Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! As always it seems, 2013 has flown by. Reflecting on it, how much has changed for the better and where have I grown this year? Of course this is the time when everyone starts talking resolutions. I am not a fan of resolutions because they tend to be something fairly far fetched that people strive to follow, fail after a few days or weeks, then give up. I so prefer goals for the year. Brad and I have been talking about doing a vision board. I would love to start that for our family and for he and I personally. But, I will get to all that soon.
December…EPIC FAIL! Perfect example is this…I have been wanting to sit down and blog since my last post on DECEMBER 2! Seriously? How is it already the 27th? Actually, I can tell you how. I crammed way to much into and already over crammed month. So, yes, I give myself a very low grade on my success this month. However, I bet if you asked my kids my grade, it would be much higher than I give myself and that is definitely worth something. But, do we want to succeed in our kids eyes at the expense of our sanity? I spent most of the month feeling like a top spinning out of control or a volcano about to erupt. Some of our dear friends got to experience one particularly bad day. Super pleasant. Sitting and enjoying time with friends and all I can do it try everything not to start balling my eyes out at the table. This is just not ok. This cannot continue and I definitely do not want to repeat it in the 2014 holiday season. So, how do I change it and what things do I focus on? This year is going to be particularly interesting as I plan to go to school during the 2014-2015 school year.
You all saw the organizational system we started. That has been an awesome 1st step but we have a long way to go. So back to the beginning of this blog. Vision boards…what the heck do we even dream of for the year? Why do we do what we do? What do we want to accomplish in 2014 individually, career wise, as a family? I am prepared to spend some time with my peeps working on this over the next week. The holidays add a whole list of things to already full to do lists so how to make it better? If you are like me and insist on cards then how about getting the pictures all done and picked out in the summer or early fall so you can just plop them in once shutterfly or costco has the cards then have them ready to go early November. We are FINALLY going to get addresses into a spreadsheet so we only need to print labels vs me handwriting every address. This year I would like to start my Christmas shopping during the summer. Both for time and budget! Plenty of things can be purchased and packed away. Have a bin or special spot you put everything in so you don't forget where it is! A huge thing for me in 2014 is the goal of adding the help of somebody cleaning our house every 2 weeks. Our kids do tons of chores and we keep the house pretty clean most of the time but it would be a HUGE stress off of me to have the scrubbing off my plate. I would some much rather be having quality time with my family vs quality time with the toilets. Planning a menu for the month. This is a big one. We are going from a week at a time to a month. The good news is with all the AMAZING cookbooks I got for Christmas, this should be pretty fun! Basically we will come up with 30-35 meals. Some are repeats like tacos once a week. Then we will pick 5-6 each week and make the grocery list. Thankfully Brad does most of the grocery shopping so he will get the items and then we both work not he prep. Another idea I think might help is prepping everything that needs chopping, etc and put it in the fridge labeled in a mason jar. All those veggies we put into egg white scrambles could be chopped and in a jar ready to dump in the eggs. My goal is efficient time savers. How can I better use my limited time to be more efficient and less stressed?
This is definitely a work in process! As you can see, I have a few ideas but would love to know some of yours. What are the things you do to make your holiday season less stressful and more fun for you? Where are you struggling to be more successful? What ideas can you share for time saving tips? I would love to hear from you! We are each on our own journey and can use each other's help as we Journey to Wellness together. Happy New Year!
Friday, December 27, 2013
Monday, December 2, 2013
Veggie Challenge!
Wow, can you believe it is December? I had the best of intentions to be on top of things for the holidays and here I am way behind. Well, time to get organized! It has been a super exciting month and I cannot wait to share it with you. I have been working on a big project and it is finally ready to share. Journey to Wellness is partnering with Bend Boot Camp to build a formalized nutrition program. We are working to get everything ready to launch January 1 . . just in time for a new year, new you program! So, keep your eyes peeled for our launch.
The challenge for all the Bend Boot Campers this month is to add veggies, veggies and more veggies! There are so many reasons to add veggies to your diet…weight loss, health, digestion, overall well being, etc! This is the perfect month for a challenge like this because we are all going to holiday gatherings where healthy is just not the focus. I want to extend this challenge to all of you. This week add 1 veggie to your diet, next week 2 veggies, week 3 is 3 veggies and the last week is 4+ veggies. I know . . this can be tough but with some planning and a little effort, you can make it happen. Plus, it will help you to feel better through the holiday craziness.
We all know about the basics . . .carrots (add some hummus..yumm!), celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, peppers, etc. My challenge this month is to help you be creative and add those veggies . . which means I am adding them too! Tonight I am going to throw out a couple of ideas for you. First, Acorn Squash. Above is a picture of our Thanksgiving squash. I used the recipe from Against All Grain Thanksgiving. Tonight I made it very similarly. Cut the squash into slices as you see below. Use a baking sheet and spread out in single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, fresh sage, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes turning each one over at the 15 minute mark. You can eat it plain or add to the soup below! Acorn squash is full of vitamins, antioxidants, fiber and more. Technically it is a fruit since it has seeds but I am going to let it qualify for a new veggie.
The second veggie I want everyone to consider is a blend. Trader joe's calls it Power to the Greens. Last week we found the above bag at Costco! It is a blend of Spinach, Chard and Kale. This is truly a superfood. The more of this you can get in your body, the better. These are just absolutely fantastic greens for you. I STUFF my blender full of them when making my green protein shake. It is a great way to get a lot of veggies without even tasting them. Tonight I made a turkey soup. I know, the thought of another turkey meal is less than appealing but this was good, healthy and light! I cooked the turkey carcass yesterday with various spices (marjoram, basil, thyme, beau monde). Today I strained out all he fat and bones. After cooling the fat is solid and easy to remove. I put the strained liquid in a big pot and started dumping! I literally cleaned out my fridge . .. celery, carrots, cauliflower, a sweet potato, handfuls of the power greens, and turkey. Let it simmer until the veggies are tender. My daughter put the acorn squash in her soup. My husband added Sriracha sauce (a staple for him :) ). I almost never use salt and did need to add some to this. I love that I needed to actually. Shows how little sodium was in this meal. This was an incredibly healthy dinner and everyone in my family inhaled it. After a couple of major cheat meals over the weekend (think sharing multiple desserts the other night .. .but it was so good!), I needed to cleanse my body a bit today and feel so much better! Everyone I talked with said the over did it with Thanksgiving meals. Veggies are the best way to regroup and re-energize.
So, who is going to take on the challenge? What will be your new veggie of choice this week? Share your ideas in the comments or on our Journey to Wellness Facebook page. While you are there, give us a quick "Like"! I will keep brainstorming fantastic veggie ideas to share and I can't wait to hear from you as we all Journey to Wellness together!
The challenge for all the Bend Boot Campers this month is to add veggies, veggies and more veggies! There are so many reasons to add veggies to your diet…weight loss, health, digestion, overall well being, etc! This is the perfect month for a challenge like this because we are all going to holiday gatherings where healthy is just not the focus. I want to extend this challenge to all of you. This week add 1 veggie to your diet, next week 2 veggies, week 3 is 3 veggies and the last week is 4+ veggies. I know . . this can be tough but with some planning and a little effort, you can make it happen. Plus, it will help you to feel better through the holiday craziness.
We all know about the basics . . .carrots (add some hummus..yumm!), celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, peppers, etc. My challenge this month is to help you be creative and add those veggies . . which means I am adding them too! Tonight I am going to throw out a couple of ideas for you. First, Acorn Squash. Above is a picture of our Thanksgiving squash. I used the recipe from Against All Grain Thanksgiving. Tonight I made it very similarly. Cut the squash into slices as you see below. Use a baking sheet and spread out in single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, fresh sage, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes turning each one over at the 15 minute mark. You can eat it plain or add to the soup below! Acorn squash is full of vitamins, antioxidants, fiber and more. Technically it is a fruit since it has seeds but I am going to let it qualify for a new veggie.
So, who is going to take on the challenge? What will be your new veggie of choice this week? Share your ideas in the comments or on our Journey to Wellness Facebook page. While you are there, give us a quick "Like"! I will keep brainstorming fantastic veggie ideas to share and I can't wait to hear from you as we all Journey to Wellness together!
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Functional Family!
Happy Saturday! Health and fitness is not the only part of our Journey to Wellness. I find the overwhelming number of "tasks" in my life to be paralyzing at times. Besides the fact that many of them are not very fun, there are just so many! Do you find that when you have a big project to tackle your mood will change, you are frustrated and might even take it out on those around you. Big huge hand raise from this gal! My family would be first in line to tell you that is me completely. Thankfully they still love me! Phew! Seriously though, I am sitting here blogging instead of cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms. And I am dreading doing those later...yuck! Blogging is way more fun! Unfortunately life is not always fun and we have to get those tasks completed. My goal is to make the process as functional as possible so I can remove some of the stress and frustration behind it.
We have hit a point in our family where things are just complete chaos. 3 kids in 3 schools all with activities, Brad and I both working, a fabulous house we have been blessed with but takes a lot to keep it up, lastly...Brad and I might just want a life outside of all this! Add to all of that feeding a family healthy meals takes planning and preparation..sadly we were winging it every night and that caused more frustration between Brad and I at the witching hour of the day. Just typing this raises my anxiety level a wee bit! We are not the only family out there with this kind of ridiculousness! I know most of us live in a state of "reactive". What I know to be 100% true is that everything will function better when we can switch to being proactive.
So began the process of our family being proactive. I do not want the 5pm tense conversation about what is for dinner or the long "to do" list in my head or in my notes for nobody else to see or help with. Enough! There are 5 completely capable people in this house and we all need to help to make it work. So, I may get a bit preachy here but Brad and I are firm believers that kids do chores. They do them because they are part of our family and live in our home. We provide them with shelter, food, clothes and pretty darn good life so it is not too much to ask for them to help out around here. Quite honestly, there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done...it takes a village, right? In our house, our village has 5 people who can all participate. I saw this on facebook last night and all I can say is...AMEN!
I am an organizational freak. I love the planners and the colored pens to coordinate and make it pretty. Years ago I assigned each of us a color and had a 3 month dry erase calendar that I would color code all of our activities so the kids could see it. I THRIVE in this type of environment. The problem is, it does take some work to achieve this type of environment and, with all of our chaos, I was getting farther and farther behind on organization. Brad and I left for our vacation both stressed out, wiped out and completely spent. We felt like we were living in this tornado of crazy and needed to find a way to make it stop! Thankfully we had the time away from the crazy to think, talk and plan. It was HEAVENLY! Can I suggest this again? A night away, date night, anything! Go camping together. It does not have to be fancy or expensive, just get away from all the crazy and be able to complete a conversation. It is amazing what happens! We always hear "back to the basics" and sometimes that is just true. I love all the technology and calendar on my phone, etc but sometimes a plain old calendar that everyone can see is the need. I need 1 functional family location so my planning began. A ton of brainstorming and talking with Brad produced the Parsons Functional Family system (thank you erincondren.com for the phrase and DARLING calendar!).
As you can see the calendar is a piece I used from a friend but mine are on the way (and not actually filled in with the week's activities!)! You can order it through erincondren.com and receive a years worth of weeks. We have had the chores spreadsheet for awhile but wanted it in a visible location. I found the dry erase board at target (I believe it is 22x35) and I screwed in the hooks at the top. I also got clip magnets so I can add a note or possibly a bday invite. I have our Christmas Lists in one currently. My family wants to see meals for the week so added that as well as the to do list that I could mark with the things Brad or kids can help with/do. This is hanging on our laundry room door where we all walk past it several times a day. Of course I will tweak it over time but this is the start.
Now, this adds some work to my life. I have to spend some time over the weekend planning meals and writing the calendar for the week. But, the stress that is relieved during the week is HUGE! No more 5pm dinner conversations...no more constant schedule questions...and I can see what is going on with chores. It is amazing how much mental energy it takes to deal with these few things and how great it feels to not have it swimming in my head all of the time.
The next step was getting my file system back in function. I started this years ago when we were in a tiny house and we needed one spot where everyone could keep papers, etc. I pulled it back out this week to reorg. There are those papers the kids bring home to keep and fill out, teacher info, receipts we need handy, vaccinations, etc. Just easier to have in 1 location. So, we all get a file. I can also keep gift ideas, vacation ideas, decorating ideas, etc. Obviously you need to create it for your family but it is a huge help to me!
For those who have asked, I hope this helps you create your functional family! It is one more step for me on my Journey to Wellness!
We have hit a point in our family where things are just complete chaos. 3 kids in 3 schools all with activities, Brad and I both working, a fabulous house we have been blessed with but takes a lot to keep it up, lastly...Brad and I might just want a life outside of all this! Add to all of that feeding a family healthy meals takes planning and preparation..sadly we were winging it every night and that caused more frustration between Brad and I at the witching hour of the day. Just typing this raises my anxiety level a wee bit! We are not the only family out there with this kind of ridiculousness! I know most of us live in a state of "reactive". What I know to be 100% true is that everything will function better when we can switch to being proactive.
So began the process of our family being proactive. I do not want the 5pm tense conversation about what is for dinner or the long "to do" list in my head or in my notes for nobody else to see or help with. Enough! There are 5 completely capable people in this house and we all need to help to make it work. So, I may get a bit preachy here but Brad and I are firm believers that kids do chores. They do them because they are part of our family and live in our home. We provide them with shelter, food, clothes and pretty darn good life so it is not too much to ask for them to help out around here. Quite honestly, there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done...it takes a village, right? In our house, our village has 5 people who can all participate. I saw this on facebook last night and all I can say is...AMEN!
I am an organizational freak. I love the planners and the colored pens to coordinate and make it pretty. Years ago I assigned each of us a color and had a 3 month dry erase calendar that I would color code all of our activities so the kids could see it. I THRIVE in this type of environment. The problem is, it does take some work to achieve this type of environment and, with all of our chaos, I was getting farther and farther behind on organization. Brad and I left for our vacation both stressed out, wiped out and completely spent. We felt like we were living in this tornado of crazy and needed to find a way to make it stop! Thankfully we had the time away from the crazy to think, talk and plan. It was HEAVENLY! Can I suggest this again? A night away, date night, anything! Go camping together. It does not have to be fancy or expensive, just get away from all the crazy and be able to complete a conversation. It is amazing what happens! We always hear "back to the basics" and sometimes that is just true. I love all the technology and calendar on my phone, etc but sometimes a plain old calendar that everyone can see is the need. I need 1 functional family location so my planning began. A ton of brainstorming and talking with Brad produced the Parsons Functional Family system (thank you erincondren.com for the phrase and DARLING calendar!).
As you can see the calendar is a piece I used from a friend but mine are on the way (and not actually filled in with the week's activities!)! You can order it through erincondren.com and receive a years worth of weeks. We have had the chores spreadsheet for awhile but wanted it in a visible location. I found the dry erase board at target (I believe it is 22x35) and I screwed in the hooks at the top. I also got clip magnets so I can add a note or possibly a bday invite. I have our Christmas Lists in one currently. My family wants to see meals for the week so added that as well as the to do list that I could mark with the things Brad or kids can help with/do. This is hanging on our laundry room door where we all walk past it several times a day. Of course I will tweak it over time but this is the start.
Now, this adds some work to my life. I have to spend some time over the weekend planning meals and writing the calendar for the week. But, the stress that is relieved during the week is HUGE! No more 5pm dinner conversations...no more constant schedule questions...and I can see what is going on with chores. It is amazing how much mental energy it takes to deal with these few things and how great it feels to not have it swimming in my head all of the time.
The next step was getting my file system back in function. I started this years ago when we were in a tiny house and we needed one spot where everyone could keep papers, etc. I pulled it back out this week to reorg. There are those papers the kids bring home to keep and fill out, teacher info, receipts we need handy, vaccinations, etc. Just easier to have in 1 location. So, we all get a file. I can also keep gift ideas, vacation ideas, decorating ideas, etc. Obviously you need to create it for your family but it is a huge help to me!
For those who have asked, I hope this helps you create your functional family! It is one more step for me on my Journey to Wellness!
Thursday, November 7, 2013
The Magic Pill
I absolutely detest the word diet. You see it all the time..tv, magazines, friends, etc. Diets are all the rage but what good do they really do? Are any diets a long term change? Do they really change one's habits? Generally one jumps on whatever fad diet is going on, has success for a short time and then falls back into the same old habits. How frustrating is that? Habits are really tough to break.
Have you ever noticed that when you finally decide to spend the time to change a negative habit, it actually is easier than all of the "magic pills" we try? But what does it take to get to the point of willingness to make those changes? It is different for all of us. I know that for me it got to the point that the pain of change was easier than the pain of staying the same. Sometimes we have to become fed up and just done. When we hit that point, what should we do then? If we jump on the fad diet and work hard for a period of time, we might get results but what has changed?
I had the privilege yesterday of joining a friend in the home of one of her athletes. We were doing a pantry makeover. It was such an honor to be a part of this very major change in this woman's life . . as well as her family's! We had the opportunity to pull things out and talk with her about why they are not the best choices. We could also point out the great things she had and made those up front and center. We talked about ideas for healthy meals, how to incorporate items she had and what items we suggest she add.
Weight and food are very emotional issues for many of us. I will be the first to admit how upset and frustrated I get when I let myself slack and I gain extra weight. This has always been an issue for me. From comments stupid fraternity boys made in college to my own critical self. We have messages in our heads and have to get rid of them. It is HARD! I have such empathy for those struggling. The gal we spent time with yesterday was tearing up talking about it. It makes my heart hurt when I know people are that raw with their struggle...mostly because I completely understand.
In the midst of frustration we look for the magic pill. I have a secret, I know what the magic pill is!! You want to know? Guess what . . .it is eating the right foods in the right amounts and cutting out all the processed junk. Of course exercise is part of that magic pill. The magic pill is not a shake diet . .. I know, many of you are going to be mad at me for saying this but it isn't. When one does this they can get results but what happens after the period of time. Are you going to drink shakes for the rest of your life? I know, for some it is a jump start. Why not jump start with a plan in place that actually teaches better habits for your lifetime? By committing to the fad diet, you were intentional. My challenge is to be intentional in habits that will last a lifetime.
One thing I have witnessed lately is how this all affects my kids. What are the messages we are sending to them, unintentionally, by the way we eat and behave around our weight. They are watching our every move ...both the boys and the girls. What message to you want to give them? We talk about our nutritional plan in the house. As soon as somebody talks about mom's "diet", I stop things right there. I am not on a diet. I have a nutritional plan I am following that will keep me healthy. And slowly my family is joining my plan. Many of you have seen my facebook pictures lately with the meals we have been cooking. My kids like some and don't like some. There are some tweaks I can do for the kids. They were prefer rice vs cauliflower rice and that is ok! I can make them both and the rice is just fine for them. Back to my point . . the kids are picking everything up. They ask me about balance in their diet, they refuse to go to McDonalds and they are willing to try most things. So, if not for you, isn't it work making lifestyle changes for your kids? We have a generation raised in a time where obesity and sedentary rates are skyrocketing. How are our habits contributing to our kids generation changing this or being one of the statistics?
Can you tell I feel strongly about this? I definitely don't want to be preachy. What I want is for us all to consider. Let's consider what we are doing to ourselves and our future generation. The phrase in my house since my kids could talk is good choice and bad choices . .. is what you are doing to yourself a good choice? I do not claim in any way to be perfect with this. I have my cheat meals, I love a glass (or 2) of wine, sweets are my downfall. But, my goal is to have a plan and work my plan. Do you just need a plan? I am working with a couple of people on this and results are happening! I am so excited for them!
I hope you take a moment to consider your magic pill. I did not even get into the rest of the great things that happen when we make good choices in our eating . . .more energy, better skin, general sense of feeling better, etc! You may think I am totally crazy and that is ok. For those who want to move forward and make some healthy choices, I would love to hear from you! Let me know how I can help you on your Journey to Wellness! Happy Thursday!
Have you ever noticed that when you finally decide to spend the time to change a negative habit, it actually is easier than all of the "magic pills" we try? But what does it take to get to the point of willingness to make those changes? It is different for all of us. I know that for me it got to the point that the pain of change was easier than the pain of staying the same. Sometimes we have to become fed up and just done. When we hit that point, what should we do then? If we jump on the fad diet and work hard for a period of time, we might get results but what has changed?
I had the privilege yesterday of joining a friend in the home of one of her athletes. We were doing a pantry makeover. It was such an honor to be a part of this very major change in this woman's life . . as well as her family's! We had the opportunity to pull things out and talk with her about why they are not the best choices. We could also point out the great things she had and made those up front and center. We talked about ideas for healthy meals, how to incorporate items she had and what items we suggest she add.
Weight and food are very emotional issues for many of us. I will be the first to admit how upset and frustrated I get when I let myself slack and I gain extra weight. This has always been an issue for me. From comments stupid fraternity boys made in college to my own critical self. We have messages in our heads and have to get rid of them. It is HARD! I have such empathy for those struggling. The gal we spent time with yesterday was tearing up talking about it. It makes my heart hurt when I know people are that raw with their struggle...mostly because I completely understand.
In the midst of frustration we look for the magic pill. I have a secret, I know what the magic pill is!! You want to know? Guess what . . .it is eating the right foods in the right amounts and cutting out all the processed junk. Of course exercise is part of that magic pill. The magic pill is not a shake diet . .. I know, many of you are going to be mad at me for saying this but it isn't. When one does this they can get results but what happens after the period of time. Are you going to drink shakes for the rest of your life? I know, for some it is a jump start. Why not jump start with a plan in place that actually teaches better habits for your lifetime? By committing to the fad diet, you were intentional. My challenge is to be intentional in habits that will last a lifetime.
One thing I have witnessed lately is how this all affects my kids. What are the messages we are sending to them, unintentionally, by the way we eat and behave around our weight. They are watching our every move ...both the boys and the girls. What message to you want to give them? We talk about our nutritional plan in the house. As soon as somebody talks about mom's "diet", I stop things right there. I am not on a diet. I have a nutritional plan I am following that will keep me healthy. And slowly my family is joining my plan. Many of you have seen my facebook pictures lately with the meals we have been cooking. My kids like some and don't like some. There are some tweaks I can do for the kids. They were prefer rice vs cauliflower rice and that is ok! I can make them both and the rice is just fine for them. Back to my point . . the kids are picking everything up. They ask me about balance in their diet, they refuse to go to McDonalds and they are willing to try most things. So, if not for you, isn't it work making lifestyle changes for your kids? We have a generation raised in a time where obesity and sedentary rates are skyrocketing. How are our habits contributing to our kids generation changing this or being one of the statistics?
Can you tell I feel strongly about this? I definitely don't want to be preachy. What I want is for us all to consider. Let's consider what we are doing to ourselves and our future generation. The phrase in my house since my kids could talk is good choice and bad choices . .. is what you are doing to yourself a good choice? I do not claim in any way to be perfect with this. I have my cheat meals, I love a glass (or 2) of wine, sweets are my downfall. But, my goal is to have a plan and work my plan. Do you just need a plan? I am working with a couple of people on this and results are happening! I am so excited for them!
I hope you take a moment to consider your magic pill. I did not even get into the rest of the great things that happen when we make good choices in our eating . . .more energy, better skin, general sense of feeling better, etc! You may think I am totally crazy and that is ok. For those who want to move forward and make some healthy choices, I would love to hear from you! Let me know how I can help you on your Journey to Wellness! Happy Thursday!
Friday, October 25, 2013
Being Intentional??
I have missed my blog! I had a blog post all ready to go a couple of weeks ago as I was sitting in the airport and it just would not post. Technology is so awesome sometimes! I spent a week in Tahiti with my husband...wow, true wellness! Relaxing, reading, eating yummy food and resting. We all need to find ways to do that in our lives. Obviously Tahiti is not a reasonable trip for most of us but there are plenty of local ways to get away with your spouse to reconnect and rest.
I have had some interesting conversations with people lately that have prompted this post. Sometimes I don't realize what is actually driving change in my own self and I was realizing that most if it is intention. We have to be intentional when we make changes. They do not just happen. I have to be intentional everyday with my eating, exercising, organization, etc. Everything in our lives requires intention. The funny thing is, when it comes to making a major healthy life change, we want it to come easy and not have to be intentional.
Have you noticed how unplanned and unintentional behavior just causes us to spin our wheels and, often, make poor choices? My husband and I had a long conversation about this on our trip. We discussed the organizational systems in our house . . . mostly what is not working. Much of the problem is lack of intention and planning. The amount of time, energy and money we would save by planning meals weekly is huge! Though, how often do we take the time to sit down and plan those meals? I know we are horrible about it. We know the problem and yet we still continue the poor pattern. It is ridiculous too because we both know how incredibly miserable it makes us! We are scrambling at the last minute, eating the same things we are bored with, and causing more chaos in an already chaotic household! If we would simply choose to be intentional in our planning, all this ridiculousness would be saved! Funny that we keep doing something that is harder in the long run.
Thankfully, we took the time to discuss this. One of the great benefits to being away from the chaos and together in a relaxed environment...you can have productive conversations! We both are committed to being intentional in our meal planning, organization (back to a paper calendar for the family), etc. I am going to create a system when everyone in the house can see the meals for the week, calendar of the week and to do list so anyone questions can be answered without always asking mom! Once I accomplish this, I will post a picture.
The conversation I had yesterday with the friend I am coaching was primarily surrounding intention. He was discussing some of the challenges of changing eating habits. I know so many people who struggle with eating because you are bored and eating at night out of habit. These are really tough habits to break! We work so hard all day long that by the evening we are tired and worn out. It makes is it that much harder to change the habit. I talked with him about being intentional, planning ahead and making the decision not to indulge out of boredom at night. It will be a daily challenge until the habit is broken but worth it in the long run! Right now he has to consciously make the choice everyday to not give in to the habit.
We all struggle with intention and how we fit it in our lives. It is difficult to commit to change but is doable when we make the choice and back it with intention. The definition of intention is 1. a thing intended; and aim or plan. 2. (Medicine) The healing process of a wound. Interesting medical definition. . .the healing process of a wound. With intention we are changing something or healing a wound in our life! I love that. I also love the "aim or plan" part as well. Notice that none of this said any of us are perfect and that we will not cheat or mess up. It is an aim, it is a plan, it is moving in a forward direction. We will all mess up. We will all have bad days, weeks, months, etc. But it is how we journey moving forward with intention to being well.
Have a wonderful weekend! I highly recommend you check out the website, facebook page and cookbook called Against all Grain. Danielle has an amazing story as well as awesome recipes. Very inspiring for all of us on our Journey to Wellness!
I have had some interesting conversations with people lately that have prompted this post. Sometimes I don't realize what is actually driving change in my own self and I was realizing that most if it is intention. We have to be intentional when we make changes. They do not just happen. I have to be intentional everyday with my eating, exercising, organization, etc. Everything in our lives requires intention. The funny thing is, when it comes to making a major healthy life change, we want it to come easy and not have to be intentional.
Have you noticed how unplanned and unintentional behavior just causes us to spin our wheels and, often, make poor choices? My husband and I had a long conversation about this on our trip. We discussed the organizational systems in our house . . . mostly what is not working. Much of the problem is lack of intention and planning. The amount of time, energy and money we would save by planning meals weekly is huge! Though, how often do we take the time to sit down and plan those meals? I know we are horrible about it. We know the problem and yet we still continue the poor pattern. It is ridiculous too because we both know how incredibly miserable it makes us! We are scrambling at the last minute, eating the same things we are bored with, and causing more chaos in an already chaotic household! If we would simply choose to be intentional in our planning, all this ridiculousness would be saved! Funny that we keep doing something that is harder in the long run.
Thankfully, we took the time to discuss this. One of the great benefits to being away from the chaos and together in a relaxed environment...you can have productive conversations! We both are committed to being intentional in our meal planning, organization (back to a paper calendar for the family), etc. I am going to create a system when everyone in the house can see the meals for the week, calendar of the week and to do list so anyone questions can be answered without always asking mom! Once I accomplish this, I will post a picture.
The conversation I had yesterday with the friend I am coaching was primarily surrounding intention. He was discussing some of the challenges of changing eating habits. I know so many people who struggle with eating because you are bored and eating at night out of habit. These are really tough habits to break! We work so hard all day long that by the evening we are tired and worn out. It makes is it that much harder to change the habit. I talked with him about being intentional, planning ahead and making the decision not to indulge out of boredom at night. It will be a daily challenge until the habit is broken but worth it in the long run! Right now he has to consciously make the choice everyday to not give in to the habit.
We all struggle with intention and how we fit it in our lives. It is difficult to commit to change but is doable when we make the choice and back it with intention. The definition of intention is 1. a thing intended; and aim or plan. 2. (Medicine) The healing process of a wound. Interesting medical definition. . .the healing process of a wound. With intention we are changing something or healing a wound in our life! I love that. I also love the "aim or plan" part as well. Notice that none of this said any of us are perfect and that we will not cheat or mess up. It is an aim, it is a plan, it is moving in a forward direction. We will all mess up. We will all have bad days, weeks, months, etc. But it is how we journey moving forward with intention to being well.
Have a wonderful weekend! I highly recommend you check out the website, facebook page and cookbook called Against all Grain. Danielle has an amazing story as well as awesome recipes. Very inspiring for all of us on our Journey to Wellness!
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Partner in crime?
I am so excited to write today! I have been honored to have conversations with many of you about your health and wellness. Thank you for taking the time to share your stories with me. I love talking with you and brainstorming ways to work through the situations you are dealing with.
I believe there is power in sharing journeys. We are all on our own adventure in this world and I know it helps me when I can connect with others who have a similar experience. How many of you have tried and tried to get yourself on a health and fitness plan only to give up each time you slip? Or you beat yourself up so much from the guilt you feel that are totally unmotivated to keep up with it? From the sounds of conversations I have had recently, I am not the only one with these experiences.
I recently had somebody reach out who is fed up, frustrated and ready to improve his wellness. He is ready for the journey and wants the support to move forward. I am honored to be partnering with him. We have put together a plan and he started yesterday. He was ready for a pretty intense change so hit the ground running. Some people are not as ready so baby steps work better. My goal is to help put together a plan that will challenge each person to accomplish their goal while not being so impossible they give up. When we were talking today, one of the comments he made was that he was happy to know he gets cheat meals each week. If you are allowed a few cheats, you don't feel guilty and quit. Eventually you will be less inclined to eat those guilty pleasures because they just don't taste as good as they used to. Another interesting thing he realized is he was not hungry and it was hard to eat as much food as he needs to get his body in fat burning mode. I think we often think that if we change our eating plan, we will be starving! One of the best things he is doing is keeping a food log. I know, we all hate doing that but it sure does build accountability!
I have mentioned before and will say it again...if you had told me years ago that I would be eating and working out like I do today, I would have thought you had lost your mind! It has been small changes over time. We are a nation that eats horrifically. The norm for so many is soda and fast food. Our bodies are not meant to consume all these chemicals and fake foods. This affects all aspects of life even if you do not realize it. I think one of the biggest complaints I hear from people is their sleep. I know many people have sleep issues and some truly need medical support but, I would encourage you to first consider changing your eating habits. The healthier I eat, the better I sleep. Not every single day but for the most part.
The hard thing can be feeling like you are alone in the journey. Having the person to partner with you who will build you up and encourage you is essential to your success! Each time I have made significant changes in my life, I have not been successful until Brad or somebody was partnered with me. Get rid of the nay sayers! You can do it!
I will keep you posted as my friend shares his challenges and successes! Let me know if you need a partner on your journey. I am thrilled to walk beside you on your Journey to Wellness!
I believe there is power in sharing journeys. We are all on our own adventure in this world and I know it helps me when I can connect with others who have a similar experience. How many of you have tried and tried to get yourself on a health and fitness plan only to give up each time you slip? Or you beat yourself up so much from the guilt you feel that are totally unmotivated to keep up with it? From the sounds of conversations I have had recently, I am not the only one with these experiences.
I recently had somebody reach out who is fed up, frustrated and ready to improve his wellness. He is ready for the journey and wants the support to move forward. I am honored to be partnering with him. We have put together a plan and he started yesterday. He was ready for a pretty intense change so hit the ground running. Some people are not as ready so baby steps work better. My goal is to help put together a plan that will challenge each person to accomplish their goal while not being so impossible they give up. When we were talking today, one of the comments he made was that he was happy to know he gets cheat meals each week. If you are allowed a few cheats, you don't feel guilty and quit. Eventually you will be less inclined to eat those guilty pleasures because they just don't taste as good as they used to. Another interesting thing he realized is he was not hungry and it was hard to eat as much food as he needs to get his body in fat burning mode. I think we often think that if we change our eating plan, we will be starving! One of the best things he is doing is keeping a food log. I know, we all hate doing that but it sure does build accountability!
I have mentioned before and will say it again...if you had told me years ago that I would be eating and working out like I do today, I would have thought you had lost your mind! It has been small changes over time. We are a nation that eats horrifically. The norm for so many is soda and fast food. Our bodies are not meant to consume all these chemicals and fake foods. This affects all aspects of life even if you do not realize it. I think one of the biggest complaints I hear from people is their sleep. I know many people have sleep issues and some truly need medical support but, I would encourage you to first consider changing your eating habits. The healthier I eat, the better I sleep. Not every single day but for the most part.
The hard thing can be feeling like you are alone in the journey. Having the person to partner with you who will build you up and encourage you is essential to your success! Each time I have made significant changes in my life, I have not been successful until Brad or somebody was partnered with me. Get rid of the nay sayers! You can do it!
I will keep you posted as my friend shares his challenges and successes! Let me know if you need a partner on your journey. I am thrilled to walk beside you on your Journey to Wellness!
Monday, September 23, 2013
Successes and Challenges of Eating on the Road!
Happy Monday! I am spending a fabulous week in San Francisco with my husband for his work. While he is off for the day I am getting to work from our gorgeous hotel enjoying the views of a beautiful SF day. What a treat! I had the opportunity yesterday to attend the America's cup races and watch as we won both races. It was an incredible experience! Watching how hard those men were working was inspiring and I couldn't help but wonder what their nutrition plan is! Yep, I am that crazy.
I was lucky to find out last week that it does not appear I have Celiac which is great news! So, I just need to avoid Gluten but not go crazy. Once I removed the Gluten I discovered I was still having stomach aches/bloating/etc. I noticed it was after eating the little bit of dairy I actually ate. I decided to try removing dairy as well and it has made a huge difference! I also removed the migraine medication (with doctors approval of course!) and am trying to avoid food triggers.
Now, there would have been many times in my life that I would have read something like this and thought "this woman is crazy..what does she eat? There is no way I would take those things out of my diet. I love food too much!". I am completely aware that we are each on our own journey and have to find the balance for our individual needs and seasons of life. To get to where I am today has taken years of changes. I did not remove everything all at once and would never expect anyone to do that unless they had health issues requiring it!
So, being new to eating Gluten and Dairy Free can be challenging. I do a lot of asking questions at restaurants and checking out items at stores. It is definitely a new experience to figure out but worth it when you feel so much better!
The question I asked myself was this...how can I set myself up for success on the road when I eat every 2-3 hours and eat a high protein/veggie diet without gluten and dairy??? For those of you who eat similarly and have suggestions, please comment below with your ideas! I know we would all benefit from your research!
So far it has been interesting. I am super lucky that the hotel we are staying in actually marks each item on their menu if it is gluten free and they are able to adjust many of the other items. That is extremely helpful! However, the thought in my mind is how can I trust what they say to be true and how do I know they are not slipping ingredients in that will make me suffer? I am not sure of the answer to this, it just makes me thankful Celiac is not the issue. That would require a lot more research and preparation. I did pack my protein mix with my chia and a shaker so I can make quick shakes in the room. I also brought protein bars. So that takes care of my snacks during the day. Yesterday when we arrived I scoped out a grocery store that is close where I can grab some veggies on the go to add to those snacks. I also checked out spots to grab a lunch to meet my specific needs. I am sure the other option would be to talk to the concierge for quick ideas and answers.
Another update to share with you regarding protein shakes. Since I removed dairy from my diet I needed to change protein powder. I purchased various samples and most of the gluten and dairy free powders are horrible! My gym sells one that is ok. It is drinkable. I prefer it in the blender with some Power to the Greens but no fruit. I will add ice today at the hotel to make it cold.
Saturday was my daughter's birthday and she wanted pizza for dinner with cupcakes for dessert. We all know that there is nothing gluten or dairy free there. Lucky for me, our local cupcake shop has an all free cupcake! It was AMAZING!!! I would never have known that it was missing the dairy and gluten. Though the pizza place Grace wanted pizza from does not have gluten free, the new place across the street does so I ordered a small to try it out. That was super yummy! We have even discovered a great gluten free IPA so I was able to eat with my family and not miss out on any of the birthday treats. Of course this was one of my cheat meals for the week! The really nice thing was that even though I was full, I did not have that bloated, nasty feeling you get after a big meal of bread and pasta....or greasy pizza. Something I learned . . . you need to specify no cheese on your pizza even if the list says they are adding a different cheese. The pizza I ordered had feta (many people with dairy issues are able to drink/eat goats milk/cheese) but they still put the other cheese on.
Again, this is my journey! What is your journey? Do you need more water in your diet? Do you need to add veggies into your day? Do you need to cut out 1 negative habit in your eating that is nagging you? Just focus on making 1 healthy change for the week. If you need ideas, feel free to contact me ...I am happy to help! I love hearing about your journey so please keep in touch as we all are on our Journey to Wellness!
I was lucky to find out last week that it does not appear I have Celiac which is great news! So, I just need to avoid Gluten but not go crazy. Once I removed the Gluten I discovered I was still having stomach aches/bloating/etc. I noticed it was after eating the little bit of dairy I actually ate. I decided to try removing dairy as well and it has made a huge difference! I also removed the migraine medication (with doctors approval of course!) and am trying to avoid food triggers.
Now, there would have been many times in my life that I would have read something like this and thought "this woman is crazy..what does she eat? There is no way I would take those things out of my diet. I love food too much!". I am completely aware that we are each on our own journey and have to find the balance for our individual needs and seasons of life. To get to where I am today has taken years of changes. I did not remove everything all at once and would never expect anyone to do that unless they had health issues requiring it!
So, being new to eating Gluten and Dairy Free can be challenging. I do a lot of asking questions at restaurants and checking out items at stores. It is definitely a new experience to figure out but worth it when you feel so much better!
The question I asked myself was this...how can I set myself up for success on the road when I eat every 2-3 hours and eat a high protein/veggie diet without gluten and dairy??? For those of you who eat similarly and have suggestions, please comment below with your ideas! I know we would all benefit from your research!
So far it has been interesting. I am super lucky that the hotel we are staying in actually marks each item on their menu if it is gluten free and they are able to adjust many of the other items. That is extremely helpful! However, the thought in my mind is how can I trust what they say to be true and how do I know they are not slipping ingredients in that will make me suffer? I am not sure of the answer to this, it just makes me thankful Celiac is not the issue. That would require a lot more research and preparation. I did pack my protein mix with my chia and a shaker so I can make quick shakes in the room. I also brought protein bars. So that takes care of my snacks during the day. Yesterday when we arrived I scoped out a grocery store that is close where I can grab some veggies on the go to add to those snacks. I also checked out spots to grab a lunch to meet my specific needs. I am sure the other option would be to talk to the concierge for quick ideas and answers.
Another update to share with you regarding protein shakes. Since I removed dairy from my diet I needed to change protein powder. I purchased various samples and most of the gluten and dairy free powders are horrible! My gym sells one that is ok. It is drinkable. I prefer it in the blender with some Power to the Greens but no fruit. I will add ice today at the hotel to make it cold.
Saturday was my daughter's birthday and she wanted pizza for dinner with cupcakes for dessert. We all know that there is nothing gluten or dairy free there. Lucky for me, our local cupcake shop has an all free cupcake! It was AMAZING!!! I would never have known that it was missing the dairy and gluten. Though the pizza place Grace wanted pizza from does not have gluten free, the new place across the street does so I ordered a small to try it out. That was super yummy! We have even discovered a great gluten free IPA so I was able to eat with my family and not miss out on any of the birthday treats. Of course this was one of my cheat meals for the week! The really nice thing was that even though I was full, I did not have that bloated, nasty feeling you get after a big meal of bread and pasta....or greasy pizza. Something I learned . . . you need to specify no cheese on your pizza even if the list says they are adding a different cheese. The pizza I ordered had feta (many people with dairy issues are able to drink/eat goats milk/cheese) but they still put the other cheese on.
Again, this is my journey! What is your journey? Do you need more water in your diet? Do you need to add veggies into your day? Do you need to cut out 1 negative habit in your eating that is nagging you? Just focus on making 1 healthy change for the week. If you need ideas, feel free to contact me ...I am happy to help! I love hearing about your journey so please keep in touch as we all are on our Journey to Wellness!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Protein Shakes
Many of you asked me for my recipes for protein shakes so thought I would do a quick post for you. My shakes are pretty simple. We use the protein powder from Costco, both chocolate and vanilla. The bag says Gluten Free. I will research that further but was happy to see that.
I use water as my liquid, Brad uses skim milk. 1 cup or so of liquid in the blender. 1 scoop of protein powder. I put more than half a bag of Power to the Greens from Trader Joes. I put in 1 scoop of Chia seeds. Last add 1 banana and ice OR 1 cup of frozen mixed berries OR 1 cup of frozen mixed fruit. Right now I am really enjoying the frozen fruit blend from Costco that has Strawberries, Papaya, Mango and Pineapple. One key I have found is to blend REALLY REALLY well.
Pretty basic. I would love some new ideas so those of you that have some, please share! Also, next week I will be taking my shakes on the road so this week I am going to figure out how to be in a hotel and take everything with me. If you have suggestions . . would love to hear! That will definitely be a learning experience for GF . .. 5 days in a hotel and eating out. Getting proper nutrition and remain GF. I will definitely let you all know how that goes!
I use water as my liquid, Brad uses skim milk. 1 cup or so of liquid in the blender. 1 scoop of protein powder. I put more than half a bag of Power to the Greens from Trader Joes. I put in 1 scoop of Chia seeds. Last add 1 banana and ice OR 1 cup of frozen mixed berries OR 1 cup of frozen mixed fruit. Right now I am really enjoying the frozen fruit blend from Costco that has Strawberries, Papaya, Mango and Pineapple. One key I have found is to blend REALLY REALLY well.
Pretty basic. I would love some new ideas so those of you that have some, please share! Also, next week I will be taking my shakes on the road so this week I am going to figure out how to be in a hotel and take everything with me. If you have suggestions . . would love to hear! That will definitely be a learning experience for GF . .. 5 days in a hotel and eating out. Getting proper nutrition and remain GF. I will definitely let you all know how that goes!
Saturday, September 14, 2013
To be or not to be Gluten Free??
Happy Saturday! I hope you are having as wonderful a morning as I have been blessed with. As much as I love and adore my family, I have been given a rare gift of being alone in my house. AHHHH!!! The perfect time to sit and blog, don't ya think?! It has been a fantastic week in my Journey to Wellness and I am so excited to get it written down. First and foremost, I want to thank each and everyone of you who has reached out. I did not start blogging to get pats on the back but I have to tell you the kind words, support and stories of your own journeys, genuinely mean so much to me! Thank you so much! My goal with this blog is to work through my journey and, if it helps somebody in the process, awesome...if not, it helps me to get my thoughts in one place where I can look back at them. So, quick group hug and thanks for the love!
I started off the week talking again to my doctor who I met with last Friday. She sent me in for a bunch of lab work so I did that first thing Monday morning . .well, after a kick butt new workout of course! I am still waiting for the results of the Celiac test but got everything else back. I met with Dr Huntsman on Wednesday and the conclusion we both came to was this .. .all my anxiety started when I stopped taking the active T3 thyroid medication I had been taking for years. What my blood work showed was that my body is not converting the T4 into T3 so I have all the classic symptoms of this simply being my thyroid. Now, I say simply because the "fix" can be somewhat simple. The diagnosis can be very hard to come to. Many doctors just do not do all the right blood tests and the "normal" ranges of thyroid are huge. We could do weeks and weeks of blogs on this but you can google and get plenty of info. I am also happy to talk with you about this. So, for me it is a simple change to a thyroid medication with T3 and T4 that should hopefully eliminate the symptoms. Time will tell!
What has become 100% clear in this process is that whether or not my Celiac test comes back positive, I have a pretty strong gluten intolerance. I spent some time this week playing around with it and have been amazed at the results. Since I have cut big gluten out of my diet for the most part, I can tell when I eat it. Stomach aches, headaches, intestinal misery, etc. But, when I cut it out, none of it. So I finally decided enough was enough. If Celiac is involved, it will take it to a new level but for now I choose to eat Gluten Free.
Yesterday was the first day I ate totally Gluten Free . .well, to the best of my knowledge. Turns out the shredded cheese I added to my eggs has gluten but I will learn! It was a great day to experiment. I went on a half day hike which meant taking food. My first challenge was to figure out what convenience foods to take that fit my needs. Veggies were great, fruit, gluten free bars (I have a friend who gets them made by somebody . . super yummy!). Success! I ended up eating lunch and dinner at restaurants so I really got to test the waters! And, not only just any restaurant for dinner but ITALIAN!! Lunch went well with a yummy salad and salmon. I need to ask more questions in the future but it worked out. Dinner...I just had to ask the server what I could eat off the menu. This is such an authentic Italian restaurant that they don't have GF pasta or anything which is just fine! The server was knowledgable and awesome. When she asked about dessert she just told me what I could have. I really appreciated it. You know what else is interesting, I did not leave any of the meals with that miserable full feeling. Hmmm...
Let's talk about cocktails. Of course in all the fun and social time yesterday there were cocktails! I enjoy my cocktails (in moderation of course!) :). Now, when you are changing your eating you have to check the alcohol too. So this whole experience is crazy! Wine is gluten free so that is an option (though a migraine trigger, which means I am being very careful). That leaves Vodka and Gin. I prefer Vodka and it comes from potatoes so I am all good right...WRONG! Did you know that there are only a handful of potato or Gluten Free Vodkas? Who knew?? And, this whole time I thought I was being so good making the right choice, I was still drinking gluten. Thankfully Brad takes such good care of me and stopped at the store to make we now have Gluten Free Vodka in the house. What I was super surprised about as well was the restaurants. The servers do know if they have a potato vodka! It was so helpful!
The result . . .I felt good yesterday. I woke up today without all the fun symptoms I mentioned before plus my head feels clearer. For those who pay attention to their weight, I also found it interesting that my weight was down quite a bit today. Since gluten in an inflammatory food, I wonder how much that made a difference cutting it out. Not sure I can prove anything but thought it interesting. This Journey to Wellness is definitely an interesting one! I am learning so much and find it all so fascinating. I truly believe we are eating so many foods that are causing problems in our bodies so the more natural we can eat, the better. The rule of thumb is to shop the outside of the grocery store. It is a good rule. Now adding the GF to the mix will be a ton more learning for me . . as well as my family but it is worth it! Are any of you on the GF fence? I would love to hear what is holding you back? Feel free to share comments. Thank you for the support in my Journey to Wellness!
I started off the week talking again to my doctor who I met with last Friday. She sent me in for a bunch of lab work so I did that first thing Monday morning . .well, after a kick butt new workout of course! I am still waiting for the results of the Celiac test but got everything else back. I met with Dr Huntsman on Wednesday and the conclusion we both came to was this .. .all my anxiety started when I stopped taking the active T3 thyroid medication I had been taking for years. What my blood work showed was that my body is not converting the T4 into T3 so I have all the classic symptoms of this simply being my thyroid. Now, I say simply because the "fix" can be somewhat simple. The diagnosis can be very hard to come to. Many doctors just do not do all the right blood tests and the "normal" ranges of thyroid are huge. We could do weeks and weeks of blogs on this but you can google and get plenty of info. I am also happy to talk with you about this. So, for me it is a simple change to a thyroid medication with T3 and T4 that should hopefully eliminate the symptoms. Time will tell!
What has become 100% clear in this process is that whether or not my Celiac test comes back positive, I have a pretty strong gluten intolerance. I spent some time this week playing around with it and have been amazed at the results. Since I have cut big gluten out of my diet for the most part, I can tell when I eat it. Stomach aches, headaches, intestinal misery, etc. But, when I cut it out, none of it. So I finally decided enough was enough. If Celiac is involved, it will take it to a new level but for now I choose to eat Gluten Free.
Yesterday was the first day I ate totally Gluten Free . .well, to the best of my knowledge. Turns out the shredded cheese I added to my eggs has gluten but I will learn! It was a great day to experiment. I went on a half day hike which meant taking food. My first challenge was to figure out what convenience foods to take that fit my needs. Veggies were great, fruit, gluten free bars (I have a friend who gets them made by somebody . . super yummy!). Success! I ended up eating lunch and dinner at restaurants so I really got to test the waters! And, not only just any restaurant for dinner but ITALIAN!! Lunch went well with a yummy salad and salmon. I need to ask more questions in the future but it worked out. Dinner...I just had to ask the server what I could eat off the menu. This is such an authentic Italian restaurant that they don't have GF pasta or anything which is just fine! The server was knowledgable and awesome. When she asked about dessert she just told me what I could have. I really appreciated it. You know what else is interesting, I did not leave any of the meals with that miserable full feeling. Hmmm...
Let's talk about cocktails. Of course in all the fun and social time yesterday there were cocktails! I enjoy my cocktails (in moderation of course!) :). Now, when you are changing your eating you have to check the alcohol too. So this whole experience is crazy! Wine is gluten free so that is an option (though a migraine trigger, which means I am being very careful). That leaves Vodka and Gin. I prefer Vodka and it comes from potatoes so I am all good right...WRONG! Did you know that there are only a handful of potato or Gluten Free Vodkas? Who knew?? And, this whole time I thought I was being so good making the right choice, I was still drinking gluten. Thankfully Brad takes such good care of me and stopped at the store to make we now have Gluten Free Vodka in the house. What I was super surprised about as well was the restaurants. The servers do know if they have a potato vodka! It was so helpful!
The result . . .I felt good yesterday. I woke up today without all the fun symptoms I mentioned before plus my head feels clearer. For those who pay attention to their weight, I also found it interesting that my weight was down quite a bit today. Since gluten in an inflammatory food, I wonder how much that made a difference cutting it out. Not sure I can prove anything but thought it interesting. This Journey to Wellness is definitely an interesting one! I am learning so much and find it all so fascinating. I truly believe we are eating so many foods that are causing problems in our bodies so the more natural we can eat, the better. The rule of thumb is to shop the outside of the grocery store. It is a good rule. Now adding the GF to the mix will be a ton more learning for me . . as well as my family but it is worth it! Are any of you on the GF fence? I would love to hear what is holding you back? Feel free to share comments. Thank you for the support in my Journey to Wellness!
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Fruits, Veggies and Protein...Oh My!!
Do you ever wonder what to eat, when to eat it and how much to eat? Or, are you so frustrated because you are "eating less and moving more" yet you seem to struggle with clothes fitting? I feel your pain! These issues have always been struggles for me and I have run the gamut. We have been taught our whole lives that we should eat less to lose weight so it would only make sense that you would eat even less and work out harder to lose more weight . .right? WRONG!!
I have tried the eating whatever I want method, eating next to nothing, eating healthy but not enough, just cutting out sugar and alcohol, etc. The thing I find so interesting, with learning that I have Gluten sensitivities, it was not until I cut gluten out of my diet that I lot the weight that was hanging on. Now, eat person is different and I am happy to talk through ideas and suggestions for you.
Brad and I have done p90x/p90x2 a few times and when we have had the best results, we have also followed the nutrition plan. I am a firm believer that nutrition is the largest percentage of success in weight loss. You can workout until you are throwing up on the side of the road and if your nutrition is not dialed in, you will not have the success you want in the weight department. Now, there are those exceptions to this rule and we will just say lucky them. For the rest of us, let's be real about what it takes.
Part of the issue is really having to switch our thinking. It is really hard to eat more food when you want to lose weight. It is completely counter intuitive. But, I promise, if you are eating the right things it will work (baring a health issue that needs addressing). I work well with numbers so the p90x2 nutrition guide puts things in a great visual for me. It breaks down my day into numbers 4 veggies, 7 proteins, etc. HOWEVER . . .veggies are huge and we have to understand what 1 veggie equals. 6 cups of raw spinach is 1 veggie vs 1 cup of raw carrots for example. So if you come to me and tell me you ate 3 salads today, you will not really have come close to your daily veggie total unless you added a lot of extra broccoli, carrots, etc. If your salad was iceberg lettuce it does not count as a veggie at all so be sure to at least use Romaine or another lettuce with nutritional value. I also get the Power to the Greens bags from Trader Joes and add that to my protein shakes everyday. I can't taste it but that is a way to get more veggies in my day.
Another key is to eat every 2-3 hours. So I focus on 5 meals a day. One of them is my protein shake (yumm!!). When you do this, eat healthy and focus on 90% compliance, you will feel great and control your weight. 10% cheating gives you 4 meals a week that you get to totally cheat on. Skipping a meal is a cheat so do not skip! It is a waste of a cheat! I would so much rather eat a burger and fries with all the fixings than nothing, wouldn't you?
A book that I love and highly recommend is The Female Body Breakthrough: The Revolutionary Strength-Training Plan for Losing Fat and Getting the Body You Want by Rachel Cosgrove
She too has been through the gamut and has some great thoughts and ideas.
If you are in this situation, please do not hesitate to reach out. I would be more than happy to talk through this with you and come up with a plan that will work for you! Let's Journey to Wellness together!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
The dirty details...
Before we move forward in this journey I should probably give you all the dirty details to catch you up. Migraines and low thyroid have both plagued me for many years. Imitrex works great for me so I just ignored the issues, took my meds and saw a doctor when I needed to. I worked out and ate pretty healthy so thought this was just how it was. I was busy raising kids, working and living life so I figured you just deal. I went through periods where I would deal with anxiety and the doctor would just prescribe medication for it that seemed to help and I would eventually stop taking it.
As the years have worn on, the migraines became chronic. Thankfully the imitrex still works but I was taking it like candy. Again, I ignored this and figured it was how it was. I always told my doctors but nobody seemed concerned so I guess I didn't need to be. Fast forward to fall of 2012. I had started running when we moved to Bend 3 years ago and actually running half marathons. Never did I think this was something I would be able to do but some training with friends and I did it! Unfortunately, what appears to be abuse of imitrex caused 2 attacks of Ischemic Colitis. Now doctors started getting concerned. During this time I had slowly started gaining weight which was so frustrating! The joys of living in one of the top microbrew towns in the nation! This catches up with you over time.
So began the journey. The neurologist put me on 2 different medications to try to stop the migraines from happening. They are not working and started causing anxiety. The anxiety got so bad I ended up on anti anxiety meds and Xanax to just calm me down to function. None of this is ok with me. During this whole process I had started eating super healthy on was on an intense workout plan. I have managed to lose all of the weight and get into great shape to be super fit but I still feel horrible. And, I have been able to start identifying foods that really bother my sleep, anxiety, migraines, etc. I have come to a few conclusions from this...
- Medication is not 100% the answer
- I want to get off of the all the medications I am taking (except thyroid of course)
- Doctors are limited to what they can help with
- Food is a huge part of the problem
- There are dots to be connected and I need help connecting them
- I need to find the right people to help me
- I have to advocate for myself!
This began my journey. My thyroid doctor finally confirmed my Hashimoto diagnosis which added an additional interesting layer. Many people have suggested acupuncture so I started that a couple of weeks ago. Not sure how much that is helping yet but I like it and I am lucky enough that my insurance covers it! So, I will keep it up to see. My acupuncturist is focusing on treating the migraines and anxiety. I will keep you posted on that! I also saw a new doctor on Friday who is an OB/GYN by specialty but focuses on thyroid and womens issues. After speaking she wants to test me for celiac disease/gluten intolerance. This would explain so much! I specifically told this doctor that I know something is not right, I need help connecting the dots and asked her if she is willing to be that person.
So, in a nutshell you are caught up to my journey. My husband has had to put up with a lot and be very patient. It is not fun living in a house where your wife tells you she feels crazy some days and you have to step up more than normal. Thankfully, he is trying his best to help and we will get through it! Also, I have been blessed with very supportive friends who are patient and there when "I drop my basket" as one of them says!
I hope this helps to bring you up to speed as I move forward in my Journey to Wellness. Feel free to ask questions and share your story too. I know there are so many of us out there that have awesome lives and our so blessed but something is just not right. Let's discover it together! My goal over time is to build into wellness coaching as I gain the certification to so. In the meantime, I am here for you! Let's Journey to Wellness together!
Who am I and why in the world am I blogging???
So I could sit here for an hour and figure out the perfect way to start my very first blog entry or I could just get started. Let me begin be saying I am not a writer. If you are looking for a brilliantly written blog with with fancy words and pulitzer prize winning articles, you may want to stop right now. But, if you are looking to journey with me and hear it like it is, I am your gal! Those who know me will back me up when I say this, I will be honest and not sugar coat the truth here. I am honest to a fault and you are getting it right from the start. With this honesty I promise to share my struggles and challenges as I am on my own Journey to Wellness.
Let me step back a moment and tell you a bit about me. We just finished the first week of school here in Bend and it was fantastic! My oldest son is a Freshman, my middle son is in 8th grade and our daughter is in 3rd grade. They are all amazing people who I truly enjoy spending time with. My husband was blessed with his job to be able to telecommute from Bend. We love to golf, ski, run/walk, bike, camp, enjoy everything the outdoors offers here! The added bonus has been an incredible group of friends to share these experiences with. Our lives are truly blessed and I am so thankful we have the opportunity to live here.
Now, at this point you may very well be asking yourself "Journey to Wellness? Sounds pretty crazy to me .. looks like she is well and everything is great!". Well, I would agree with you on the outside I have no right to complain and everything appears fantastic. Unfortunately, my body has decided it does not want to buy into this wellness business. So, the more I have tried to be healthy, the more "sick" I have become.
I have struggled my entire life with my weight. I have always been on the chubby side, never "skinny". And many people have pointed it out throughout my life. It was not until I had my first child that I lost my baby fat and not until a few years ago that I really began to get a handle on healthy eating combined with fitness. It was then that I was able to get my weight under control and manage it. Don't get me wrong, I recently had to regroup again and go through the whole process over but I know how to do it which it so helpful!
I will go in depth in future blog posts what is going on and how I am moving through each step right now but the cliff note version is this...chronic migraines led to an attack of ischemic colitis which led to seeing a neurologist to try to stop taking so much medication for the migraines. Unfortunately the medication seems to be causing anxiety and irritability which I am still struggling with today. I also have a low thyroid and Hashimoto disease. Putting all these fantastic issues together I am a firm believe that medication may not be the end all solution to fixing the problem and that food may be triggering a large part of the problem.
The purpose of my blog is to help me document the steps I am taking to connect the dots for myself and also I hope to encourage others on their journey. I know that we all have a journey and struggles. This process is not easy and I know I am not the only one trying to find the answers out there. So, if you are looking for an authentic blog please join me as we Journey to Wellness!
Let me step back a moment and tell you a bit about me. We just finished the first week of school here in Bend and it was fantastic! My oldest son is a Freshman, my middle son is in 8th grade and our daughter is in 3rd grade. They are all amazing people who I truly enjoy spending time with. My husband was blessed with his job to be able to telecommute from Bend. We love to golf, ski, run/walk, bike, camp, enjoy everything the outdoors offers here! The added bonus has been an incredible group of friends to share these experiences with. Our lives are truly blessed and I am so thankful we have the opportunity to live here.
Now, at this point you may very well be asking yourself "Journey to Wellness? Sounds pretty crazy to me .. looks like she is well and everything is great!". Well, I would agree with you on the outside I have no right to complain and everything appears fantastic. Unfortunately, my body has decided it does not want to buy into this wellness business. So, the more I have tried to be healthy, the more "sick" I have become.
I have struggled my entire life with my weight. I have always been on the chubby side, never "skinny". And many people have pointed it out throughout my life. It was not until I had my first child that I lost my baby fat and not until a few years ago that I really began to get a handle on healthy eating combined with fitness. It was then that I was able to get my weight under control and manage it. Don't get me wrong, I recently had to regroup again and go through the whole process over but I know how to do it which it so helpful!
I will go in depth in future blog posts what is going on and how I am moving through each step right now but the cliff note version is this...chronic migraines led to an attack of ischemic colitis which led to seeing a neurologist to try to stop taking so much medication for the migraines. Unfortunately the medication seems to be causing anxiety and irritability which I am still struggling with today. I also have a low thyroid and Hashimoto disease. Putting all these fantastic issues together I am a firm believe that medication may not be the end all solution to fixing the problem and that food may be triggering a large part of the problem.
The purpose of my blog is to help me document the steps I am taking to connect the dots for myself and also I hope to encourage others on their journey. I know that we all have a journey and struggles. This process is not easy and I know I am not the only one trying to find the answers out there. So, if you are looking for an authentic blog please join me as we Journey to Wellness!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)