Health & Fitness Blog

Recovery & Rehab for a Torn Aorta

2012-01-23T10:37:00.000-06:00

I have some really great news! My aorta is healing just like the Drs. want it too. :-) Yeah!!!! It does take patience and time. Remember, the information I post here is not to be medical advice of any kind. But instead, a resource and to encourage those who have been diagnosed with torn aorta otherwise known as a dissected aneurism of the descending aorta type B.

If you have been diagnosed with this condition and are reading my post on this blog, then consider that you are able to do so by the grace of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Most people are diagnosed on the autopsy table. Once diagnoses is made, your recovery chances are very high. I have a level 4. Level 4 and lower are typically treated medically. Mainly getting the blood pressure down through scripts, etc. The first few weeks are more critical than later on in the recovery process. It will get better. :-) My GP put it the way, "slow down and smell the coffee."

This experience has brought my husband and I closer together. We cherish time together, with our daughter and as a family. We are not letting 'little things' bother us. We just let it 'roll off'. If you are not doing that, you need to learn. It will do wonders for your attitude and blood pressure.

Yes, we are told to exercise. When your Dr. tells you to go on a regular exercise routine. Make sure you get clarification on that. Before they knew I had a torn aorta, I was released to go back to exercising "build up slowly to what you used to do.." And I could go back to lifting weights. It would almost make me sick. So I slowed down. I still did not seem to get any better. Then they found the torn aorta. Rehabbing for a torn aorta is different from rehabbing for a heart attack. Really, you do not need to 'work up a sweat' if you know what I mean. Forget intensity. The most I can do is to work up to a 30 minute mile for 4 months. After that I can start lifting again and build from there.

Then why exercise???? While the 30 minute mile seems like nothing, one walk will lower my blood pressure by 10-20 points for a couple of days. It has something to do w/the constant moving and blood flow. I know it seems boring if you are used to Hi Intensity, lifting, cross training, etc. But you have to do it. The walking needs to be on a treadmill or a flat even surface. My neighborhood is full of hills, way too much intensity so not a good place to walk. We have school tracks nearby that I can walk at before or after school. Our church has a wonderful rec center that I go to and walk on the treadmill.

OK, a 30 minute mile only burns about 73 k calories. And I know from personal experience that you will start spreading like butter. I have increased almost 2 dress sizes w/out gaining more than 3 lbs or so. What that means is I am going to have to cut back on food intake. Smaller portions, and this is so hard to do, but cut sugar out of my (your) diet. I can do this for a short period of time, but it is very hard long term.

About Sugar... If you read much of this blog you will see that I am in favor of sugar fasts. Or rather a 'white fast'. Sugar can stimulate (very temporary) your heart rate and raise your blood pressure more than caffeine will. In addition, what is not burned up for energy will be stored in fat. Not a good thing. I have been saying for years that if you want to see a difference in your body, cut out the white stuff and just cut back on your fat intake. You will see more results whether you are training or rehabbing. It works!

I will post more about additional exercise that you can do as time goes on. Have a blessed day for now!By the way, non spammed posts are welcome here. I have to moderate b/c of the spam, but myself and others would love to read of your recovery journey's as well.

Hugs!
Missy

Physical Healing Continues

2012-01-08T19:29:00.000-06:00

How do you heal from a 'torn aorta'? Rest, do what it takes to lower blood pressure, emotial & physical stress. Our December and the beginning of January was not what we would have liked. It started out w/me in the hospital and ended w/my father in law (who we all deeply loved) in the hospital. He passed away the third of January. God is so good. He has given us the grace that we need to see us through this trying time. My Father In Law's life celabration & homegoing. He is with the Lord, my sweet Mother In Law and others who went before him.Healing is coming along well. We now have my blood pressure under control. I rest, limit my activity in order to have no strain on my body. I have a CT scan later on in the week and see a Thorastic Surgeon the following Monday. I feel eager to start exercising (more than walking on a flat surface and light house keeping) and I have photography sessions set up, which will put me back to work. My husband will be assisting me in these sessions. Some photography shoots can be quite physical. I give God the glory for the progress in my healing. Hugs,Missy

2011-12-28T09:22:00.000-06:00

It has been a long time since I have posted. Much has happened. For a year or more, I have not felt my best. Chalked it off to being older. Last summer I started having some adominal discomfort. Pain moved to my chest. I went to the ER and diagnosed w/a heart attack. Still experienced pain & adominal discomfort. 5 months later I am back in the ER and I have a dissected anurism of the aorta type B. Also called called a "Torn Aorta". Can you say "John Ritter"? "Lucille Ball"? Apparently it is hard to diagnose. It was missed last summer. 50% of patients are diagnosed on the autopsy table. God is Good! Currently I am being treated medically. The goal is for the aorta to heal on its own, creating scar tissue to reinforce the wall. At this time, there is absolutly nothing on the internet that offers any personal experiences or encouragement on this condition. Currently, I have to be very careful. Keep my blood pressure down. The goal is to heal. For the forseeable future, I plan to use this blog to post my recovery. Not meant to be medical advice in any way, but to have some information out there to offer encouragement for future patients. These last few months would not be possible w/out our personal realtionship with the Lord Jesus Christ. To know that be be "absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." means to much to me. God has sustained us throughout. I will post more later! Missy

Soreness

2010-08-18T08:34:00.000-05:00

If you exercise, whether regularly or not, while cutting out white stuff, you will find yourself a tad more sore than usual. Perhaps a lot more sore.

Increase you simple carbs (fruits and veggies)
Increase water intake

I had a charlie horse in my calf in the middle of the night. Woke me up. Very sore this morning. This is caused by toxins. Sugar, fried foods, snack crackers, candy bars, cakes, etc. are all full of toxins. As you start a complete fast on these items, by day 2 your body is reacting. It is not a bad thing. Just drink more water to flush it out. And increase your sugar intake by eating MORE FRUITS & VEGGIES which is what God intended for us to do.

You will feel better for it! I promise!

God bless! Let us pray for each other.
Hugs,
Missy.

Need a snack?

2010-08-17T08:28:00.000-05:00

Chopped up fruit, veggies, lowfat cheese, cottage cheese, old fashion rolled oats, almonds, all of these are acceptable. One protein one carb. Small portions and that will stave off hungar.

When I go on a fast like this, a serving of melon or a spoon of honey on a slice of multi grain toasted bread is a life saver to get you through those first few days, especially if you exercise a good bit.

God is good!

A New Sugar Fast!

2010-08-14T10:04:00.000-05:00

For our better health.

On Monday, I want to start a new sugar fast for better health. I am copying and pasting from an older post guidlines to follow. Anyone who would like to join and pray w/me for strengh to follow thru is free to join me.

I do not want this to be a mandatory prayer fast unless you feel lead to. I personally do not feel lead to at this time. I simply want to exercise it for better health. Will you join me?

Feel free to post prayer needs and words of encouragement.

I always start out w/a treat day in the beginning, but you will find it makes you feel yucky as the weeks go on.

Remember to exercise! God made our bodies to move!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And I am so excited!

If you have never done a Sugar Fast before, there are a few things you might want to be aware of. The first week will be a tad bit hard. Days 3-5 will be the hardest. Day 7, you are home free and will begin to feel great!

I know that I mentioned that you could have a 'treat' on the 7th day, but if you can refrain from that for at least another week, you will reap many benefits. This fast is only for 28 days and that is not long.

Speaking of benefits of Sugar Fasting here are a few that I have listed:

Lower blood sugars

Lose weight

Reduce insulin resistance

Reduce symptoms of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome-annoying & uncomfortable)

Improved endurance training and sports performance

Reduce heart disease

Lower lipids

Prevent diabetes

Prevent heart disease

Reduce hunger

I took the above right off of this web site that you can go to for more information - http://www.diabetes-blood-sugar-solutions.com/glycemicdiet.html and something I want to add from personal experience is

ADDED ENERGY!!!!

Days 3-5 you will feel zapped or tired. But that will begin to improve on day 6. Day 7, you will feel great.

MONDAY Weigh and measure your waist. I hope that you have a prayer journal, either a written one or one on the computer. But have one somewhere. When we fast, we pray. God may lay one need, person, situation on your heart, He may lay dozens. You might want to write them down. I am finding that I need to write them down. Start to pray over these needs written in your journal. Ask God to remind you of them throughout the day. He will. Especially when you have that desire for that Mocha Cap, Sweet Iced Tea, Scoop of Ice Cream, that little piece of candy, etc. As you fast on that sugar, pray. When you put sweetener in your coffee, pray. As you prepare healthy foods for you and your family to eat, pray. You will be ministering to the Lord and you will see Him move.

What is included in the Sugar Fast?

Obviously-white sugar, refined sugar (that includes brown sugar. It is just white sugar with molasses added to it.)

Anything with sugar added to it.

White breads

White crackers and ... snacks. Yep. Full of white flour and yeast and sugar

Most cold cereals, especially those with the 2nd and 3rd ingredient listed "sugar" or "corn syrup" or "fruitose" or other fancy words for hidden sugars. Read the labels.

Anything with "..ose" tacked on the end of an ingredient they are mostly fancy words for hidden sugars. By the way, "Fat Free" items are full of "sugars".

Now your whole wheat breads and whole grain breads sold in the stores are cut with white flour. That is mostly what I purchase. It is better than the solid white bread. But if you want to be a purist go with pumpernickel bread. Sweet potatoes better than white potatoes. The occasional white potato is fine, just be careful of what you put on it. Same with sweet potato.

More on what you can eat:

Fresh Fruits and Veggies!

Fresh Frozen Fruits

Fresh Frozen Veggies

Meats

Eggs

Cheese

Milk & other Dairy

Whole Wheat and Whole grain products

Nuts

Brown Rice

Whole grain pasta

There is plenty out there to eat. Just read the labels! :-)

Love y'all!

Sugar Fast Scripture Theme: Acts 13:2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting , the Holy Spirit said , "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. "

I will also add honey to my tea. It does not seem to have the same effect as sugar.

Y'all are probably wondering...

2010-03-15T20:59:00.000-05:00

...where I have been? Well busy. And it seems like this blog attracts spam. From the first week this blog opened, from being emailed to doing product reviews for merchandise I consider being inappropriate, to spam posts for merchandise (script drugs to rolex watches), seems like we get hit several times a week to several times a day.

Are spammers the only people reading this blog?

Sorry if this post seems "down".

Are You Strapped For Time?

2009-07-13T00:20:00.003-05:00

Often times find yourself w/out enough time to exercise? I mean a good cardio workout. One that will make you sweat.

Jump. Yep, that's right. Jump! Jump rope, skip rope. To start out jump for 1-3 minutes then step touch for one minute. Then jump rope again.

Do you get the rope tangled up in your feet and ankles or does it hit your head a lot? Me too! So I cut off the rope and just hold the handles. :-) Hey, it works!!! 15-20 minutes later, you are done. You may need a shower, but you are done.

Warm up first. I do some calf raises, a few squats, quad, calf and ham stretches. To cool down, I walk around or step touch for a few minutes then stretch again.

Another fun thing to do is 'Skip it'. You can pick these things up in the summer activity toy section at Walmart. It is a flexible stick about a couple of feet long. There is a circle on one end that you slip your foot through and it gently stays around your ankle. The other end has a counter weight ball. Once you have the "Skip It" around your ankle, using your foot and ankle, you swing the ball around. With the 'free' foot you 'skip' over the flexible stick being brought around by the ball. Be sure to swap legs from time to time. This is really fun to do.

Two similar ways to get a wonderful cardio workout.

Blessings,
Missy

MSG, Migraines and General Health

2009-06-23T14:00:00.000-05:00

Other wise known as Monosodium Glutamate. I have discovered is one of the main triggers to my migraines.

I may or may not have shared with you before, but I have severe migraines. Ocular Migraines, Cluster Migraines, Sinus Headaches and Migraines that will last for days. An MRI showed I have something called White Matter Disorder. There is a lot of white matter around the grey matter in my brain. Neurologists know little about this other than the people who have this disorder have Migraines, motion sickness, occasionally being off balance and a few other things in all common.

I have found several triggers. Sun, can't do anything about that. Scents/smells, I try to limit my exposure to those. Stress will sometime bother me, but most of the time it does not. And of course, hormones. For Ocular Migraines the weather and barometric pressure plays a big part. Cannot control that. If I eat something with MSG, the weather changes causing an ocular headache or if there is any other type trigger with when I ingest MSG, I am in for days of a migraine.

I get warning auras, sometimes 24 hours in advance. This always helps and I can prepare myself.

I have been on a neuro medicine for 1 1/2 years as a preventive. My Neuro and I want to start tapering me off the medication. But since taking the meds, it has made a difference in the quality of my life. The script does not completely get rid of headaches, but they are less occurring and more manageable.

Months ago, I read an article in my AFAA (Aerobic Fitness Association of America) American Fitness magazine about MSG. The different ailments and woes that MSG can cause for those who are sensitive to it. And how it is in general unhealthy to most people. I started making an effort to read labels and exclude MSG in our diet.

Guess what? My headaches decreased! I would even get auras, an ocular head ache in one eye and it would move to the other eye and then it was gone.

In fact, when I took MSG out of our diet, I rarely needed more than an a couple of aspirin, if even that. In other words, my headaches were fewer and fewer, very mild and only lasted a few minutes. Many times, went away on their own. At first, I did not fully realize the decrease in migraines was because of taking MSG out of our diet. Then one day we went to one of our favorite deli's and I got my favorite deli sandwich in all the world. I had a 4 day migraine that started in the parking lot when leaving the deli. It was horrible!!!! The sandwich meats were full of MSG's and all kinds of sulfates.

Now my whole family read labels to help me out. My family love me so much. They do not want me to have these headaches. The ones that put me to bed and cause me to have an upset stomach. They will even speak up at a restaurant asking about MSG use in cooking the food if I do not.

My neurologist has decreased the dosage of my script by 50%. Even told me I can 'experiment' now if I want. I am on a safe dosage to do that.

Hidden MSG~
Reading labels is not enough. No it is not. FDA does not require products to list MSG on a package as MSG or Monosodumium Glutamate. A "Healthy Snack" will be full of hidden MSG. FDA allows manufactures to list the ingredients of MSG instead of MSG or Monosodumium Glutamate. Sun Chips is an example. There may be only one or two ingredients of MSG in the product, but if you are sensitive & allergic to it, you are still going to have a reaction.

Here are a few ingredients to look for in all lables:

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Hydrolyzed Protein: (plant, vegetable, any kind)
Sodium or Calcium Caseinate
Autolyzed Yeast, Yeast Extract
Yeast Food, Yeast Nutrient
Textured Protein
Glutamic Acid
Monopotassium Glutamate
Gelatin

I took the above off another MSG/Migraine Research site. I question the Gelatin. Some of the yeast I question as well. If you do a Google search, you will find different research papers. Most of them have at 6 of the above ingredients in common as hidden MSG triggers. Including "Healthy Snacks" and foods. I have found whey protein and wheat on lists as MSG ingredients and Migraine triggers. These do not seem to be an issue with me.

I have looked at other research concerning MSG and foods to avoid and it almost reads like it is for someone with celiac disease instead of an intolerance to MSG. I suppose to a degree, many people have to go by a trial and error.

MSG and ingredients that make up MSG are used in inexpensive foods to: preserve, enhance flavor, tenderize, etc. They are in all prepackaged bakery mixes, prepackaged foods, most canned meats and soups. Dales Steak Sauce (a southern delight) is full of it. :-( So are most package salad dressings.

How do you avoid MSG? Read labels. Eat fresh fruits and veggies. Never assume a 'Healthy Snack' is w/out the preservatives. Read the labels. Cook from scratch.

Here is a link to an interesting study that tells more about MSG and explains not only how it effects migraines, but other issues that people may suffer from, including obesity.

I hope that you will find it helpful. MSG & Migraines

God Bless. I hope that everyone is enjoying the summer!

Edited to add this.... MSG & Hypothyroidism. I just happen to be hypothyroid....

Boot Camp

2009-04-04T21:44:00.003-05:00

I was in a Boot Camp Certification Workshop all day today. It was really good. I was a little worried when I got the material a few months ago. But the certifying instructor was fantastic. She added so much more than what was in the material. This was the first time she has taught the certification course, but she has been teaching Boot Camp for a while and Kick Boxing for years. Really knew what she was doing, talking about, modifications, etc.

Occasionally I will sub a Boot Camp class so I needed the certification. But I really wanted the training to incorporate in the classes that I already teach to increase variety for the participants.

Has anyone tried The Firm Wave or T-Bow? Both look like a lot of fun, but pricey.

I have been terribly busy and have not been able to post as much as I would love to.

I hope that everyone is doing well, staying on track, staying focused to "finish the race." The Greeks and Romans loved sports for entertainment. Paul used many athletic metaphors in his letters. In his letters, he was encouraging the churches to steadfastly finish the race. Stay strong, discipline themselves like an athlete. The race is the task that God has for you, Christian, the task He has for you to do while on this earth. And that task will increase His Kingdom and Glorify Him.

What you do to make yourself healthier, should also be for the Glory of God. Without Him we can do nothing. Our strength and desire comes though Him!

Have a Blessed Lord's Day,
Love,
Melissa

Congratulations Nina!!!

2009-03-10T21:10:00.002-05:00

Nina has lost 15 lbs! And she is now working out at a gym.... Y'all have to go read about it on her blog. What an evangelistic opportunity for them! Pray for her and Michael as they serve the Lord in Portugal. God is good and His timing is perfect! Go read Nina's post today and Nina, congratulations!

Congratulations Dani Joy!

2009-03-08T14:07:00.006-05:00

I just want to take a moment to congratulate Dani Joy on losing 10 lbs! Yes! 10 lbs! She was faithful and committed. Made a plan, stuck to that plan. Asked God for strength. She follows this blog along with several others. She was "disciplined to finish the race..."

Congratulations Dani Joy! We are proud of you! Go by her blog and say "Hi"!

Love,
Melissa

More on Supplements

2009-02-18T13:53:00.003-06:00

There are two great supplements that everyone should keep and use on a regular basis. Both can be found at any health food store.

Barley Green- No special brand, just the kind with plain green powder made from pure barley grass. No additives. Some brands add kelp, rice, etc. You do not need all that. Just get the plain kind. Now it is not all that tasty. I mix a little with watered down organic or natural apple juice, hold my nose and swollow. A great nutrition supplememt and colon cleanser.
Refrigerated Multidolphilus- (I think I spelled that wrong) I use Solaray brand. This keeps the intestinal floral balanced. Increases your immune system, etc. It is like eating a ton of plain notfat yogurt without the bad taste.

There are different recommendations for these supplements. For the Multidolophilus, one in the morning and one in the evening on and empty stomach for 2-4 weeks. After that, one or two on an empty stomach once or twice a week is all you will need. BTW, you may catch a stomach virus, but will not be symptomatic. Just a tad gasy and a little temp. You are still contagious! According to my Doctor....

Barley Green needs to be taken once a day. Juicers like to mix it with their juice. I am not a juicer. You do have to build up to it. A 1/4 teaspoon for a few days and build up to a full dose. Otherwise it will clean you out very fast. You do not want that either! LOL!

Today's Tip:
Barley Green and Refridgerated Multidolophilus. Two great supplements for your immune system and overall health.

1 Cor 6:
19.Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own ?
20For you have been bought with a price : therefore glorify God in your body.

Our bodies are not our own, but God's. We need to take care of it as best as we can for His purpose for the time He has us remaining on earth.

God Bless,
Love,
Melissa

Supplements

2009-02-09T12:13:00.005-06:00

I bet everyone has been waiting with anticipation for this post! It seems like everyone wants me to endorse a magic pill that will make all the years of over eating and lack of exercise melt off of their bodies.

I am sorry. I do wish that there was one out there. There are a couple of great holistic supplements out there that work, but only if you are hypothyroid and still have at least part of your thyroid. People with a Hypothyroid condition have other chemical issues going on in their bodies. They can count every calorie, rarely eat sweets, fried foods, etc... Exercise and do everything right and at best maintain or worse gain. I know some who hardly have an appetite they have learned to eat so little. They simply have such a low metabolism. And... they are also on thyroid medications. They have learned to live with it and move on as a part of life.

Now, onto supplements, what this post is all about. :-)

I encourage a Multi Vitamin and Mineral every day. If you have had a Hysterectomy, make sure it is WITHOUT Iron. Also, if you are post menopausal, you may not need iron. Please check with your Dr.

If you are still having monthlies, you will need a Multi with Iron.

Whey Protein- While I am a carnivore, I cannot eat tons and tons of meat. B/c of weight lifting (I lift 12-30 lbs dumbbells in each hand) I need the extra complete protein. If you lift weights, you need the complete protein as well. You will not get the complete protein with a spoon full of peanut butter. I know, it tastes good, but it does not cut it and the calories are not a good trade off. I use Whey powder as a supplement. I can make a fruit smoothie, mix it with coffee, or just mix it with water, hold my nose and turn it up and drink it. I usually have one mid morning with a piece of fruit. The carbs & vitamin C in the fruit helps aid and speed the protein to the muscles. There is a delicious smoothie recipe in the archive sidebar as well.

Soy Protein- Because of thyroid issues, I cannot have soy. However, if you do not have any thyroid issues or family history of thyroid issues it is an excellent source of protein.

These supplements you can get at any health food store, drug store or online. At this time, I am not endorsing any particular brand or kind.

There are a lot of "Magic Pills" out there that will shrink your waist, get rid of cellulite, excess body fat, etc. No, I have not tried any of them. I do not believe in gimmicks. Only in discipline and some work. God did not design our bodies to be sedentary and to take in a lot of calories. He probably did not design them to take in the types of calories that you can purchase in today's supermarkets and restaurants either. He designed them for work and eating good healthy foods prepared as closely to the 'tree' or 'plant' as possible. That means raw to lightly steamed for fruits and veggies. And the Old Testament is full of instruction for preparing grains and meats. For meat, I think grilling is best with minimal seasoning.

Remember, God loves you and wants you strong and healthy to do the work He has for you to do. Let Him use you for His glory! and His honor!

Todays Tip:
Take a daily Multi Vitamin and Mineral Supplement.

* Ephesians 1:12-17 NAS
* In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation -having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
* who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
* For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,
* do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers ;
* that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

Rainbow of Colors

2009-01-27T17:37:00.002-06:00

Are you eating your "Rainbow of Colors"? I have posted about this before. But it is well worth posting about again.

The very easiest way to manage the way you eat is to manage your "colors".

An active female needs 5-7 servings of vegetables and fruits a day. Dark green veggies, orange veggies, fresh fruits. Limit your juices. I call them 'wasted calories'.

3-5 servings of whole grain foods. That is one slice of bread. 1/2 cup of cheerios, etc. Today's cereal bowls are huge, just a little at the bottom in all you need.

Dairy... you need 3 or so servings a day. Stick with fat free and lowfat milk, cottage cheese yogurt, etc.

Protein - meat, 3 servings a day, if you lift weights, more. Sometimes it is tough to get that much in. I suggest a whey protein powder that can be made into a shake as needed. I do not recommend a certain brand. I prefer one b/c I have become accustomed to the flavor.

Fats... olive oil, nuts (also a protein, but not a complete protein) fish these are your best sources for fats. Vegetable Oils, OK in very small quantities. Remember, calories from fats are still calories...

Drink water...H2O. In the Winter I will drink a minimum of 2 quarts a day. Plus any hot liquids. In the Spring and Summer I will drink 3-4 quarts a day. It is hot! Also, if you lift weights to help maintain your weight and you are eating a lot of protein, you need to drink a lot of water to process that protein. You do not want the protein to settle in the kidneys.

Today's Tip:
Use My Pyramid (link in the side bar) to help plan your menus, track your food intake, etc. This is a great tool and you tax $$$ at work!

Pilates

2009-01-22T08:24:00.005-06:00

Photographs of Joseph H. Pilates

A Younger Joseph Pilates. Photo taken sometime after he moved to the States.

Photo of Joseph H. Pilates taken sometime in the 50's. I think the color has been added. I have seen this same photo in B&W.
These photos were taken from various places on the internet. I do not believe anyone 'owns' them. Not sure.

I love Pilates. I am a Pilates Practitioner. (Take and pass my Diet and Nutrition test and I will be 'Master Practitioner'.) I do not teach it as much as I used to. In this area, it does not seem to be as popular as in other areas. Though, there is always a demand for the classes! People are always asking me to start the classes, etc. Beg for the classes, but 'life' seems to get in the way of regular attendance.

My solution is I incorporated Pilates in many of my regular classes. Most of the time participants do not know the difference. But the ones who want Pilates seem to be satisfied.

Joseph Pilates was not a healthy child. He had respiratory problems and rickets. I imagine him as a child who was the type if told, "you could never do that..." he would prove you wrong every time. He became an expert swimmer which increased his lung capacity. Joined the circus as a youth, learning gymnastics and acrobatics. By the time he was 14-16 years old, his legs were straight and body developed enough to model for medical drawings.

He was in the UK during WWI. Being German, he was sent to the Isle of Man to work. He became the head Physical Therapist in one of the wards at the Military Hospital. This is where he began to develop "Contrology" what we now call "Basic Pilates". He required everyone in the ward he was in charge of to do Contrology everyday. Employees and even patients, with help and as part of their physical therapy. Many had just been shot up on the war front.

By now, Pilates had studied yoga, swimming, gymnastics, some ballet, perhaps other forms of exercise as well, and he was incorporating what he believed to be the best of all of these disciplines in his physical therapy and exercise programs. And you know what? It was working! He had the fastest patient recuperation. Those who worked in his dept were also in fine health.

During WWI the Hospital was hit by the flu. Pilates ward was the only ward that did not lose a life to the influenza. Not even the patients who caught the flu. (They healed quickly like they only had a cold.) They say it was due to the 'Contrology' exercise they were required to do daily.

After the war, Pilates and his wife Sara, took a ship to the states and settled in New York where he opened a studio. He moved on to develop what we now call Pilates. He died in 1962 in his 80s. His studio had caught on fire. He had left a proto type of a new exercise invention and ran back inside the studio to get the prototype. The smoke overcame him.

In Pilates lifetime, he saw the industrial age take off. He saw poverty disappear. Jobs become more and more sedintary. I have two of his books and he states several times in those books, God did not make our bodies to sit all day at a desk, come home sit and read the newspaper or a book and then go to bed. And somewhere during that time, eat 3 large meals. What we now call Basic Pilates was designed for every individual to do everyday at home in the floor for about 20 minutes or more. So whether 20 or 70, you can get up and down off the floor to play games with your children and grand children.

Jennifer Kries (there is a link to her site in the sidebar) is one of the best instructors in the country. If you have not tried Pilates before I recommend her basic DVD. It is wonderful. She perfectly shows you how to execute the exercises. She takes you in babys steps and moves you up. She also shows modifications and encourages you along the way just as you should be encouraged in a class. Keep in mind, Jennifer has a wide range of motion. She was a Ballarina, and she is a yoga master. She will instruct you to only use your range of motion.

Todays Tip:
Libraries carry exercise tapes and DVD's. It is always a good idea to check one out to try out. If you do like the tape/dvd, then you can invest the money in it. If you do not like the tape/DVD, you can take it back, check out another you might like better. Either way, you have not invested money needlessly.

Have a blessed day
Love,
Melissa

About Sugars and Tummy Fat...

2009-01-19T20:19:00.010-06:00

...and fats in general.

You basically have 3 kinds of fats on your body:
visceral fat --edited to say, there is a photo here that ain't purty.
omentum/omental fat
subcutaneous fat

Visceral Fat is designed to protect the organs. You do not need much.

Omentum Fat is designed to feed you in times of famine. There are little aprons or sock looking things that hang from your stomach. During times of Harvest and Plenty they act as storage for your excess calories, fat and nutrients. During famine and stress your body will utilize this storage to feed your body.

Subcutaneous Fat is the fat you have between muscle and skin. Contains all your capillaries, nerve ending, etc. It is where you get your short term energy for activies, exercise, cleaning the house, etc.

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, we have not seen a time of true hardship and famine in this country in decades. People are slap out getting FAT! Lot's of 'Belly Fat'. I really do not think it is as much as we have food so plentiful as much as we have been raised by parents and grandparents who lived during 1-2 depressions. You ate every bite on your plate. {Were you told to eat everything on your plate?} The difference is, we are putting a lot more on our plates!!!!

Not only that, but the plates are Bigger!!!

I learned today that the plate on top is a very very old Blue Willow Stoneware plate. The plate below is my everyday stoneware. It is nearly 2 inches larger. Almost large enough to be a charger! Some years ago, plates started getting larger. Some dinner plates are larger than 12 inches!!!

As we continue to eat, the calories we do not need to sustain life is stored in the omentum which gets larger and larger and larger.... grows around the stomach the intestines, the heart the liver, the gallbladder, and really starts sticking out in front... Might look a lot like a baby or like someone is carrying twins! More fat calories are stored in the visceral fat cells causing them to grow larger and larger as well. This leads to obesity, type II diabetes, heart diease, GERD, etc.

Sugars and fats feed these. Cutting back on these (fruitrose, corn syrup, read your lables!) will really help the omentum and visceral fat cells get to a normal size. You will become healthier.

Cardio exercise daily and strength training 3-4 times a week will speed it up. Really work on getting your waist down.

Today's Tip:
Increase your Simple Sugars and Complex Carbs. This really helps to reve up the metabolism. Read your lables. Remember, to maintain-only eat as many calories as you burn. To lose weight-eat less calories than you burn. High Intensity Interval Training {HIIT} that I wrote about in my last post, is great for getting rid of that 'belly-fat'.

Romans 14:

16.Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil ;

17.for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

18.For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

19.So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

20.Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense.

21.It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.

22.The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

23.But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith ; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

Here Paul is talking about whether to eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols. We need to set an example to others what to eat, how to eat it. I am becoming increasingly careful of what and how much I eat especially when I am at church and around ladies who I teach and come to me for diet advice. I have to 'practice' or rather demonstrate what I preach. LOL!

Pray for me. I have having a hard time with my current Sugar Fast. It has been tough. I still have a week to go. I am hungry and tend to get week. I will continue to pray for you all who are fasting as well.

The Secret to Getting Rid of....

2009-01-16T04:00:00.003-06:00

.... that Belly Fat!!!

Yep. And it is no real secret. There is some work and discipline though. Even if you exercise a lot and not getting the results you want, there is more you can do. And GOOD NEWS!!! You do not have to do it for long.

First, before you 'try' anything, especially if you have attempted over and over to lose weight and get in shape, start with prayer. God loves you. You are His chosen. He does not 'need' us, He wants us. He wants us healthy for His will and His purpose. If God has placed a thorn in your side, such as he did with Paul, Peter, Moses, I can go on and on... He has done it for His Glory.

Cut back on starches. A few (3-5) servings of whole grains/potatoes a day max.

Eliminate sweets.... cookies, ice cream & fro yo (my weakness), etc.

Increase green veggies.

Avoid fast foods.

Avoid fried foods.

Avoid beverages (sweetened with artificial sweeteners or sugar) drink water instead. Unsweetened tea or coffee OK. Drink lots of water. H2O.

Increase your cardio. Utilize High Intensity Interval Training {HIIT} during your cardio sessions. Want the body fat to come off faster, switch to circuit. Lift weights during the 'recovery' time. (Only use weights 2 times a week.)

Enjoy a treat every couple of weeks until you lose the belly fat that you want to lose. (You do not want to feel too deprived, but pray and ask God to give your the perseverance to stick to your plan until you reach your goal.)

This plan works. And your tummy will melt away. Really melt away. (Other parts of you will as well!) You can make it fun. Add some variety and work toward a goal. And when that waist starts really shrinking, those clothes in the closet get too big, people ask what you have been doing... Tell you how great you look, you will not mind a bit that you have not had ice cream for a month.

Did I mention that you will feel great after the 5th day or so, really great! Make sure you increase your fruit intake. Eat a banana every day. If you do not bananas, find something high in potassium that you do like and eat one everyday.

I am being more and more convinced that God did not intend for our bodies to ingest white sugars. Every time I do the above, I see changes in my body, shrink in my waist. Other places as well. Usually lose a few lbs. I have thought about trying honey in my tea, and I might do that. If I do, I will report it.

There is no magic pill or potion. But the fantastic news is, you can do this. You can try this for two weeks. And you will find how easy it is to be successful.

In a few days, I will post the science behind this 'plan'.

Today's Tip:
Make prayer a part of your daily exercise routine. Pray for strength, will power, discipline and God's will in your life in this endeavor. He will want you to share your testimony and how He has helped you.
Start using High Intensity Interval Training in your exercise programs. It works!!!

Typical Daily Menu

2009-01-14T06:56:00.008-06:00

Though it has been requested, I knew that yesterday's post would not be exciting. You see, I do not cook with added calories, fats, etc. In fact it is plain common sense "Healthy Cooking" and if you have been reading "Ways to cook healthy...", "Ways to cook to lose weight...", it is nothing you have not read before. I do nothing different.

I think everyone is looking for the book, the advice, the blog with the person writing who will say, "Eat all these foods YOU LOVE, prepared the way YOU LIKE, drink all the cokes (beverages) YOU LIKE, take this little pill, drink this little juice everyday, do this mantra everyday, etc and the pounds will melt away.

Yes, that is what most people want to hear. I am often hired as a personal trainer and it is so disappointing to the ladies (who have obviously spent years of over eating and drinking everything they love & suddenly want their girlish figures back) find out I don't have that magic pill, drink or mantra.

I will say one thing-If you work out a lot, (and I mean a whole lot!) you can get away with more calories and more foods. (But it does not start out that way! It is only after years of consistent exercise!) There is one gal I know who has to eat a ton of food just to stay a size two. If she eats much less, she will look emaciated. And a 48-49 yo Nordic face does not look great emaciated. If I teach more than 8 classes in a week, I have to eat a ton of food. And it cannot be junk(Or I feel sick). I can eat some treats and yes I will have that much deserved heaping bowl of ice cream with hot fudge at the end of the week for a treat.

I used to exercise so that "I can eat all I want..." and "what I want..." Guess what, that caught up with me as well. Yes, I gained "muscle" weight, but not size. I probably gained body fat as well. I had a major abdominal surgery that kept me very sedentary for 6 weeks (dr released me to exercise after 8 weeks). I had turned into a piece of lard. And it was flabby lard. I could not fasten anything. And I could not do abs for 12 months post surgery!!! All I could do was low impact and some weights. It was like climbing uphill and not going anywhere. I had to really cut back on the calories. That is when "I exercise to eat all I want...." really caught up with me. I am sure most of you reading this have a similar story. But that should never be anyone's mentality about food. It is akin to 'Gluttony'.

Food is fuel for our bodies. We need to enjoy it. Make it pleasant. Make our meal times pleasant as well. Eat as families and friends. Set a beautiful tablescape. In the Bible food is nourishment, fellowship, feasts, rejoicing, sacrifice, offering, never just pure gluttony. And now that is my mentality. Fuel and fellowship. I have an aunt who has never been over weight. She puts it the best way. "I have always eaten to live, not lived to eat. " She has always managed her weight by her wardrobe. Exercises daily.

Now for a typical menu, and it does vary from day to day. Depending on what left overs I have or my schedule.

Upon getting up, I take a kelp Iodine tablet and drink 16 oz of water and wait an hour before I eat. I do not take any prescription thyroid meds. Not sure if I need to or not. (Need to schedule a check up! I mainly watch the hair loss. Right now, my hair is fine.)

Typical Weekday Breakfast
1/2 cup plain cheerios w/1/2cup low fat milk and sliced banana or other fruit in season. 2 cups of coffee with low fat milk. Sometimes another glass of water.
~OR~
3/4 cup of raisin brain with 1/2 cup lowfat milk, coffee, water...
~OR~
1/2 cup of rolled oats cooked as directed w/ sprinkle of salt, no butter. Small piece of fruit or berries in season. Coffee & water.

I cannot seem to eat those breakfasts that weightlifters and a lot of workout people eat. I got so sick doing that once. And a gal in one of my classes did throw up in one of my classes eating one of those breakfasts weightlifters are supposed to eat. You know, if I go jog or run as soon as I get up, all I need is a few sips of water and a few sips of coffee. I'm good.

I will drink and additional 1 quart of water during the morning time. Usually when I workout.

Mid Morning Snack
Protien Shake and a small piece of fruit
~Or~
Protien Smoothie I have made.

Lunch
Scrambled Egg sandwich & side of veggies
~Or~
Scrambled Egg, spinach, tomato, mushroom wrap
~Or~
Cottage Cheese & fruit or veggie & trisket
~Or~
Tuna salad sandwich or T salad with crackers and a side salad or a side of veggies or fruit
~Or~
Leftovers from the night before

I will drink another 1 quart of water during the afternoon.

Mid Afternoon Snack (I try to keep this one small b/c we will be eating in supper in 2-3 hours.)
This is usually quick as DD is coming home from school, I am getting supper started, etc.
Low-fat Cheese stick and fruit or veggie
~Or~
Sample of supper I am preparing with a small protein shake
~Or~
Leftovers if I have any from lunch. (Remember I have learned to eat to live, at this point, food is fuel for my body....)

~Or~

Just a glass of milk or some yogurt.

Supper
A lean Meat
Steamed Vegatable or salad
Patoto, rice or whole wheat pasta
16 oz of water

Sometimes we have homemade soup for supper.

Evening Snack
I rarely have one unless it is more junk related and I try to stick to that only on weekends.

A really good book, that is OOP (Out of Print) is The Hilton Head Metabolism Diet by Dr. Peter Miller. It is at least 30 years old. However, that book has great menus (if that is what you need) and recipes that are wonderful for anyone. I recomend them for a diebetic person, they are kosher, etc. Really good for getting you on a mind set if you are the type person who needs a menu with measured out foods. {Addendum~I just did a google. There have been revised additions. I found some upwards to $144??? HUH? What is that about? Oh well, the link above will take you to a place where you can purchase a copy for as little as 75 cents.) I think my copy was printed in the 70's. And it is not for sale. :D}

Todays Tip:
Utilize those leftovers in your lunches and snacks. It keeps them from being boring and keeps them from going to waste!

How I Prepare Foods

2009-01-13T07:07:00.007-06:00

I have been SPAMMED! Not once, but twice in one day! So now the moderator is on. Goodness, I have only been spammed once on my daily blog and it gets a lot of activity and that was recently as well.

Sorry about that ladies. The moderator is on now. There should be no more of that. Sad that we have to do that sort of thing. I knew I might have to one day, especially with this blog. Enough said.

One of this weeks posts was "How do I prepare my foods?" I encourage eating as much raw foods as possible, but I rarely do it myself. I have two non complex goiters on my remaining thyroid lobe. Veggies in the cabbage families, leafy greens, nuts, and soy are goiter creating foods. And in some populations prone to this condition of course this is hypothyroidism. I stay away from soy, which means I read labels on mixes, etc (there are soy fillers in everything!) , steam or cook all my veggies. Heating the veggies causes the chemical in the veggie to go dormant. I still eat my salads raw. I just do not eat a lot of raw salad anymore.

I use olive oil and real butter in very small quantities. Olive oil is an essential fatty acid. It is ok to have on a salad with a little vinegar great instead of dressing. And much better for you. Now DH and DD are using it instead of dressing, homemade or store bought.

A small slither of butter is all you need in steamed veggies to give it some flavor. I just like plain cinnamon and an 1/8" of butter on my sweet potato.

I cook a lot of soups in the winter. It can be White Chili, a Mexican Soup, Beef or Chicken Stew. Most of the time it has meat in it.

My breads are all whole wheat. My DD never ate white bread until she went to a friends house. Did not even know what it was. LOL! I also use whole wheat pastas.

Veggies are fresh, fresh frozen (frozen myself or if purchased, nothing added). If canned, canned myself. I only use store purchased canned goods as a last resort. (Oh, and Rotel.)

I like spicy foods and flavors. I encourage people to use them. Use herbs in your cooking. Enjoy the flavors. I like to use a mixed Greek seasoning, a Cajun season, Mexican and Tex Mex seasonings that are found in the spice section of the stores. I add these to veggies and meats.

Where I live, everyone grills year around. We grill our meat, slice it up for soups, salads, buffets, whatever. All meat is grilled. Grilling is lowfat. It is a 'good thing'. Grill when you can. Bake and broiling is OK too. You can boil as well.

Limit salt intake.

Tomorrow I will post a typical week day menu. It rarely changes from day to day during the week.

Tip of the day:
If you are starting a fast with food this week, you will need to increase calories some how. You may do that with an extra serving of fruit, vegetables, Reduced Fat Triskets (they are sugar free!), slice of whole wheat toast, rolled oats, be creative! You would be surprised at how many calories you are actually ingesting when you are nibbling on that cookie(s) in Bible Study, (I take a shaker with a protein mix and a small apple to my Bible Study and stay away from that refreshment table!). And we always have snacks in our Sunday School class and it meets at 10:45. We leave there and go straight to lunch. But if there are no snacks... In the defense, some couples, like us have been there since 8:00 AM.
I will close with this scripture...

Matthew 6:16 NAS
[Fasting; The True Treasure; Wealth (Mammon)] "Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

Carb Cycling

2009-01-12T17:00:00.003-06:00

Good Morning! I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend!

Almost all diets use some type or form of carb cycling. And if you have read much of this blog, you know that for me~diet~ is a four letter word.

Find out how much you have to eat to maintain your current size or weight. Remember it takes more food to eat healthy. And if you like to eat like I do, that is a "Good Thing!" If you need to lose a few ###'s just eat less! Plain and simple.

Always eat a protein with a carb. If you lift weights, make sure that protein is a complete protein.

Keep your servings small. No larger than your fist or the size of your palm. No thicker than a small deck of cards.

Carb Cycling is a method of eating your starches/complex carbs. In weight watchers it is called 'rocking points'. Body for Life and most body building/weightlifting programs use the 'treat day' or 'pig out day' or, depending on how much the person works out, eat anything you want all weekend long.

Bodybuilders use extreme carb cycling measures to prepare for competitions. This gives them that 'cut' appearance. Many actors and actresses will do this as well to prepare for a particular role where cut abs, arms or legs are needed. Extreme carb cycling is hard on the body and many written 'diets' use extreme carb cycling. And most of the weight is 'gained back' as soon as you stop the diet.

A very safe effective way to use carb cycling for weight loss is to eat your complex carbs & fruits by the noon meal (3rd meal of the day). By the time you have your afternoon snack meal, you need to protein and a non starch veggies. Same with supper and if you eat a 6th meal, protein and a non starch veggie.

Today's Tip:
Carb Cycling is a "Good Thing"! It will help you to reve up that metabolism. If your desire is to lose weight, your ###'s should start coming off.

Remember, the best measurment for your portions is your hand or fist. Isn't that great that God put YOUR measuring cup on YOUR body? If you are a 5 foot petite woman your fist and food intake will be different from a 6 foot 180 lb man. If you do a lot of exercising, weight-lifting, etc. , eat that 6th meal. Keep the meals small. Just a couple of items.

Oh, and make sure you drink plenty of water! H2O. Not just liquids, but WATER!

I am not a Doctor and this is in no way to be medical advice. If in a couple of weeks you are eating correctly, no sweets, no junk, food is cooked properly and you are not losing weight or are gaining weight, you need to see a Doctor and have a checkup. Make sure you have Thyroid levels checked as well. TSH, T4, T3, & T2. Also, if you appear to become weak or losing weight too fast or feel very very thirsty, again see your Doctor.

Blessings,
Melissa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh I forgot to mention, I turned 50 today and I can still do THIS!

Equipment & Shoes

2009-01-10T05:00:00.002-06:00

I want to encourage each and every one of you to invest in a good pair(s) of workout shoes. I have a pair for aerobics, a pair for running (I also prefer them for walking though they say you should use different shoes for walking), a pair for all terrain hiking/jogging. For spinning, I use a fitness/aerobic shoe, not a jogging shoe. Gives better support and I do not spin enough to justify purchasing biking or spinning shoes. So fitness/aerobic/crosstraining shoes are fine for spinning classes. The aerobic and jogging shoes I wear out fast and have to replace often.

I have seen people ruin their feet and knees trying to be frugal here. (I may step on some toes, but they drive expensive fancy late model cars, but will not invest an extra $20-$30 bucks in a shoe?) Sometimes frugality works for a fitness shoe, but rarely. And personally, when I blow out a pair of shoes, I feel it all the way up to my back when I land from a high impact move. I know it it time for new shoes!

I prefer New Balance (NAYY~no affiliation yada yada), but I prodinate and they make shoes specifically for that. If you have a high instep, they have a shoe for that, etc. A shoe for every activity, for every foot.

Be prepared to pay $$$. And to make them last longer, only wear them for the activity you purchased them for. Something I do is look for clearance and discontinued shoes. You can pay as little as 25-40 cents on the dollar if you are willing to take last year's style or a shoe that has been in the warehouse a couple of years.

The old blown out shoes? Keep them for running around, cleaning the house, working in the yard, etc. Usually they still look brand new, the insoles are blown out or compressed. The support no longer works for what you purchased them for. But for chores, yard work, etc., I hang on to them until they hurt my feet to wear them.

Today's Tip:
Bite the bullet and get the right shoe for the activity. Check out what the store or online store (Online is great if you have hard to fit narrow or wide feet) has on clearance and always check out the discontinued items. You can save big $$$$ on the discontinued items! Online stores will often have specials and free shipping.

Ecclesiastes 7:12 NAS For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.

God does not want us to be spend thrifts or spend what we do not have. At the same time, he wants us to use the knowledge we have to take care of our bodies and any aspect of our lives wisely. Workout shoes can be very expensive. Take care in what you select. Your feet are an extention of your knees and legs. All can be ruined because of the wrong shoe. If you need to be frugal somewhere else to save money for shoes, it is well worth it and your feet and knees will last you a long time.

God Bless You & Have a Great Weekend!
Love,
Melissa

Fasting

2009-01-09T05:00:00.001-06:00

Some of you may or may not know something about me, I like to sugar fast. I think fasting is healthy and God likes for us to fast. I also do not believe that he requires us to necessarily fast on food. It can be on anything in your life that is a sacrifice that will bring you closer to Him.

For me, sugar is a healthy fast and something I enjoy eating. My first sugar fast was last summer. It was 28 days long. I had a treat day on Sunday. By the 3 Sunday, I was becoming ill on 'treat day' and had to really go light. With my sugar fasts I give up anything white with the exception of white potatoes and egg whites and anything with sugar or breaks down into sugar easily. What I have taken away from it is I no longer drink sweet tea. Now for a southern girl, that is a big deal! I used to drink a glass with supper every night. I also do not eat a dish of frozen yogurt several times a week. That was a long fast. Several ladies joined me in the fast, but only one finished it with me.

My last fast was 2 weeks with no treats. I did eat white breads. I want to start another next week and it will be no white, but I might enjoy honey in hot tea, and that will be a maybe.

I do not do a sugar fast just to feel better and get healthier, I also use the time to reflect and pray. God uses this time to talk to me. And ladies He TALKS! Every time I feel the urge or craving for sugar, I begin to pray. I ask God what to pray for. And He will tell you! It is so amazing!

I want to encourage you to join me in a fast. You pick the vice. It might be soft drinks, tea, sugar, white foods, fried foods, meat, red meat, etc. (I am not saying meat is bad~Acts 10:15.The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." )~It might even be an activity. Pick something. Use that time for praying. We can chose collectively to pray for something specific or God may have already put something(s) specific on your heart to pray for.

Fasting helps you to focus. Fasting on sugar is a healthy fast. For those who exercise daily, lift weights, have health issues, I never encourage a total food fast. Of a fast of just drinking water or liquids. Too much can happen to your whole system in that 24 hour time. I think your are more effective to take a longer period and pick one thing or a food family.

Today's Tip:
Fasting-It is a good thing. I encourage Sugar Fast and I will list tips below. But you can pick anything, especially if you have never fasted before.
Speaking of benefits of Sugar Fasting here are a few that I have listed:

Lower blood sugars
Lose weight
Reduce insulin resistance
Reduce symptoms of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome-annoying & uncomfortable)
Improved endurance training and sports performance
Reduce heart disease
Lower lipids
Prevent diabetes
Prevent heart disease
Reduce hunger

I took the above right off of this web site that you can go to for more information - http://www.diabetes-blood-sugar-solutions.com/glycemicdiet.html and something I want to add from personal experience is

ADDED ENERGY!!!! - (My cardio class participants did not like this part-something about energizer bunny?????)

Days 3-5 you will feel zapped or tired. My friend Cindy had a headache for several days. But that will begin to improve on day 6. Day 7, you will feel great.

Blessings

Love,

Melissa

Weight-Lifting

2009-01-08T05:00:00.003-06:00

Is OK for women. And in older women, almost necessary. When I do or teach an Interval Step Circuit Workout, I use 10 - 15 lbs weights. (Dumbbells) When I weight lift, I pump (dumbbells/freeweights) 10 - 20 lbs for upper body and 15 - 35 lower body. Oh, BTW, that is in each hand. Not total weight, because I am using dumbbells. So my total weight would be anywhere from 20 lbs to 70 lbs. Machines using cable systems, I can usually pump a lot more b/c I have the assistance of the cables.

I genetically do not bulk up, so I do not have any fear of looking like "a man". I have some class participants who will 'bulk up' using the same weights I use, when that happens, we just lower the amount of weight that they are lifting. We want to look good, not be flabby or look like men.

Heavier weights combined with cardio will really burn off that fat. You do a cardio session for 3 minutes, working up to a 'puffiness', but can talk, then you stop, grab your weights and lift for 2 minutes. Quickly go back to cardio for 3 minutes. 1st minute steady, 2nd minute speed it up, 3rd minute work up to that 'puffiness', but can still talk. Grab your weights and lift for 2 minutes. You will sweat like a stuck pig. I only do this with step routines and upper body with the weights. I never work the lower body because of the blood pooling. And talk about endorphin high, it takes a max of 30 minutes for me to totally recover from this 1 hour class and I can go home and clean it from top to bottom. I try to not do it more than 2 times a week. Your body need a 48 hour break in between this class. However, I am conditioned and I have taught it 2 times in a day and 4 or 5 times in a week. I also developed a 'gaunt' look. It must be my age. LOL! Really do not think I lost any weight. My clothes got pretty loose for a couple of weeks. That was only temporary as I was subbing for instructors who were on vacations. And when you are almost 50 your skin reacts different to the loss of body fat. As soon as my teaching schedule slowed down and I went on vacation (others subbed for me.) But if you want a good steady weight loss, this is a good cardio weightlifting combination. On other days, do a favorite cardio for 30 mintues to an hours (3 other times) and one to two other times during the week, do a lower body workout with weights or pilates or something you like to do for stretching and toning.

What weights to lift? Let us say you are lifting 3 lb weights. Get a set of 5 lb weights, switch back and forth, building up to the 5lbs. When ever a weight begins to feel like a feather, it is time to move up. 8lbs, 10lbs, 12lbs, etc. You want to be able to fatigue without straining or hurting yourself.

Todays Tip:
Weights~Not just for men. For Women Too!!! I know that most of you post that you work out with weights or used to work out with weights regularly. You can train with weights about 3-4 times a week. 2 times upper body and 2 times lower body or 3 times full body work out and stay in great shape.

You will build muscle that will look smaller than fat (we all want to look smaller!)
You will build muscle that will burn more calories and fat revving up your metabolism
Weights and strength training creates a chemical in your body that lubricates your joints. (Exercise in general does this as well.) Many people have arthritis, but are not symptomatic or diagnosed with it until after a time of inactivity. As long as they exercise, their bodies are producing this chemical. When they stop, their bodies stop producing the chemical and the joints become stiff and sometimes will even swell. See how God has built us for activity!
Weight and Strength training increases bone density and deters bone density breakdown
Decreases endocrine gland issues. (Thyroid, Diabetes, etc.)

Make sure you take in an extra serving of a whey protein drink, tuna, some egg whites (with one yellow yoke for 4 whites) or something with a side of fruit for the vitamine C. You need it to build/rebuild your muscles.

God wants you to be strong and healthy! He designed us for work and play. For lifting for loving.
Y'all have a blessed day,
Love,
Melissa

Four Letter Dirty Word...

2009-01-07T05:00:00.002-06:00

...Diet!!!

You may or may not have noticed by now, I do not encourage menu diets. Calorie/fat gram/point counting or even weighing. I encourage eating sensibly and small portions. Diet is a four letter word in my house!!!

What does eating sensibly entail? Low fat? Yes! And that means no fried foods. Our bodies are not designed to metabolized it. Does that mean low sugar? Well, YES!!! The idea is to learn to eat healthy and sensibly. And that means low sugar and low fat and .... small portions.

Here is GOOD NEWS! You can have 5-6 meals a day!!! I eat about 5 times a day, especially the days I exercise lifting weights. The days I do not lift weights, I almost have to force the food and I would rather not eat than force the food.

I want you to learn a whole new mindset of eating and taking care of your body. It is easier once you have made the change. It is getting there that will take time. There will not be instant weight loss. Did it come upon your body overnight? Or did it take a couple of years? Losing a pound a month to a pound a week is OK. And guess what. When you lose a pound a month, you will lose weight that will not be coming back. :-)

The Diet and Nutrition Certification I am working on is based on the new Pyramid. Small portions, eating so many servings of grains, fruits, nuts, veggies, dairy, beans and meats a day.

(Image from www.mypyramid.gov)

This is the chart that is in all fitness certifications books/manuals, etc. Dr. Roisen (& Dr. Oz) has /have this in his/their book "You On A Diet" (Very good book BTW) Waist Management.

(Image from www.mypyramid.gov)

This chart is a break down based on a 2000 calorie diet. That is if you count calories. BTW, 2000 calories a day for a woman my age, even as active as I am, is way too many calories on a daily bases. (But I do have a tad bit of a Thyroid issue. I will address glands and health in a different post. This post is about diet. :D) A woman 5-5'2" needs about 1800 calories a day to maintain. With regular exercise, increase those calories 2-3 days a week, depending on how those pants fit. And if you follow this Pyramid, you are eating all day long to get all those calories in. And you feel full!
If you want to see/print out a chart specifically for your calorie level click HERE and select the calorie level that you desire, a chart will come up that you can print out.

For food tracking worksheets, click HERE and again, select the daily calorie intake, and a food tracking worksheet, that you can print, will pop up.

Eventually you will get away from the worksheets and the calorie counting. You will stop weighing yourself. A 3-4 oz piece of lean meat and 8 asparagus spears will be your supper polished off with a glass of water or cup of tea or coffee. And you will be satisfied. You will eat a small salad or a tomato and some cottage cheese for a bed time snack, that is if you are hungry before going to bed.

You will start changing the way you eat. These ways will become habits and if you veer off, you will feel sick. Your scale will be a pair of fitted pants hanging in your closet. And you will forget about that scale you weigh on. You will climb onto it from time to time, and I want you to! I want you to take measurements too! I want you to see how successful you are.

Oh, and if those pants get too big, go buy another pair. Or you can do like me. I have a couple of pair from before married life and a couple of pair from college. I can wear one from before married life. PRAISE THE LORD!!! College, still working on it. ;-)

Today's Tip
Take advantage of the charts and the Food Pyramid. Your Tax $$$ have paid for it and I think it is a pretty good one. The only thing I do differently and advise differently is, if you lift weights you need about 15-26 more grams of complete protein a day. I get mine from a protein shake that is about 25 grams and less than 200 calories. I have grown accustomed to the taste. Make sure you eat a piece of fruit with it. Small apple, 1/2 banana, whatever you have on hand. Vitamin C helps process the protein and get it where it needs to be.

Blessings, and remember, where ever you are in this journey, God is with you to help you. I am too! Other ladies who have posted to the comment section are here for you as well.

Love,
Melissa

Gluttony!

2009-01-06T05:00:00.002-06:00

Oh yes, today's post is about gluttony! As I mentioned in yesterday's post, food is more prevalent here in this country than ever before. There has not been a time of famine in decades. Since I was in high school, there have been "All you can eat buffets". How many of you ever ate at them? How many of you still do? Even portion sizes at restaurants have gotten huge! Are you cleaning your plate? Are you eating those portions at home as well?

The Scripture and Lexion below is taken from Crosswalk Bible Study Tools.

Here are some scriptures that refers to gluttony:

Deuteronomy 21:20 KJV
And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious , he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton , and a drunkard .

Deuteronomy 21:20 KJVA
And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious , he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton , and a drunkard .

Deuteronomy 21:20 NAS
"They shall say to the elders of his city, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.'

Proverbs 23:21 KJV
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty : and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Proverbs 23:21 KJVA
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty : and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Proverbs 23:21 NAS
For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

Hummmmm..... Now I am not saying we are gluttons. I could easily become one. (And I might be one in other areas of my life. I might need to examine that.) But our bodies are made for grazing and periods of feast & famine. Did you notice how gluttony was paired with a drinker and a stubborn or disobedient person? I looked up the Hebrew word for "drowsiness" (Prov 23:21) It means ~ drowsiness, somnolence, indolence. (Sleepy & Lazy! Not good! When I eat too much, I get really sleepy and do not want to do anything. So there must be something to that.)

Here is more from Proverbs 23

1.When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you,

2.and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.

3.Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive. (Remember CS Lewis "The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe"? Poor Peter wanted all those Turkish Delights the wicked White Witch was giving him.... Lewis really had this chapter in mind when he wrote that section.)

4.Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.

5.Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

6.Do not eat the food of a stingy man, do not crave his delicacies;

7.for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

8.You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments. (I would say Peter wasted his compliments to the White witch in the "Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe")

I am not going to go Precept here. It would take days. Instead, let us apply it to us~Be careful who we dine with and what we dine on. (Just as we need to be careful as to who we go in business with, or get married to, etc.) And gluttony is not just on food. It can lie anywhere in our lives.

BTW~Veering a tad off topic~did you know that gout is a rich man's disease? Or at least used to be. At one time, only the wealthy could afford the rich foods that, eaten on a consistent basis, cause gout and liver disease. Now, in the US, gout is very common, even amongst the low income and poor.

If you have fallen to the sin of gluttony, confess it and ask God's forgiveness. He loves you and wants you healthy and well. If you have the sin of gluttony in your life (and it does not have to be food, it can be anything that is excessive ~ even blogging! ~ YIKES!!! ~ Did I step on some toes there? I did mine!) Confess it, ask for forgiveness and move on.

Tip for Today:
When you dine out, share a meal. DH and I always share a meal together. If I happen to go out with friends and no one wants to share a meal, I only eat 1/2 of the meal and take the rest home to eat at a later meal. Restaurants serve entirely too much food on the plates, etc. Stay away from all you can eat buffets. The mentality is 'eat enough to get your money's worth...' You will way over eat in those places.

Have a blessed day everyone!
Love,
Melissa

Time to Commit!

2009-01-05T05:00:00.003-06:00

Good Morning Ladies!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful and blessed LORD's Day.

I hope that you have gotten all those Holiday Goodies out of your house and did your weigh - in, measurements, etc. If not, today is a good day to start!

Throwing away the excess goodies and doing that weigh in is making a commitment. A commitment to yourself and to making a change. Only you can do that. God can help you, if you will let Him, but again, it is your choice. And YOU CAN DO IT!

Today's Tip:

Soft drinks... How many of you drink soft drinks? Down here in the deep south they are called cokes. Coke is generic for soft drink or pop. Now what I am about to say most people do not agree with, but 99.9% of personal trainers and fitness instructors across the board all agree with this (remember, we train people, keep logs, food and drink journals, etc. We have facts! Even some Doctors like to disagree with us on this, but I think it is b/c it is bad for their business...) Replace your cokes with water. Even your diet cokes with water. Tea and coffee are OK. Learn to drink them without sugar or sweeter. If you have to have some sweet in your coffee or tea, use honey. It is best to learn to drink it w/out any sweet. And you can do it. Low fat milk is OK.
Replace the soft drinks with water. Some people do not like water, but you really need water. Not flavored watered, just plain water. Nothing added. Fruit 2o and stuff like that have additives. They all have unnecessary chemicals. If you have to have a coke, glass of sweet tea, lemonade, make it a treat once or twice a month and make it the real thing. Something you can enjoy.

There is a gal who I have taught and trained with who loves diet coke. Drinks several a day. Knows she shouldn't, but does anyway. Well, she took herself off of them for a month 'just to see' and replaced them with water. She did not change anything else in her diet. The lady lost 7 lbs!!! 7lbs!!! She went back to the diet drinks and the 7lbs came back on. So there is something to it. I can tell you tons of stories like that, but it would take days of typing. :D

Get at least 20 minutes of Cardio in today. I am teaching 2 classes this morning so I know I will be getting my cardio in and my weightlifting.

God Bless You Ladies!
Love,
Melissa

Weighing in? Oh No!

2009-01-03T08:15:00.005-06:00

Good morning everyone! This is the day that the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

How did you do with yesterdays Tip? If you are just joining us, you may want to scroll down to yesterday's post and check it out.

Today I have a task for you. I want you to weigh and take measurements. You are probably thinking "Oh No!". It is not going to be that bad. I want you to record you weight & measurements on a piece of paper with today's date.

I also want you to go thru your closet and pick out an outfit (with pants) that fits. Not too lose, not skin tight, snug is OK. Now, take a photo of yourself in the mirror or get someone to take a photo of you. Print it out, write today's date on the back, staple it to the paper that has your weight and measurements recorded on it. Put all that away in a drawer somewhere. Make sure you can find it a few months from now. :-D And forget about it. Forget about the scale. The scale is your enemy. Those pants in that outfit are going to be your guideline for now on. When they get too big, buy a smaller pair and they will begin to be your guideline.

I want you to get away from thinking about the scale and your identity with the scale. We focus too much on the scale. Some of you may want to post your photo. Feel free to do that. If you want me to set up a Mr. Linky, I will be glad to do that as well. Remember this is a public forum. A Christian Forum and remember Who we represent. And I ask that you respect that.

We all need to get out of the habit of weighing everyday and start using our clothing as a guidline. Oh think of the money we will save!

Tip of the day:

Start decreasing your portions. I am going to do a post on plates thru the decades and combine it with a Blue Monday post in a couple of weeks. You are going to be shocked!!!

A portion size is no bigger than the size of your fist or the palm of your hand. No seconds. Just two items, always a complete protein and a carb. (I will go into more detail about how to cycle carbs in later posts).

While in the Garden of Eden, everything was plentiful and our bodies were meant for grazing. After the fall of man, our bodies became adujusted to feast and famine. In this country, there has not been true famine in decades. Almost a century. We need to adjust our eating habits and not eat just b/c there is food available. My mom grew up on a farm. Everyone worked hard and food was always plentiful. No one went hungry. People loved to work for them b/c they knew they could take food home to feed their families. But they always had well balanced meals, light suppers or even snacks. Baked items and sweets were only for special occasions and Sunday when there was company coming. We have sweets everyday now. Give them to our children and wonder why they are obese and have dibetes. My mom was born during a depression and was a youth during the 40's.

Today I want you to exercise. Walk, work out to an exercise tape, do some ab crunches and a start working on a plank. I need to find a photo of a plank....

I got this photo off of Sparkpeople.....

Anytime you do crunches you need to roll over an do a plank. If you have never done planks before, you may start on your knees for beginning position. You will want to hold the plank for at least 10-15 seconds (sorry I originally posted minutes, I meant to put seconds) to begin with. You goal is to work up to a full 60 seconds. Navel is pulled to the spine. Back is flat and in neutral position. Head follows the the straight line of the back. Once you have mastered 60 seconds on you knees, then shift to doing a portion of your plank to your toes. I also want to add, that when you finish you will need to go into child's pose in order to stretch out your back.

This is an important exercise for the back, the pelvic floor and the abdominal cavity.

Have a blessed weekend everyone. God loves you and wants you healthy and well! I will see you Monday!
Love,
Melissa

What Tempts You?

2009-01-02T10:21:00.006-06:00

Ladies God love you. He wants you healthy and strong to do His will, His work and to serve Him. I want you to start this journey of changing how you eat, exercise and treat your body by praying. Ask Him to give you the strength and courage to persevere and finish the race. He never promised us life would be perfect or a rose garden. But to do the best with the tools and knowledge He has given us.

Your service to Him might be keeping your home clean, taking care of your family and being service to your community and Church. He may have you in service as a CEO of a large company, being of service to your community and Church. Both jobs are important. If He has allowed a thorn in your side, remember, it is for Him and His Glory. Ask Him for Grace to deal with it and keep moving. Sometimes I feel like I have several thorns, my most trouble some are migraines.

Today, pray specifically for God to help you with your stumbling blocks. Those food temptations you have when you are in situations you cannot control.

Is there something in your house that is a stumbling block to you? Will it tempt you? "But I have to keep something in the house for my Husband to snack on." "My Kids need them to snack in the afternoon." Good point! Why can't they eat the same healthy foods that you eat? I feel like your house is something YOU can control.

If something is in the house that tempts you, get it OUT! If it is a stumbling block FLEE! Well, don't flee from your house, just don't bring it in. Your family cares about you and your health, they will understand.

Today's tip:
Get rid of all those temptations in your house. Now some of you may still have company, kids have not gone back to school, football playoff parties. We have all that going on here ~Roll Tide Roll~ , but get your plan together and a day set to have all those tempting goodies out of the house.

Another option is, have a place to store the tempting foods and you never go there. It is off limits to you. Your family cannot eat it in front of you. REMEMBER, YOUR FAMILY HAS TO BE ON BOARD WITH YOU ON THIS! THEY HAVE TO BE SUPPORTIVE! If at anytime, you fall into temptation, these items must leave the house.

My Sweet DH understands this. My skinny mini, solid muscle DD understands this. We made cookies a couple of times during the holidays. She knows they will be going into the trash in the next few days. I feel badly that we have so few memories of us baking and cooking like that. It happens once a year. And she looks forward to it. She may be a skinny mini, solid muscle b/c she rarely eats junk. She wants a snack, yogurt, apples, veggies... She also eats a lot and it does not ruin supper. She does not have that fluffy chunkiness a lot of the other kids have. And she does eat some junk. We have treats once a week or so. I will save that for a later post.

Work on a plan for today's tip. Flee from the temptation. For me, cookies, candy, chips and dip. For you, it might be something else. But what ever it is-GET IT OUT OF THE HOUSE! And ask God to help you when you are in uncontrollable stumbling block situations.

Just Like I Promised...

2008-12-30T23:25:00.007-06:00

Welcome to the Health and Fitness Blog! If you are coming here from "Little Things in Life" As promised... Here is a photo of me doing a back bend. DD took this of me yesterday. And boy do I look like I have been a Miss Piggy the past month!!! It comes off fast when I get back on my routines.

Yep, I will be 50 in 17(?) days and I can still do a back bend. It is all of God.
I could not do any of this stuff myself!

I started this back bend from the floor. I do not do them from standing positions. Now for my DISCLAIMER & WARNING... I am a fit person. I am very flexible. I did this as a youth. Your muscles have a memory. If you did a back bend as a youth, chances are, with some exercise and a little work, you will be able to do this as well. Your arms and shoulders must be strong enough to hold up your body. Also, a good strong back is a must. In other words... DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. :-)

A Swiss Ball is great to start out on. It supports your body, stretches the abs. Most people cannot get the extension you see me doing here. I love doing this stretch after doing a routine of what my class participants call 'Nauseous Abs'.

Please scroll down to the previous post and share your 2009 Lifestyle/Fitness/Diet goals. There is a poll in the left side bar I would like you to participate in as well.

Have a Blessed Day... And New Year!
Melissa

Setting Your New Year's Goals

2008-12-29T07:00:00.007-06:00

Before we look at setting those goals, let us first look at the two Healthy Food Choices I-Q Questions I asked on Saturday.

Butter or Margarine (Or other butter type substitute)?

Eggs or Egg Beaters (egg whites or egg white substitutes.)

As Geri posted in the commit section, the answer to the first question is "Butter"! Are you surprised? Our bodies can metabolize butter. It cannot metabolize margarine or other butter type substitutes. And becomes what we now call 'trans-fats'. That being said, we need to use butter wisely, not a whole stick when a little dab will do. Learn to eat your bread and potatoes without butter. That is better for you in the long run.

Certainly Eggs (whole eggs or fresh egg whites) instead of Egg Beaters or Egg White Substitutes. I have to have yellow in my eggs (I am guilty of buying Egg Beaters...) and a good alternative is to have one egg yoke to every 4 egg whites. Gives a little 'yellow' to your eggs.

Whole eggs get a bad rap! There are Omega 3's in the yoke. It is OK to eat the yoke. I am a weight lifter and have to eat a good deal of protein to repair/build muscle. 4 egg yokes is too much fat, but one yoke w/ 4 whites is just what I need. Add some tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms... oh yum! What a meal! A dish of fruit on the side.

Another thing I will do with eggs... I will boil 6-12 and they will keep up to a week in the fridge, if they last that long. Of course, they never do at my house. Great for a quick healthy snack, lunch boxes, salad toppings, etc.

It is time for you to set those goals and make a plan!
What "Healthy Changes" do you want to make this year. I like to encourage people to set goals to change dress sizes and not weight loss. Your goal should be to lose inches and exercise 'x' times a week. The weight will come off as a side effect of living a healthier lifestyle.

During the next couple of days, post what goals you would like to set for yourself. Include any questions you might have as well. We can discuss them in the next few days.

A Couple of Healthy Food Choice I-Q Questions

2008-12-27T11:06:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned in my Little Things in Life Blog, I am firing this baby back up. Sorry I have neglected this blog.

I have a question for you. Just to test your I-Q about what foods/seasonings are healthier choices for eating and cooking.

Butter or Margarine (Or other butter type substitute)?

Eggs or Egg Beaters (egg whites or egg white substitutes.)

Post your answers, questions or suppositions and I will post back on Monday!

Have a great weekend and remember to do something fun and active!

Fast

2008-10-10T15:42:00.001-05:00

My sugar fast has ended. Is anyone still on theirs? How are you doing?

Looking forward to doing another one in a month or so. God works on my prayer life every time I do a fast.

Do you exercise? Since I am a fitness instructor, my answer is 'yes'. If so, how many times do you exercise in a week?

I have a poll going in the side bar for you to vote.

Have a good weekend!

2008-10-02T08:20:00.001-05:00

Debbie emailed this prayer request to me earlier to today. Many of you (church people) may have gotten it.

Good Morning! THIS is the day that the Lord has made. We WILL rejoice and be glad IN it. I read an article yesterday asking the questions – should Christians be involved in politics?, should Christians discuss politics with friends? I guess everyone has their own opinion on that… hopefully mine doesn’t bother you!

Tonight Sarah Palin has her debate with Joe Biden. The debate moderator, Gwen Ifill, is an open supporter of Obama and in fact has written a book and has set her release date for her book the day Obama is inaugurated. (She will sell millions if he wins and make almost nothing if he does not!)

Anyway, I am asking for us, as a group of women, to set aside time today to pray for this debate tonight. I want it to be a fair, not one sided debate. I have heard that the main goal will be to make Palin look as stupid and uneducated as possible. They want to trip her up in her words. Please pray with me today. I think this is so important. Let’s pray that the truth will shine through. That America will not be fooled. Pray for Palin to have peace, wisdom, a calm spirit. Pray that Christ would choose her words! Whatever else God puts on your heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2008-10-02T00:23:00.000-05:00

I got this in an email earlier today. Please feel free to copy it, post it to your blog, email it to anyone you want to, etc.

Dave has some specific prayer recommendations here.

I just heard on the news that the bill passed in the Senate. It goes back into the House on Friday. We need to continue to pray for all the Congress men and women.

We are at a crucial time in our country's financial history. Congress defeated the $700 billion bailout plan on Monday. However, they are revising it and trying to push it through again. I'm supporting an alternative plan that will keep our nation from going even deeper in debt, and I've been on TV and radio all week telling people about it.

We need everyone's help!

Follow the instructions below. Together we can change history.

Pray for them to resist a spirit of FEAR and to embrace WISDOM. Even if you don't like them or agree with them, pray for them and tell them you are praying for them. There is a spirit over this problem that must be broken. Also, most of the media personalities are afraid as well and that is affecting their reporting. Pray for fear to be removed from them; they are making this worse.

Send The Common Sense Fix to your Representatives and Senators and tell them how you expect them to vote, and that if they put this nation in $700 billion of debt, that you will vote them out. It's their job to listen to us! (Whichever presidential candidate or political party that champions this plan from their leadership down will likely become the next president. That is because this plan fixes the crisis while going along with the wishes of the vast majority of Americans.)

First, read this page (PDF)
Next, copy the info on this page (text file)
Send it to your Senators and representatives by copying and pasting the text in the web form you're sent to.

*Note: If their websites are down, that means we're making a difference! Keep refreshing the page until you get through. You can also go through Congress.org, though we don't endorse this site.

Forward this email to everyone in your address book and tell them to urgently follow these 3 steps TODAY. The more people we have supporting this and contacting their elected leaders, the more likely we can turn our economy around!

Get a list of Dave's media appearances this week.

Update your email preferences.

Prayer Fast

2008-10-01T10:38:00.000-05:00

Please take a moment to post what day you are on of your fast. Remember, God will move when we fast and we pray. He is reminding me minute by minute, moment by moment.

I was walking down the isles of Publix Monday, as I looked at merchandise, and began to salivate, desire the taste of some of the sweets, God began to place specific names of our leaders (most I usually cannot remember!) on my heart. Ladies, that has never happened to me before. Never!

It has made realize the importance to pray specifically, because these ladies and gentlemen have very important decisions to make. The right decision can make us, the wrong one can break us. But we do need to be fixed. But an instant fix is not the solution. I hope they will have the wisdom to see that.

Acts 13:2 NIV
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Acts 14:23 NIV
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

When we combine fasting and praying, it helps us to focus on God and the needs of others. Just like in the early church. When they sought God's guidance, they would fast and pray in order to focus. God hears us when we fast and pray.

Fasting can be on anything. Food, TV, Computer... blogging (gasp!)!

This is a 14 day fast. Most of us are doing a sugar fast. It is a 'healthy' fast and one that really brings everything into prospective, at least for me. You can do it on different levels. You may start it at anytime. And remember, no treat days. It is only for 14 days. 2 weeks. Jesus died on the cross for us. We can go 2 weeks without sugar.

If you feel lead, please post how many days you have been on your sugar fast.

BTW, you do not need to register with blogger in order to post to this blog. But please, sign your name (first name only, if you are from church, we know who you are.) And take a moment to share how God is using the fast to lead you to pray.

How is Everyone Doing?

2008-09-29T14:38:00.000-05:00

On the Sugar Fast that is. I can feel it today. I tend to become more sore for some reason. You may as well. I believe it has something to do with toxins leaving the body.

Remember to drink more water, increase carb intake. There are a lot of empty calories in sugar. You do not need to replace all of them, but you do need to eat extra piece of fruit and some extra grain. Maybe a spoon full of peanut butter.

Today I am dragging, I could tell that Cindy was dragging a tad this morning as well. We will be better tomorrow as our bodies adjust. Yours will as well. Then you will have more energy.

Remember to read labels on the boxes!

And... Pray for our Leaders, Country, Economy, Election, Citizens, Soldiers and that God will give us Wisdom.

Sugar Fast & Pray

2008-09-25T14:16:00.000-05:00

Sugar Fast

We (members of today's group fitness class) are beginning a 2 week sugar fast. We are doing this to remind us to pray for our upcoming election, country, gvt. leaders, economy, neighbors and friends. Anyone is welcome to join us in this sugar fast.

You do not have to start tomorrow, you may start anytime between now and Monday. We are only doing this one for 2 weeks (14 days) with no treat days.

Those participating may chose different levels. Some may just want to cut out white sugar and anything containing white sugar and that be it. You make your own choice of the level that you fast.

Remember that you will need to increase your calories. Simple and Complex carbs are the best and healthiest way. I usually increase my fruit intake. And eat an extra serving of wheat bread or oatmeal.

If you would like to read more on Sugar Fasts, you may scroll down the left hand column of this blog and look under ~Labels~ . There you may click on *Sugar Fast* and it will take you to all the posts on this blog concerning sugar fasts.

Remember, every time you feel the urge to eat something sweet.... Perhaps I should word it this way, every time you deny yourself the pleasure on the lips & the tongue of the sweetness of the sugar, let that be a reminder to pray. That is what God wants us to do when we fast. It is denying ourselves and putting Him and the needs of others first. Right now our country needs our prayers. And I am using the fast to remind me to continually pray for my country. (Not that I continually eat sugar all the time, but you know what I mean.)

Thank you for joining me in this!

Interval Step Circuit

Something I keep intending to mention in class is, y'all need to make sure you eat an extra 3-4 oz of lean protein with a good veggie and or a fruit serving (something hi in vitamin C) especially on days you take this class. And you really need to get that protein in you pretty soon after the class.

Be careful to not give into hunger and eat everything that does not eat you first. That can be very tempting with this kind of workout. The Thurs workout is not near as bad as a full hour. You do not want to defeat the purpose of what you are in there for.

The protein feeds and repairs the muscles. Also helps you to feel satisfied. The vitamin C carries the protein to the muscles and the veggies get the other vitamins and minerals that you need to the muscles.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Do You Find Yourself Sitting For Long Periods?

2008-08-27T22:34:00.000-05:00

Perhaps at a desk, bookkeeping, photo editing, blogging..... You really need to consider what you are doing to your core. What I am about to suggest might not go with every decor. (See how well it goes with mine? And no, I am not painting my oak office armoir. I think it looks fine like it is.) But it is great for core strength building while sitting for long periods. Will also encourage good posture. And if you need a break, you can even stop for a few exercises. :-)

I love my ball. You can get them for 10-20 bucks anywhere. This one came from Walmart for 10. I used our black & decker air compresser to add air to it. I had one from a yoga or pilates kit once. It never held air. This one does. When I am not using it, I keep a Pilates Magic Ring under it to keep it from rolling all over the place. That is 15-25 bucks. You might can find one at a yard sale of thrift store. I would buy the ball new.

It will take practice to maintain balance on the ball for long periods. At first, you may even be sore if you spend a lot of time using it as a chair at your desk. But it will pay off. You back will stop bothering you, you will sit correctly, it tones the buns, you have to keep the core erect and engaged in an isometric contraction. And you will find yourself rolling back and forth on your heels... It does become very comfortable.

I will get my DH to take photos of me using the ball as a chair while working at my desk this weekend.

Have a Wonderful and Blessed Day!

Protein

2008-08-26T21:27:00.000-05:00

I have had a couple of people recently post who are vegans or 'almost' vegetarians.

A Vegan eats no product that comes from a being with a face.

A Vegetarian will often eat dairy products.

An "Almost" Vegetarian usually is someone who has access to and likes a lot of fruits and veggies. Will eat some meats on occasion. Usually refrains from red meat and pork or will only eat meat.

I am a carnivore. I lift weights, I have to have a complete protein. I like meat. I limit red meat to no more than once a week, sometimes less. I rarely eat pork of any kind.

If you do a lot of weight lifting, you need protein to repair/build muscles (depending on which theory you follow). Rice and beans just will not do it for me. I am hypothyroid and have had part of my thyroid removed. Soy and soy products are out of the question for me. (And if you have thyroid issues, you need to limit your soy intake as well.)

Whey is a great protein supplement. I look for 100% Whey and it is hard to find. Almost every product has additives, a tad of soy added (sometimes listed as vegetable protein-read your lables and be careful!) There are many brands out there. All are good. I just prefer the kind with less ingredients.

On days that you lift weights (and even on days of rest) you need an additional 20-26 additional grams of protein. That is about 3-4 oz of fish or a lean chicken breast. Or a serving of Whey Protein. Could also be about 4-5 egg whites. It is a good source of protein.

If you are trying to lose weight, avoid the protein bars. They are full of calories. And.... high in sugar.

Have a great day everyone!

BTW, I believe National Bodybuilding Champion, Kelley Nelson, is a Vegan. To read more on Kelley, click here.

Spot Reducing

2008-08-18T13:31:00.003-05:00

Many people are are asking me, "How do I lose my stomach fat?", "How do I lose the fat in my hips?" etc. Well, spot reducing is a myth. You lose fat when you lose fat. And it comes off where your body decides to pull it from. (There is really a lot more to it than that, but I do not have time to go into all that right now and that really starts going into courses, certifications, etc.)

Now you can "Spot Tone", but I will get to that at another time.

There are several things you must do to lose fat. Eat less calories than you burn. And I am talking about eating good quality calories. Not cookies and ice cream.

Portion sizes in this country have gotten way out of hand. A portion size is no larger than the palm of your hand. If your portions are larger than that, you are eating too much.

Always eat a complete protein with your carbohydrate. Eat 5 - 6 small meals a day. The protein shake I have posted in an older post can count as one of those meals.

Avoid white stuff! White sugar, white bread, anything made with white flour. Sugar and bread will put that belly fat on fast! And it does not want to come off.

White potatoes are OK. They are healthy for you as long as you eat them baked or prepared in a healthy way.

Avoid soft drinks. Even diet ones. Think about it. How many skinny people do you see walking around with a diet coke in their hands? I think I have seen one and she had a cigarette in the other.... As a personal trainer and diet consultant, I will take a client off of diet drinks. Allow them one regular coke over a 1 month period as a 'treat' (just one). Replace those diet cokes with water. Not do anything else to their diet and they will lose 7 lbs in 2 weeks. There is something about that stuff that makes people retain or something. I saw one gal drop a whole dress size.

Try a 2 week sugar fast and see the difference. You can do without anything for 2 weeks.

Another thing to do to lose 'fat' is a good cardio workout. It can be spinning, running, power walking, boot camp, circuit (my personal favorite), and make sure you add strength training 3-4 times a week to take care of that 'spot toning'.

Since I teach such a variety of classes my regimen is different. Mondays I teach 2 step classes, (1 am, 1 pm-temporary), 1 Essential Fitness Class (Sr. Aerobics-am), 1-Pilates also in the am. So, until someone takes over this pm class at a gym I sub at, I am teaching 4 classes on Mondays. That is probably more workouts in one day than most people do in a week. All the classes also have a weight and ab segment.
Tues-a Free Weight training class called Muscle Works. Wed I am off from Fitness-But I do work on lesson plans & practice new routines. Thurs I teach my favorite class, Interval Step Circuit (Gin Miller's style -I just love her!) then I teach an Advanced Pilates class with some Yoga thrown in. Most people can't tell the difference. Thurs night, I soccer scrimmage with my DD's team. (I also get calls to sub here and there on days I am off. But I try to keep those my off days b/c my primary occupation is a freelance photographer. My only reason to sub is when I have a shoot, I need a sub and you know all about payback right? ;-} )

Friday off but work one lesson plans and new routines and I do a lower body workout. Some Sats I sub at a local gym that I am currently teaching at on Monday nights. Or I will lift weights at home.

Sometimes I run, walk or bike on my own for variety. As you see, I am plenty active and it takes up most of my mornings everyday.

To lose body fat:

Eat less calories than you burn
Cut out the white stuff (except white potatoes prepared in a healthy way)
Increase cardio
Replace soft drinks with water

You may want to consider doing a sugar fast for a couple of weeks. :-) And this really works for losing belly fat. Change nothing else in your diet, but lose the refined sugar and the white breads.

Please post a comment! I love to hear from you!

End of Sugar Fast

2008-08-04T13:15:00.000-05:00

And I lost 5 lbs total and 3/4" in the waist. Feel great!

Did anyone else lose weight?

I plan on doing this from time to time and ... continuing to cut back on my sugar intake altogether.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am double SORE!!! I taught 2 classes Saturday morning. The second class was a Pilates class. Afterwords a few of us hung around to do weird flexible things... I did a back bend. Well, I did 2 back bends. The 2nd one I held it for a while. Felt good too! Stretched some things I have wanted to stretch for a while. :D Now talk about deep core tissue being worked, it got worked and I am sore from my ankles to my armpits. Calves, hams, inner/outer thighs, obliques, lumbars, traps and gluts. I did them again today! I am going to do them again tomorrow!

This O'le Gal can still do it!

I am SORE!

2008-07-30T09:57:00.000-05:00

I am sore. I have been sore for 3 weeks now. Everyday. I know I teach something different everyday, but I have been doing that for a while now. I have been a little sore everyday now since the Sugar Fast. Sarah told me it has something to do with the lack of refine sugar in my body. Anyone else have any comments or ideas on this?

I have broken the fast all 3 Sundays. The 13th for Mary Esther's birthday. Made me feel horrible on Monday. Sweet tea on the following Sunday. Made me feel very jittery. Sweet tea again last Sunday cut with unsweet that did not make me feel jittery.

I do feel great. Almost do not want to do the 'treat' thing on treat day b/c I feel so good. It ends this weekend. (I have a wedding on Saturday Night and Pancake Breakfast at my Aunts on Sunday morning...) But how I feel is really outweighing the taste on the tongue, if you know what I mean. There will be plenty of food to eat at the wedding besides cake. And I bet my aunt will have some health food experiment or something going one with some of the pancakes at breakfast. I will not starve. :-)

BTW, you should be able to post a comment without signing in or registering to Google.

A Few Days Left on the Sugar Fast...

2008-07-26T07:33:00.000-05:00

... that is if you are doing the 28 day Fast. I know that some of you are going on vacation next week and are only doing the 21 day fast.

How are you feeling? I am feeling great! I have made sure I replaced the calories to a small degree. I also remembered to PRAY when I had that craving for a piece of chocolate, glass or cup of sweet tea or Starbucks Mocha Frap. Or that wonderful Publix Fro Yo-Black Jack Cherry! OK, I know enough of that!

One thing I have learned is that I can live without refine sugar and white breads.

Now this fast has not been as hard on me as some of you. Or as hard as it was the last time I did it. I was a little more extreme this time. I also do not drink soft drinks (here in the south we call them 'cokes') of any kind, diet or otherwise. I think it is wasted liquid, have for years. (Now ask me again on a hot July afternoon at Walt Disney World, I might change my mind.) So that is no sacrifice for me.

Hang in there, we only have 8 more days!!! Please post a comment. I would love to hear from you!

Banana Choco-nut Shake

2008-07-25T21:19:00.000-05:00

This is the recipe for the shake that Cindy brought to Aerobics one day. It is a recipe from Arbonne International's website. Cindy is an Arbonne Consultant.

Banana Choco-nut shake
Submitted by Sara Magnotta
Independent Consultant

1 cup of milk
1 scoop of Go Easy! Protein Shake with INNER G-PLEX® Chocolate
1/4 scoop of Go Easy! Protein Shake with INNER G-PLEX® Vanilla (can be omitted)
1 frozen banana
1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter (blend with one first and do a taste test)

Procedures: Put ingredients in the blender in the order listed above and liquify. Should be the consistency of a nice thick shake! Serves 1 to 2.

Y'all enjoy!!!

Protein Fruit Smoothie

2008-07-22T21:30:00.000-05:00

Here is a list of the ingredients that you will need.

Fresh Fruit in Season (You can also use frozen fruit if you do not have fresh fruit. Make sure the frozen fruit does not have any sugar added.)
1 Cup Plain Non Fat Yogurt
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Flavoring
4 Rounded Scoops of Whey Protein, Vanilla Flavored or Plain (if you can find it)
Ice/water as needed
A good blender or smoothie maker

Optional Ingredients: Almonds, almond flavoring any think else that you like. I have found that sweetener is not necessary as long as you use a ripe banana. But if you do need a sweetener, artificial sweetener is fine and it tastes great with honey.

Make sure you have a speckled ripe banana to make it nice and tasty. As you can see in the photo there are several cups of chopped fruit in the smoothie maker. It needs to be about 1/2 - 3/4 full of fruit.

Add your protein, yogurt and vanilla flavoring. Add ice and water and blend until smooth.

Makes 4 large servings.

Enjoy!!!

Have a great day everyone. :-)

Please post and let me know how you like the smoothie recipe!

{Maybe we will get Cindy to post her Airbone Chocolate Smoothie Recipe next}

Shame on Me!

2008-07-21T07:40:00.000-05:00

I just read in an older post that I was going to share my Protein Smoothie Recipe!!! *blush* I will make one today, take photos and post them tomorrow.

Perhaps we can persuade Cindy to post her chocolate smooth recipe as well. Yum it is good!

Fresh Veggies and Grilling

2008-07-21T06:58:00.000-05:00

I miss seeing everyone today. I hope that you will be getting your workout by taking your children for a walk, jog, swim at the pool, playing outside or just play with them on the floor. They will enjoy it and you will too! The ROC Fitness Classes will resume on Friday with Lisa at 9 and Lou at 10:05. Mary Esther and I are going down there this morning to clean the room, the closet, mirrors (though Aaron, Mildred or someone has been doing that already!) and the matts. Oh, did I tell you, we are getting new matts!!! Yeah!!!

Right now is a great time to pick up fresh fruits and veggies at the Farmers Market and the vegetable stands that are around the area.

Have you ever thought about grilling the veggies? Grilling gives them a really good flavor. I put my veggies on when the meat is about 1/2 of the way done.

But first I clean, slice and toss them in olive oil. Then sprinkle sea salt and Greek Seasons on the veggies

Zoey is my grilling buddy. Stands guard for Cat and Hawk alert. :-) And she keeps me company.

Don't forget to check the veggies and turn them. This is the way that you want them to look.

Plate it up! Delicious and Nutritious! Add a Baked Sweet Potato (Or White Potato) {and they can be grilled too!!! } or Whole Grain Rice and You have a Wonderful Meal.

2nd Week!

2008-07-17T16:51:00.000-05:00

And how is everyone doing?

I know some are doing this in different stages. The first time I did a Sugar Fast, I just cut out the refined sugars. Cokes, Sweet Tea (the very hardest for me), desserts, ice cream, etc. Anything make with sugar. This time I chose to take it a step further and cut out white breads, etc.

I have left over birthday cake, candy (Hershey's kisses that did not make it into the treat bags {they were over loaded!!!}) Ahem. Snapple Peach flavored Sweet Iced Tea in the basement and I have been a good girl. I even have Popsicles in the deep freeze. Have not touched them.

Tips for the sinking feelings:

Eat plenty of fruit
Keep raisins on hand-they give a great boost of energy that lasts
triskets and cheese
cottage cheese
water, drink plenty of water
nuts, peanut butter, bread and peanut butter
banana and peanut butter with bread
a salad
eat 5-6 meals a day
most of us who workout together also lift weights we need that protein! Drink that protein shake/smoothie what ever.

Check in tomorrow for my Smoothie Recipe made with whey protein. It is very good. A good snack for you or even the whole family. Maybe we can even get Cindy to post that wonderful Chocolate Protein shake she brought to class that day. Yum!!!

Sugar Free Treats

2008-07-15T22:59:00.000-05:00

Today was dentist day. We always have a treat afterward and Mary Esther reminded me that I 'owed' her a trip to TCBY. Since we were in Homewood, near TCBY, we decided that would be our treat.

Guess what? They had Sugar Free Chocolate Fro Yo and a No Sugar Added Fudge Topping. That is what I got for myself. A small serving and it was very good! I would not advise a steady diet of this stuff. Certainly not everyday or even once a week. But, as a once in a while treat and an opportunity to enjoy some time with your children, go for it. And enjoy!

Eat a Sugar Treat Yesterday?

2008-07-14T12:08:00.000-05:00

I did. Several. It was Mary Esther's birthday, so I ate cake, candy, etc. I am paying for it today. Just do not have the get up and go. It did feel good to sweat a lot of it out of my system though.

Next Sunday, I do not plan on taking a treat. Just continue with the sugar fast.

How is everyone else doing?

My EnRG is Returning!

2008-07-09T13:54:00.000-05:00

And I am feeling great! :-)

Margie gave me a link and print out yesterday. I added it to the link section. It is how to build up to 100 Pushups over a period of a few weeks. It is a good site and I think is a good challenge.

How is everyone doing with their Sugar Fast? I personally am feeling great! Might be all that watermelon. I am having to increase calories. When you take out white breads and sugars-those empty calories that just turn to fat- and replace them with healthier choices, you get to eat more food. :D.

Romans 11:36 -For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Him be the glory forever. Amen. For without God we could do nothing. He is the one who gives us the strength.

God Bless!

Ezekiel Bread

2008-07-08T15:23:00.000-05:00

Ezekiel 4:9 Take also the Wheat & Barley and Beans and Lentils and Millet and Spelt and put them in one vessel, and make bread of it..."

I bought some Ezekiel Bread at http://orharvest.com/ (This is Sarah and her husband's store) and I must say, it is really good. You can also find it in the frozen food section in other stores. Ingredients are organic sprouted 100% whole wheat, filtered water, organic sprouted barley, organic sprouted millet, organic malted barley, organic sprouted lentils, organic sprouted soybeans (I guess I better limit a little, but all breads have soy in them...) org sprouted spelt, fresh yeast, sea salt, organic sesame seeds.

It is a complete protein and with water, can completely sustain life. I have ordered the grains before and made this bread, according to the directions, but it did not taste this good. I will bring it tomorrow morning and let everyone sample it. I have to say, it is tasty.

God Bless!

Pre Work-out Breakfasts

2008-07-08T15:11:00.000-05:00

Cindy, I am putting this on the main page...

Hey! I am on the 2nd day and not hurting too bad yet. My prayer time and bible study has increased. My bible reading today was Ex. 34:28. Moses fasted for 40 days while getting the 10 commandments (and much more instruction) from God. I pray that God will be glorified in all we do.

Some suggested cereals are:
~ POST spoon size shredded wheat
~ General Mills: Fiber One (original)this one is also a great crunchy topping on a salad to replace croutons.This fiber is important.

Raisins, almonds/walnuts, and shredded wheat are a good zip-lock bag snack-on-the-go.

Another snack idea: Triscuit crackers ingre: (Wheat, oil & salt) with some cheese and/or turkey.

Have a great day!

From Melissa---
I personally do better when I do not eat much protein in the mornings. Some people are fine with protein. I like hot or cold cereal and milk for breakfast. If my breakfast gets too much heavier than that, I tend to have an unpleastent workout experience.

Please post what kind of pre-workout breakfast is best for you?

How did everyone do

2008-07-07T19:52:00.000-05:00

On your first day of the Sugar Fast?

Sugar Fast Starts Tomorrow!

2008-07-06T15:01:00.000-05:00

And I am so excited!

If you have never done a Sugar Fast before, there are a few things you might want to be aware of. The first week will be a tad bit hard. Days 3-5 will be the hardest. Day 7, you are home free and will begin to feel great!

I know that I mentioned that you could have a 'treat' on the 7th day, but if you can refrain from that for at least another week, you will reap many benefits. This fast is only for 28 days and that is not long.

Speaking of benefits of Sugar Fasting here are a few that I have listed:

Lower blood sugars
Lose weight
Reduce insulin resistance
Reduce symptoms of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome-annoying & uncomfortable)
Improved endurance training and sports performance
Reduce heart disease
Lower lipids
Prevent diabetes
Prevent heart disease
Reduce hunger

ADDED ENERGY!!!!

Days 3-5 you will feel zapped or tired. But that will begin to improve on day 6. Day 7, you will feel great.

MONDAY Weigh and measure your waist. I hope that you have a prayer journal, either a written one or one on the computer. But have one somewhere. When we fast, we pray. God may lay one need, person, situation on your heart, He may lay dozens. You might want to write them down. I am finding that I need to write them down. Start to pray over these needs written in your journal. Ask God to remind you of them throughout the day. He will. Especially when you have that desire for that Mocha Cap, Sweet Iced Tea, Scoop of Ice Cream, that little piece of candy, etc. As you fast on that sugar, pray. When you put sweetener in your coffee, pray. As you prepare healthy foods for you and your family to eat, pray. You will be ministering to the Lord and you will see Him move.

What is included in the Sugar Fast?

Obviously-white sugar, refined sugar (that includes brown sugar. It is just white sugar with molasses added to it.)
Anything with sugar added to it.
White breads
White crackers and ... snacks. Yep. Full of white flour and yeast and sugar
Most cold cereals, especially those with the 2nd and 3rd ingredient listed "sugar" or "corn syrup" or "fruitose" or other fancy words for hidden sugars. Read the labels.
Anything with "..ose" tacked on the end of an ingredient they are mostly fancy words for hidden sugars. By the way, "Fat Free" items are full of "sugars".

Now your whole wheat breads and whole grain breads sold in the stores are cut with white flour. That is mostly what I purchase. It is better than the solid white bread. But if you want to be a purist go with pumpernickel bread. Sweet potatoes better than white potatoes. The occasional white potato is fine, just be careful of what you put on it. Same with sweet potato.

More on what you can eat:

Fresh Fruits and Veggies!
Fresh Frozen Fruits
Fresh Frozen Veggies
Meats
Eggs
Cheese
Milk & other Dairy
Whole Wheat and Whole grain products
Nuts
Brown Rice
Whole grain pasta

There is plenty out there to eat. Just read the labels! :-)

Love y'all!

Sugar Fast Scripture Theme: Acts 13:2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting , the Holy Spirit said , "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. "

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-03T21:13:00.000-05:00

Thoughts on the Sugar Fast

2008-07-02T17:25:00.000-05:00

I think this will be a very good thing for us to do. But with fasting comes prayer. Yes, the sugar fast will be doing a much needed cleanse of our bodies, but each of us need to focus on a prayer need. When you think about that craving for Sweet Iced Tea, pray for that person, situation or need. God will honor that prayer.

God speaks & moves when we fast and pray. Acts 13:2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting , the Holy Spirit said , "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. "

God is good and you can make the time of your Sugar Fast a wonderful time to spend with Him.

I love good soups and love making them from scratch. I can make them healthy, low fat and low in calories. High in nutrition and protein. Yum!!! One of our favorite Mexican restaurants inspired this next recipe.

Mexican Chicken Soup

4-5 Chicken Breasts

1/2 bag of fresh frozen mixed vegetables (You can also use fresh veggies or veggies in season)

Cilantro - fresh chopped or dried to taste

Sea Salt- to taste

Cracked pepper - to taste

Chili Powder to taste

Can of Rotel with green chilies (or hot Rotel, your choice)

1 chopped up colored sweet pepper or pimento pepper (this can be a hot pepper if you prefer)

Brown Rice - Cooked to directions

Sliced fresh avocado

In large pot, cook chicken breast. Remove chicken breast, strain broth through sieve and return broth to pot. Cut up chicken breast and return to pot. Add veggies and all the seasonings, can of Rotel and the chopped sweet pepper.

Cook until the vegetables are tender and done.

Serve in soup bowls over rice. Garnish with avocados and a splash of Tabasco if desired. Very tasty left over.

Health and Fitness

2008-07-01T19:40:00.000-05:00

I decided to start a different blog for the health and fitness part of my life. It is a different interest and a different challenge. Keeping my weight down has always been difficult for me and has taken me most of my life to learn how to live with it.

Yesterday, in one of my classes, I issued a challenge. A Sugar Fast. 4 ladies signed up for it today. I am sure others will sign up for it during the week and we will begin it on Monday the 7th. Meanwhile, we will study scripture and see what God says about the matter as well. We will pray for each other and prepare each other. If anyone who reads this blog wants to join us in the Sugar Fast, you are welcome to. :-) We will love to have you.

Will post more on it in a few days.

Meanwhile, a lovely recipe to share. It is inspired by an old issue of Victoria that is long since gone, but modified for the health conscience. You can use if for an appetizer or a dessert. It is a cold Berry or Mixed Fruit Soup.

Cold Mixed Berry Fruit Soup

4 Cups of cut up fresh peaches, strawberries and blueberries
1 Cup of water
Sugar or Splenda or any other type of sweetner to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

*Place in 2 quart pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer. Add sugar or Splenda to taste.
*With slotted spoon, remove some of the chunks (slices) of cut fruit before they are 50% cooked and set aside in a bowl.
*Allow the remainder to cook a tad longer. *Please NOTE You do not want this to be syrupy - Do not cook it that long!* You do want it chunky.
*When it is finished cooking, you can take a potato masher and mash it up or you can place it in a blender and blend it into a puree.
*Add the chunks (slices) that you removed earlier back into the mixture.
*Place into the fridge and allow to cool before serving.

(During the cooking process, you may have to add a tad of water to the mixture.)

Serve chilled with a dollop of low fat plain or vanilla yogurt on top.

You can also use mango, necterines, cantalope, rasberries, blackberries, apricots, anything you have on hand. They are all good and tasty in this soup. I hope you enjoy this healthy dish!

Mary Esther and I made this to eat for dessert tonight. It is always welcomed on these hot summer nights.