Ch-ch-ch-changes Update

Last year at this time, I started a book called "52 Small Changes" with my friend Lorie.

We were reading and doing the books' weekly health and lifestyle changes together. All was going well. We were supporting each other and doing great.


Then I savaged my knee by ripping the meniscus over the summer and was also diagnosed with a slipped disc in my lower back. I spent a couple of tense months with my leg up on ice whenever possible. Did gigs and faires on crutches or with walking sticks. Sat for most gigs. It was excruitiating to move, climb stairs or do my daily walking. With many, many visits to the Chiropractor (did I say many?) and doing daily exercises, I have been able to repair a lot of the damage I did to my knee. It's still healing. But at least I can walk and do stairs now without pain. The disc still gives me some problems, but I can also sit cross legged again on the floor and I couldn't do that at all for awhile.

My dear friend, Lorie had changes of her own about that time too. She got engaged, bought a house, moved and took a trip to Scotland. Busy, busy, busy!

Result?

Well....we fell off our wagon together at about the same time, due to life events.

But some very GOOD things happened too!

Life, for instance. I got myself into a great habit over the past few years of keeping a written record of my daily blood pressure and weight. In looking back to a year ago to today, I see that my blood pressure is still holding at an awesome level:

This morning's read was 92/70
Last years' read was 97/72.
Pretty damn good for NO medication after it being 150/90 before my eye surgery!

My weight is holding at the same damn spot. Set point. Check. Stalmate.
How'ere, under the circumstances, after several months of no activity for me, I feel that this is also pretty damn good!
See, I put on some pounds during my lay up...but they are gone now!
I can't seem to budge my weight much, but, like Popeye....

I yam what I yam.

I have also made the recent decision to go back to eating a vegetarian diet. Vegan sometimes, but mostly vegetarian if I can find dairy and eggs that are humanely raised.

I'm feeling really pretty great for it.
While the scale and measurements aren't making any drastic drops to my notice...

My rings are loose. I can't really wear them much lately.
Also I think I'm feeling firmer. Tightening up. I'm convinced that my "back fat" (ladies, you know the under the bra strap bulgies) is lessening.

Harry says I'm feeling awesome. But then again, he always says that...

All in all, I'm on the right track. Making the small daily changes still, every day.

Like trying to choose vegetarian stuff off restaurant menus, because I like it and I like the challenge.

Harry is also doing this with me! I'm FECKING AMAZED at it, personally.
He is liking it and is also loosing some weight too. Some union brother of his actually asked him if he lost weight the other day.

So it goes.


While it may be the "winter of our discontent"...

It's also that time of year....just about Imbolc.
the roots ARE growing in the ground, about to emerge....
changes are happening inside.

We are purging and detoxing...
out with the negative...
in with the positive.

Bad Chi Out.
Good Chi In.

I may not see or even feel them, but the changes are here.
Growing.
Taking root.
Becoming.

Hopefully Spring will bring the bounty of beauty and a bloom of love and happiness again...
Sometimes it blooms in the darndest of places.

What good changes are you making in your life these days?

Laugh Out Loud~ Week 16 of 52

Laugh. It's GOOD for you.


This week's exercise in the book I'm following this year "52 Small Changes: A Year to a Healthier, Happier You" is to "LAUGH OUT LOUD."

Or ....

LOL as you might know it more readily.

When we laugh, a good belly laugh, it releases endorphines that help with health and healing. This week's note is to encourage laughter daily in our lives, and to help others to laugh as well.

Lighten up! Live a little!
LAUGH!

Make yourself laugh. Listen to your own laughter! Enjoy the way others' laughter sounds!

I've always had a pretty good sense of humor and have made milk come out other people's noses on occasion. My daughter Jesse has a wicked funny sense of humor.  She always can make me laugh!
How could she not? She was blessed with two wicked funny parents. She has me with my randy wit and her father, David's silly potty humor. David and I are still great friends, and we stayed together for 17 years because we laughed so much.

Ask my kids, "Did your father ever fart on your head?"

"Why yes, why do you ask?" might be their accurate response.


My daughter Shawna, who has Down's Syndrome, loves life and also loves to eat saucepan beans.
They are one of her favorite things! In response to my question about what she'd like for dinner, she said,      "Me want beans".
I said to her in jest, "But Shawna, beans give you gas!"
And she said in honest appreciation, "Yah, me love gas. Make me laugh".


And yes, while we are on the subject,  everyone, even Sheldon on Big Bang Theory enjoys an occasional whoopie cushion blast. Really, I think farting is the one thing that can make me laugh the easiest.

It all harkens back in my memory to my childhood, early morning, mother and father sitting in the country kitchen, having breakfast quietly, and then one of them, (I'm not sure who) would rip one on the seat of the old oak chair. Nothing like some good quality wood resonance to really give it a mellow tone.

Sometimes I make me laugh :)

Of course, timing and discretion are everything.

One of my boyfriends once told me, "Girls don't fart."
I proved him very wrong.


"First Farts"
As a matter of fact, once in the beginning of my romance with my husband Wayne, after a grand lovemaking session, I got up, naked and walked to the bathroom, but stopped at the door...I looked back at my handsome, very relaxed and yet very new lover, and I looked at him and said, "Wayne?"
He looked at me lovingly and said, "Yes honey?"
I said (feeling the pressure of some gas in my belly), "There's something I've been meaning to tell you."
"What's that?"
(insert a very loud fart sound here).
It made our relationship grow from there.

Once my daughter farted in front of her boyfriend for the very time and ripped a horrendous sound to his very shocked ears. His response? "We're gonna stay together forever!"

There are also the fire and water stories about flatulation:

Fire Farts
For instance, (sorry Dave, but I have to :) there is the wonder and amazement of seeing someone light a fart. Have you ever seen this amazing feat? Usually it's when everyone has been drinking, and some fellow (I truly have never ever seen a female do this....) would feel the building pressure in his belly and then say excitedly, "HEY! Somebody have a lighter???QUICK???!"
A lighter would be magically produced, the man would drop down to the floor, lie on his back, with knees raised to "get into the position", while holding the lighter poised between his legs,  and precisely at just at the right moment of air expulsion, would bravely flick the bic.

Flame throwers of poi would be proud.

I would, at this point, caution the flame thrower, to always be DRESSED. For there was that one time, when my first husband, naked from the shower, decided to do this herculean feat while naked. NOT ADVISED. It took a week for his ass hair to grow back. But it also took us a week to stop laughing about it.

I would also advise those interested in this particular art form, to make sure you have a really good bit of air built up. Because, from my viewer observation, a seeping fart will just lightly dance on the fabric of the crotch and just burn a hole. You need serious methane to do this trick.

So much for fire....


Water Bubbles
Water is also fun. I don't know of any kid who hasn't played in the warm wet, drained bath tub making fart sounds for fun, by lifting sticky wet limbs or arching back on the tub. Hysterical laughter is guaranteed.

For that fact, even grownups, in a bath, can still make themselves amused by farting in a tub full of water.
Especially fun in an upstairs tub with company downstairs. Water amplifies sound and anyone can be a thunderous achiever in this realm.

So, have a good laugh at life and take yourself lightly....

and for heaven's sake....

fart in the tub and laugh :)

Week 15 of 52~ Whole Grains and Wholeness

Hey Ho....

A couple weeks have slipped by and so have I. Yah, I've slipped up a bit. While some of the "small changes" have been coming easy, others have not.

I still can't remember my damn vitamin.
I ate quite a lot of shite over my birthday/Memorial weekend (ice cream, chips, dip....etc)
and I didn't do much of the "green" cleaning....

Altho, in my defense:

*I am trying to get other parts of my life in order.

*I am standing up for myself more and backing down less.

*I have detached from an addictive friendship that was bad for me.

* I have added some new elements of music to my life, I'm trying to be a forgiving person, and I'm thinking on how to rewrite my memoir that I wrote last fall....

*I find that when I do have a glass of wine or two...or a shot of tequila or two...they affect me a lot more which means my tolerance is down and that is a good thing.

This week's "Small Change" is to add "Whole Grains" to my diet more. 

I have cooked with whole grains a lot in my life....but there, too, I have neglected to keep it in my diet on a regular basis. I used to cook with wheatberries and corn and rice and oats much more than I do now. I used to bake bread for my family every week. And not with the ease of a bread maker either. I was the bread makere!
I did cook with rice twice this week tho' and will add more grains to my shopping list when I get to the store next. Maybe I will even try to figure out what to cook with that Quinoa I have in my cupboard today. I've heard good things about it, but I've also heard that some folks don't like it. I will find out for myself.

It's all about being WHOLE.

When you separate the wheat from the chaff you get the whole grain or berry. Which is good. In life you should do this too. To separate the good from the fluff or the non-essential.

How'ere, when you separate the grain from itself, taking only some parts of it, discarding others, you destroy the goodness of the grain. We have done this when we eat enriched foods, white flour, white rice and so on. You don't get the total benefit of the grain when it is not complete.

We do this on a different level when also separate some of the good out of our lives, and add things that "fill" the difference. We can live on what's left, but we aren't as healthy for it.

I feel kinda bad that I've backslidden...and I realize that when upset I do stress eat or drink. In this way, I've not been living a "whole" life. I'm on Facebook too much. It's not what's real. I know I connect with people and fans on it, and I pride myself on being approachable....but I need to do other things more.
I nag my husband to clean, when I want/need change, but I am not willing to do it for him anymore. I stress over problems and worry too much sometimes about the past but am sometimes unwilling or unable to get a grip on the future.

In some ways, it's the same thing as eating enriched bread. We think we are feeding ourselves right, but we are not doing a good job of it. Worry and nagging does not make you healthy either, but it does feed you in a way and occupy your time. You are getting something out of it, but it isn't the healthiest of emotional diets. Facebook may be fun for you and your friends, but it does not feed you like walking in the sunshine or visiting with friends does. Watching a movie or playing a video game is not as nourishing as some quiet time with a book or a nap.

I have some big stressers in my life, and while I try to fix them, in big or small ways, I find that I also "medicate" myself with food or drink. Not good. But I know I've always done it.
Knowing these things is a good thing....but making the small changes when I wanted big changes is hard and tedious, but I shall endeavor to go on...

I shall try to get some real substance help for the others, like mediation for a stalemate situation in my relationship so that we can go forward fairly with each other. By getting together with real friends in person and by disengaging from some of the other addictive activities in my life that do not really serve me. I am blocking some destructive forces and letting in the sunshine or rain and music.

I shall start by having Oatmeal for breakfast.

 Have a good week.

Week 13 of 52~ "Eat Your Wheaties"

Still with me on our voyage through "52 Small Changes: A Year to a Happier, Healthier You"?

This week's small change is a simple one.... that a lot of you DON'T DO.....

BREAKFAST.

They say that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day"....

It is also said....

"Eat breakfast like a King, eat lunch like a Prince, and eat dinner like a pauper".

I almost always eat breakfast. It is a throwback to my dad's health and maintaining his Type I diabetes. Mom always made sure that he "ate regular meals" for his blood sugar and I know that it has helped me a lot.

You should eat breakfast.
Even if it's just a little something....

Did you know that of people that SKIP BREAKFAST ....
have a 4.5 X greater chance of being OBESE?

I try to stay around 300 calories or so for breaking my fast in the morning.
Yes, I make sure those people around me (especially if they are grumpy and their blood sugar is crashing) have something for breakfast.

It could be:

*2 eggs and a piece of toast.

 *A "bagel thin" with cream cheese and a slice of tomato.

*A 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt with some fresh fruit

* A twice toasted whole wheat English muffin with some old fashioned peanut butter (the kind you have to stir :)

* A bowl of granola and some almond milk. (I don't do cow's milk anymore...)

*A quick smoothie! In your blender pour some almond milk, a glop of Greek yogurt, a sliced banana, a package of Stevia and a scoop of Green Food (it comes in flavors like chocolate and mixed berry). Blend . put it in your "to go' cup and out the door you go Mmmm!

*Even a slice of leftover cold pizza ROCKS!

But my favorite breakfast, when I have a bit of time, (like 15 minutes) is to cook up some Quaker Old Fashioned steel cut Oatmeal with some sliced apple (add apple to the water when you bring it up to a boil, before you put in the oats....while it's cooking...it "poaches" the apples) , stir for 1 minute, then cover for 10 minutes or so. Then I add some raisins, almonds, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.

 YUM!!

Add a cup of black coffee or two (I'm allowing myself a couple of morning cups... :)
and you are good to go! It "sticks to your ribs" and it's a meal that you can feel absolutely NO GUILT for.

So, tomorrow....be good to yourself, and have some breakfast!

(ahem)

Mommy Merlyn said. :)

Week 12 of 52~ "Breathe"

Breathe.

Just breathe.

Count 4 for the inhale.

Hold- for count 7.

Exhale for count 8.

Just breathe.

Breathe when you want to scream.
Breathe when you need to relax.
Breathe when you are sitting at a traffic light.

Just......

Breathe.

Sometimes we just need to let go.

Stop worrying.

Stop making things happen.

Sit back.
Breathe.

Let life come to you.

Let it unfold and roll in ecstasy at your feet.

Week 11 of 52~ Read the fine print...and stretch yourself

Hey ho~ I'm on Week 11 of the book:

that I am doing with my friend Lorie and a few of you are following along with me.

This week's change is to: "Read the Box" 

That means checking labels for ingredients, fats and content. I do this already. I will try to do it more.

And No, I didn't blog about last week's change: "Take Time to Stretch" mostly because I've been doing Yoga and well, it was a hellacious busy week. Several gigs, 2 of which had major setup, backdrops, costuming, performance and break down time.

But mainly, the real reason I haven't been blogging is I've also got a problem. 

I'm out of whack. You knew that, tho', eh?

I've been without a Chiropractor for a year, since my doctor passed away last year. He basically dropped in the harness as it were, and died of a heart attack at work. It was very sad, but really it was a warrior's death and he was healing others till the very last minute of his life. A good man.

BUT....

Now I've been floundering without a doctor and a regular adjustment all this time and it's becoming apparent. I am starting to feel and walk like an old lady. Or like a horse that was "rode hard and put up wet." It isn't pretty.

Stretching aside, which is nice in theory...I really need a doctor to put some bones back in place. I got a referral from a friend of mine (Thanks Lynn!!) to her new doctor, not too far away, for this coming Friday. Will have x-rays and see WTF is going on within my achy body.

(It's my right hip and leg...I personally think it is Piriformis Syndrome....which I've had before. The BASTARD.
I sit at my desk at work a lot, and my "throne" chair at home has been killing me. I'm active, but, I'm in PAIN.

I am very much looking forward to my appointment. Until then, I'm doing some modified Yoga and walking the dog as far as I can without hurting myself.

This pose: "Thread the Needle" is the best thing for my current condition of pain. It HELPS.

This pose: "Lying Side Twist" is the 2nd best to make me feel better.

This pose: "Downward Dog" is good for stretching my hamstrings and calf muscles.

This pose: "Cat to Cow" (altho reversed in the picture) FEELS SO FUCKING GOOOOD.

(Tip: Exhale completely as you suck in your belly to your spine for the Cat pose...then inhale fully and drop your back and belly for the Cow pose. Do this for several breaths. It's AWESOME.)

The stretching and Yoga is helping.

As does Ibuprofen....

Hot baths.....

Early bed....

And WINE.

Hope you are doing good out there? Thinking of you, which is why I'm writing this. I am hoping that this blog is helping you too, in some small way :)

Oh, and don't forget to take your vitamins.

Week 9 of 52~ "Alone Time"

Following along in the book "52 Small Changes", I've made some adjustments to my life every week since starting with my friend, Lorie, back in February.

Major changes include:
Walking everyday
Drinking lots more water (I even bought a BPA free 64 oz. jug I liked for my daily intake...I got tired of counting sobe bottles..)
Setting a regular bedtime and trying to get more rest for ME...
Keeping a food journal
Being more Positive
Taking a Multivitamin (which reminds me now....this one is always an effort)
Eating more vegetables (I got creative with this one and my cooking has been sparked again!)

This next week's Small Change?

Enjoy Time Alone

This one I have personally struggled with for most of my life. Those of you that really know me, know I haven't cared to be alone much. Oh, I like a little down time and time to myself as most folks do...but I don't like a lot of it.

I have some friends who are quite comfortable with being alone, and some who are lonely, and they are ok with it...but me? I always crave company. There have been times in my life that have been tragically effected, and I'm dealing with them still....So, I guess I've tried to surround myself with people, pets, events and social situations so I don't have to be lonely anymore.

I've been writing my memoir, and the interesting thing is that by facing the demons...they become easier to deal with, and my alone time has been more happy of late because of it.

Some alone time is good for the soul. Since my girls and roommate have moved out, my home has been an "Empty Nest" for me and Harry, a bit. Not liking it at first, I have grown into it.

I am really starting to enjoy my "Alone Time" and most especially my walks with my dog in the morning. (Ok, so with him being with me, I'm not technically alone then, but I am with my thoughts.)

In the bathroom of my home, "Squirrel Haven", there are a multitude of sayings, pictures, and comments taped all over the wall...

one of them is this quote by Marilyn Monroe:"I restore myself when I am alone, a career is born in public, talent in privacy."

And I really like that....So this week, I will savor my time....with me...

Weird Vegetable Experiment!

Here's an update for you~

According to "52 Small Changes: A Year to a Happier, Healthier You" book I'm following with my friend Lorie, we are supposed to "Eat more vegetables" this week as one of the small changes.

But I always eat veggies and love them....so how to add "more?"
I have added eating, either a salad or a lunch of veggies everyday. Been enjoying that and I also decided that once a week, I could serve a dinner that is features vegetables only with no protein or carb included.

So to kick it up a notch, and a bit just for fun....I took a shopping trip to Wegman's and my mission was to find some fun veggies to cook with, and in particular, I stretched myself to find things I've never had or cooked with before!

Basically, my approach was this, pull up to the produce section with my cart, look around... if I saw a very unusual item of produce, and my first thought was "WTF are you??"- I then put it in the shopping cart and made a note to research it and cook it!
It WAS great fun!

I found some adventure in the art of cooking!

I also enjoyed some veggies that I've used before, but splurged on colorful veggies as well as those that I really love eating. For our "veggie dinner" this week, I made Colcannon and great salad made from Kumatoes, brine soaked feta and seedless cucumber. It was filling and very tasty!

Here are some of the veggies that I adventurously delighted in this week...

Seedless Cucumber (also called "English Cucumber") These were not much different than regular cukes in taste. I found that they weren't as "wet" or soggy as the ones I usually buy...and there were no seeds. I liked it right fine. Would buy it again.

Kumato- Brown tomatoes?? YES. The sign said that Kumatos were "sweeter than Beefsteak tomatoes, and they were right. VERY flavorful and wonderful! A bit unnerving in the color, but made up for it in taste.

Multi colored peppers- I always love buying these! They are great for snacks. A bagful of little sized multicolored baby sweet peppers! Red, yellow and orange and they made anything I cooked a beautiful fiesta color and added a delicious flavor. I even stuffed a few in Shawna's lunch bag for a treat. :)

Gemstone Potatoes- These were small baby potatoes of different colors! White, beige, brown, purple, red. Too cute NOT to buy!! I love potatoes~ I wonder if they'll taste any different?
Jicama- will be using this in this recipe, or maybe the one below with the Chayote squash....methinks?

Ensalada De Jicama:

8 oz. Jicama, peeled and cubed (1 1/2 c.)
1 lg. cucumber, sliced
1 orange, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 tsp. chili powder
Salt

Will let you know how I like it....

Chayote Squash- This looked weirdly interesting...will be trying it on it's own or with the Jicama in a recipe called "Chayote Squash and Jicama stew" (chayotes, red peppers, onions, jicama, lettuce, with orange cilantro dressing) Again...will let you know. It's going to be a fun experiment!Daikon- Chinese radish. Looked sort of like a parsnip to me. It's a lot more mild than regular radishes, and I decided to try it in a Beef and Veggie Curry Stew. A radish that you cook?
YES. It was awesome! I made stew w/ stew beef (braised) and added, sliced onions, medallions of daikon, a bunch of those colorful peppers, carrots and potatoes. Drizzled some olive oil on it all and sprinkled it with curry powder, soy sauce and pepper. Put it in a roasting pan for about 45 minutes to an hour. A definite do again recipe!
Kale~ I have had kale a lot before, and I adore it. I saw it in a HUGE bag and I bought it and made Colcannon with it. (It's like mashed potatoes with sour cream, kale and sauteed onions. Delish!) With 2 scoops of the leftover Colcannon, I even made a potato cake for us and sauteed it for breakfast. How very Irish :) I may also make some "Kale Chips" and bake them in the oven.
Tomatillos- from the Nightshade family (as are tomatoes) and they reminded me immediately of the Japanese lanterns I used to grow. (which are posionous...). But these are edible.
Evidently, this is the veggie that they make that yummy green salsa from!
I will make Chicken Chile Verde with it on Sunday!
Thought you'd want to know.....

Just sending messages back to you in a bottle :)

Enjoy life, lovies, sneak up on it, peek into places you've never been....and savor it.

Week 8 of 52: "Eat Your Vegetables"

How are you doing on your "Small Changes" for your health?

I'm doing ok....
*Managing the walking, sleeping and water as best as I can in the proportions I need.
*Most days I am remembering my multivitamin...
*Have tried doing the "kick your shoes off" thing here, but it's mostly a bust with family and company coming in....oh well....C'est la vie!

This Week's Small Change?

Eat 4-6 servings of Veggies a day~

While I do eat lots of veggies, do I eat this many servings a day?
Some days.
I used to be a Vegetarian. Enjoyed it a lot, but my canine teeth got lonely.

So, this week, I will strive to make at least one dinner meal a week totally veggie, and will try to make most lunches salads.

I am SO in love with this salad I've been making lately!

Dark mixed greens
Avocado
Sprinkling of Feta or Blue Cheese
a few Banana Pepper Rings
and Lite Ceasar dressing.

OH MY. Delish!! I could eat it every day!!

And also for this next challenge.....
I promise I will also buy one incredibly weird vegetable at Wegman's, that I've never tried before and figure out how to cook it and eat it.

These look interesting....

Purple Okinawa Sweet Potato...
Romanesque Broccoli....
Will let you know.

If you don't hear from me next week....

ah, ask the Coroner what was the last thing I ate....
and ah...don't eat that. :)

Week 7 of 52: Keep the Outside...outside...

Hope your doing well on your Healthy Quest!
I'm hanging in there~

The hardest thing for me so far is to remember to take my damn multivitamin.
I even washed it down late in the evening last week once with rum.
But I remembered!
That counts, right? :)

This week's wee small change is something simple, logical, helpful and healthful...and elusive.
It is to keep the outside outside.

By keeping the outside out, germs and bacteria and dirt do not come in to make us sick and it helps to keep the dust down, lessening the possibility for colds, allergies and asthma!

I mean, the Japanese and Asian people have long adopted this healthy habit, so as not to bring dirt and sickness to their tatami mats on which they sleep. Seems logical.

While "nice in theory" (as my husband says...who doesn't always like implementing new things) it may be a bit harder....

Like a real Magicians' trick here at Squirrel Haven!

My front door opens right into my front living room carpeting (which is looking distressed and ragged even tho' we've tried fixing the threshold several times). There is no "mud room" to act as a break for the weather. To my credit...I have always wanted to cut away the rug and put down some lineoleum there for a buffer for my poor carpeting!
But it's just one of those "to do" wish list jobs.

We have a lot of company and while most folks take off their shoes without being asked or prompted...sometimes they don't....
and I never wanted to give an order first thing upon their entrance to the house to "Take your shoes off!"

So in thinking about a solution....
I may just put a wee sign up on the front door...
"Please get comfy and take off your shoes and stay awhile"

I also like this poem I found~
Or how about this one?
"Life is made up of choices.. take off your shoes or shampoo the rug" :)

Taking off my footwear is never a real problem for me, as I am almost always barefoot or sock footed (much to Harry's chagrin, he's always so worried that I'll step on something and hurt myself)...
so getting me to take off my shoes is never an issue... getting me to keep them ON... IS.

Harry on the other hand, was trained to never go barefoot...so will have to work on that.

I know!!

I forsee a NEW pair of slippers for Harry!
:)

Week 6 of 52- Supplement This!

Hey Ho~
How are you doing out there with your healthy changes?

I am doing quite well with all these small changes from the book that Lorie and I (and Mary and NJ and a few other friends) are following. In the last 6 weeks since starting this book, I have lost 7 pounds!!!

This week's small change is a simple one~
Yet it is one thing, that I admit, I am not in a good habit of....

It's taking a simple multivitamin DAILY.

Just ONE multivitamin can make up for any lack we may have in our diets.
While we try to eat well....every day may not be balanced.

To be honest....I have a problem already with taking a regular vitamin as a daily habit.
I think it's because I feel it gets complicated so easily....

Like, I SHOULD also take:
a B-100 complex (because I feel so much better when I do)
and a Vitamin C (for immune system and aches and pain reduction)
and a baby aspirin (according to my physician it helps avoid stroke)
and Calcium (because I don't drink milk and AM calcium deficient).
and Vitamin D (because I am deficient due to blood tests...could actually take double D! :)
But taking those means the addition of 7 extra supplements (3 calcium is the dose on the bottle I have!) on top of the multivitamin and by the time I get them all gagged down, I feel like.... ICK.

But this week....well.....
I'm going to just try to focus on the ONE multivitamin for now and make a good change.

And you know what? That's a step in the right direction! :)

So are the other changes I've made so far:
*Drinking more water (I actually notice my intake now, and am aware when I fall short and make it up)

*Setting a regular bedtime (I try to get to bed at a set time to TRY to acquire 8 hours...not easy for a menopausal woman...but at least I'm there...and resting...and sometimes sleeping ;)

*Moving more (Yoga 3x week/dance tapes 2x week/plus taking extra steps throughout day)

*Keeping a daily food journal (a big help to be accountable....and to look back)

*Trying to be more optimistic (very helpful and it helps to keep your chin up and to be aware of where any negativity is coming from)

It's all good.

"If it's going to be...it's up to me."

So...
Hang in there and come along with me for the ride.

And honeys?

Take your Vitamins :)

Because yesterday was my FIRST day of this week's challenge....

and I FORGOT (insert sheepish grin here)

Week 5 of 52~ Like Peter Pan says: "Think Happy Thoughts"

I'm doing very well in the 52 Small Changes Challenge so far!
As some of you know, my friend, Lorie and I are following the book:
"52 Small Changes: A Year to a Healthier, Happier You"

Weekly changes I've made so far include: Drinking lots and lots of water, trying to set a bedtime and sticking to it, moving more, keeping a food journal and being accountable.

This Week's Challenge is to be Optimistic!

Like the old joke goes:
Some people see the glass as 1/2 Empty....They are Pessimists.
Some people see the glass as 1/2 Full..... They are Optimists.
Some people see the glass full of Milk..... They are Baptists. :)

There is a study that has proven that people who are Optimistic and who expect greater results and better outcomes ARE Happier and more Successful! They even have less stress and live longer!

You know, really, sometimes I am SOOOO good at being Optimistic!! I am very happy go lucky for the most part! I have LOTS of ideas (as you know ;) and I am cheerful for most of the time.

But sometimes, well, the Zombie Wolf gets behind my eyes...and my self talk gets me down, and I dwell in the muck and mire of life. (It must be a Gemini thing. Like "Me and my Evil Twin" or something....)

So here's what I plan to do this week.

*I'm going to put some Positive Affirmations around my house to feed my spirit.

*I will purposely try to hang out with Positive Happy People.

*I am going to continue my Spa Week, and keep taking care of myself!

*I am not going to get dragged into negative trains of thought, and if a negative conversation starts, I will try to derail it by interjecting positive comments.

*I'm going to SMILE MORE. (it seems silly to say this, but I'm going to implement some extra smiling!)
Here are some Affirmations that I like....
You may like some of them too! :)

Affirmations for Love

• I know that I deserve Love and accept it now
• I give out Love and it is returned to me multiplied
• I rejoice in the Love I encounter everyday
• I am a Good Mate
  

Affirmations for Romance

• I have a wonderful partner and we are both happy and at peace
• I attract only healthy relationships
• I am with you because I want to be
  

Affirmations for Weight Loss

• I am the perfect weight for me
• I choose to make positive healthy choices for myself
• I choose to exercise regularly
• I love and approve of myself
  

Affirmations for Self Esteem

• When I believe in myself, so do others
• I express my needs and feelings
• I am my own unique self - special, creative and wonderful
• I ROCK!
  

Affirmations for Peace and Harmony

• All my relationships are loving and harmonious
• I am at peace
• I trust in the process of life

Affirmations for Joy and Happiness

• Life is a joy filled with delightful surprises
• My life is a joy filled with love, fun and friendship all I need do is stop all criticism, forgive, relax and be open.
• I choose love, joy and freedom, open my heart and allow wonderful things to flow into my life.

This is going to be a Great Week !
And BONUS!!
It's the Vernal Equinox Today!

A day of BALANCE.

and Balance is s a VERY Positive and Optimistic thing.

You still with me??

So let's celebrate Life, Love and Look Ahead with a Happy Heart!

Happy Spring Everyone!!!

The difference between

stumbling blocks and stepping stones

is how you use them.

Week 4 of 52~ "To Thine Own Self Be True"

Weekly check in for the Challenge following the book:

"52 Small Changes: One Year to a Happier Healthier You"

• Week 1: Adding more Water -80 oz day Check.
  

• Week 2: Averaging Sleep- 7-8hours...."Sorta" Check. Sill slightly hormonally impaired there.

• Week 3: Adding Exercise. Check. If you count: Yoga 3 hours week. Walking doggy daily. Climbed 110 stairs 4x extra this week. Dancing around the house. Going to keep at it w/o getting burned out with some grandeous crash and burn.
  

Hey, I've been working it.
It's not as easy as I'd like....
And it's not a magic fix...
But I'm doing it.
Feeling better for it too. Mostly.

How are you doing?

Week 4's Challenge: Add a Food Journal.

Now, I've been writing stuff down daily, for a long time...on daily slips of errant paper...
but I'm going to get more organized.

It's about:

ACCOUNTABILITY

So yesterday, I bought a small spiral notebook at the dollar store (instead of on my willy nilly tear off papers) for my record keeping of daily intake.

Still trying to keep myself at 1400-1500 calories. This means keeping the journal with me, and being present in my activities and judgement. Not always easy to "be present".

I would add that I'm also doing something else.

My writing teacher told me about a book out there that is a daily life journal,...
but its different in that it has today's date for 3 years in a row.

Like it has a daily spot for entries on:
3/10/12
3/10/13
3/10/14

It's for tracking goals, dreams, problems...then after a year or two of journaling, you can "look back" at what you were going thru, what was good, and how you wound up the following year from the choices you made previous.

Interesting, huh?

This all made me remember my Gramma James. She was 86 when she died.
After her funeral, we found many black & white composition notebooks filled with pages and pages of a Daily Journal she'd been keeping for 50 years!
It was a record of the daily weather.
She did this habit diligently for all that time!
That was freaking amazing!
WHY?

I don't know.

But it was a simple daily habit that she connected with.

Now, I don't know if I have it in me to do 50 years worth of it.
But I do have enough will power to try TODAY.

I thought that the life journal would also make a good Companion to my Food Journal.
I couldn't find that exact book that was recommended....

SO.........being SCOTTISH... (read: Parsimonious :)

I customized a personal template and started that yesterday. For giggles.

I will track certain emotions, information, weather (thanks to Gramma :) BP, weight...

My template looks like this on a single page: (but feel free to copy/adapt it to your personal needs, if you would like to do this for yourself)

I will put copies of these pages in a 3 ring notebook and see how I like doing it for awhile.

Date 3/11/12 Weight BP

Weather

Problem

Goal/Dream

Solution/Epiphany

Current Project or Book that I'm reading:

Date 3/11/13 Weight BP

Weather

Problem

Goal/Dream

Solution/Epiphany

Current Project or Book that I'm reading:

Date 3/11/14 Weight BP

Weather

Problem

Goal/Dream

Solution/Epiphany

Current Project or Book that I'm reading:

Both these journals (Food and Life) should give me an interesting, fun, accurate way to track myself and my cycles and progress....

as well as a longer view of my life.

Where we wind up tomorrow is because of the choices we made today.

Just thought I'd share it with you, for what it's worth.

Shakespeare, that great Journalist....had it right: