Tag: workouts

Beauty is Only Skin Deep

When I first started this journey I focused heavily on nutrition and exercise.  I made the decision to buy organic whenever possible.   These changes certainly helped me get on a path to wellness.  The more I learned, the more I began to question other areas of my life.  One morning as I applied my makeup I began to wonder about other areas in my life that I needed to reevaluate.  I wrote to a nutritionist on Facebook and asked her what organic skin care products she used.  She wrote back rather quickly and stated that she didn’t use an organic product.  I was kind of surprised by that as I know how much she advocates not putting chemicals into the body.

At this point in time, I began researching the topic.  There was a ton of research to support that many of our beauty products are laden with chemicals.  Further, our skin is one of our largest organs and the products we are slathering on are full of cancer causing ingredients.  All of these ingredients gain quick access to our body through our pores.  These products include everyday items such as soap, hairspray, moisturizers, shampoo, makeup.  The list is endless.  I was floored!  Here I am eating clean and trying so hard to avoid any chemicals in my food and then I just wipe it on my body daily.  How scary is that?

According to an article by Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Americans are “exposed to more than a hundred chemicals from cosmetics, soaps, and other personal care products before leaving the house in the morning.”

After reading information such as this, I started researching products I could use to replace my current ones.  This turned out to be no easy feat, as I quickly learned how hard it was to read the labels on beauty products.  I couldn’t even pronounce most of the ingredients listed, much less know what they were.  Further, some of the products I tried simply didn’t work.  They smelled horrible and were quite expensive.  I finally found a line of clean products I love.  I have been using them now for three years and they work.  I’m happy to say that these healthier products are affordable, effective and clean.  A true personal victory.

I’m also happy to say that four years later, consumers and the industry are catching on to the market for healthier personal care products.  Today there are far more options out there and it is becoming increasingly easier to decipher what ingredients are in these products.  This week my nutritionist Ellie put out a newsletter on this topic and I was happy to learn about some new product lines that she’s recommending.  I ordered a sample size to try and will see about adding them into my current regime.

Here’s my current recommendations on ways to increase support for healthy, clean skin.

Clean Eating

Clean eating is the first and necessary step!  Healthy skin, like abs, is made in the kitchen.

Hydration

I saw a photograph online that showed a woman’s before and after photo.  I thought it must be for a new skin care line as she clearly looked younger and healthier in her after photo.  When I read the article I realized that was not the case.  What the photograph was actually showing, was the impact of drinking water each day.  This woman looked years younger and the article was supporting the claim that proper hydration is the first step toward healthy, supple skin.  Well that is one beauty tip I quickly adopted.  What an easy, clean and inexpensive way to improve my skin.

The research on this claim is not clear.  For example, one article claimed that if your skin is not getting the sufficient amount of water, the lack of hydration will present itself by turning your skin dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin has less resilience and is more prone to wrinkling.  Others said there was a lack of sufficient research to support that drinking water improves hydration in skin.  For me, it was worth trying and personally I do feel proper hydration makes my skin look healthier.

Collagen Supplement

My nutritionist recently suggested I add collagen to my diet.  I wasn’t too sure what it was and why I needed it so I read up on the topic.  Wellness Mama in a recent blog said:

“Collagen is a long-chain amino acid and the most abundant protein in the body. It is composed of the individual amino acids Glycine, Proline, Hydroxyproline and Arginine and in nature is found exclusively in animal tissue, especially bones and connective tissue. It is what is responsible for giving skin elasticity, hair its strength, and connective tissue its ability to hold everything in place. In fact, the collagen protein makes up 30% of the total protein in the body, and 70% of the protein in the skin!

While collagen is beneficial to the entire body, it is most noticeably beneficial to the skin. This is because as a person ages, the epidermic (outer layer of skin) thins and loses elasticity in a process known as elastosis. As this happens, a person tends to show more signs of aging and acquire more wrinkles.”

I purchased a Kosher, hormone free collagen powder from Amazon and started adding it to my morning coffee and/or smoothie.  A few weeks later my daughter complimented my skin.  I do think it has made a difference and I definitely notice my hair and nails are growing faster too.  This powder is totally tasteless and you’ll hardly know it’s there.  This is the one my nutritionist highly recommended and I currently use.  I get mine on Amazon as it was the best price around.

Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate Beef, Kosher

Skin Care Products

The line I have been using and love is from a company called Farmaesthetics.  All of their products are 100% natural.  The website periodically has sales, but when they don’t, I shop Amazon and with my prime I get free delivery.  Here are the products I use, but they have many others as well.  The milky moisturizer is so clean and fresh smelling, I just love it!  All of these products require such a small amount they last forever!

Farmaesthetics Fine Herbal Cleanser

Farmaesthetics Nourishing Lavender Milk 8oz

Farmaesthetics Eyebright Makeup Remover & Treatment

Make-Up

I really don’t wear a lot of makeup.  I wear a small amount of foundation and touch of blush.  I have used Bare Esenctuals for years.  It is a natural, mineral based make up line.  I purchase mine at Macys when it’s on sale, but it is readily available.  I also recommend you look at the Jane Iredale line of natural products.

I am excited that personal beauty products seems to be an up and coming topic of discussion.  I feel that small changes such as these could have huge consequences on my health.  Seriously, if I can cut more chemicals out of my life, why wouldn’t I.  What have I got to lose?  I’m so glad I did and I will continue to look for other areas in my life that need an overhaul.

What about you?  What changes have you made to your daily personal care routines?  I’m always interested in learning about new product lines.  Please share!

Pillars of Success

Today is my one year anniversary of writing this blog.  One year into this public journey and I’ve continued to share weekly.  Thanks to all who are following along with me on my journey.  It helps to know someone’s out there reading and learning with me.  I’d love to hear from you about your journey, so please leave comments or feedback for me.

We’ve talked about some of the common misconceptions these past few weeks, as well as the lies we tell ourselves along the way.  Self preservation at its best, or maybe at its worst.  We always have to address the elephant in the room in order to grow, but now I’d like to get back to the positive side of this journey.  I’d like to share the foundational changes I’ve learned are necessary in order to be successful on our road to health.  These 5 pillars of success set the foundation upon which we will grow and maintain healthy living.

Clean Eating – Food

I think you know by now I am not about fad diets, elimination of food groups, or anything else that I don’t believe will be sustainable.  Counting calories or points is not something I want to do.  I try hard to eat clean and surely go through periods where I am more successful than others.  I am human after all and don’t strive to be perfect.  I face each day as a new day and let go of the mistakes made in the prior one.  I tell myself, it’s about balance – the right proteins, healthy fats and healthy carbohydrates.  I shoot to eat clean at least 80% of the time.

In order to hit this pillar I do spend some time menu planning each weekend.  The focus of this time is on my dinner meal as this can be the most challenging for me as it comes at the end of my often stressful day.  Breakfast and lunch for me are super simple for me to prepare.  Personally, I don’t prep my food, but know many people who do this and swear by it.  For me, I prefer fresh food daily.  I strive to cook simple, quick and healthy meals each week.   Thankfully, we live in the era of the internet and have access to thousands of quick recipes.  I’m a huge fan of soups, organic chicken and meatless meals.  I highly recommend this cookbook and website for ideas. The Wellness Mama Cookbook: 200 Easy-to-Prepare Recipes and Time-Saving Advice for the Busy Cook

Daily Movement – Exercise

This is the pillar most of us overthink.  This doesn’t have to be hours at the gym each day, or painful workouts.  Then it becomes unsustainable and we give up.  To make this attainable think simplicity.  What can you realistically do to make a change in your life?  I like to start each day with some type of movement.  It can be as simple as a 15 minute yoga flow, or as complicated as an hour run.  This all depends on my available time and where I am in my training cycle.  Right now I am recovering from three broken toes, but that doesn’t mean I get to lay around each day and give up all movement.  I’ve found ways to continue to exercise each day.  Again, there are thousands of workout options on the internet.  Youtube has so many free classes to choose from.  Just google what you are looking for and it is there.

My average week includes 6 days of workouts and 1 day of rest.  The 6 days include 5 days of running when I am in training for upcoming races.  The other day is an active recovery day, which means yoga or pilates class.  I do all workouts in my home and out on the road in my neighborhood.  I’ve done the gym, yoga studio and personal trainer route and while I loved them all, it just wasn’t sustainable for me.  I was basically rushing out the door every morning at 5 am to squeeze my workouts in before work.  Choosing to do these workouts at home has given me an extra hour in the morning to sip coffee, check email and write.  It also removed a layer of stress and rushing I just didn’t need.

If you want to keep it even simpler than that, all you really need to get started is 15 – 20 minutes of movement per day.   Think in terms of high intensity movements (not high impact) that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously.  In the following video clip, Danette May is doing 3 moves for 20 reps each.  She does 20 – 20- 20 for three rounds.  Try this simple routine and see how your heart rate goes up.  Couple this with walking at least three days a week and you are on the road to making huge gains.  Throw a pair of sneakers in your car and you will easily be able to carve out some time for a quick walk, even on your way home from work.

Sleep – Body Repair

This is the thing I struggle with the most.  I do not sleep well and never realized just how much this impacts my overall health.  Getting a good night sleep is a critical part of this journey and something I work on every day.  There are so many research studies that show just how detrimental it can be to not get a good night sleep, yet so many of us struggle to do so.  I’ve been doing better lately in this are and can feel the difference.

Each night I now stop using my computer at around 7 PM.  Unplugging and allowing myself to relax a bit before attempting to go to bed.  I have found that a sleep schedule has helped improve my sleeping patterns.  Whenever possible, I go up to bed at around the same time.  I read a bit in bed and as I become tired I go to sleep.  I’ve started using a diffuser on those hard to sleep nights.  I fill mine with water and organic lavender essential oil.   Finally, when I wake up, as long as I’ve had at least 6 hours of sleep, I get up.  I no longer lay there and stress myself out that I can’t fall back asleep.  This stress is totally not necessary.  Most days I am up by 4 AM and that’s just ok for me.  That is my body’s natural rhythm and time clock and it is all just fine.

Mindset – Positive Self Talk

I talked a lot about this during the summer as I trained for my half marathon.  You can’t underestimate the power of positivity.  This can be a struggle for many of us, myself included.  I’m working hard to be kind to myself and have found that it does help keep me motivated.  When I find myself heading down that negative road, I remind myself how far I’ve come.  This body I’ve been given has allowed me to do incredible things.  I need to care for it and part of that care includes developing my mindset around focusing on what I CAN do.

Declaring my why has been a big part of developing my mindset.  Using positive self talk and getting a vision of what I am trying to accomplish has helped me tremendously.  Also, thinking about the impact my negative self talk has not only on me, but on my daughter, has helped reign it in.

Please revisit my powerful blogs on this topic:

Unintended Consequences

Run like Shalane

Power of Mindset

Supplements – Only as Needed

I have written a lot about this topic.  I have personally tried many different supplements on this journey.  I’ve realized that you can’t REPLACE unhealthy eating with pills or powders, no matter how many you take.  I only take what I need and what I feel I can’t, or am not getting through my food choices.  For me right now what I need to supplement is Vitamin D3 (taken with K2 for absorption), Turmeric (inflammation), Protein (Only on days I feel it’s lacking.) and Greens (only on days I feel I need a little help getting in my vegetables.).

See my blogs on this topic:

Food Not Supplements

Fake News about Supplements

I hope you see simplicity running through all of my pillars.  Without simplicity, we truly are setting ourselves up for failure.  Always think longterm.  While a complicated change might seem easy in the short term, ask yourself – “Is this something I want to, or can do, for the rest of my life?”  If the answer is no, then it is likely not a sustainable change.

Help me celebrate my anniversary.  Share at least one thing you’ve enjoyed about reading my journey.  If it’s had an impact on your journey, I’d love to hear how.

 

 

 

The Lies We Tell Ourselves

How many times have you heard, or said, “I did everything but didn’t lose an ounce.”  Or, “I work out every single day and can’t lose weight.”  This is usually followed with, “I give up!“, or, “There must be something wrong with my body, my thyroid, my …..”

These thoughts and words in most cases are really just part of the narrative we use to make up for the fact that we are losing our battle to reclaim our health.  It truly happens to us all at some point.  I’d venture to say if we really drill down, we would find the true root cause of why we are not losing weight, or improving our health.  I’d also venture to say the truth is buried deep down under all the lies we tell ourselves.

I personally have lived in this land of alternative reality for a long time.  Thinking I could eat anything I want and still be healthy.  Thinking I was so smart and knew better than any of those reports out there.  At one point in my life, I was paying a personal trainer to help me lose weight.  I went religiously to her home 2 times a week.  On top of that I was swimming at the gym 3 times a week.  Guess what?  I wasn’t losing any weight.  I remember being frustrated and telling her that I just don’t get it. I was eating healthy, working out and getting nowhere.  Well, if I really had been honest with myself, I would have known that you can’t drink 2 glasses of wine a night as you cook that healthy dinner and expect to lose weight.  In fact, when you research it you will see that the truth is, if you drink 1-2 glasses of wine a day you will definitely gain weight.

This week I thought I’d delve into some of my favorite alternative narratives that I’ve used to justify my lack of progress.

1) I work out every single day and I’m not losing an ounce, there must be something wrong with my metabolism (thyroid, insert your favorite reason here).

Truth: You Can’t Exercise a Bad Diet

Believe me I’ve tried to, but it just doesn’t work.  No matter how many miles I ran, swam or biked I wouldn’t lose an ounce if I continued to eat pounds of pasta, pizza and drink glasses of wine while cooking.

If you are exercising like crazy and getting nowhere, before you blame your body for failing you, you must be totally honest with yourself.  Let’s face the cold, harsh reality of this truth.

  1. The truth is, flat abs are made in the kitchen, and no amount of cardio and crunches can sculpt a sleek physique if you maintain an unhealthy diet.
  2. It’s hard to get enough exercise in to undo the calories you’ll get in a double cheeseburger with French fries and a milk shake, even if you drink the diet coke!
  3. You might want to recalculate how many calories you’re actually burning in comparison to the ones you’re taking in. You’re not likely burning 600 calories in a yoga session, even hot yoga, no matter what your Fitbit says.
  4. You won’t have the energy to exercise if you’re not eating enough of the right foods that fuel the body.  This will impact your intensity levels and caloric burn.

2) I’m starving myself, following this diet to the letter, yet I’ve lost nothing.  

Truth: Eating too little could put your body in survival mode trying to hold on to as many calories as it can instead of burning at its usual rate, and your weight might plateau.

  1. Slashing calories and adding large amounts of exercise could cause an extreme caloric deficit that works against you.
  2. Not eating enough calories causes many metabolic changes.
  3. Your large caloric deficit might work for a short time, but eventually your body will go into survival mode and hold on to calories.
  4. Your body could slow down thyroid production.
  5. You could have a sense of low energy which could lead to lack of motivation.

3) I am eating totally healthy and can’t lose an ounce.

Truth: You may be eating healthy and still eating wrong.

This one is my favorite.  When my church followed the Daniel Fast for a month, I decided to extend my time eating Vegan.  I actually felt healthier than ever.  Well, soon thereafter I started gaining weight again.  What in the world am I doing wrong now?  I was eating way too much food thinking it was OK because it was so healthy.  Here are some common pitfalls of the healthy eating narrative:

  1. If some is good, more must be better, hence my heaping bowls of lentils!
  2. Portion size doesn’t matter since it’s healthy food. Portions matter in all foods end of story!
  3. Gluten free cookies are healthy cookies.  Umm, cookies are cookies people!
  4. I can eat unlimited bowls of fruit.  Fruit has lots of sugar albeit the healthier kind.
  5. No, you can’t drench your healthy food with oil, sauce cheese and butter.
  6. Watch your salad toppings.  A salad can have more calories than a Big Mac.

The list is endless, but these were the three big ones for me.  Living healthy is hard work and requires mindfulness.  Be wary of falling into these common pitfalls.  Personally, I find it helps to read and learn.  I’m always fact checking things I hear or read about.  It always sounds so easy, but anyone on this journey with me knows that’s the biggest false narrative out there.  It is work and requires effort, patience and perseverance.  No matter what I just keep on trying.  One day at a time and each day is a blank slate.

What were some of your favorite misconceptions?  Please share in the comments below.  I’d love to learn with you on this journey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fake News about Supplements

Last week we debunked some common misconceptions about healthy living.  This week, I’d like to delve into some common misconceptions about supplements.  Almost everyone I know, including myself, takes some type of supplement.  On this journey, I admit falling prey to some advertisements that claimed to have discovered the secret bullet of health.  Funny how these ads always include a free sample (shipping cost only), money back guarantee and subscription for endless shipments of future bottles.  Can I also admit to never renewing these subscriptions because the claims were false and I rarely saw any difference in my health.

Supplements are not regulated in this country, so it’s very easy for these marketers to make these lofty claims about health benefits.  Many people know they don’t live a healthy lifestyle and fall victim to the claims that they can fix that simply by taking a few pills.  Think of all the commercials you’ve heard, or ads you seen about this.  I’m not a good vegetable and fruit eater, though I’ve made tremendous improvements in this area.  Anytime I used to see those “vegetables in a pill or powder”, I thought I found my solution.  What I didn’t think about at that time was what happens to all the nutrients when the pill or powder goes through processing.

We have to be educated consumers on this journey because everywhere we turn we encounter somebody selling us something.  The number of life coaches out there is quite honestly scary.  There are so many companies who are using pyramid marketing schemes and empowering average people, not college educated in nutrition or doctors, to sell products to their friends, family and us.  Most of these companies have extensive supplement lines to sell and before you know it you’ve spent hundreds of dollars.  Please spend time researching anything you decide to buy and put into your body.  Read sites other than those of the coaches selling the stuff, or the manufacturer.  Dig deep to uncover the truths of any product and learn more about its true benefit, or risks to your health.

Here are 5 common myths about nutritional supplements*:

1. Myth: Supplements can help prevent or manage conditions like diabetes or heart disease.

Fact: Supplements aren’t intended to treat any specific health issue.

Nutritional supplements are NOT medication.  They can fill in nutritional gaps in a well-rounded diet nothing more.  There are some daily nutritional needs that are hard to meet through eating food alone.  Vitamin D is one example.  My doctor told me that it is virtually impossible for most humans to get enough Vitamin D through diet and exposure to sun alone.  Therefore, I do take a daily Vitamin D supplement, coupled with Vitamin K to aid its absorption.   Proper levels of vitamins in your body can help you feel better, but they are not a replacement for medical monitoring and treatments.  Proper monitoring of levels through lab work and blood tests could identify your nutritional gaps and needs for supplementation.

Takeaway: Supplements can be one piece of the puzzle in helping us prevent illness, although exercising and eating right are both more crucial.

2. Myth: Supplements can make up for your diet’s flaws.

Fact: You still need a well-rounded diet.

Supplements can’t replace a healthy diet.  People like me try to do this all the time.  I am not a great vegetable eater, so getting my daily allotment is a struggle.  Taking pills and powder to ease my worry seemed like a good decision.  However, when you rely on supplements instead of food you could actually be putting yourself at risk for other harmful effects.  For example, improper dosage of vitamins can increase their levels in your body.  This increase could cause side effects such as stroke or heart disease.  Many of these excess nutrients are stored within your body and not excreted.  They can build up and become toxic.

Additionally, most people also don’t take their supplements properly.  Most supplements are to be taken with food.  When you take a supplement, your stomach acids have to do all the work to dissolve the pill and send nutrients back out to the various body parts. When you take supplements with food, the nutrients in the pill bond with the food and you get the best delivery and absorption.  Skip the food and there’s a good chance your body will simply excrete most, if not all of the nutrients.

Take away:  Supplements can’t supply all the benefits of healthy eating.  Researchers have found about a million phytonutrients that you simply can’t get in a supplement, they are however available in antioxidant rich foods.

3. Myth: The best supplements are those labeled all natural. 

Fact: The only part of the label that matters is the nutrition facts.

Like other food sellers, supplement manufacturers are eager to capitalize on heightened consumer interest in natural foods.  In most instances, benefits to the consumer does not warrant the extra cost.    I shop on Amazon for most of the supplements I do take.  I find organic versions of smaller brands for far less.  When I started paying attention to the nutrition content I found it to be the same, if not superior.  Take the time to read the labels!

Takeaway:  What you should pay attention to is the nutrition information panel on the label.

4. Myth: When you hear a nutrient has new proven health benefits, it’s time to stock up.

Fact: The supplement may not be right — or safe — for you.

I wish all these proven health benefits came with the warning – be careful. Some supplements don’t interact well with others and may actually cause more harm than good.  It’s important to speak with a certified nutritionist and/or your doctor about the combinations of supplements you are taking, or plan to take.  Again, many could have unintended consequences on your body.

Takeaway:  Talk to your doctor or a dietitian to find out if it’s worth it, especially if you have a medical condition that could be compromised by large doses of certain nutrients.

5. Myth: Multiple single-source supplements are better than multivitamins.

Fact: For healthy adults, a multivitamin is sufficient (with some exceptions).

Takeaway:  Multivitamins are sufficient with the following exceptions – calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and omega-3. 

*Based on the article, 5 Myths About Nutritional Supplements by Debra Witt

Quick & Healthy Lunch Recipe:

Apple Fennel Chicken Waldorf Salad

  • 1 organic granny smith apple chopped
  • 1/2 c chopped organic fennel bulb
  • 1 head romaine lettuce chopped (or butter lettuce)
  • 4-6 oz chopped grilled chicken breast
  • 1/4 c feta cheese (if dairy tolerant)
  • 1/4 c chopped walnuts

Salad Dressing

  • 2 tbs full fat organic greek yogurt
  • 1 tbs organic dijon mustard
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 2 tbs red wine vinegar (I used fig condiment vinegar this week)

Mix all ingredients in large bowl.  Top with salad dressing.  Great lunch that I ate every day this week!  The dressing reminded me of a creamy Russian dressing.  Bold so go easy on it. I put it on the salad and tossed.

For the chicken, I grilled on my Optigrill three breasts for the week.  I chopped the fennel ahead and stored as well.  I guess you could make the dressing in a larger batch as well, but I like my dressing fresh.  My salad was easy to assemble all week.  One day this week I subbed the lettuce for spinach and the apple for red grapes.  The dressing on that day was organic lemon juice and olive oil.  Equally as good.

For Valentine’s Day, please share my blog with one person you love.

Fact vs Fiction

I’ve talked a lot on this blog about the impact of marketing on those looking to either lose weight, or live a healthier lifestyle.  It’s truly confusing when you are bombarded daily with these ads and miracle claims.  Remember my test, if it’s a “quick” fix it’s totally bogus.  Reclaiming one’s health can’t truly be a “quick” fix.  If it were, all these marketing folks preying upon us would be out of business.

Reclaiming one’s health is a life journey and requires work.  It also requires us to be educated consumers.  I wanted to share some common marketing myths and facts.  These are habits I have adopted for over a year and they have been proven through research to have positive impacts on the body.

The bottom line is you need to read and learn.  Be a critical consumer, especially when it comes to your health.

Marketing Lie: “Gluten-Free Bread is Healthier than Bread Made from Wheat”
If you’ve already given up traditional grain-based foods, you’ve made a wise decision!
But if you replaced these foods with their commercial gluten-free counterparts, reconsider.  You see, most gluten-free breads, cereals, pastas, crackers and cookies use ingredients that are not much better (and in some cases, worse) than those made with wheat!

Like any processed junk food, these products usually contain chemical preservatives, soy protein, dough conditioners, industrial seed oils, corn and rice syrup… and often, GMOs.
And that’s not all, because…The Ingredients in Most Gluten-Free Products Will Also Send Your Blood Sugar Soaring!In place of wheat flour, most gluten-free products – and many online recipes for that matter – use flours with glycemic values that are off the charts, including:

Corn Starch
Rice Flour
Potato Starch
Tapioca Starch
Sorghum flour
Millet

Here’s what Dr. William Davis, author of Wheat Belly, has to say about these unhealthy alternatives…“These powdered starches are among the few foods that increase blood sugar higher than even whole wheat. It means these foods trigger weight gain in the abdomen, increased blood sugars, insulin resistance, diabetes, cataracts, and arthritis. They are NOT healthy replacements for wheat.”                                                                  (Nutrition Watchdog)

Marketing FACT:”Drinking lemon juice elixir  each morning has strong health benefits.”

Drinking a lemon juice elixir each morning, as soon as you wake up and before you put anything else in your stomach, is an excellent way to start your day. It stimulates digestion, expels toxins from the liver and supports your digestive enzymes for a busy day ahead.

Once again, the ingredient requirements are strict: your water should preferably be spring water from glass bottles, but if this isn’t available then filtered water will do. This ensures the base for your tonic isn’t introducing new toxins into your body as you drink it — that would be a bit counterproductive. Next, as above, your apple cider vinegar should be raw, organic and unfiltered. When apple cider vinegar is filtered, the health-giving SCOBY or “mother” (an accumulation of beneficial bacteria and yeast that turns the apples into vinegar) is removed, and we definitely don’t want that.

Finally, the lemon should be organic, to ensure its skin isn’t riddled with nasty pesticides and other harmful chemicals.

These health tonics work best if you keep at it — make sure you drink them as directed for at least a week to begin experiencing the myriad of health benefits they offer.                  (Liivi Hess)

My Lemon Elixir Recipe

  • 4 oz organic coconut water
  • 4 oz filtered spring water (I have home delivery service)
  • 1 tbs BRAGGS Organic Vinegar
  • 1 tbs Santa Maria Organic Lemon Juice
  • Dash of cayenne pepper

On days when I am doing an Intermittent Fast protocol, I omit the coconut water and do 8 oz of filtered water.

Marketing Myth:Low Fat Diets help you lose weight.

Low fat everything has been the craze now for decades and look around. What has that wonderful bit of advice done for the bodies you see? We’re fatter, sicker, and more addicted to sugar and carbs than any other time in history. And, we’re passing these habits to our kids.

FACT:Fats are not to be feared – they’re to be embraced.

They do not make you fat; rather, they help your body regenerate your power hormones. Testosterone, the ‘strength’ hormone, for example, is the direct result of cholesterol and dietary fat intake. That’s right: “Cholesterol” isn’t a dirty word! Your body needs dietary fat and cholesterol in order to produce ANY AND ALL vital hormones.

People on low fat diets look drawn, gaunt, and weak. They are often sick, sometimes to the point of literally breaking down. And, they can never just enjoy eating out. Every meal and every gram must be accounted for. Do you really think this will make you younger? Of course not… it will worry you to death if it doesn’t kill you first!                                                  (5 Steps To Looking 10 Years Younger By Steve & Becky Holman)

Marketing FACT: Avoid chronic dehydration to look younger.

Water isn’t just “good for you” — water burns fat. Water suppresses hunger. Water renews your skin. Just drinking 12 ounces of pure water every day can take a few years off your face in a matter of weeks. You’ll also drop fat, have more energy, and save your kidneys and liver from chronic overwork.

When your kidneys are taxed from too little water, your liver has to take over. Now, get this: Your liver is your number one fat-burning organ. Do you REALLY want it processing liquids and toxins rather than BURNING FAT? No way, right? Well, grab a glass of water, and watch the mirror. Within a few weeks, the change to your face and body will be noticeable.                                                                                                                                                         (5 Steps To Looking 10 Years Younger By Steve & Becky Holman)

Be careful of amounts you consume.  I just read a program that required drinking one gallon of water per day.  There is such a thing as too much water and it can have negative effects on your body.  The best rule of thumb I’ve heard is aim for 1/2 your body weight in ounces.  Water is a struggle for me.  I shoot for 5 – 17 ounce bottles per day.  I use a Swell bottle to carry my filtered water with me and refill it during the day.  It is stainless steel lined and insulated.  I got mine on Amazon.  Great investment.

MIRA Double Walled Stainless Steel Cola Shape Water Bottle, 17-Ounce – Mandala 

Declaring My Why

This week I viewed a short video talking about the cycle of failure that often surrounds weight loss programs sent to me by Danette May.  I’ve talked a lot about that myself, so I am always curious to learn more.  We all truly want to be successful and sometimes we just need the tools to get there.  You know the hardest part isn’t losing the weight, right?  It’s the keeping it off and maintaining those healthy lifestyle changes you made to get there.  Hence, the cycle of failure surrounding lasting change.

Personally, I don’t do big swings up and down with my weight and health.  I have learned, after years of trying, to maintain where I am.  That is good and a celebration to be had.  Others are not so fortunate.  I know many who have huge swings in their weight.  What unfortunately happens is when you return to prior habits, you end up gaining it all back, plus a bit more.  It is so disheartening and sad and truly a phenomena I’d love to change.

Enter the clip I watched, with a simple easy addition to my healthy lifestyle journey.  This blog is actually all about what this person was saying, but I liked her explanation as to why it is so critical.  Basically, she said that one of the reasons people don’t hold on to the lifestyle changes and weight loss is because they lose sight of their WHY.  The reason they started the journey in the first place.  Once the weight is off and they feel better the WHY slips to the back of their thoughts and sure enough the old habits creep right back in.

This really makes sense to me and honestly it is true.  I have shared so many of my tips and strategies for maintaining this healthy lifestyle.  They are tools that helped me hold on.  I’ve shared my drive and motivation to keep going, even when injured, to move my body every day.   I’ve even shared that this month I added meditation to my morning routine, albeit short, to keep my mind free from stress.  Well, unfortunately not totally living stress free, but working toward it.  It’s very hard to keep stress out but I am building some walls around myself as we speak, yes walls!  That may be my next topic – People Who Care too Much or People Pleasers…

The short, simple idea the video I watched gave me is to not only Declare My Why, but to write it down and return to if often.  I definitely declared my why when I started this blog.  Read my first post here to refresh your memory if you missed it. Keeping My Memories        Taking my very personal journey public was a big step for me.  What I don’t yet do though, is return to my WHY, look at it, reflect on it.  I’m thinking a vision board may help me with that, but not the average one.  It’s truly never been about imagining myself in a sexy beautiful body, though that sure would be lovely.  Rather, it’s about seeing myself as a HEALTHY, HAPPY GRANDMOTHER surrounded by her beautiful family and KNOWING who they are!!  It’s about living my life to the last breath and living it to the fullest.

When I declare my why I say, “I REFUSE to allow Alzheimers rob me of my memories!  I REFUSE to suffer the fate of my grandmother and mother!  I REFUSE to lose!”  This is my motivation and my drive.  It pushes me out of bed when I don’t want to get up and exercise.  It pushes me to think about what I am putting in my mouth.  It helps me hold on to the gains I’ve made these past years and continuously pushes me forward. It helps me not stray too far off the path, even though there are bumps along the way.

Please take a moment this week and drill down to discover your why.  Why do you want to lose weight, or get healthy?  If it’s to look good for a special event, that may not bring about lasting change, for once the event is over old habits may creep back in.  Think beyond one event or moment in your life.  Think bigger.  Let’s all put on some armor as we attack this challenge, for this quest is truly a battle.  Let’s wage war on those old nasty habits and banish them once and for all.  Declare your why boldly!  Write it down, paste it visibly in your living space.  Look at it often, especially in those dark moments that will surely come.  Hold tight to your WHY and it will be the power that pushes you through this journey.

I love to share quick recipes I’ve discovered and enjoyed.

Recipes(Courtesy of Danette May)

Beet Wrap 

  • Organic Red beets (shredded)
  • Ezekiel Organic Sprouted Tortilla 6″
  • Grass fed, hormone free Feta cheese crumbled
  • Homemade Hummus
  • Organic arugula

Spread hummus on tortilla (1 tbsp), layer on red beets, small amount of feta and arugula.  Wrap and eat.  I used both raw and cooked beets.  I personally preferred cooked, but many prefer raw and the crunch.  P.S. – I’ve HATED beets my whole life and would never even put one in my mouth.  I tried and loved this wrap. A favorite lunch choice.

Homemade Hummus (courtesy of Danette May)

  • 1 1/2 c organic chickpea (cooked or canned)
  • 1/2 c of the bean liquid or water
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1/4 c Sesame Tahini organic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp organic lemon juice, or juice from 1 organic lemon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • pinch of cayenne pepper

Put all in Vitamix or blender, blend and serve.  DELICIOUS, simple and clean!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tools for Success

I’ve come to realize that the approach to healthy living runs parallel to education principles.  When thinking about educational principles, one realizes many of the concepts advocated are ones you’d need to be successful in healthy living.  This week I’d like to focus on a few of the changes I’ve made this month.

First and foremost you need to plan.  Much like teachers plan out their weekly lessons, the weekend finds me menu planning.  If I don’t take time to do this planning, I find myself grabbing just anything with little regard to health.   I have a simple system I’m currently using to make this time spent planning more effective.

I plan my meals using healthier versions of recipes (I use cookbooks and online sites).  I focus my planning on dinner.  I list for each day the dinner I will eat.  I create my shopping list on a piece of paper as I choose a dinner.  I plan to eat leftover from dinner for lunch, but also build in two lunch salads or quick meals.  I add these to my shopping list.   For breakfast, I plan on a green smoothie two to three days a week, eggs twice and oatmeal the other days.  I keep organic frozen veggies and fruit on hand, but add fresh produce to my list each week.  I only buy what I plan to consume to avoid waste.  I also freeze what I don’t get to eat.  I cut it up and place in ziplock freezer bags and this has cut down on waste.

When making shopping lists, I list items by recipe.   I then check in my freezer and pantry and cross off any items I find I already have.   This avoids duplicate purchasing of spices and other items I don’t use often and again cuts down on waste.  I think it has also cut down on my grocery bills.  Time well spent.

I don’t precook and prep my meals, as I know many do, for two reasons.  First, I’m not a fan of reheated food.  I like my food fresh and truly believe it’s healthier that way.  Secondly, I’m not a fan of the microwave oven.  I prefer my food cooked and heated the old fashioned way.  I worry about the effect of the microwave on my health so I try to significantly limit using it.

The only thing I precook is chicken.  I like to buy and roast on Sunday a whole, fresh organic chicken.  I roast it, cut it up and place in the refrigerator for the week.  I use the breasts and thighs during the week for salads.  I also use it for quick skillet meals for dinner.  My husband likes to pick on it during the week as well.

Another change I’ve made this month is focusing on my ingredients.   As an educator I know that analyzing and focusing on one change can have a strong impact on my progress.   I realized that I was eating healthy, but there were some ingredients I could makeover to lighten things up a bit.   First, I like to eat chicken salad and tuna once a week for lunch.   I had justified using mayonnaise because I used it so infrequently.   I never use light versions of food as I believe them to be less healthy choices – read your ingredients!   I finally found a substitute that I like and feel tastes comparable.   I mix two tablespoons or organic Greek plain yogurt (I don’t use light or fat free).   I use Stonyfield and find it smooth and not bitter.  I mix in organic Dijon mustard.  It tastes like mayonnaise and is so much healthier!  Here’s my chicken salad recipe –

2 tbs organic Greek yogurt plain

1 tsp organic Dijon mustard

chopped celery and 1/4 cup halved organic grapes

4 oz chopped chicken

chopped fresh organic parsley

Mix the yogurt and Dijon. Add all ingredients together and mix to coat with yogurt/Dijon.   Serve on romaine leaves (I make into wraps).  Salt as needed.

This is such a delicious lunch.   I’ve used this mayonnaise replacement in egg salad as well.   I may never need mayonnaise again!

Another ingredient makeover was made this month.   No more chemical and sugar laden coffee creamer for me!   I’ve shared this recipe before, but here’s my bullet coffee recipe.   Filling, healthy and energizing!  I only drink one cup per day and count this as a snack when meal planning.

1 tsp org coconut oil and Kerry Gold unsalted butter

1 cup hot brewed org coffee

1 tsp org cinnamon and tumeric

Sprinkle of cayenne

1/2 tsp org honey and raw cacao powder

1 tbsp org collagen powder

1 tsp org vanilla extract

Combine all and blend to make yummy and frothy coffee.   If not a coffee drinker substitute the coffee with a cup of matcha tea.

This swap removed a ton of sugar from this girl’s diet.   I was a half coffee and half flavored creamer girl.   The first time you make the coffee you may not love it.   Play around with the ingredients and give your palate a bit to adjust to the taste.   I love it and don’t even drink it the other way anymore.

One last tool I’d like to share is a balanced plate.   Again, like educators know well, balance is the key to success.   We can’t just teach something one way and expect to reach all learners.   Likewise, we can’t just eat one food group and expect to be healthy.   I find measuring, counting and complicated point systems annoying.   I like simplicity in my life and keeping it real.  Plating my food in a simple way helps keep me balanced.   First, I don’t use large plates.   My dinner plates are huge! I bought some super cute salad plates and use these for my meals.   Keeps the portion size appropriate and visually makes me feel I’m eating more. Next, I use the plate to help me portion my balanced meal.  Here’s my plating strategy, using simple fractional plan:

Divide your plate in half.  One half of the plate should be chock full of vegetables, or salad greens.  The other half, divide in half again.  One quarter should be devoted to your protein source, and the other quarter devoted to your carbs.  Simple, real and balanced.

I hope these tips help you stay on course to reclaiming your health. I’ve had a pretty solid January so far.   Let me know if you’ve any tools you’d like to share that have worked for you.

 

Me, Myself and I

It’s so hard not to play the comparison game, especially with social media.   I like to call Facebook – Fakebook.  When you look through the beautiful pages all you see is perfection, perfect families and relationships.  It’s no surprise that there are studies that now show that social media is causing increases in depression among some people.

Once I said to a friend, you photograph so beautifully.  I mean I’ve never seen you take a bad picture.   To which she replied, I’d never put it up if it wasn’t a good photo.  Oh, wow I hadn’t thought of it that way.  I had photos up that were less than perfect because I was keeping it real, capturing my journey.  If someone tagged me and I cringed, I left it as I felt it was a testament to our friendship and that moment.  I felt better hearing this though as I was beginning to hate photographs. Everyone takes a bad photograph but most were photoshopping their lives.

Another friend is struggling in her personal life.   Her marriage is in a rough patch and her relationship with her daughter is non existent.   She barely sees her.   Yet, in looking at her posts one sees a seemingly perfect marriage and close mother daughter relationship.   If you didn’t know the reality you’d think it was amazing.   Reality, it’s smoke and mirrors.   It’s rare photos of a smiling couple and shared photos of a grandchild sent to the mother who rarely sees her.   One doesn’t seem to notice the mother and daughter are never photographed together.   My friend is seeking to create on Facebook the life she’d much rather be living.  And, who could blame her for that.   Fantasy is far easier to live than the reality of a life in shambles.

I have another dear friend who is single.  She tells me Facebook and Instagram can be overwhelming because it’s often a constant streamed reminder of all she has yet to find.  Often she takes a time out from it.

For me, when I’m injured and not able to run, I find myself feeling left behind.  I feel pressure to get back out there before I lose it all.  I also admit to feeling some jealousy that others seem invincible and never get injured.  It’s not like I’m wishing harm to them as I’m surely not.  Rather, I’m self loathing the fact that my body failed me.

Currently I’m starting my third week of a healthy eating group.  We participate in discussions on a private Facebook page.  We share recipes and laughs.  But there is also sharing of successes and sometimes I read others comparing their experiences to these results.   For example, so far in two weeks I’ve lost five pounds.  Honestly, I haven’t taken measurements so I’ve no idea of loss there.  Others have posted losses of up to 14 pounds and many inches.   Some in the group have followed the recipes  to a t and lost nothing.  Once again social media, meant to be supportive, is causing these people massive amounts of stress.  There’s posts about leaving, giving up and just pure sadness.

All this stands as a reminder that reclaiming one’s health is a personal journey.  If we are sharing our story, as I am, we must be honest and truthful.  Life is not always a bed of roses and by not being open and honest, we miss the opportunity to connect and inspire many.   It’s easy to inspire when we are winning, but it’s equally important to inspire when failing.  Remember, it’s what we do when we fail that can serve as a true testament to the struggle.  Others who are struggling will thank God that they are not the only ones.  And, let’s never forget the struggle is real.

This week, I followed my menu and cooked clean and healthy.  Friday night after work I met friends for dinner.  I planned to make good choices on food and not to drink.  Well, I didn’t order any fries or pasta or potatoes with my meal.  I ordered a panini and planned to take half home for my hubby. I didn’t eat bread on the table as I was having a panini.  I decided to have just one drink and stayed away from wine.  I ordered vodka and tonic.  Hmmm.  Reality, I ate the whole panini and boy was it good.   I ordered a second drink too.  Oh well.  Saturday, I went to visit my son and his girlfriend.  My husband picked up a few bagels.   First thought, not having one of those.   Second thought, maybe just half.  Reality, that was one good bagel.

I’m not beating myself up for my weekend.  Life is made to be lived.  There will be good choices and life choices.   Life is far to short to pass up panini and bagels and enjoyment of food.  This is MY journey and there will be bumps along the way.  You don’t gain ten pounds back in a weekend.  It’s just water weight.  Eat clean the majority of the time and you’ll be fine.

It is my hope that we all remember that life on Facebook and other social media outlets is not always what it seems.  Everyone is facing their own struggles.  Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and you’ll be fine.  Slow and steady wins the race.  Compare yourself only to yourself and you’ll find strength there.  This journey is long and in the end, it’s only with yourself.

One Week at a Time

As I started my new 30 day mind and body challenge I was full of hope.  I had my meal ingredients purchased and organized.   I’d made human connections in my Facebook group and had all my tools loaded on my phone.  I downloaded Headspace and my ten day meditation plan to ensure I worked on my stress levels.  I downloaded Pilates workouts to supplement my workout plan since I still can’t get my broken toes in running shoes.  All set!

The first three days were considered a cleanse, or reset.  Lots of organic green veggies and fruit.  Tons of water.  The plan calls for a gallon of water a day, which I know is ridiculously dangerous.  Yes people, too much water can be dangerous.  It can mess with your electrolytes and put stress on your organs.  I drank as much as I could and shot for 60 ounces a day.

The first two days I had a mild headache, which I attributed to lack of my morning cup of coffee.  Day two I got to try quinoa.  That was a big mushy, messy fail.  I threw it out and tried again with less water. I ate quinoa and mangoes the next day and it went slightly better.

I told myself going in that I, the pickiest eater ever known, would at least taste every darn recipe I was given.  No preconceived opinions allowed if I’d never in my life tried the item.  This decision was tested on day 3 when I was called upon to eat red beets!!   Oh my gosh I have serious texture issues and those slimy red beets we’re going to be a huge challenge.  Here’s the lunch menu I was given –

1 6″ sprouted while grain tortilla

1 tbs homemade hummus (yum)

Shredded red beets

2 tbs feta cheese

arugula

Spread hummus on tortilla.  Add remaining ingredients.  Roll and enjoy.

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Excuse the foil as I was on the go.  Now, the red was a lot for me to deal with as was the first bite.  I wasn’t sure if I liked it or hated it but I thanked God for the feta and ate it.  Phew got through that hurdle.  Imagine my dismay when this darn wrap appeared on my lunch menu for the next day.  Ugh.  I put a little less red beets on the next day and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Day 4 I had to try Bok Choy.  Never ever would I have tried that!  But, I said I’d at least try everything.   I steamed it with carrots, added some turkey bacon. Actually it was a refreshing salad dinner that my daughter joined me in eating.  Not bad at all.

Week one is now in the books.  I’m down five pounds, which we all know is water weight.  I’ve done my meditations daily and my workouts.  I was true to the menu as I want to evaluate it.  In complete transparency, I attended a retirement party yesterday.  My food choices were good, but not the planned meals.  And, I did have a complete and utter love affair with a bowl of Lays.  Guess the saying is true, “Nobody can eat just one.”   I had some help, but definitely indulged.

I was feeling kind of bad about that when I got a text from my daughter.  She said, “Your skin looks great in that picture you shared.  I may have to do that cleanse.”   Those kind words bitch slapped me back on the plan.  Five pounds and noticeable glow were quite motivating.

Today, I’m prepping my shopping lists and previewing my meals.  I only see one test this week – Salmon.   Remember, I have color and texture issues big time.  Orange/pink fish are a double whammie.   There is a vegetarian option that is offered that I may have to take.  I have until I hit the market to decide.

Stepping outside that comfort zone is critical to success.  If we truly want different results, we have to do different things.   Hope your new year had gotten off to a healthy and happy start.  For me it has and now I’m off to drink more water.  Have an awesome week.

Comfort Zones

Many people will embark on new diet programs this month.  January is the biggest money maker for these programs every single year.  Have you noticed the increase in advertising on television lately for Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, gym memberships, etc.  Anyone that goes to the gym regularly can tell you January is the month to avoid the place.  There’s suddenly an influx of newbies for a few weeks and then things return to normal.

So many of us want to start fresh each year and vow to change our ways.  This will be the year I get thin, healthy, rich, you name it we’ve vowed it.  Unfortunately, if we don’t make realistic changes, in a few short weeks we will be right back where we started.  Most times we blame the program we were using.  For example, “Oh the food in Nutrisystem is just disgusting.  I couldn’t possibly eat it.”, “Weight Watchers points are too confusing.  It just doesn’t work!”, “The gym was just too crowded for me and I don’t like all those muscle heads in there anyway.”   You’ve heard them all before and possibly even said a few yourself.  But, guess what.  The program is not the problem.  The problem is us.  If we are not true to the program, we lose the right to blame it for not working.

As a Literacy Coach, I used to listen to teachers tell me that Balanced Literacy was horrible, ridiculous and didn’t work.  My response was – “But you haven’t even tried it, so how can you say that.”  It’s the same with diet programs or health changes.  If we change it, cheat, don’t follow it, then we can’t say it didn’t work.  We have to be brutally honest with ourselves.  We don’t know if it worked or not because we never stuck with it.  We need to ask ourselves, Did we follow the plan as outlined?  Did we make changes to it that could have impacted our results?  Though I am not a fan of programs, I am honest with myself if I try one and get no results.

This month I am trying a 30 day challenge that includes meditation, exercise and clean eating – mind and body.  It’s not a drastic change from what I’ve talked about before, but I am going to try for 30 days to eat clean and take care of myself emotionally.  As you know, I broke three of my toes on Christmas Eve.  I’ve been doing my best to get my workouts in and using the elliptical to keep my conditioning, but I miss my runs.  If I’m not careful I could put on weight rather quickly.  It’s just a fact of life that it takes six months to lose ten pounds, but one to two weeks to put them back on.  That’s just how my body works.  Coming out of the holiday eating frenzy, I’ve decided to detox my mind and body.  30 days of meditation, clean eating and reflecting on my goals.  Decluttering my life by moving away from any negative influences.  I just don’t need them, nor want them around.  Focusing on what I do want in my life.  I want to be happy, healthy and excited.  I want to run that darn marathon this year and finish it smiling.   I want to be fierce!

In order to accomplish these goals, I have to get my health in order.  I need to clean up my act a bit and be truer to the idea that 80% of health results are based on what we put into our body.  For far too long, I’ve relied on exercise to burn off the things I want to eat or drink.  That’s fine but it doesn’t burn off the physical effect that stuff has on my body.  Wine is just not good for me.  Yes, I can have a glass every now and then, but I can’t have it every night.  It’s just a fact.  It doesn’t matter if I have only 4 oz as the experts recommend.  It just doesn’t work for my body.  Similarly, if I don’t eat enough vegetables or fruit, I’m depriving my mind and body of the fuel it needs to be strong.  It’s not alright to skip it every day and think it doesn’t matter.  It matters immensely.  Protein matters, yes, but alone it’s not the answer.  It needs the balance of the rest of that darn pyramid.   Balance is key.

I’ve worked with a nutritionist through my last training cycle.  I wanted to learn how to fuel my body for better running performance.  I listened and learned, but then did what I wanted to do.  I made changes and substitutions and told myself it’s alright because I will just run it off.  I never blamed her for the fact that I can’t sleep at night, or that I am having hot flashes again.  I know it’s what I’ve been eating and drinking and stressing over.  I know that skipping lunch and eating junk instead at the office is not good.  So, I will once again refocus my energy and clean up my act.  I will be one of those January people starting over.

I’ve spoken about my jars before – the two jars that sit on my kitchen counter with beautiful blue stones.  The stones represent the pounds I wish to lose to make running that marathon easier on my body.  The empty jar is where I hope to move them.  Reality is those stones have stayed put in that jar for a year now.  Once in a while they move over, but then quickly they are right back where they started.  I’ve got to get them over to the lost jar once and for all.  I want to end this year with NO jars on my counter and nothing to lose.  My jars are plain, but a friend recently sent a photo of hers.  She took the jar idea and made it far fancier.  Perfect visual reminders of what she’s trying to accomplish.

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That little guy looks fierce!  That’s my game face this year.  What are you hoping to accomplish this year?  What’s your plan?