I am SORE!

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...

... 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

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

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!

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

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!

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

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?

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!

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

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

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

On your first day of the Sugar Fast?

Sugar Fast Starts Tomorrow!

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. "

Happy 4th of July

Thoughts on the Sugar Fast

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

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.