Embrace Yourself

"In the end, the only one you can ever really please is yourself. How others feel is up to them." 

Colin - See Me by Nicholas Sparks

Happy 2016!

My word for 2016 is CHANGE!

I am constantly trying to change. Aren't we all? This year, I want to focus on positive changes. Some changes are ongoing from previous years. Some changes will be totally new. And a few will sneak up on me out of the blue! Those will be the best!

Before I begin, I need to define the type of change I hope to achieve. What does it mean to change?

CHANGE:

Undergo a modification: I will continue to make physical changes. I still need to lose 20 pounds. I need to build up my muscles for strength. I am taking the Tiger walking class with the goal of walking a half-marathon and the Camino Primitivo. I want to eat less sure and more whole, unprocessed food. 

Give a different position, course, or direction to: I will change my direction at work. I want to focus on the library at Sprague. I need to stop worrying about the district level issues. Be content where I am. Focus on my students. My teachers. Create a positive work environment for my mental health. I also need to make an entry into online professional connections. 

To pass from one phase to another: I am starting to plan for the next phase of my life. I want to leave the school world. I want to open a book/pastry/coffee shop and continue to share my love of books. I will take small business classes and begin to plan. This will involve moving, working with others, taking a big chance/risk!

To put on Fresh clothes: This is a no brainier. It made me laugh. I want to redefine my style and wardrobe as I continue to shape my body!

Why change? I want to be healthy, happy, and make meaningful relationships with those around me. 

Summer 2015

I know.  You have heard it before. I am going to attempt to keep a blog.  Yeah right.
Well, for what it is worth, I am posting right now.  Will I post again? Most likely. Will anyone read it? Probably not. Then why bother? Because I always enjoy reading my posts in the future!

So here is a run down of the basics for Summer 2015.

• I will turn 45!  If I live to be 90 then as Bon Jovi says: 
• "Woah, we're half way there
  Woah, livin' on a prayer
  Take my hand, we'll make it I swear
  Woah, livin' on a prayer"
• I have signed up for an 8K with my hubby in August!  It is the High Street Hustle through downtown to benefit heart disease research.  He thinks we are gonna run.  I will be happy to walk with an occasional jog.  :P
• To go along with that, I signed up for another round of walk-to-run classes beginning in August and culminating with the Color Vibe 5K in October.  I plan to jog that one.  3.1 Miles!  Start praying now!
• I have flat-lined on the weight loss.  Still hovering around 60 pounds lost.  However, I am very happy in that while it has taken over two years to get to where I am today, I have maintained a steady trend.  I still have about 20 pounds to go, but the scale is NOT going up.  Yipppeee!
• We will be taking a trip to San Diego!  Legoland here we come! Gary is a super planner with attention to every detail each day.  However, this trip will be a "Puttin' on the breaks" test for us.  We are flying by the seat of our pants.  Our one sure destination is Legoland.  The rest of the time?  Who knows!  We are vacationing with Gary's sister and family.  They do not plan. Good note:  They stick to strict meal guidelines so healthy is in!  Maybe I will drop that 20!!
• I have a minimum of four quilts to complete.  One for:  Tammy, Jamie, and two for the children's hospital I have been promising for two years. Oh...then there is the one for my dear friend Doris, and my brother, and the list goes on and on and on!  Well, let's go back to the original four! :)
• I signed up for an online bible study.  It starts on my Birthday and is based on the book Anything. More info. here if you would like to join me and about 10 thousand other women! FaithGateway
• So that is enough to make me feel exhausted, and my summer doesn't begin until next week.  I guess that is ok because the real Summer officially begins June 21.

Get ready to Rumble!!!!!!

SUGAR AS POISON IS NOT A NEW IDEA!

As I continue to read more about sugar, carbohydrates,insulin, the liver, stored fat, cholesterol...no wonder I have been flabby, fat, and exhausted all these years. 

Even the ancient books on my library shelf warned of the dangers of sugar back in the 1970s when my sugar-filled life was just beginning. 

Boy are humans hard headed or what? I am still not buying everything hook, line, and sinker, but it s starting to make sense! All the research keeps saying the same thing over and over: SUGAR is killing me slowly, and I have been helping!  I am waiting for the counter argument. 

No Sugar Added Step 1: NO SODA!

As you know, I am on a journey to a healthier life. So far I have lost weight and added walking to the exercise calendar. As I approach my goal weight, I need to focus not only on my outside appearance, but I need to clean up my insides. I am contemplating eliminating sugar in my diet. Easier said than done. I appreciate your thoughts, concerns, encouragement, and  sharing of your own research. Here we go!

Background: Two years and 10 months ago, I gave up soda/pop.  Cold Turkey.  I created a calendar and gave myself a sticker for each day I resisted the urge to drink.  This was the most difficult thing I have ever done.  And let me tell you, NOT A DAY GOES BY WHEN I DO NOT CRAVE A POP!  There is a soda for every type of food.  Just like many of you pair wine with your culinary delights.

How am I doing on today? Fabulous!! I will admit that I allow myself a glass of sparkling cider on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Once I drank half of a Long Island Ice Tea at Hard Rock Cafe before I realized it had Pepsi in it! I stopped in my tracks. I have had about three moments when I accidentally sipped one of the boys' drinks only to immediately spit out the pop!  So I think I can say I have been faithful.

Side Note: At the time I decided to eliminate soda, it was not a sugar thing. My son Gregory had broken his leg a few years ago, and his orthopedic surgeon lectured all of us about the dangers of soda on our bones.  He was and still is firmly convinced that the carbonation is leeching our bones causing them to become brittle and break easily.  No wonder Greg's leg snapped like a twig at 12!  That lecture stayed with me.  I finally decided to eliminate soda once and for all.

Today, as I am contemplating the challenge of giving up sugar, the experts say to ease into it.  Baby steps.  The first step? GIVE UP SODA! Wow!  Easy peasy! Been there, done that!  Check off step one!

Now it is time to examine the next step.  I choose the elimination of coffee creamer! I am talking the amazing French Vanilla, Almond Roca, Pumpkin Spice, and all the yummy flavors that make my favorite beverage so yummy! I drink a thermos of coffee each day.  So eliminating the creamer is a huge deal!
So why not add artificial sweetner?  I am not just substituting one type of sugar for another.  I am not eliminating sugar just to use Stevia, Splenda, NutriSweet, etc.  The idea is NO SUGAR!! If the real deal is "poison," I can only imagine what the chemical stuff will do to me!
So I will start by switching to Half and Half.  Cross your fingers!

Thanks for coming along for the ride. Buckle up! Crash helmets and life jackets are recommended. In the event of an emergency: PRAY!

Before I Lost 37 pounds!! February 2013

Eat Well Because...

Mantra

50 Reasons to Exercise

Monday Motivation

Encouragement to STICK WITH IT!

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. (Galatians 5:22, 23 MSG)

Summer Solstice 5k = AWESOME

Just Be Yourself...

I Believe In Myself