Our Outdoor Sink On Cinder Blocks

This is my outdoor sink.

First off, I must apologize for not blogging any time sooner.  I have not wanted to keep repeating myself, especially about my diet and weight loss efforts, which, by the way, have stalled; however,  I think I've got a cool subject to cover.

As you can see, I now have an outdoor sink.  

I've been wanting this set up for quite a while, and my hubby did it this past weekend.  I should give some background about this project, though.  My hubby's friend was updating a house rental, and my hubby stopped at a yard sale and bought a used, stainless steel double sink that the friend could use.  We had lived in that rental for a few months, and I remembered the old, white single sink with the built-in counter on both sides.  I knew how I could incorporate it into my outdoor area so...

my hubby and his friend did an exchange.  

Yes!

This is a side view of the sink standing on 8 upright cinder blocks.

With this sink, wash up will be easier after gardening.

I asked my hubby to install a shelf underneath the sink.  If you look carefully, you will notice that there are two horizontal, parallel 2 X 4's holding up a piece of plywood.  I wanted to have a space to hold watering cans, pots, and soil.  It's still a work in progress to move things out of my sauna-like metal storage, but the sink setup has very promising storage of its own. 

This is the underside of my outdoor sink.

I wanted to show the underside of the sink.  My hubby found old, plastic pipes, including elbows to direct the dirty water into a container, which is located to the left.

This is a closeup of the left side of my outdoor sink.

The dirty water drains out into a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket.  I will reuse the dirty water to hydrate my parched plants.

My outdoor sink faucet was hooked up to the outdoor faucet.

The special feature to the sink is that my hubby installed a metal, flexible hose so that water can come out of the faucet above the sink.

I knew that it was possible to have a sink outdoors!

I had faith that my hubby could put it together.  All it took was some imagination to dream the possible.  This idea was inspired by a picture I saw on Facebook about a couch made out of cinder blocks.  I believe it was from an article in the Better Homes and Gardens website.  I think someone had pinned it on a board at Pinterest.com.

Well, thanks for reading about our outdoor sink.  I hope it has inspired you to create your own cinder block projects.  

How about you, my readers?  Have you created anything special with cinder blocks or other such sturdy material for your oudoor areas?

This blog entry will be placed under Family Fun Fridays.

Healthy Choices: Update on Health Habits for April 2012

Veggies and fruits are healthy choices.

Choices, choices--what is healthy to eat?

What meat can I eat?  Grass fed beef, without hormones and antibiotics is a good option.  Salmon is good for the heart.  It has Omega 3 oils.  Chicken, free range, and while you're at it, the eggs are great, too.

What about the type of oil to cook with?  

Canola oil is out.  Wait, what is vegetable oil?  Olive oil has been my option.  I've heard coconut oil is best.  

Can I eat tortillas?

What about grains?  Well, am I gluten intolerant?  Then, I should stay away from wheat.  Barley is delicious.  What about couscous...they are a bunch of mini-balls, a funny texture to the mouth.

Of course, there are other considerations.  

 

One should stay away from processed foods.  One should stay away from Genetically Modified foods.  One should stay away from high fructose corn syrup.  One shouldn't eat so much takeout.  Given all of this, the food choices are very limited.

 

What am I supposed to eat?

 

Well, there are fruits and vegetables and nuts.  I've heard chickpeas are a good source of protein.  I think I can still eat my pinto beans, but I don't think I should eat white rice.  Brown rice is a better choice.  The vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, and lemons are wonderful choices to consume as are fruits, like apples, bananas, and pears.

You may be asking, what brought on all this compilation of information?

I have been keeping a good food diary of what I've eaten.  It has lead me to consider what I should be eating versus what I am actually eating.  Also, my husband and I finally saw Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, a documentary about Joe Cross, a very sick man, who went on a quest to get healthy by juicing.  By the way, my husband finally understands my desire to eat healthier.  We've even discussed buying a juicer.

I pray that my journey to making healthier choices for foods drastically improves.  I pray that the cravings for junk foods and takeout decreases.  I pray that my family joins me at every step.  I pray that I have the energy to make positive changes to my health.  I pray that I can institute the changes, as well. 

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of April, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health at this point?  Have you seen Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead?  I encourage you all to consider seeing the movie, which can be viewed through Netflix.  It's a great opportunity to have some tangible proof of how one man lost weight and got healthier through consuming fruits and vegetables.  

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.

Food Journaling: Update on Health Habits for April 2012

I plan to eat more of this healthier foods.

I have a confession to make.

I haven't been eating right.  Are you surprised?  You shouldn't be surprised because I haven't really lost any substantial weight.  Sure, I've lost perhaps up to 5 lbs., but I haven't been serious about weight loss.  I've been more concerned with changing some of my habits, like drinking no soda and drinking more water, which I am still practicing, by the way.

I am wanting to ratchet up my eating plan.

I am serious about eliminating more foods out of my diet.  When I speak of diet, I don't mean that I am going on a special eating plan, like the South Beach Diet.  By diet, I mean what I want to put into my body, or rather, what I don't want in my body.  

It's time to jump to the next phase.

I knew that if I wanted to change my lifestyle of health, I would have to do it piecemeal.  That's how I did it to lose 30 lbs. a few years ago.  I had to go radical on what I eliminated.  Like Dr. Phil says, "How's that working for you?"  If you don't change certain behaviors in favor of others, you won't see any progress in life.

...So what exactly will I be eliminating?

I plan to exclude from my intake potato chips, cookies, cake (except on a birthday), sweets from the bakery, and candies.  I will continue to eat my meats and proteins and drink my 1% milk.  I have decided to drink 1% as whole milk does not agree with me.  Also, I will stay away from most breads, to reduce my chances of a yeast infection.  Of course, it won't be easy, but I will try my best.

I had already spoken to my husband about my plan to eliminate certain foods.  Do you think that's made a difference?  No.  He still bought candies yesterday.  That means I have to do what I can to stare down all those bad foods in the face and say NO to them.

How will I be held accountable for my actions?

Besides having the consequences of what I eat showing up on my body, I will be journaling for the next few weeks.  I will write down what I consume from today until the end of this month.  I am not planning on showing you all my food diary.  No.  I will be holding myself accountable to me.  

Food journaling will keep me honest.

It was suggested in the healthy moms group on Facebook (of which I'm a member) that it would be a wonderful idea to jot down what we eat for a few weeks.  I loved that idea.  I felt that would keep me honest about my efforts.  I readily admit that I've been floundering at my health quest.  I have an opportunity to see what foods will and/or will not help me lose weight and get healthy.

I sincerely hope that food journaling will yield good results.  I want to see if I lose more weight with the elimination of certain junk foods.  I want to see what will happen when I eat more fruits and vegetables.  I encourage you, my readers, to join me in this journey as I fill out my food diary.  You don't have to share your diary with anyone.  It would be for your benefit.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of April, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health at this point?  Have any of you ever kept a food diary?  I encourage you all to consider it.  It's a great opportunity to have some tangible evidence of what foods can be beneficial or harmful to your health and efforts to lose weight.  

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 Gardening: Update on Health Habits for April 2012

These are plants that were started indoors.

Been wanting to let you all know about our gardening.

Indoors, I started some seeds for various plants including tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and herbs.  I love springtime.  We get to grow what we eat.  Best of all is that we shop right in our backyard.  After all, who can afford the gasoline to get to the local farmer's market?

My hubby tore apart old flooring from a storage shed.

My husband salvaged some wood.

My husband's workplace had a storage shed that deteriorated with time.  It was to be torn down.  My husband and some of his co-workers took whatever they could.  For example, some took old wiring.  My husband took some of the walls and floor.

We made these garden beds this past weekend.

By now, you must be asking yourselves, how does this all relate to  health habits?

Well, the work related to gardening is intensive.  It tests one's patience.  It takes planting seeds and waiting for them to grow.  It takes putting hammers to nails to remove them so that we can have boards to create the bed frames.  It takes shoveling soil into the frames for new garden beds.

I had immense movement of my body.  

On Saturday, the whole family was involved in using hammers and crow bars to take apart sections of an old storage shed.  My husband rented a large trailer and hauled the wood to our house.  My three older children and I hammered out the nails.  Mind you, this all happened in 90 degree weather.  Even the youngest one collected the old nails and stored them in a white bin.

Then, on Sunday, my husband bought nutrient-rich soil from Fertile Garden (here in San Antonio).  While my husband nailed some beds together, the children and I shoveled as much as we could of the 1 cubic yard of soil into the new beds.  Just like Saturday, it was extremely hot.  

We took precautions due to the heat.

My husband brought out some heavy duty fans on Saturday.  We made sure to drink lots of water both days.  On Sunday, my husband set up our canopy over the empty beds.  That way, we would have shade while we shoveled the soil from the trailer onto the beds.  We even had ice cream as a treat.  In all, we basked in a lot of Vitamin D, while constructing our garden beds.

Now, I have a dilemma.  

Should we place the plants in the garden beds or wait?  We have been having heavy rains, and I am afraid my smallish plants might get drowned.  Also, we might be going on vacation soon and don't want to neglect watering the plants properly.

I do hope you liked this different take on spring gardening relating to my health habits.  I could have related the same information about how much weight I've lost (or not) or how much water I have consumed.  I thought this blog entry merited a different format from enumeration of accomplished goals.  God bless you for reading about our garden.  I'll post updates about our garden throughout the year.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for the month of April, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health at this point?  Are any of you gardening?  I encourage you all to consider gardening.  It's a great opportunity to get some exercise and to grow some organic vegetables.  

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.

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.

From Cravings to Contagious Behavior: Update on Health Habits for February 2012

We bought new bottles to fill with water for the kids.

My hubby was on a semi-vacation last week.

This past week was a tough one.  My hubby was home for part of the week.  He took off work so he could fix our Ford Taurus and do some home repairs.  I gotta say that whenever he is around, I get lazy so that affected what we ate.

Here is an update on my health habits:

1. Had too much takeout and junk food.  We are definitely out of the No Takeout Challenge.

2. Suffered with sciatica and feeling of bloating. Stretching has helped my lower back.

3. Didn't meet my goal of walking 3,000 steps per day, but I still jotted down how much I walked.

4. Never did catch up on my Bible reading plan, but I still read my Bible everyday.

5. Here's one positive thing--I've been soda free for at least a week!

These are my new tennis shoes and pedometer.

I am concerned about my children's water intake.

Trying to get healthy is not just for me.  It's for all of us.  I want my children to develop positive habits.  This means that I have to devise methods for them to change negative behavior.  I've noticed that my oldest son drinks (craves) too much apple juice.

I bought each child a jug.  They now have a water challenge.  They must drink at least 2 cups or 16 ounces of water per day.  My youngest ones exceeded the challenge by at least 4 cups.   

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Continue to be soda free.

2. Try to walk 2,500 steps per day.  This might be more doable.

3. Continue reading my Bible and try to keep up with the plan starting in March.

4. Continue to do my stretching.  This should keep injuries at bay.

5. Continue to make dinners with veggies and smoothies with fruit.  

6. I'm hoping to take supplements to stave off cravings for junk food.

7. Try to eat a few spinach salads with balsamic vinegar.  I've been craving something sour, but I have to be careful with my salt intake.

Sciatica reared its ugly head last week.  

I tried to move around last week, but I felt stuck.  I researched and found a great article on sciatica that helped me immensely.  I hope it can help someone who suffers with it.  I also read on Facebook about the idea of taking Vitamin D3; I have some so I will try that out, as well.  Keeping hydrated should help.

I pray that my health habits become contagious behavior for my children.

Now that I have my tennis shoes, I feel more confident.  I hope these shoes help steady my feet while I walk.  My pedometer came with a nifty booklet.  In it, there was a worksheet to fill in how many steps I did for any given day.  It also came with tips to walk efficiently, and I hope to institute some of those ideas so my kids can watch and be encouraged to take part.

Well, thanks for reading about our cravings turning to new, contagious behaviors as part of my health goals for 2012.  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 February going into 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.

New Pedometer, New Shoes to New Beginnings: Update on Health Habits for February 2012

My new beginnings include giving up soda and putting on new shoes and a new pedometer.

An inaccurate pedometer was a disappointment.

I think last week was not a productive one towards my health goals.  I didn't really exercise.  I did drink water everyday really well.  I did continue to consume some of the wrong foods.  I have been working at not eating too much breads and eating more proteins.

Here is an update:

1. I continued to drink water...but I still drank soda.  Hubby has continued to bring soda into the house.

2. I didn't walk much; was disappointed that my pedometer was not accurate. 

3. Slept in a lot.  Been very tired lately.  Went without breakfast a few times.

4. Made dinner more often, but we had some takeout.  I think I'm out of the no takeout challenge.

5. I've continued to read the Bible, but I've fallen behind in the reading plan.

Goals for the upcoming week:

1. Give up soda for Lent.

2. Try to walk at least 3,000 steps.

3. Hope to eat breakfast in the mornings.

4. Continue to make nutritious dinners with veggies.

5. Catch up on my reading of the Bible.

With the new Lenten season coming up, I hope to get off this nasty habit of drinking soda.  I have soda in the refrigerator right now.  I don't want to drink it.  I've been experiencing terrible pains again on my left side.  I'm tired of feeling this way.  It makes me think that I have something seriously wrong with me.

I now own new, better fitting tennis shoes.

I'm hoping that the new tennis shoes I have will be more comfortable.  I am very fortunate that my hubby bought me a new pair of shoes.  It was a grand impediment to use the old tennis shoes because anytime I walked, my feet slipped back and forth inside those big shoes.  I still have to get used to these new ones, but they seem more snug fitting.  

I now own an accurate pedometer.

As for the pedometer, we bought two.  The first one seemed to have an old battery.  The current one was cheaper and has less of the bells and whistles.  It also has less of a chance of resetting the steps already walked.  I was having trouble with the green one resetting accidentally with simply bumping into it.

 

Well, thanks for reading about my new pedometer and tennis shoes for a new beginning at my health goals for 2012.  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 February, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health this month?  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.

From Hormones to Hopefulness: Update on Health Habits for February 2012

Enjoying my freezer full of veggies and fruit.

Hormones have struck again.  

I've been suffering terrible migraines.  I'm hoping that they'll be going away soon.  Feeling debilitated has caused me to get sidetracked from my health goals.  I am looking forward to jumping on the good bandwagon once again this new week.

Here is an update on my progress:

1. Drank at least 64 oz. of water.

2. I put on my shoes for most of the week.  Unfortunately, the pedometer I used was not accurate at counting my steps. 

3. Cooked everyday.  Incorporated more vegetables.  Got takeout only once in the weekend.

4. Made a Greek yogurt smoothie with whey protein.  Drank it throughout the weekend.

5. Weight is still about the same.  Can't tell of any change due to the hormones causing bloating.

6. Most importantly, I've read the Bible everyday.

Plans for the upcoming week:

1. Hope to buy a new pair of tennis and a pedometer.

2. Hope to schedule and plot down my supplement intake.

3. Hope to sleep more.

4. Hope to drink my current berry smoothie in the mornings.

5. Hope to incorporate more veggies to the morning meals and snacks, possibly in a frittata and/or salads.

Well, thanks for reading about my being affected by hormones but feeling hopeful about my health for 2012.  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 February, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health this month?  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.

From Intentions to Improvements: Update on Health Habits for February 2012

My "new" refrigerator's freezer holds more fruits and veggies.

I am sensing a change inside of me.  

My skin is clearing up, even shiny on the face.  My tummy is getting more flabby so I know I'll have to be toning up soon.  I'm feeling a pull on the lower calves.  I am also enjoying spending more time in the kitchen, preparing more foods.  I have lots more energy, too.

My intentions to get healthier are paying off.  

There is definite improvement.  I am feeling more hungry, but I am able to get up and get going.  I might not see a noticeable change in the mirror, but my insides are changing.  I am encouraged!

Here is an update on my progress:

1.  I've continued to read the Bible.  This is truly setting the tone for this year.  I feel more well-rounded and ready to face the world after having dug into God's word.

2. Haven't lost anymore weight, but I haven't gained any, either.

3. I'm still drinking water.  I was drinking three bottles of water with lots of ice everyday. 

4. Still ate some junk food and drank some soda.  It's hard with the hubby still buying it, but yesterday (Sunday), I managed to not drink any.

5. Made a concoction of strawberry whey protein, Greek yogurt, bananas, and ground flaxseed.  I stretched it to drink it about 3 times last week.

6. Last Friday, I used the Wii Fit.  Spent 27 minutes, 10 minutes of which I briskly walked a mile.  Yes, I'm slow to do one mile.  I improved a few of my other scores from the past.  Not bad; I had not used it for about 300 days.

7. I managed to walk more than 4,000 steps for 6/7 days.  Yesterday, I went to the stores with hubby and lost my pedometer...so I'm not sure how much I walked.   Fortunately, I have another pedometer.

8. I've been getting up early to eat breakfast.  My younger son has often joined us.  I've had more energy and gotten more done like dusting books and bookshelves and decluttering magazines and pots and pans.

Plans for the upcoming week:

1. Continue to drink lots of water.

2. Continue to walk at least 4,000 steps per day.

3. Make more drinks in the blender with more berries.

4. Stretch in the mornings.  Been feeling better afterwards.

5. Cook more because our family has entered a new challenge for no takeout for 22 out of 25 days of February.

6. Try to use the Wii Fit more.  It is fun and helps pass the minutes quickly to exercise.

Well, thanks for reading about my intentions leading to improvements in my health for 2012.  I hope this blog entry encourages you all to develop your own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with any health goals for February, related to your New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health this month?  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.

From the Pedometer to the Progress: Update on Health Habits for January 2012

My water and a pedometer motivate me to move.

I went through an interesting week.  We struggled financially.  Then, my side started to hurt again.  I think it was the caffeine that started affecting my kidneys.  It slowed me down from seeing any progress on the pedometer.

Fortunately, I did have some good news.  Here is an update on my progress:

1. I'm still reading my Bible.

2. I walked 6 out of 7 days.  The day I didn't, my left side was hurting me.

3. I stopped taking my supplements.  Instead, I am taking a liver tonic because the last time I had the pain, I felt better afterwards.

4. I drank my allotted water 6 out of 7 days.  I'm okay because I started two days earlier.  Yes, Saturday was the first time I only drank 2 out of at least 4 bottles of water.

5. Still ate junk food and drank soda.  I can't believe that my resolve is not strong enough about this.  I can't say NO to hubby when he offers to buy me soda.

6. We bought a larger refrigerator.  Yes!  Now, I can buy grassfed beef and fruits and veggies in bulk.

7. I think I've lost 2 lbs.  My blue jeans fit differently.  Yes!

Plans for the upcoming week:

1. I hope to cook more meals, instead of getting takeout.

2. I hope to make more smoothies.

3. I hope to eat more fruits and veggies. 

4. I hope to walk 4,000 steps per day.

I'm very excited because of the bigger refrigerator.  It will allow us to buy more of the good stuff and be able to see it.  In the past, we had the fruits and veggies hidden inside a white drawer.  Now, the drawers are see through.  Also, we were needing a bigger refrigerator because the one we were using was too small to hold enough food for just one week for a family of six.  I thank God that we finally found this refrigerator.

Well, thanks for reading about my pedometer helping me progress towards my health habits for January 2012.  I hope this blog entry encourages y'all to develop your own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Do you have any new health goals for January, in keeping with New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health this month or this year?  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.

From Motivation to Movement: Update on Health Habits for January 2012

My water and a pedometer motivate me to move.

It has been a struggle for me to gain new, positive habits.  It should be easy to match my brain's thoughts with my body's movements.  After all, I can control what I do.  No.  It's not that easy, without concrete motivations to getting me moving on my health.

I want to give a list of my motivations for wanting to get healthier.  First, though, I want to recap what happened last week.  I managed to do the following:

1. I read the Bible with the help of http://www.biblestudytools.com/.

2. I put on my shoes and pedometer and walked 6 out of 7 days.  On Sunday, I decluttered for a few hours.

3. I noted my progress on my calendar.  This has helped to show me all that I have done towards my goal.

4. I have been taking my various supplements.

5. I am still crocheting and have decided to accumulate them to give to a homeless shelter or some such organization.

6. I have been drinking at least 4 bottles of water every day.

7. I still drank some soda and ate junk food.  For this coming week, I'll be consuming less of that.

Now, I want to share some specific motivation for wanting to get healthy:

1. I want to feel healthier.  

2. I want to optimize my immunity.

3. I want to move around faster.

4. I want more energy.

5. I want my clothes to fit better.

6. I would like to work to help my family financially.

7. I want to play with my kids, without getting tired quickly.

8. I want to enjoy my life with my hubby.

9. I want to live longer to see my potential grandbabies.

10. I want to be a witness to what God can do for me and others.

It's not easy to get fit.  My energy is very low.  I have terrible cravings.  We have bought healthier foods like nuts and fruits.  I'm hoping that with exercise and better eating habits, I can get healthier.

Thanks for reading about my motivations to get moving towards my health habits for January 2012.  I hope this blog entry encourages y'all to develop your own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Do you have any new health goals for January, in keeping with New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health this month or this year?  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.

From Documenting to Seeing Results: Update on Health Habits for January 2012

A calendar can help document fitness progress.

I've been taking this month to reset a few habits.  It's been wonderful to see that drinking water is of great benefit to me (a wonderful result).  It is also eye opening to me how much junk I've been eating.  It's disappointing to see how much of what is considered as food is actually bad for me.  It is said that it takes a few weeks for habits to form, and I am aiming to gain good ones.

My creativity includes these latest scarves.

My water and a pedometer are ready for me in the morning.

Here is my update (documentation):

1. On the spiritual front, I have printed a checklist for Bible-reading.  I did this just last week.  I felt badly for not having started this on the first of this month.  Then, I just let that guilt go.  I'm done feeling the stress of disappointing myself.

2. I have put on my shoes and walked most days.  I found a working pedometer and am keep it close to me so I can remember to use it.  On days when I put my shoes on, I get more done.  My sandals slow me down, but when I put my tennis shoes on, I get up and get moving--moving my furniture, that is.  Seriously, though, I love the signal my shoes give me to move.

3. I have been documenting my fitness progress on my calendar.  At first, I only intended to post how many bottles of water I've been drinking.  Now, I have added how many steps I have walked.  I am also blogging here, and that is helping me to document my health progress. 

4. I have been continuing to take my supplements.  I'm taking: garlic; a probiotic; a B vitamin (for energy); Vitamin D-3; and detoxing and inflammation formulas.  I'm working on detoxing which will allow me to lose weight.  I'm hoping to bring inflammation down to reduce the pain I suffer on a daily basis so I can exercise.

5. For the creative arena, I have crocheted several scarves.  I am making different schemes this time.  I am enjoying the outcomes.  I am not about selling them necessarily.  It's more about how crocheting relaxes me. 

6. I have been drinking at least 4 bottles of water everyday.  On some days, I have consumed more, especially when I have been super thirsty (probably due to mountain cedar allergy).  Perhaps when I document my foods, I will figure out if it is due to some diuretic or food.  My skin condition is improving somewhat, too.  I feel very confident in this area of my fitness.

7. I haven't stopped consuming junk food, including drinking soda.  This is still my biggest challenge.  It is extremely difficult if family members living in the same household still want to eat the wrong foods.  I am reaching the decision that if I want to get healthier, I have to be firm and say NO to the junk food.  I know I can do this because I had stayed away from soda for a few months last year.

I'm thinking that I need to address the issue of motivation.  I need specific reasons.  I need to write them down.  I also want to journal about the foods and drinks I am consuming.  I want to document how certain foods (like carbohydrates and junk foods) affect me.  I am excited to think about this next step.  I want concrete answers to my fitness questions.

I also want to encourage those of you, my dear readers, who are working on fitness goals.  Please pray about what needs improvement.  God is willing to give us wisdom if we seek it.  We can boldly ask God for wisdom.  I have learned a lot about my health as a result of asking God for the right websites, resources, and people to come into my life. 

Well, thanks for reading about documenting to see results to my health habits for January 2012.  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 January, in keeping with New Year's resolutions?  How do you plan to improve your health this month or this year?  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.