The Success in Clean Eating: Confession of a Desperate Mom; Martina's Story

Have you found yourself avoiding mirrors, posing for pictures, or perhaps refusing to go out because nothing fits you?

I have been there believe me on and off for years. As my very wise friend once told me to, "Love yourself first in order to love others". My friend does not know this, but it became my mantra later on and changed my life. In my head all these thoughts were confusing me because I wanted to love myself, but if I could only be thinner then I would feel better and like myself.  Does this sound familiar?  If only I get this then I would be happy whether it is weight loss, a career change, more money, kids whatever it is you fixate your life on this one thing in then what happens we get that one thing?  You want more if you place your life on outward happiness you will never find your inner joy.

As you can see I was desperate. I had to have a heart to heart with my head and my eating habits. The problem is that I worked out at least 3-5 times a week so as I reward I comforted myself with the reward of food with small doses of indulgence.  I would have pizza with salad; my thoughts were the salad cancels out the pizza right?  Well I played those excuse games until my annual check-up came with my doctor, and I had a reality check.   At my doctor's visit I asked my doctor for help out of frustration and not having anywhere else to turn.  I told the doctor I have been trying to lose weight, and I just cannot do it by myself.  I exercise and I try to eat right, but I JUST CAN'T DO IT! Help! Please!

The nice doctor said to me that it takes 21 days to learn a new habit. The habit he said is that it does matter what you put in your mouth on daily basis-no processed foods, no white flour, eat 80% of your daily intake before 5 pm or at least 4 hrs before bedtime..... blah blah blah... I have heard this before and the doc said, “I will give you this little pill to help.” What? Wait a minute here! Did you say a pill? Yes, he did; an appetite suppressor pill that is safe for short term usage and it will help to form the new habit of eating clean.  The first month I lost 15 lbs which is more than I lost in last 15 years!  It was the jump start I needed; do not be afraid to ask your doctor for help.  The doctor helped me in changing my eating habits and maintaining portion control and balance.  I have pizza, but I scrape the toppings off and eat it without the dough with some salad or veggies. I like potatoes, but I have also found that garlic cauliflower mashed potatoes are also very satisfying.

Some people say, "You are what you eat” or “You are what you repeat"...it sounds like a cliche, but mostly you are what God made you to be an individual with problems and faults so love yourself first.  I changed my eating habits, and I feel so much better.  I have more energy for me and my kids.  I can still indulge from time to time, but I know the difference and I only need a little to satisfy my craving.  It's a constant struggle do not beat yourself up; you have the choice to make healthy choices and every day is a new beginning.  Take the challenge, and I hope my story helps and inspires you to best your best self.

You are what you eat do you believe this?

This topic has come up this week in a few conversations, and I thought it was time to share my thoughts.  We have all heard the term you are what you eat and you cannot out exercise a bad diet in the fitness world, but is it true?  I have also heard I work out to eat what I want.  So which is it you are what you eat or exercise takes care of a bad diet?  I can say personally I have done both on hard training days you eat whatever you want because you earned it, and I have also followed strict nutrition.  I know you have heard this before it is all about balance, and no you cannot out exercise a bad diet eventually you have to put yourself back on track to clean nutrition to see the results.  There are two puzzles to look at here are diet and exercise enough on their own?  The answer is no if you exercise you cannot reach your full potential with a bad diet and eating clean without exercise you do not build as much strength as you could with exercise.  I have a pretty rigorous workout schedule with keeping up with both CrossFit and Yoga and if I eat like crap I feel like crap it does matter how much I train.  With the holiday's coming up this is also a great topic because we all know we will indulge in some sort of treats whether it's candy, cookies, or just over eating until the point of sickness around the table with family.  So what happens after we indulge?  Do we continue to indulge until the holidays go away and then make it our New Year's resolutions to eat healthy?  No you have your treats and then go back to your clean eating right after you indulge because it is a balance.  Stick with what works for you on your own version of clean eating.  I have mentioned that I follow a Paleo type diet my preference where I do not eat processed foods, dairy, or grains because I feel better and I notice a huge difference in the way I feel and my performance in life and in work outs.  I have also recently added in beans for the fiber and balance it adds to my diet along with an occasional glass of wine and a cheat meal once a week if I feel the need followed by the book the 4-Hour Body.  A great book to read it you have the opportunity that talks about weight loss and much more.  Of course I cheat and I over indulge I am human, but it is what you do after that makes the difference.  It is a lifestyle and a constant struggle, but it is all about being your best self for you and others.  I hope this helps on understanding why both are important and gives you a place to go back to when you have your doubts.  Enjoy the holiday season food is not a reward it is a nutrition do not let it control you control it you have a choice.

When is it enough to make you happy?

Do you ever look at your life and think about what and when you are the happiest?  We spend lots of time in life thinking about what will make us happy.  Example when I get this new job I will be happy, when I lose weight I will be happy, when I get a new car that will make me happy.  We are always searching for that next thing to make us happy that we do not stop to think about what we do have.  When is it enough?  You get the job and then what you get the car and then what.  It really can be exhausting if you stop to think about it.  A great quote I heard while watching the office Season Finale of all things was said by the character Andy Bernard that was so true and a great lesson.

Life is short we all get reminders of this every day.  Instead of spending your energy of wanting more be grateful.  Of course you have your goals, but do not base happiness on this treat it as it is a goal celebrate the success.  In Yoga it is a body, mind, and spirit experience each pose symbolizes your truth, your discipline, and your journey into yourself.  Pay attention to how you feel do you try to get out of the poses that make you uncomfortable.  Take this into your life what do you do when you are uncomfortable do you run away or try to overcome the obstacle?  I am guilty of all these things we all are.  It is the acknowledgement of knowing the difference.  Your happiness is not in things or people you have to find it within yourself your joy and take it into the world to share it with others.

In the Midst of Chaos

I asked a question this week what do you do in the midst of chaos? I know there were many times this week when you questioned your reality. Is this really happening and why? The truth is there are no answers bad things happen and tragedies such as we experienced this week. First we had the Boston Marathon and then the West explosion no telling what else might have happened in your life this past week or the week before, but the question is how do you deal with it? Do you let it cripple you or do you move on even stronger? The best thing I heard this week was to look for the helpers quoted by Fred Rogers. “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” The events this week were tragic there is no denying that, but the good of the people how everyone came together and helped one another shows that there is good in the world. There is also the bad that we will experience, but let it bring us together as neighbors and friends instead of bitter. It is all in the perspective. We were not promised that everything would be perfect we will have pain, but help others get back on their feet in their time of need. Make sure you tell others how much they mean to you and live life with no regrets. We will never forget and we have a choice to stand together.

Live Life to the Fullest

                 

This week has been a crazy challenging week filled with tears and laughter.  I lost my Grandfather at the age of 79 3 days after his Birthday who saw his last final day on earth on April 1st 2013.  It has been a hard week with ups and downs, and I am so grateful for my family and friends who were there for comfort and prayers.  Everyone handles death differently I choose to handle it day by day, and I am so grateful for the time we had together.  I spoke at his celebration of life today and delivered a message that I would also like to share with all of you since this is a part of my journey.

Papa was a hero to everyone who met him, and he will be remembered and cherished always.  The peace in his passing comes through knowing the embrace that took place in heaven when my mom and her daddy were together again in Heaven.  It is not a secret all of Papa's health problems the ups and the downs.  We did not know that this would be the time he would go to Heaven leaving us behind.  Papa was a strong man and fought until the end to stay on this Earth for all of us.  He was one of the most caring men who believed in family and held us all together which was a hard task in itself.  He brought us sanity and constant love in this crazy world. 

I had a long talk with Papa before he was laid to rest, and it gives me peace to share that memory.  During our talk he shared with me the struggles he had living life after my mom died.  It crushed his world losing a child my mother who is loved by so many, and he told me the only way he survived was the companionship of his dog Lost and our horse Gypsy when he was alone he would talk to them about his pain.

They were a true comfort in his life during a dark time.  We cried together and shared memories of mom, and how life has changed without her here.  We talked about how grateful he is for Ninny and he knows that it is hard on her him being sick.  He mentioned the speech I gave at my Mom's funeral and quoted a few things I said.  I told him that it was not me that the Lord was speaking through me to deliver a message and gave me strength to share with others in her memory.  He understood he was sick and he was tired and one day like all of us he would be laid to rest.  When I talked to Ninny the day he died I told her I would also like to speak at his funeral to share this message and honor him and his memory.  I wish I would have had a recorder to record our last conversation, but it gave me closure that he would be all right and so would we by carrying his strength in our own lives.

We watched him in his last final days as he continued to fight the pain it was too much to handle.  We told him to go rest and to join his Daughter in Heaven.  Papa had a strong faith and led a blessed life we are all stronger and better people for having him in our lives.  Enjoy the moments today and every day.  Death is a complicated experience it does not get earier it is just different your happiness changes and there is a hole that you cherish.  The best advice I ever received when my mom passed was it will always be a different king of happiness it's not good not necessarily bad just different.  We will all meet together again in Heaven.  Go with God Papa and join your eternal kingdom.

Papa never met a stranger everyone was a friend.  He could light up a room and left a lasting impression that will never be forgotten.  We are all put on this Earth for a reason find your purpose and live out your own legacy.  Every day is a gift it is not owed to us live life to fullest today and every day.

1. Love unconditionally
2. Live with integrity
3. Leave this world a better place

All In

Some may joke that you are drinking the Kool-Aid, but the moral of the story is CrossFit can change lives from a body and mind perspective.  You also may think it is strange that I love CrossFit and Yoga so much because you think they are so different, but in the overall scheme of things they can be one in the same.  CrossFit is a series of functional movements that also help you to be stronger in your everyday life.  It is a challenge, but every challenge is against you to get better, stronger, and faster.  The competition is fun, and if you want to be a part of it you can.  There is no denying the sport is exploding especially with ESPN covering the CrossFit games, but it is the sense of community and change that keep others wanting more and anticipating the next work out.  Yes it is hard, but the reward of completing the work out of the day is amazing.  This year is the first year I am competing in the CrossFit games so some may say I am all in.  I am no longer dancing around whether or not to get on board with CrossFit.  Last weekend I watched others compete in my gym for the Open workout of the week and wow you have never seen so much determination and passion.  It was a very motivating experience that solidifies the meaning of being a CrossFitter.  I understand if you do not want to get on board and may or may not think it is a fad, but I am here to tell you because of the changes it makes in lives it is here to stay.  CrossFit with everything there is a balance and it is meant to make you better.  Do not beat yourself up just keep going it will all come together just like life it has its ups and down.  The last piece is nutrition and this is a very important piece.  When people start out they may complain about not seeing the results or ladies putting on too much muscle.  Since I started the strict Paleo challenge I have noticed how much food I don't need and my extra calories were making me bulky not the weights I was lifting.  I also cut out fruit extra sugar and nuts extra fat so I could see and feel the difference.  Nutrition and CrossFit go hand in hand to see results, but it is a long term change.  I would most definitely recommend CrossFit to others if you are looking to change your mind and body.  There are so many benefits and in the end you don't have to choose just choose your healthy.

Enjoy the Moment in the Life of Love

I recently had a realization in my life a couple of weeks ago. Although this may seem obvious to some I was living my life too fast from one event to the next. Life as a Yogi is not always easy and it does not come natural to me I have to really concentrate on being still and aware. I live in a very fast paced life, but what I did not realize is how many aspects of my life this affects. During Yoga teacher training was the first time I heard this message of living too fast, but I recently discovered how it applies in my own life. It is so easy to get into a routine and go from place to place without being aware of your surroundings. For me it is not a purposeful intention, but I had a certain instance in my life where I realized I needed to make a change. As you know my full-time job is a sales position in which I work in a fast paced environment, but with all things there is a balance. I realized that I was not taking the time to establish a personal connection with my potential buyers and that also was carrying on to other parts in my life. My friend shared with me something that made complete since after an appointment, but I had never thought of it "Treat everyone as they are wearing a necklace that says make me feel special". It turn out that it is a Mary Kay quote I found out later. Can you imagine how much better our life would be if we spent time making others feel special? The fascinating thing this is not a hard task, but it takes awareness and checks and balances. The day after my appointment I put this quote into practice and had the best day I met the lady at Starbucks, I smiled to every person I passed and said hi, and I shared stories with others to open up my life. As a child I was shy and I did not come out of my shell until I had my first job some may also find this odd. I still have shy tendencies when I am not comfortable I will stand back, but what I realized is me holding back may also come off as cold and unwelcoming so I had to get out of my comfort zone. The world is fast paced, and I know others that may confess to this same experience of just living life too fast at a surface level. The good news is you can make a change and open yourself up a new life with new opportunities. Tell others about your new journey and let them hold you accountable to slow you down to work on your awareness.  Take a chance and you will see the rewards in letting others in and enjoy the moment in the life of love.

Take Care of Yourself Body, Mind, and Spirit

I am week 2 on the challenge and 10 pounds down.  I want to emphasize that this challenge is about getting healthy, and in the process I am seeing the results.  As I have mentioned yes I am healthy and some may say too healthy, but it is about getting rid of things that I do not need so my body can benefit.  A funny story of how people don't understand even as simple as you may make it.  At a restaurant I ordered grilled chicken with double veggies instead of the rice and beans.  When the waiter brought my food out he asked if I was a Vegetarian?  My husband said well she is eating chicken so no.  The waiter seemed confused and asked well can you eat pork because it is in the beans? I answered will eat pork, but I wanted the double veggies instead of the rice and beans.  Paleo made simple can even be confusing for some.  We laughed a little about the confusion after the waiter left, but the truth is some people just do not understand and they may never understand.  I am lucky because Matt my husband started his challenge last Monday, and we have been doing great grocery shopping together and planning our meals and snacks on Sunday.  A new way of life does require planning, but after a while it becomes second nature and you would not want it any other way you start to accept it.  Of course I have cravings that I have to fight through, but the truth is I would take not being bloated and feeling stuffed over denying my cravings any day.  I am not saying you have to deny yourself just do what is best for your body and drink plenty of water.  Most of the time we may feel hungry we may be thirsty.  Learn to listen to your body, and you will understand the difference.  The next challenge I will face is we leave for Grand Caymans on March 7th for 4 days.  Most people would use this as an excuse to indulge.  I also know Spring Break is coming up for a few of you so how do you handle your health when you are out of routine?  Here are some helpful Travel and on the go tips for sticking to your healthy plan to take care of yourself.

1.  Be Prepared
2.  Pick your indulgence; indulge and move on if you must
3.  Exercise; do something active
4.  Drink in moderation if you must
5.  Stick to Paleo meals or your healthy picks
6.  Keep it simple for meals
7.  Take snacks with you for a backup plan
8.  Enjoy yourself while taking care of your body
9.  If you mess up don't stress get back on the wagon
10. Hydrate; drink plenty of water

Make Room For Change

This is the time of the year where people are making changes.  Some are doing it for the Lenten Season to grow their relationship with God, and others are making changes to make room for a better year and a better life.  We learn from our mistakes and we grow from our challenges.  You set your goals at the beginning of the year, and now you have either found the challenges and gave up or you are fighting through.  The Lenten Season everyone gives up a possession or luxury or adds something in their life to enrich their relationship with God.  I have gone through many challenges in my life such as marathons, Yoga teacher training, deaths, failures; too many to count, but my story comes in how you fight through until the end.  I started a Paleo Challenge last week that last 45 days, and this is the first time that I am following this challenge without any substitutes.  I have been following the Paleo diet for a while, but I have not seen any real change so I must face my challenges.  My challenge like lots of people with changing your diet is taking away things that you do not need and holding onto them as a crutch.  I have learned that I do not need as much food as I put into my body even if it is healthy.  I have cut down on my snacks and portion sizes.  I have also decided to cut out fruit and nuts since it carries extra fat and sugar.  Yes both of these are good for you, but in moderation and I personally have a challenge with eating too much.  I have also limited my caffeine to one cup a day.  The theory behind all of this is I want to see the change so I have to overcome my challenges.  This is very hard and you also run into critics along the way who do not understand why you have chosen this particular lifestyle or why you are not drinking like all of the others.  You have made a choice to be healthy; do not let others take this away for you it is your gift to yourself.  It does help that this is the time of year where others are making changes and may be more accepted than the Holiday Season a time to indulge.  We will run into our challenges, but stay strong and make room for change.  Here are some helpful tips if you are looking to make a change for improved health, and are having problems overcoming your challenges.

1.  Be Prepared- Prepare your lunches and snacks the night before
2.  Portions- for weight loss one plate of food or until you are full
3.  Snacks-protein and veggies
4.  Meals-Veggie with every meal
5.  Limit fruits and nuts-1-2 servings for weight loss
6.  Travel with Snacks
7.  Eating out-Keep it simple a protein and veggies
8.  Drink as much water as possible- carry a liter of water with you and refill
9.  Ignore the critics
10. Celebrate your success-let others know your goals
11. Have an accountability partner
12. Get your family involved
13.  Be patient-you are making a permanent change it takes time
14   Believe in yourself

 

 

Gratitude In All Things Good and Bad

Gratitude, thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a feeling or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.  How do you look at your life are you grateful or is it hard for you to look at the light at the end of the tunnel?  Most of us can be grateful when things are going the way we planned, but what about those hard times and the hurdles that are thrown our way?  We have talked about that life is like a series of waves and to surrender in the moment, but what happens when everything is falling apart?  Every week I think about the message I want to bring with my blog, and sometimes the message changes before it is written because life changes.  At the beginning of the week you are faced with Monday back to the routine and by the end of the week you evaluate did you have a good or challenging week?  The message are the challenges and life lessons that prepare you to be grateful for the good and bad times in your life.  In Yoga the time on your mat is sacred no one else can take that time away from you except for yourself; there is a focus on the presence and just being in the moment and grateful.  The challenges such as loss of job, loss of a loved one, or just living in uncertainty can change your character.  What do you do when your life is turned upside down?  As a Yoga teacher I get to see people change throughout their practice when they walk through the door with the weight of the world on their shoulders and leave the class with a freedom of surrender and gratitude.  Gratitude is the answered and unanswered prayers it makes us who we are and helps others get through their hard times.  Live your life as an example to others and know that you can make a difference today and every day. 

Are Your Food Portions Helping You Reach Your Goals?

This week I want to focus on food portion, and how even eating healthy foods can be too much if they are not in the right proportion.  As I have mentioned in the past going from living off of protein shakes to progressing to real food I had to learn how to eat real food again.  Anyone can lose weight if they don't eat, but how can you maintain or lose when you eat?  The Paleo Diet has taught me so much about putting the right foods in my body.  The right foods meaning that are in a natural state rather than processed, but I still struggle with the portion size at least at dinner or when I get home from work.  Believe it or not there is such a thing as too much fruit, meat, and even veggies.  There is a general guide for a portion size below, but most importantly listen to your body and when it says you are full to satisfied rather than being stuffed.

The portion size at restaurants is 2-3 times more than what we need.  Some helpful tips for eating out are to have the waiter half you portion size bringing one portion out to eat and the other boxed to go for later.  Also order a house salad before your meal instead of appetizers.  When you order appetizers you are generally full before you even get to your entree.  Another thing I have noticed is to limit your fruit portions to 1-2 servings a day.  Fruit contains natural sugar, but it is sugar.  It is also best to eat fruit earlier in the day rather than at night.  A whole banana is two servings of fruit rather than one so keep this in mind when you are selecting your fruit for the day.  Keep a food journal; you do not have to right down everything you eat, but right down if you do not feel well and what you ate so you can determine if you went past your level of full.  High activity helps with portion size.  You may be training hard and need more calories, but do not over do it.  After my first Half Marathon one year I had a sandwhich with a banana peanut butter and honey thinking I needed to carb load, but it actually made me very sick and full for days.  I may be different than you since I do suffer from stomach issues, but these are great guidelines to keep in mind and to make sure portion size does not halt your success to achieve your goals.  Here is a guide to help you see if you are facing some of the roadblocks from www.paleocookbooks.com the comments are my words.

Mistake #1. Following a Fad Not a Diet
My Advice:
A diet is a life style; there are not any quick fixes
Mistake #2. Not Diversifying Exercise
My Advice:
Reach a plateau; change it up
Mistake #3. Not Positively Leveraging Stress
My Advice:
When are stressed it is a great time to use that energy to workout.
:Mistake #4. Poor Goal Setting
My Advice:
Make goals and celebrate the small successes along the way
Mistake #5. Taking Supplements & Expecting a Miracle
My Advice:
The reason there are so many pills out there because no one has found a miracle in any of them
Mistake #6. Not Reducing Calorie Intake
My Advice:
If you eating more calories than you are burning you will gain or maintain your weight
Mistake #7. Eating Foods That Promote Weight Gain
My Advice:
Processed foods do not promote health they only put on weight
Mistake #8. Eating Too Much Fruit
My Advice:
Fruit is sugar you can eat too much; stick to 1-2 servings a day for weight loss
Mistake #9. Eating Late at Night
My Advice:
Going to bed on a full stomach you wake up on a full stomach
Mistake #10. Going it Alone
My Advice:
Have an accountability partner to help one another and celebrate success together

Surrender to What Is

Life challenges bring life's biggest lessons. This week was a challenging week one of those roller coaster weeks I wrote about in my previous blog, but in the end I learned so much that brought me to a brighter beginning. One of the things that is the hardest for us to do is to let go and completely surrender. You may have been told that you have to be strong and do not show weakness, but if you are fighting a losing battle in the end you already lost. True joy comes when you surrender to what shows up, surrender to love, surrender to God, and surrender to the things we cannot control. All of these things if you fight you will lose so why fight it spending all of your energy and bringing so much negativity into your life? Life is a journey a long journey through ups and downs, but it is constant what's good will change and what is bad will change that is why you cannot get attached to your feelings. During Yoga a pose becomes true Yoga when you do a pose and nothing else is in your thoughts, but that pose. There is not a hidden agenda and there is not a what happens next; you are in that moment without any distractions. Can you imagine how much better life could be if every day had that much intention, and you lived every moment for what it is and nothing else? Every day presents a new challenge, but you have two choices to grow or to shrink taking away your true power. I hope these thoughts will help you through your difficult time and not allow you to dwell, but instead surrender and move on to make room for growth in a new beginning.