What YOU put in your mouth

What’s going in your mouth matters! This might be the most crucial realization you face.

Your health and well-being mainly comes down to what you decide to put in your mouth to eat. Every day all of us choose what we will eat. We typically are driven by cravings, how much time we have, how we are feeling, and if we want to cook or not. I’m sure there are many other factors I haven’t listed, but we might make the wrong choice based on several factors.

If I am stressed at work and simply want to go home to relax and release the stress, I usually make a bad choice on the drive home! The dreaded “FAST FOOD” swing in the drive-thru. But there are other weeks when I PLAN ahead, meal prep on Sunday nights so it’s all in containers for me to reheat when I get home during the week. My meal prep is veggies/salad and protein. It’s in those weeks when I’ve planned ahead, I eat better and FEEL better.

What we chose to eat also affects how we feel on the inside. When I have a day of sugar/sweets my body feels sluggish and I want to take a nap! Our bodies are incredible when we really think about it. It responds well when we feed it well. The flip side is the same. When we feed it poorly it responds poorly.

For me, I’m trying to be more mindful about food and what I put in my mouth. “Sugar” is addictive and extremely bad for our bodies. Eat fresh, out-of-the-ground food that you can chop with a knife or peel – not food typically on the inside isles of the grocery store with so many preservatives you have no idea what the words on the label mean.

I know it’s not always easy. My road is an up and down one with my weight and health. I think “it’s never to late to make a change”. Try to plan your meals to avoid last-minute choices. That’s where I get hung up – it’s in the last-minute choices when I make terrible choices!

You have heard all of this before – What I’m sharing is more food for thought.

Here’s to our health and well-being! Keep going….

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

What Happened to my Great Body?

Where did my college body go? What happened to my strong resolve to say “no” when offered a piece of cake? After having two babies, menopause, and postmenopause, fast forward to middle age. My body, while remarkable as God made it, has changed dramatically since my twenties. I’ve made a lot of bad food choices on top of experiencing major life events. The question now is – How do I get my body back? Can I do this at my age? Will my body resist or appreciate the effort to change back to healthy?

My body is different, so a new game plan needs to be figured out. I do think the old “no” to cake or sugar is the first start. Saying no to sugar is always a good plan. This will be week one of my journey. I’m active in walking and moving every hour but I will shoot to add some simple weight lifting twice a week for the upper body and lower body.

I want this to be easy and simple. Week 1 – Say no to sugar. Weight lift – easy sets 2 times this week. Move my body more. Drink MORE water.

I will report next week on my progress. Small repetitive steps are key! Just like doing accounting – it’s about being consistent.

Have a GREAT WEEK….

Here’s to BETTER HEALTH.

Deanna

Exercise is a state of mind

Sit back and let me tell you a tale about one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done in my life.

Many moons ago, I was married to an extremely smart professor who lifted weights six days a week and rested on the Sabbath. I never felt the need to work out (weight lift), but he encouraged me to at least work out 2 days a week with him. One day for the upper body, and the second for the lower body. I didn’t feel my body was that out of shape, but I did give birth to two kids. Ladies, you can certainly relate to how our body changes to accommodate giving birth. But I digress, so back on to the story.

After a few months of working out with the smart professor, my body got firm in areas I wasn’t previously firm. I liked the look, the feel, and boy did it do wonders for my self-esteem. I could wear a mini skirt again! Back then, that was HOT!

One thing I didn’t like was being forced to work out. I had to do sit-ups before bed and in the morning. He’d comment on what I ate if he felt it wasn’t what I should be eating. You probably guessed by now, that he was a control freak. I don’t like the word freak, but it conveys what I need to get across in this tale.

We ended up getting a divorce for lots of reasons. I wished him well and left with two kids in tow. I was grateful for the tight thighs and feeling great about my body, which I owed all that to him and his control. BUT in my rebellion of not wanting to be controlled, I STOPPED working out from that point on! That was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. So so wrong…

Fast forward fifteen years, here I am mid-fifties struggling to lose because it’s even harder at my age now! I get up at 5:45 am to get my butt to the gym and work out at least 3 times a week. BUT I LOVE to work out now. I FEEL so much better and have more energy than when I don’t work out. I notice a high feeling on the days I do work on my body. The only difference is – No one is forcing me now. I simply do it for myself and my own health.

I’m glad this tale has a happy ending, but I sure wish I could go back in time and change that stupid moment in time! (LOL) Life is a journey… ups and downs… good and bad.

Exercise is really a state of mind! It’s all in how you look at it.

Love and blessings – and here’s to our health.

Deanna