What Have I Done?

I will tell you...

I started a 10 day Raw Food Detox.  And I really didn't want to post about it, but I have a lot going on in my head so I am going to.  (So if you don't want to hear about it, stop reading.  And no...my blog is not going to become a healthy food blog.  If you want to read one of those go to Wholesome Bits.  It is great, and Jenna is the one who started this crazy detox.)

Anyway...

I decided to do it to jump start myself to eating better.  I really eat terribly.  We have talked about this...coffee for breakfast, tea for lunch, chips for a snack, normal dinner.  So my thinking was, if I eliminate most things and eat 3 meals and healthy snack it would get me off to a good start.  I do believe it has done that along with a few other things.

I am only on day 3 and I have learned a thing or two.  (or 5 and counting)

1.  Hot food just tastes good sometimes.
2.  I can live without coffee.  As much as I love my Grande Non-fat Cinnamon Dulce w/ whip, I have survived!
3.  I do actually feel better.  Days 1 & 2 I was grouchy, mainly because I just wanted what I wanted.  (said coffee drink.)  My stomach has not hurt for 3 days, which is awesome since it does almost every night.
4.  I find to much pleasure in food.  Why else would I get grouchy because I can't have something?  I just kept thinking, and still am, if I could just have coffee mentioned above.  Are you seeing a pattern here?  I really like my coffee.  After realizing that food brings me much joy I began to think, "Have I made this an idol?"  Do I look to food to bring me joy and not the Lord?  I think I would have to answer yes.  Which hurts to even say.  Food more important than the Lord!  (This is just day 3...what am I going to learn the next 7 days?)  I am still working through all this.
5.  I can do this.  Each night I go to bed and think, "I am just going to eat what I want tomorrow."  Then I wake up feeling refreshed and think, "I can do this."  I actually like what I am eating and have not felt hungry.  I just really want something hot besides tea. 

All that to say that when day 10 is over, I am getting a Grande Non-fat Cinnamon Dulce w/ whip, thanking the Lord that I can buy one, and going to still try and eat this way for at least breakfast and lunch.  So here is to the next 7 days...or how long I last!

Good -bye friend.

I know I can do it.

After the headaches and fatigue I will be fine.

My stomach will feel so much better.

I need to drink more water.

That is why I am giving up diet Coke.

I am not promising this is a long term commitment, but at least for a month.

I have gotten into this terrible habit of stopping at McDonald's everyday and getting one.

I drink 2 cups of coffee in the morning and a diet coke around lunch. So at 1:00 that is all I have had...no food.

This is clearly not good on the stomach.

My resolution for October, and only October, is to give up Diet Coke.

Here goes nothing...prayers appreciated!

Don't forget to go here and enter the giveaway. I am really embarrassed only 2 people have commented! Come on people...I mean, it is a gift card!

Once a Month Resolution

Did you notice I forgot June? And truth be told, I kind of took May off too! Not really because I was working on eating and exercise. (Which is a constant battle.) Just to refresh you all...

January = Exercise

It has been okay. It isn't 5x every week, but I am doing more than I ever have.

February = Eating habits

Some days are good, some days are bad. I have this great friend at The B.M.C. Report that eats very healthy and exercises often. I have thought for awhile that if she knew what I ate, I would be embarrassed. So I started texting her everyday with what I was eating. It has been a huge help. With it being my birthday month things have been a little off, but again...better than it used to be.

March = Read more to my kids

This has been going well. The summer reading club at the library helps for sure.

April = Green cleaning

This has been great. I am still using only vinegar and getting ready to switch my dishwasher detergent.

May = Focus on eating and exercise

Now that you are up to date I am sure you are wondering what July will bring. To be honest, it has been difficult to decide. There is so much I want to do. I am going to focus on something that will benefit my whole family.

I am going to try a new recipe for dinner once a week and try to only have beef 2 times a month.

There you have it. Continue to pray for me and my endeavors!

Once a Month Resolution

If you haven't noticed, I have not done a May Resolution. (Not that you all care about my resolutions, but this is a way for me to stay accountable.) Truth is, I have been doing horrible at the exercise and eating resolution. I have been exercising once a week, and the only reason it has been once a week is because I love my Zumba class. It is offered Wednesday evenings and and Saturday morning, but that really cuts into quality family time. I don't make exercising a priority the other days of the week. And the eating...well, let me just tell you that on Monday I ate 3 donuts. Yup...one wasn't enough so I had two more. You all don't believe me when I tell you I have no self control. Now do you? So the resolution for May is to go back to January and February resolutions. Exercising 5x a week and eating healthier. (Which ought to be interesting.) Can I do it? I may have to start logging everything I eat on here and then I will be ashamed so I won't eat it. I really don't want it to turn into that...

If you all could please pray for me. Not that I eat better and exercise to look better, but to just take care of my body. No body should eat 3 donuts in one day. Ugh! That is not pleasing to the Lord. He gave me this body and it is his temple so I need to take care of it.
Bring on the greens!

Once a Month Resolution

Yes it is that time again. I am happy to report that I have been doing good on my last 3 resolutions. Today I ate terrible and my in-laws are coming in town next week so I am sure I will eat bad then too, but I am making better choices! Exercising is going fabulous! (I wish I could do Zumba everyday! But I do have a family that needs me at night...bummer!) I have also been reading a ton with the kids. We have read 2 chapter books, working on our 3rd and been reading lots of short stories. It has been so fun!

So what does April bring you ask yourself...

Showers and flowers!

No, really, my resolution is...

To start "green" cleaning. I have been reading this book. It is a real eye opener! After reading about all the chemicals that are in the things we use to clean our house and the effects they have on our bodies...it is amazing! I know this is going to be extremely hard, but I truly believe the outcome will be a blessing! It will be a process to change everything over to what the book recommends and I may never get there. The goal is to gradually change. I will not be buying products with certain chemicals in them: Ammonia, bleach, butyl cellusolve, chlorides, ethylene glycol, hydroxides, limonene. If you start reading labels you will be astonished. Not only with what you use to clean your house, but also your body and what you eat. The kids have this foam bath soap...I am sure you have it or have seen it. Well, it has propane in it! PROPANE!!!!!
I have been washing my kids with propane! What!!!!???

Okay, I am off my box now...

Really though, pray for me. This is going to be an undertaking, but I super excited for it!

Sneak Peak: After I finish this book, I am going to read, "Why Christians Get Sick."
That should be interesting too. Maybe it will really get my butt in gear on what I eat.
(i.e. McDonalds!)

Once a Month Resolution

Okay, it is March and I am on my 3rd resolution for the year. I must be honest, I have not been doing great on the prior 2. (exercising 5x per week and eating better) However, I am trying! So this month my resolution is not going to have anything to do with me really. Are you ready...

I am going to read more to my children.

We started last night. Cuddled up in my bed, turned off the lights and read The Magic Treehouse series book #6 with a flashlight. Rob and I used to do so good reading with our kids before bed. Somehow we got away from it. Now, Broderick is getting so good at reading that we will take turns reading from the book.

I will continue to work on my prior two resolutions, which will take a lot of effort, so please pray for me. And...don't tempt me with...(you know who you are!)

Do I dare say...

...that my February resolution is going to be to change my eating habits?
I don't know...I am scared. If I put it on here then I am accountable and that is super scary! Shouldn't I say I am going to love my neighbor more since it is Valentine's day month, or spend more time reading to my kids because it is the perfect weather to curl up and snuggle with a book, anything but my diet!

Okay, okay...I will eat better! There I said it! My plan for now is this...
Breakfast: fruit or a low fat smoothie
Lunch: Salad or low fat smoothie
Snack: Fruit or vegetable
Dinner: Something that I normally make just a smaller portion
And NO eating after 7.
I would like to eat this way 5 out of 7 days. Sometimes, I am not going to be able to have a salad or smoothie for lunch and that is okay. This is just a start people. Right now, I eat nothing for breakfast, usually nothing for lunch. Snack between 2 and 6. I am starving by dinner so I over eat. Then, I want something sweet so I eat junk at 8pm.

Bad, I know.

The goal is to get rid of this awful habit I have created. I have done weight watchers in the past and loved it, but I have learned how to "cheat the system." Snickers for lunch, with a light dinner isn't exactly healthy either. I have gotten bored with it too, so this seems new and fresh. I am planning on changing it up a bit because salads and smoothies might get boring after a week, but I needed a plan for today and this week.

So there you have it. February resolution....

Exercise update: Still trying to get back in the groove. I get my stitches out Friday so I am hoping after that I can pick up Zumba again. Wii fit is calling my name today.

Resolution update

So if you don't remember my January resolution, it was to work out 5 days a week. It started off great! I started doing zumba with a friend and was having so much fun. On the days I didn't do zumba I worked out with the dreaded Jillian Micheals or walked. Good plan, right? Well, then we went to California. And let me tell you, I had good intentions. I took my workout clothes and running shoes. I worked out 1 day out of 5! Let me say, I was walking A LOT the other days up ridiculously large hills, but it doesn't count as a workout. Then we got home and the next day I had 2 moles removed. So, you can guess what that means, no working out. My upper body anyway. Which means no Jillian Micheals or Zumba, and who wants to walk when it is 5 degrees outside!? So I have not worked out in about a week.

Bummed!

But I refuse to be defeated, so the plan is to do the Wii fit step workout and whatever else I can do with lower body. Can I do that for a couple weeks and actually count it? I don't know, but it is better than nothing, right? And if nothing else it will keep me motivated.

So what will February bring? Not sure yet. I am tossing a few things around. Check back next week to see!

Who wants to make a resolution?

I don't! But that is besides the point. The bottom line is I should always be changing things about myself and trying to do things better. Why does the calender need to say January 1 for that? So my resolution this year...

drum roll please,

is to change something every month. Seems overwhelming I know. But when I think about all the things I want to do better it is more overwhelming. This way, I have a whole month to get in the grove of doing something different or new. So for January it is exercise. Isn't this every one's resolution? My goal is to exercise 5 days a week. I was doing really good at this last year and actually enjoying it until I had the dreaded mole removed from my leg. So, until that happens again it is 5 days a week. Hold me to it people!