How to Use Portion Control

It's interesting how much people have put their hands into nature.  As I am on this journey of eating smaller portions and opting for healthier choices, I realized that there is so much "fake" stuff out there which we consume daily.

This morning I had a peach for breakfast.  It was plump, soft, and as expected the very first bite filled me with excruciatingly amazing flavor.  The juice flowed in and around my tastebuds like a Niagra Falls party right inside my mouth.  It was truly delicious.  My teeth chomped down on the meaty fruit until I had enough.  I almost finished the whole thing, but there came a point where the flavor lost its essence and I was satisfied.

This event made an impact on me.  I realized that foods that are natural, unaltered (other than pesticides:o) by humans were meant to serve us in taste and fill.  See, if I put a little sugar on top of that peach or maybe even som whipped cream, I would have probably been able to eat the whole thing and perhaps bite into another.  But, no, I was done.  There came a point where I just didn't want to keep bursting my mouth open with this flavor.

Think of any fruit, veggie, or other natural source of food.  Unaltered, you eat just enough to get your fill out of it.  That's the way we're supposed to eat.  We are hungry, we bite into delicious sustenance, and when we have had enough we stop.  But processing our foods with sugars, high fructose corn syrup, sodium, sauces and flavorings makes it hard for our taste buds to want to stop, even if our stomach is signaling we've had enough.

So I realize, that it really never is about dieting.  It's about choosing foods that are live, fresh, healthy, and just the way they are.  (Not that we could ever be perfect and not eat another piece of chocolate :o)  Becoming healthy really is about a lifestyle, not a fad.  Yum!

Shed Those Pounds

Weight Watchers

LA Weightloss

Jenny Craig

NutriSystem

Slim4Life

Can you name another weight loss company?  In America alone the weight control industry reaches well over $30 billion per year!  That's a lot of moola spent on getting slim, or at least the thought of getting slim.  What do you hear about most of these programs, pills, and diets from users?  That they didn't work.

The reason they didn't work isn't because the programs are flawed.  Quite the contrary.  These programs usually encourage eating the right foods, in accurate proportions, and exercising.  So all the info and advice is right on the money.  So why then don't these results typically scream success for ever single participant?  Motivation, or lack thereof.

When you are ready to loose weight, really ready, you will.  There comes a point in life when you look at yourself, go 'ugh' and then are committed to that workout or the smaller portions.  About a year and a half ago I had that 'ugh' moment in my life and went from 161 lbs down to 137 lbs.  My initial goal was to go all the way down to 125 (the weight I had been most of my life until those few years).  

How did I loose 24 lbs?  I counted my calories and exercised at least 5 days per week.  Sure I used a tool that helped me along.  I highly recommend it, at CalorieCount.  It is a FREE (zero, zip, nada, zilch, NO CHARGE) online program where you enter your daily food intake and activity level.  You can even enter SLEEP ('cause you do burn them there calories while you snooze:o)!  Put in your current weight, your goal weight and goal date.  If it's unrealistic the program helps you define a more doable goal.  

Check it out and see for yourself.  But you have to be ready for it.  All the external stuff will do you a zip of good if you are not in a mental position to make a change.  Don't beat yourself up if you're not, just love yourself and grow mentally.  Become positive in your outlook and little by little as you gain the ability to see the good stuff in life, you'll have the ability to keep motivation for a long term goal. 

I'm in another 'ugh' moment after seeing my scale tip past the 145 mark.  The goal?  You got it...125lbs, the goal date?  October 3rd.  Check out the site and let me know if you are going for a goal or any tips you have in the healthiness/weightloss/exercise department.  This is gonna be a great ride!

I Want to Ride my Bicycle

You know that two wheeled device you probably have sitting in your garage that's stacked behind a bunch of boxes and other random things?  Yeah, yeah...that bike?  Well, I pulled mine out last week and totally emerged myself into riding it throughout the weekend.  Yesterday in the evening instead of desert I hopped on and went on a seven mile ride. Today I rode it to run errands.  I'm sweaty, hot, out of breath getting into shape, and loving it!

The last time I rode my bicycle frequently I was an early teenager.  I've dabbled with riding it here and there a time or two in those last 15 plus years but never again since my voracious riding days have I fully used the machine for what it is good for. 

When I decided to test the ol' bike out again, I was surprised at how much fun it is to go places around town while riding instead of driving a car.  There is so much you see that you don't notice when you're behind a steering wheel caged in a bubble with cold air blowing in your face.  Sure, I wouldn't turn away an invention that made me feel cool while sweating bullets, but there's nothing quite like being outdoors, breeze in your face and knowing your heart is thanking you.

My dogs usually are privileged to a 45-50 minute walk.  Now, they are lucky to RUN around 6 or 7 blocks as my warm-up.  They are way more tired and puckered out after the run than I would hope them to be after a leisurely stroll.  So there are many many benefits to my new found...err??? hobby?  or whatever you can call it.  Not to mention I've dropped two pounds just this weekend!  Woohoo!  Here's to our bikes!

Creating a Mission Statement

Having a personal mission statement has been on my list of things to do since for-eva ago! I have always thought the concept of such a thing was valuable, since having direction and purpose always yields much more lasting and meaningful results. I have come up with several demos and have thought them to be pretty good, however, never truly felt connected to any of them.


I once heard the quote: "A leader makes decisions quickly but changes her mind slowly." This statement impacted me in regards to developing my mission statement. I figure it is better to begin somewhere with one and then as I progress through my life I can evaluate how it is performing for me.

What does a personal mission statement have to include in order to serve its purpose effectively? Well, the deepest requirment I feel is the ability to make you think about the moves you make in life. If you have a meaningful mission statement for your own life you will always be able to move from where you are to where you want to go because of the phrased you coined to lead your life.

Also, I think it is perfectly okay to borrow another mission statement. If you hear a statement that rings very true for you then go ahead and use it as your own. The purpose is that now you have a MISSION! That you are not just a casualty walking aimlessly through this precious gift of life, but you have direction and purpose.

Finally, a mission statement shouldn't be more than one or two sentences in length. If you walk into some businesses you would see some of them with opposite thinking.   You'll see some mission statements that are paragraph lengths long and very tediously padded with huge words. What happens after you read (if you are even motivated enough to read them) a lengthy statement promising profits to the company and satisfaction to blah blah blah?  You never remember them, and you need to make sure the same mistake doesn't happen with your statement.  Mission statements need to motivate you toward them, not bore you by sentence number forty four.

So what is my mission statement? Drum roll please....

"To inspire people to move in the direction of their dreams by constantly moving in the direction of my dreams."

Is it a perfect final draft? Most likely not. However, instead of just continuously aiming for who knows what, now I can begin in a solid direction. I want to inspire people to lead fulfilling lives and help them to feel free and to love life. The best way I know to do that is by being an example of doing just that for myself. Have you created a mission statement for your life? Put one together today and live by it, remember you can always reevaluate and change it later, the important thing is to take action now.

Life's Weighty Matters

Yesterday my husband and I were visiting some friends and hubby noticed they owned a new scale.  He lovingly calls me into the bathroom and says, "Tell me if this scale is right..."  I awkwardly tilt my head sideways, much like my dog Meghan does when I heartily mention the word 'FOOD', so I reply by saying, "How can I do that?"

It dawned on me that he wanted me to hop on that device, in front of HIM!  Is he insane?  Luckily we've been married over 8 years and if it was going to be a huge dilema to witness what would pop up on that scale, then I figured in the grand scheme of things, we had very few problems in life.  So, what the heck.  I hopped on.

144.5 lbs*

I was (gladly) shocked and immediately confirmed that the scale must be right.  Over the last few months I've stopped eating meat, but unfortunately I can't report I've been eating only salad.  So, I assumed I would have jumped up drastically in weight from the achievement of weighing 137 lbs a few short months ago.  Originally when I decided enough was enough with my weight I had last checked the scale at just over 161 lbs.  I'm 5'7" and I began to feel thick.  To feel like I was in someone else's body.  To feel not on course with where I wanted to go with life.  So I worked on it.  I exercised...HARD, I ate 1250 calories per day, EVERYTHING I did was in passionate pursuit of being the 130 lbs self I knew lived inside my body.

So, after months of not really focusing on my weight, and eating just a little too many slices of delicious east coast pizza, I figured that jumping on that electronic scale would have caused it to beep an emergency warning signal indicating it was about to self combust.  But it didn't, I had only gained 7.5 lbs and I know I can let that go.  Needless to say, I'm glad I got on that scale, because I had been in denial for the last little while.  I was dreading ever stepping on one, because heaven forbid it actually told me the truth, something I wasn't quite ready to hear. 

Well, now I've heard it.  And I'm ready.

*I can't believe I just posted that on here:o)

Inspiration

What do you do to feel inspired?

I guess it would depend on what you need the inspiration for?  Do you need to stamp out a creative project, or do you just need inspiration that ignites you with a determination to get a move on with life?  In each case, you would merit a different response.

Inspiration feels a lot like gratitude to me.  The actual, physical feeling is very similar.  You know, that swelling in your chest that makes you want to cup your hand over your heart?  It feels just that way to me when I am truly in appreciation of something important to me as well as when I get the glimmer of spirit that fills me and moves me forward.  Here are some things I do to feel inspired (which then trigger my feelings of gratitude):

1.  Read about people who have been victorious amidst struggle.

2.  Look around, and although not perfect, see things in my life that make my existence so much sweeter.

3.  Sit.  I just sit and think and let ideas and messages just flow through me.

4.  Sit.  Now, the sitting is to be quiet.  I guide thoughts out of my mind and focus on the darkness behind my eyelids.  Meditation is second to none in inspiration, it's amazing what you receive when you open yourself up.

5.  I truly look at beautiful things.  People.  Scenery.  Art.  Just looking at an expasive ocean or noticing the brightness of the color green on a row full of trees is just about as inspiring as it gets.

Oooh, I'm all giddy just "thinking" about these things...

Funny Bone

You're minding your own business, perhaps completely focused on the task at hand and it comes at you with no warning whatsoever.  WHACK!  You hit your Humerus Bone (AKA Funny Bone). 

As I described the above scenario you probably cringed.  There's nothing FUNNY about that!  It hurts and it's the weirdest kind of pain, too.  I think it's really called a "funny" bone (other than for the obvious reason) because it makes others laugh when they see it happen to you.

Do you ever notice how if someone gets hurt and they're  not permanently damaged, that it's actually funny?  You see it in movies and cartoons all the time.  We laugh when someone falls and we are especially hardy in our chuckle when we see someone bonk their head on something (which I do on PLENTY of occassions).  It's plain and simple funny to be goofy and out of the ordinary, no matter the scenario.

I guess, I feel that if we can get a laugh out of someone else, shouldn't we also (if not more so) get a laugh when silly things happen to us?  I think so.  Usually when I fall or trip or bump my noggin, instead of looking around to see if anyone (heaven forbid) "saw" the tragedy which just ocurred, I laugh. I  So much more fun than being stressed.

This should be a good day.  Watch your step!

Vegeterian

I don't eat you anymore because you have eyes, ears, a nose, and a mouth. 

Because you have feelings and can express them.

Because you are a sweet little (or large) soul who has every right to a long happy life, as do I.

When I feel pain, I understand where it's coming from and it is unpleasant.  When you feel pain from the hands of humans you are sad and confused, haven't you just minded your own business all this time?

I don't put you in my food anymore because you are not food, you are life.  Your death will not be on my hands anymore.

You have families, babies, friends.

You have fun and laugh and cry, just like I do.

Some of your kind are pets and some of you are meant to be mistreated, processed, and then consumed.  What makes one species different than the other?  I cannot comprehend taking my dog, murdering her, and roasting her to consume anymore than I can comprehend people doing that to you.

You don't have to die so that I may live, therefore I won't kill you.

When I found out the average human consumes 31 animals per year, I figured by deciding to go without meat, I would help 31 of you per year.  Though that may not seem like much overall, for each of those 31 it means their world and their life.

And that, I've been told, can make all the difference.