Project You

My home is nearly 30 years old.  I can’t imagine that I have lived in the same house for that length of time. Most of my friends have moved several times, but my husband and I have remained here and raised our three children in it.

With age, the house has needed some repairs, as well as some major renovations in the bathrooms and kitchen.  Windows and roof shingles have all be replaced, as well as, the water heater and furnace.

While flooring has been changed in most rooms, the ceramic tile in the kitchen, bathroom and along the hall is showing it’s age and needs some attending to.  Come to think of it the walls could use a fresh coat of paint, our deck outside could use a face lift and I can think of a list of repairs that need attention.

Being a homeowner means that there will always be projects around the house to keep it in good repair and functioning well.  If I neglect it, the results would be disastrous.

Our bodies, are just like our homes.  We need to keep them in good repair and functioning well.  If we neglect eating well, exercising or getting our proper sleep we are doing a disservice to ourselves.  There are going to be times that we don’t follow through with proper maintenance due to the busyness, stress, celebrations, vacations etc. and that’s ok!  However, if we understand the need to work on those areas and get back on track we will be able to live healthier lives as we age.

The next time you look in the mirror, or reach for little treat remember that you are an ongoing project and it’s vitally important, for your health’s sake, to keep working on you.  You are a work in progress; upgrade, maintain and renovate.  Be good to yourself and love your body.

A picture says a thousand words!

Two pictures side by side show a drastic contrast to food.  One picture shows food that is “alive” living, fresh food that will nourish and feed our bodies.  The other picture shows food that is “dead” over processed, filled with saturated fat and stripped of many nutrients.  Each day we choose what foods we put into our bodies.  Today we can choose wisely.

I’m midway through the cleanse this week, and it has been incredibly revitalizing.   My energy levels have increased and my I am getting a good nights sleep each night.  These pictures keep me motivated, and remind me why I am choosing to live a healthier lifestyle.

Hope it encourages you all today, as you continue to strive to be a healthier you!

Goodbye Holiday Bulge!

It’s Monday and that means a fresh start begins today.  I spent the weekend de-cluttering the house, but like most things, it’s going to take much longer than I anticipated.  A few bags of garbage and a several donation boxes later the house is no longer bursting at the seams with clutter.  The excess has been removed and, it’s time to go back into each room, do a deeper purge and organize everything.

At the moment, my body feels a little bit like a cluttered home too.  My body is experiencing the “holiday bulge” and it’s time to purge and cleanse it.

My goal this week is to:

Remove all unhealthy food from my diet and replace it with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Keep a journal to stay focused and on top of my goal. (This is key, I need to have a solid goal so I know what to aim for).

Drink water each day. (To find out the appropriate amount of water I should be drinking I take my weight and divide it in half.  That is the amount of ounces I need to drink per day) eg. 140lbs. divided by 2 = 70 ounces.)

 Exercise for at least 20-30 minutes per day.

This is a pretty basic plan but for this week I don’t want my digestive system to go into shock.  I am preparing myself for a juice detox next week.  If I were to start with an abrupt detox right away my body would react miserably.  Slowly incorporating fruit and veggies this week will get me on track for next week.

My example menu for this week:

Wake up:  1 glass (8oz.) of lemon water. (I usually squeeze the lemon into my water at night and place it beside my bed.  When I awake I drink it first thing).  This helps flush the system from toxic waste that my body discarded throughout the night.

Breakfast:  A Smoothie: Fresh Orange juice, plain yogurt, one banana, a handful of frozen berries, a tablespoon of organic ground flax seed.

Morning snack: Fruit and some almonds OR veggies sticks with hummus.

Lunch: Salad with protein. (eg. Chicken salad, Greek salad OR Fresh pasta with lots of veggies).

Afternoon snack: cup of yogurt, apple with 2 thin cheese slices or a dried fruit mix with nuts.

Dinner: Protein with veggies OR Veggies with a carb. Eg. (fish with steamed veggies, OR brown rice with stir-fried veggies).

Snack before bedtime: Herbal tea. (I find this very relaxing)

I tend to have fruit in the morning as it doesn’t take my body much time to digest it.  This leaves me with more energy and focus.  A heavy breakfast leaves me feeling sluggish and lethargic.

Also, I do enjoy food combining.  This allows the food to pass through the digestive tract at a quicker rate and frees up more energy.

Here’s to a week of removing clutter from my liver and lymphatic system!

 

~“Our bodies are our gardens – our wills are our gardeners.” ~ William Shakespeare

~ “The best and most efficient pharmacy is within your own system.”~ Robert C. Peale

Simplicity = Ridding Clutter & Starting Fresh!

Happy New Year to you all!  2015 has arrived!

Yesterday I found myself at a Downton Abbey “themed” brunch to celebrate the New Year with friends.  We had to dress in period clothes and the food was prepared from a Downton Abbey cookbook.  It was simple and scrumptious; parmentier potatoes, upper class fruit salad, bread pudding, toast and marmalade jam and other wonderful delicacies.  It was a great way to enjoy the first day of 2015.

Today, I am thinking about simpler times; a time when food was, untouched, fresh from the fields.  There were no chemicals or preservatives to alter and destroy God’s bounty.  It was a time when animals were able to roam around, in pastures, and eat grass to fuel them.

Getting back to the basics is a good way to start 2015.  Eating simpler, by choosing fruits and vegetables and whole grain, whole wheat breads is a beginning.  Cutting back on portions of red meat and opting for healthier leaner meats is a wise choice.

I will be spending the next few days de-cluttering my house from top to bottom and that includes ridding it of unhealthy foods.  Hosting Christmas and New Year’s Eve gave me opportunity to sneak in items that I wouldn’t normally buy, but catering to a variety of tastes I felt it necessary to do so.

Over the weekend I will up my intake of water to help flush the system and detox it.  I will also be heading to the grocery store and sticking to the outer perimeter where most of the healthy food is located.

Pushing forward, so that my hair, nails, eyes, and skin will glow brighter once again.

I will be reporting back Monday, to update you all.  Thanks for your support and encouragement.

~”Those who have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness.”~

(Edward Stanley)

A New Year ~ Starting fresh towards a Healthier Me!

Christmas has come and gone.  What a wonderful time of celebration it was with family and friends.  The food was wonderful and the turkey is a gift that keeps on giving.  Turkey sandwiches, turkey casserole, turkey stew, have all been a part of our eating plan over the last few days in our house.

Homemade cookies, desserts and chocolates have also been part of the celebrations.  I, confess that I did indulge in some of the goodies offered, but did well, considering, the array of sugared treats I had to choose from.

As the year comes to a close, I have time to examine my eating habits over the course of the year and assess how I did, and where I can improve next year.  I am looking forward to a clean slate and as always will make the New Year’s resolution to be a “healthier” me and to “exercise” more.  The key is to keep on track, and stay motivated to attain my goals. I can’t allow the stresses in life, to derail me, which they have at times this year.

2015 brings a fresh start, new hope, and a promise for a healthier me.   I will be keeping myself accountable through this blog and will keep encouraging all those who strive to be healthy on the inside and outside as well.

I know I shared a parody before Christmas, but here is another one for your enjoyment.  I know it’s not a month after Christmas…but it’s never too late to start focusing on making those tight clothes loose again.  Enjoy!

Twas the month after Christmas,

and all through the house,

Nothing would fit me,

not even a blouse.

The cookies I’d nibbled,

the eggnog I’d taste,

At the holiday parties,

had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales,

there arose such a number!

When I walked to the store,

(less a walk than a lumber).

I’d remember the marvelous,

meals I’d prepared;

The gravies and sauces,

and beef nicely rared,

The wine and the rum balls,

the bread and the cheese,

And the way I’d never said,

“No, thank you, please.”

As I dressed myself,

in my husband’s old shirt,

And prepared once again,

to do battle with dirt,

I said to myself,

as I only can

“You can spend a winter

disguised as a man!”

So-away with the last,

of the sour cream dip,

Get rid of the fruit cake,

every cracker and chip.

Every last bit of food,

that I like must be banished

Till all the additional,

ounces have vanished.

I won’t have a cookie,

not even a lick.

I’ll want only to chew,

on a long celery stick.

I won’t have hot biscuits,,

or corn bread, or pie,

I’ll munch on a carrot,

and quietly cry.

I’m hungry, I’m lonesome,

and life is a bore-

But isn’t that what,

January is for?

Unable to giggle,

no longer a riot.

Happy New Year to all,

and to all a good diet! (Anonymous)

Food fit for a Queen ~ Royal Jelly

I have heard that there are many benefits to Royal Jelly, so I decided to do some research on it.  Royal Jelly is a “superfood” that is produced by the glands of worker bees and is reserved for the Queen Bee and newly hatched larvae.  It nourishes the larvae so that they can grow rapidly and stimulates the queen bee to lay thousands of eggs daily.

Health benefits:

• Lowers cholesterol
• Anti-aging – it stimulates collagen production
• Antibiotic & Anti-inflammatory. It works topically on inflamed area when rubbed in and also works when taken internally.
• Helps to relieve PMS symptoms
• Relieves Insomnia

I bought 30 vials of Royal Jelly yesterday, and had my first dose.  I’m not sure if it was a coincidence but I slept so well last night.   Keeping up a youthful appearance and sleeping well seems like a good enough reason for me to add this to my list of “superfoods” that encourage a healthier glow……

Here’s a link to more information on Royal Jelly http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/royal-jelly.html

Another one bites the dust!

 

How many times have you opened the fridge door and seen food rotting?  It’s happened to me on so many occasions.  I hate to see food go to waste, yet it’s my own fault.

I believe a lot of waste occurs, in my fridge, because I don’t prepare the food ahead of time.  If I want a quick snack I may reach for a carrot, but when I open the fridge and realize I have to peel and cut the carrot I close the fridge door and grab a cracker, cookie or a few almonds instead.  It’s more convenient and readily available.

Prepping is tedious, but it’s definitely worth the hassle.   Today, I spent time in the kitchen prepping some food.  

When produce is washed, peeled and ready to use it makes meals more convenient to prepare and more enticing when you want to grab a quick snack.

My kids love crunchy snacks and if I have carrot and celery sticks prepped in the fridge they will snack on them.   Grapes that are washed and ready to eat are always a favorite as well.

Red, green, yellow peppers washed and sliced are wonderful to make a quick stir-fry or add to an omelet or pasta sauce.

The reward, for my effort in the kitchen today, came after dinner tonight.  My husband wanted to have some coffee to finish off his meal.  I told him I had lemon wedges cut in the fridge and suggested having hot lemon water instead.  He opened the fridge, saw the Ziploc bags full of lemon wedges and decided to make the switch from coffee.

Small steps, make a huge impact on the road to being healthy.   This is one of them!