So...

So it has been awhile since I blogged.

So it has taken me longer than I wanted to lose weight.

So it is harder than I like to exercise.

So it proves that I'm still human and feel like quitting.

I feel like eating a pan full of brownies too, but I won't.

I feel like wearing pyjamas all day but I don't. (Honest!)

I feel like watching endless food shows but I can't because we don't have T.V. Or else I probably would.

I feel like a failure, but I'm not!

This is my life and I'm living it, one day at a time.

This is my passion, to be the best woman, wife, mother, and friend I can be.

This is my dream and I am against dreamicide. (I thought I just made that up but I googled it and, dang it, I didn't)

This is my way of making it happen because no one else can do it for me.

So there.

~ Glory

An Important Step

So, as I sit here with angry muscles from these past few workouts - "few" kind of minimizes the terror I've come to associate with my workouts - there is something that I know has changed about my attitude. It's nothing profound or even lucrative if I were to try and write a book about it. Booklet. Going through my 3-4 sets of 10-20 reps has proved two things to me:

1. It's harder than it looks.

2. I'm more capable than I think.

Honestly, this is real, raw emotional stuff. Don't let my size and shape fool you. I might look sturdy on the outside but the inside tells another story. Do you want me to share that story? Well, here it is... I don't want to share it. I value you. But this is too personal. Sorry.

All I can say is that my journey's map has an arrow that says "You Are Here" and I'm further ahead than I was when I started. But there's a lot of distance yet to cover. This is work that needs doing now. And I'm doing it. Because I believe I can. Woo hoo!

~ Glory

To encourage you!

'Tis The Season...For Green Smoothies

Now that we are nearly through our first month since the Christmas holiday, with all its indulgent glory, we are again reminded of the hopes and dreams of the New Year. Not by decorations, music, or menus. Nothing of the sort! Rather, by tight jeans, breathless walks and climbing numbers on the scale. It is now time to get serious, get tough, and get busy doing the right thing for ourselves and our bodies. Yes, my friends, if you have never stuffed your food processor or blender with anything remotely leafy or green before now is the time!

There are a few good starting points to remember. If this is your first foray into the world of smoothies you will definitely need a good powerful blender or food processor. You’re going to be putting a lot of wear and tear on this machine that you hope will follow you through plunging dress sizes and beyond. With that being said, here are some things I have personally learned along the way:

Start out with as few ingredients as possible. Try freezing a banana overnight then chopping it up into the blender along with a handful of spinach in the morning, with a couple ice cubes and a few ounces of water. Blend it only until the leaves are little green specks but try not to blend too long as nutrients are lost as food is oxidized. Pour into a glass just big enough and drink normally or with a straw just to feel fancy.

See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?
Now, for some basic smoothie equations, here are the kinds of ingredients you’re going to want to play with. Yes, you’re going to have fun, I promise!

1. The liquid. Pure H2O is totally fine, since you’re going to be adding whole fruits and veggies into the mix, anyway. For some added health or flavor, however, you can certainly pour in some coconut water, fruit juices, or milks – dairy, soy, rice, almond, or coconut. By the way, greek yogurt totally counts as a liquid and doubles as a protein source. Coolness!

2. Decide what kind of base fruit you want. This is the stuff that’s going to put the “smooth” in smoothie so you’re going to be looking for things like bananas, mangos, peaches, pears, apples, or papayas. Here’s a cool veggie secret: a cucumber would fit here as well as previously cooked pumpkin, sweet potato, or squash. Pick one of these then you can combine flavors with water-rich fruits like melon or citrus, or berries. Mmm berries!

3. Add flavor to your smoothie with berries (kind of obsessed, I admit it), citrus fruits, melon, or pineapple. If you’re brave you can even try things like ginger, cilantro, vanilla bean, clove, cinnamon or even cayenne pepper (use with a chocolaty smoothies made with raw cacao). Otherwise, think about your favorite beverage, sherbet, or yogurt combinations and let that guide your tastebuds.

4. Finally, add your greens. You can add up to 2 cups of spinach, dandelion, romaine lettuce, kale, chard, and even parsley.

That’s basically it! Now just blend the whole eclectic party up into a mild frenzy and pour into a jar, glass, or plastic tumbler. Whatever. Oh, and about protein powders or fiber sources like wheat germ, or milled flax seeds? Just do it! It’s your body, your health, and your smoothie so own it! Make it happen!

Glory

Help During The Holidays

Am I offering to clean your house or do your baking while you shop for presents or attend social gatherings? Of course not, silly! But I am accepting offers...childcare...I digress. My apologies.

This season finds me baking my share of seasonal favorites. Cookies, pies, breads, you name it. It's probably already come out of my oven and served on my table. It's just that good! Too good. You know where this is headed...a near train wreck like those impossible scenes from Polar Express. Scary!

So, I wish I had the time to come up with my own oh so clever and original strategy for avoiding the naughty diet list. Yeah, those people get Slim Fast in their stockings and a Richard Simmons Sweating To The Oldies DVD. *shudder*

Instead I am shamlessly linking my favorite website, which hasn't yet remunerated me yet for all my posts about them. Someday. Anyway, here's what Livestrong says about the most wonderful time of the year:

Perspective and Planning

We call it the holiday season, but in reality, there are only a few actual holidays during the season. This time is about giving, sharing, gathering and enjoying the company of family and friends. If you think of it as a time to eat, your actions will follow your thought patterns. Plan well and pace yourself. Keep your schedule flexible and do not overextend yourself. If you do, you will not have time to plan healthy meals, exercise and get enough sleep, which are all essential for weight control.

Work Pitfalls

During the holidays, the workplace is full of fatty goodies, such as candy and bakery items. Become a grazer and keep healthy noshes close-by. Say "no thank you" to office sweets. Occasional splurges are for special days, not for everyday. If the goodies are in sight of your desk, politely ask if they can be moved, or move them yourself. Bring your own sweet treats such as a sugar-free chocolate pudding snack pack, or a Nabisco 100-calorie snack pack to keep you satisfied.

Diet Tips for Parties

Focus on family and the reason for the season and be a good host or guest. Do not linger in the kitchen or near the buffet table. Never sit down to a holiday meal ravenous. You will set yourself up for a disaster. Have a small well-balanced snack in advance, such as reduced-fat cheese, whole-grain crackers and an apple. Eat only what you really want to eat. Pass up the rest. Bring your own healthful dish to pass, such as assorted raw veggies with low-calorie dip or a homemade low-calorie dessert. If you are a guest at a holiday party, let your host know ahead of time that you are on a special diet. If you are familiar with the menu, it will be easier to maneuver around obstacles.

Trade-offs for Holiday Meals

When it comes to holiday meals, there are usually plenty of options. Attempt to make better choices without denying yourself. Your waistline, will thank you. Munch on raw vegetables with low-calorie dip, grilled veggies and other low-calorie hors d'oeuvres. Trade in candied yams for a baked one, and skip the sauces. Fill your plate with lean meats, lots of veggies, and whole grains (if available) or a small amount of starch. Enjoy one glass of wine with your meal and keep your dessert small and consider sharing it. Remember to control those portions.

Move More

It's all about taking in less (or at least the same) calories as you expend. Move more to avoid gaining weight. Add an extra 15 to 20 minutes onto your workout routine to burn more calories during the holidays or add a workout to your weekly routine. Ditch the car at the furthest parking spot at the mall and hoof it all over the store during your holiday shopping. Wear a pedometer and see how many steps you can clock. Keep a food journal. It keeps you honest and discourages impulse eating behaviors. Seeing what you've eaten, in black and white, is a deterrent.

Click for the full article and links to other holiday tips.

Glory

"Well Done"

This week marks the completion of the 60 day challenge that started with me announcing my wholehearted intent to lose 40 lbs and get healthy and fit. While I still have almost 30 lbs yet to lose, I know that what I have gained in knowledge of my body and maintaining an active lifestyle is more rewarding than winning any material prize. I have done my best, I faced greater challenges than I ever expected, and I experienced disappointing setbacks that might have discouraged me to the point of quitting altogether. And, yes, my heart has truly been broken by things that were very much out of my control. But I knew this wouldn't be easy, I've been well aware that life doesn't play fair, and I am sure that these are not the last obstacles I will come up against in my continuing efforts to change my lifestyle. "Success is not a destination, it's a journey." (Zig Ziglar) holds more truth to me now than ever before. Do I feel successful, perhaps not, but I know that I have not failed nor have I given up. And the words that will mean the most to me, at the very end of it all, when nothing else will matter nearly as much as crossing the last finish line, are those that I have been promised to hear from the only One who can bestow anything of eternal worth and value. It is those words that compell me to strive harder and reach forward. Yes, when all is said and done, long after the sweat and tears have dried, I have an assurance that I will stand in the company of all like-hearted people and hear the Lord of all that I am say, "Well done." ~ Glory

The Home Stretch

I've lost a total of 11 pounds since the challenge started! I'm actually very happy with that and would be content to lose the same number, or even just a little more, in this next half.

I might have gotten discouraged about this if only because my goal has not been reached, yet. But I'm not, because I won't give up! This means too much to me, now, and I am accomplishing so much more than changing numbers on the scale. Everything in my life is better, now, than it has ever been! My outlook on life is more hopeful, I feel stronger than ever, and I know that God has given me abilities beyond anything I've already experienced.

That alone is worth more to me than any material prize!

Glory