It's Up to Me

Warning:  This is NOT a post for weak stomachs.

Nothing like a little stomach flu to purge the system for healthier eating!  There were preliminary signs that all was not well.  Then came DEFINITE signs.  Then came fever and body aches confirming that it was not only the salt/vinegar chips and moose-track ice cream topped with an orange/pineapple juice smoothie that brought it on. 

At any rate, it's mostly past.  This morning I'm thankful for a good night of sleep, a general mistrust of food, and a digestive system that certainly must not be retaining any thread of gunk. 

What I will DO with my clean slate is UP TO ME.

. 

Blitz

blitz

noun

1.  attack, strike, assault, raid, offensive, onslaught, bombardment, bombing campaign.

2.  crackdown, drive, campaign, push (informal), crusade, onslaught, clampdown

A visit to the Free Online Dictionary provided me
with all the words I need to conduct my personal "blitz" this week.  

If words and wishes were ammunition, the war would be over!  

But I think we ALL know better than that.

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say,
and what you do are in harmony."
(Gandhi)

 "PERFECTIONISM causes procrastination.
'If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.'"
Ecclesiastes11:4 NLT
from a Rick Warren tweet)

The Daniel Plan

Several posts ago, I mentioned that I was going to be "researching" the Daniel Plan.  I guess it's time to report in.  In all honesty, I didn't get to first base on it.  It required entering personal statistics and information that I just don't "do".

Further reading raised some red flags.  Now, I don't necessarily agree with the extreme conspiracy theories about it, and I'm sure the "food plan" is probably a good one.  I just didn't get that far.

Bottom line:  There are NO magic bullets.  

Exercise is essential to good health.  

So is portion control, eating fresh fruit and vegetables and lean meat. 

Kind of sorry to have brought up The Daniel Plan in the first place. 

Incentive

Not a great picture, but enough to remind me

to get active!

(I cut it out of a Senior Living newspaper a few weeks ago.)

Thanks, Maria

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, 

but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas."

A friend posted this on her facebook page the other day.

I think she's ON to something here!
So is Maria!

Pilates and Green Smoothies are her "secrets".

I'm so happy to hear (and SEE) of her progress.

It encourages me to keep my healthy focus in 2012.

2012-01-02

 

• In the picture of my extended family above, I don't look too bad!  (I'm notorious for taking bad pictures.)  But when I zoomed in, I saw a double (if not triple) chin.  I can, I will and I AM doing something about my health and weight today. Food-wise, I got through this last holiday gathering quite well.  A severe tooth ache destroyed my ability to enjoy the food. 

• My food-related project this week is to research and spend some Christmas money on a good food processor.   

•  Myra again!  She GETS it.  If you want inspiration, you'll find it on her blog.  She comes up with  great quotes and other motivating information consistently! 

Gluttony*

let's call a spade a spade

"When something eats us, we overeat. 
Gluttony is self-medication for unhappy emotions."

So tweaked Rick Warren recently.

That's right.  R.W., the famous pastor of Saddleback Church.

His parishioners have successfully lost tons and tons of pounds.

Literally.

I'm going to be researching The Daniel Plan 

which they followed.

Until then, I am seriously paying attention to my food intake

(and emotions)!

*Gluttony.  What an ugly word.
But let's call a spade a spade
in the sense of speaking honestly and directly about a topic.

1/2 Price Christmas Candy

• Just because the mini Hershey bars are 1/2 off, doesn't mean you have to buy them.
• Just because you bought them doesn't mean you have to eat them all in one night.
• Just because they're still 1/2 price and they're just about gone doesn't mean you have to go back and buy some more.

Joy to the World!

I walked 30 minutes today.  That's all.

“Before we can conqueror the world, we must first conqueror the self.” 

J. Oswald Sanders

Reluctance, Relief, and Response

After over 2 weeks of nursing my itchy body (see more details here) I was highly RELUCTANT to step on the scale this morning.   Good eating habits have gone out the window as I've caved to cravings and neglected the preparation of healthy meals.  Furthermore, I mostly sat in a chair in my tacky terrycloth robe - the only comfortable position and clothes given my condition!

So imagine my RELIEF to see that I have not gained any weight!  It's a sort of miracle.  Hershey Hugs candy wrappers clutter the table beside my recliner.  How can this be?!

My RESPONSE to this is fresh enthusiasm.  As the rash wanes and my energy returns, I am optimistic about today and the days to come.  (Two weeks behind, but optimistic!)

What I did right:  It's still early in the morning, but I weighed myself!

Strength, Growth and Energy

Down but not out - yet!  (Read more about my 2-week-plus battle with poison ivy HERE.)  This morning I'm inspired by five year old Elylah, the granddaughter of a friend.  While eating breakfast, she announced, "We eat for three reasons, Grandma.  Strength, Growth and Energy."

She's got THAT right! 

And I'm not giving up until I get it right, too!

Down but not Out

The poison ivy/oak/whatever has put me "DOWN".  Little exercise in my life Thursday and Friday.  And thinking myself in need of a treat, I had 2 dips of ice-cream on Thursday (black cherry and chocolate moosetracks).  Last night we celebrated the birthday of a friend.  I had baked cod - delicious.  The evening was topped off with a piece of cake and yet more ice-cream.

I SHOULD weigh this evening.  I'm not optimistic about what the scale may say, but neither am I OUT of the weight-loss-for-health game. So I will weigh.  And I will post.  And I will hope for "progress".

What I did right:  Vitamin, posted, fish

now i know...

...what those weeds I referred to yesterday were!  (See my other blog HERE.) 

Health-wise I am challenged by an extreme case of poison oak or ivy.  Nonetheless, I tried to maintain healthy habits yesterday -- did a little gardening and ate sensibly (1/3 of a 10" turkey/cheese sub, a few bits of my husband's left-over omelet for lunch; 1/2 chocolate chip cookie shared with a friend over a tall cafe mocha in the evening).

What I did right:  Vitamin, posted, portion control, ate within my calorie limit.

The Tuesday that Was

• Created apple pancakes ( 3/4 c. complete pancake mix, 3/4 c. oatmeal, chopped apples & water to make proper consistency) for breakfast.  Ate one medium one with maple syrup! 
• Lunch with Lady Bug friends at Quiet Corner.  I had a piece of spinach quiche.
• Worked a couple of hours clearing out some overgrown shrubs for a friend.   Raised the ire of some bees and was bitten several times.  Also have quite a rash on my arms.  Wonder what those weeds were???
• Showered and scrubbed down my skin as good as I could.
• Ate 1/2 a patty melt and a few potato chips at our local cafe.

What I did right:  Exercise, vitamin, portion control