It's a NEW YEAR!

New Year, schmeer...
Same old battle, with a lot less cheer.
Another year of holding,
holding back your tongue.
Another year of hoping
that those extra pounds won't come.
Another year of wanting
all those tasty things you love.
Another year of wearing pants
that fit you like a glove.

Two sizes smaller than your hand........

It's a-coming

I'm waiting.
Waiting for the holiday to come.
I'm watching.
Watching the scales each morning.
I'm hoping.
Hoping I can hit my mark.
I'm eager.
Eager to eat my fill.

Yeah. That's how I roll. (with butter, of course)

Choose, not chews

From the day we're born we're choosing~ dry diaper over wet, pureed pears over pureed peas. We battle to wear the blue shirt instead of the red one- even as toddlers. This desire to choose for ourselves is inborn and continues throughout our lives. There's never a moment that we're not choosing. Think about that~ every time we give in to something, it's not because it was bigger than we are ~ it's because we choose to let go of the thing we really want. (This does not apply to most personal relationships- marriage, parents...! This is for the purpose of reaching goals.)
What are you choosing? Here are a few ideas:
CHOOSE to eat better today. What does your body need today to become stronger and healthier? Think about the serving portions- are they in line with good health? If you are going out to lunch or dinner today, what can you choose to keep your goal? Eat a smaller breakfast. Look at the menu on the Internet before you go or call the restaurant to see what the best choices are. Look at the nutritional values. Again, what does your body need for today? Take charge of your meal- ask for dressing on the side- take a zip lock bag with your own healthier dressing. Ask for balsamic vinegar on your salad. Make sure veggies don't have added butter. Go prepared and don't even open the menu to spare yourself temptation!
If this was lunch, now you have another choice- dinner. If lunch was more than you usually eat, then scale back for dinner. Some grapes and yogurt. Some apples with cheese. Maybe a slice of whole grain bread.
What can you choose to do today for exercise? A walk? Some gardening? A ball game with the children? Recent research shows that even 10 minute periods during the day add up to significant health increases. Don't choose to let "busyness" overtake your fitness goals. There is something you can do today~ sitting at a desk? Use one hand to lift a handweight while working with your other hand. Tighten muscles and hold, then release. Remember, you have a bigger goal- a better life now and the future.
All choices- you don't have to be a "victim" unless that's what you choose.
So...
CHOOSE nutrition.
CHOOSE better health.
CHOOSE life.

Who's your turkey now?

Thanksgiving Day, aka Turkey Day. Any quick ideas on today's menu? Yes? Class?

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect..on the containment properties of thin-sliced cornbread. How high can you build a wall around your plate without it crumbling to the floor under the weight of just too much broccoli casserole?

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks..for Chinette. All the strength, none of the hot, soapy water.

Thanksgiving is a time to remember..what your feet used to look like, when you could see them from a standing, upright position.

Thanksgiving is a time for family..making sure you have enough mac'n'cheese for all those grandkids.

Thanksgiving. I am grateful for this day, for all the reasons there are to eat, and eat, and eat again.

And, then, to sleep.

CHANGE

Between politicians and business, you'd think we've heard enough about change! But not really. Change is what is happening every day. I had a neighbor recently tell me she doesn't like change. But I think we all like change. We just want to be in CHARGE of the changes in our lives. A well known phrase out there is "If you keep on doing what you've always done, you'll keep on getting what you've always got." Which means, if YOU don't change your behavior, the results won't change, either.
But it's not quite true in the world of our bodies. If we keep doing what we've always done we won't get the results we've wished for. But there is definitely change happening. We're on a path and if our path is unhealthy we will INCREASE our poor health. We can't stay the same- first, because we are aging and our bodies lose their abilities to fight. But also, because we are eating poorly, no matter what your age, our bodies can't change the course they are on- so we have high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol and many more problems.

When we change the unhealthy habits we have and bring in healthy changes we change the future. We feel happy, energetic, motivated~ready to conquer! We can accomplish great things when we change ourselves.

So, go ahead. Change.

Change your exercise. Start small, but be committed to that small thing.

Change your menu- again, small changes add up. Regularly change something in your diet.

Our bodies are finely-tuned machines- treat them like that- give them the best fuel and care you can.

Change your mind. Fill your mind with positive affirmations. "I'm worth it. I think like a fit person thinks. I eat healthy food. I'm in charge of my health. Today is going to be a perfect day!"

Change your surrounding. Fill your fridge/shelves and home with healthy things- from food to books to just de-junking. Imagine the mental weight we lose when we clean out a closet! That high can transfer to our diet as well.

Change your order of importance- put you at the top of the list. Just like the flight attendant tells us- "place the oxygen mask on yourself first and then help the person by you." You can't save someone when you're the one in trouble. Taking care of yourself first will actually give you more time, energy and emotional strength to help others.

Change your life and your world will change.

What's up with that?

So, I'm, like, looking at my plate and it's the usual Sunday dinner type stuff - roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, steamed fresh green beans (w/ butter), steamed fresh carrots (w/butter), hot-baked yeast rolls (...umm...that would be, like, w/butter, too) you know the routine.

And, I'm thinking, like: 'This just doesn't look like a lot of food, right?'

I mean, it doesn't even take up the whole plate, like, and that's just a small area calculated by taking the square of r times pie...um..wait...oh, yeah, right, like there is pie, of course, you've got to factor that in as well.

So, anyhoo, like, I'm looking at my stomach, too, and there seems to be p-lenty of room for all those goodies to fit into, and, like, sure enough, they all do, what!!

So, like, why is it that my stomach pokes out so much? It's like so, so poky-outy when I'm through, maybe even before I calculate eating the pie, squared or not, like, and why doesn't all that stuff just fit right in, nicely, snuggly-buggly-ruggly?

It is so, like, annoying-gah!

And, like so unfair. Why can't the eyes and mouth get in-sync with el stomacho when it comes to space available? What? I mean, who controls the elbow joint? A little less benderoosky would go a long way in minimizing the values that result when you estimate food area. Even if you have pie, squared or not.

That's alls I'm, like, sayin.'