Ready to quit your weight loss/fitness program? Don't!!

What is your response when you venture away from your health & fitness program?  What do you do when you "blow it" for a meal, for a day, for the better part of a week? 

So many people just give up. They "blow it" once and figure there's no hope and back to the old eating habits they go and/or the exercise is thrown out the window.  And in the middle of all that they beat themselves up so badly - you know... the negative mental chatter.  Does this sound familiar?

As of last Monday I have discarded 17 1/2 pounds and dropped my body fat percent by 3%.  I am pleased as punch.  However, last week was a bad week in terms of my program.  I wasn't able to stay on target with my healthy eating habits nor was I able to keep up with my regular exercising.

So what do I do?  Do I give up after 12 weeks of great progress?  If a friend came to you seeking support and advice what would you tell her?  Would you tell her what a loser she is and she's never going to make it so she might as well give up now?  No way!  That's ridiculous, right?  So why in the world would we ever talk to ourselves like that??

So this is what I'm going to do...

1.  Stop the victim thoughts AND feelings!  Those thoughts and feelings will only cause me to spiral downward.  That is not my goal.  My goal is life-long eating and exercise habits no matter what the scale says.  And even more than that my goal is to love myself.

2.  Forgive myself and let it go.  Yes, forgive myself for not staying on track, caving, and/or for not planning better.  A simple "I'm sorry" and it's done.  It's behind me so that now I can move forward.

3.  Regroup/refocus.  I need to revisit my short and long term health and fitness goals ... AND my core values that are connected to those goals.  In other words I need to revisit my why.  Make it stronger if I need to.

4.  Tweak/change up my plan.  Let's face it.  Doing the same thing day in and day out week after week gets boring.  I'm a girl who needs variety.  Variety is the spice of life in my world.  Changing things up gives me a since of newness, excitement, and renewed motivation.

That's it.  Those four simple steps is all I need to do to get back on track.  That's all any of us need to do.  And the truth is sometimes we don't even need all four.  

So go for it!  Go for the gold!  Keep your eye on your prize!  You can do it... I know you can!  Your worth it ... and I believe in you!!!

My response to Hurricane Ike

I found myself crying.  I was surprised by my reaction but just couldn't help it.  I felt so moved last night as I watched Hurricane Ike hit land.  I became so worried and concerned for Geraldo and the other reporters and crews  along with the officials and first responders who were risking their lives for us and those who stayed.  I was worried about the freighter stuck out in the Gulf.  I was worried about all the people who unwisely chose to stay home to ride out the storm.  My stomach was filled butterflies - butterflies of uneasiness.  As time went on I couldn't sit still.  I had to get up and do the only thing I knew to do.  Pray. And at that time I knew I was up for the night.

I found myself not really knowing how or what to pray other than general protection and that felt so weak.  Yet, I was strongly compelled to pray.  As I watched and listened my spirit cried out to the Lord and still is as it's not over yet.  I guess my prayer was asking for His presence to be there - to descend upon all the affected area.

As the evening went on I so wanted to connect with other prayer warriors who were praying for this situation.  Certainly there had to be Internet social networks for prayer.  I searched and I searched and I searched.  I found nothing that would meet my need... my heart became even heavier.  I found one site that looked hopeful but it was not a free site.  So that was a no go.  

I am left wondering - do I need to create such a social network?? 

We often feel helpless during disasters like Ike but so desire do something.  I am no exception to that. I heard a report yesterday that the Red Cross desperately needs funds.  Obviously they are being hit hard with all the disasters we've had.  I read on their website that they are still housing 1500 people just from Gustav.  Now we have Ike.  

I was nosing through the Red Cross website and found several interesting things.  I'm now receiving Red Cross updates through twitter and facebook.  I also found out that they have a fund raising program through IMing and emailing.  See the Red Cross banner at the top of this blog for more information.

Along these same lines of wanting to do something to help and the Red Cross, I'm pondering a fund raiser.  I'm a Mary Kay consultant.  I know that I rarely speak of that on my online networks.  It is not my focus here.  But, I'm also asking myself if I should do, need to do, want to do a Mary Kay fundraiser for the Red Cross.  I'm going to be talking to another consultant friend today.

At this moment the hurricane is not over although it is now considered a tropical storm.  And apparently there are more casualties that happen during the clean up after a hurricane than during the hurricane.  So, I am asking all of my readers to please continue to pray for Texas and the surrounding areas. 

I would so appreciate your input on the things that are my heart.  Share your ideas, your thoughts, and your opinions on how we can help and support in this disaster.

Guilt free healthy pizza!!!

Grilled Chicken Pizza

One thing I miss on my current eating plan is pizza.  Not that I can't ever have regular pizza because once in a while I can.  Just not as often as I would like until I found this recipe from the e-book "Every Other Day Diet" (see right side panel).  It is such a yummy recipe that you can do anything with.  It's quick and easy ... and can easily be made vegetarian.  The best part is ... it's healthy and guilt free!!!!! 

Whole wheat pita pocket

Grilled chicken

Marinara Sauce

Feta Cheese

Any toppings including: mushroom, spinach, fresh garlic, artichokes

Fresh basil

Split the pita in half to create 2 crusts.  Add the marinara sauce, chicken, and toppings.  Top with feta cheese.  You can add a little mozzarella if you like. Sprinkle with basil.  Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Enjoy!!!!

How do you change an attitude of lack?

What do you do when you're wrestling with feelings of lack?   How do you handle it?  How do you change your thoughts ... and that feeling you get in your gut?  I have some thoughts, ideas, and things that I do but I want to hear from you.

Please share by leaving a comment.  Thank you!

B-E-A -utiful is mine - what's yours?

Ever heard of core values?  As one of my mentors, Jon Benson, taught me core values are the things in our lives that we live for and things we die for.  They are what makes us us and things we can't live without.  Core values are what makes us tick, move, groove, fail, succeed.  They are the why behind all of our reasons.  Some examples are:

God/faith family security

love beauty creativity

joy peace serve/service

wealth order freedom

Just to name a few.  The more we know and understand our core values and live by them, the more fulfilled we live.  And sometimes when we're faced with a big goal and/or task it is imperative that we link our core value to the project.  Otherwise when the tough gets going we will have a tendency to give up.  We need to know our why - even - the why behind the why.

One of my core values is beauty.  I have learned the importance of having and creating beauty in my life.  Without it life becomes blah and I can become depressed.  Beauty motivates me, inspires me.  It can certainly make me move and groove.  Something beautiful can instantly bring me to tears as it touches my spirit that inner part that makes me me.  

I never used to be a tea drinker.  Why do I bring that up?  Because years ago I discovered the beauty of drinking tea.  There's a real art behind tea time and tea parties ... and oh my gosh how I love that art.  Recently I have been involving myself in such activities and I've been snapping pictures to capture the beauty of it all.  The proof is on my Facebook, my hospitality blog, and now on this blog. 

Why?  Because the act of tea time is so beautiful to me.  It nurtures my soul and brings me incredible joy.  What do you have in your life that feeds your soul, your spirit?  

Taking this a step further, when sharing the experience of tea time with others it becomes an act of kindness, an act of service, which is another core value of mine.  A person doesn't have to like tea to be nurtured by the whole experience.  And don't think for a minute that the guys don't enjoy it because they do even if they don't want to admit it. =)  

If you haven't done something that feeds and nurtures your soul for a while and/or if you're finding yourself  in a state of low energy maybe even depressed, pick a core value that's important to you and act on it.  Have fun with it.  And if you want to do something but don't know what?  Just pick something and become playful like a child.  I promise that your spirit will soar - it will leap with joy!

"Playfulness feeds the spirit and soul allowing for awesome moments of inspiration."