Food For Thought

I have to admit, I am NOT the chef at my house . . . never have been, never will be . . . but, I do have some input. My husband is the real cook of the family so this blog is for us so we can do a better job when it comes to food preparation. Many of you have already made some major changes in your cooking. I have to admit, I'm a little behind in this part of the challenge. That's why last weeks meeting with the Parham's was so helpful to me. I got a lot of great ideas, tips, and new information. For those of you who missed the meeting, need a reminder, or want to learn more, this is for you too.

Cooking and Healthy Eating Tips

• Sneak vegetables in sauces and casseroles whenever possible
• Use only half of the prepackaged season mixes (ex., taco mix) and add spices to cut down on sodium
• Add extra vegetables or salad to your plate so you have less room for higher calorie foods
• Use smaller plates . . . if you can't get as much food on them, you won't eat as much
• Cook things like chicken and some rice and vegetables ahead of time and have on hand so you won't be tempted to go through the drive-thru when you are hungry
• Pack lunches ahead of time so they'll be ready to go out the door when you are
• When you cook, cook larger portions and put small amounts in containers for later
• Keep essentials on hand
• Always be thinking of ways to modify your favorite dishes

Key to Healthy Cooking is SUBSTITUTION:

• White flour to wheat flour
• Enriched to whole
• Sugar to agave nectar, xylitol, or stevia
• Bread crumbs to oatmeal or cereal
• White pasta to wheat pasta
• Soups to low-sodium soups
• Seasoning to low sodium seasoning
• Sauces to lower sodium, more natural sauces
• Eggs to egg whites
• Regular oil to olive oil or natural oil
• Fried food to grill or baked food

There you go . . . more "food for thought!"


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Sunday Reflections

Once again I find myself on a Sunday afternoon thinking about my upcoming week and all I need to do and have planned. Since I have been on this challenge, my thoughts also take me back to the week I've just completed. So here I sit. . . . a new week ahead of me and my past week behind me.

What trickles from the past to the future is ways in which I can improve as well as ways in which I can work harder and eat better. My "ah - ha moments" are still fresh in my mind and I want to continue learning about this new healthy lifestyle.

Then there are the thoughts that blast their way into my mind reminding me of all the ways I've failed by making the wrong choices when eating, caved and had a soft drink, or didn't take the opportunity of a perfectly beautiful day to take a walk and get some exercise.

But what I need to do at this moment is remember what I wrote about a few days earlier and that's STAYING FOCUS! So what if I had a few weak moments. I'm still moving forward,  I'm still looking for "ah - ha moments," and I'm still learning and pressing forward.

Yes, a busy week is ahead, but by continuing to do what I've been doing, I will feel better, have more energy, and be more productive.

Hummmmm, looks like it's going to be another good week! Hope you have one too!

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Grocery Shopping Tips

Eat Organic! Organic is a real buzz word when it comes to food. But does everything we eat need to be organic? No, there are some "clean foods" and then there are others that should be organic when purchased if all possible. Below you'll find a list of each.

Foods that should be an organic purchase 

whenever possible:

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Grapes (imported)
10. Spinach
11. Lettuce
12. Potatoes

Clean Foods:

1. Onion
2. Avocado
3. Sweet corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet peas
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Papaya
12. Watermelon
13. Broccoli
14. Tomato
15. Sweet potato

Now, off to the grocery you go . . . not only carrying your list, 

but empowered with more nutritional knowledge.

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Staying Focused

Walking through the room at our meeting last night I heard statements like,"I just met another milestone," "I made one of my goals and rewarded myself," "I lost another 5 lbs.," "I'm ready to buckle back down again." These statements were very different from the statements during the first two weeks of the challenge. Yes, all of us are at different places, but if we're doing the right things, we're now beginning to see results.

Phil mentioned that in the "Biggest Losers" challenge the contestants began to get really focused and competitive as they got on into the season. I think many of us are getting to that place also . . . no, we aren't competing against each other, but we are getting more focused. We are seeing that all this new knowledge about nutrition and exercise is for real and that it's changing our lives. 

How's the exercising part of this challenge going for you?  I'm having a great time at it. Now don't get me wrong, it's still hard work but I'm seeing results. After talking to a few people last night, I know I'm not the only one!

Let me encourage you as Phil did last night to stay focused. As we muddle through the middle of this challenge, don't get bogged down! Keep your sights on your goals. Keep eating healthy and be creative with your recipes. Keep exercising and now that the weather is  warmer, get outside. Keep drinking water, then more water, and even more water after that. Let the competitive spirit rise up in you . . . not to compete against others, but to compete against your old thoughts and ways. There is definitely a great prize to win . . .


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Week 6 - Thursday Quotes

Once again I made my way around the room at our weekly meeting, pen and paper in hand. Tonight's question:

"If I were struggling and wanted to quit this

 challenge, what would you tell me

 to encourage me to keep going?"

• Marisa - "Think how much better you feel than you did 7 weeks ago!"
• Don - "God gave us these bodies and it's our Christian duty to take care of them."
• Bob - "Get you a partner or a group to work out with to help keep you going."
• Donna - "Keep hanging in there and take it one day at a time."
• David - "If you've come this far, why quit?"
• Tommi - "I always tell myself, 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.' I say this all the time when I am working out and it helps me."
• Mike - "Stay focused."
• Me - "Keep going and take it one day at a time. It will be worth it in the end."
• Amy Parham - "Take a rest day. Take a high calorie day, then regroup. Think of a sling shot - pull back and then take off."
• Phil Parham - "Tomorrow's a new day. What are you focusing on . . . how hard it is or where you are wanting to go? Get your mind off any temporary set-back. Ask yourself, do you want to be where you were a few weeks ago? This is a life style."

Are you encouraged? I am. No, I'm not really struggling and wanting to quit today, but there may be someone who is getting tired and feeling a little defeated. I hope these encouraging words will help you get re-focused. I know they will definitely help me if I begin to get off track! May they do the same for you too.

Now . . . on to Week 7!


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Fun (and not so fun) Facts

I'm always running across facts, statements, and reasons to get fit. Thought I would pass along some to you.

• Drinking a single 150-calorie can of soda per day will add up to 15 extra lbs. over a year's time.
• Eating plenty of dark green leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of developing cataracts. 
• People who eat a healthy breakfast on a regular basis are less likely to become overweight.
• The risk for weight gain and type 2 diabetes is increased in women who have a high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. (Another reason to get off all my sweet tea!).
• Lack of sleep can lead to over-eating.
• It's estimated that each mile walked as part of a regular exercise program will extend your life by 21 minutes.
• Eating large amounts of whole grains can reduce the risk of cancer.
• Studies show that a typical American has a 1 in 3 chance of developing type 2 diabetes. This isn't a disease to ignore because it can shorten a person's lifespan by 10 - 15 years.

As we continue on this 90 Day Fitness Challenge, let's keep the benefits of what we are doing before us instead of concentrating on how difficult it is. Let's also remember the reasons we are doing this and the goals that we have set for ourselves. Are you still up for the Challenge? I AM!!!!

See you at our weekly meeting tomorrow night with Phil and Amy!

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Ah-ha Moments

Some of you may already be ahead of me, but I'm finally beginning to have a few "ah-ha" moments. You know, the ones where the light finally comes on. Well the lights are flashing and have been for me during the last few days.

• Ah-ha moment #1:  While working out Monday I heard someone say they could tell they hadn't had enough water over the weekend. Then the light switched on . . . water really does help when I work out. I too have had some difficult times while exercising and when I stopped to think, I would realize they were usually when I too hadn't had enough water. There really is something to drinking all of this water. My body DOES need it and I'm finally beginning to tell when it hasn't had enough.

• Ah-ha moment #2:  Sometimes after a rowing class I will hear people comment on how many calories they burned. Well, I thought I would try and start noticing and I seem to always burn less calories even if I work as hard, or harder. Then the light switched on . . . I didn't have as much muscle as the others (yet), therefore I wasn't burning as many calories. There  really is something to building muscles. I will actually burn MORE calories as I gain more muscle.

• Ah-ha moment #3:  There are days I feel great and then there are days I am very sluggish. After thinking about this I began looking at my food journal. Then the light switched on . . . there really is something to eating the right foods so your body will have the fuel it needs. When I feed my body foods that it can use as fuel, I feel better and can also exercise better. My body DOES REACT to foods that fuel. 

Have you had any ah-ha moments where the light finally switched on? It may have taken weeks for me to finally grasp some of these facts, but I am a firm believer in "better late than never!" Guess it really does take 90 Days to get on track and make life style changes.

Here's to the next half of the challenge!

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Beyond the Challenge

Whether I count back to Jan. 8th and say I'm on Day 45 or go by the book and say I'm on Day 33, I realize I'm still only half way through this challenge. Days are turning into weeks and weeks into months and here I am, still on course. There have been a couple of times when I've thought that I'll be glad when this challenge is over. . . but if I'm making a life style change like I said I was going to do, then this is only the beginning. Right?

One thing I'm trying to do is think BEYOND this challenge. No, I'm not thinking about all my favorite foods that I'm going to start eating again on Day 91 (whenever that day is) or thinking about the extra sleep I'll be getting when I won't have to get up and exercise. I'm not about to go there. I can't look at this challenge in that light, I have to think of it as a springboard to my new way of life.

Another thing I'm doing is setting goals BEYOND this challenge. By doing this, I'm setting my sights on something beyond these 90 days so I'll not only continue, but stay motivated. I've heard many of you say that you're planning on running your first 5K. Why not set a goal to run another race after the challenge? I have my sights on a rowing competition in Feb. 2012 . . . this will motivate me to continue eating right and exercising long after the challenge.

As you start another week, take a moment and look beyond this challenge. Set some goals, make a plan, or put a picture in your mind of where you want to be say 6 months or a year from now so you will continue. Remember, this is a journey to better health, not just something we'll do for 90 days and quit.

I'm thinking and setting goals beyond this challenge 
and hope you will too!

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Day Thirty-two -- Sunday Reflections

As I reflect on this past week, I see some failures but also some successes. I remember battles I lost and battles I won. I had to work through some weaknesses but I also celebrated some triumphs. Yes, there's going to be ups and downs . . . but we can chose how we respond.

One way I try to keep positive is to remind myself of some of the phases I have heard, read, or written. Some of the ones that seem to stay with me are:

• Eat to live, not live to eat.
• Getting physically fit in 90 days . . . first a challenge, then a way of life.
• Monitor and adjust.
• Dwell on the success not the failures.
• Three things I need to keep inside of me: Desire, Determination, and Dedication.
• Three things I need around me: Accountability, Encouragement, Rewards.
• Be Open to the Process.

What are some of yours? Keep them before you throughout the week and stay positive. Looking forward to a great new week and hope you are too!

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Ways to Burn 100 Calories

It has been a beautiful day. I can't believe that when we began this 90 Day Fitness Challenge we were dealing with freezing temps and snow! Amazing the difference a few weeks can make in the south.

I don't know if it's going to stay warm or not, but it has made me start thinking about activities I can do outside and around the house to help me burn calories along with my regular exercise. I found this great article written by Karen Rauen on the Good Housekeeping Website "Easiest Ways to Burn 100 Calories." Here's her partial list.

10 Minutes

• Jog around the block
• Jump rope quickly
• Work out to a step aerobics video

15 Minutes

• Climb up and down your stairs
• Play touch football with the family
• Go roller-skating
• Hit some tennis balls

20 Minutes

• Power walk
• Shoot hoops with your teens
• Trim the shrubs
• Weed the garden
• Turn up the music and dance around the room

25 Minutes

• Rake the lawn and sack the leaves
• Bike leisurely around the neighborhood
• Vacuum the rugs
• Mop the bathrooms
• Row a boat at the park
• Challenge a friend to a serious Ping-Pong match
• Tidy up the backyard
• Go horseback riding
• Refinish a piece of furniture

30 Minutes

• Throw a Frisbee around
• Ballroom dance with your husband
• Lift light weights
• Wallpaper or paint a room
• Wash your car
• Sweep the floors

35 Minutes

• Dust the house
• Practice the piano or violin
• Set the table and prepare a meal
• Play catch with your kids
• Clear the table and wash the pots, pans, and dishes

40 Minutes

• Iron your clothes
• Window-shop
• Unload the dryer and fold the laundry
• Cruise the aisles of the supermarket

I don't believe I have enough laundry to spend 40 minutes unloading and folding or ironing, but some of the other suggestions are possible for me. What about you?

Article taken from Good Housekeeping website: 

www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/fitness/fitness-burn-100-calories-0906

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Weekly Meeting Recap - 90 Day Fitness Challenge

Last night at the 90 Day Fitness Challenge weekly meeting with the Parhams we had the opportunity to be encouraged and motivated by Rob Dempsey of WLFJ Radio. Below is a re-cap of what he shared along with his 3 top tips about making this life change.

• Fuel your body the right way - and you can do extreme things physically.
• We are on a journey to health . . . 90 days to the rest of our lives.
• We need to find something we like to do and keep up with it.
• Don't abuse the gift God gave us, our bodies. We need to take care of ourselves and glorify Him.
• Make this a part of who we are . . . need to be strong in Him.
• Start hanging around people who are like you (trying to get healthy) and let them encourage you.

Top 3 Tips about making a life change

1. It's about accountability - We need people in our lives that we can be accountable to and will help us stay on track.
2. Nutrition - We need to learn about nutrition. Once we eat right, our bodies will start reacting.
3. Parallel - This health journey will parallel our spiritual life. Remember, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

In closing . . . Live your life to the fullest!!! And don't forget  - it IS possible!

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Thursday Quotes

I had so much fun last week asking different people questions that I did it again tonight. I think I may have a new addition to the blog -- Thursday Quotes! Watch out, you may be next.

Tonights question:
What is it that encourages you to keep going on this 90 Day Fitness Challenge?

• Kay: "Being with fellow strugglers. We give and get encouragement from each other."
• Michelle: "That I need to keep going. I didn't put on my weight all at once and realize it's going to be a process to take it off.  The other thing is when Phil said time will pass no matter what you do . . . you can chose to move forward or not . . . I'm choosing to move forward."
• Peggy: "I'm changing my lifestyle and learning to eat better while changing my whole menu. Can already tell a difference in the way I feel. Add exercise to better eating and the weight starts coming off."
• Dennis: "To be a healthier me!"
• Sharon: "Want to be healthy so I don't have the physical problems I see my parents dealing with."
• Heath: "Seeing results. Also have 2 little girls that give me a lot of incentive."
• Anonymous: "To look good and find me a man!" (Well, I ask them to be truthful . . . remaining anonymous for obvious reasons!) 
• Me: "I feel so much better, have a lot more energy and love rowing (of course) and determined to learn how to eat healthier. Learning so much for Phil and Amy and they are making the challenge informative AND fun!"

So you see, the answers are different but the same -- we all want to be healthier. Healthier for ourselves and our families. What encourages you to keep going on this 90 Day Fitness Challenge? Write it down somewhere and keep it before you so when you feel defeated, tired, or just sick of water, fruit, vegetables, and exercising you will remember WHY you are doing this!

Tomorrow I'll have a recap from Rob Dempsey who spoke to the group. Wow, he was motivating. He and Phil were a great tag-team of encouragement! Remember, tomorrow can be a fresh start and that God's mercies are new every day!

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Tiny Trouble Makers

To be so small, they sure do cause a lot of problems. Day after day I have to fight with these little things using all the self-control and discipline I can muster up. There are moments of victory and then moments of defeat. There is never a day off from this battle and if I let my guard down, they will always get out of control.

What am I talking about? Taste buds. Those tiny taste receptor cells that detect taste. Did you know a single taste bud contains 50 - 100 taste cells representing all 5 taste sensations? They detect:

• sweet
• salty
• sour
• bitter
• umami (the response to salts like MSG)

If I let them, they will try and rule my life, that along with my sense of smell that leads to the unwanted cravings. When I'm shopping and smell the aroma from Arizona Steak House or Long Horn, my mouth waters. And the movies, I'm wondering if they don't send out the scent of fresh popcorn through the vent system. Once again, my mouth waters. As of right now, fruit and vegetables just don't do that for me. A cup of white mocha coffee, yum . . . water, well, it's just doesn't do it either. My taste buds want more. Like I said it's a constant battle.

I'm not giving up yet. I am trying to stay ahead of them by eating healthy, filling foods so when the delicious aromas drift my way, my taste buds can stand down!

Wow, this 90 Day Fitness Challenge is challenging me in more ways than I ever dreamed. But, I made it one more day. Like I wrote earlier, "One Day At A Time."

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Day ??? - I've lost track!

Day ??? . . . I've lost track. All I know is that I am keeping my head down and pressing on through! And as I press through, I'm going to run up upon days like today. What happened today? I just didn't feel like exercising . . . once I got to my rowing class, I couldn't get in the groove . . . during the work-out, I struggled . . . close to the end, I wanted to quit . . . BUT I pressed on through . . . I didn't give up . . . AND I felt great afterwards. In the end I was glad I didn't give into my whining self!

Ever had a day like I had today? I'm sure you have, if not, you are better at this than I. Today taught me something, again, that if I will just make up my mind I am going to work out and follow through, I will feel so much better. Not just physically, but mentally, and especially emotionally. Now the thought that keeps going through my head today is "I did it!" "I did it!" "I did it!"

I can't keep up with the days anymore because at this point it's not about the days which are behind me or the days I have left. It's more about finishing what I started. And with this challenge, only good can come from this!!! And in the end I will be able to say "I did it!" "I did it!" "I did it!"

Don't give up, I want to see you at the finish line with me . . . and we WILL get there!

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Day Twenty-Six -- Happy Valentine's Day

The Way of Love

 ¹ If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. ²If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. ^3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

   Love never gives up.
   Love cares more for others than for self.
   Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
   Love doesn't strut,
   Doesn't have a swelled head,
   Doesn't force itself on others,
   Isn't always "me first,"
   Doesn't fly off the handle,
   Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
   Doesn't revel when others grovel,
   Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
   Puts up with anything,
   Trusts God always,
   Always looks for the best,
   Never looks back,
   But keeps going to the end.  ^8-10Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
 ¹¹When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.
 ¹²We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
 ¹³But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.            
--- I Corinthians 13 (The Message)


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Day Twenty-five -- Sunday Reflections

I thought I would go to the dictionary again today and this time I looked up the word challenge to actually see what Mr. Webster (now Merriam-Webster) says. The best definition that fits what we're doing these 90 days is  "to arouse or stimulate especially by presenting with difficulties." 

Right on . . . we're being aroused and stimulated by a difficulty that is presenting itself. The difficulty? Eating right, exercising, making changes in our life. And why did we sign up for this? Every one of us should have a different answer to this question.

Why did we sign up?  We need to re-visit our motives and if we need to, re-commit.  We are not half way though the challenge yet. I know I could have gone all day without reminding us of that, however, this should motivate us. Motivate us to keep going . . . look how far we have already come. For those of us who have gotten off track, there's plenty of time to get started again . . . look how much time we have left. 

We knew it would be a challenge . . . we knew it would stretch us . . . we knew it would be difficult . . . we knew we wanted change . . . and, we knew we could do it! That's right, there is something deep down inside each of us that KNOWS we CAN do this. Re-mind yourself of that today. 

In closing, three short statements:

• Re-visit your motives.
• Re-commit to the challenge.
• Re-mind yourself that you CAN do this.

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Day Twenty-four --Weight Training

Yesterday I mentioned that weight training helps boost metabolism. Thursday night Amy gave us 20 reasons to train with weights. Thought it would be good to keep these reasons before us.

20 Reasons to Weight Train

1. Lose 40% more. Won't lose only weight, but inches also.
2. Burn more calories
3. Clothes will fit better
4. Will keep your body looking good for years
5. Build stronger bones
6. You will be more flexible
7. Healthier heart
8. Derails and helps prevent diabetes
9. Cuts cancer risk
10. Diet will improve
11. Helps you handle stress better
12. You'll shrug off jet lag easier
13. Be more happier
14. Sleep better
15. Get in shape faster
16. Helps fight depression
17. Helps you be more productive
18. Adds years to your life
19. Helps you stay sharp
20. Will even make you smarter

If you haven't added weights to your training, why not give it a try next week. Who wouldn't want to experience some of these wonderful benefits.

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Day Twenty-three - Metabo-what?

me·tab·o·lism     noun    \mə-ˈta-bə-ˌli-zəm\

Definition of METABOLISM:

a: the sum of the processes in the buildup and destruction of protoplasm; specifically: the chemical change in living cells by which energy is provided for vital processes and activities and new material is assimilated

b: the sum of the processes by which a particular substance is handled in the living body -- Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

What does all that mean? Think of our bodies as machines that need energy (fuel) to run. Different ingredients found in certain foods are the fuel our bodies need. However, unlike electricity that powers directly, food is not fuel that is ready to use for power immediately. Metabolism is the chemical reaction  in the body that converts the fuel (calories)  from food into the energy through a network of hormones and enzymes. The process of metabolism establishes the rate at which we burn calories. And to lose weight, we are all about burning calories, right?

How to Boost Our Metabolism:

• Exercise - aerobic workouts AND weight training. Aerobics help us loose weight by burning more calories and weight training builds muscle which not only helps us burn more calories BUT the more muscle we have the higher our resting metabolic rate.
• Eat More - What? Eat MORE? Yes, eating frequently helps keep our metabolism in high gear. Waiting too long to eat in between meals slows our metabolism down (our bodies think it is starving and wants to hold on to every calorie. YIKES!)
• Always eat breakfast - Don't want our bodies thinking it's starving.
• Don't skip meals - That starving scenario again.
• Water, water, water! The energy burning process of metabolism needs water to work effectively.
• Get plenty of sleep. Less sleep alters metabolism rates and can decrease the number of calories our bodies burn while resting.

Now that you have a somewhat clear understanding of your metabolism, besides the best (however mostly incorrect) excuse line ever . . . "I have a slow metabolism" get out there and GO FOR IT!  Boost that metabolism. Give that machine of yours good fuel so it can turn it into energy and help get those pounds off. And remember -- Eat less, eat more frequently, move more, and drink water, water, and then some more water.

Have a great weekend!


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Day Twenty-Two -- Easiest and Most Difficult ???

There are times when I feel as though I am on this journey all alone. Often I wonder how others are doing on our 90 Day Fitness Challenge so tonight I thought I would wander around the room before and after the meeting and ask how some of my fellow journeymen are doing.

What have you found to be the easiest part of the Challenge?

Don M. - "Coming to the meetings and the other thing is having someone to exercise with."

Jim M. - "Don't have to worry about what to eat . . . Elizabeth takes care of this." (Elizabeth is his wife and is doing this with him. We ALL need an Elizabeth!)

Elizabeth M - "The food - it's all natural foods."

Nancy L. - "It's not easy. It's a constant battle, but the more you do it the easier it is."

Beth M. - "Exercising!"

Betty M. - "It helps that my husband is doing the challenge as well and helps with the planning and preparation of our meals."

Dean M. - "Having others to work out with."

Me - "Exercising. I guess you know by now I LOVE rowing!!!"

What has been the most difficult part of the challenge so far?

Don M. - "Drinking water and giving up red meat."

Jim M. - "Not eating what you aren't supposed to eat."

Elizabeth M. - "Making myself exercise."

Nancy L. - "Going to exercise."

Beth M. - "The food . . . controlling what I eat."

Betty M. - "With all that I have to do and are responsible for, I've had to re-priortize things . . . hard to be consistent with exercising."

Dean M. - "Meal plans and changing eating habits."

Me -  "Drinking more water and planning meals."

Now it's your turn.

Stop and think about it. 

What would your answers be?

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Day Twenty-one -- Wake Up!

It's time to wake up a sleeping giant. Who? Us!!! We are all sleeping giants -- people who are full of life, aspirations, dreams, goals -- but somewhere in the middle of the day to day routines we've lost sight AND have maybe fallen asleep.

The rhythm of life can lull us to sleep. Once we are asleep, we just go through the motions believing that this is all there is to life. Our aspiration, dreams, and goals? They are set aside for a day that may or may not come. Those of us on the 90 Day Fitness Challenge with Phil and Amy Parham are in a perfect spot to hear the alarm clock and WAKE UP! We are in a wonderful position to work out the cobwebs, flush out our systems with water (water and MORE water), and feed our cells the right nutrients needed.

Do you hear the alarm? Is there something inside of you that's beginning to get a glimpse of a new, stronger you? Is there a spark in your belly that is at the point where one big fanning of the spark could cause it to flame? Then don't let your mind with negative thoughts tell you differently.

My rowing coach says our minds get tired and want to give up before our bodies and this is so true. My body always keeps going if I press forward. It seems our minds are the wimps. It's our minds in cahoots with our taste buds that lead us towards sweet tea and sodas instead of water, chips and dip instead of carrots, and pasta with heavy Alfredo sauce instead of grilled chicken. It's our minds that tell us that we are too tired to work out when in reality we feel so much better when we do. It's our minds that keep the "CD player of our negative thoughts" on continual play so we have the thoughts of defeat playing over and over.

Our actions will always follow our thoughts so we need to tell our negative thoughts to LEAVE. Well it's time to tell our mind to move over. Joyce Meyer says "The mind is the battlefield. It is a vital necessity that we line up our thoughts with God's thoughts." The real person, the person God made us to be, the person who has aspirations, dreams, and goals needs to be awakened!

Wait, do you hear that? It's the alarm clock. Time to WAKE UP!

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Day Twenty - Eating Out Tips

In the past we ate out a lot. We are definitely doing better but we still find ourselves in restaurants during a busy week or to celebrate a special occasion.  I'm sure we aren't the only ones eating out so I have listed below some great tips for eating out from Amy. (Wish I had read ahead before the birthday weekend so I could have put them to good use.)  Many of the tips I've heard before or know in my head, however, I need to take them seriously.

• Before you get to the restaurant, decide what you will eat.
• Don't eat bread while you are waiting on your meal. Better yet, let your server know at the beginning that you don't want any bread.
• Carry a bottle of salad dressing with you, something low fat, low calorie, and healthy.
• Make friends with your server. Your server can make sure your food is prepared they way you want.
• Dont' be shy. Ask server for something that isn't on the menu. Also ask meal to be prepared without sauces, gravies, butter, oils, fats, and salt.
• When in doubt, order grill chicken and a side vegetable.
• Choose meats and fish that are grilled, broiled, or steamed.
• Avoid the wine. All alcohol turns to sugar in your system.
• Skip the dessert and have a cup of black coffee instead.
• If get big portions, ask for a take-home container right up front and immediately put half of meal in container to take home.

Hope these come in handy 

before your Sweetheart 

takes you out for a special

Valentine's Dinner this weekend!

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Day Nineteen - Fridge Quotes

Tomorrow will be one month since our first meeting and think I am going to enlist the help of my fridge. It's already been helpful in giving up many of my favorite foods and now storing new choices, but I want to use the outside too.


How? With fridge quotes. And not just any quotes, but quotes from The Biggest Loser Show (thought Phil and Amy would like these too!). Pick out one or two and place them where you can see them everyday. If these work, maybe I will dig up some more later on in the challenge. Enjoy!

• "IS IT WORTH IT?" ~ Bob
• "The past does not define you, the present does." ~ Jillian
• "At the end of the day, your health is your responsibility." ~ Jillian
• "I know it's hard and I know it hurts. But you can do it." ~ Jillian
• "Unless You Puke, Faint or Die, Keep Going!" ~ Jillian
• "Finish strong!" ~ Bob 
• "This isn’t about winning a game, its about fixing what’s broken." ~ Bob 
• "Believe in yourself, trust the process, change forever. " ~ Bob 
• "I know it hurts but I’m saving your life right now." ~ Bob 
•  "Make a different choice."~ Jillian

Goals –  “I press on toward the goal to win the prize 

for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14).

Goals are important to strive for and work toward.  They can help motivate us and even challenge us to go beyond what we normally would achieve.  What goal are you undertaking for God?  Think of something that would honor God, but wouldn’t benefit you in any way.  That would be a great gift to offer him!

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Day Eighteen - Good Grief!

Good grief! What was I thinking . . . writing about food journaling right before my birthday! Obviously I wasn't. And then there's the Super Bowl. Ok, being real here . . . if I was doing Weight Watchers and counting points, I would have already used my extra points for the month! If I was counting calories, I would have been off the chart. My food list is going to be very long and it's only the first day of me journaling.

My list looked good after breakfast - grapes, cheese, water - however from lunch on it's a list that would not, SHOULD not be seen by others who are trying to lose weight. And what excuse did I make all day, up until a few minutes ago when I had a delicious cinnamon bun, "Well, it IS my birthday!"

I can whine and say I've failed and quit the challenge or I can get back to work tomorrow. I'm choosing to get back to work tomorrow. I may have to work a little harder this week than I would have if I hadn't  added up the calories today, but as I said from the very beginning, I'm committed to this challenge. I hope you are too.

Ate too much this weekend? Munched on too many snacks during the football game? Plan to work harder and eat better next week. I am. Fruit and veggies, here I come! Oh, and as far as the next special occasion . . . I hope I will have worked up more will-power!!!

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Day Seventeen - Write It Down

"Food Journaling - keeping track of what you eat - is your secret weapon for weight loss."

Come on Phil, you mean I have to write down everything I eat? Even a piece of gum? The answer is yes, and it's supposed to be "the" secret weapon for weight loss. Here we are close to the one month mark since we first weighed in and had our first meeting so it's time to kick it up a notch. So let me ask, are you food journaling?

I guess you want to know if I am . . . well I honestly have to say I haven't written the first thing down. Here comes accountability. If I tell you I am going to start food journaling then I have to! If this is truly my secret weapon, I need to pull that weapon out and begin using it. What about you?

Find someone you can be accountable to and together let's begin writing down what we eat. If you are already doing this, KUDOS to YOU. You have definitely caught on a lot quicker than I have. But not any more, I will spend at least the next 30 days journaling as Phil challenged in his book on Day16.

Ready to start with me? Let me know. I'm really going to need help with this one. Cobbler's children don't have shoes and a writer doesn't journal . . . I know that doesn't make sense, but this writer will have to change. Like I said, let's kick this challenge up a notch and get serious about what we eat, when we eat, and keep a record.

Are you with me on this? Get your paper and pencil out and start food journaling. We CAN do this!

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Day Sixteen - Same Words, New Perspective

I'm sure we've all heard the saying "put your money where your mouth is." Well, in some respect, I going to have to do just that concerning what I wrote on my blog yesterday. If you remember, I quoted Phil's statement "Be open to the process" and that a process is a "series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end." Then I wrapped it all up by saying I was "open to the process . . . even when I'm weak and things are difficult."

Well things may be getting difficult and I am going to have to go through these unwanted series of steps in order to achieve a particular end. And my particular end . . . getting in better shape and getting healthy. The difficulty may come from having to endure some unwanted changes in my work out routine due to an injury.

As I sat in the doctors office listening to her tell me I needed an x-ray and CT scan on my back and knee I wanted to scream "Noooooooooo!" For you see, I have a plan and my plan is to row myself back into shape. I don't have to give up yet, but I'm not sure what my x-ray and CT scan is going to show and this may very well put a kink in MY plan.

Am I going to give up? This is where I want to again scream "Noooooooooo!" I don't know if there are any of you that had a plan and things are changing along the way, but I want to encourage you not to give up! We may have to change things around, tweek our exercise routine, or shift gears - but that's the life part of being on this Challenge. I said before we started that life was going to try and get in the way of our goals. Don't let things that come up, whether it be an injury, a change in your job schedule, a change in how or when you can exercise, sickness, or changes in your family situation keep you from reaching your goals. These are just the series of actions taken to achieve our goals --- yes the process.

I will close the same way I did yesterday, but with a whole new perspective! "Yes, I am open to the process . . . I'm NOT giving up. 'Therefore I set my face like flint, confident that I'll never regret this' (Isa. 50:7 The Message)

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Day Fifteen - Be Open to the Process

"Be open to the process." This is one of the last comments Phil made at our weekly meeting tonight and I thought it was great. I have told myself that I was going to try and enjoy the journey, but this says it even better because a process is a "series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end." I'm definitely trying to achieve a particular end and it is taking a series of actions and steps!


Amy did a great job of making us think about why we eat. I have always heard of emotional eating, but Amy broke it down:

1. Identify the difference between hunger and eating because of emotions. Need to handle emotions a different way than eating. 
2. Identify the moment in our life when we started using food to comfort ourselves. We need to ask God to show us. This may involve forgiving someone so we can become free of something that is holding us back.
3. Relax - We need to give ourselves a break. We need to give ourselves permission to take care of ourselves.

Lots of good information tonight. . . from getting the right shoes and active wear to drinking 16 oz. of water first thing in the morning to flush our systems out. I can't believe how much I have learned in less than a month AND have been putting this knowledge to use.

Yes, I am open to the process . . . even when I am weak and things are difficult. . . I'm NOT giving up. "Therefore I set my face like flint, confident that I'll never regret this" (Isa. 50:7 The Message).

Challenge for the week:

• Eat every 3 hours, smaller portions
• Watch out for thoughts of quitting
• Remember conference call Monday night 8:00 with Pete Thomas
• Work out!!!! 

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Day Fourteen - Getting Back on Track!

Sometimes life throws us a curve. Other times we over-commit and can't accomplish all we need to in a day. Then there're the times we just get off track. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? In the event you aren't on course at this moment, don't look back! Instead, look forward and start again right where you are.

How are you doing on your food choices?
How are you doing drinking water, water, water?
How are you doing with your exercising?

Last weekend we celebrated my husband's birthday and I'm sure some of my food choices were not the best.
Water, water, water . . . most of the time, but I did splurge on Sunday with sweet tea.
Exercising? I had to work on Monday, then the past two days I was with my mom while she had eye surgery. (Wouldn't have been anywhere else!)

Maybe I'm a little off track, however I'm NOT waiting until Monday to get back on track and I'm NOT looking back and feeling like a failure - I am starting tomorrow. I'll be rowing at 7:30 am, drinking lots of water, and eating to give my body fuel, not to please the taste buds.

If you're on track as we go into February, congratulations. If you're slightly off track, don't give up and don't look back! Just keep going forward.

And to really keep you encouraged and motivated, don't forget our meeting tomorrow night with Phil and Amy. See you then!

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Day Thirteen - Eye Fitness

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This morning I took my mother to have a cataract removed from one of her eyes. In going through this with her it has made me think of Eye Fitness. On our challenge we are learning about exercise, health, and well-being, so I thought I would put before us the best foods for our eyes. Remember we are not living to eat, but eating to live -- and that includes eating to see.

• Carrots - All of our lives we have heard that carrots are good for our eyes and it's true. Carrots contain Vitamin A which protects the eyes and helps them to function effectively.
• Tuna, salmon, sardines, cod, mackerel - All are rich in omega-3 which helps prevent macular degeneration. The omega-3 fats can help protect the tiny blood vessels buried within the eyes. These also are an excellent source of DHA, which provides support to cell membranes and is recommended for dry eyes and sight prevention.
• Spinach, kale, green leafy vegetables - All of these are rich in carotenoids that protect the macula in the eye from sun damage and from blue light. Think of these foods as providing nutrients  that act like sunscreen for our eyes. These can increase the density of the macula which means better retina protection and a lower risk of macular degeneration.
• Berries - Helps in the protection of the most sensitive area of the eyes.
• Sweet Potato - Another great source of Vitamin A which is essential for healthy eyes.
• Bell pepper, broccoli, and brussels sprouts (The Three B's) - Provide Vitamin C, another key antioxidant shown to protect eyes.
• Turkey - Rich in zinc which specifically protects against cataracts.

Since we are spending extra time on our grocery list, trying to shop the perimeter, and choose healthy foods, we need to make sure the above items make it on the list. Eye Fitness is very important and shouldn't be taken for granted.

And as far as my mother, she is doing great! Thanks.