Don’t Make This Mistake

Don’t make the same mistake I did!

NEVER ever stop exercising!

Yes, that’s me on the right with my best friend Ann. We were water skiing that day out in Arizona during our college years. What fun!!

When I was young, I thought I was fat, but I wasn’t at all fat! I swam a mile a day the summer before my sophomore year in high school because I liked a boy! I was friends with his family and his big sister, so she and I swam laps 3-4 days a week for the whole summer. I got SUPER toned in my thighs and arms. I drank lots of water and said no to sweets 95% of the time. I loved being so fit! The boy I liked was on the school tennis team, so I played tennis with him. I had so much fun, and I kept active all the time…. well except during piano lessons! LOL

In my freshman year of college, I went to Arizona State and the campus was bigger than I could have imagined coming from a small school. I had to hustle to get to class, or even ride my bike to the other side of campus felt like a bike race. Walking, biking, water skiing, tennis, swimming, and reading a good book on Sunday afternoons were all great memories of an active life.

Getting married, having kids, and getting a divorce made me eat and lose the desire to be active or exercise. Life happens. Before I knew it, I slowly added on weight. DON’T do that! If you are young, listen to me. You might think it won’t happen to you, but if you STOP moving that great body of yours, you will lose it! Those gorgeous curves will get bigger curves. It’s not healthy and it certainly isn’t easy to get off after you neglect your body yearly.

If I can say one thing, please listen to me on this. Your health is the ONE thing you MUST keep working on. The one thing you never stop working to be better, do better and be amazing.

Here’s to happiness and great health!

Deanna

Stick to 1 Day

I have always been obsessed with my weight. I was a chunky child, lean in H.S. due to exercise and swimming, and back to body difficulty after having two babies. I still have a need to get on the scale to see my weight every day, but I’ve learned to pick 1 day – and stick to getting on the scale 1 day every week.

I grew up in a military family. My dad was a Marine for 30 years, so we had rules and routines that as a family we stuck to. I made my bed every morning after I got up. Saturday was cleaning day. My older brother and I knew every Saturday without fail was cleaning day. We had chores to do before we could even go outside and play with friends. There were no exceptions even when we spent the night with a friend, those chores would have to be done when I got home. My parents picked a day and we stuck to it. Mom did laundry, we stripped the sheets off our bed, I did all the dusting, and my brother vacuumed. Mom folded our clean clothes, place them on our bed, and we put them away. We knew the rules. You’ll laugh, but I still clean every Saturday and still make my bed every morning – without fail. 🙂

I believe the same should be for weighing your body. Pick 1 day, same time, weigh naked, and stick to it. I don’t feel weighing every day is healthy for your mind. As we all know, weight can fluctuate based on so many factors. Plus, let’s face it, we all want that number to go down every day when we are trying to lose weight, and it may be disheartening when it goes up. We don’t want to feel defeated or lose our focus when we weigh – right? Heck no! Pick 1 day – weigh and keep going doing better every week.

Here’s to better health –

Grace and love,

Deanna

Not all things are Equal

Science tells us for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. I think we all can agree not all things are equal. I live in a career based on consistency and math so everything has to balance. This got me thinking about exercise… and falling off the wagon.

Toasting the Happy Couple

My handsome and smart son got married this past weekend. His new bride is beautiful, intelligent, and the best part is; she loves my son with all her heart. (A mom can tell) I am thrilled to watch them start their new life together. The wedding was outside beside the largest natural lake in Indiana so you can imagine the backdrop of the wedding was scenic. When the kids began to share their written vows, (kids being 30 years old, so technically not kids anymore) we all sat silently with anticipation of their heartfelt vows to one another. Being the mom of the groom, I had a front-row seat and got my phone out to record this moment in time. My son started his vows, well thought out and meticulously written down so he wouldn’t forget what he wanted to share with her. During this moment, I kid you not, a Jet-Ski whizzes by the wedding venue loud and proud drowning out his vows for a moment. Like any good husband-to-be, he didn’t wavier! They both shared loving vows to one another. However – A Lakeside Wedding Venue does not equal jet ski fun under the sun!

The dinner and celebration continued under a huge tent on the side of the resort/hotel. The guests started out with flutes of champagne and strawberries. My arm was graciously twisted to join in with several flutes as all the guests toasted the happy couple. The meal was superb and so was the desert. Now here’s where every action has an equal and opposite reaction…. Alcohol, heavy food, and sugar will have an opposite reaction to my healthier lifestyle change.

While I loved being in the moment celebrating with everyone, I also felt horrible the next day. All I wanted to do was be lethargic and sleep. I am sure part of that was also due to a very long day from sun up to late in the evening. It took me a few days to feel normal again. Falling off the wagon sets you back. What little weight I’d lost, now back on. I felt sluggish and weighed down. Now I feel I’m starting all over again and my progress was for nothing.

There’s a famous quote I love – “Our jobs don’t define who we are. What defines us, is how well we rise after falling.” ~ Maid in Manhattan, The movie.

Doesn’t that quote say it all?!? I get back up, dust myself off, and do a better job going forward! I do NOT give up! Giving up is not an option! I get back on the proverbial wagon and continue towards my goal.

Here’s to better health!

Love and Happiness-

Deanna

My Furry Companion and Loss

I know I’m not the only one who has lost a very loved family pet/companion and feeling my heart break into a million pieces.

Penny, was 13 years old, a tan mini dachshund who was my constant companion and she was so loving to everyone. She was pure joy everyday!

It broke my heart to put her down on Friday!! I feel lost without her. I know everyone says, “She’s in a better place.” But maybe I’m self-fish, but I didn’t want to let her go. I know it was the humane thing to do. I didn’t want her to suffer.

I loved her so much. I talked to her constantly and she went everywhere as she loved to go in the car. She was a wonderful blessing for 13 years.

I love you Penny. I miss you soooo much.

LOVE ALWAYS

Beautiful Day

What a beautiful spring day! I feel the warmth of the sun coming through the sliding door, making me excited for the new season ahead.

Do you look forward to the change of seasons? I know I do. For some reason, I feel its a new beginning for Mother Earth, the animals and all the new change about to happen. I feel that change is vital to growth and rebirth. I am constantly finding opportunities or things that give me growth in all areas of my life. I never want to remain stagnate – I feel that would be death for me.

Enjoy the new season upon us! See the growth and beauty in change. May you grow this season, in a big or small way, but grow!

 

Deanna

 

Living Life

Life on our own terms is more difficult than we imagine. We put masks on to various groups of people in our lives so we feel accepted, not judged. It’s a persona we wear so we are accepted, not left out or cast out, we feel a part of the ‘norm’. Acceptance is sometimes more important than being who we really are.

I went to see the movie “Love, Simon” last week. If you haven’t seen it, I’d recommend it. It’s about a teenage boy in high school who is living the “accepted” life but his deep dark secret is he is gay. He hasn’t told anyone for fear of being cast out, his life will be changed when he decides to live his true self. How terrible it would be living his life as what we deem “normal” as a society, but lying every day or burying his true self for his whole life? I can’t image what that would feel like! It makes me sick to even think about it. I’m so happy he didn’t, that this movie had a happy ending. I know it’s not like that for everyone, but finally a movie shows a positive outcome coming of age and being true to one’s self. Bravo!

One of the top regrets of those that are old, dying, and realizing their lives are about over, is they didn’t have the courage to live they life they wanted, but lived the life others wanted for them.

Be brave. Live your life the way you want, the truth of who you are without regret. There will be people who like you and ones that don’t no matter what mask you wear. So why not simply be who you truly are and find those people who like you. I bet you will live a happier life.

Deanna

 

Character

Building your character. Deep subject.

We aren’t born with character, it’s built. We develop it ourselves. But what kind of character to you want to have? What are your virtues, beliefs, and character? If you left this earth, what do you want people to remember about you? You’d want them to remember you by your good character.

Benjamin Franklin was a man of virtue. He had a notebook that he carried with him containing 13 virtues he strived to live by. Let me share them with you.

1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation. Self discipline.
2. Silence: Speak only about what will benefit others or yourself. Avoid small talk.
3. Order: Let all things have their place. Let each part of your business have it’s time.
4. Resolution: Do what you must do, and resolve with out fail. Face the challenge.
5. Frugality: Make no expense unless it’s of benefit. Waste nothing. He was a firm believer in living below your means, and saving to grow wealth.

These were his top five.

He was probably one of the first self-made millionaires of his time.

Think about your character. Write them down and look at doing them every day. Speak only to build someone up, not to tear down. What if everyone had virtues like these; what would our country would be like? Respect, love, and communication are keys to having good relationships in every facet of your life.

Deanna

Looking in the Mirror

Looking in the mirror, a hard look, I need to get a handle on my health. I need to lose this extra weight or my health will be in jeopardy. I’m not fit now. I have been in the past. I believe I was fit in my thirties, but in my forties, I didn’t care for some reason.

Sure I could blame going through a divorce, or pull out other reasons, however; those excuses don’t change the truth! Excuses don’t mean jack. My body is carrying this extra weight, so I’m talking from experience. At my age, it will not be easy, but it is doable! It’s never to late to do anything.

This is the year that I care about me. Take care of myself each day. I believe that small things done consistently, over time will matter. If I’m eating healthier every day, making healthy food choice, then overtime I will see a difference in my body and how it feels. Right?

I’m cutting out fast food. That means that I need to plan out meals before hand. I started using the crock pot more now. Throw in the meat and a few things, and in 6 hours I have a home cooked meal, which we know is much better for me. Fast food is convenient, but it comes with an unhealthy price tag. I stopped drinking soda over a year ago!

My goal is to lose 50 lbs. this year. I will write how I feel and what’s working for me. I hope you can come along with my journey. I need support. Maybe you do too. If so, good.

“Small things done consistently over time will make a difference. BE consistent.”

Deanna