The Skinny On January

Falling Off

January Harshe — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:39:04 +0000

Yeah, that’s right, I totally fell off program. Why you ask? Let’s just say a mini break down, melt down, crisis, whatever you want to call it. When I only had 2 children, I felt like something or someone was missing. Long story short, now that I have 3 children, I don’t feel that way anymore. I have reached an "inner" limit of what I can handle for now. Does that mean no more children for us? No. What is means is that right now, to be the awesome mother I know I am I need to do something for me. I’m working that out right now.

In the meantime I am finding my patient self again, thinking of going back to school, trying to find what is true to myself and keeping up on our family blog! See, I have this habit of letting other’s opinions influence me to a fault. As my friend Staci recently told me, "When you are around people who want lots of children, you want lots of children. When you are around people who are working and earning money, then that is what you want to do. You need to figure out what you want to do and stick to it no matter what others are doing or telling you to do!" Thanks Staci, I needed someone other than Brandon to be blunt with me. Brandon and Staci are right and I need to get real with myself and get back to living what is right for me, my core and my Spirit.

Good news…I walked 7 miles this week pushing the kids in a jogger and carrying Annabelle in the Baby Bjorn. Wow, I felt It might as well have been 14 miles! I’m starting to really care about what food I am putting in my body again. I’ll post some pics and recipes soon!

Day 14 on Weight Watchers

January Harshe — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:10:17 +0000

Thoughts Before Weigh In

I want to write my thoughts down before weigh in. This way, no matter what the results, I will have written how I am feeling without the influence of the nasty scale. I am proud of myself. I started exercising again. I have done well sticking to less points this week. I am making better choices and enjoying eating healthier foods. When I have wanted a treat, I have had it, but don’t go overboard. I’m getting back to good habits, finally!

No matter what the scale says tonight (man I should go to a morning weigh in!), I know that I have made positive changes the last few days. Keeping up this way and improving even more will show me healthy results.

Pictures

Ok, I took some gross pictures before Weight Watchers. I can’t bring myself to post them. I will post them when I have had some weight loss and can compare the two. Sorry to disappoint.

Not Just About Being Skinny

Brandon is right, I can’t only focus on weight loss. Before, I only focused on being healthy and the weight came off as a side effect. One of the biggest things I want to change right now is how I feel. Every morning I wake up and feel so old. My body aches. Part of this is probably lack of sleep, but I have never felt like this before. I want this extra weight off of me, because know I will have more energy, won’t feel so achy and feel younger again!

I am noticing that I really do need to start taking care of myself. I can see it in pictures of myself lately. Taking care of my skin, getting sleep, doing things for myself, exercising and eating good foods are imperative to my well being right now. I know when my kids are grown I can focus even more on things I want to discover and experience, but for now I can at least make myself a little more of a priority.

Weigh In

My mom-in-law just called and told me she lost 2.5 lbs her first week! That is awesome! She was diligent and has completely stuck to her points and started exercising again. Way to go mom!

OK, no more putting it off. The verdict is in for week 2. I lost 3.4 lbs! Oh ya baby! So, I lost the 1.2 lbs from last week and another 2.2 lbs, which is my total weight loss for 2 weeks!

Recap Days 6-13 Weight Watchers

January Harshe — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:46:55 +0000

Man, having 3 kids is a hoot! Finding time is like trying to escape mosquitoes in the humid heat of Dallas, Texas. Ugh!

Days 6 and 7

I had frustrated feelings come up these days. I had thoughts along the lines of, "Why am I even in this situation?" "I shouldn’t have weight issues." "I’ve already gone thru losing weight before, why again?" "Ok, I know I had a baby, but still, this sucks."

It was no fun, but it was emotions coming up that I had to face. I know that the person I am on the inside can show on the outside. It is no fun not feeling comfortable in your own skin. Literally, I feel like I want to crawl out of my skin. It just does not feel right.

Weigh In For Week 1

Now, I followed points for 7 days, with the exception of one meal at the Olive Garden. I went to weigh in with my mother in law who just joined. I get on the scale and as I look down at what the nice old lady is writing down, I am in disbelief. I want to crawl into a (big) hole. Gained 1.2 pounds?! What the freakin’ heck? Are you serious? I was so ticked off. Really, I was not OK with that. I write down everything I eat, am counting calories (points) and I GAIN weight? I sent a text to my friend Staci, "Gained 1.2, this sucks."

My Reaction

Days 8, 9 and 10 I kind of go off of counting points. Typical, right? I’m totally irritated and start having the feelings of, "If I’m gonna gain, then why am I doing this? I may as well eat whatever the hell I want." It doesn’t make it any better that my skinny, health conscious husband wants to have a "cheat" day. After Chic-fil-a and Peter Piper Pizza, I’m beginning to wonder what I am doing. I mean, I want to be skinny and healthy. This isn’t about "The Fat on January", right? Or is it?

Anyways, I am remembering that a calorie isn’t just a calorie. If you eat 2000 calories of good fats, grass fed, natural meats, fruits, veggies and raw milk and cheese, well, that is different than 2000 calories of a value meal at a fast food joint. Obviously, the nutrients taken in with the healthier foods is more beneficial, but even pound for pound you’ll be eating more food the healthier way. You will be more satisfied, have less cravings and lose more weight. Yeah, OK, it may not be as fun at first, but after a while, your taste buds don’t change, they become alive again! I know in my example I start to crave the healthier foods.

Inspiration

On Sunday I saw a woman at church that I had not seen in about 3 years. I did not recognize her and had to ask someone who she was. When they told me it was Sister Donner, my draw dropped to the floor. As I picked it up I managed to ask where half of her went. I waved her down and after telling her how amazing she looked, I asked here how she lost half of herself. She said it was Weight Watchers. No way! "How much have you lost?" I asked. She said, "Eighty seven pounds. I can’t believe I had that much to lose on me!" She has been counting points and changing eating habits for a year now. She faithfully attends meetings and says, "It’s the only ‘diet’ that truly works". Now that is inspiration (and maybe a sign) at its best.

Days 11 and 12

I got my big booty back on track. After getting thru all of my emotional ups and downs, I decided to stick this out. I am not where I was when I lost the weight by myself in Texas (literally and mentally). I need the support and accountability. I figure if I go to weigh in every week (instead of ignoring what I’m eating) and have a gain, then eventually I might do something about it. I also decided to cut my nursing points from 10 to 5. Now, my allowed points will be 37, not 42. I’m going to see how this effects my milk, if at all, and my weight loss.

Exercise

Brandon asked me 2 nights ago if I wanted to go on a walk in our neighborhood after the kids were in bed. I was surprised that some lame excuse, such as I need to clip my toe nails, didn’t come out of my mouth. Instead a simple "yes" slipped out. So, I charged up my ipod and walked for 35 minutes listening to the Step Up soundtrack. Fun times. I stretched afterwards and felt great. The best part about exercising again after being sedentary for so long, was the mental changes. I started to feel, well, HOPE again. I thought about all I wanted to do, accomplish, be and remembered how great it feels to exercise. It was great. I love walking. Also, there were no kids hanging on me. That in itself was totally worth it. Oh, it was worth 3 points, which I did not use.

Yesterday, I took the kiddos to the zoo. We were there for 5 hours!!! It was all outside walking and I am feeling it today. I am so sore. I calculated that I did 2 hours of low intensity walking and that was worth 7 points. I did end up using those though. I ate more yesterday because I really was hungrier. It was great to be more active and to be able to listen to my body’s true hunger signals.

Day 13

So, I am here at day 13, still counting points and plan on walking again tonight. I have weigh in tomorrow night. I’m not sure if there will be a loss, b/c of my straying, but I am looking forward to the week after that and the many weeks to come. I love making small changes and becoming healthier. This is a journey and I am enjoying the process!

An Interesting Read if You Have Some Time

Brandon Harshe — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:31:06 +0000

I just got done reading a post on Tim Ferriss’ blog. If you don’t know who Tim Ferriss is, he’s the author of the 4-Hour Work Week, a book I highly recommend. Anyway, he conducted a post in which Dr. Michael Eades, an obesity treatment doctor, compared two different dietary studies and how they apply to losing weight.

You can read it for yourself here. I recommend reading some of the comments, too.

Let me know what you think.

Day 5 on Weight Watchers

January Harshe — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:07:54 +0000

Hump Day

Well, it was not necessarily the middle of the week. Let me explain. Today was that day. Whenever I make a positive change, there comes a day (usually around day 4 or 5) that it is just hard. It is that day when my mind starts playing tricks and my body follows suit. I was hungry today! Really hungry! I wanted to eat and eat. It was interesting though. Instead of panicking and having an overload of negative self talk, I just allowed it be what it was. In the past I would have over binged on food, then said, "Well that’s that! I might as well eat whatever I want. I’ll worry about eating healthy later."

I have learned by now through past experiences to not give up. This is not all or nothing! I will eat better tomorrow. This is life. If I see this as just a diet, that is temporary. I don’t want to see me getting healthier again and losing weight as temporary. This is a permanent change I am making here. I may change my approach or strategy, but I am no giving up. No towel to be thrown in here!

What I Ate

I have to admit I am embarrassed to share this, but I know if I were reading it, I would want to know. I seriously decided earlier this evening that I wasn’t going to write out what I ate. As I write this post though, I know I should. I’m just going to list today’s food. It won’t necessarily be in order.

My regular oatmeal breakfast
3 oranges
A small handful of pecans
1/2 avocado
Chic-fil-a chicken sandwich
Side salad w/low fat honey mustard
Popcorn with olive oil and sea salt
Chocolate chips
Raw cheese
1 cup brown rice cooked in chicken broth and water, sea salt and pepper. Served with a little butter
Organic cookies and vanilla soy milk
2 McDonald’s ice cream cones ("shame, shame" I say as I shake my head!)

Total Points: 52 Ouch!!!
Used 10 Flex Points
Total Flex Points used for the week: 21/35

What Tomorrow Will Bring

I am looking forward to tomorrow. I know that I will feel great that I did not give up. I will focus on the changes I have made and look forward to finishing up the week on the Flex Plan. I also look forward to the Core Plan. I weighted in last Wednesday night. I started the Flex Plan on Thursday morning. I will weigh in this Thursday night for week one. I am switching meetings. My mother in law is joining me, so I’ll be attending with her.

Day 4 on Weight Watchers

January Harshe — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:07:53 +0000

What I Ate

Breakfast: 2 cups oatmeal with 2 tbsp. raw agave and 1/2 cup organic, wild blueberries.

Mid-morning Snack: an orange and raw cheese

Lunch: garden veggie soup, and about 2/3 avocado,

Afternoon Snack: an omelet with 3 eggs made in coconut oil, mushrooms and spinach, salsa

Dinner (I snacked) :popcorn with butter, chocolate chips, an orange, 2 servings organic cookies dipped in vanilla soymilk

Total Points: 42 (exact amount allowed)

Thoughts

Today was good. I was actually happy it was Sunday because we don’t go out on Sundays and that meant no ice cream cone. I wanted a reason to stay home and not have that treat. I ate pretty healthy and snacked when I felt I needed to. I’m starting to get a feel for how much food is allowed with my alloted points. I’m curious to see how much I lose in a week eating this many points.

Plan

I plan to switch to the Core Plan next week (week 2) to compare the two plans Weight Watcher’s offers. I am excited to do this. The Flex (points) Plan is great because it’s so flexible, which I needed right now. The Core Plan is just simply healthier I think. Week 3, I am going to switch back to the Flex Plan and add in exercise. I will also see after this first week if I need to adjust my points. Then week 4 I will go back on the Core Plan with exercise. I can not wait to see the results.

Weight Watchers- Day 3

January Harshe — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:48:06 +0000

A Healthy Breakfast

Today was pretty good. I like our usual breakfast. The oatmeal is filling and according to our friend Ryan, via his wife Staci (can’t wait until he gets his site up), it is the best grain in that it contains a lot of magnesium and helps to heal the gut. When I was in Utah visiting my great friend Staci, she made oatmeal every morning and served it with blueberries. I picked up this good habit from her and we have been making it every morning since then. I use raw agave (love this stuff and got the idea to use it on oatmeal from her as well) instead of brown sugar. I also like that I get a serving of antioxidant-rich blueberries every morning. It’s just a great breakfast! So, I at least start every morning "on the right foot".

Going Out To Eat

We went to Chompie’s today for my brother’s birthday. If you want to have a heart attack, that is your restaurant! Even the "healthy" choices were full of unneeded calories. I attempted to eat a vegetarian sandwich. It was made up of 3 layers. So, I took off one piece of bread and attempted to make it a normal sandwich. After the first bite, I realized I was going to drown in veggie cream cheese. After 5 minutes of trying to scrape enough cream cheese of, I gave up and pushed it away. It would not my my choice for a Weight Watcher friendly place to dine. Yes, there was a fruit platter and we ordered it, but it left much to be wanted. It wasn’t that great. The desserts are so full of crap that is what they taste like…crap! Sorry, but it’s true.

If you are going to be watching calories or doing points, then I’d go to a much friendlier place to eat. The Dining Out Companion that WW has made is helpful. If you find yourself needing to eat out, then you can quickly look up the lower point options.

I also made the soup again today and enjoyed that. I wonder what I’ll replace that with when I get sick of it. Maybe a different soup or bowls of fruit or veggies. Having a low calorie/low point snack around helps a lot. I fill up on healthy foods while not over eating.

What I Ate

I’m going to break down my points today for you. I mean, that is what Weight Watcher’s Flex Plan is about, eating and keeping track of points, right?

Breakfast:
2 cups oatmeal- 4 points
1 tablespoon raw agave nectar- 1 point
1/2 cup wild organic blueberries- 0 points

Mid-morning Snack (this was Chompie’s):
1/2 small bagel with butter- 5 points
2/3 cup home fries- 5 points

Lunch at Home:
a little over 1 cup of home made fried rice: 8 points
an orange: 1 points
one of grandma Ellen’s rolls: 4 points (honestly, this is a guess)

Afternoon Snack:
another roll: 4 points
a banana: 1 point
a McDonald’s ice cream cone: 3 points

Dinner at Home:
the garden veggie soup: 0 points
blueberries and blackberries: 1 point
one more roll: 4 points

Total points: 41 points
1 under my allowed points.

Overview So Far

I did pretty well today. I liked that I have the soup at 0 points and then can have my points to eat a roll with it. That works out great! I am liking that I am more aware of what I am eating and that I am being more accountable and responsible. I got so used to just eating whatever I wanted while I was pregnant. When I was pregnant with my second child, Trent, it was opposite. It was like an automatic portion control set into my body. That was wonderful. During this last pregnancy though, I ate a ton! Literally! I would go out to eat and order an appetizer, 2 meals and dessert, just for me. I didn’t think twice about it or feel bad about it either. I thought it would subside after I had her, but once my milk came in and I was fully nursing it continued.

I also notice that I am becoming more health conscious again. I am stopping to think about what I’m eating; what it’s made up of and if there is anything harmful in it. I might still eat it, but hey, I’m starting to care again.

Day 2 on Weight Watchers

January Harshe — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 04:31:20 +0000

How Day 2 Went

So, today was interesting. I went over my points, but I was able to recognize why. For one, I didn’t have the soup today. That was such a great help. I became really hungry before lunch and ended up making home made cheese quesadillas. While they were darn tasty, the were not filling. After that I went on a serious carb craving binge. It could have been worse, but I noticed I just was not satisfied.

What I Ate

Breakfast: 2 cups oatmeal with 1 tbsp raw agave and 1/2 cup organic wild blueberries
Morning Snack: banana, orange and 1/2 avocado
Lunch: 2 tortillas with raw cheese and salsa
Snack: hot chocolate with whipped cream, 1 roll (Grandma Ellen made rolls and brought them over…dangerous!), Air popped popcorn w/2 tbsp organic butter
Dinner: 1/2 serving of Chic-fil-a chicken*, small fries, few sips lemonade, my McDonald’s ice cream cone
Snack: an orange

Total points today was actually 52! I went 10 over.
I have spent 10/35 of my extra free points for the week.

*This is the first time I have eaten chicken in months. I go through spurts of no chicken, because I read about how nasty it is processed, then I’ll give in and eat it for a while. When I am eating meat I really try to eat it from local farms where I know they are raised, what they are fed and how they are killed. I guess it makes me feel better.

What’s Up For Tomorrow

Make the soup! Seriously, I need the soup. OK, this is starting to remind me of Seinfeld. "NO SOUP FOR YOU!" I fell better having the treats when I’m eating more fruits and veggies, plus they fill me up and are low in calories.

Weight Watchers seems to knock ya for higher fat, but I like fat, especially when it comes from raw dairy. I’m gonna focus on eating good fats and protein. We’ll see how it goes.

Weight Watchers; A 30 Day Trial

January Harshe — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 05:30:16 +0000

The Low Down

That’s right, you read it right. I have officially signed up for Weight Watchers. If someone told me a year ago that I would join WW I would have told them to get off the crack! Seriously, I was eating healthy and on top of the world. When I lost 60 lbs before becoming pregnant with Annabelle, I had it good. We spent about $1200/month on food. We were members of 4 farms and 2 organic produce co-ops, shopped at Whole Foods and Central Market. We ate all raw dairy, sprouted grains, mostly organic and a ton of delicious produce. I walked 6 days a week with Tatum and Trent in a double jogger with a friend or my husband. It was great. I was at a really good place.

Then we moved. I didn’t realize it would have such a big impact. I did know the main thing (besides some great friends) that I would miss about Dallas was the good food we had there. After being back in AZ over 8 months now, I am just beginning to get the resources I want and they are nothing like TX. That’s OK though. Also, I don’t have the same support. I am at home, with 3 kids and no car. Bummer.

I would normally tell you I don’t believe in counting calories. Interesting and humbling that I find myself in this position. I just haven’t had the motivation to stop and look at what I’m eating. I have taken all my good habits, crumbled them up and thrown them out the window, while opening the door to crappy old habits. So, I’m searching in myself to find those great habits I had formed. Why not do that with some support and with a breath of fresh air?!

Weight Watcher Plans

Right now, WW has 2 plans. The Flex Plan and The Core Plan. They give you a run down of what they are on their website. You can choose either plan and actually switch back and forth between them week by week.

The Flex Plan is their one and only Points System. It’s just like counting calories. Each food is given a point value based on calories, fat and fiber grams. You can use a slider given to you when you sign up and use the label to figure out the points. Also, there is a food companion and dining out guide you can buy to tell you the points of thousands of foods. Let’s say you eat a tortilla at a restaurant. They take 3 tortillas and average the nutritional value of the 3 and give you the points of the average. Pretty nifty, huh?

So, you are given a point value based on things like gender, age, if you are nursing (oh ya baby, I get extra points!), height and so on. You add up your points throughout the day and try to eat them all with out going over unless you are using some of your extra 35 free points you get for the week.

Then there is the newer Core Plan. Now, I personally think this rocks, because it is basically how I ate when I lost weight before. On the core plan you get a freakin’ awesome list of healthy foods that you can eat all you want of. You get 35 points for the week to use for things that aren’t on the list, like bread and ice cream. This way you can have a treat and not go nuts that it’s not on the list!

Personally, I think the Core Plan is healthier, but the Flex Plan is by far easier. I’m starting on the Flex Plan this week and counting points.

The Break Down

All right, I get 42 points (32 normally and 10 for nursing). That’s right, I’m fat. Get over it. That’s why were here though, right? Because I need to get skinny, not because I already am. If I was skinny, then maybe I could have named this, "Ha ha, I’m already skinny and you’re not". Just kidding. That would feel nice though, I won’t lie.

I weighed in at 246.6.pounds. OK, that totally sucks. It sucks bad. I want to scream at that. Did I mention it’s sucky?

Size 20.

First Goal is supposed to be 10% of your weight, so that will be a loss of 24 lbs for me.

My Healthy Weight starts at 160 pounds according to WW.

My Personal Goals is to get to 200 again and a size 16, then get to 150!

Day One

Today was fun. Of course it was, because it’s all new stuff. It’s like opening a new present that you get to mess with and play around with. The problem with something like this is that you can get bored of it just like the novelty of the new present may wear off. That’s what’s supposed to be great about WW though, is that you go every week and get support to stay on track. Actually, WW says that people who attend all their meeting and use their etools online are 50% more successful.

I actually ate 11 points under what I’m supposed to, finishing the day at 31 points eaten. I wasn’t going to post what I eat, but isn’t that what you really want to see?

Here goes:

Breakfast: 1.5 cups oatmeal, 1 tbsp. raw agave nectar, 1/2 cup wild organic blueberries
Morning Snack: an orange and a small banana
Lunch: Garden Veggie Soup (recipe by WW and 0 points), crackers
Early Afternoon snack: handful of pecans and handful of grape tomatoes, small banana, a little later I had a McDonald’s vanilla cone (only 3 points)*
Late Afternoon snack: G.T.’s Synergy Kombucha, another bowl of the veggie soup, few bites of a tortilla
Dinner: tomatoes, sea salt, basil, fresh and minced garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil all baked and served on multigrain pasta.

*Somehow McDonald’s vanilla cones have become my weakness and treat right now. I’m such a hypocrite, I’ll admit it. Don’t start throwing the stones though, I am human. They need to open a Paciugo’s here, like NOW!

What’s Next?

I was right. Doing this made me stop and think about what I was eating. I didn’t have my usual 10 handfuls of chocolate chips today. So sad. That’s OK, I can have them if I want to use all my points/calories on them! What’s the fun in that though? I also think the soup is great, because I get my veggies with very low calories and it’s a filler.

I didn’t like my meeting. My leader was an old lady that had no spunk. She’d ask a question and you could hear the crickets in the back ground. I answered a few times out of pity. I’ll be finding a different meeting.

On to Day 2…

Carnival of Holistic Nutrition - February 22, 2008

Brandon Harshe — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:03:10 +0000

Welcome to the February 22, 2008 edition of carnival of holistic nutrition.

Spencer Jones presents Colloidal Silver Cures MRSA Infections posted at Colloidal Silver Secrets, saying, "Antibiotic-resistant super-pathogens such as MRSA have been in all of the medical news headlines lately, because these infections have increased over 100% in the general population over the past five years. Fortunately, recent clinical studies demonstrate that the mineral silver — particularly in the form of colloidal silver — cures these deadly infections even when prescription antibiotics fail."

Mike Remer presents Celebrating! | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

James Chambers presents Celebrating! | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

James Chambers presents Fad Diets Do Work posted at Weight Loss Dude.

Anwar Daniels presents 10 Ways To Break Out Of Your Workout Rut posted at cannedfitness.com, saying, "If you are bored with the monotony of your current workout routine, try these ten alternatives to help you stay healthy"

healthy personal development

FitBuff presents 5 Benefits of Dark Chocolate - Facts You Need to Know Before Enjoying posted at FitBuff.com’s Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog, saying, "But, before you go rummaging through year-old Halloween candy and stuffing your face with Snicker’s and Tootsie Roll’s, there’s a few things you need to know…"

Alvaro Fernandez presents Posit Science Brain Fitness Program 2.0: Open Questions posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution, saying, "Open questions to help consumers and institutions navigate through this emerging landscape of "brain fitness gyms" and separate what is real today from what is promising and may be real tomorrow."

James Brausch presents Costa Rican Food posted at Costa Rica HQ.

Amanda Harris presents Chamomile Mint Toner posted at Nature’s Bath and Beauty.

holistic nutrition

James D. Brausch presents Trying Something Different: Supplements posted at Weight Loss Dude.

Carole Fogarty presents The Authentic Chocolate Facial: A Superfood for your Skin: posted at THE HEALTHY LIVING LOUNGE, saying, "Uma Thurman, Madonna and Victoria Beckham are all reported to indulge in chocolate facials. Raw cacao (cocoa) powder is now considered one of the worlds most beneficial super foods emerging in our world today. It has four times more antioxidants than goji berries, ten times the antioxidant level of blueberries and thirty times the antioxidant level of green tea."

holistic weight loss

Kavit Haria presents Easy weight loss by counting your calories posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of holistic nutrition using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: carnival of holistic nutrition, blog carnival.

Carnival of Holistic Nutrition - February 15, 2008

Brandon Harshe — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:30:36 +0000

Welcome to the February 15, 2008 edition of carnival of holistic nutrition. We have a lot of submissions to choose from so don’t be shy!

James D. Brausch presents Bathroom Scales posted at Weight Loss Dude.

Frederic Patenaude presents The Benefits of the 24-Hour Fast posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks, saying, "It is amazing what fasting 24 hours will do for your health!"

mmter presents Detoxing for Fitness and Health posted at My Road to Wellness Blog.

Frederic Patenaude presents The Five Tibetans posted at fredericpatenaude, saying, "great pointers to use each day"

Mike Remer presents Oh, Oh! Here Come the Holidays and the Cold Weather | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

James Chambers presents Hyperhidrosis Causes posted at Hyperhidrosis.

Roger Haeske presents I’ll Be Eating At A Steakhouse Tonight posted at Raw Food Diet, Bodyweight Fitness and Peak Performance Living.

James D. Brausch presents Does The Switch Diet Work Long-term? posted at Weight Loss Dude.

Tupelo Kenyon presents Finally the Truth About Diet – The China Study Review posted at Tupelo Kenyon, saying, "Finally, here’s an authoritative diet and nutrition book based on hard science and exhaustive research. This revealing book is written by one of the world’s most respected authorities in the field of nutrition. In his own words, he has been “in the system for almost fifty years, at the very highest levels, designing and directing large research projects, deciding which research gets funded and translating massive amounts of scientific data into national expert panel reports.” There is so much useful information in this book, I consider it one of the most important books I have ever read and give it my highest recommendation. Change your diet and change the quality of your life. (Enjoy soothing instrumental music as you read plus song selections with lyrics related to each article – all free"

Rob Moshe presents Live Your Best Life By Serving Others posted at Rob Schaumer, saying, "This is not necessarily a fitting post for your carnival. Once the project starts, each day I will recognize a fellow blogger that "Helped""

Shaheen Lakhan presents The Huckabee Diet: A Flawed Model of Health Advocacy posted at GNIF Brain Blogger.

Spencer Jones presents Why Take Colloidal Silver? posted at Colloidal Silver Secrets, saying, "Sometimes exercise and proper nutrition are not enough. In this age of strange diseases, the body occassionally needs nutritional supplementation, particularly where infection and related diseases are concerned. One of the easiest ways to help protect the body during times of stress when immunity may be low and infection can set in, is with a safe, natural nutritional supplement known as colloidal silver."

healthy personal development

Sunny presents Continuing to Hope in the face of Disappointment posted at Dandelions and Daydreams, saying, "Disappointment can be hard on your heart. This post is about continuing to hope and moving past disappointments."

Jenn Givler presents Is it wrong to be abundant AND spiritual? posted at Create a Thriving Business.

Roger Haeske presents Why Your Gym Membership May Be Wasting You Over 2 Hours A Week posted at Raw Food Diet, Bodyweight Fitness and Peak Performance Living.

Mike Remer presents Wish Exercise wasn’t so Hard? | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

Samuel Bryson presents Breaking an addiction: posted at Total Wellbeing.

Alex Blackwell presents Five Good Reasons to Exercise posted at The Next 45 Years.

Roger Haeske presents Your Infinite Power To Master Yourself posted at Raw Food Diet, Bodyweight Fitness and Peak Performance Living.

Jose DeJesus MD presents Launching an Employee Wellness Program posted at Physician Entrepreneur.

Byteful Project presents My Journey into The Master Cleanse (Day 1 of 10) posted at Byteful Blog, saying, "I did this life experiment back in August to see its effect on my creative output, but my experience with the Master Cleanse diet will remain relevant as long as people try the diet. It’s helped many regain control over their eating habits. Overall it was a fascinating experience!"

Christian Goodman presents Tired? It could be Fibromyalgia posted at Christian Goodman, saying, "Fibromyalgia has no known cause. Doctors all over the world suggest several catalysts for the syndrome, some conflicting with each other. Others even think it’s all in the mind. But simple exercises can heal Fibromyalgia."

Alvaro Fernandez presents Mindfulness and Meditation in Schools for Stress and Anxiety Management posted at SharpBrains, saying, "Several recent news pieces have reported on an emerging trend: schools using techniques such as yoga and meditation to help students manage anxiety and stress. To better understand what is going on, we are pleased to bring you this article thanks to our collaboration with Greater Good Magazine."

Mike Remer presents Wish Exercise wasn’t so Hard? | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

Alex Blackwell presents How Much is Too Much? posted at The Next 45 Years.

Anmol Mehta presents Free Online Hatha Yoga Poses Galleries posted at Mastery of Meditation, Enlightenment & Kundalini Yoga, saying, "Free online e-book of illustrated Hatha Yoga poses and exercises to help you start or deepen your Yoga practice."

Karl presents Self Hypnosis: Handle Stress with Self Hypnosis posted at SELF HYPNOSIS: Weight Loss, Quit Smoking Self Hypnosis!.

Sam Zoranovich presents Love What You Eat, Eat What You Love posted at Unapologetic Genius, saying, "Forming relationships with the food you make, preparing it passionately, and eating it with gratitude make deciding what to eat easier and healthier."

Freddie L. Sirmans, Sr. presents Can The US Prevent A Starvation Crisis? posted at Can The US Prevent A Starvation Crisis.

Alfa Mercado presents How to make your smile more attractive posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Todd Goldfarb presents 4 Pillars of Effective Personal Growth posted at We The Change, saying, "hey there– hope I made the deadline! Here is an excellent piece on 4 "Pillars" of effective personal development from We The Change…enjoy!"

holistic nutrition

Hueina Su presents My Young Living Story and Exciting News posted at Intensive Care for the Nurturer’s Soul, saying, "Ever since a health scare last summer, I’ve found holistic ways to help me regain my physical & emotional health. My husband and I are amazed at the turnaround I’ve made since last winter. Here’s my healing journey and some exciting news to share."

Edwin Casimero presents Why the american indian quit the raw for 30 days program posted at My Family Health Blog.

Edwin Casimero presents My Eczema Cure: Complete Story and Photos - This raw foodist is not necessarily vegan posted at Eczema Cure.

Samuel Bryson presents Kangaroo Meat – Good For You AND the Environment: posted at Total Wellbeing.

Chris presents Don’t Snooze In Your Cubicle: Here Are Four Ways To Snack For Higher Energy posted at The Healthy Snacks Blog.

Tupelo Kenyon presents Is Food Your Medicine or Poison? posted at Tupelo Kenyon, saying, "Food is not what it used to be. In the relatively recent past, food was universally recognized as the fruits and nuts that grow on trees, the vegetables that grow out of the soil, plus some fish and game. If you were to take a ride in a time machine and show our ancestors what we eat today, they would recognize very little of it. For the most part, it’s over-packaged, over-processed, over-rated and under-nourishing. Every day, we choose our future health and vitality by what we choose to put in our mouths. Three times a day we have the opportunity to act upon our resolve to experience optimum health and vitality . . . at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bon appetit. (Enjoy soothing instrumental music as you read plus song selections with lyrics related to each article – all free.)"

Mitch McDonald presents All Natural Home Remedy for Acne Breakouts posted at FYI About.com.

Randy Powell presents Good Fats! posted at Eating-Veggies.com: Alkaline Diet blog.

Jamie McIntosh presents Winter Strawberries posted at Suite101: Organic Gardens blog, saying, "Avoid nerve-damaging organophosphates by eating organic produce."

James Chambers presents Types of Hyperhidrosis posted at Hyperhidrosis.

Frederic Patenaude presents How To Beat Candida: Understanding the Real Issue posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks.

Frederic Patenaude presents Candida, Sugar & Fat: Understanding the Issues posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks, saying, "The Raw Food expert explains the correlation between yeast infections and raw food eating contrary to popular opinion that it is sugar."

Phil B. presents 5 Small Nutrition Tips That Make a Big Impact on Your Health « Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity, saying, "The foods that we eat play a large role in the outcome of our long term health."

Frederic Patenaude presents Problems with a High-Sodium Diet: An Important Diet Tip posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks, saying, "An interesting article on how all forms of salt (even "healthy" ones) are not good for us."

Alfa Mercado presents 10 reasons you should drink wheatgrass juice posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Alfa Mercado presents 5 reasons to go RAW! posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Alfa Mercado presents Five awesome ways to improve breakfast posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Kavit Haria presents Facial Yoga - Get rid of your wrinkles faster posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Miguel Wickert presents Nutrition « The Pursuit of Excellence posted at The Pursuit of Excellence, saying, "The article provides 3 reasons for consuming Carbs, which will lead to a balanced and healthy lifestyle."

holistic weight loss

Joshua Seth presents Your 1 Day Weight Loss Challenge posted at Joshua Seth Blog, saying, ""Are you willing to take the steps that are necessary to improve your health so you can improve your life and live your dreams? If so, then here’s something simple you can do today to improve your health and make you more fit than you were yesterday. Just for today, promise yourself that…""

James D. Brausch presents Five Gifts For Those Losing Weight posted at Weight Loss Dude.

Mitch McDonald presents Weight Loss Exercise And Weight Loss Motivation posted at FYI About.com.

Becky Gillaspy presents How to Tell if You’re Really Hungry? posted at Weight Loss without Worry, saying, "Physical hunger is a call by the body to fill a need for fuel. Physical hunger is satisfied by food. Head hunger is a desire by the mind to fill an emotional or perceived need. Head hunger is not satisfied by food. To lose weight effectively you must learn how to tell the two apart."

Maria Fernandez presents Weight loss myths demystified posted at Health and beauty - blog, saying, "This post gives you an assessment of long-held myths about dieting, and tips of how to lose weight successfully."

Joshua Seth presents Your Weight Loss Mindset | posted at Joshua Seth Blog, saying, ""Answer these four questions to start improving your health today. By doing so you’re taking the steps to do something good for yourself, as well as the people who love you. You’re taking charge of your health and your life. The greatest gift you can give yourself and those who love you is good health. Why wait any longer? Answer these four questions now…:""

Christian Goodman presents The New Way To Lose Weight - How It Works posted at Christian Goodman, saying, "Virtually all weight loss programs out there focus on reducing body fat by dieting or sticking to low-fat meal plans, or increasing body heat by working out. There aren’t any programs that advocate weight loss through increased oxygen intake."

Christian Goodman presents How Being Overweight Increases the Risk of Hypertension Christian Goodman posted at Christian Goodman, saying, "Hypertension and obesity are the two most serious health threats we face."

Frederic Patenaude presents 24-Hour Special for Lightning Speed Fitness Program posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks, saying, "This is a blog entry for a program which makes fitness easy (with some effort) and affordable. No more fancy equipment or expensive gym memberships….for the average "joe" who wants to stay in decent shape, these exercises help you to use your own body weight to achieve fitness. The exercises can be done anytime, anywhere, within roughly 15-20 minutes. Convenient and efffective!"

TheNourisher presents A Life Unburdened: Getting Over Weight and Getting On With My Life by Richard Morris posted at Nourished Magazine, saying, "What happens when a fat man who’s failed at all the diets stops blaming his lack of willpower and figures out that all the expert advice on dieting is wrong? You get a truly practical road map to successful weight loss."

Mike Remer presents Celebrating! | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

James D. Brausch presents Fad Diets Do Work posted at Weight Loss Dude.

Technorati tags: carnival of holistic nutrition, blog carnival.

Carnival of Raw Foods - February 15, 2008

January Harshe — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:00:59 +0000

Welcome to the February 15, 2008 edition of carnival of raw foods. There are a ton of great articles to read. Enjoy!

Wenchypoo presents Affordable Health Care on Every Corner posted at Mental Wastebasket, saying, "Re: using produce as a means of health care insurance."

Mike Remer presents Wish Exercise wasn’t so Hard? | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

Roger Haeske presents Why I’ve Barely Worked Out Lately and? posted at Raw Food Diet, Bodyweight Fitness and Peak Performance Living.

Tiffany Washko presents Eat Raw More Often posted at Raw Food Blog.

Frederic Patenaude presents The Benefits of the 24-Hour Fast posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks, saying, "It’s amazing what fasting 24 hours will do for your mind, body, and soul!"

Roger Haeske presents I’ll Be Eating At A Steakhouse Tonight posted at Raw Food Diet, Bodyweight Fitness and Peak Performance Living.

James D. Brausch presents Does The Switch Diet Work Long-term? posted at Weight Loss Dude.

Frederic Patenaude presents Staying a Step Ahead of Aging posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks, saying, "As we age, intensity of exercise is essential to gain optimum benefit."

Tiffany Washko presents Get Your Antioxidants - Eat a Salad posted at Natural Family Recipes Blog.

raw foods

Andrew Michaels presents Helios Or Bust: Forget Cancer, The Sun Is The Cornerstone Of Life posted at Lifecrafting, saying, "This article talks about how the link between cancer and sun exposure is ridiculous, and states the the sun is one of the most important aspects of health. Written by a raw foodist."

Roger Haeske presents What it Feels Like to be Free of the Overwhelming Desire to Eat Cooked Food posted at Raw Food Diet, Bodyweight Fitness and Peak Performance Living.

Wenchypoo presents The Return of NNR Food Scores (L-O-N-G) posted at Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket: Here It Is–The Scoop on Longer and Healthier Living posted at Mental Wastebasket, saying, "Written back in 2005, but now I finally have a carnival for it."

Lovelyn presents Raw Kale Greens Recipe posted at The Art of Balanced Living.

Abdulrasool Sumar presents Gardening & Good Diet Leads to Less Lung Cancer Risk posted at Mesothelioma Cancer, saying, "Cancer scientists at the The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center say that by simply eating 4 or more servings of green salad a week, and doing their gardening once or twice a week, people (both smokers and non-smokers) will be able to substantially reduce their risks of developing lung cancer during their lifetimes. This is a matter of doing physical exercise by gardening, and having good nutrition by eating green salads and other healthy meals."

Chris presents Don’t Snooze In Your Cubicle: Here Are Four Ways To Snack For Higher Energy posted at The Healthy Snacks Blog.

Roger Haeske presents Your Infinite Power To Master Yourself posted at Raw Food Diet, Bodyweight Fitness and Peak Performance Living.

Frederic Patenaude presents The Power of Rituals: How to Build Positive, Energizing Daily Rituals posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks, saying, "Great tips about using rituals to achieve goals"

Justin presents Raw Food, Weight Gain posted at Raw Food Today, saying, "This article will help those who are new to raw plant foods or eating vegan to be able to put on muscle while living this lifestyle!"

Lovelyn presents Raw Apple Pie Recipe posted at The Art of Balanced Living.

Freddie L. Sirmans, Sr. presents Can The US Prevent A Starvation Crisis? posted at Can The US Prevent A Starvation Crisis.

HealthyTips presents Health Tip #19: Healthy Cashew Balls recipe for dessert or snack posted at Healthy Tips For A Healthy Lifestyle, saying, "Here’s a healthy dessert recipe using only raw food ingredients."

Frederic Patenaude presents How To Beat Candida: Understanding the Real Issue posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks.

Frederic Patenaude presents 32 Seemingly Unimportant Things That DO Matter in Your Health posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks, saying, "32 hidden aspects of health."

James D. Brausch presents Fad Diets Do Work posted at Weight Loss Dude.

Frederic Patenaude presents Candida, Sugar & Fat: Understanding the Issues posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks, saying, "Candida is something I struggle with and I thought this was a great article explaining that consuming excess fat is the issue not sugar."

Alfa Mercado presents 5 reasons to go RAW! posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Todd Goldfarb presents The 5 Greatest Foods For Your Health posted at We The Change, saying, "here is a great article about the best raw foods (except quinoa). From We The Change…enjoy!"

raw foods taste

Abdulrasool Sumar presents Eat Fruits & Vegetables - Prevent Cancer and Stay Healthy posted at Mesothelioma Cancer, saying, "If you read our article on how Gardening & Good Diet lead to Less Lung Cancer Risk, you will see that good diet & gardening can reduce your risk of developing lung cancer by 40 - 46%! In this article, we explain how to set up your diet so as to maximize the number of fruits and vegetables you consume in any given day. The American Cancer Society suggests that you eat 5 servings of these foods every day. Here is a sample menu to incorporate to your diet each day without taking on extra expenses."

raw foods trial

Alfa Mercado presents Wellness junction posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Roger Haeske presents Stench of burning flesh; what is hell? posted at Raw Food Diet, Bodyweight Fitness and Peak Performance Living.

Justin presents Some Good Raw Food Goals. Direction Determines Destination… posted at Raw Food Today.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of raw foods using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: carnival of raw foods, blog carnival.

Idea Brewing

January Harshe — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:58:27 +0000

Hi! I’m still here. Sorry I haven’t posted in a bit. I have had a very hormonal week! Seems like 4 months after having a baby isn’t enough time to be back to "normal" again. Thinking about it though, what is normal?

I have a 30 day trial I am brewing right now. I am deciding what I want to do and how to do it. I will be back soon to post about it and to get started!

January

Finding Balance for an Inner Peace

January Harshe — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:57:56 +0000

Yes, I ate a McDonald’s ice cream cone yesterday and I loved every minute of it. In fact my daughter didn’t want her’s so I had 2! You can call me a hypocrite, crazy, or say good for you! I don’t care. I need a balance between being healthy and enjoying life! When I became healthier and lost weight before I would still get treats, but always the best. I used to eat Pacuigo’s gelato once or twice a week! I had found a good balance that worked for me.

It’s this balance that I am struggling with now. I’m in a different state (TX vs. AZ), environment, around different people, the elements of my family have changed (a new baby), my body is different (another pregnancy and now nursing). Finding the right balance can be a bit tricky. It’s kind of touch and go until one day you realize things feel right. You feel great, look great, have a good rhythm to your day and your family is happier. This is what I am working on now. This is where my journey is at the moment. It’s kind of exciting actually. I get to write my life. I am the author with a pen in my hand (or a keyboard in front of me) getting to decide not only what is going to happen today, but also what the next chapter will hold for me.

I am ready Dr. Wayne Dyer’s book 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace. Now that’s quite a bit to ingest at first. To tell you the truth it’s a pretty book. That may sound strange, but it really does feel good to have around.

Chapter one or the first secret is to "Have a mind that is open to everything and attached to nothing". That is a big concept to grasp. To do this, you must let go of all conditioning, preconceived ideas and what you have learned to be true. This is so much more to this life, this world, than we know. What we know is nothing, but a tiny piece of a bigger picture. Anything is possible. Anything! If you realize that you know just about nothing about anything, then you will see that there is no reason to have a closed mind about anything.

Since anything is possible, and there is much to this universe we don’t know then you can create anything you want, right? Have you heard the quote, "With God all things are possible."? I love that Wayne Dyer used this in his book. It is so true. If you do not think that you can do anything your heart desires, then you do not believe that with God all things are possible. It’s that simple. Do you believe or don’t you? Break down those barriers and layers of crap and get to your core. Have the faith of child. Believe!

How can you be open to everything? Wayne Dyer makes a bold statement. When someone suggest something to you that goes against you conditioning, instead of saying, "That’s ridiculous or impossible", say, "I’ve never considered that before, I’ll think about it!" Try doing this for a week and see if it opens your mind. You might realize that you are more negative than you think of yourself to be.

Another statement to make you think is this. "Let go of your attachments to what you’ve been trained to believe. Open your mind to all possibilities, because whether you believe something is possible or impossible, either way you’ll be right."

He believes that your attachments are a source of all your problems. You can be attached to things, people, the need to be right, to win, etc. By being open minded you can resist these attachments and have inner peace and success.

So, how do you release attachments? Change how you see yourself. There are two sides to people. Their ego and their spirit. Taming your ego and letting your spirit shine through to guide your life is key. Be a witness in your life. Have peaceful thoughts and then you’ll have peaceful emotions. You can still desire, but don’t be attached.

One more thing from the book. Let’s say you have two wands. With Wand A you can have anything physical you desire and with Wand B you can have a sense of peace for the rest of your life regardless of anything that comes up in your life. If you pick peace then you already have Wand B. Think about it. If you can love someone enough for them to be what they choose to be without any expectations or attachments from you then you will have true peace in your life. "True love means you love a person for what they are , not for what you think they should be. This is an open mine—and an absence of attachment"

That is awesome! It is very inspiring. Thank you Dr. Wayne Dyer!

I’ll give an example of how I had to let go of a physical attachment just a few minutes ago. I received a birthday present from a good friend. Something I had wanted that was cute and just for me. It just arrived and I pulled it out of the package. I had used a pair of scissors to open the package. I walked away for a minute to grab something and my 4 year old daughter jumped up on the counter, grabbed the scissor and cut the beautiful ribbon that went across the present. The ribbon was not on the packaging, but was actually part of the object. My first reaction was to be upset. I wanted to feel sorry for myself because I had just received it and already it was "ruined"! I wanted my daughter to feel bad, to have remorse. Then I stopped myself. It is a thing, an object. Does it really matter? Why am I attached to the point of being upset over it? So, I grabbed the scissor and cut off the ribbon and left the pretty bow and no one will even know.

It is interesting to me how attached we can be. Here are some things I am going to work on not being attached to:

-Anything physical in my life including bags, clothes, our TV, computer, and my phone. I learned that it was easy to live without a phone this week as I had left it in Utah and haven’t had an alternative. It wasn’t so bad. More peaceful actually!

-My hurt feelings and pride.

-Food

Are there any attachments you can let go of to strive for inner peace?

Accomplishments of the Day

January Harshe — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:50:20 +0000

A Realization:

Yesterday I realized I was beating myself up with self talk in my head. "You shouldn’t be eating so much." "What’s wrong with you? You should be losing weight." "You know what to do." Then, I stopped. I had an epiphany that I really did just have a baby, I’m nursing a ton and I am listening to my body! I dropped 30 pounds right after I had Annabelle. I have not lost or gained any since. I think I am trying to force something that is not ready to happen. I really do need to get back to only focusing on being healthy. I know I need to stop worrying about weight loss because it’s not the right time. I need to think only about putting healthy food into my body for me and Annabelle, then I will be much happier. This is a step towards me eating the way I want, becoming healthier and yes, losing weight. This is not an excuse to not care, but actually to care more. To care about nourishing not only my body, but my mind and spirit because I am listening to my body and putting a stop to negative self talk.

Nourishing My Mind and Spirit

I am a different person (a better me) when I am taking time to listen and read good material. When I am taking time to reflect and pray.

I am in the middle of listening to Wayne Dyer’s Your Life Begins Now. He talks about ego verses spirit or your intuitive self. I’ll come back to this as I finish the CD’s

I have also been having down time to watch my favorite parts of movies like Step Up. Hey, I have to have fun too. Just because I’m a wife and mother, doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a hot dance movie! Brandon bought me one of my all time favorite movies, Dirty Dancing! I can’t wait to get a moment to watch it!

I have decided to read Proverbs in the Bible. I was reading chapter 20 and a few verses stuck out to me.
Proverbs 20:7 "The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him." This scripture says a lot to me. I know that if I (and my husband) are walking with God, then our family will be blessed because of it.
Proverbs 20:9 " Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?" A good reminder to keep my heart clean and pure.
Proverbs 20:11 "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right." We are known by the value of our work. What we do really does effect us, our spouse, our children, our friends and everyone we know. Is what I am doing positively effecting people or not?

I am always conversing with God telling Him that I want to be one of these amazing people that is all loving, forgiving and accepting. Well, when we ask for something it doesn’t always come how we expect. I have been recently put into situations where I can choose to be those things or I can let my ego or my analytical side or what I perceive to be true and hard, or what I have been conditioned to think, dictate how I respond. I have been given an opportunity to show unconditional love and forgiveness in circumstances which would normally not be easy to do these things. If I truly want to be a person at true peace, this is my time to be it. This is my time to love, forgive, accept, help, pray for others around me that I am finding myself in these situations with. It’s quite profound and an interesting place to be. I think it takes a lot to even recognize that I am being given an opportunity to be a better person and Christ-like instead of just focusing on my hurt feelings and wounded pride.

I have a constant internal struggle. I find myself wanting to feel hurt and wanting to think of how I’ve been "wronged". Now, I simply stop my mind from continuing and think about how blessed I am and how I feel better from the inside out letting the negative feelings go. Why do people chose to feel hurt? Yes it is a choice. We are capable of so much more. We can truly be amazing spiritual people walking around this Earth loving and blessing all of those around us! It takes letting go of all the layers of crap that has been passed down generation to generation. It takes constant work and remembering that we are human. It takes remembering why were are here and that this is a journey, a positively progressive one if we make it so. Think about what you are truly capable of. Why haven’t you done it or why are you not being it? Is whatever you are answering really true? Or is it what you believe to be true? Let it go. Be who you want to be, do what you want to do. It really, really, really is that simple! It is our limiting beliefs that make it difficult. What limiting beliefs can you let go of?

Today I am choosing to be the person I know I want to and can be. I am all loving, forgiving and at peace with my choices. I will choose this all day. Then, tomorrow when I wake up I will chose this again. This is more important than what I am eating and how I am exercising. Those things will come as I change habits!

I have been eating these kinds of foods:

A large bowl of organic oatmeal with raw agave and a little bit of wild blackberry honey
Glass of raw milk (hee hee…makes me so happy)
Raw cheese, dates, raisins and raw pecan pieces
Snacking on plates of fruit (apples, oranges, banana)
Smoothies
Air popped popcorn with olive oil and sea salt
Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread with peanut butter and blackberry honey
Brown rice, red lentils, organic veggie medley, soy sauce, curry, and tumeric
Canned diced organic tomatoes, garlic, sea salt, basil baked and served over corn chips and topped w/raw cheese
Water
Vitamin C, Multivitamin, Iodine