Defining "Healthy"

For months upon months now, I have been "meaning" to put myself on the list! It's an interesting concept - finding time for yourself as an individual not just pertaining to being an independent business owner, wife, or mom! It's a CRUCIAL concept!!! For Christmas, my mom treated me to a gym membership which propelled me into a let's get back into shape mentality. While thinking about having a second baby (whenever that ends up happening), the fact that I hadn't been to the gym in 3.5 years, the chronic Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome I have dealt with for the last (almost) 15 years, and a desire for a healthier lifestyle there was no option but to do this the right way!
Let's be blunt for a second shall we? I get it a lot - when I go into Starbucks and order a skim drink - when I talk about needing to watch what I eat - when I even dare to make a comment about being out of shape...that "what are you talking about?! You're so skinny!" comment. Since when does "skinny" define HEALTHY?! Never once have I said I wanted to lose weight - in fact I have never cared what the scale says because it can be VERY misleading when trying to define healthy! I order skim drinks because (due to the IBS) my body cannot process milk fat and I don't think the Starbucks people want me to puke on them - I talk about watching what I eat so I don't send myself into an inflammation flare up and end up in the hospital (in fact, A LOT of people suffer from inflammation from eating processed foods without even knowing about it!) - and I am out of shape - FOR ME!
Here's some evidence that knocked my socks off today:
I went in for a "My Health Score" at Life Time Fitness - the gym I am going to right by our house. I got an 84 - that's a B - for ONE reason. My triglycerides were through the roof!! Those are a way that your body stores fat for energy - but this one is in your blood stream not your waist. Sure, it could be stress related, but it could also be the fact that I LOVE carbs. Say it with me - LOVE CARBS!!!
Before you think I'm about to go off on an "I'm giving up pasta, bread, and brownies forever" kick, let me assure you I am NOT! I wouldn't survive! BUT.....I can make smarter choices! Quit going for the "quick and refined" carbs - go for whole grains. Not necessarily the things that say "multi-grain" or "whole wheat", I'm talking about literally the grains are there right in front of me and I do the cooking. Knowing when to time what food group I consume around my physical activity, and actually knowing what the label says on the food I consume. You literally are what you eat, and I don't want to be something I cannot pronounce!
Of course, this lead to a pantry clean out and a quick blitz grocery shop for a few new starting points. What I've realized is our economy profits from our population not knowing what "healthy" really means and jacks the prices up on anything organic, whole grain, gluten-free (you get the picture). Why?! Maybe it has something to do with it still being a niche market while fast food remains accepted by the masses. I would love to see the day that the "dollar menu" no longer exists simply because they can't buy in the volume they need to support the crazy low prices.
So what do you think? As part of this journey to get healthy I'll be sharing some meal tips and lifestyle tricks with you - but until that next post it's time to get the homemade banana bread out of the oven! *Don't worry - I added wheat germ for a protein and fiber boost* :)

Until next time

Joy for Today

I thought about what to call this post because Joy is something we all aim to have for more than a day, but to have it for a long period of time we have to choose it each and every day. When you wake up in the morning, what do you do? Are you consciously waking up choosing to be happy? Are you falling asleep full of angst? Do you think that the events of your day are destined no matter what, or fueled by the state of mind you bring to each day?
It's a hard concept to accept responsibility for your life! Even harder to accept responsibility for your state of mind. Long ago (at least 10 years!) I had a conversation with my mom that ended a bit like this:
Me:  "Why do you have to make me feel so GUILTY?!"
Mom:  "I can't make you feel anything - that's not me, that's you"
I was FURIOUS!! Of course our parents can make us feel guilty, can't they? The idea that we are all individually in control of our emotional reactions to things has stuck with me over the years. It has bugged me, and empowered me. However, it wasn't until this past weekend that I felt like I could really DO something with it!
Wake up each and EVERY morning and CHOOSE JOY! Throughout your day use a simple analysis of your situations - Is what I'm doing bringing me Joy or closer to my goal? If it's not - Change it QUICKLY! Of course, we all find ourselves in situations that we don't find joy in. It might be the long line at the drive up ATM, paying bills, washing dishes, or even picking up your dog's "business" from the back yard. But what do each of those things mean? You have money to deposit, utilities you can keep on, food on your plate to make it dirty, and a life you are taking care of.
I tucked Dablet in last night (one of the several times because she kept getting up!) and it was freezing outside. I was in the small bedroom sitting there thinking, "I would live in this one little room with her and Kyle forever and be happy because we have a roof over our heads, heat in our space, and everything we could possibly NEED, we have each other!"
Our lives have been so full of pain and stress over the past year with our miscarriages, family illness, and absolutely normal chaos (including moving the weekend after Thanksgiving reducing our home size by more than 50%). I have often caught myself thinking "can this all please just stop - we have SO much going on!" But today I choose JOY - to find happiness in the piles of clothes that have to be put away because we have them! When there seems to be more month than money - I choose to find JOY that I will be pushed to touch more lives and make a difference with my leadership role in Mary Kay!
You mind is a powerful tool, and if you allow others (or even your circumstances) to impact you constantly to the point of distress, you are giving them WAY too much control and power in your life! I can only imagine the success and blessings we will receive because we choose JOY!
Today was very much a Joyful day already as we picked up our second FREE car from Mary Kay this year - my first year in business!

To be able to do this while keeping my priorities right and spending an abundance of hands on time with my family is more than enough to fuel the joy moving forward! Anything you want to achieve you can because you decide to!!
Until Next Time...