Sunrise - A New Day

It has been awhile since I have blogged and I have to say that I am sorry. I have been going through a rough time this summer and I have totally checked out with my friends, and blog. I wrote an article about empty nest syndrome but I never realized at how bad I had the empty nest syndrome.  I have devoted my whole life to my two children and when the reality came that they were leaving in three months it hit me like a big mac truck. You could say I had gone through a depression all summer. I wanted to be with my kids 24-7 until they left. It is now going on two months of the kids at college and every day I have gotten better.

I truly believe until you get it straightened out about yourself in your brain, losing weight will be in the form of yo-yo dieting. True, we need to exercise and eat right but a BIG journey in weight loss comes with believing in yourself and likening yourself to know that you are worth it.

 I am on a journey of self-acceptance, believing in myself that I can lose this weight. I want to thank Kathy for giving quotes and tips in helping all of us through this journey of finding ourselves.  Everyday has gotten better in this change in my life. A friend told me that I am sabotaging myself into not having a good life. “Life is not over, it is only beginning for you, now is the time to work on Julie and enjoy life now,” she said.

 As I am taking my friends advice, I started this week walking on my tread mill and this Thursday I made an appointment to start working with weights at the YMCA on my lunch hour.

So many changes that I have made including a new job working in the Health Department that I enjoy so much! God is always watching over us. I don’t know what holds in the future for me but I know I don’t want to waste any more time feeling sorry for myself. So guess what...I’m back!

NOTE: When I wrote this blog a few days later Kathy had lost everything due to a fire. She has stayed so positive and I look back and am thankful for Kathy being an inspiration to us all. She has not complained and she has stayed positive through this horrible time in her life. This was a big lesson for me to learn. Thanks Kathy for bringing us all back to reality and helping us realize that there is always a new morning for each dark night.

Julie

WHATEVER IT TAKES

Are you REALLY willing to do whatever it takes to lose weight? My "whatever it takes" philosophy was recently challenged...

I signed up with a fitness coach who has helped thousands of people lose weight. She told me to trust her advice to take what added up to seven supplements a day, which included CLA and lecithin. "It's a science" she said referring to weight loss. She's a cool coach who has a big heart for helping people and I respect her, but sirens sounded in my head at the thought of having to swallow a handful of pills every day. I have a borderline phobia of taking pills. (Why is a long story for another post or one you can figure out after reading my Break The Cycle books). Some of the pills she said I needed to take three times a day. Whoa, I thought the whole idea of getting healthy is to not have to take pills in any form. I questioned her and myself. Was I REALLY willing to do whatever it takes? It's holistic she assured me. "Trust me!" 

"Trust, but verify." I first heard those words from Bruce Fowler who is a motivating personal development guy I follow on Facebook. That phrase kept flashing in my mind like a neon sign. I followed up on my instincts with some research on the supplements and found some were made from animal products and had a list of side effects. 

My coach also recommended that I eat several eggs a day which I had almost completely gotten away from eating as I am wanting to progress from a vegetarian to a totally plant-based vegan lifestyle. I used to love omelets, but watching Earthlings changed me. I now associate eggs with the image of 55 gallon barrels being filled with live baby chicks that are being disposed of like garbage. Between that image and knowing that an egg is a chicken's ovulation makes it not so appetizing to me anymore. On top of that I see the studies where cholesterol increases significantly when we consume eggs. I am also a big fan of Dr. Colin Campbell who has proven that animal protein causes cancer...

So, do I follow the advice of a fitness coach who has helped thousands of people lose significant amounts of weight or do l follow the recommendation of a doctor who has 40 years of experience and scientific data to back him up? Most of all, do I go against my conscious to further support the slaughter of innocent animals so I can "lose weight" and go on a program that I know from the start will not be sustainable? 

The answer for me became a clear NO. I am not willing to do "whatever it takes" to lose weight. I am not willing to go against what I believe in my soul is right. 

I know the price for this decision. I know that it means I may continue to struggle with losing weight. It's a chance I'm willing to take to stand up for what I believe is the right thing for me. 

What about you? Are you willing to do "whatever it takes" to lose weight? It's not always an easy question to answer. It may take some soul searching and sacrifices to make the right decision. 

Kathy 

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Reprogramming My Mind

When I'm asked what church I go to, the first one that comes to mind is Lakewood. I like going to church in my underwear and I love listening to Joel Osteen. It is a toss up between him and Joyce Meyer on who is my favorite pastor. Both of them preach messages that speak to me.

This morning I was watching and listening to Joel Osteen preach about reprogramming your mind. What a timely message that is for me. I truly believe as Joel said that the enemy uses negative messages and events to create viruses in our mind and that those messages are only a seed. We decide whether to water those messages and make them grow.

I have spent a lifetime weeding out negative messages that were planted in my mind as a child when I didn't know any better than to let them grow out of control to the point where it affected my self-esteem and made me want to seek refuge in comfort foods and retreat from the enemy behind layers of fat. I am learning the truth, that the enemy has also used food to create false fixes that have led to further harm to my body.

Armed with this mindful awareness, I know what I have to do. I have to give the whole mess over to God first of all. I know I cannot fight this battle alone. I then have to reprogram my mind so that I am able to consistently do the things that make me healthy in mind, body and spirit.

Listening to positive messages of God's favor like Joel and Joyce share helps me tremendously. I truly believe that if we nourish our mind with messages of faith and hope that we can develop the strength to turn our life around and live the abundant life God wants us to live. And conversely, if we listen to negative news and messages all day long, that will affect our mind too.

It is a constant battle to tune out the negativity that surrounds me and not let it seep into my soul. I am grateful for those who share God's grace and give us words of encouragement to hang on to as we make the journey forward to our healthiest, happiest life.

I am blessed. I am healthy. I have God's favor. Those are the messages I am reprogramming my mind with today and hope you do too!

Love,
Kathy

Flip The Switch

“If you can change certain key choices — your diet, how you handle stress, your physical activity — it’s like writing notes in the margin of your genome, and you can flip the switch to support and protect your health.” ~ Pam Peeke, The Hunger Fix

Do you believe it is possible to flip the switch off to eating sugar and junk food? That is what I am going to do tomorrow. I am flipping the switch off for one year as an experiment and hopefully, for good so that I can lead a healthier life which will take me to the places I want to go. I want to believe it's true. That I can go from self-medicating with food to using it strictly as nourishment. Balancing my protein and carbs, just fueling my body, not eating for comfort or entertainment. I just bought the book, The Hunger Fix by Pam Peeke and she says that our choices can indeed flip the switch to help us lead healthier lives. We will see. I will let you know how it goes. You are welcome to join the journey at any time you choose!

Kathy

Choose to be Happy!

It is raining outside today. It is so dreary out and the sun in hiding. Does this make or break my day? I choose to be happy no matter what the weather is doing today. It is all about my attitude in how I choose to feel about today. I could complain and be miserable or choose to be happy.

My mom used to tell me no matter where you are or what you are doing choose to find the good in any situation and choose to be happy. I never really understood that quote my mom said until I go older. There are some days it is really hard to have this outlook on life, but it is a choice. Our attitude plays a big role in our life. I know I could be depressed at working to lose weight but in my mind I am choosing to see me happy and healthy. I am telling myself that I can lose this weight and it will happen.

If you have the feeling that life won’t change, shake that bad mindset off and get a new outlook and tell yourself that this is only temporary. Your rainbow has always been right in front of you. You just have to believe and be happy.

I know after this rainy, dreary day a rainbow will appear any minute, and look at the picture below. It did appear…..right in front of me. Now to find my pot of gold!  

Julie

I AM A WARRIOR

315! That's what the scales show. I slipped for a few months, started eating whatever I wanted whenever I wanted like I have done a million times before. I didn't pay much attention. I thought you know maybe it's my destiny to be fat. What's the use of keeping up the battle day in and day out. I started dragging around, wanting to sit down, wanting to sleep. Just let me sleep...

That's when it hit me. Yes, I can eat whatever I want. I can stay 150 lbs overweight, but I will sleepwalk through life. Eating crap makes me feel like crap! So, I started thinking about it. Wondering what I did differently when I lost the 25 lbs. Well, I didn't have to think long. I was part of a challenge group. I checked in every day. I drank vegan Shakeology. I know there is controversary around supplements. But, I could plainly see that it worked for me. Should I be eating fruits and veggies and beans and other sources of plant-based proteins? Absolutely! But here's the deal. It's not always readily available. Call it an excuse. Whatever. I just know when I drank Shakeology my cravings were gone, my joint pain was minimized, I had more energy which enabled me to want to move more and workout. I LOVE the Beachbody workouts. I have several of them. As I did them, I got more energy and it broke the cycle.

So here I am six months later and trying to decide what should I do. Should I remain "impartial" and explore other avenues to health and wellness? The answer is clear as daylight to me. I'll stick with what works. I see Shakeology and the Beachbody programs as a tool to transition to the more active and healthy lifestyle I seek. When I saw the name American Fitness Warriors, I knew that was where I am meant to be. I AM A WARRIOR! I am a survivor. The enemy may try to defeat me but I put on God's armor and get back up and live my best life, every day, one baby step at a time, consistently! That's the only way I know to get a grip on obesity.

I am more determined than ever. I know that I cannot let up to win this war on fat and disease. I am digging my heals in and preparing to climb the mountain to success. I don't want to climb the mountain alone. My mentor John C. Maxwell says, "If you're climbing a mountain alone, you're just taking a hike!" I want to take as many people as I can on this wellness journey. I want us all to be warriors and claim our victory over a sickly mediocre life. We deserve to health, but only we can make the choice to be healthy.

Are you with me? I am training to win the Beachbody Challenge starting July 7th. I'm no longer on the fence. I'm in 100%. God keeps bringing me back to this. I am paying attention!

Peace, Health & Happiness,

She-ra, I mean Kathy :)
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Live the Life

Summer is finally here and that means swim time! I love to swim, do you? I opened my pool a few weeks ago and I had two little fish come to swim at my house. The two little fish is my nephews, Ian and Isaac. They could not wait to jump in the cold pool. (I had just opened the pool) They did not care about the temperature, they just wanted to jump in and have a great time!

What happens to us as we get older? We are not like children and just jump in and enjoy life. We give excuses that the water is to cold, I don’t want to get wet, and I don’t want to be seen in my bathing suit. I say, “Who cares just jump in like a kid and enjoy the life,” We only live once so make the most of it!

I believe learning how to swim is very important. It is never too late. My mom wanted all four of us girls to learn how to swim because she was never very comfortable in water. Swimming is great exercise also. If you have joint problems water exercise is the way to go. I like to water walk and enjoy the outside all while staying cool in the hot summer.

I have more nephews and nieces coming to swim throughout the summer. What a great time for spending time with family and watching all the children teach the adults about fun and exercise.

So come on and jump in and be like a kid and live the life. J

Julie

Color Me Pink

I have always heard that the best way to get in shape is to train for an event. It makes sense, but I've never done it before, ever! I have never had an interest in running, which at a Freudian glance I would say stems from childhood trauma surrounding sports. I was always last to be picked for teams during gym. I was made fun of for being big and awkward, and I was picked on by a basketball coach. 

When I was in 4th or 5th grade, in front of what felt like the entire school that was watching track tryouts, I said I could run faster with my shoes off. It didn't help a bit. I was way behind the slowest running kids and my feet were on fire from running on the scorching asphalt. That was the first time I remember the feeling of being embarrassed. There were many times I felt embarrassed after that experience, but that was the first time and here I am almost a half century later recalling it! 

So, when I hear about a "fun" run, I normally tune it out as fast as I turn screeching head banger music off of my radio. But, when it's attached to a good cause, it gets my attention. 

I just heard about a 5K Color Fun Run and Walk Family Challenge Day that Cancer Services of Grant County and She 4 Life is hosting at Matter Park, October 4, 2014 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. I know so many people who are dealing with cancer. I have lost loved ones to cancer. I would walk across the United States and beyond if I thought it would help cure that devastating disease. 

Immediately after deciding to "train" for this event, I wondered how one can go from the couch to a 5K Run. I have to admit, I have been sedentary for way too long! It would be a dream come true to be able to do a 5K and keep up with the crowd. It would be like the adult me helping the child in me cross that finish line! 

I Goggled Couch to 5K and found a Running Plan. There is even a Couch to 5K App on iTunes. I'm going to give it a try. I will be in Florida during this particular event, but I'm going to train for it and support them anyway. Who knows where it will lead. At the very least, it will help me overcome my reluctance (fear) of participating in sports, help me get healthier, and help others in the process. That's a worthy cause indeed! 

What about you... Have you trained for an event? Did it help you stick with your exercise routine? Did you lose weight and get in shape as a result? Maybe this 5K Color Fun Run or some other worthy event is on your radar too. If you want to train for your first 5K, let me know and perhaps we can do a Couch to 5K together.

Go Pink! 

Kathy Gerstorff

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A Praise for the Day!

This morning when I got up out of bed I could not believe how beautiful it was outside. I heard the birds chipping with my windows open and smelled the crisp cool air. The temperature outside was perfect.  As I sat with my dog on the couch I could not help but to be thankful for this day. I sometimes take beautiful days for granted.  If you really look you see miracles all around us. We all (including me) worry about our weight, everyday issues, and money on a daily basis.  I am going to take today and smell the roses and be glad I am alive to enjoy the blessings of the day.

I am going outside to walk around and thank the Lord for all that He has given me in this day. How many times do you just stop what you are doing and look around and see the miracles of the day? Put your worries aside and look up and say, thank you for this day, the first day of Summer.

Julie

Hello Summer!

Hello Summer!

Can you believe Saturday is the first day of summer? Spring and summer seem to go by so quickly. One of my favorite treats of summer used to be ice cream. Now, I rarely use any dairy products and the few times I have been out of almond milk and used a bit of milk in mashed potatoes or decided to have a few bites of my husband's butter pecan (his favorite), I got gas and stomach cramps, so somewhere along the way in the past few years that I have been a vegetarian, I must have developed lactose intolerance or maybe it was there all along and I just didn't make the connection. I still like to have ice cream on hot days, but now I have discovered the secret of having delicious ice cream without dairy and that is FROZEN BANANAS! It tastes just like ice cream. You just blend up some frozen bananas with a little bit of your favorite non dairy milk. I use almond milk, but coconut milk is delicious too. Fully Raw Kristina has a delicious recipe for Banana Peach "Nice Cream" as she calls it. I'm looking forward to trying this one! 

 


Kristina is also doing a fully raw challenge. This one has already started, but you can jump in and still see the videos and exercises that go with each day. I really want to do a fully raw food challenge, but first I need to make it through a week without eating junk food! I do fine as long as I don't go to long without eating or drinking water. More than a few hours and my blood sugar drops which creates a food emergency as it's called in The Daniel Plan. If I ever figure this out, I will have the key to success that has eluded me for so many years. I just keep on trying. I figure if I get whole, fresh foods in my body, that's better than nothing. Getting healthy is a continuous work in progress. 

I hope you enjoy the first day of summer! I will be in Celina set up with my husband showing our landscape pilings. We will be set up to support a Lupus fundraiser. If you are in the area, stop by and say hi!

Kathy

Distractions

This picture is from the Disney movie called “Up” it goes right along with my blog because the dog in this movie always gets distracted when he sees a squirrel. How many times do we get distracted from our goals in one day?

In Church today my pastor spoke about distractions. This sermon really hit hard with me in a lot of areas in my life. Since The Great Weight Off has been over I have had a lot of distractions when it comes to working on my weight loss.

I could not wait for summer to be here and now that it is I have been distracted.  I have not been a good role model that I would like to be. I have allowed all these distractions to take over and I have gained weight in the process. Cookouts, weddings, graduations, and my kids coming home for the summer. Sure, I have been having fun and enjoying life I will admit to that, but I am slowly slowing down and getting back to the old me and I am getting very tired, not energized like I used to be. I am making wrong food choices and not exercising like I should and it is my own fault.

I felt better in the horrible winter only because I was losing weight and feeling good and going to the YMCA.  As they say that you can only play so long before life catches us with you.

Do any of you let distractions get in your way of your goals? I am not going to say “No” in having fun this summer.  I am going to make better food choices and I will keep my eye on my goal in winning this weight battle! Great Sermon today Pastor John!  Thanks for helping me keep on track in so many areas of life.

Julie

Do Protein Meal Replacement Supplements Really Help?

In 2013, I drank Vegan Chocolate Shakeology nearly every morning for breakfast. I like the flavor and it was a quick meal. I often added a frozen banana, fresh spinach, almond milk, and PB2 powdered peanut butter to the mixture. It was as good to me as any milkshake I ever tasted and there was no guilt afterwards! My junk food cravings subsided and I lost 25 lbs. After a few months, I noticed my knees and elbows stopped aching and my energy level increased. I felt like exercising and wanted to move around more. The quality nutrition combined with the exercise was giving me more energy and I felt better than I had in years. Was this a placebo reaction? I expected it to help me and it did? This year, in 2014, I have discovered the answer to that question is NO.

In January, I ran out of Shakeology and didn't replace it because money is tight and I felt $120 a month was too expensive. I wanted to try other brands like Vega One, Peaceful Planet, and Garden of Life, but I just never got around to doing it. What has happened these past six months astounds me. Uncontrollable cravings for junk food returned. I gained back the 25 lbs I lost in 2013. The joint aches have returned and my energy level has dropped considerably. Was it eating just the banana and spinach that was helping me? No, I tried that smoothie and it didn't satisfy me or hold me over like Shakeology. I think it had to do with the nutrients, vitamins and minerals Shakeology provides. It also had to do with consistency. When I had the protein supplement, I drank it every morning instead of skipping breakfast or eating high-sugar foods.

I found out that Shakeology contains MSM which is a naturally occurring substance in plants that helps alleviate joint paint. I purchased that on Amazon and yesterday I purchased a Peaceful Planet protein supplement for $20 at the local health food store. I am going to see if this combination works. I know that you often get what you pay for, but I also know Shakeology is overpriced because they have to compensate their sales reps, aka "coaches" which I totally respect. I was a Beachbody coach in 2013 and I know how much work goes into what they do. It's an awesome company and I love their mission to help end the trend of obesity.  Their exercise programs rock too and I spent a fortune on them as well. I may go back to being a coach someday who knows, but my focus right now is providing my body quality nutrition at an affordable price. I know ideally that just eating fresh fruit with some form of plant protein is what is recommended by many holistic professionals. But, here's the deal, I don't always have fresh fruit available which leads to inconsistency in my diet and then the roller coaster ride begins. I want something that I know is providing the quality nutrition my body needs. I know as a vegetarian I need to supplement vitamin B12, so my thought process is if I have to supplement anyway, I may as well do it with a protein supplement that has the daily requirements my body needs, tastes good, and fills me up.

I want to be healthy, I want my energy back. I want to be at a manageable weight where I feel good in my skin. I don't think that's too much to ask of myself and I will never stop trying to find the right combination that helps me achieve that goal.

I know how controversial and confusing it is around the subject of diet and nutrition.I think we can all learn from each other, but we have to do what works for us individually.

Wishing you abundant peace, health and happiness.

Kathy Gerstorff
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Garden Time!

 

Tilling the Garden

 

It is garden time and I love seeing all the vegetables growing and flowers blooming. Summer is finally here! Hip Hip Hooray! My nephew Tony tilled my garden so I could start my planting. I planted green beans, corn, radish, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, watermelon, and sunflowers for the birds.  I plan to plant big and little pumpkins later next month. I think that I planted too early because after I planted the garden, a big rain came and flooded a lot of the garden. I have to replant a few vegetables that didn’t make it due to the rain. If you are not able to plant a garden, check out the farmer’s markets. They always have fresh tasting fruit and vegetables.

In the picture below you see my mom and I picking green beans at my grandparent’s home in 1972. I sure didn’t look to excited to pick green beans. Yes, I ALWAYS complained about going over to my grandparents’ house to work in the garden. I used to tell my mom all the time that when I grew up I was NEVER going to have a garden and I was going to be rich and live in a city where I could have a life of luxury.  Well guess I ate my words. I moved back home and I now live in my grandparent’s house and I have planted a garden. Never, ever say never! J

Now looking back the grass was not greener on the other side. So, now I am back home and enjoying what I had all along and I never knew it when I was younger.  Maybe If I work hard enough I could be as skinny when I was a little kid. Doesn’t hurt to dream and make it a reality!

One thing that I do not like about working in the garden is picking green beans with the bugs! L  Bring on the bug spray!

Julie

What do Blogs and Diets have in Common?

Blogs remind me a lot of diets in that I get all excited about it at first then it fizzles out. I think I'm going to accomplish this big giant goal of transforming my life and helping others do the same which can happen, but it's not overnight, maybe not even in the first year. It takes moment to moment actions, sticking to your daily routine, consistently taking positive action, and keeping the faith. Blogging and diets have those things in common, in fact any successful endeavor does. You do it even when you don't feel like it because you've made the commitment. I committed to writing this "weight loss, wellness, women's health" blog for one year. I will stick to it. I committed to getting healthier. It is a monumental task at times, but I continue to keep getting back up when  fall off the wagon and keep trying again and again and again. I will never give up. Focusing on what I want rather than what I don't want helps. I have forgotten the scales except during fitness challenges when it's part of the requirements. I like fitness challenges because it helps me stay focused and on track. I'm starting a new one June 1st with my Beachbody coach, Clarissa Lupton. YOU are welcome to join us. Just go to her page and tell her you want in! http://bit.ly/CoachClarissa. She has helped thousands of people lose weight and get healthy. I'm sure she can help us too!

I wish you abundant health and happiness,

Kathy

P.S. Check out my new business venture at facebook.com/mywoodscapes. It's keeping me busy and moving and hanging out more with my husband and family, which is a good thing. Sitting too long at the computer is not healthy and neither is isolation. Time to move it, move it. Peace, love and apple slices!

Hummingbirds

As I looked out the window this week I saw a hummingbird drinking the nectar that I had put out for the beautiful hummingbirds. I thought about at how the hummingbirds are attracted to the red color and the sweet nectar. These birds are just like us in a way. We as humans are so attracted to sugar and the color red makes us eat more. 

Have you ever seen an overweight hummingbird? Now that is a funny picture in my mind.  I think that these birds are not overweight because they get their exercise by flapping their wings at a high rate of speed. What a great way to burn a lot of calories. lol

Oh, if I could just eat sugar and feel good all the time, I would be a content person. But I know this is not reality so I must try to stay away from sugar so I can feel good.

I wonder in a hummingbird’s life if they ever feel sick after eating all that sugar, just a thought.

Julie

Cravings, Willpower and Shakeology... Keeping It Real

There are times when I just want to give up the pursuit of a "healthy" lifestyle. It shouldn't be this hard. I should want to eat nutritious food and exercise and drink lots of water but the truth is sometimes I don't and I pay a high price for that choice. The price I am paying now for eating junk "crap" food is that I feel like crap and it becomes a vicious cycle. I get tired easy and feel lethargic. Winded. I just want to sit down. Rest. That's not how I want to live my life. That's why I keep trying. Keep chugging along, no matter how many times I fail.

I love how I feel when I eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies. I can tell that it gives me more energy. So why, why, why do I keep buying and eating the crap food? The chips, the cookies, the pizza. I say I want to change, I truly do, but it's the commitment that's so hard to keep. I've ran out of excuses. I want to give excuses. I want to say the stress is high and that I don't have time because I have so many other things going on, but those words are hot air that wouldn't even hold up a balloon. I know better. I have been off track for weeks. I have gained back all the weight I worked so hard to lose at the first of the year. My weight is hovering around 300 again. So, what am I going to do about it? That's the question. What are you going to do about it? Am I going to keep following this roller coaster ride to health my entire life? I really want to get a grip. Sometimes I wish I could just go to a retreat like Gabriel Cousins or the McDougall's have. Just stay somewhere for a couple months to detox and clean up my body, mind and spirit. Environment makes a huge difference, I know that. I know that I can't be surrounded by junk food and expect my willpower to remain high. I keep doing fitness Challenges hoping that will keep me motivated to stay on track. It helps in the beginning. I get all fired up, but then it fizzles out like a fireworks. It's beautiful for a moment, but quickly burns out.

Here is one thing I know. I have been out of vegan Shakeology for a couple months and my cravings have been out of control. So, from what I am seeing it's drink Shakeology cravings OFF, don't drink Shakeology cravings ON. I know it's best to eat clean, natural, fresh, unprocessed food, but if I'm going to eat junk food what am I accomplishing. I was going to try Vega One because I heard the ingredients were similar with the exception of MSM which I purchased separately on Amazon. Vega One is half the price of Shakeology, so I'm curious to see if it works as well. I have tried just fruit and veggie smoothies and it does not control my cravings. I know I need to drink more water too, but I want to do what works, what I will stick with doing on a consistent basis. I loved it when I drank Shakeology (by the way I am no longer a Beachbody coach, so I have nothing to gain from anything I say about their products). It was quick, easy, and kept me feeling satiated for 3-4 hours. AND I didn't have those little joint aches like in my elbows and knees. I found out that it is the MSM that helps with that.

So, that's where I'm at. I am starting another 30 day Challenge June 1st. I would LOVE to also do a RAW Food Challenge during that time too. We will see. I'm learning to take baby steps when it comes to transforming to a healthier lifestyle.

I wish everyone who happens upon this blog abundant peace, love, health and happiness!

Kathy

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Spiritual Health

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you -- I, whom you have redeemed.

PSALM 71:23

Mark your calendars! Jeff Bates is coming June 1^st to Maple Run Friends Church. Jeff Bates is a fantastic award winning country singer. His story has inspired so many of all ages. You or someone you know may have lost everything because of past mistakes.  Put your trust in Jesus and keep looking forward and see the blessings and miracles that bring forth in a new restored life.  Jeff Bates is a walking testimonial in how God made his paths straight.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Dear past, thank you for your lessons. Dear future, I’m ready. Dear God, thank you for giving me another chance.”  When I read this passage I thought about the upcoming concert with Jeff Bates.  Jesus was with him in all his times and troubles and now look at his life….Blessed.

Come to Maple Run Friends Church on June 1^st and bring family and friends to let this concert bring sunshine to your soul!

 

 

Vegan vs Vegetarian

So much for my going "vegan" plan. This is the third time I've tried it and I keep going back because of cheese on pizza which I have almost every week. I still want to try making my own pizza at home using non-dairy cheese and see how that goes. I often get asked what the difference between vegetarian and vegan is. Vegan's do not eat anything animal related which means no milk, cheese, eggs, or honey (some vegans eat honey, but most don't. I guess the vegans who eat honey would be called "beegans" :). Vegetarians don't eat meat but do occasionally consume honey, eggs and dairy. I love honey. There is a difference between the honey that is in the big box stores and raw, organic honey from your local bee farmer. I always buy local. I once used honey and lemon to overcome a year long lung infection. I am totally sold on the medicinal properties in honey. 

Regardless of vegetarian or vegan, there are still many junk foods available on both lifestyles which is why "plant-based" is really the diet I should be pursuing. I'm working on it. It's a process, but I have to admit when the stress level is high as it has been the past couple months, I revert  back to comfort foods. It's an automatic habit that I am working hard to overcome. 

This is also the last week of our group book study of The Daniel Plan. I really liked all the information, but the program was a little confusing to follow since I didn't read ahead. I plan to go through the program again in a few weeks. I want to offer it online for those who cannot attend a meetup in person. Now that I'm more familiar with it, I plan to follow the detox program this next time through. Even though I was going to the meetings, I really wasn't all in and following the suggested plan. I will write up a review and what I got out of the program and post it next week. There was one thing that really stood out to me and that is how dangerous it is to sit for long periods of time. They said it's the same as smoking a pack of cigarettes! I have sat down for every job I have ever had except when I was 16 and working in the cornfields. I really need to make an effort to get up and move more often instead of sitting still for long periods of time in front of a computer screen. The study they talk about in the book said sitting still stops your ability to burn fat. Makes sense to me since it seems like an uphill battle to lose weight. I will not give up though. I will keep making incremental improvements until it all accumulates into taking me to my ideal weight and abundant health. That's the plan!

I hope you have a healthy and happy weekend!

Kathy

Happy Mother's Day!

A mother holds her children’s hands for a while but their hearts forever

Today is Mother’s Day and I wanted to dedicate this blog to my mom. I am who I am because of this wonderful woman that was my best friend. I miss her every day and miss all the fun times that we had together.  She was a little woman that was only five feet tall, but she was stronger than an ox. She worked hard on the farm and raised four girls. She also played the organ and piano for our church.

She always made sure we ate healthy and ate from the garden. She loved all the healthy foods that we are to eat. We rarely went out to eat and when we did it was a big treat. It was also a big treat to get one candy bar when we went once a month to the grocery store.  When I left home and got married, I did not keep up with the healthy pattern that she set for us kids when we were at home.

Now I need to honor my mom by living the life that she wanted for me. She wanted her family to be healthy and she always loved for us to be together as a family. She loved her church, my dad, her family, and the farm.  She lived a full life.  When I think about my mom I think of laughter. She loved to laugh; I bet that is how she kept so beautiful in all ages of her life.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you, may you all enjoy this day through your memories of your mom and making memories with your own family. 

Julie

Quick Update Glute Challenge Daniel Plan

I just want to post today a quick update with what's going on with my wellness and weight loss journey. A couple days ago I started doing a "Glute Challenge" where every day you do progressively more squats, lunges and jumping jacks. I have to modify the lunges and especially the jumping jacks, but I'm still doing the number each day which starts at 30 and goes progressively up over 100 a day! There are a couple rest days built in. I like doing short challenges like this. It gets me moving and challenges me without being an "in your face" kind of challenge. I like challenges that are a stretch but not so demanding that I want to give up. I'm looking forward to this Challenge. I am also back at Anytime Fitness doing the elliptical 30-60 minutes a day 5x a week. I really like working out on the elliptical because it's so easy on my feet and knees. This beautiful weather we are having is making me want to go on a hike. Maybe I can fit that in this weekend. I am making a real effort to move more.

My diet is improving too, but the cravings catch me off guard sometimes. We are on week 5 of 6 on studying The Daniel Plan. I really like all the information that program provides and the faith focus. I plan on going through it again. I may make it part of my ongoing personal development program. I would like to offer an online study for the next round. If you want in, just message me at juliehkathyg@gmail.com. Life is humming along. I try to stay off of the scales so I don't get discouraged and just trust that it will all come together with God's grace and my consistent actions.

Kathy

Pursuing Your Dream

 

Believing in a Dream

 

I cannot say enough about Walt Disney the man. If he was alive today can you imagine what he would say? He built the happiest place on earth. With his dreams he makes millions of people smile every day. He had the courage and confidence to take a chance and believe in his dreams. When I was in eighth grade my friend and her family took me to this magical place called Disneyworld.  A place that I would never forget. When my friend and I turned 50 last year we took a road trip to Disneyworld again, together with both our families and the memories was in the making!

What about your dreams? Are you pursuing your dreams right now? We all have different types of dreams. Small and large dreams, we can make them come true if we believe. I love the quote that Walt Disney stated, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” Wow, that says it all in that one quote.

My dream is to lose weight and live a healthy, happy life, and another dream that I have is to start writing again. I am working on both. Life is so short and as Walt Disney said, “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

Live that dream and remember that with Disney it all started with a mouse.

Julie

 

Self Sabotage vs Bold Vision

I have managed to gain back the 10 lbs I lost during the Great Weight Off Challenge! I have been off track with my eating for the past couple weeks. I did one of the worst possible things one can do while pursuing a healthier lifestyle, which is to have junk food in the house. It's nearly impossible to resist cookies, chips, ice cream, cereal, sweet tea, etc. when it's in my personal space. I also got off track on the daily exercise routine and I haven't been drinking much water. So, combine those three things and it's no wonder my weight has crept back up. I am accepting full responsibility for my actions and getting back on track first thing in the morning. I'm getting the junk food back out of the house, exercising first thing in the morning right after I brush my teeth, and filling a gallon jug of water which I will drink before I drink anything else. I'm praying for strength to stick with the plan.

Speaking of plans, our study group is on week 4 of The Daniel Plan. It is helpful, but I think I'm going to have to go through the program again to absorb it all. There is a lot of information in the program and the format is confusing. The material makes sense, I just need to go through it again and put the plan in action!

I have a BOLD vision for my life that includes abundant health and energy. I will never give up on this dream. I am speaking on the topic of boldly living your vision at the Broken Beautiful Live Event in Marion, Indiana on May 10th. Even though I am struggling with my weight and have occasional setbacks, I am still in a better place than I was a couple years ago when I was in the hospital fighting for my life because of abscessed diverticulitis. I am keeping the faith that I will overcome this food addiction and live God's plan for my life which includes inspiring others to live their best life too. Together, we can do this!

Wishing You Abundant Health & Happiness,

Kathy Gerstorff

Shame on Them!

This is the best Medicine!

As I was working around the house I had my TV on and an info commercial came on and it really hit a nerve with me. The info commercial was about taking a pill and being able to eat anything that you want and still lose a lot of weight. This is crazy! People are so desperate to lose weight that companies like this capitalize on the emotions of an overweight person. Shame on this company! I even had a diet company steal a post on my Facebook and put a post-up to buy a diet pill. Again, shame on them.

Even though we would love for this to be true, this is not reality. As I have taken on this journey of losing weight I have had ups and downs, good days and bad days. I have found out that so much of gaining weight involves our mind; it is not all about the food. Our minds tell us to eat more and more food, but our bodies are telling us, please slow down I can’t handle all of this food. It is a need that we are trying to fill and we need to find out what that need is and not replace it with food. I am working on this area right now in a book called The Daniel Plan. This book is helping me rethink about so many things in my life that I need to change. We would love for you to join our group or you could even check this book out.

If just taking a diet pill would help me feel better, look better, and never feel the need to overeat and eat healthy all the time, then this diet pill would be a pill from Heaven.  Please don’t waste another dollar on these crazy lies from unreliable companies. You may lose weight at first but in the long run it just shadows the problem, it does not solve it. A lot of times it just brings back more weight.  Trust your true instincts and spend your money on healthy choices to help improve your health not hurt it.

Julie

Vegan Flatizza Flat Bread Pizza

As of Easter I decided to go from a vegetarian diet to a vegan diet, well technically "beegan" because I still use honey occasionally in my lemon water. I may transition away from that too eventually, but I'm taking it a step at a time. The only thing I think I will miss is pizza. We usually have pizza from a restaurant every week. I'm looking forward to making my own plant based veggie pizza using non-dairy cheese. I am seriously considering writing to Subway and asking if they would offer non-dairy cheese for their Flatizza. I'm sure I could make those at home too, but I am always on the go and it sure is nice to have options at restaurants besides salad and baked potatoes!

In fact, I'm going to make a  flat bread vegan pizza at home. I will let you know how it turns out. Seems like it would be easy to make:

Flat bread
Tomato paste
Veggies of Your Choice (I use Black olives, Onions, Green peppers, Tomatoes)
Non-Dairy Cheese
Herbs of Your Choice (I use Oregano, Basil, Fennel)

Mix herbs with tomato paste and spread mixture on flat bread, chop and top with veggies.Sprinkle on herbs. Add non-dairy cheese. Toast a few minutes until cheese melts. Enjoy!

Kathy

Empty Nest

 

 

Where has all the time went? Seems like when we get older the time flies even faster and we see our life passing by so quickly. I remember just yesterday when my two kids were starting school, and then they were seniors. When I look back in my mind, I miss all of those times when they were growing up. You do not have to diagnose my case; I know I am going through empty nest syndrome. My son is in college and now my daughter is leaving for law school in August.

I have defined my life around my two children. My world has always centered on what my kids are doing and what they need. Now, I must face they are all grow up now and starting new lives of their own. I would like to be selfish and keep them with me always but I do have to let them go to spread their wings.

Now starts a new journey for me. I have to look at my future as a new beginning. Now comes the hard part and that is doing it alone. I have always had my kids around and I know they are not going far but this will be a whole different life for me.  But, I have joined the YMCA and I have lots of friends to go places with so I do not think I will ever become bored. Changes come to us all in our lives. We must accept change and look for the positive in that change. Working on my health is a big priority in my life now.  I do not want to be a burden on my kids when I get older. I know there are times when things happen in life and we do need to rely on our family but until I can help it I will work on it!

So here is to letting go and looking forward to new beginnings and renewed health. Eating right, exercising, and working on my mind and spirit. Wow, I am already busy! New beginnings for all of the three of us, life is forever changing and I must accept change.

I will always be mom but now at a distance, but you know what I have always heard? Sometimes your kids come back home with interest, (new family additions) that will be fun to look forward to in the future!  Are you an empty nester?  If you are, this article is dedicated to you. Here is to a new beginning!

Julie

Break Sugar and Food Addiction in 48 Hours

We are on Week 2 of The Daniel Plan. This week Dr. Mark Hyman talks about food as medicine and says that we can change the way we think about food in 48 hours. 48 hours? That's doable! I can do 48 hours of eating clean. No sugar, no processed foods, just whole plant-based foods. I've done it before and I am sure I can do it again. If you think about it, it makes sense, if you go without eating sugar or junk food for 48 hours, you have technically broken the addiction. All we have to do is string enough 48 hour breaks together and we will be on our way to living addiction free!

I love in The Daniel Plan on page 36 where it states, "Every bite you take is a powerful opportunity to create healing or infirmity" and on page 37, "Take the junk out and let the abundance in." That's what I want to do! I want to create healing within my body and I want abundant health and energy so that I can live the life God intends for me to live.

We also learned about the fitness connection this week. Pastor Warren and his team of experts state on page 42, "Moving your body even just a little bit on a regular basis impacts not only your physical health, but also your intellectual, emotional, social, financial, and spiritual health." That's what I'm talking about! Every aspect of our life is affected by moving our body "consistently." I'm on a two-week workout streak. I decided last week to start looking at working out as a "job" that I love to do with the pay being energy. It's already paying off in additional energy. Every hour I workout seems to add an hour back, so it's never an hour wasted. I usually read a book on my Kindle and listen to music on Pandora while I'm on the treadmill, elliptical and stationary bike, so it feels like I'm getting twice as much done. I ALWAYS feel better after I workout. It makes me wonder why consistent exercise has ever been an issue. I think it's just the effort it takes to get to the gym, but if it's my "job" I'm not going to miss it. I'm going in to "work" Monday-Friday. I get weekends off to go hiking or whatever other exercise sounds like fun, but during the week, I'm sticking to my work routine. So far, it's working like a charm. I have committed to working out at least 30 minutes, but more often than not it's an hour, sometimes longer if I go for a swim. Getting paid to get fit, I could get used to a job like this!

Kathy


Here is a video of Dr. Mark Hyman talking about how food can be the strongest addiction or the most powerful cure of what ails us. I am looking forward to breaking my sugar addiction by giving my body the right food information and updating my biological software!

Sick Day

I can't breathe through my nose!



I have been sick for two weeks, and I am done dealing with this crazy cold. I have not felt like exercising or even eating right for two weeks. I have not been sick for a long time. Since I have worked at school and worked with sick children my immunity was built up. Now in my job at the courthouse I work with customers and money. Everyone has been sick at work, and so have many customers have been sick as well. I had thought in the back of my mind that I would be immune to what was going around because I had not been sick for a long time. Well, I was wrong; this cold crept up on me in the middle of the night.

 

I thought by exercising and eating right I had boosted immunity on my side. But, over the past two weeks I never missed work and I never had to stay in bed all day feeling miserable. Sure, I did not feel good at all, but I never had a fever and I was never so sick that I could not get out of bed. I really believe that exercising and eating healthier has helped me fight this cold. It could have been worse. The problem that I had was that when I was little my mom always gave us Sprite or 7-up to help us feel better and yes I did drink sprite over the past two weeks. I drank pop and I even had some candy, which I thought might help me feel better. I have no idea where I got that idea from. I’ll just claim that my cold made me delusional. The last two weeks of not living a healthy life has not only thrown me off track, it has also turned two weeks of potential progress into two weeks of weight gain. I now have to detox myself again from pop.

 

Today, I begin again. I feel better, and I am able to breathe! All in time for this great 70 degree weather to enjoy. There are so many hurdles in our way and so many detours we have to take in our path to live a healthier life. We need to not beat ourselves up (like I have these last two weeks) and look forward to a new start.

 

After writing this blog I am going out for a walk to enjoy the day and to enjoy and believe in a new day for a new me. Thank heavens there are better days always ahead, and that is what today is for me!

Julie

The Daniel Plan and My New Job

Julie, a group of ladies, and I started studying the Daniel Plan yesterday. We are meeting up every Tuesday for the next six weeks to discuss what we learn as we read the book, watch the video, and doing the study guide exercises. This week was the intro. We were asked to rate how we feel we are doing on a scale of 1-5 in the areas of Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus, and Friends. In all areas except Food, I feel that I am improving which is a 3 on the scale, but Food varies day-to-day and overall it's a 2 (Some Good Days). I am looking forward to the next six weeks so my numbers go from the low end of the scale to the high end. I want to rate a 5 across the board!

In the introduction Pastor Rick Warren says "For change to happen in any area of your life - whether you want it to be financial, vocational, educational, mental, relational - it actually works best to begin with the physical. You commit your body to God and all other things follow." I believe that's true because when we don't feel healthy, all we care about and focus on is wanting to feel better, all the other things become a lower priority.

In an effort to make my physical health a priority, I decided to look at exercise the same as I would a job. I would normally go to a job Monday - Friday first thing in the morning. I may not want to get up and go to work every day, but it's something I have to do to survive. How often do you miss going to work? Not often, because you want the pay. The pay for consistent exercise is abundant ENERGY. It will improve my health in ways that extend beyond money and in fact will save me money and most likely make me money in the long run because it will enable me to have the health and energy I need to pursue my dreams, help others, be active with my family, and travel the world. Those are the kinds of rewards I want from a job. How about you?

Look for a TGIF post coming soon!

Kathy