Organic.
04 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
I have been meaning to share what I have learned about organic foods for some time. I have to admit that at one point prior to my life changing journey, I thought that the whole organic movement was a gimmick that yuppies fell for. I had also seen those videos about animal cruelty in the meat factories, but it just wasn’t enough to sway me. I have my views about meat and the food chain, but upon more research I came to find out that these factories are actually very disgusting. I have found out that organic is what our forefathers ate, strike that, it’s what the first human beings ate. Anyway, I felt that this organic movement was something I should study further and find out about for myself. I’ll be talking about toxins, saturated/hydrogenated fats and their effect on the foods we eat.
Firstly, toxins. We all know what toxins are right? Well just to clarify: A toxin is a poisonous substance, especially a protein, that is produced by living cells or organisms and is capable of causing disease when introduced into the body tissues but is often also capable of inducing neutralizing antibodies or antitoxins.*
A toxin is a poisonous substance. Our bodies react to toxins in different ways. As said above, can cause disease to body tissues such as our organs. Another way our bodies react to toxins is by turning them into fat cells. Fat is a protective mechanism, not just from starvation, but from environmental hazards such as toxins. Toxins get stored in our fat cells as a temporary protective measure but these toxins also block our body’s ability to burn fat cells altogether. Some 77,000 toxic chemicals are produced in North America alone; more than 3,000 chemicals are added to our food supply; more than 10,000 chemicals are used in the food processing industry and one thousand new chemicals are introduced to the food industry each year. ***
These chemicals are used to color, preserve and flavor our foods. How are we going to keep our organs healthy, or keep obesity rates down, if we are eating an overabundance of toxins? I have come to find out that USDA certified organic foods are certified because they pass guidelines requiring that no artificial additives or chemicals are allowed. This includes pesticides used on fruits and vegetables, but that’s just a scratch on that surface.
What about fats and oils? There is such a thing as a healthy fat. Having kids, I have come to learn more about these fats as they are excellent for brain development. The reason why these healthy oils are beneficial are because they contain omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3s are to thank for healthy brains and overall organ function. But simple oils like vegetable oil and other common cooking oils (Crisco, butter, margarine) are full of hydrogenated and saturated fats. These fats are simple and sticky in their cell form. They stick to the other fat cells and don’t burn off easily. Also these fats do not have any benefits when it comes to organ function, in fact they are degrading to organs completely. These oils are also filled with toxins. A tablespoon of Olive oil has about the same amount of calories as a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Does that mean these oils are the same? No. Complex oils and simple oils will break down in the body differently and will effect the body’s organs differently. This may be old news to many health journeyers out there, but it is surprising to me how many people associate weightloss achieved through calorie counting alone with healthy measures. If we took the knowledge we have about good oils and bad oils and applied that to all of the foods we ate, we would be on the right path. Not all produce, meat and more specifically, fats, calories, proteins and sugars are created equal.
So how does all of this effect our food? Why is organic a better choice? Firstly, produce and pesticides. I have come to learn about a little company called Mansanto. *** This company owns the majority of the seeds that produce fruits and vegetables in America specifically. The fruits and vegetables grown from the seeds owned by this company have been genetically engineered to only produce one harvest at a time and respond to Round Up pesticide. Yes, Round Up. These seeds will not grow without the aid of the pesticide, Round Up. These seeds are called “Round Up Ready” seeds. So these fruits and vegetables we have become accustomed to eating were not only absorbing toxic pesticide it’s entire growth period but were also engineered on a genetic level to not respond to growth at all with out this chemical.**** So non-organic produce has become produce that is not actually recognizable by our organic bodies. It’s grown with toxic chemicals. Are they completely nutrion-less? No, I don’t think so. But how can our bodies absorb any nutrition when the nutrition is genetically altered? I have to say I have tasted this with my own mouth.
When I was a kid, my grandmother used to pick me up from elementary school on occasion. On the days she would pick me up, she would ALWAYS and I mean always have a piece of washed fruit in a paper towel ready for me to eat as soon as I got into the car. I loved it. I would scarf it down because I hadn’t eaten in hours. Over time, I didn’t realize a difference until a few weeks ago I had an organic apple that was bought for me. When I bit into the apple, memories of my Grandma: the smell of her car and the memory of driving home with her; they flooded me immediately. I realized I hadn’t tasted an apple in 20 years. It’s not that I hadn’t eaten an apple in 20 years, I have had plenty of “apples”, but this was unlike the ones I have eaten lately. There was not a shiney, waxy exterior. There wasn’t a bitter, strange aftertaste. It was sweet and soft and just unlike the ones I had been buying for my kids from Wal Mart. That was the last straw.
Now, meat. I haven’t switched over to completely organic meat because it’s so expensive. The industry of meat is competitive, atrocious and disgusting. I like me a steak, I like hamburgers and I love McDonalds, don’t get me wrong. The industry as a whole when looked at closely is unbelievable, though. Non organic meat comes from animals that are grown in close proximity to the other animals. These animals do not free range, they do not walk around and they are fed simple carbs and processed kibble. This food is full of saturated fats so therefore the meat we eat from these cows/chickens will break down in our body as saturated fat as well. Also because these animals have no room to roam or exercise and are grown close together, they are injected with steroids for rapid muscle gain (chicken breasts the size of your head do not come from organic chicken) and with anti-biotics because the disease rate is higher due to the animal’s living so close and in their own feces. On the other hand, meat from animals that are grown on farms with walking/running room and are fed grass and grain will break down into essential fats, provide more omega 3s and will be absent of toxins. Animals that are grown in a more natural environment and are fed more natural foods will also provide more uncorrupted protein as the protein in it was built by an exercising animal, not a steroid injected one grown in a cage.*****
This also applies to milk. Some people began buying organic milk because of synthetic estrogen hormones the milk companies began injecting their cows with. This would provide a larger milk supply but in turn we saw a lot of repercussions from the hormones. Little boys were growing breasts and girls were growing larger breasts at very young ages. So all milk companies have pretty much jumped on the anti-hormone bandwagon. I do not choose organic milk for this reason alone, though. Like the meat, the milk is going to bring into our bodies whatever the cow took in. If the cow was fed grass and organic materials, the milk itself will be full of the essential fats and proteins. But if the cow was fed simple processed “feed” which is cheap and easier to come by, the milk will not produce proteins and fats that are recognizable to our bodies therefore will not enhance the quality of our organs but rather will nestle tightly in our fat cells or organ tissue. This goes for eggs as well. Organic eggs come from free range chickens fed the foods they were supposed to be fed in the first place, especially flax fed chickens. The enhanced Omega 3 eggs we see at the store come from free range chickens fed flax seed solely.
Fructose and glucose, I will end with this. Fructose and glucose break down in the body differently as the sugar compounds on a molecular level are different. Table sugar (glucose) does not break down well in our body and nestles in our fat cells as well as causes diabetes. Fructose breaks down easier and can actually bring some enhancement to our bodies. Although, fructose is still a sugar and can be abused. Fructose in juices or syrup is bad because it’s the sugar compound taken away from the fiber included in the physical compound of the fruit or vegetable. An orange is full of Vitamin C and fiber that levels out the fruit sugars and helps the body to break it down. But orange juice is not fresh fruit, has corrupted Vitamin C and no good amount of raw fiber. When fructose loses it’s “break down buddies” such as raw fiber and the other physical compounds found in a piece of fruit or vegetable, it becomes harder for the body not to turn it into fat. A great example is high-fructose corn syrup. This is a syrup made from fruit sugars carmalized and processed to make juices, candies and other products “taste good.” The problem with this syrup is that it works like a saturated fat in that it wraps around fat cells and creates a resistance to fat burning. Hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup are what scientists use to make rats fat quickly in order to study obesity. And Glucose does absolutely nothing to benefit the body, doesn’t break down well within the body and spikes insulin which also causes fat burning resistance in the body as well as Diabetes.
Anyone who tells you to cut down on fresh raw fruit is not fully educated about fructose, though. Fructose calories break down differently when they are with their “break down buddies” andn it can be detrimental to our health without the vitmain/mineral benefits from fruit.
There is so much more to speak on about this topic and so much more to learn. I never thought I would be a health nut… but who knew that being a health nut would go from being someone who simply eats healthy to being someone who will require of our food companies that they provide actual food and not synthetic enhanced versions of it.
I once heard a saying by Jillian Michaels, a popular physical trainer, that “If it doesn’t break down on the shelf, then it won’t break down in your arteries…” A key to understanding preservatives and where we have taken our food.
*http://www.answers.com/topic/toxin
**http://articles.mercola.com/sites/art/Pages/default.aspxicles/2005/02/19/common-toxins.aspx
***http://www.monsanto.com
****http://www.thefutureoffood.com/ (can be found on Netflix.)
*****http://www.foodincmovie.com/ (can be found on Netflix.)
Day 5.
01 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
I haven’t had any sugar or flour/starchy foods in 5 days as well as no red meat or pork. It’s getting very difficult but I am realizing a lot of things in the process. I feel that this is helping me to really step over that boundary from being a person who grabs some pizza to being a person who grabs the salad. It’s very difficult to do and very hard to project not being able to eat whatever I want to in the future. But I think that this process is helping to make me want better foods. It’s come time. I have to choose. Do I want God’s food? Or do I want to be self destructive but not care because stuff tastes good?
An old friend of mine who I recently caught up with is getting her Ph.D in Physical Therapy. In a rare and strange happening of events, I ended up being invited to her cadaver lab. Long story short, while I was looking at this cadaver and learning about our ‘innards’, I was ministered to. It is so astounding to me that God paid attention to every little detail when it came to our physical bodies. And to think, ashes to ashes dust to dust is a machine that man kind can never reproduce.
I saw what a lung riddled with lung cancer looks like. She also described to me that his arteries crunch from too much plaque build up. It is one thing to hear about these health conditions from a doctor or a pharmaceutical commercial, but it’s completely different to actually look at a real physical body part and see with my own eyes the health condition. It was an awesome counterpart to this journey.. sounds a little gruesome.. but actually it was extremely intriguing and educational.
When enduring the refining flame of habit change, I keep thinking back to my experience with John (the man who donated his body to UNM’s Med. School department). John helped me to realize that what I am doing in this journey is to improve this body, this temple for the sake of health; which means for the body parts that I can’t see. I feel that sometimes I forget about my insides just because I can’t see them. I can see my big ol’ gut and dimpled bum, so the focus will sometimes end up being on that. When really the focus should be that behind the skin and fat layers is a complex machine. This machine needs specific fuels. I feel that even ‘skinny’ people should realize this. Just because you’re skinny doesn’t mean your organs don’t need the right fuel, and it sure as heck doesn’t mean you’re healthy
Well that’s my rant today. Here’s to another day of habit change!
Answered Prayer.
29 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
So when I started this journey, it was catalyzed by a silent prayer that I have had since the third grade. This prayer was, “Lord, please turn me into a skinny person..” I prayed this prayer as far back as the third grade. More recently though, this prayer has undergone the fire of testing, refining and maturation. Well, kind of. Now it’s more of a grown up, “WHY GOD?! PLEEEAASSEEE HELP ME! I just can’t live like this anymore..”
The feeling of carrying this weight has dragged me down enough. I am ready to shed this layer of whatever it is off and move forward. Although I am coming to realize that no matter what I weigh, if I don’t like myself, I never will. So my prayer, over time, has come into a pleading with God. Begging. But this time instead of skinny-ness, it’s wisdom and health. I also started to pray that God would just change my eating habits for me, because I can’t do it on my own. And God has showed me that it’s really about finding who I am in Him, and then He’ll do the rest.
For the longest time, my prayer life wasn’t as active as it should have been. I stopped hearing the Holy Spirit. At the beginning of this month, my church set a time for prayer and fasting. I participated for 2 days cutting out meat, sugar, processed foods and simple carbs. (I know 2 days doesn’t seem like a lot, but I felt called to these two days specifically.) During these 2 days, it’s like my spiritual ears got tuned in just a little bit more. I ended the 2 days as I felt necessary and a couple of weeks passed. Just a few days ago, as I was doing the dishes, I was so thankful to hear from the Holy Spirit again. I haven’t been this spiritually in tune in quite awhile. It was very clear:
No more red meat, no more pork, seldom chicken.
No simple carbohydrates, processed foods or simple sugars, creams/oils.
No juice, No soda.
Do this until I tell you otherwise.
It was an answer to prayer. I had been asking God to do this for me. He set me on a fast. This is a spiritual fast, yes, but I know it was an answer to prayer about my physical body. It is very important that I express the difference between spiritual fasting and diet fasting, they are not one in the same. Spiritual Fasting is a time of cutting out food for prayerful purposes, to fill up spiritually rather than physically. But, in this case, I do believe I was called to this fast for not just the sake of spiritual fulfillment but also for the sake of the prayers I have been petitioning regarding my physical body. I am meditating on God’s word and making that the number one habit change in my life– also praying OUT LOUD. I am still eating chicken, fish and eggs. So this isn’t the Daniel Fast either. It was just specifically handed to me and it was so clear.
I was going to compare and contrast the difference between organic and non-organic foods in my last video.. but got side tracked by the experience that I had just hours before while washing the dishes. Since I have made a dedication to document my change by video and blog, I have to be honest and accountable. Not just for the sake of those who follow up, but for myself. So I felt I needed to share that God has been doing a work in me and that I did feel His lead on this fast. I do not agree with cutting this and that out when it comes to dieting because you can’t stick to that forever. But I am so relieved to know that God is coming through. He’s coaching me and will let me know what foods are ok to add and when. It’s just so awesome that I am finally getting some spiritual response regarding this issue. Always so good to hear from you, God.
This is a serious journey. And I am going to be honest, I hate making the videos. LOL! I think about the different people that I will have bared my soul to.. makes me a little anxiety ridden. So I have come to the conclusion that I will be writing about my journey in this blog only. Probably no more videos in the future. I think the privacy of the blog is that those who are interested in the topic of health will take the time to read it if interested. Also I feel I explain myself a little better when I write.
Also, I have come across some blogs and websites that some of my friends out there have made regarding their weightloss and health journeys and I really enjoy reading them!!
Stay tuned.. this year is going to be wild. And I mean ROWDY.
Absolute Madness.
12 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
Well this New Year has been off to a crazy start. We have put our home up for sale as well as come along some other hurdles in the road. But God is good and He is faithful to provide. I went on a Daniel fast this last Sunday and Monday. I took the time to really consume God’s word and overcome temptation of simple, sugary, processed foods. I asked to receive from Him. Whatever it is. I know He has something He needs me to receive. There is no way, with all of the changes that have taken place in the past 12 days, that God doesn’t have something for me to receive. He has to have something great in store for this year. Too much has happened that has taken me right to the edge– Now I either trust Him or I don’t. Well, I choose to trust; to move forward.
I know I made it very clear that I am not on this journey to lose weight fast. In fact, I am trying to learn to accept myself the way I am if I were to never change at all. That has been a very very difficult step for me. But on December 29th, I went to the endocrinologist and found out that my thyroid has bottomed out again. Even though I am on medication for it, my levels are way out of normal range. I have hypothyroidism which can effect weightloss and weight gain. It is very difficult to lose weight if the thyroid gland isn’t regulating the metabolism. My doctor has increased my dosage but said that it is only to move me slowly into an even higher dosage. SO, I am still going to make a video on the 17th but I am not sure how much physical progress has been made. Although I haven’t weighed myself, I am pretty sure I haven’t lost anything. I have been downing organic foods like a mad woman, though. At the same time, I haven’t worked out since before Thanksgiving either. OH such is life. But I am ready to just get back up and get back into a routine. When I work out I feel so good, and I am looking forward to having that back. I can’t wait to run from bears and dodge biting Parana’s once again!
I have to admit there are some other medical reasons why a fast weightloss is not going to work for me right now. But I will get into that another time. In March, my doctor should be putting me on the higher dosage. One of the effects of a higher dosage of Levothyroxine is weightloss! So hopefully things will really get rolling when my hormones are all in check! I encourage anyone out there who is having a hard time losing weight, have your thyroid levels checked. If your thyroid is fine, make sure to ask your doctor if any of the prescriptions you are taking cause cortisol levels to rise. Cortisol is a hormone that can work against the burning of fat, primarily in the stomach area.
I am excited for my next video because I plan on comparing and contrasting organic and non-organic foods. I have to give a huge THANK YOU to my friend Maria who hooked me up with organic produce, and showed me the way of getting my hands on strictly organic produce in the future. I just don’t know how to thank you enough, Maria!! I have managed to switch over to organic milk and eggs completely, organic produce mostly and some organic meats. Although wholly getting into organic meat is next on my list. Step by step, I am turning into a different eater.
Now if I could only get my husband to stop calling Domino’s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (He’s not a big fan of the new choices in our fridge.. haha!!)
Fresh New Decade!
01 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
January 1, 2011 is a good day for me so far. I am not one for New Year Resolutions or even making a huge deal about the fact that it’s a new year; it’s still just time and time just keeps going. But for some reason yesterday, I really got into the hype of “starting fresh”. I thought about it and I think I am really excited about not just a new year, but a new decade. Ten years ago I was starting High School. Ten years ago, if someone would have told me that I would be where I am, I would have probably had a little 15 year old heart attack. Ten years can change ten times more stuff than one year can change. (You like that? I did that math myself). But not to sound facetious, I really mean to point out that a decade marks a huge chunk of change. We categorize history by decades, we explain chunks of time as being “decades ago”. When we take a moment to organize our life goals, or are asked to write an essay about our future vision, the prompt is usually “where do I want to be in ten years?” Our personal lives, our social lives, our cultural lives can all turn upside down and inside out with change in a matter of ten years. So this New Years Day, I am thinking about my next ten years. Rather than making a resolution yesterday that I will try and force into reality today, I am setting goals for what habits I will make permanent throughout this whole year and the next decade. Even if it takes this whole year, or decade, for them to become permanent. I realized that at the end of this next decade, I will be 35. (A little more of my awesome math on ya!) On this day in 2021, I will be at the age I always dreamed would be the point in life where everything is set and perfect for the rest of my existence on earth. Even when I was a teenager, I knew that when I was 35 I would be exactly where I want to be in life. I am finding that this may not be true. I am actually coming to find that there is no set place in life that anyone really needs to be in permanently and forever. I think this was more because I was 15 or so and couldn’t see beyond 35. Then, 35 not only seemed like a death sentence but it was also an eternity away. So, everyone gets their crap together in an eternity’s time right? So anyway that “eternity” is up in ten years. But back to the point. The point is, I want this next decade to be a journey that gets me into the life that God intended for me. I want to progress and be the person He originally created me to be. This next year I want to really find out what the call is on my life. What did God put me here to do? Preach the gospel, be a fisher of men. But how? How does He want me to go about that? In what condition does He need this temple? What new people and relationships will I be making and how much hurt in the world and suffering of my neighbor will I mend through the love of Christ? This next ten years is going to be monumental because I am giving God the permission now to go ahead and use me for what He needs done on this earth. My main ministry, my family, is going to flourish because I am going to continue to grow in being the best mom and wife I can be. I am not going to pass on history of anger and negativity. So this year I am going to think about the “ins and the outs”. What is going into my eyes? My head? My mind? My mouth? What is coming out of my heart? My thoughts? My choices? My mouth? Where is my heart as a Christian? Am I reaching out to the hurt, the broken the poor? Am I helping the widow and the orphan? Am I loving like Christ loved? Gossip, hate, judgment, resentment, jealousy and envy just simply can’t be apart of my life or the next ten years.
It’s a fresh new decade! Look up. Set goals. Go for them. If in the next ten years you really want something, and you know exactly what it is, turn it over to God in prayer right now. Hold on to it and make it a part of how you’re going to live your life for the next ten years.
I have friends and family in my life right now that would probably like to be married with some babies at the end of this ten years. If it’s a spouse you want within the next ten years: Hold your head up. “Clean-up” and get presentable, as they say. Adopt healthy habits and get out there on the market. If your expectation list is a whole lot bigger than 1. has the same faith 2. has similar political beliefs and 3. loves me a lot, then you might need to go through and take a few things off… make sure to decipher the God-inspired expectations and the lust/flesh-inspired expectations. But that is a whole different rant for a whole different type of blog..
So here’s to a new 10 years of growth, habit change and happiness!!
Motherhood.
14 Dec 2010 1 Comment
It’s been awhile! I guess because I am getting bored with writing about fruits and vegetables. They are good. I feed myself and my family better, I have lost weight, no duh!! I have found out a lot about the horrible things that have been done to our fruits and vegetables, though, and that worries me a lot. The next thing on my list of ‘things to find out’, is how to get my hands on corn and corn-related products that were grown without Monsanto’s interference… it’s extremely creepy how impossible that actually is. He who owns the food, controls the world. Just remember that.
But this blog is supposed to be about my Life Changing Journey. Not just about my waistline changing journey. I will admit, this all started as a weightloss effort. I wanted it to be a different effort this time, though. An effort that was permanent; something that had to take place from the inside to the out. So on this journey so far, I have changed my mind about a lot of things. I have found out that if it’s from the inside out, then I need to change from the inside first. I will talk more about this on my video, but the way I see the world and who I am in this world has been changing. This journey has, so far, rearranged my priorities; it’s not just about what I look like anymore. This journey has become about the fact that there is a big purpose out there; a purpose I am a part of. The vanity of this culture I drown in has become apparent to me now more than ever. I have a lot of insecurities and misconstructions when it comes to the opposite sex and how I view men; inevitably resulting in how I view my husband. Also, how I view myself. Without getting into too much personal detail I will just say, I have had a lot of purging and reconstruction going on psychologically. I have had to ask God to come in and do this, well practically, FOR me. I cannot do this on my own.
One of the ways God has changed me from the inside out is by blessing me with the jurisdiction of motherhood. This started my journey long before I planned on it starting. Something happens to a woman when she becomes a mother; her whole perspective on life changes. Well, mine did anyway. I guess I shouldn’t speak for every woman. Suddenly everything that once mattered to me started to fade. Those things faded more and more with each child that came into my life. Having these children, seeing how impressionable they are and how much they rely on my guidance has “straightened me out”, to say the least. Changing my thoughts and my actions to line up with the Word of God (especially when it comes to being a parent) has become the main priority in my life. Although I had a pretty good upbringing, there is always room for change. “What can I do better?” Is always the question lurking in my mind in every situation when it comes to my kids.
I will talk more about food in my videos. I just want this Life Changing Journey to mean more than weight loss. I have come to find that the battle to be thin is vain and that there shouldn’t be a battle in becoming fit. There is so much more to this life, the call on my life than what I look like. Everything that I have become requires a lot of physical activity and good decisions in food choices. I want to take my kids for walks, my dogs for walks, keep my house clean. This home needs so many improvements and from what I hear, owning a home is a lifelong project. Therefore, my focus should be building this home: my family. My husband loves me and our children; he and I are best friends. The man would never insult me or hurt me or think differently of me because of my weight. He is the type of man that deserves a hot wife. So I don’t want to use the excuse of his kindheartedness to be alright with being out of shape, but I do want to make it clear that this whole journey is an inward to outward change. I am not interested in losing weight to please anybody. As much as I at one time wanted to resemble other people who had the “perfect bod”, I see that priority beginning to fade away as well. The importance of life is really starting to reveal itself to me. The vanity game is lifeless, wasted time. I have wasted a lot of time hating myself because I didn’t look like that. “There’s no way I can be loved if I look like this” was the quote that was my mantra for a very very long time. As I have been blessed enough to experience the love that only a mother can feel, these shallow goals lose their power over me more and more each day that I serve as a mom. I love my children so much and if they were ever rejected because of their looks, it would make no sense to me. I see in them so much.. magic. They are simply little balls of magic running around. And it has absolutely nothing to do with the way they look. I hear that this love is the closest representation of love on this earth that resembles God’s love for us. And in the midst of all that God-love everywhere, I would stare at the numbers on a scale and commit mental suicide every. morning. It’s lifeless. It’s shallow. And I have LOVED not getting on the scale.
Not too long ago, I watched a documentary with my husband about babies all around the world and how they are raised. Without one word spoken through the entire movie, it showed the similarities and the differences of parenting when it comes to different cultures. In one particular region, it showed breast feeding mothers whose breasts nearly reached their belly buttons. These women did not care. In fact, the women in this particular region didn’t even wear shirts. These women focused on raising their children, building their home. What I trained myself to believe was the ideal perfect-looking woman bears no resemblance to these women, mothers, who have never seen a magazine. These women do not have magazines or TV. They just have life, families and nature. Do I necessarily not want TV or magazines? No. I appreciate the advancements of our culture, we are spoiled but we do not have to live in any sort of poverty. The problem, in my opinion, with our leisure-filled culture is that we have gotten so out of touch with the mortality and work that life actually demands. As a result, we are spoiled and have too much time on our hands. We have enough time to set our minds on vanity; the impermanent and fleeting things that give no value to life whatsoever. Stuff. Looks. Self. The trinity of a wasted life. I am starting to get a passion for those around me. What can I add to their life? When I am gone, who will come to my funeral? Who did I touch and inspire? Who did I show Jesus to? (And to those whom I showed the opposite, I am sorry.) What did I instill in my children and what will I pass on for generations to come (if Jesus tarries)? What did I do to advance the Kingdom of God? What did I do in this mortal life that got me ahead in my eternal one?
I want to be fit. But I need to make something clear. I want my physical to resemble the spirit and soul- to resemble all-around health. I feel that I am not showing outward order because there is inner chaos that needs to be settled. I am working from the inside to the out. This is not overnight. There is no pill, drink, flush, fast, surgery or colonic that can change what I have to change. I have to change the way I see God, man, myself… that is going to require a lot of ‘thought-throwing’ (Isaiah 55:8,9 Psalm 55:22 Proverbs 3:5,6). All together, a lot of priority changing. Life is magical, I am sick of missing all of it because of something so shallow such as what shape my body should be. I am just sick of focusing on how I don’t like myself. It all has been changing, and I am really just along for the ride. I’m ready to let go and live out importance.
Although, I still want a boob job one day. ; D
Twinkie.
22 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
I have a pound of lunch meat Turkey in my fridge. I also have a pound of Bologna. We have had to throw some of the Turkey away because it decomposed. This pound of Bologna has not changed a bit. It smells the same, looks the same. It has been in there for months. Not to defend lunch meat in anyway. All deli lunch meat has preservatives in them and has undergone processing. But even though the Turkey is not all organic/natural it still breaks down and gets gross. The Bologna is not getting gross at all. I saw a saying recently that read, “If it doesn’t break down on the shelf, it is not going to break down in your body.” This is speaking to me in volumes.
Twinkies don’t rot. I saw a video showing a happy meal that didn’t decompose, even after sitting out in the air for 6 months. I have fresh produce in my fridge more often than not these days, and I either have to eat it fast or throw it away. Why is it that the very first foods, put here on this earth along with mankind, do not sit on a shelf (in or out of a fridge) for very long before they go bad?
I am making this a guiding post for the majority of anything I eat. I think I am going to go throw that freakin’ Bologna away right now.
Pleasantly Surprised.
17 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
Today is the first day I have weighed myself in a month. After all of the doubt I started having the past few days I am pleasantly surprised!!! I lost 1.6 pounds. Now I know to most dieters out there, that is not very much. I know, I was a professional dieter. But something has broken in me. I don’t want to be a dieter anymore. I just want to be a fit person… more than that, I want to be a happy person, a confident person. A person no longer afraid to let her husband wrap his arms around her waist. I don’t want to hate myself anymore. And I have truly fallen in love with fruits and vegetables. This is unlike anything I have ever “stuck-to” before. Honestly, the only things I am sticking to are: reading the Word, speaking/thinking positive things about myself and my environment, eating healthy foods when I can and working out when I can. No forcing, no fighting, no depriving.
For the past month, if food was in my presence, I helped myself to some. Food went from being an all-time forbidden enemy, to just being there when I need it. This 1.6 pounds is monumental. It is the first 1.6 pounds I have ever lost without hating myself. It is the first 1.6 pounds I can be positive won’t come back. This 1.6 pounds was a result of happiness and change through the grace of God. I am so happy. I am pleasantly surprised. I haven’t been at this low of a weight in 2 years, not since my last crash diet. But I am doing anything but crashing now.
Words, blogs, videos. Nothing can truly explain the change that has been taking place in my life. Because the change is happening mainly on the inside. Anything that manifests in the physical is a result of a spiritual battle I have been fighting. Could I have fought it better these past 4 weeks? Yes, I could have. But what I did obviously worked. I can only focus on moving forward, moving my relationship with God forward. Here’s to another month of success!
HALLE’!
Staying Calm.
15 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
I have not had any time to post!! I have been staying busy with the kids and doing a lot of running around also some hiding from the public because I am a little freaked out about Wednesday. I am supposed to make another video blog in 2 days and I am also going to weigh myself. I haven’t weighed in a month. I am trying to stay positive and keep the focus off of the numbers and just on being active and healthy as a way of life. I know that this method may not work for everyone. But the thing is, I have done a lot of weight loss programs and I have successfully lost weight many times. But I am not good at keeping it off. So that is why I am not weighing myself or counting or doing any programs. I am simply substituting a lot of what I eat with leafy greens and organic foods. Fruits and veggies. Being active. I am trying to make these things permanent habits. There is nothing else to lose. I have done everything.
I have to say, if I have not lost any weight. Or, even if I have gained weight. I am going to be fine about it. All I can do is commit to eating right and working out. Regardless of the numbers, I feel really good. I enjoy working out and I love eating foods that nourish my body. I challenge myself to think positive things about myself on a daily basis. I understand there are some people out there who don’t struggle with those issues. This is just apart of the change I need to make in my life. This isn’t just about weight. This is about an inward change. I need to change the way I think and the choices I make for the better, permanently. God is breaking a lot of chains in my life. Inwardly and outwardly. But it took years to get here, I am not going to have it all down by Wednesday.
I am ready to weigh myself on Wednesday morning. And I am willing to accept anything that comes my way. And unfortunately, I will have to be honest in that video to all of you out there about whether I lost any weight or not. I don’t know what I have gotten myself into. Hiding out isn’t an option any more! I have to make a change because I have put myself out there. All of you who read this and/or watched the video are holding me to my commitment and I really appreciate it. I think I am more successful when I have family and church family (and some out there who have never met me) encouraging me and keep me accountable. I am really happy you are interested!
Talk to you all on Wednesday! oh man.
Good Morning Avocado.
06 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
I absolutely dreaded having to get to the store all day yesterday. I had to wait until 8pm, when my husband gets home, to go. We have three kids under 4 so going to the store with them is a no-go! I need to fit food into the grocery cart, not just kids! Anyhow, I dreaded getting there all day but woke up this morning so elated! I have fresh produce in my fridge!! I used to feel this way about having tons of junk food in the house. My stomach started to growl about an hour ago, I ripped into the fridge and pulled out my box of leafy lettuce and an avocado. I couldn’t get it all into the bowl fast enough! Nothing like an avocado salad for breakfast!!!! I LOVE that I love wholesome food.
I have to admit I had a bad bought of depression yesterday. And for anyone who knows me, depression just isn’t my ‘thang’. But I was so down and sad and tired. I know it had a lot to do with life’s circumstances (work, finances, kids) but those things are always around. Why did they get to me so bad yesterday? I can pretty much assume that it is because yesterday was a week since I had had any God-food. I am just not a depressed down in the dumps kind of person, but I got that way after a week of eating the old foods. I am in such a better mood when I am eating food that my body recognizes. Just another reason why I am getting addicted. Two days ago I had a craving and wanted to bite into cucumber. I just wanted to take a whole unpeeled cucumber and bite into it. That is not a craving I have ever had before and I know it sounds soo crazy! Why have I waited this long in my life to start enjoying God-food? The stuff is like crack now that I have just given myself some time to get used to it!
Good morning, Avocado. I am glad I could wake up to you this morning. You’re full of omega-3 and I feel GREAT after eating you!
