Survived the Holidays and Still Going Strong

It has been a very long time since my last post.  I am still going strong.  I have lost about 15 lbs since I started eating healthy.  My children look healthier as well.  Sarah's eczema is gone and this time of year is when it hits her hard.  I know that this is one of the best gifts I can give my children: to learn to eat healthy while young.  I am so grateful that I have my husband's support.

I have finally emptied out my cupboards of any preservatives.  I never realized how many preservatives I was eating!  All those toxins.  Our bodies do not need them.  I have started to ask myself, "What is in my food?" and "How is my body going to benefit from eating it?"  If I do not have a good answer to these questions, then it is not a good thing to eat.

The other morning I made Apple Pecan Whole Wheat Waffles.  Yum!  I substituted unsweetened apple sauce for the milk and honey for the sugar.  They were a family favorite.  They were more sticky than unhealthy waffles.  The secret was just to cook them a little longer and then they came out of the waffle iron just fine.

Apple Pecan Whole Wheat Waffles

Five Weeks Into the Healthy Me

I am so excited about this healthy lifestyle.  It has been 5 weeks since I started to focus on eating more vegetables and I am down 10 pounds!  I feel more healthy, and the exciting thing is that I know that this is just the start.

My goal is that 60% of my calories will come from vegetables alone.  Right now I am at approximately 50% of my calories are coming from fruits and vegetables combined (25% each).  It is a pain in the neck to put all of the veggies I eat into my calorie counter and figure this out, but there is no other way to know my percentages.  It's a good thing that I am not figuring out my percentages every day.  I am getting closer to my health goals.

I have been trying to figure out an easier way to measure my success with my eating.  Counting calories is not it.  If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them.

Black bean soup!  Yum!

To make this soup I sprouted my beans and then put them into the crock pot with carrots, celery, jalapeño (if you like spice), and a healthy amount of my homemade salsa. I let it cook until the beans are super soft and then I put it in the blender reserving about 1/3 of the soup.  I blended until smooth and then put the 1/3 in a food processor and blended until chunky.  Put it all back into the crock pot to keep warm until supper.  I added sour cream, red onion, and fresh cilantro when served.  It was yummy.  The whole meal included 3/4 cup soup and a good size salad with salsa as our dressing.

It’s Not Only What You Put Into Your Body That Makes A Difference- Part II

I bet you are wondering how I am doing with my healthy diet style.  Well, I am doing well.  I am not consuming preservatives or buying them!  That is a success.  However, this re-learning how to cook has been a challenge.  I panic every time I think of what I am going to fix next.  I know I should just do a meal plan, but I have no idea what to plan.  I constantly have beans sprouting on my counter top and it is sooooo annoying.  I need to find a place out of my way for them. 

I sat down one night to read some of my cookbooks, and I came up with three ideas that I will try over the next week.  They are 1) No-crust spinach-mushroom quiche, 2) Pumpkin soup, and 3) Black bean soup.  I made the black bean soup last night and it is OK, I guess.  Let’s just say I am counting on my palate adjusting to this new diet style as well.  Everything I have read says it will.

Anyway, I want to share my third prong to “the healthy me”.  It is MEDITATION and VISUALIZATION.  This is how Jon Gabriel changed his life from 409 pounds to 183 pounds¹.  But my inspiration did not come from him.  I have really aligned with Bob Proctor’s The Goal Achiever.  I started my journey to the healthy me with Bob Proctor’s program.  I do not follow his daily program exactly, but I have tailored it to me. I will share what I do and not Bob Proctor’s program.  Every morning I wake up early, before anyone else in the house so that I can be alone.  (Remember we are 4 people in 800 square feet.)  I read the scriptures to bring my spirit in line with my thoughts.  I then meditate.  I have lots to learn about this, but I just focus on feeling my body and cleansing it from the inside.  I even commune with it because I want to know how it feels eating what I have been eating. Am I missing any nutrients that it needs?  Am I eating anything that I should not be?  (This morning I felt that my body did not like that I put salt in my beans last night.) 

Lastly I visualize the healthy me.  I know exactly what I want to look like and how I will feel looking great.  I visualize how much I enjoy my healthy diet style and how it effects my family.  I allow myself to get emotionally involved in this image.  I believe that everything is created spiritually before it is created physically.  I am simply creating the body I want spiritually.  I will hold firmly to my image until it is realized.   I challenge you to do the same with any goal, and you will achieve it.

“When you work with the subconscious, the rate of success and the ability to get to the deeper levels is just a lot faster.”²(Paula Robbins)

“When your understanding grasps the power to visualize your heart’s desire, and hold it with your will, it attracts to you all that is required to the fulfillment of that picture and it does it by the harmonious vibration of the Law of Attraction.”³(Genevieve Behrend)

This is a spinach, pineapple, strawberry, banana, and chia seed smoothie.  I am loving my morning smoothies!

1.     The Gabriel Method.  http://www.thegabrielmethod.com/about-jon-gabriel.  Accessed 11/18/14.

2.     Discover the Transformative Power of Cellular Release Therapy. YouTube Video found on website: The Gabriel Method. http://www.thegabrielmethod.com/emotional-release-therapy-2. Accessed 11/18/14.

3.     Proctor, Bob. The Goal Achiever.  LifeSuccess Productions , 2002. Audio CD.

It’s Not Only What You Put into Your Body That Makes the Difference - Part 1

I had my 1st green smoothie this morning!  Spinach, banana, blueberries and almond milk.  Yum!  It was good.  I was going to take a picture, but the blueberries made the green look more like brown.  I am not showing that off.

I am sure you wonder what caused me to want to make this healthy change.  For the last 12 months or so I would randomly get fatigued and mental fogginess; two things that I have never felt before.  I was concerned for my health.  Reality was, like so many other people, I thought that I was eating healthy.  I was sure to eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day, avoided sugars and bought whole wheat bread and pasta.  When I shopped I stayed out of the middle isles except for pasta, juice, and breakfast cereal.  We were eating healthy according to the general guidelines I had heard from the most common sources.  But that is not good enough.

I decided that the cause of my problems had to be what I was, or rather was not doing.  I had not really exercised on a regular basis since my 1^st child was born, 6 years ago.  So, I started to walk 3-5 miles, 4-5 times a week. It helped. An important part of the "healthy me" is movement. 

Recently, my friend invited me to join in a health challenge.  It came at the most critical time, as I was willing to do what it takes to feel completely healthy again.  My workout routine now includes my brisk walk 3-5 miles and light weights to isolate and tone muscles.  I want to share that it is OK to start small.  If you are not taking time for movement, I challenge you to start!  I strongly believe that the body is made of hinges because it is meant to move.

If you love your body, you must include movement in your daily routine.

Here is the proof that it does not take a dedicated room or fancy gym membership; just a little space in your living room.

My workout nook

I'm Going to be a Nutritarian by the Time I'm Done!

Dr. Joel Fuhrman uses the term Nutritarian.

"A Nutritarian diet is guided by nutritional quality."  You have got to check out the Nutritarian food pyramid.  Go to: http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/what-is-a-nutritarian-diet.aspx.  

In the book, Eat For Health, he states that the standard American Diet (SAD) is what is causing many diseases facing Americans today.  He gave the acronym of SAD!  Ha! I love it!

Now this sounds like what I want to be. I am a Nutritarian! 

Last night I needed salsa to go with dinner, but did not want to take the time to make it.  We ran to the store and I grabbed the made-in-store salsa.  It’s fresh right!  My 6-year old daughter says, “Um, Mom, this is in a container and we are not buying food in a container anymore, remember.”  This was great and not so great all at the same time!  I am glad she is on board with this, but I will be held accountable too.  At this point we decided to look at the ingredients.  Sure enough, everything was fresh veggies except they used bottled lemon juice which had an additive!  “Rats!” I thought, “Now I have to make it.”  My daughter said, “Mom, you should just make it with these veggies” as she pointed to all the fresh veggies in front of us.  And that is just what we did.

Tonight I am making homemade whole wheat flat-bread.  I made some last month and it was so easy!  I plan on making my husband and I veggie sandwiches on them.  Yum!  Now if I can just figure out how to make a good hummus.  I tried last night and well… I am going to need to try again.  Maybe this time I will follow a recipe.  

Last months flat-bread.
They are puffy because they are full of air...makes a perfect pocket for my veggies!

Oh, if you want the recipe for the flat-bread, I would be happy to share, just make a comment here on my blog to let me know!

How Confusing Can This Get?

There are so many differing professional opinions about what food is the best for your body. How is one to know what dietary guidelines to follow?  Some say to consume plenty of naturally-produced milk products from pasture-fed cows (raw or fermented)¹. Others say no animal products or animal by-products at all².  Some say we should eat like the natives from all different lands³.  But clearly several others would disagree because of the high starch content. 

I decided that it would be best to follow what feels right to me.  What does my logic say?  The following are my beliefs that are guiding my search for the best dietary lifestyle:

1.  I should eat food that is giving us the biggest nutritional bang for our calorie. 
2.  I want to know what the food I put in my mouth is going to do or not do for me before I eat it. 
3.  I believe that our subconscious knows what is best for our bodies.  I just need to be listening. 
4. If I love myself and God, I should do what is best for my body.
5. I want dietary guidelines that support my religious beliefs: eat wholesome herbs, fruit with prudence, meat sparingly, all grains, veggies, beans, and roots⁴.

That said, I think that I have found something good.  Dr. Joel Furman’s approach to nutrition was referred to me by a friend. (Thank you Cassie!)  I love that his advice is based on scientific research and he cites these throughout his website.  His research aligns with my ideas.

See his website: www.drfurman.com. He clearly is for-profit, and I am NOT endorsing him by referencing his website.  However, I feel that there is a wealth of knowledge to be found on his website without paying for anything.  So check it out.

I am only buying perishables, no processed/packaged foods.   I purchased only what you see below.

This weeks food purchase.  Do you think we can live on that this week?  Gonna find out!

1.       1.  The Weston A Price Foundation. www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/dietary-guidelines/.  Accessed Nov 10, 2014

2.        2. The Engine 2 Diet website. www.engine2diet.com.  Accessed Nov 10, 2014

3.        3. What’s the Healthiest Diet. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdxVfi632Xw . Accessed Nov 10, 2014

4.        4. The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Printed in the United States of America, ©1981, 2013. Print. D&C        89. Revelation given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet

The Very Beginning

I finally feel like I have something to blog about!  Can I tell you how excited I am to start my journey to a healthier me!?!  First I should tell you a little about me.  My family is currently surviving (note: I did not use the word "living") on federal grants and my part-time employment at Logan City School District.  To spare you the details, let me just say that money is tight.  My girls are ages 4 and 6.  I am blessed to have a family who has all stated that they will support me in this endeavor.  In fact my husband keeps saying, "I have been telling you that for years now!"  In my defense,  it has not been years, just months.  

I am going to prove that you can get your whole family eating healthy (super healthy) on a budget, with a busy life, and with young children.  I am not starting with 100% action, but with education. My first step in this process is going to find knowledge of foods and their nutrition.  My goal is to know WHAT IS THE FOOD I EAT DOING FOR MY BODY.  Of course this means no more processed foods for me. I know that over time it will introduce a whole new food world (new for me that is).  

I want to invite you to join me on this journey.  Only good can come from it.

I added this picture of my family just for fun.  After I realize my healthy self, I will no longer look so full and soft.