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

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

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!

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

JTH9: Great Weight Off Wrap Up

As my mentor John C. Maxwell says, “Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn.” I learned a lot during the 90 day Great Weight Off Challenge:

Don't do a weight loss Challenge during a record-breaking frigid winter because I'm not going to go outside for a walk or go to the gym when it's 20 below. I just wanted to hibernate and eat comfort food!

90 Days is a long time to stay engaged with a Challenge. If you have a hard time hanging in there with long Challenges, a series of 30 Day or 21 Day Challenges may be the solution. Check out the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine at pcrm.org for a 21 Day Challenge that is effective and free.

People you think will support you may not for reasons that have nothing to do with you. Do not let that stop you or slow you down. Keep on doing you.

A number on a scale does not define me. Numbers that mean more to me are how many minutes a day do I spend quality time with my family, how many times do I smile and laugh during the day, how much time do I invest in strengthening my mind and spirit, how often do I encourage and help others, how many minutes do I spend moving my body, how many fruits and veggies do I eat, how many ounces of water do I drink... By taking care of these numbers, the number on the scales will take care of itself.

The Biggest Loser type progress is unrealistic unless you are willing to take extreme actions which are rarely sustainable. 1-2 lbs a week weight loss is realistic and sustainable.

Be patient. Be persistent. Expect success!

This is not the end of my wellness journey, it is just the beginning. Julie and I have made a one year commitment to helping others on their wellness journey by sharing our successes, struggles, and resources via our blog, podcast, and community events.

Our next wellness adventure will be a group study of The Daniel Plan – 40 Days to a Healthier Life. The study starts April 8th and meets Tuesdays 4:15-5:30 p.m. at The Optimist Store, 428 S. Washington Street, Marion, IN 46952. Not in the area? That's OK. You can join via phone conference call or listen to the recording. It's FREE to attend. For more information and to sign up, email us at juliehkathyg@gmail.com.

 The WINNER of the Great Weight Off Challenge is Judy Buroker. Judy won not for the most weight lost, but for consistent participation. She attended all the meet-ups and was active in the online support group. It is this type of active engagement that helps us achieve any goal. Congratulations Judy!

Hundreds of pounds were shed during the Great Weight Off Challenge. It accomplished what we set out to do which was to inspire people to take control of their health and wellness. Julie and I both said we were willing to be open and vulnerable if it would help even one person get healthier. We heard from several people who said they have been inspired by the Great Weight Off Challenge. To know that someone is taking steps to improve their health makes posting my weight and sharing my struggles all worthwhile.

Thank you to our sponsors - the Chronicle-Tribune, MGH and the Y. We have enjoyed being a part of this community wellness event and appreciate the opportunity you have provided to learn and share. The feedback we received about the Challenge was mostly positive. Accountability, making new friends, sharing stories, education from health experts, and group support were the main things participants said helped them to make their health a priority.

Thank you to the Great Weight Off Challenge participants. My wish for YOU and everyone on this wellness journey is that you live your healthiest, happiest life!

Kathy

CONNECTIONS

Do you ever try to make sense of things that happen in your life, ask yourself why something is meant to be? I am a very curious person. I always look for the deeper meaning or the connection in everything that happens to me. For example, I was dragged into court for something I had no part of and made to pay for someone else's debt. I couldn't afford to pay it all at once so I made payment arrangements. Each month when I went in to make the payment, I saw Julie Hoch, a girl I went to high school with. We talked about our health and how we would like to get back in shape like we were in school or even 20 years and a hundred pounds ago when she was a host on a healthy living TV show and I was a fitness instructor at the local Y. That intention we set each month manifested into this wellness journey we are on today!

Last year, I experimented with being a Beachbody coach, mostly because they offer are a generous discount on their products for their coaches and I LOVE their products. I really didn't see myself leading anyone in fitness because I am on the journey myself and have a long way to go. How could I be a leader of something I am trying to learn to do myself? Then, it occurred to me that maybe someone else could relate with where I am at on my journey or maybe someone could benefit from where I have been, even if it was how I transitioned from an animal-based to plant-based diet.

So, I signed up and attended the Beachbody coaches gathering (they call it Summit) in Las Vegas. When I got there, I thought this isn't for me. I'm not into the party scene or working out with thousands of people. I'm pretty reserved and it takes a lot of energy to get out of my comfort zone. Everyone was having a fantastic time, but I was exhausted from all the activities and so much walking, more walking than I think I've done in my life. I never knew a hotel could be so big. The MGM Grand was bigger than the town I grew up in! I did enjoy meeting the other coaches in our group and the workshops. I attended one of the presentations led by Lindsay Matway who is a top Beachbody coach. Listening to her story of  how she went from a broke bartender to a millionaire was very inspiring.

A lady with pink bangs sat down beside me at the presentation. I gave her a shy smile and said hi. She briefly looked into my eyes. That quick glance made me think I should recognize her, but I didn't know who she was. Should I know her? I think I would remember someone with pink hair. A couple months later, I saw those same pink bangs in my Facebook feed and I clicked on it to discover it was the lady who sat beside me at Summit - none other than Sandi Krakowski, a self-made millionaire who runs a faith-based Internet business! I wonder if I would have done anything differently had I known who she was?

I discovered that Sandi lives in Warsaw which is only a couple hours north of me. I thought she must be the reason I was meant to join Beachbody and attend Summit. Maybe I could go to work for her and learn how to monetize my Internet endeavors. God knows I need to figure that out. Then, I found out she is moving her company to Missouri. If it was Florida, I would consider it, but I've already lived in the big MO and it's not for me. This girl needs surf to lure her away from the Hoosier heartland. So, I signed up for Sandi's newsletter instead thinking I would learn from her in that way, which indeed I have. Last week, I opened her email and got excited to see she is needing bloggers, writers, and authors for her growing biz. That's me! I attended her online writing workshop and she suggested that we submit an article to her company if we are interested in making money with our writing. How wonderful it would be to earn a living doing something I am passionate about and do every day for free. Yes, this is meant to be!

Meanwhile, I'm leading/participating in our Great Weight Off online wellness group and there is a lady named Shelby in that group that I met through a Beachbody support group I was in last year. We made a connection and have kept in touch. We have similar goals in wanting to get healthy and help others along the way. She has encouraged and supported me through my weight loss struggles and she knows that I am there for her too.

I haven't lost the weight that I thought I would during the Great Weight Off challenge and I am trying not to be hard on myself. It's tough especially when I feel like I have let people down by not being disciplined enough to do what those who have succeeded have done which is "simply" to eat less and exercise more. Sounds like it should be easy. Why is it so hard for me? I just don't get it sometimes. But then I remember that everything happens for a reason, there is a purpose for every struggle we go through and sometimes that struggle is for someone else's benefit. Sometimes we are not meant to figure it out. Other times, we do get a glimpse of the purpose, mostly in hindsight.

Shelby has signed on for our next wellness adventure which will be a study of The Daniel Plan that starts April 8th and lasts six weeks. She offered to be my "battle buddy." I haven't started reading the book yet, so I didn't know what a battle buddy is. When Shelby explained it to me, I understood the level of trust and commitment it takes. I am sure connecting with Shelby is another reason God took me on the Beachbody journey. She is like an angel to me and I am grateful for our connection.

Maybe more connections will be revealed. I don't expect it, I am just curious and fascinated about the miracles God works in our lives. Maybe we have to get a glimpse of the life we don't want in order to appreciate the life that we have and in reflection we see the connections that are shining God's light in our life.

I am so grateful for all the connections that have brought me to this journey I am on today. It is through the struggles and connections that I am finding my life's purpose. Hopefully, God will use me to help others make their connection too.

Kathy