Saturday, January 29, 2011

Our Lessons Come from Everywhere!

Who would think that a powerful lesson would come from watching American Idol? Well the final contestant profiled on Wednesday night's show was a young man who was dedicated to his fiance, who had been in a car accident, suffered traumatic brain injury and was now seriously impaired. His love for her and his dedication to taking care of her was a "whole box of tissues" moment. He said - "I was 2 months away from our wedding where I was going to commit to loving her in sickness and in health. What kind of man would I be if I left her now?"

It was a real MOMENT on TV. I bet zillions of people across the country were impacted by the the character of this man. (BTW, he is going to Hollywood! Yay!)

So, for me, it was yet another opportunity to reflect on my journey, and feel very ashamed of myself for worrying about truly unimportant things in life like how many pounds I had lost in the previous week. YES, it is important to stay focused on a healthy journey, and NO it is not important if we are stuck and need to get past a plateau. We have the ability and the brain power and the where with all to make choices every day that can impact our lives in a healthy positive way. The poor young woman who was injured has had her life altered forever. It makes me sit and wonder...why does God give some people such enormous challenges in life. I am humbled beyond anything to realize that my challenges are puny and insignificant by comparison.

So, embrace your healthy journey, focus on what will help you live your best life and rememebr to give back to someone else who needs your help.

Desire to accept life's lessons wherever they come from. Dedication to helping others in need. Discipline to stay focused on my healthy journey, little frustrations be damned!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Joining Friends for Dinner

I worked out with my trainer this morning and also did 30 minutes of hard cardio. Tomorrow Allen and I will go do our favorite beach walk with the 5 really long staircases.

We are meeting friends for dinner out tonight and I want to be very careful. Last Saturday night, we also went out with friends. When they heard about my recent promotion, they ordered champagne to celebrate. I wasn't planning on consuming alcohol calories, but had a glass just the same. I also tasted a wide variety of delicious Chinese dishes. Our host had ordered for the group so I did taste quite a bit. I ended up eating way more calories than I had wanted to. Tonight will be different. I know the restaurant and will place a healthy order and enjoy it!

Going out to dinner can definitely lead to extra calories consumed but I think it is all part of learning how to live in the real world and engage in normal social activity.

I shed 2 pounds last week so now I only have 3 more to go to get back to my pre-Christmas number (yes, I enjoyed gaining 5 pounds from all the holiday treats!). From there it is on to reaching my final goal in 2011!!!

Desire to celebrate life. Dedication to returning to plan. Discipline to keep up the workouts.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Travel Your Healthy Journey - Do Not Diet!

Healthy Weight Week is about eating like you are not “on a diet.” January 16 – 22, 2011 is the 18th Annual Healthy Weight Week founded by Frances Berg, RD. As her website says, “It’s a time to celebrate healthy living habits that last a lifetime and prevent eating and weight problems, rather than intensifying them, as diets do. “ The premise is to create a lifestyle that promotes a healthy weight by using techniques that prevent eating and weight problems.

This “holiday week” need not be detrimental to your weight loss goals. But the Weight-control Information Network, supported by the National Institute of Health, recently published an article which suggests that the key to weight loss is adopting healthy lifestyle habits that you can continue for a lifetime. On the heels of the goals set as New Year’s resolutions, Healthy Weight Week may be right on time. A"s soon as 20 days after the New Year, many dieters are struggling to maintain the same level of motivation they had on the 1st." So, it’s not a vacation from your weight loss journey, instead try using Healthy Weight Week to refresh your senses and take on your goals with a renewed outlook.

Frances Berg, founder of Healthy Weight Week, is a registered dietitian, family wellness therapist, and adjunct professor at the University Of North Dakota School Of Medicine. Author of 12 books, Frances touts 16 years as the founder, editor and publisher of Healthy Weight Journal. Her mission is to use the extensive research under her belt to shine a light on the inherent issues some of us have with weight maintenance. She wants us to end the cycle of yo-yo dieting.

To celebrate Healthy Weight Week, Frances Berg has issued a personal challenge that includes ten healthy living habits. Her challenge asks us to choose two or three activities from the list below to carry through the week, at a comfortable level. The aim is to continue your initial activities and gradually add others as the year goes on. Here is her list:

1. Stop dieting. Stop making weight loss goals and “waiting to be thin.” Stop weight-obsessive thoughts. Instead, be your own best self, starting right now. Decide it’s time to get on with living your life to the fullest.
2. Be active in your own way every day. Focus on the pleasure of movement and its health and energy benefits, not only on calories burned. Don’t overdo it, or it won’t become a habit. (If you’re not regularly active now, start with 5 minutes a day for the first month, then gradually increase time.) For most adults, an appropriate level is about 30 minutes a day for at least five days a week. Avoid long periods of inactivity.
3. Identify and build on your own special talents, traits and interests. Use self-talk and affirmations to enhance personal acceptance, respect, self-esteem and positive body image. Feel good about yourself.
4. Feel good about others. Expect and extend respect, tolerance and acceptance.
5. Promote good relationships and communication with family, friends and acquaintances. Spend time enjoying social activities.
6. Rediscover normal eating – eat at regular times, typically three meals and snacks to satisfy hunger. Tune in to your body’s internal signals of hunger and fullness – eat when you’re hungry and stop when full and satisfied. Enjoy your food. Notice how much better you feel!
7. Eat well. Include all five food groups every day: bread and grains, fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy, meat and alternates. Choose balance, variety and moderation. All foods can fit.
8. Relax and relieve stress in your life. Take time for a daily 10-15 minute relaxation session. Or just empty your mind and let your body go limp for 30-second relaxation breaks occasionally throughout the day. Stress can lead to high blood pressure, chest pain, back pain, indigestion, headaches, insomnia, anxiety, depression, confusion, mood swings, irritability and anger. Listen to your body. Be flexible, relax and go with the flow.
9. Respect and appreciate size diversity. Reassure yourself and others that beauty, health, and strength come in all sizes. Promote healthy living at every size. Recognize that size prejudice hurts us all.
10. You may choose to make a personal contract and give yourself a reward at the end of each week. If you’ve set your challenges too high, you’ll know it: cut back before they become burdensome. Make healthy living changes gradually, one baby step at a time, small changes you can live with for the long term.

Desire to consult with other experts. Dedication to challenge your Nelf to grow and stretch on your journey. Discipline to set small goals and achieve them.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

It's Great to Be Back!

As much as I enjoyed all my holiday treats, it is nice to be back to my focused healthy eating and movement approach to life! I am focusing on vegetables, fresh tangerines, blueberries and gala apples! I keep trying new juice combos - have you tried beet, celery and cucumber? Delicious! Tangerine, spinach and celery? Amazing!

I am loving focusing on my fitness. My face is continuing to heal well. I am excited to meet my final goal in 2011. It is great to be back, focused and moving forward!

I hope your year is off to a good start too. This time of year, everywhere we turn, we see articles about nutrition, cooking shows about light and healthy cooking, TV ads about a new piece of fitness equipment and so much more. So, it is a good time to jump on the band wagon, dive into the deep end, take that first step and do whatever it takes to get started (and/or recommit to your continuing efforts) on your healthy journey.

Drop me a comment and let me know how you are doing!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

TMC!

Too many calories!
Too many cookies!
Too much chocolate!
Too much champagne!
Too much chardonay!
Too much cake!
Too much Christmas crack!

Time to shift back into healthy gear and leave indulgent gear in the rear view mirror for the time! Welcome to 2011! We juiced for breakfast today then went to the beach for the Swami's walk and 5 sets of stairs. A positively GORGEOUS blindingly beautiful Encinitas morning. The path was full of like-minded people. It was a great start to the day and the year!

Don't get me wrong, I literally enjoyed every single tempting morsel I inserted into my mouth! I kept up my workouts, but we all know that the workouts aren't enough to fully counter balance too many calories.

I love that old song....to everything turn turn turn, there is a season, turn turn turn, and a time to every purpose under heaven! Thus endeth the season of holiday indulgence and beginneth the season of healthy journey 2011!!!

Desire to reach my final goal by June 2011. Dedication to my own health and well being. Discipline to apply all I have learned to move forward!!!