Listening to My Body: Update on Health Habits for March 2012

My trusty pedometer is helping me listen to my body.

I'm at the same weight.

I did not do much by way of exercising last week.  I thought that I should avoid doing any sudden movements so that my gums would not throb in pain.  I wanted to avoid the accompanying pain in different parts of my head.  Instead, I took some supplements to aid the healing of my gums, which won't be 100% better without a dentist's help.

I took a proactive approach to my dental problems of last week.

I used tea tree oil directly on the abscesses.  I downed some probiotics.  I also used some echinacea (antibiotic) in my smoothie.  I'm sure that together with prayer, I feel a lot better now.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. The pain in my mouth has dissipated.

2. I've continued to use my pedometer.

3. I've been drinking lots of water.

4. I haven't drank any soda.

5. Set up an appointment with a dentist.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Continue with my supplements to aid the curing of my gums.

2. Try to exercise a few days in the week.

3. Drink lots of water to flush out toxins.

 

4. Stay away from whole cow's milk and bread.

Been trying to listen to my body.

There are some big myths out in the media that have persisted for years.  The nutritionists tell people to eat a balanced diet of dairy, vegetables, fruit, and meat.  However, what if you feel sick after eating bread or whole milk?  That's what is happening to me.  That's why I am going to limit myself from those two things.

Well, thanks for letting me update y'all about listening to my body to aid my health.  I ask you all, my beloved readers, to please continue to pray for me, as I wait for my dental appointments to resume.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health at this point?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

Dental Problems Are Affecting My Health: Update on Health Habits for March 2012

I am continuing to wear my pedometer and tennis shoes.

What can I say that hasn't been said already?  

I have set up goals for my health.  I have made some major accomplishments.  I have been drinking water.  I have given up soda during the Lenten season.  

I'm not losing too much weight.

I have also noticed my skin condition dramatically improve.  I now have looser clothing.    That's okay for now.  My main concern has always been to get healthier.  Fortunately, I do feel more knowledgeable about the information of real healthy foods than even a year ago.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. Tried my best to stay away from breads, but I needed to eat a peanut butter sandwich yesterday (Sunday).  I was able to sleep afterwards.  Been noticing that milk causes me some bloating, too.

2. Been suffering with tooth abscesses.  Haven't been able to eat hard foods.  Can't exercise because rapid movements and heavy chewing causes me headaches.

3. Drank some smoothies and V8 vegetable juice.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Will try my best to eat what I can.  I will opt for several smoothies and more V8.

2. Call a dentist and set up an appointment.  Thankfully, we now have dental insurance.

3. Try not to sink into depression after my setback of all this tooth pain and sense of hopelessness.


Here's a special point of honesty.

My dental problems have greatly affected my life for these last few years.  It is a source of deep sadness and humility.  I am very limited in what I can eat.  While others take for granted that they can bite into an apple, I sincerely wish I could do it.  Hopefully, a good dentist can help improve my life.

Well, thanks for letting me vent about dental problems affecting my health.  I ask you all, my beloved readers, to please pray for me, as I resume my dental appointments.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health at this point?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

Spring Is Upon Us: Update on Health Habits for March 2012

I wear my pedometer at all times to track my activity levels.

Spring is upon us.

I had a long, dreary week with the rains.  I started out fine with activity and then, I couldn't keep the momentum.  I had to rest.  It's as if my body needed it.  By the way, my weight stayed the same. 

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. I'm still soda free.

2. Have been reading my Bible.

3. My back is better.

4. Decluttered at the beginning of the week.

5. Drank lots of water.

  

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Limit sweets.

2. Limit bread.

3. Exercise more.

4. Continue to be soda free.

5. Go to sleep early.

6. Drink more smoothies.

I had a wonderful weekend.  

I learned about what causes back pain.  I also learned what I could do to alleviate it.  One of the causes is sugar.  That means that I have to avoid it like the plague to keep my sciatica away. 

I look forward to the new week.  The birds are already singing.  The trees are bearing bright, green leaves.  The bluebonnets are gracing San Antonio's grassy lands.  That means it's gardening time--which should provide plenty of exercise and wonderful vegetables.

Well, thanks for reading about my spring fever.  I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop your own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health at this point?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

We Have Weight Loss: Update on Health Habits for March 2012

My weight loss aids are my pedometer and tennis shoes.

Oh, I experienced a tough week.  I was eating lots of beans and veggies.  My stomach was churning uncontrollably.  I knew that eating the healthier foods would not be easy.  Trying to eat better foods like cauliflower and edamame would be a great challenge.

Something wonderful happened--I had weight loss.

All that suffering produced a welcome result.  I lost two pounds.  The pain of bloating was horrible, but I feel better now.  I felt helpless and even bought some medicine, but I didn't need it after all.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. I've been soda free.  Hasn't been easy.  My hubby is still buying soda for himself.

2. Caught up with my Bible reading plan a bit.  I am about two-thirds caught up.  Hope to catch up with the rest eventually.

3. My sciatica is still bothering me.  We need a new mattress set, but we need to save up to buy it.  Until then, I will have to bear up with stretching.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Continue to be soda free.  Giving it up for Lent has helped.  That's not to say that there aren't temptations.  Seeing hubby drinking it makes me want to take a sip.  The pain on my left side will remind me to stay away from it.

2. Pray about my cravings.  No amount of supplements or talks or advice will help me.  I will put my trust in the Lord for this one.  I will keep knocking on God's door about this, until the cravings subside. 

3. Declutter and deep clean my house.  This will provide exercise.  I am not able to do any organized or rigorous programs.  I think just getting active has helped me this past week so I will keep at it, and my house will get cleaner.

4. Plan to lose 7 pounds within the next few months.  That is 5% of my current weight.  I haven't focused on numbers lately, but I need a solid goal to approach.  This will propel me to rev up my methods to lose weight and get healthier.

I now have momentum in my health quest.  

Knowing that I have lost weight is motivating me to keep going.  Of course, I am out of the first two months of the year 2012.  In those months, I ate lots of cake.  From this point onward, I will concentrate on eating more healthy foods.

Well, thanks for reading about my weight loss.  I hope this blog entry encourages you, my beloved readers, to develop your own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of March, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health at this point?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; He will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

Update on My Health Goals for Fall 2011

Soda--the continuing saga

I wish I could crawl out of my skin.

About two weeks ago, I was suffering.  I was so frustrated with the pain.  Have you ever felt that way?  As the years go by, I am learning what triggers my skin condition.  It's really inflammation.

My head and body are interconnected.

There are certain stressors that I can't help.  It's tough when I want to reconnect with family and friends.  They don't understand that when they bring me stress, they make me sick.  I'm not only talking about mental stress.  I'm talking about the stress affecting my body. 

Stress causes inflammation.

Anyway, I have learned that I must detox continually.  Along the way, my body has been overstressed.  Junk food, which is something I turn to for comfort, does not help me at all.  It feels good at the moment, but in the end, I feel worse.  Has anyone else found this out for themselves?

Stress aside, here is an update to my health goals for fall:

1. Haven't been drinking enough water.  It's so much easier to reach for tasty drinks.  Orange juice is not even what we used to drink.  It doesn't taste the same.  It's too tart. 

2. I've been drinking soda just to stay awake.  I don't like this fast-paced world we live in.  To keep up with everyone, I need to drink caffeine.  I need to go back to not drinking soda.  My kidneys are feeling bruised already.

3. I've been taking a lot of supplements.  I have been taking Turmeric and Ginger for inflammation.  The Probiotic and Grape Seed Complex is for rebuilding my immunity.  I even bought garlic softgels to kill any skin infection I might have.  I'm taking some others, but these are the main ones.

4. I've been eating breakfast.  This sets the tone for the rest of my day.  Sometimes, hubby has made scrambled eggs.  Other times, I've eaten a bowl of Cheerios with a banana.  A warm oatmeal with cinnamon also works for me.

5. I am boosting my metabolism with supplements.  I'm taking a detoxing weight-control formula that I bought through Swanson.  It contains ingredients like: Burdock Root, Flaxseed Powder, and Milk Thistle Extract.  I've come down a few pounds already.

6. I haven't been able to exercise.  This is my toughest challenge.  I am in pain on a daily basis.  The only way I can think of to work around this is to take something for the pain.  I am convinced that if I lose weight through exercise, I can indeed feel healthier; the dilemma is what the pain medications can do to the body.

7. I've been eating more junk food.  Yikes!  I know I shouldn't.  This past weekend was tough; we were rushed.  I picked up what was available because I was exhausted.

8. Haven't been eating enough fruits and vegetables.  I need to rev this up.  Hubby has gotten on the bandwagon about this.  He's finally okay with spending more money on bananas, apples, and spinach.  Now, I need to eat them!

9. I've started to get dressed.  I put on my shoes, too.  When I get sick, I need to wear comfy clothes.  When I lose weight, my shrunken clothes will fit again.  Haha!

10. I still need to find new ways to move.  I had a dream last night that I was taking up Tai Chi.  It is slow enough.  Perhaps, I should start that way and move up to more rigorous activity.  The problem with me is that my clothes rub my skin raw.

11. I need to walk around more.  I need to put on the pedometer and walk around the dining room.  Yes, it would be wonderful to walk around the neighborhood.  Unfortunately, my city's way of addressing the stray dog situation is pitiful.

12. I've been sleeping more.  Somehow, my body reset itself.  I've been getting sleepy before midnight.  That's a great improvement.  The only thing is that I wake up after about four hours of sleep.

I have felt your prayers. 

During this month of October, I've had my ups and downs.  I do feel, though, that there is progress.  I am optimistic.  I know that God is helping me to find the information I need. Also, I am very grateful for your prayers, and I ask God to bless you all for taking the time to pray.

Well, thanks for reading about my update on the health goals for fall.  I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop their own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Do you have any new health goals for this fall season?  How do you handle setbacks to your health?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits.  You might need to tweak your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; he will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

New Health Goals for Fall 2011

Soda--my poison

I know this is a running theme in my life, but I must say it: I am in a lot of pain right now.  I wish this pain could just leave me alone.  I don't remember  being without pain.  I've taken too much Naproxen Sodium for my deep pain.  It is not doing anything anymore.

The only thing I can do is pray for the wisdom to find relief.  That's why I am going to rev up my health goals.  I'm hoping that I can improve my health by instituting some beneficial new and old habits.  I know that I am capable of developing new habits, and that might be what I need to reduce my pain.

Here are my new health goals:

1. Drink more water.

I'm not talking about measuring the amount of water I drink because I already drink a lot of water.  What I mean is that I might as well drink only water.  Whenever I drink water, I feel immediate relief from pain, which encourages me to drink more water.  There are challenges to this goal, though.  I want to get away from drinking bottled water, the last water filter broke easily, and we couldn't return it at the store.  Also, we have fluoridated water, which is considered dangerous.

2. Drink no soda.

This year, I spent about 4 to 5 months without drinking soda.  That is dedication.  I did experience some benefits.  My weight was maintained, and I was less inflamed.  I will need to rededicate myself to the no-soda challenge.

3. Take supplements.  

I am a proponent of eating vitamins and supplements in their natural form.  Many foods, like meat, vegetables, and fruits contain those nutritious ingredients; however, I do not eat enough healthy foods for complete health.  That's why I want to take vitamin B, for example, for energy.  Also, vitamin C is great for the immune system.

4. Eat breakfast.

I like to drink coffee to wake me up.  If I bother to get up, I can drink it to remain awake throughout the day.  If I eat eggs, I get protein which will help me lose weight.  If I eat oatmeal, that will keep me sated.  If I drink a smoothie, it will boost my energy.

5. Boost my metabolism.

According to Dr. Oz, Zinc, red chili peppers, vinegar, whey protein, and iced drinks help metabolism.  I think my metabolism, the rate of breakdown of food, is sluggish.  I need to speed it up.  If supplements can help, I will turn to them, at least for a short time. 

6. Exercise.

This one is a challenge due to my illness.  I would like to aim for ten minutes per day.  I think, though, that it's more realistic to begin with sitting and using my dumb bells and resistance bands.  Also, I now have my large exercise ball in my bedroom, which keeps staring at me, saying, "Sit on me!" 

7. Eat less junkfood.

Here's some more honesty.  I've been eating too many sweets.  It's so bad, I am itchy.  I need to change that.  I also need to take Chromium Picolinate, which reduces cravings.  Taking it in the short term has helped me keep from craving the simple carbohydrates, which do little to give energy and flush out of my system too quickly.

8. Eat more fruits and vegetables.

This one is tricky.  No, I'm not confused about what to eat.  The thing is, we are on a limited budget.  Also, when we buy the healthy foods, my kids immediately eat them.  That means that fruits, like  bananas, are eaten quickly.

9. Get dressed and put on shoes.

I've been feeling a bit frumpy.  I don't know if I need to buy new clothes, but I need to get out of my pajamas.  There are two main reasons why I stay in mine.  For one, I have been feeling a bit depressed.  Also,  my pajamas are more comfortable, which eases my pain.

10. I need new methods to move.

I wish I had a trampoline, but I can't use that as an excuse not to move my body.  I need to move to stimulate my lymphatic system.  It seems very congested.  I need to dance with a little hop, too.  Perhaps, something like jazzercise could help me.

11. Reduce sitting time.

I'm being honest here: I spend too much time in front of the laptop.  Yes, I am blogging, but that doesn't mean I need to be on Facebook all day.  I need to do more around the house.  My kids do their chores, but there are still some things that only I can do.  Deep cleaning like wiping the kitchen cabinets and reorganizing the contents of the refrigerator and freezer are things that only I would bother to do.

12. Sleep more.

I don't need to be in front of the television and/or Netflix.  We might need to move our television out of the master bedroom.  We might need to cancel our subscription to Netflix.  I love watching old movies, but staying up late is detrimental to me.  Research shows that during sleep time, the body heals itself.

Well, thanks for reading about my new health goals.  I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop their own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Do you have any new health goals for this fall season?  How do you handle setbacks to your health?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits.  You might need to tweak your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; he will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

Weight Loss Update: I've Lost Two Pounds

Healthy meals are a must!

I've lost 2 pounds...but will I keep 'em off?

I've gained and lost the same two to three pounds during the last year.  I've tried exercising.  I've tried eating a few different diets.  I've eaten the wrong foods.  I've changed a few things recently.

My family is participating in a No-Takeout challenge.  We are staying away from restaurants for six months.  If we want something that we would normally buy at a restaurant, I am trying to make it.  Over the weekend, I made tortillas.  I wanted a bean taco, and I ate it this morning. 

Hubby is learning to embrace spinach and smaller portions of potato chips.

I have continued to make portions of cereal and snacks.  I've now portioned out ice cream.  It is amazing how much ice cream has been served out before.  Only half a cup, like the container of Mott's applesauce,  is a serving.  That means we had all been over-eating ice cream.

Reusable cup helped me portion ice cream.

Half (1/2) a cup is 4 ounces.

Portion control = lower calorie intake.

Because I have a severe skin-condition, I have done some researching.  I've found that rebounding, or jumping on a trampoline, could help me.  I suspect I have clogged lymph nodes.  Since I can't afford a trampoline, I have started jumped up more when dancing.  I could jump rope, but that hurts my feet and knees and is not realistic in a small indoor living space.

I'm back to taking some supplements.  Taking Chlorella because it helps repair cells in the body.  I'm taking Chromium Picolinate because it helps control cravings.  I'm taking Cranberry because it helps the bladder.  I'm taking Acidophilus because it provides beneficial bacteria for the gut.

By posting this update, I wanted to jot down what's working for me.  I would also hope this information helps someone else.  Please pray for me, if you have a chance.  Weight loss is not the ultimate reason for changing food choices and exercising.  I want to feel, and be, healthier.

Thanks for reading this entry. I appreciate it.

How about you, my readers?  Have you struggled to lose weight?  Have you struggled to eat right?  Have you struggled to exercise?  I encourage you to consider bite-size changes in your life, gradually accumulating the better habits in your life.  If you need to improve your health, search your heart and ask God to help you.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

 

Healthy Vegetable Soup to Aid Weight Loss

Ingredients I used for my healthy soup.

Before you read the rest of this blog entry, please see the results of my attempt to use this soup.  You might rethink trying this soup.

I did not try the lemon detox drink.  Instead...

I read on Facebook that one of my fellow homeschooling friends would be using a 7 day diet called the Sacred Heart diet.  It had been recommended to her because she had been exercising and not losing weight.  Of course, I kept my eyes on this conversation and others to follow.  I wanted to see if she would take up the challenge.  I also wanted to see her progress.

I loved what I saw.  She lost weight!  I was sold.  I googled the Sacred Heart diet and found the following website:

Sacred Heart Diet

I bought the ingredients for the large batch of soup.  It was a challenge finding all of the ingredients.  I chose to find low sodium for some of the products like the green beans and the beef broth.  I already knew to seek low sodium alternatives to pre-packaged products.  Years ago, I had been diagnosed with high blood pressure and learned I should stay away from salt or sodium.

Closeup of ingredients for Sacred Heart Diet

At Walmart, I bought the following ingredients for the recipe:

__2 packages of precut green onions
__1 package of 2 lbs. of precut baby carrots
__2 bell peppers
__2 cans of unsalted green beans
__2 cans of stewed tomatoes
__1 package of precut stalks of celery
__Lipton chicken noodles
__1 box of beef broth low sodium 
__I added about 4 cans of water, too

Closeup of the spices and flavorings I used for the soup

I already had the spices:

__Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper
__Parsley flakes
__Sea salt
__McCormick Hot Madras Curry Powder

I made the soup last night (Sunday), and it smelled wonderful. I knew right away that I had used a lot of the curry. It was thick in the air. Anyway, I couldn't keep myself away from the soup; I had to eat some right away. Well, actually, I ate two bowls last night.

Also, last night I searched for answers to questions about this diet; I found controversy behind it. Supposedly, this is a hoax type fad diet. On the internet the rumors that this diet is used at hospitals is disputed. I found this out after I had made the soup. I decided to go forward with this diet.

If I can't do this diet beyond three days, I will stop there. I hope to lose weight, but I like the healthy feeling more than anything. The soup does have healthy components. The fear with eating this diet long-term is the need for protein and carbohydrates. If I made this again, I would include a little bit of chicken and some potatoes.

Given that this diet is controversial, I will let you, my readers, determine whether you would like to try it. Like I said before, I had been eating too much junk food. That was starving my body of much needed nutrition.

I feel more energy right now,
and that means a lot to me.

This morning, I woke up more refreshed! This hasn't happened in a long time. I can't believe what I've been missing out on. I realize I've been starving my body of nutrients to help my productivity. I've been able to tackle many of my to-do items off today's checklist.

I've eaten three more bowls so far and one apple. I drank a black coffee and lots of water. I have also danced and used my 2 lb. weights, too. I finished a writing assignment and printed it out already. I also needed to do this blog. What else will I accomplish today?

How will I be affected by this diet?
I don't know.

At this point, I feel more energetic. Could it be the placebo affect? I wonder how I will feel later. Will I feel sick? Will I have to run to the bathroom? Only time will tell.

Well, next Monday, I hope to update on how I did on this 7 day Sacred Heart Diet. Please pray for me, my friends.

How about you, my readers?  What diets have you tried?  Would you consider trying this 7 day diet?  Would you still use a controversial diet such as the Sacred Heart Diet?  I encourage you all to do your research to figure out what is right for you.  You should also inform your doctors before trying such a diet.  At best you can detox and feel more energy.  At worst, you won't lose any weight.

 
To learn more about the diet I'm using, visit Sacred Heart Diet

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

How I Lost Thirty Pounds

Me at my heaviest.

 About four years ago, after having gone on a trip to the beach, I saw some photos of myself.  I was amazed at what I saw.  My lower calf legs, which were my pride and joy, were too chunky.  Sure, I had been suffering with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and anxiety at the time, not to mention shortness of breath, every time I walked at all.  I just did not realize how much my extra weight really showed.

I decided to weigh myself and set on the course to weight loss.  I'm not saying that I went all out to try to lose the weight at once.  I knew that I had gained and lost weight before.  I had already had all four of my children by the year 2005.  I had already experienced the yo-yo of weight with all of those four pregnancies.

I chose a few methods to help me lose weight.  I read information on the internet, listened to doctors on television, and read books.  I compiled my ideas and added a few.  Here is what I came up with (in no particular order) that have helped me lose a total of 30 pounds:

1. I put on my tennis shoes.
 
I think this is the most important one.  I got this idea from a cleaning guru.  This person, the Fly Lady, recommends that you put your shoes so it can trigger in your mind to get up and do something in the cleaning arena of your life.  I just added it to my priorities because it did cause me to get up and clean, which involves movement.  When you clean, you sweat and exercise.

2. I drank less soda.

 I have struggled with this one recently.  When you take into account how much sugar there is in one can of soda, you would think that the mind would rule over the strange taste buds.

3. I ate less junk food.

 This one I struggle with nowadays; however, with food prices going up, this is one thing, including pre-packaged and highly processed foods, that I am hoping to give up.  I already announced this at a family meeting after dinner a few nights ago.

4. I ate more fruits and vegetables.

I made smoothies with anything imaginable.  I mixed yogurt, frozen strawberries, and fresh bananas.  I used whatever frozen fruit I had available and added cinnamon, flax seeds, and/or powdered supplements I thought that my body needed at the time.

5. I exercised with the help of the Wii.

This was a lot of fun.  The games include balancing a ball and dropping it into a hole, jogging in place, and using a hula hoop.

6. I used light weight dumb bells, a large exercise ball, and resistance bands, while exercising.

I often viewed exercise videos, which included using dumb bells.  Whenever I watched television, I used the dumb bells and resistance bands.  I became good at multi-tasking with the large ball by sitting on it, while reading my emails on the computer.

7. I drank more water.

I made it a point to leave bottles of water everywhere I might sit.  This encouraged me to drink more water than ever before.  I still have this good habit, four years later.

8. I drank water while cooking.

Okay, this one was easy.  Once I got into the habit of drinking water, I started to drink water while cooking because I would often became thirsty.  Also, this keeps you from over-eating when it is time to sit and eat dinner.  Your tummy is already somewhat full.

9. I danced while cooking.

I turned on the radio and danced to the oldies, disco, contemporary music or anything that was fun.  I found music videos at www.youtube.com to dance to with my hubby, after dinner.  I still do this on occasion.

10. I planted a veggie garden.

This is a big one.  When you garden, you are doing many positive things.  You are creating a self-sustaining object--you are feeding yourself off of the land you cultivate and plant.  You also exercise and sweat off the pounds and toxins.

 

This is me now.

I'm not a health guru by any means.  I have kept off the weight, yes, but I still have more weight that I need to lose.  I need to pick up these habits again (or gain some new ones) to lose even more pounds.  I'm looking to lose an additional 13 pounds for this year. I want to feel healthier and not just slimmer.

It is hard to lose the weight with all of the temptations and cost of food rising.  I have a husband who loves, loves, loves Pepsi and brings it home with him.  He is also guilty of bringing me junk food.  I am guilty of asking him to bring it home.  What is the happy medium for us both?

I know my husband wants to please me and comfort me.  I would rather make more smoothies with fresh fruit.  I want to make more nutritious meals, too.  I could enlist the kids to create menus that include vegetables, too.  Is that too much to ask for? 

 How about you, my readers?  Did you vow, at the beginning of the year, to lose weight?  to get healthier?  What's stopping you?  Let's do some research but then act on whatever we learn.

God bless you all with peace, my beloveds.

This is a Medical Mondays entry.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discuss here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.