The Best Way

 

 Unique from the Beginning

From our first breath, we are unique. I see it every day in my job as a baby nurse. Some infants are quiet and content, some are feisty and “talkative”. Some babies want to be held all the time, other babies need a break from the cuddling. I continue to be in awe of the unique personality traits that are evident from the first moments of life. From feet to fingerprints, we are individuals and one-of-a-kind miracles from the moment we arrive on this earth until the moment we take our last breath.

In order to fully embrace our lives, we must understand, accept, and remind ourselves daily that we are unique…and that is how it supposed to be. You have been created with a unique set of gifts, talents, desires, and characteristics. When honed and mastered these skills will enrich your life and bless those who come in contact with you. So, open your heart and identify your strengths. Nurture them, refine them, use them, and relax in knowing you are exactly who you were meant to be and you are precious.

In our world buzzing with social media it is easy to get lost and believe that only other people are having fun, enjoying life, and making dreams come true. That is a bunch of b.o.l.o.g.n.a! Don’t waste time wishing you were someone else, spend your time and energy becoming your best you!

Healthy Lifestyle – My Way

A healthy lifestyle means different things to different people. That makes sense being that we are all different! Acceptance of others and their beliefs is an important component of any healthy lifestyle. For me personally, my approach to eating is one of balance and moderation. I enjoy every food group and choose to focus on portions, monitoring my macro-nutrients (Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats), and overall caloric intake (Thanks My Fitness Pal!). This approach has developed over years of frustration with fad diets and yo-yo weight loss/gain prompting research and commitment to success. It works for me. Does that mean it is the plan, morsel for morsel, that you should immediately apply to your life? Nope. You need to discover your own style, your own methods, and a lifestyle that works with your big picture of life! It is unfair and unrealistic to think that just because a certain plan or approach works for one person that it will work for everyone. Flexibility and adaptability are important components in all of life, including the development and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle.

That said, I still am passionate about sharing what I have learned over the years! Managing diet and nutrition can take up an inordinate amount of space in life and become an obsession. I got so tired of thinking about food all the time while trying to not eat! So I share, hoping to lighten your load and encourage you. If you truly desire to lose weight and eat healthfully, you can do it. It takes commitment and acceptance that habits will not change overnight, but you can do it. It takes support and willingness to be uncomfortable, but you can do it. It requires learning new things and applying that knowledge, but you can do it. You have to want it more than you want the instant gratification of a yummy morsel, but you can do it!

So what is “Your Way”?

What works for you? If you don’t have success stories, then what you do have is valuable experience. You have learned what doesn’t work for you and that is very helpful! When you fail (and we all do), realistically evaluate what happened and adjust the plan. Don’t keep trying the same thing and expect different results. This behavior modification is the difference between falling with a crash and burn vs. falling but building strength and momentum! We all run off the rails sometimes. A healthy lifestyle must include a recovery plan and realistic expectations.

 If you know that you love lattes, then don’t develop a plan that completely eliminates lattes or you are setting yourself up for failure! If you are used to eating 2500 calories per day, don’t restrict yourself to 1200 calories and expect that you won’t struggle with that…be realistic and work your way down. Don’t eliminate all bread if you love bread, just commit to lunch being a lettuce wrap instead of a sandwich…small changes grow into bigger ones! Modify and adapt changes in slowly and you are much more likely to enjoy success and create true and lasting change. An additional perk to a slow and steady approach is that you are not so irritable or frustrated! You will be able to sustain changes and even continue to tweak your choices. After a while you will look back and see the emptiness in trying to find satisfaction and contentment in cookie dough or a bucket of chicken.

                       Some Science

While we can tweak when we eat, what we eat, and how active we are, there are some things we need to accept and apply as fact to our healthy lifestyle plans. Here are a few things to log away as “givens”:

• All calories count. Healthy food, junk food, vacation food, food no one sees you eat, every calorie in is faithfully either utilized or stored by your amazing body.
• Math is involved. If your caloric intake is less than your caloric output then you will lose weight. If your caloric intake is more than your caloric output you will gain weight. Friend, it is math, I’m sorry, but it is. If you honestly and consistently create a calorie deficit, you will lose weight.
• Balance is required. Our bodies function best from a combination of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. If you want your body to perform for you, you must fuel it appropriately. This is about more than weight loss or gain, it is for your overall health and wellness. Our immune systems, emotions and coping mechanisms, mental processes, hormone cascades, and sleep cycles all depend on a balanced diet to function at optimum settings.
• Patience is required. Weight management is an ongoing goal. Our bodies are complex and our habits are hard-core. Be patient with yourself and take one day at a time…one choice at a time.

               “The way I live either contributes to the darkness of our world or to the light

                                               and hope of our world.”  ~ Ann Smith

 

Muffin yumminess…yes please!

I took these to work this week and the girls gave them the thumbs up. I wanted to share the recipe with them and thought I’d post it here to share it with you too! I love food. I love texture and variety and knowing it is actually fueling my body at the same time it is satisfying my taste buds.

I am not on a diet and don’t encourage them. I have created and manage a healthy lifestyle. This allows me to enjoy the foods I love, appreciate fruits and vegetables, proteins, and complex carbs and the benefits of all the pieces that complete a balanced diet.

The key is this: eat foods that digest quickly, like sweets, with foods that slow down the digestion process, like low-fat dairy, high-fiber foods, or foods that contain protein. When we slow the absorption we reduce the glucose hit our body takes, we reduce the insulin rush that is the response to a spike in blood sugar, and we give our bodies more time to utilize the calories we have just ingested before storing it as fat.

Balance. Portion Control. Smart choices. One choice at a time and you can create a lifestyle that will allow you to feel good, work hard, play with enthusiasm, and maintain a healthy weight.

Try these pumpkin muffins with your morning coffee and a scrambled egg and you will be all set to feel fabulous as you begin your day!

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients: 

• 1 15 oz. can canned pumpkin
• 1 egg + ¼ cup egg substitute
• 2 overripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup applesauce, no added sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup Splenda
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ cups oats
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp ginger
• ¼ tsp. cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Mix together pumpkin, eggs, bananas, applesauce, Splenda, and vanilla and set aside.
3. In large bowl, combine flour, oats, soda, powder, spices, and salt.
4. Add the banana mixture and stir just until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips
5. Spoon into muffin tin and bake for 18-20 min.

*The nutrition information was created by entering the recipe into My Fitness Pal.

Nutrition Facts
Servings 18.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 140
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5 g	7 %
Saturated Fat 2 g	12 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 12 mg	4 %
Sodium 563 mg	23 %
Potassium 52 mg	1 %
Total Carbohydrate 25 g	8 %
Dietary Fiber 3 g	11 %
Sugars 9 g
Protein 3 g	6 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	1 %
Iron	7

 

 

 

Stress Management…just do it

What Stress?

Work, family, relationships, finances, illness, change…the variety of ways stress comes into
our lives presents us all with a challenge. There is no one way to reduce and manage stress. But, it is universally accepted that less stress is better. So, the first important step is identification. You can’t fix what you don’t acknowledge. You know you feel it, just identify and accept what causes stress for you. Don’t worry about if it would cause stress for someone else or if you believe it is less stressful and worthy of attention than what someone else may be experiencing. Your life, your stress, and your job to handle it. Own it and then you can fix it. Identify each stress and your response.

Good stressors, like a promotion or a new baby, are still stressors. Negative stressors, like hectic schedules or holding grudges, need attention. Internal stressors, such as striving for perfection, must be managed. External stressors, such as deadlines at work, must be given an outlet. We need positive and effective coping skills to enjoy physical, emotional, & mental wellness. The first step is identifying what is stressing you. The next step is identifying what you can do to reduce & manage your stress.

Just do it

We all know the top tips for managing stress I bet. Get enough sleep, eat right, exercise, meditate/pray, play, take time for yourself…blah, blah, blah. That is what you expect me to say, right? Well, I’d love to report that I have new information and there is now a pill. You can take this pill and your stress will be relieved; you will sail through adversity without a tight muscle or added pound; you will glide through 17 dance, gymnastic, and soccer practices a week, help with homework, and still prepare healthy meals with a smile and a hug; and you can immediately dismiss hurt feelings and apologize to your spouse without shedding a tear! Ummmmm…not gonna happen! Here’s the truth: in this life there will be trouble (John 16:33), we will have stress, good and bad, and we get to decide if we manage stress or if stress gets to call all the shots, even determining our health. So just do it.

So, as your friendly u.b.healthy coach and mentor, I’d like to gently encourage you to pay attention! Today is the day to make changes and decrease the impact of stress on your physical body as well as your mental health. The stress level you live with impacts not only you, but everyone around you. (As does your effective or not-so-effective set of coping skills) None of us get to try today over again…this is it. This is not like Solitaire where you can play and then hit the button to “replay this game” now that you see the correct moves. The impact of stress is very real inside our bodies and chronic stress is very damaging in the short-term as well as the long-term. It is time for us to take stress management seriously and enjoy our lives more each and every day.

Usually I try to stay positive in my approach here, but I feel the need to help us all identify some poor and ineffective coping habits regularly on display all around us:

• Denial/Suppression
• Isolation
• Procrastination
• Indulging addictions (food, alcohol, shopping, gambling, drugs, etc.)
• Ranting/Rage

I’m sure this list is not exhaustive, but it covers a lot of the most common “fails”. These strategies create more stress and perpetuate dysfunction in our lives. Procrastination is probably the culprit if you read this and say to yourself, “this is true, I do need to manage stress differently”, and then get up and get a snack.

Change is a choice and is often difficult. These types of ineffective coping skills were probably modeled in our homes and are reinforced daily everywhere we look. But making changes in how we manage stress has enormous rewards. Rewards for us personally, our families, and our co-workers. So, yes, I’m encouraging you to slow down, take time for yourself, eat a healthy and balanced diet, exercise, enjoy being outside, breathe deeply, meditate, pray, spend time with friends, have fun, laugh, play, sleep, eliminate grudges and comparisons to others, and share with trusted friends the concerns on your heart. Take time to share, but also to listen, to advice from people who know you, love you, and have your best interest at heart. This is your one shot at today, don’t just wish it was over, decide to enjoy it.

“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” – Winnie the Pooh

 

Healthy Lifestyle vs. Diet Plan

Oh my goodness, my heart breaks when I hear friends that are discouraged and depressed when diets are embarked upon and then abandoned. The feelings of guilt and self-degradation are useless and yet overwhelming. The self talk becomes damaging and discouraging. Self-esteem plummets and self-loathing moves in. This does not need to happen, it is not helpful or productive. There is a better way and I plead with you to read these words and take them to heart. A healthy lifestyle includes room for desserts and vegetables, physical activity and rest and relaxation, fun and hard work, protein and carbohydrates! Diet plans restrict and offer merely a band-aid, but a healthy lifestyle frees and brings long-term success. There is no comparison…a healthy lifestyle is the only way to lose weight and keep it off, maintain a healthy weight, create balance, joy, health, and wellness for you and your family.

It seems a new and improved diet plan shows up every day. Headlines boast: Follow these 15 simple rules and you will reap the benefits of “easy” weight loss, non-stop fat-burning while you sleep, unlimited energy, and detoxed cells…and they’ll even throw in happiness, whiter teeth, and a group of slim, energetic friends. Seriously, anytime you see the word easy next to weight loss…stop reading! Weight loss and weight management take hard work, period. Weight management is not a temporary mission or a destination, it is a journey.

Women, seriously, please stop the beatings! We must change our focus to healthy living instead of striving for perfect bodies. This is such a passion of mine. I have lived for years in bondage to food and perfectionism, I was never thin enough, good enough, disciplined enough, smart enough…you get the picture I’m sure. I understand the trap and I also understand the depression, discouragement, and hopelessness that comes with yo-yo dieting and failing time and time again. It is ok if you don’t love broccoli. It is ok if you have chocolate every day. It is ok if you “just” take a walk after dinner for your exercise that day. It is ok! You are ok! Just keep taking steps forward and use your head. If something seems too good to be true it probably is bunk. If someone says you can lose weight without changing your diet, it is bunk! If your self-talk says you are a failure and you’ll never change, preach truth to yourself–you are unique and valuable and the only one that can offer the world you! Simple things like portion control, desserts in moderation instead of three times a day, and adding more veggies and more water to your day will help you in your journey to better health and weight loss. Please stop wasting time looking for the quick fix…there isn’t one, that is a path to discouragement.

Start today to live a healthy lifestyle. Eat a healthy and balanced diet. Take time to relax, rest, and sleep. Enjoy the relationships you have in your life and laugh, smile, and play. Eliminate extra clutter in your schedule and spend more time creating in your kitchen, taking walks and bike rides as a family, and noticing the sunset. Take care of yourself! Get to the doctor to have your physical, have lunch with a trusted friend, share life and be genuine. These are the keys to a healthy lifestyle and will result in a life that is full and breeds contentment. You can do it and you will thrive! Spend your energy and your money on creating a healthy lifestyle…the benefits are endless.

 

Healthy food…You can do it

 Healthy food is a part of a healthy lifestyle for more reasons than just weight management. Just as a car runs best with the appropriate fuel combined with care and attention to maintenance, our bodies function best with a balanced diet, stress management, and regular exercise. As healthcare costs skyrocket and stress is in abundance, one of the easiest ways to promote wellness is to eat the foods that support health and prevent illness. Feeling better, having more energy, lower #’s on the scale, & radiant skin…just perks.

The phrase “Healthy food” can be a bit vague. Healthy food, as I see it, is food that contributes nutritionally to the body. It is easy in this day and age to get caught up in a type of healthy food (we are so blessed!) such as organic, free-range, or non-GMO and those things are good. However, for the purposes of this discussion, let’s just take it back to the basics and talk about the types of foods that will help you create your healthy lifestyle, however you choose to purchase them is up to you. I point that out because it can all be overwhelming. If walking into Whole Foods promotes panic due to the immense number of options, then just go buy an apple, wash it, and eat it…start there. Creating a healthy diet is a process and a journey. You get started and learn and as you learn more you change more and so forth. Give yourself some grace, start with small steps, and smile…you’re gonna be alright.

The Process

My husband and I began to really change our diet about 12-13 years ago. Over the years we have adjusted and then made more changes, adjusted and changed, and then we adjusted and changed. It is a process, a journey. Each time we felt like we were really making a big change, but as we got used to it, we realized we could do more. Gone were the days of living on macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches (what??…we like cheese!) and in came the days of seeing the stove as more than a shiny object to look at. This was the beginning of my new obsession…modifying my favorite recipes to make them healthier and trying new things. I can laugh now at the whole wheat pancake batter that could have been used to patch a hole in the wall and the spinach frittatas that the dog even spit out…remember, it is a process, laugh often!

So, start somewhere. We got started by changing from white flour to whole wheat and looking for whole grain alternatives. I stopped buying unhealthy snacks that were quick grabs (read chips, cookies, crackers) under the guise of “it’s for the kids”. (Ummm…so the kids need trans fats and a bunch of sugar?) I switched from ground beef as the go-to protein to using chicken, pork, or beans. Nothing too crazy, right? Then I started adding in vegetables anywhere I could. I made zucchini muffins that we ate for breakfast. I added beans into the taco meat and peppers and carrots into spaghetti sauce. We also bought a high-speed blender for protein shakes and smoothies so we could incorporate spinach and other greens more easily into our diet. Here are some things that have helped us continue on this journey:

Start with small, manageable steps and be realistic. If you are short on time, then don’t buy 5 types of vegetables that all need to be prepped and think that you are going to eat them. We are fortunate to live in a time where you can walk into the store and buy a relish tray already prepared. Look at that, veggies that are ready to eat! Buy fruit that can be eaten as is or with minimal prep, like cuties, apples, grapes, blueberries. All of these fruits are awesome alone or on top of yogurt for snacks.

Decide what your goals are. If you don’t know what your goals are how will you get there? If you want to lose weight, then log what you eat. I guarantee you will be surprised at the number of calories you ingest if you honestly document everything you eat for a week. My Fitness Pal is an app I use most days. At first it is cumbersome, but it gets easier as you get used to it and build your own meals, etc. I’m more than happy to help you if you’d like! If you want to just generally eat a healthier diet, then pick a target and set goals to hit it. Less sugar? More vegetables? More home-cooking? All great goals and you can start working on them today.

80/20. This is my survival and longevity plan. I try to make the healthiest choice 80% of the time. The other 20% is for holidays, weekend dates, birthday parties, and just that time when I need an ice cream cone. This is being realistic, having a no-deprivation plan, and committing for the long haul. Healthy eating has so many benefits but you don’t usually see the impact after just one meal. It takes time for our bodies to repair the damage we have done.

So, love yourself and your family by upping the ante…healthy lifestyles rock!

 

As you shop:

Look for fresh fruits and vegetables, however frozen has been shown to be just as nutritional usually and offers wider variety not limited by the season. If canned veggies are used, it helps to drain and rinse them. You eliminate a lot of the added salt with that simple maneuver. Bumping up your fruit and veggie intake increases your nutrients and fiber helping you to feel full and easing portion control struggles.

Look for protein sources that are lower in fat, you’ll save dramatically on calories by just switching from beef tacos to chicken tacos. Still yummy! And pile on the veggies and your tacos become a serving of vegetables too. When you make scrambled eggs, use a combination of whole eggs and egg whites, the majority of the fat and calories is in the yolk. And again, add those veggies…peppers, onions, spinach, mushrooms…all easily added in and delish! Beans and rice together make a complete protein as well…get creative and enjoy, just watch your portion control.

No added sugar. Yep, the enemy is sugar. Too much sugar ramps us up and then dumps us on the curb feeling blah. It also sky-rockets our risk for diabetes and a host of health concerns. Limiting sugar is difficult at first because most of us seriously are addicted to the stuff. Give yourself time and start small, but do it, start to limit it and your body and  mind will thank you.

Variety and Balance are the most-valuable players in this game. Feeling deprived will lead to unhealthy choices and limited success; so give yourself grace and remember that perfection is not the goal. 80/20 my friends, 80/20!

 

 

Dream: Go For It!

Dreaming 

A new year with new opportunities for fresh plans and goals. Unfortunately, this is also prime time for unrealistic expectations that can lead us down the road to frustration, disappointment, and yet another hit to the self-esteem. As the infomercials and gym fliers attack, pause and figure out what you really need and want for 2016.

Dream a little bit. What would you really like to see happen in 2016? I don’t mean win the lottery! I mean, what goals are you willing to fight for, sacrifice for, and come out of your comfort zone for…because that is the goal you want to put in the cross-hairs.

Patience 

Whatever goal is your focus, be patient. Much easier said than done! Habits are hard to change, but not impossible! The formula is consistency and time; we must be dedicated to transformation.

I recently heard a tip that I thought was phenomenal. We need to stop listening to ourselves and start talking to ourselves.  We need to be patient and understand that it takes time to change those negative tapes that run in the background of our minds, but we can challenge them and preach truth to ourselves and with perseverance, we can change.

The Pit of Comfort

I am a queen of justification! Who’s with me? I can always come up with “legitimate” reasons why I “need” something that I want. And, we seem to be quick to help each other justify actions counter to our goals too! Why is it so tempting to lure ourselves and others off the path of discipline that leads to success? My guess is that fear often drives that bus. Fear of failure, fear of expectations, fear of giving up vices, fear of disapproval of others, fear of discomfort…fear is huge. All of these fears add to the trouble we experience leaving our pit of comfort…whatever that pit looks like for us. You may be surprised what pit you are choosing to hang out in. Maybe you have set up house in a body that is too large because you believe it is shielding you from pain or fear. Maybe you cuddle with negative attitudes and depression buying into the lie that you don’t deserve anything else due to leftovers from past hurts or failed relationships. Maybe your soft landing is a pile of excuses you have claimed as truth as to why you can’t change fueled by smoldering crash landings from former attempts. Our justifications keep us in our comfort zone that is really more like a strait jacket. We believe we are protecting ourselves, but in reality we are hiding and hindering growth and maturity and abundant living.

A big pit of comfort for me has always been Diet Coke. As a teenager it was an allowable pleasure in my strict and conservative home, it didn’t have any calories so if fit in with my crazed eating habits, and it became a friend for when I felt down or wanted a treat. It never asked anything of me and it was consistent and unchanging. That habit grew over the years into a powerful force in my life, becoming an immovable part of schedules and budgets. This has been my reality but I am staring it down in 2016!

What is your “Diet Coke”? What is that thing that you are absolutely unwilling to give up even though you know it is not in your best interest? That my friend is where you need to aim your weapons to begin true transformation. There is a reason you cling to it, an attachment that is larger than just the object of your desire, your idol. Figure that out and you are on your way to meeting goals and creating the lifestyle you really want.

My challenge to you as this new year begins, is to find goals that challenge comfort. For me this means no more Diet Coke, yep, I’m done. As I talked this over with my husband to ensure he was willing to support my whiny and probably irritable transition, he asked me a valuable question: “have you thought about what you will replace it with?” Any plan for change must include survival strategies that are realistic. I can drink coffee and tea to ease the transition off of caffeine, but the reality is that I don’t want to replace the idol that Diet Coke became. I have accepted that this will be uncomfortable and I am determined to learn though the discomfort and embrace it instead of run from it. I pray and meditate when the cravings are strong. I speak truth to myself about the cravings, what do I really want…peace, relief, rest…Diet Coke doesn’t meet any of those needs! It is about being honest with our realities and being willing to be uncomfortable in order to achieve the lifestyle of health and freedom that we really desire. One of my favorite quotes from Jillian Michaels is “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable”. Dream big friends and achieve lasting success by stepping outside of your comfort zone!

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT).

 

Not so Normal Night

Ordinary People — Extraordinary Plan

The Christmas message is about a bunch of ordinary people involved in an extraordinary story. Sometimes I think it is easy for us to read the story of Jesus’ birth and imagine that the other characters in the story were set apart and different in some way, or we just don’t think about them at all. Well, I’d like to focus in for a moment on the shepherds.

If you were arranging the arrival of a king, would you be sure and notify a bunch of dusty, ordinary guys who care for stinky sheep? And not just send them a text message, but send a choir of angels? Well, God thought it was a great idea. One of my favorite parts of the Christmas story is thinking about what that night was like for the shepherds. “That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep” (Luke 2:8, NLT). Ok, stop for a minute and set the picture in your mind. Just a routine shift, nothing new to see here, just a bunch of dirty, lazy sheep, watching out for predators, counting stars, trying not to freeze…” Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. I bring you good news of great joy for everyone. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!” ~pause~ If you aren’t very familiar with the Bible, just know that these men would have heard prophecies of the Messiah coming since they were little boys. That history in conjunction with the angel and radiance of God all over the place had to be quite a spectacle!  ~play~ Then, after giving instructions on how to find the Messiah–Baby Jesus, “Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of Heaven—praising God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors” (Luke 2:13-14). Imagine for a moment the glorious sound and sight that those shepherds witnessed! The shepherds decide to take the advice of the host of angels (good plan) and go to find baby Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem, sharing their beautiful experience all along the way. These men were shepherds, ordinary people doing ordinary things who were suddenly and gloriously interrupted by a host of angels…way cool!

So, what does this have to do with living a healthy lifestyle? Well, it is important to remember that God shows up in the lives of ordinary people. And He didn’t just whisper to the shepherds, he organized a very unique invitation for them to celebrate in the birth of Jesus Christ, the arrival of the Messiah. I imagine the shepherds felt pretty special after all that went down. A new identity perhaps? A new God-sent-angels-to-the-field-to-talk-to-me kind of identity. Enjoying a healthy lifestyle includes a solid understanding of identity and value. So often we get caught up in trying to solidify our identity and value by trying to please others, comparing ourselves to others, or striving to meet unrealistic expectations. Unfortunately, the holiday season is prime time for these kinds of pressures to escalate. Remember, your value comes from being a creation of the most-high God and has nothing to do with the number on the scale, the color of your hair, the number of children you have, how fit you are, the job you have, or if you have been acknowledged by Forbes magazine!

Maybe you haven’t been visited by a host of angels, but God did send Jesus for you. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it” (John 3:16-17, NLT). And we get to experience reminders of God’s love all around us every day. We don’t live in a bland world, we live in a world full of sights, sounds, smells, and touches, and we have the capacity to enjoy it all. Seeing familiar smiles to greet you, birds flying in formation, 15 shades of pink in the sunset…yep, that’s for you. Hearing orchestra concerts, ocean waves crashing, babies cooing…all for you to enjoy. Smelling fresh baked cookies, Grandma’s perfume, wood burning fire, pine needles…you guessed it, all for you. Experiencing hugs, warm coffee soothing your throat, puppy tongues licking your cheeks, a hot bath or steamy shower…all for your pleasure because you are loved.

Banish thoughts of creating the “perfect” Christmas for your kids and just savor the season, even if it is filled with sniffly noses and crazy relatives. Relieve the pressure and take in the brisk air, the twinkly lights, and the festive music and be grateful for the ability to do so. Rest in the reality that you are perfectly created by God and he loves you.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Lessons from Jury Duty

The Big Picture

Over and over I chant that a healthy lifestyle is about so much more than just diet and exercise. It is so much more than just maintaining a healthy weight or logging in time with a heartrate above 150. A healthy lifestyle includes healthy habits in every area of your life: mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

Sometimes life is insane and there is no time to go to the gym…maybe that is your reality. Sometimes physical ailments or conditions limit your diet or your ability to lose weight. Sometimes your circumstances make stress inevitable and emotionally you are wrung out.

This is life and we all understand!

But this is why a healthy lifestyle is so important.

When you zoom out and take in the big picture of your life, you need to know what you are standing on when everything else is crumbles. What is your foundation? For me, my personal relationship with Christ is first and my healthy lifestyle that is a scaffolding of healthy coping skills, solid and trustworthy relationships, and physical endurance and stamina are the second line of defense.  It takes time and effort to build a solid defense! Zoom out on your life for a moment…how’s your line of defense looking? Are there areas that need support and attention?  Today is the day to begin!

What I learned from Jury Duty

I usually wait until I get inspired to write a blog. Inspiration was not coming and I was tired and struggling to feel qualified to discuss healthy living! But then yesterday inspiration came in a form I did not expect…jury duty.

For me, situations that are unfamiliar are uncomfortable and stressful. So, I attempted to help myself in every way that I could to relax: prayer, packed snacks, detailed driving instructions and plenty of time, and a good night’s sleep. So off I went. Bumper to bumper traffic for 60 minutes is not a fun way to begin a day…just saying. *perspective* I arrived at 9 am, checked in as a prospective juror and began what I thought would be a day filled with reading and waiting to be released. After viewing 40 minutes of required videos about our legal system and all the moving pieces, *perspective* I settled in…only to be called in the very first group to the staging area. 60 of us were herded like cattle through many winding hallways and elevators leading to more hallways. Instructions were rapid and hard to hear with “don’t” being a repetitive theme. Then we waited. Standing in single file, numerical order lines, we waited. I was #30. People of all different ages, races, socioeconomic levels, and physical ability waiting obediently to find out if we would be assigned to the jury for a trial we now knew would be 6-7 days! *perspective* To make a long story short, hours and hours went by in a small court room listening to people’s lives and situations as the jury selection process unfolded. All the while watching the defendant, and the group of lawyers examine each one of us and take notes if we spoke. *perspective* I finally was dismissed at 5:15pm, understanding that a large group of jurors were required to return the next day to complete the process. *perspective* Upon exiting the shuttle that took me back to the parking garage and finding my car, I began the trek home…you guessed it, bumper to bumper traffic for 60 minutes (in my car that is a clutch no less). Arriving at 6:30 pm the couch and quiet were welcome friends!

So, what inspiration came from all of that?  Perspective is important and needs to continually be challenged. We tend to get so involved in our own lives that we neglect to consider that other people have very different lives. But how is this related to healthy living? Well, attitude is a big player in how we deal with stress and how we respond to our circumstances. Pity parties and victim mentalities are destructive and paralyzing. Perspective is one way to ensure your attitude is appropriate, helpful, and healthy. As I stood and waiting for hours yesterday, my head pounded and my mind struggled with the idea of the potential time commitment this trial would require if I was selected. The inspiration came as I evaluated my own life with new perspective. As I type, there are people in the court room again today and there will be tomorrow too. Each life impacted by what is required to keep our justice system as fair as possible. Each judge, lawyer, clerk, security guard, and janitor working to promote the process that protects the freedoms we are blessed to enjoy. Zoom out a bit today my friends and take in the bigger picture around you. Find things to be thankful for and embrace the challenges you face with new energy and understanding. Find small things that bring you joy and hug the people you love. Challenge your perspective today…we are blessed!

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3

This Recipe is a Peach!

I have a real sweet tooth. Living a healthy lifestyle does not automatically delete a sweet tooth turns out! Therefore, modification became a part of my world. Modifying brownies, cookies, muffins, and on and on and on. Finding ways to include treats in my day that won’t derail me I now consider a hobby.

So, when I land on a winner, I can’t wait to share it with you! Right now when peaches are a deal at the grocery store, I brought home several that were still hard and began the process of waiting for them to be just right. I got impatient. My husband was coming home after being gone for a week and I wanted to make something new and those peaches were my target. After looking at enough peach cobbler recipes that I was certain I had gained weight just reading the ingredients, I decided that maybe simple was better…baked peaches. There were plenty of options online for baked peaches too, so I  gathered up a fresh mindful of ideas and headed into the “lab”, or some of you may call it the kitchen. The result was soft, sweet, warm, tangy peaches with just a touch of crunch. With a dollop of cool whip on top, the dessert was a home run!

But before I get to the specifics, let’s just talk about the glorious peach for a moment. A large peach is less than 70 calories, contains 3 grams of fiber and no fat. Peaches are a low-glycemic food, in other words, they break down slowly in your digestive track in order to help maintain consistent blood sugar levels. Peaches are a good source of Vitamin A and C and rich in potassium, calcium, and antioxidants. So seriously, no need to remove the skins, you can cut them up to top your yogurt, in your cereal, in your salad, on top of cottage cheese, add them to your entrée or protein shake…or just lean over the sink and bite into their juicy loveliness! But…save a few for this recipe and enjoy after your healthy meal!

Baked Peaches

Ingredients:

• 5-6 large peaches
• cinnamon
• 4 TBSP Brown sugar
• 2 TBSP butter
• 1/2 cup pecans*

Directions:

1. Wash peaches and cut in half, removing the pit, do not remove skin
2. Place peaches, cut side up, in baking dish
3. Sprinkle peaches with cinnamon
4. In center of peach, place 1/2 tsp. of butter and 1 tsp. of brown sugar
5. chop pecans* and sprinkle over peaches
6. Fill baking dish half full of water
7. Bake peaches at 375 degrees F x 30 minutes
8. Serve warm with a dollop of light whipped topping

One peach half prepared as above contains approximately 154 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, and 13 grams of carbohydrates. Due to the addition of pecans and butter, there are also 12 grams of fat, only 2 of which are saturated.

* I used pecans I had prepared as sweet nuts. Here is the recipe for Sweet Nuts:

Sweet Nuts (These are great as a snack all on their own, or incorporated into salads, muffins, cookies, or trail mix)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups nuts
• 1 egg white
• 2 TBSP cinnamon
• 1/3 cup Splenda/sweetener

Directions:

1. Beat egg white and mix in nuts to coat
2. Combine cinnamon and Splenda and sprinkle over nuts and mix to coat
3. Spread nuts out on foil lined baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray
4. Bake at 325 degrees F x 20 minutes, allow to cool

Carb Cycling in a Nutshell

Tuesdays on ABC there is an inspirational show on that I just love called Extreme Weight Loss.  It is the journey of one obese person as they transform their life over the span of a year with the help of trainers Chris and Heidi Powell.  Yes, it is about weight loss, but it also shows the real life challenges we face to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I’m sure there is drama added in, but overall I like the “realness” of the show.  Life is difficult, bad stuff happens,  but there is a road back to wholeness and healthy living.  Yep, right up my alley! I enjoy the show also because Chris and his wife Heidi are examples of busy people with jobs and a family that are able to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  They model and share their expertise even to the extent of letting participants come live with them!  Through the team of counselors and physicians and who knows who else, they are able to really help these people change their lives and it is amazing and wonderful!

 I recently read a book by Chris called Choose More, Lose More for Life.  He outlines the weight loss/fitness program he uses on the show and in his own life.  The nutrition component is called carb cycling.  As I researched carb cycling I found there are a variety of ideas about it out there, it has been around in the professional athlete realm for a long time. It seems there are many different ways to carb cycle.  I feel comfortable with Chris’s book because I’ve watched the proof. He is healthy and performs the challenging feats with his participants (triathlon, half-Ironman’s, marathons…) and consistently helps people transform. You have to be healthy and fueled well for all that stuff, he’s doing something right!

So, I am on my 12th day of carb cycling and I am amazed at the results!  The idea is that by alternating low carb days with high carb days, your metabolism is fired up and you burn more fat. In the book he goes into the science of it all (which really makes sense to me) but I won’t go into all that here.  The evidence is looking pretty good in my own trial run because my clothes fit differently already and I can tell that I am losing fat.  12 days!  So, I thought I’d post carb cycling in a nutshell and maybe at least peak your interest to check it out.  This plan is really flexible and realistic and will produce results.  I can see doing this long-term without a problem and that is critical because it is a lifestyle of health that will help you lose weight and keep it off long-term.

Here is the basic idea for what Chris calls the “Classic” cycle:

Day 1:  Low carb day (eat lean protein, vegetables, and healthy fats). Women eat around 1200 calories, men eat around 1500 calories.

Day 2: High carb day (eat lean protein, vegetables, fruits, and complex carbohydrates)  Women eat around 1500 calories, Men eat around 2000 calories.

Day 3: Low carb day      Day 4: High carb day     Day 5: Low carb day     Day 6: High carb day

Day 7: Reward day (free to eat whatever you want and up to 1000 calories above your high carb day intake)

There are some rules to make sure you get the results you want:

• Drink a gallon of water a day
• Eat breakfast within 30 minutes of getting up
• Eat every 3 hours; total of 5 times a day

He also has a well-defined workout routine that goes along with the eating plan that is very simple and clear.  Since I already work out regularly, I have just have been doing the nutritional changes and kept my normal exercise routine.  But the exercises he suggests are illustrated in the book and do not require equipment or a gym! I get excited when I see a plan that is realistic and encourages eating regular food that you love…that means you can stick with it!  So give it a try!  Pick up Chris Powell’s book for all the details, or go to his website, but this is pretty simple and the results are pretty quick…two things we all like!

P. S. On a side note, my husband is a weight lifter who has been trying to figure out how to avoid abdominal fat but still take in enough calories to power his lifts and so he is trying carb cycling too.  He is doing the “Fit” cycle which is just two low carb days out of seven with one reward day and guess what?  He too is seeing the results he wanted, less fat and maintained strength!