning how to pair carbs and proteins, how to find the correct balance for my calorie needs, how to eye portions,  and discover new foods that provide the nutrients I need. I took advantage of that time and put the effort into learning the system and I'm so glad I did, because you never know what life is going to throw you, and when. 
For example today: I came down with the flu yesterday.  You know, the please somebody shoot me cause I know death would feel so much better than this flu. The chills, the sweats, and the insane headache and body aches. (okay,,, enough complaining,,,you get the picture:oP )
Well, I've been able to stay on target with my nutrition, even though exercise is out of the question.  I know there is no way I could have done that 10 weeks ago when I was just learning the ropes. 
But this is my point to all my friends who have joined me in this journey:  IT GETS EASIER! It becomes natural and just part of your life, and it's worth the effort.  Don't give up!  And don't be afraid to ask questions.  Many times I texted Georgia for random questions as I was figuring things out, and you are more than welcome to do the same for me,,,not that I'm an expert, but I've got a few on my team:o)
If you're are in the thick of life you can still do this, just focus on learning like 1 thing a week, and take it easy on yourself it's better to go slow than not to change at all!
If this post doesn't seem to flow as well as the others please take it with a grain of salt....like I said...I've got the flu ;o)

Why a day off keeps me on track....

The system of healthy lifestyle I'm using advocates taking a 24 hour break from my health routine every week.  I usually do this from Saturday evening to Sunday evening.  Since I started following this system I've had about 10 days off, and I live it up every time!  It seems that by Saturday I begin to get a little tired of the routine and really start to count down the hours till my time off.  I love the fact that I don't have to say goodbye forever to brownies and ice cream, white rolls, butter, donuts, fries, ect. I just say "see you next weekend". I love that this really works, I'm able to continue to improve my health, burn fat, create muscle, and still have my cake and eat it too,,,on the weekend.
This weekend I went to the Burger Bar and got a cheeseburger, homemade fries, cherry lime rickey and a cookies and cream shake.  I shared it all with my kids, but I got to cure my craving.  I've actually not allowed myself to go to the Burger Bar in over 6 years, because in the past I was trying to lose weight and you don't go to the Burger Bar when you're doing that! But now that I know how to find balance I was able to go and enjoy myself.  It made me very happy!
A funny thing about the day off is that by the end of the 24 hours I find myself looking forward to returning to my healthy routine.  I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome and on this healthy lifestyle system my digestion thrives, but throw in the unhealthy food and all the old symptoms come back.  It really helps me remember how well this healthy lifestyle is working for me and motivates me to stick with it for another week.
So for you that using this same system I'm on, what do YOU think about the day off?  Is it a help or hindrance?

These are a few of my NEW favorite things....

I've been exploring different options for lowering the carbs in my diet and increasing the healthy protein.  This is actually been quite fun for me. I'm one of those people who always orders something different at a restaurant. However, I'm married to one of those people who almost always orders the same thing at a restaurant.  The first year or two of marriage was quite interesting as it took me a while to grasp the concept that he doesn't enjoy spontaneity when it comes to food. 
Funny flashback story, the first time I cooked for him while we were dating, I made him an omelet with onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, ect.  It was a masterpiece and I could tell he didn't like it, but I couldn't fathom why. Well, as I mentioned above it took a couple years of marriage for me to catch on,,,I'm a slow learner.
So fast forward 8 years, and I've got the hang of what he likes; and I like to cook what he likes, hence my cooking has become quite predictable and routine.  Well, I knew that me trying new things was going to be an issue and I talked it over with my friend, Melinda, who has a predictable husband as well, and she said it really hasn't been a big problem, she prepares her regular meals but when it's a high carb dish, she'll prepare a small pan of alternative just for her.  It doesn't take much extra time, because it's just for her, and she eats along with the family, no one's feathers are ruffled and life goes on just as before.  I decided to give it a try a couple weeks ago, when I was making spaghetti  with meat sauce.  Now you can eat pasta in small portions, but I'm looking for other lower carb alternatives so I tried spaghetti squash, I microwaves 1/4 of it in a bowl, with butter spray and salt, for 5 minutes.  It was sooo easy, and it was great just like that but topped with meat sauce was delicious, and it wasn't a big deal. The family ate their pasta, I ate with them. I felt much better afterwards without having a big carb sleepiness come over me, as does when I eat too much carbs, but more importantly I felt excited, knowing I got to order something new on the menu.  It was mentally refreshing to me!
So some other fun stuff I've ordered from my new menu is: eggplant, acorn squash, thin buns, lowfat cheese sticks, and greek yogurt.  It's exciting to know that there's many more things for me to try and I'm not completely rocking the boat of my family's predictable menu. 
What have you discovered that is working for you and your family?

I made cookies last night....

....does this sound like a confessional?  This IS a healthy lifestyle blog....Well you might be thinking I made healthy cookies, but no I didn't, they were regular chocolate chip cookies.
For my husband they are a mainstay of his diet.
(he's one of those guys who can eat 12 cookies a day and still look great in a pair of Wranglers...don't be jealous, just be happy for him....)
More importantly, cookies are significant demonstration of love.
(if all kids had a mom as great as my hubby's the world would be a better place :o)
Making cookies
(or buying cookies...let's keep it real friends...:o)
has and will be a constant part of my life as I travel around the sun with my incredible eternal companion...
AKA...husband.  
Referring back to yesterday's post I'm working on retraining my hands while making cookies.  Before I started the cookies I prepared by making myself a chocolate blueberry Attain shake . It was delicious, filled me up and it was perfectly balanced between protein and carbs. 
I did pop a piece of walnut in my mouth and one chocolate chip, but I did not eat a hot cookie right out of the oven. I really wasn't even tempted to, because I was so full from the shake.  But I noticed my hands wanted to reach out and grab a cookie and I had to tell my hand: NO!
My message with this story is that there will be temptations in our daily life that we can't remove, a challenge we have to face head on.  It takes contemplation, preparation, and execution, not just once but many times to give our hands and mind opportunity to relearn actions.  Every time we go through the new motions we rewire the circuitry in our brains so that it gets easier and easier.  (This is science according to Charity, but it makes sense, right?)
So I guess I should thank my dear husband for this opportunity go grow stronger...I know I'm getting somewhere because that sentence never ran through my mind a few months ago...
So what are your challenges you can not remove from daily life and how are you facing them head on, let's share and help each other!

Retraining My Hands

I've been working on taking notice of all the unconcious movement my hands do when it comes to food.  One of the biggest challenges of learning a healthy lifestyle is UN-learning all the years of bad habits!

For example, one habit I've been working on, is not eating off my children's plates.  My sister-in-law helped my change my perspective, instead of thinking, "look at all this food going to waste", I now think, "my body is not a garbage disposal", and I clear the plates after meals without putting my kids' leftovers in my mouth. 
I've learned to keep the counters clear of food, because if it's in sight, my hands just grab for it and insert into mouth.  It doesn't matter if I'm hungry or not.  It's just a bad habit. 
One habit I currently working on is not taking a bite of food before I hand it to my kids.  I guess it started with wanting to make sure it wasn't too hot, or I would tear off the crust because they seemed to eat the sandwich better without it, but I realized it was a habit when my little boy noticed I didn't take a bite of his food first and offered it to me, as if it had become part of his ritual too!  Good Grief!!!

UN-learning years of bad habits takes focus and perserverance.  It often requires stopping myself midway through a motion of picking up food and setting it back down again with a mantra running through my head of: You don't need those extra calories, they add up! or sometimes the mantra is a little threatening: Set the food back down and no one will get hurt. :o)

I want to teach my hands to be nice to myself, by not forcing me to eat things I don't need.  (I have this mental picture of my left hand slapping my right hand for picking up unnecessary food :o) How are you re-training your hands?  What are some tips that make daily life easier when unlearning years of bad habits?  Let's help each other!

A New Start Every Day!

Today feels like a fresh start for me. Last week I was getting over a cold and not up for exercising regularly. This weekend I was on a road trip and although it was a good experience learning how to travel and eat healthy, I'm glad to be home with my stocked fridge and cupboards.  I woke up today and exercised while the kids watched cartoons (I love that I can fit in my strength training without leaving the house) and with each healthy meal I eat, the more empowered I feel.  
I am so glad to have found a road to healthy living that works for me. I can't remember the last time I've felt so good.  Giving up the treats that come along in daily life is less and less of a sacrifice because I know that staying on course feels so much better. (Although I'm very glad for my day off, who's with me?)

I'm so glad to have friends join me in this journey and invite you all to leave a comment and let me know how it's going today. 
What's on YOUR mind?  What's working? What's not? 


Feel free to comment on each others notes if you have some advice or you're in the mood to commiserate.
Let me know if you're having technical difficulties:)