Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

After all my talk of responsibility, honesty, and integrity last week - the weekend came and I still over ate and had some wine. I started to beat myself up last night, then I realized that the best thing for me to do was to give myself a clean slate and start anew today. How many times have I done that in the past though? When will I change my bad habit forever? I realize that I can't keep doing the same thing week after week after week, and expect different results. Something has to change. Something needs to change. I was reminded of this poem that I have seen many times, but now I get it. I am in chapter three - and have been for quite sometime. My next step is to go around the habit and then walk down a different street. And, then the next step is to change my not so great habit into a great positive habit by walking down another street and creating new habits. What chapter are you in?


Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

Chapter 1

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost. I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend that I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in. It’s a habit. But my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter 4

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter 5

I walk down another street.
 

Thanks to American actress and author Portia Nelson for the poem.

Responsibility. Honesty. Integrity.

I have always considered myself a  responsible adult.  I pay my bills. I pay my taxes. I obey traffic laws (most of the time :)). I teach when I am scheduled to teach. I complete real estate transactions ethically and properly.  I show up to appointments on time.  I'm responsible, right? Or am I?

Responsibility: A duty or obligation to satisfactorily perform or complete a task (assigned by someone, or created by one's own promise or circumstances) that one must fulfill, and which has a consequent penalty for failure.

According to this definition I am not always acting responsibly when I do not fulfill my promises to myself by not exercising or eating too much or the wrong foods. This doesn't mean that you are irresponsible if you eat the wrong thing, but it does (in my interpretation) mean that one is not acting responsibly and taking responsibility when one eats something or does not do something that they said they would do. I guess I need to work on this. Oh my!

I have also considered myself to be a pretty honest person. I tell the truth - most of the time. Ah ha! Most of the time. And, that is just to others. I may have said that I didn't feel well because I didn't want to meet someone for lunch or go to work out. I may have said that I ate well all week, except one meal, but it didn't show up on the scale. So, was I being honest with myself? With others? Oh boy! This really got me thinking. So, I also looked up the definition of honesty.

Honesty refers to a facet of moral character and connotes positive and virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, and straightforwardness, including straightforwardness of conduct, along with the absence of lying, cheating, or theft.  Furthermore, honesty means being trustworthy, loyal, fair, and sincere.

Oh dear! Am I not an honest person? I know I would never steal or purposefully hurt anyone. But, would I tell I white lie? Am I straightforward? Do I have integrity? I do most of the time. But, do I have it to myself? Then I looked up the word Integrity.

Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions. Integrity can be regarded as the opposite of hypocrisy,^[1] in that integrity regards internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs.

The word "integrity" stems from the Latin adjective integer (whole, complete).^[2] In this context, integrity is the inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. As such, one may judge that others "have integrity" to the extent that they act according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold.

In looking at these definitions  -  am I able to answer for my conduct and obligations. Do I act according to my beliefs? I think I do a good job on answering for my obligations, and my conduct in most instances. But, am I acting responsibly to myself when I don't go to my workout?  I know I should workout, but why don't I sometimes? No integrity to myself? Am I acting responsibly when I blame someone else for my eating pizza and drinking wine on Friday nights? The other day I realized that although I am responsible and honest in many ways - I am also very irresponsible and not honest in other ways, and often lack integrity.

This realization affected me profoundly. All of the sudden I feel like I am a fraud. I'm not consistent in my beliefs. I make up stories to cover for my lack of integrity to myself. I make up lies around weight release. Some mental changes need to be made. I don't know about you, but I can sure see that my lack of taking responsibility for my actions, not being honest with myself and not living in integrity and being consistent in my beliefs is definitely hindering me in reaching my goals. Hmmmmm....this is a lot to ponder.

How about you? Are you responsible? Are you honest with yourself? Are you living in integrity?

I will definitely be doing some soul searching and re-direction of my patterns in order to get myself back into a state of personal integrity.

How about you?

This quote says it all -"Integrity is doing the right thing - even when no one else is watching."

From now on I am thinking that I should act like the world is watching me ALWAYS!

You Only Live Once - Live Big

I have been pondering life a lot lately. I do this every so often - actually quite a bit recently!  And, this came to mind after I heard someone on TV say "YOLO" - then I figured out that it meant "You Only Live Once." I did some research on the internet and found that this is one of the latest excuses used by teenagers when they do something stupid. This is according to Urban Dictionary, which describes the term as:

"The dumbass's excuse for something stupid that they did
Also one of the most annoying abbreviations ever....

Guy 1: "Hey I heard u got that girl pregnant"
Dumbass 1: " Ya man but hey YOLO"
Guy 1: "Hey I heard that you broke ur leg falling off the balcony at that party"
Dumbass 1: "Ya but hey YOLO"

 

This is disappointing to me because it puts a negative connotation on what could be a great way to live - not by doing stupid things and then saying YOLO, but by following your dreams and doing what your heart desires.

 

Lately I have been feeling stuck and I am not sure why. I keep thinking about things that I want to do, goals that I want to accomplish, but not taking the steps to do the things that I want to do.  I have a vision book that I did in 2008. I can't believe its been five years since I did that book -  its time to do another one. While writing this I decided to take a look at my book and see if I have accomplished any of my 101 goals (A strategy in the book The Power of Focus.) And, imagine that I did manage to accomplish quite a few of the things in my vision book!

1. I got my personal training certification.
2. I exercise 4-5 times a week on average most of the time.
3. I meditate regularly now.
4. I ran a 10K - actually it was the Mud Run at Camp Pendelton.
5. I learned to ballroom dance.
6. I developed my spirituality - read a lot of books and attended a lot of seminars. This is still a work in progress.
7. I have a big garden with a lot of vegetables and fruit trees. And, I love it!
8. I took a writing class.
9. I went to Turkey.
10. I went to Greece.
11. I swam with dolphins.
12. I went to Niagra Falls.
13. I went to the Ellen Show.
14. I tried out for a game show. On my list it said I would be on a game show. I almost made this one.
15. I flew first class.
16. I got my holistic health coaching certification. On my list I said I would be a counselor - in a way I am to my clients.
17. I will be teaching at a four year university starting in October. On my list I said that I would teach at a four year university.

And, many more of my goals are in the works. Interesting! I just noticed that for some reason I put a big picture of a turtle in my book and never wrote anything about it, and guess what  - last summer in Maui I swam right next to one! Hmmmmm......

 

Hey, I think this following your dreams stuff might just work. The funny thing about many of the things that I accomplished that were on my vision board is that they just happened - I was in New York for my step-daughter Stacy's graduation and then the next thing you know we are at Niagra Falls.  My husband gave me dancing lessons for my birthday present one year. My friend Julie helped make two of these come true when she called and invited me to go to the Ellen Show and to try out for the game show with her team.

 

I am going to work on my vision board and  my positive YOLO's for the next five years. I'm thinking this might just help be feel less "stuck"!  What are your positive YOLO's?

 

As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do. ~Zachary Scott

"Carpe Diem! Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary."   --Dead Poet's Society

Clean Slate

 

I'm going to give myself a clean slate after my weekend in Las Vegas. While I was in Las Vegas....you know the saying "What happens in Vegas...Stays in Vegas!" Let's just say my weekend was NOT filled with protein shakes, chicken breasts and bottled water. Quite a different and interesting story...but that is a tale for another time and another blog!

Back to the clean slate policy. This morning I was starting to beat myself up because I really went way off track this weekend.  Then I decided that I wasn't going to let a couple of days of debauchery get in the way of my goals. So, I went to my workout this morning and got back on track. I came home and whipped up a healthy protein shake to get the week started off right.

We all get fixated on the things that didn't go the way we planned  - on the things we meant to do but didn’t  or the things we didn’t want to do but did anyway.

That kind of thinking and dwelling keeps us stuck. The key is to just realize your mistakes, decide what you could do differently next time and move on.

Next time you get off track give yourself and clean slate immediately (don't even wait until the next day) and get back to realizing your goals. Remember it is a journey, not a destination. And, nothing good happens overnight. So, note to self - keep your eye on the goal. Back on track!!!

Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

 

 

 

Ingredients (for Stuffed Zucchini) from Precision Nutrition Cookbook

Zucchini (medium, halved lenghwise), 2
Olive oil cooking spray
Onion (finely diced), ¼ cup
Fresh garlic (minced), 1 tsp
Shitake or portobello mushrooms (small diced), ¼ cup
Tomato (finely diced), ¼ cup


 Low-fat feta cheese (crumbled), ¼ cup
Pecans (crushed), ¼ cup
Tomato sauce, ½ cup

Serving size

Serves 1 large or 2 small.

Preparation time

5 min. Preparation Time
10 min. Cooking Time

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 375°F. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a spoon and knife (if needed) remove all the white flesh (do not discard the skin or flesh). If the green skin breaks don’t worry. Preheat a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Lightly coat with spray and add the white zucchini flesh, onion, garlic and mushrooms. Sauté until onions are lightly browned and liquids have evaporated. Then remove from heat. Add tomato, feta cheese and pecans to the pan. Stuff the zucchini peel with the heated mixture. Reform the peel around the stuffing. Add to a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with warm tomato sauce. Serves 1 large or 2 small.

Nutritional information

(per serving)	large	small
Calories (k/cal)	469.2	234.6
Fat (g)	27.1	13.5
Saturated (g)	6.2	3.1
Monounsaturated (g)	12.7	6.4
Polyunsaturated (g)	6.5	3.3
Omega-3 (g)	0.4	0.2
Omega-6(g)	5.7	2.9
Carbohydrates (g)	37.5	18.7
Fiber (g)	10.6	5.3
Sugars (g)	17.9	9.0
Protein (g)	19.0	9.5

Summertime Fun - Harvest Time!

I love summertime because that means it is garden time!! I love waking up in the morning, making my cup of coffee or tea, and going out to my garden to see what has grown and what's ready to harvest. This year I have already harvested probably a at least a hundred peaches (which I used to make peach pies), some nectarines, a couple of apricots (my tree didn't do too good this year), a couple of dozen or so big zucchinis (which I used to make some somewhat healthy zucchini bread), some onions (there are a lot more of those still in the garden),  a dozen or so cucumbers (used mostly for juicing), a bunch of potatoes, and dozens of tomatoes (there are dozens more of those still in the garden). And, I still have to harvest the spaghetti squash, more onions, bell peppers, eggplant, more zucchini, and yellow squash, and green beans and more.

Today I picked some potatoes (russet, red and white) and some tomatoes (cherry, Roma, green zebra and orange) and a big zucchini, and then whipped up a free range egg scramble with the white potatoes, Roma tomatoes, and a some onion (also from my garden) for breakfast. Yummo! Tonight I will make stuffed zucchini for dinner. Recipe to follow. It is easy to eat healthy, especially when you have a garden!

What to do with all my zucchinis?

 

This year I have a ton of zucchini in my garden, not to mention peaches, tomatoes, spaghetti squash, onions and cucumbers. So, I decided to make some healthier zucchini bread. I came up with the following recipe, and it was delish. This is just six of the 18 loaves I baked. Nummy!

 

 

 

Zucchini Bread Recipe

Ingredients

· 3/4 cup low-fat almond milk
· 2 large eggs
· 3/4 cup Turbinado sugar
· 1/3 cup coconut oil
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 small zucchini)
· 2 cups whole-wheat flour
· 2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preparation

1.     Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2.     Whisk milk, eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir in zucchini. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients and chocolate chips to the dry ingredients; stir until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
3.     Bake until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.


Nutrition
9 g Fat; 30 g Carbohydrates; 5 g Protein; 3 g Fiber
 

What's for dinner?

 

Cobb Salad

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

• Cooking spray
• 1/4 pound sliced Turkey Bacon
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 6 cups romaine lettuce (about 6 ounces) coarsely chopped
• 2 cups watercress, thick stems removed
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 avocado, diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup cooked diced chicken breast 1 (6-ounce) breast
• 1/2 cup crumbled Roquefort or Blue cheese (about 2 ounces)

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and set aside.
Slice the turkey bacon into 1/2-inch strips. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over a medium-high heat. Add the ham to the skillet and cook over stirring frequently, until the turkey bacon is warmed through and crisped, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Remove and discard the yolk from 1 of the hard boiled eggs. Chop the remaining egg white and whole egg and set aside.
In a large bowl toss the romaine and watercress with 2/3 of the dressing. Put the dressed greens onto a large serving dish. Place the tomatoes on top forming a row down the middle. In strips on either side of the tomatoes place the avocado, chicken, cheese, diced egg, and the crisped bacon on top of the greens. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve.

Per Serving:

Calories 360; Total Fat 24 g; (Sat Fat 7 g, Mono Fat 13 g, Poly Fat 3 g) ; Protein 28 g; Carb 11 g; Fiber 4 g; Cholesterol 115 mg; Sodium 770 mg

New Habit of the week - Fish Oil

We talked before about bad or unhealthy habits, and how to change them. Now lets talk about how to implement some new healthy habits. I will introduce a new health habit a week. The first one that I know is recommended by many is Fish Oil.


What Kind and How Much: Fish Oil and Omega-3s

From reducing inflammation, the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, to improving mood and speeding up the fat-loss process, the benefits of supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil are numerous. They’re quite literally life-saving and physique-enhancing.

The best sources of omega-3s rich in EPA and DHA (two important essential fatty acids), are those from wild salmon, menhaden, anchovy, sardine, krill, or algae-based supplements. (I’ll give you some trusted brands below. However, we’d like you to avoid cod liver oil, which is lower in omega-3’s and can even be toxic.)

The Benefits of Liquid Fish Oil (And Trusted Brands)

Instead of capsules, I strongly recommend you opt for a flavored, liquid fish oil, which can be taken by the spoonful or used as easily as olive oil in salad dressings or tossed with vegetables. (And don’t worry – they actually taste pretty good!)

I recommend the following brands:

• o3mega by Genuine Health
• Carlson’s Very Finest Fish Oil (sold at Sprouts)

- Omega-3 supplements are best tolerated when taken with meals and should be taken in divided doses. Divide the dose in half and take twice daily, or in thirds and take three times a day.

- Take fish oil or algae-based supplements at the same times each day to help establish your new habit. You might need a reminder or post-it note at first.

- The most common side effects of omega-3 supplementation, especially in the beginning, are fishy/algae smelling burps and mild diarrhea.  Most people never get these issues. But if you do at first, hang in there. Start with less and increase the dose gradually. Your body will adapt.

- Omega-3 oils seem to be safe for most everyone, except for those on blood thinning medications. Consult your doctor and pharmacist if:

1. you are taking blood thinners such as Coumadin (warfarin)
2. you have any bleeding disorders such as hemophilia
3. you are about to undergo surgery

From the Precision Nutrition website.

My Plan for Wednesday

I thought I might share my meal plans with you. And, my workout plans. In case anyone needs ideas for meals and workouts.

Wednesday

Meditate
15 minutes upon rising

Meal Plan
Breakfast - oatmeal, raspberries, and hard boiled egg
Snack - nectarine and string cheese
Lunch - Kale Salad from Trader Joe's
Snack - handful of almonds
Dinner - Chicken stir fry with bean sprouts, red peppers, and snow peas

Workout
45 minutes of cardio on the treadmill, intervals

Official Day One of the 90 Day Challenge

I'm ready to do this, are you?

I planned my meals for the week yesterday and when grocery shopping. Planned my workouts for the week. Weighed myself. Now I am ready to rock and roll on this 90 day journey! Are you in? I hope you are.

Here is a link to a site with some great Menu Planning Templates. Check it out. I feel so organized now!

So, this will now have to be a daily decision for 90 days to eat healthy, exercise and meditate. I can't wait to see the results.

More good stuff tomorrow.

What should I plan to eat?

How much should you eat?

 

 
This is a diagram that I got from Precision Nutrition showing ideal portions. They have some variation depending on your size and body type, but this is great to start. What should my meal look like? When planning your meals keep this diagram in mind. Try to eat a palm size portion of protein, along with a cupped handful on healthy carbs, a fist of vegetables, and a thumb size portion of fat. 

Ideas for Lunch:

Your lunch could be a salad with lettuce, chicken, other veggies like cucumber, tomato, onion, carrot, etc., and avocado for your healthy fat, and some quinoa for your dense carbs (or maybe a few whole wheat crackers), dressed with an olive oil and vinegar dressing or a Tablespoon of Ranch or other creamy dressing. As I mentioned before, I plan my meals on the weekends. For my lunches I try to buy salad fixings like lettuce, cucumber, carrots, peppers, broccoli, avocado, etc, with some some protein like chicken or tuna. And, I like ranch dressing, so I will usually use that, but I do measure it and only use a Tablespoon or so. Sometimes I add a 1/4 cup of garbanzo beans or a Tablespoon of feta cheese, again measure those too! On the run I will sometimes get a subway sandwich with turkey and lots of veggies and avocado (I know Subway isn't the best, but it sure is a lot better than the other fast food alternatives out there. Just make sure you get a turkey or chicken sandwich on whole wheat without all the sauces and stuff and a load up on veggies.) Sometimes I have salmon, with brown rice and veggies. Again, here portion control is key! Or a couple of hard boiled eggs, some carrots, with hummus, and a few whole wheat crackers.

 

Some of my go to lunches:

 

• Salad with chicken or tuna with lots of veggies
• Subway Sandwich on whole wheat bread
• Whole wheat turkey sandwich on a sandwich thin with lots of veggies and some fruit
• Salmon, with brown rice and veggies

 

Ideas for Dinner:

 

I like to cook (lucky for my husband or maybe not, since I am always trying new healthy recipes on him.), so I cook most nights. Tonight it is Taco Salad - lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, avocado, taco seasoned lean ground turkey, and a little shredded light cheese. Yummy! He puts some nacho chips in his too! But, for my purposes, I'll skip that.

 

Some of my go to dinners:

 

• Roasted chicken with root veggies
• Spaghetti squash with marina sauce with pesto chicken
• Turkey Chili
• Salmon with spinach, brown rice and a little feta
• Chicken with quinoa and asparagus

 

I usually write out all of my planned dinner menus and check to see if I need any of the ingredients before my weekend shopping. And, I make sure I have all of the ingredients for my go to breakfasts, snacks, and lunches on hand. Then I'll make my list and it's off to Trader Joe's, and then if they don't have everything I need, a trip to Sprouts or Vons to pick up the rest. I like to buy organic as much as I can. I also try to buy things with the least amount of ingredients possible, and without ingredients that I don't know what they are. I will post some recipes along our journey for you to try.  This is a photo of the Salmon, with sautéed spinach, brown rice with a little feta. Yummy!

 

 

To Plan or not to Plan?

Should we plan our meals?

 

For me I find that I need to plan, at least my lunch and dinner. I have the most trouble eating healthy for lunch - mostly because I am often on the go and get hungry while I am out. Let's face it, if we don't plan our meals we are much more tempted to eat something unhealthy.  I like to plan my meals for the week on Sunday before I go grocery shopping.

Today we will focus on breakfast and snacks. I have a list of several breakfast ideas that I eat on a weekly basis. I pretty much just mix and match these menus for breakfast to make sure I get a healthy start to my day. I try to keep my calorie count around 300 calories for breakfast.

 

 Here are some of my healthy breakfast ideas:

• Whole Grain Cereal/with almond milk and berries, or melon
• Whole wheat toast or English muffin with almond butter (one Tablespoon or so) and an apple, melon, or berries, banana  (you could put the berries or banana on top and make a little sandwich)
• Whole grain waffles with berries or melon, with pure maple syrup (1 Tablespoon or so)
• Protein Shake with almond milk, protein powder, a banana, frozen berries, and some kale.
• Oatmeal with berries or banana, and a hard boiled egg
• Yogurt with fruit ( bananas or berries or whatever fruit you like) and a few nuts (almonds or walnuts, about eight or so nuts) or a little granola
• Two eggs scrambled with lots of veggies, spinach, onion, peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, etc., and a little low fat cheese

Today I had a protein shake! Nummy!
1 cup of almond milk
1 scoop of protein powder
1 banana
1/2 cup frozen berries
handful of kale

Snack ideas:

• String cheese and an apple or any other fruit
• Apple with 1T almond butter
• Hummus and veggies
• hardboiled egg and veggies
• Small handful of Almonds
• Small handful of Walnuts

More tomorrow on planning lunch and dinner.

 

 

90 Day Challenge - Game On!

Join me in a 90 Day Fitness Challenge

 

 

I am committing to a 90 day fitness challenge to release weight and get healthier by eating real whole foods, exercising and meditating. And, I hope YOU will too! Beginning tomorrow and for the next 90 days through September 30, 2013 -  I challenge myself to release at least 33 pounds. This is my goal!

This is my time frame.

You should make your own goal for the 90 days. Maybe your goal is to release 2 pounds a week, maybe its 1 pound a week. Maybe you want to get stronger, maybe you want to run faster. Then post your goal!  You decide when you want to start the challenge, but I suggest starting it now, because there is no time like the present to get going!  The official challenge will be July 1 - September 30th! The key is to make the goal and then take the steps towards reaching your goal on a DAILY basis.

This blog will provide support, including meal, exercise and meditation ideas and information.

Keys to being successful on the challenge (I'm talking to YOU and ME!):

· Write your goal down. Weigh yourself on day one, and write your starting weight down. Then weigh yourself weekly after that. Don't be tempted to get on the scale everyday - your weight will fluctuate during the day.

· Plan your meals. Make sure you know what you will be eating each day, so you are not tempted to just grab something that isn't healthy. I will give some suggestions on planning during our journey.

· Exercise consistently and regularly. For me this is going to be at least 45 minutes five (5) days a week  You decide how much you want to exercise and then do it. Maybe it's 3 days a week for 20 minutes to start out.

· Eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. It's summer so there are bevy of great choices out there.

· Eat three healthy meals and two snacks a day. By snacks I mean healthy snacks, like nuts, or fruit or veggies, not ice cream! I will give some suggestions for meals and snacks in this blog.

· Be active. That means take the stairs, take the dog for a walk, clean the house,  take a bike ride around the neighborhood, garden - movement burns calories. Move as much as you can in addition to your consistent exercise.

· Track. By this I meal record your food intake and exercise time and intensity. Consider some sort of monitoring system. I use Body Media - I really like it. I can track what I eat and it tracks how many calories a I burn a day. It's great!

· Meditate daily. This may be something you haven't heard before regarding releasing weight and fitness, but I think it is key. I meditate at least 15 minutes a day. I try to do more, depending on how much time I have. I think it really helps me to focus on my goals and curbs my cravings. Try it! You might like it. More on meditating during our journey.

· Remember this is a journey, not a destination!

I will be posting tips and information daily. Look for more good stuff tomorrow!

 

What good is knowledge without action? Why did I eat that Oreo?

I saw this graphic today, and thought that it was a great topic for my blog because I am the queen of knowledge about food, diet, exercise, etc., and I hate to admit that I don't always do what I know.

For example, I know what to eat. But, do I eat healthy all the time? No. I started to ponder this, and wondered why it is with all my knowledge I don't eat healthy all the time. I know what all the chemicals and bad ingredients, and sugar and gluten can do to a person's health. I know the ravages and disease that eating poorly can cause.

So, why did I eat that Oreo? - I don't even like Oreos. This is a funny story - well sort of. I bought about seven different types of Oreo products for a teaching demonstration I was doing for a job interview. Yes. A job interview for another adjunct professor position. YAY! That's another story. Anyway, I bought these Oreos to describe what a product line is - basically it is all of the products under one brand name - in this case the Oreo brand name. Did you know that there are 96 different types of Oreo products? That's a blog post of its own! I thought having the actual products - mint Oreos, mini Oreos, Oreo ice cream sandwiches, etc. to show during my teaching demonstration would make the concept easier to understand. And, it did. They loved it! I tried to leave the Oreos with the Dean who interviewed me, but he said I should keep them and use them in my class. So, I kept them. They sat on my credenza in my office for about three days, until one day while I was stressing about something I ate one mint Oreo, then another, then another, and another until I had eaten about six of the little buggers. I closed up the package and went back to work. Then later that night. I saw the package again and ate another six or so of the little devils. And, the next morning I had three. What was wrong with me?

Now in looking back at what happened, I believe that the best solution for eating clean and healthy is to not let the unhealthy foods into your life. Just like unhealthy relationships. (I did eventually throw out the whole lot of Oreos, but not before I had devoured a few more.) So, having the knowledge isn't all there is to the equation. The action part of the equation is to not allow the unhealthy foods in your life. Yes. You will be tempted at parties and when you go out to dinner to make an unhealthy choice, but that's where planning comes in. But, why would you allow the crappy death producing foods into your home. For the most part I don't allow them into my home. I buy healthy foods like chicken, fish, lots of vegetables and fruits, and healthy grains like oatmeal, brown rice and quinoa. I try to limit processed foods of any kind, and if I do by anything processed I read the label and look for something that has less than five ingredients or at least something where I know what all the ingredients are in the product. Or at least that is what I try to do.

So, throw out all the processed crappy food in your house NOW. Yes. I know you spent money on it, but at what cost for the future. It will cost you more in the future if you eat it now. So, get rid of all the "Oreos" and other crap in your pantry, and don't replace it.

I know sometimes we all want something sweet, but don't eat those crappy processed, non-food sweets. I will be posting some recipes for some healthy sweet treats soon.

Happy pantry purging!

Enjoy Your Vacation without Gaining a Pound

I'm leaving on Friday to go to my step-daughter's graduation. And, I want to make sure I make healthy choices while I am on vacation. I don't want to use this time for a free for all - something I have done way too many times in the past! But, on the other hand I don't want to miss out on a fantastic local dish or meal. So, I came up with these tips for myself that might help you too.

· Pack some healthy snacks for the plane ride.

· Indulge in local delicacies in moderation. Split your meal with someone or only eat half of your scrumptious local meal.

· Have a healthy breakfast every morning, even if you are eating out. It is possible to get oatmeal with fruit, or a healthy omelet at most restaurants. Don't opt for the Eggs Benedict (This suggestion is for me! haha) just because you are on vacation.

· Take some snacks with you - some almonds, an apple or  Lara Bars - something portable just in case you get famished on your journey. You don't want to be heading to the snack bar at the airport or the first fast food restaurant you see because you need to eat now!

· If you have a dessert, split it with someone.

· If you have a cocktail, make sure it is something light like a light beer or a white wine. Stay away from sugary, umbrella-adorned cocktails like Margaritas, etc. Drink a glass of water between cocktails.

· Be as active as you can - go on a bike ride, walk around the city and take in the sights - to burn off those extra calories you might consume.

· Check out the local market when you arrive and buy some healthy snacks for your hotel room so you don't raid the mini bar.

· Don't be afraid to ask the waiter if they have any healthy choices on the menu. Many restaurants offer a healthy selection or two.

· Drink plenty of water. Lots and lots of water. Buy some bottled water at the local market when you arrive, so you can carry them with you on your travels.

With these tips - I plan to keep on track on my vacation. And, not gain a pound! And, you can too! Bon Voyage!!!

Yummy Juice Recipe

Thought you might me interested in this juice recipe.  I have been trying to get a least one homemade juice into my daily menu - usually for my morning snack.

Mid Morning Pick Me Up

2 celery stalks
1/2 small cucumber
1 apple
1 pear
handful of kale
1/2 beet

Juice it all together, add some ice and enjoy!

Is Planning Beneficial in Releasing Weight? I think it is key!

I think planning is most definitely a must when trying to release weight. I know that when I don't plan I am much more likely to make a bad choice, like ordering Scampi with Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce (I confess I did this just the other night! Argh!) instead of a healthier Mediterranean Chicken with Roasted Peppers and Couscous disch while out to dinner, or never getting to the gym. When I make a plan I stick to it (most of the time), when I don't all bets are off. Who knows what could happen!!  I might make a good choice and I might not. When I don't plan, I have a hard time not being tempted and a hard time making healthier choices (this probably goes back to the habits discussion).

What can you do to start planning and succeeding in your weight loss plan?

Plan your Eating

First of all, I would suggest planning your weekly meals on the weekend. That way you will have time to shop for the needed ingredients, and look at the week ahead. If you have a lunch to attend - look at the menu of the restaurant online before going. That way you won't be tempted to get the special instead of the healthy choice on the menu.  Usually I write my menu out for the week on Sundays. I don't have too much trouble eating a healthy breakfast so I just write a list of healthy breakfast choices and then I pick from the list. I make sure I always have eggs, lots of veggies and fruit, feta cheese, almond milk, protein powder, oatmeal, frozen fruit, etc. on hand. So, I can whip up an omelet, or protein shake in a flash, or oatmeal with fruit and a hardboiled egg.  For me lunch proves to be the hardest meal to eat healthy if I don't plan. Now I make a menu for lunch each week, specific to each day of the week, incorporating lunches out. Usually my lunches consist of some sort of salad with lots of veggies and a protein, maybe even a 6 inch turkey subway sandwich if I know I won't have too much time to prepare my lunch. Dinner is the easiest during the week for me because I usually cook a healthy dinner, but if I don't plan I will end up getting takeout instead. So, plan, plan, plan and then stick to your eating plan menu.

Plan your Moving
Plan your exercise, as well. Don't just say I will go to the gym four times this week. Plan exactly when you will go and mark it in your calendar. And, then just do it. Treat it like an appointment with your most important client. You are after all your most important client, right? Pick different exercises so you won't get bored. Maybe try a new class at the gym. Look at the class schedule online and then make an appointment with yourself to go.

Plan your Believing
This might sound strange, but you need to plan your time to believe in the new you. Set aside some time to - I'm going to say it again - Meditate. I do it first thing when I get up in the morning. I use the restroom (got to do that first thing in the morning!) let Cleopatra out so she can use the restroom, start the coffee and then meditate before I do anything else. I have a timer on my iPad and I set it and just do it!  Another good thing to do at this time is visualize your new healthier self, the way you will feel, the way you will look, what others will say to you, what you will be able to do. Take a few minutes at the beginning of your mediation to visualize the new you!

These are my suggestions to myself  and to you and for using planning to reach our weight release goals! Happy Planning!