Another landmark

Hello world!

Have you ever seen those "anti" social media commercials? For example the one with a girl sitting at her computer talking about how her parents are missing out on life because they don't focus on things like facebook, but then it shows them out enjoying the real world? Yeah... that one.I think my life has become a constant tug-of-war between those two worlds. On one side, I want to get out and walk in a field, read a book under a tree, sketch on a park bench. You know, all those things that everyone always says they want to do, but just don't have the time? Then on the other side... I just don't have the time. Although I am going to make these little things priorities in my life for a little while, just because life is too short to not enjoy your favorite things :).

Anyway, In 4 days, it would have officially been two years since kicking off my new life. I am proud to say I have officially lost 105 pounds, and although I still have about 10 - 15 pounds to go for my goal weight, I have never been more confident in myself. I am so proud to be who I am.

The thing to remember for yourself is: It has taken me two years, (YEARS), and I am still 10 pounds away from my goal, but if two years ago I would have looked at the time it would take me and decide not to start, today I would still be 115 pounds away from my goal. I have said it before and I am saying it again: Never put off starting because of the time it will take you, the time will pass anyway, what are you going to do with it?

I made roasted peppers last night. DELICIOUS. Basically I just rubbed chunks of orange and yellow bell peppers with some coconut oil, sprinkled them with salt and garlic powder, and stuck them in the oven at 400 degrees until I was happy with how much they were cooked.

OH OH OH! Here is another discovery I have made recently: Zevia Soda, and Diet Virgil's Soda. Now, before you judge me for cheating: these are stevia sweetened! They still have a few ingredients that aren't perfect, but as long as you are careful what flavor you choose, you should be okay. They are zero calories and absolutely wonderful, if you are accustomed to the flavor of stevia.

Day 512

I learned something this week, it's something that I have always known, but this past weekend I really learned it. Health does not take a back seat to appearance. Lately I have received a lot of comments about how well I've done, how I must be so happy, and when I think about it, I really am proud of myself. However, I am not done, I still have my goals in mind, and I have not reached them yet. Although I am proud of myself for how far I have come physically, I am more proud of my progress mentally.

I just finished reading back through the few posts I have on here, and even though there aren't a lot of them, each of them are better than the last. This doesn't mean I never had set-backs, or never struggled, believe me when I say there has been no cake along this walk, and I'm still truckin' along.

You know those posts on Pinterest and other sites that say, "Don't put off starting because of how long it will take you, the time will pass anyway?" Let me tell you how true this is. Look at the title of this post, 1 year 4 months, 24 days. I have been working extremely hard to live as healthy as possible for almost 17 months now, and I still have a ways to go, but if I would have thrown up my hands and given up  before starting, simply because it was going to take too long, it would not have stopped me from reaching November 24, 2013, but it would have stopped me reaching it in the health I am in now.

Here is the lesson to take away from this: every little change, no matter how small will make you healthier tomorrow than you were today, and those little changes will add up to a better you in the future. Do not compare yourself to the people around you, or even to who you want to become. Compare yourself to the person you were yesterday, and compete with that person to make yourself just a little bit healthier.

Alright, Thanksgiving is coming up. Your friend this time of year is going to be Quinoa. Trust me. Quinoa is actually a seed, although it is labeled a lot of times as a grain. The difference is extremely subtle, but the point is it doesn't turn to pure sugar in your body. Also, it's packed full of protein, so it keeps you nice and full, and it absorbs surrounding flavors. I have a breakfast quinoa recipe below, and quinoa when mixed with veggies and sugar/yeast free broth also makes a great stuffing substitute. :)

Magical Quinoa Breakfast:

Ingredients:
1/4 c quinoa
1 tsp cinnamon (I love cinnamon, so I double this for my own)
1/2 tsp stevia
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Bring 1/4 cup quinoa to a boil,  lower heat and let summer for about 15 minutes, or until the small spirals start to detach from body of the seed.
Drain well.
Stir in cinnamon and stevia, add milk, and enjoy as a warm breakfast cereal!
I also love to add boiled Granny Smith apples to the mix when I have a little more time.

Happy health!

Day 486

I cannot believe I'm still going! I'm doing things I never thought I would.

I'm getting closer and closer to my goal, and now I have homework for anyone who comes across this blog, even if you are not trying to lose weight, this homework is about quality of life.

A dream list. I want everyone to make a list of things that they want to do. In my case, I am making a list of things that I have always wanted or wanted to accomplish, that I have not been able to do because of my weight. It doesn't matter why you are making the list, but make it. Realize your dreams, your needs and desires, and focus on complete health - this means mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. If you focus on a healthy life balance, then you can accomplish anything.

Now, here is something fun: first is the five minute pre-shower workout. Ready for this?

50 Jumping Jacks

20 Push-Ups

20 Squats

20 Crunches 

40 Bicycle Kicks (20 per leg)

30 Second Plank

Finish all of these, then choose one of the reps to repeat every day, and choose a different rep everyday. For example, complete the whole workout, then repeat the Jumping Jacks on the first day, second day do it all, then repeat the push-ups, and etc. Once you have cycled through repeating all of them once, take a day of rest.

Oh oh oh! I have a recipe for you too. Easiest thing ever, and super healthy. Now, normally I would say buy all organic produce for this recipe, but sometimes you just can't, so that's okay. As simple as it gets, this is a crockpot recipe!

I use frozen vegetables when I'm in a pinch, but fresh is always better.

All of this can be portioned to your taste, however I find these measurements fill a pot pretty well.
1/2 c green beans
1/2 c broccoli
1/2 c carrot slices
1/2 c cauliflower
1/2 c cabbage finely chopped
1 small sweet onion finely chopped
1 small green pepper finely chopped
3/4 c small peach squares (or mango if you prefer)
1 c thinly sliced skinless/boneless chicken breast
1 tbsp powdered garlic
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp sage
Increase or decrease portions according to the size of your crockpot, and your personal taste.
Once all of this is combined, fill with water, and let simmer for approximately 6 - 8 hours.

Also, remember your fiber! Sweet Potatoes are an amazing thing to work with, my favorite way to prepare them is baking. Wrap them up in tin foil, and place them in the oven on 350 degrees for about two hours. The trick to this is - make sure to put an oven safe container filled with water in with the potatoes to keep the oven humid,  otherwise your sweet potatoes will be kind of dry. Now, everything in moderation, sweet potatoes are good, and they have great health benefits, but that does not mean go crazy and eat them everyday, because they are still starchy. The best thing is to treat yourself once a week or so, throw in a little cinnamon and you have a nice desert!

One step farther into a healthier way of living.

**Note: Peaches, Mangos, and Sweet Potatoes are not a part of the Phase One Anti Fungal diet. I use these as a blue moon treat.**

Day 369

Alright then.

One year.

I have officially been going for one year.  People ask me how long I'm going to do this, and that is what this post is going to be about (along with another meal idea and activity).

It seems very strange to me that I would be asked how long I'm going to continue. Just so everyone is on my page, I plan to live my lifestyle for the rest of my life (notice how I called it my "life"style? Yeah I did, as in for LIFE).

It may seem difficult, but once you get used to everything, it becomes second nature. I try to think about how my body is built, what makes it work, and work well. My favorite word I have used to describe my lifestyle is purity. Let me explain why, then I promise I will get over my babbling and get to the interesting stuff. Although the nice thing about reading things like this instead of talking in person is that I won't know if you are rude and interrupt me by stopping right here and scrolling down to the end.

Now then:

Purity -

1. the condition or quality of being pure; freedom from anything that contaminates, pollutes, etc.

2. freedom from any admixture or modifying addition.

3. cleanness.

4. freedom from guilt or evil; innocence. 

There you go, a free vocabulary lesson.

Food - energy intake, meant to be ingested in order to correct/enhance/sustain our bodies. Food is meant to treat problem areas, to give us the energy and nourishment we need to survive.

Exercise - energy output. Our bodies were made to work, made to be used, the problem is now that we have advanced enough in our society, we have not needed to work our bodies in order to survive. However, if you don't use something for a while, then it will stop working. Same with our bodies.

Drink - You hear all the time that we are mostly made up of water, and therefore need to drink a lot of it. Just think about that one for a moment, if your body is in need of something (hydration), and instead you put in sugary drinks, then your body not only has to fight the dehydration, but also process the junk you put into it. If you just replaced all of the drinks with water, that would be a major step toward a healthy body. Purity.

Sleep - Completely overlooked by most people. Our bodies need rest, if we don't give it the right kind or enough of it, we will wear down. Think about the type of sleep you get, is it pure, deep sleep? Is it enough sleep? It may seem pretty low on the priority list, but it needs to move up.

In summary, think about the purity of what you are doing, eating, drinking. Think about what your body needs.

Okay, fun stuff:

First of all, rock climbing is one of my new favorite sports. Such a great work-out and extremely fun. You won't even realize how much you did until you wake up sore the next day.

Now for the meal. I don't remember if I have posted about my green beans yet, but let me tell you about this amazing side dish. I simply take fresh green beans, cook them on the stove in a little bit of water. Let them brown just a tad, then add coconut oil to taste. Super healthy, and delicious. I need to post another main dish recipe... I think I'll experiment this weekend. Maybe a hamburger and vegetable casserole.

Hmm...

One of my clients just brought me a treat from a bakery... I put it in the fridge, and have spent the last 10 minutes staring at it. The one good thing about treats like that? They are too pretty to eat. Therefore I can just wait until my husband comes home, have a lick, and give the rest to him!

Husbands are so useful.

Day 341 - WOW 7K

Day 341. I've been stranded on this island for almost a year.

It has not been an easy journey, but it has been worth every tear, every drop of sweat, it has been worth it, and I proved that to myself this past Saturday.

On Saturday, June 1, 2013, I ran a 7k race for women's cancer. 295 people, and I was within the top 20. I ran the entire distance without stopping, and all with an injured knee. As I came around the last corner of the race, my husband stood there with a bright smile, cheering me on as I crossed the finish line. I wasn't listening to him, I wasn't listening to any of the cheers. All I was listening to was myself as I was saying over and over, "you can do this."

It was long - I never stopped
It was hot - I kept going
It was hard, but I am strong.

To all the people of the world who don't believe they have the strength or willpower to change their lives - yes, you do.

To all the women we ran for, all the women with this life altering disease - you are some of the strongest women I know. Never forget, you are strong.

With all my prayers and admiration.

Day 312

Alright. Found another amazing recipe. You need this to live:

Grill up (in aluminum foil), or pan fry (in water) salmon with some lime and cilantro.

Now for the good part, grab 1 mango and 2 avocados, purée them together with about a tsp. of lemon juice (or to taste). 

Throw that on top of your fish, and you have a delicious healthy meal. 

One of the easiest recipes I have made, and so tasty you might just cry. 


Side note: Mango is not technically supposed to be apart of this lifestyle, however, once you have cleaned out your system, there really is no harm in having a little extra fruit here and there.