The most common new years resolution/goal is to lose weight. I understand the desire. I find myself with that desire several times a month clustering around my lovely time of month! God Bless Hormones... Thanks EVE! Ha! With that said... seriously... God Bless Hormones and Thanks Eve! Because of Hormones and Eve I believe God has a major teaching tool here.

We as women put a lot of stock in our weight! Society has put a lot of stock in weight and appearance. It has become a defining tool for many. I read a great blog post today about not being defined by a number. Each day we have a choice to not be defined by the number on the scale or even the number in our checking account. Instead let us strive to be defined by who God has created us to be. Let us be defined by love joy and relationships.

Just as I struggle with the frequent desire to lose weight and I fall into the trap of being defined by a number. The number does not make me successful. Being fixated on the number is not living a life of balance.

What is Balance when it comes to Health and losing weight.... There is a Healthy Balance and it is not a Bad Goal to have...


Tomorrow- Balance in Losing weight!

Week of Goals

The new year typically brings new goals, new resolutions, and some sort of change in your life... Now that we are about one month into 2011, how are your changes going? I can feel myself slipping away from some of them!

Here are some of my Goals for 2011 and how I plan to stick to them!

Faith: Bible Study with hubs
Friends: Monthly Girls Night
Family: Spend time with my sister and breakfast with dad once a week
Food: Whole foods... all natural not fake! Don't eat out over twice/ week
Fitness: Low impact and Pilates!
Fun: Enjoy the goals
Finances: Monthly meeting with hubs to go over finances

I chose goals I know I can stick to but will challenge me! Even my fitness goal is challenging to me. It is a CHANGE... I am trying not to run as much because I know its not good for my leg. I also am trying new work outs like Pilates! I am beginning to LOVE pilates!

I have a monthly check in with someone I trust and I know who will keep me accountable. For me its hubs... its could be a close friend or family member.

I wanted goals that would be honoring to what is most important to me.

How are you doing with your goals? I think a Monthly check in is great!

If you haven't made your 2011 goals, its never too late!

In a FOG!

Do you ever feel in a fog? I felt that way yesterday... just like I was walking through life but not really realizing what was going on or not being mentally present...

The promising thing about my fog was the entire day I continually had the feeling no matter what God is in Control and he will NOT harm me. It is a wonderful feeling of peace and safety! God is good that in the midst of a fog or storm he is completely clear... making HIM always my main ingredient!

Next week is GOAL week! Its been a few weeks since January 1 and I think its time to see what Goals will stick and are realistic for the year! YAY! Goals always motivate me!

PS... On the TODAY SHOW today, they had a recipe of MY FAVORITE!!! Kale chips! The secret is out! So simple but delicious recipe is below!

Kale Chips

Ingredients: Kale, Olive Oil Spray, Sea Salt or any seasoning of your choice

Directions: Tear Kale off the stem into big chunks, wash and dry completely, spray cooking sheet, place Kale on sheet, Spray Kale, Sprinkle with Sea Salt.

Bake: 400 for 10-12 min. Until Kale slides when you shake the cooking sheet

YAY YUM ENJOY!!!!!

BRRR!

Its another FRIGGED morning here! Oh My! I love my space heater! It keeps me so warm in my office!

This morning I had Bible Study with some wonderful women! We are studying the names of God... this morning was Hehovah-mekoddishkem meaning Lord Sanctifies you.

It was a great study! Thanks Ladies!

Following study I had breakfast with my Favorite dad! A huge bowl of oatmeal and Starbucks coffee does my heart and body happy! Every time I eat oatmeal I feel like its cleansing my insides of all toxins! Ha! It might just be in my mind! I would say its one of my top comfort foods and you will find me eating it at all times of the day!

It stabilizes your blood sugar (if you don't add sugar) I put cinnamon, milk, and banana's in mine typically!

What is your favorite comfort food?

Have a happy hump day!

Battle!

Today it is FREEZING!!! No more heat wave of 37 degrees... Temperatures on there way to ZERO by night time!

I woke up this morning in a funk... similiar to yesterday when I couldnt get out of bed, but today was more I didnt want to... then I was at the gym and usually want to go longer than I have time for. Today I just didnt even want to be there.

Do you ever have funks like this?

Often when I have a day like this I try and ask myself why? Typically if I think about it long enough I can come up with some reasons. Here are a few questions I ask myself...

1. What am I nervous or anxious about today or in the next few days?
2. What did I eat last night (You have all heard of the sugar high and then crash... well Sugar does the same thing to your emotions. Often when I have sugar at night, I wake up feeling sad or anxious)
3. What previously happened that I still feel uncomfortable about?
4. What is making me feel discontent?

Today... I can answer all of those questions and recognize what is leading to the funk!

Some helpful hints to get out of it.

1. Ask Gods Help! Pray!
2. Realize it will not last and tomorrow will be better (if your funks begin to last longer than several days, look into talking with a counselor)
3. Plan something fun to look forward to
4.Analyze your answers and see if there is anything you need to do to change

Conflicting...

It is so rainy and dreary outside, which I normally would not like at all, but the fact that is 36 degrees makes it so bearable! It feels like a heat wave!

Do you like Mondays? My hubs and I conflict on this... He LOVES Monday, its his favorite day of the week. I on the other hand DO NOT like Mondays! I love Fridays! For example:
He woke up before his 5:20 alarm this morning and already had his gym clothes on... I didn't make it to the gym.
He has a long list of tasks he cant wait to get done, I wish I was typing this from home

Don't get me wrong, I love my life and I enjoy what I do, It is just hard for me to get started back up again. Maybe its because I don't like change? Maybe its because I feel so much freedom on the weekends and can experiment with passions.

I have spent the last several days reflecting on my passions and asking God to reveal to me what he wants my life to look like, the direction he wants me to go in... I feel him speaking to me! Wait and see HIS plan!

two things I realized...
1. My favorite part of the day is making hubs breakfast in the morning!
2. I love spending time with women

That tells me I love healthy food, my husband, and relationships!

Now I am conflicted on exactly what to do with that... Wait and see HIS plan!

5 day cleanse diet

My friend and I decided to do a 5 day cleanse diet that consisted of only eating...

Egg Whites
Spinach
Almonds or Almond butter
Plain Nonfat yogurt
Raspberries

Today was the last day... It was not that bad and several times through out this week I have been reminded that we need to have cleansing to all area's of our life. It was almost like a fast!

The benefits I found in this cleanse... I never felt deprived as long as I ate the foods. I felt alert and I feel very lean. I also feel it was a great disciplining exercise! I think the best thing I learned is this...

I expected to loose a ton of weight (the diet said up to 8lbs) well I have been trying not to weigh myself to learn we are not defined by the # on the scale. Then I had to go to the doctor yesterday and was not too excited with the results on the scale. to my benefit I had boots and jeans on. So after about 24 hours of contemplation this is what I came up with...

I am happy with my relationships
I am happy with my diet
I am happy with my life
I am excited about tomorrow and the next day and next
Non of these things have to do with the scale!
I am healthy
I am confident
I am loved
Non of these things have to do with the scale!

The scale can create a bondage that God does not intend! He wants us to be healthy and take care of the temple he has blessed us with... as long as I am doing that by eating whole foods he provides, using my body and exercising regularly and most important communing with him then I am content and will walk in the way he wants me to!

I will not be perfect at this but I will proclaim truth when I struggle!