Holiday Challenge Tip of the Day: Eat Your Vegetables!

Okay, since nobody shared their weigh-in results, I'm taking that to mean you weren't happy with the numbers. So let's move forward here and not throw in the towel. Remember, every treat you don't eat leaves you better off than if you did eat it. So give yourself a pat on the back every time you pass one up, and resolve to do better every time you don't. Also, think about how many fruits and vegetables you eat on a daily basis. If you are anything like me a few years ago, I could easily get through an entire day without eating even one!

Let me just say, even though you already know this, that fruits and vegetables are sooooooo good for you! What's more, vegetables are typically very low-calorie, high-fiber foods. That means you can eat as many as you want and not worry about getting too many calories. And the bonus is that they will help fill you up so you don't eat as much of the not-so-good stuff. So my challenge for you is to add at least one more vegetable into your day than what you typically get. If you don't usually eat any, try putting at least one in. If you eat one at dinner, try adding one to breakfast (in an omelette, for example) or lunch (slice up a cucumber to eat with your sandwich). Your body will thank you for it.

Remember to love yourself and be kind to yourself! That's the best Christmas gift you can give yourself this year! And you deserve it!

Weigh-in Time!

Alright, here goes. I weighed myself this morning and did measurements, and the result is--actually, before I tell you, I just want to remind you that it's okay if you aren't at the point you wanted to be by now. The point is to love yourself! Do you have any idea how amazing and fantastic you are??? And that includes your amazing body that does so much for you! Loving yourself is the first step to better health, so let go of the stress and the frustration and do something nice for yourself, like eat come carrots. :)

Now, back to the weigh-in: I am exactly where I was before Thanksgiving! That's not to say I haven't indulged now and then, but I have really tried hard to eat well this week, and I've been keeping up the exercise almost every day, so the net result is I broke even. And I am so happy with that! I made it through Thanksgiving and my birthday with no weight gain, and now I'm really motivated to keep going strong. I hope you are too! Christmas and New Year's will be a piece of cake--er, celery. (-;

The Holiday Challenge Continues: Every Little Bit Helps

Okay, this is where I apologize for disappearing for 2 entire weeks! It's been a busy couple of weeks. But that doesn't mean I have let myself get lazy with my eating and exercise. I've come to the realization that exercising is a really important part of my day. I feel SO much better if I get up and exercise in the morning, even if I only have time for a really quick run or a little bit of yoga. It does wonders for my mood. So today's tip is do what you can, even if it's just a walk around the block. Eventually your body will thank you for it!

Now, for weigh-ins! I haven't done this before, but if we want to succeed in our goal to keep the weight off during the holidays, it's really helpful for most people to have some accountability. So on Saturday, I highly recommend that you get on here and share how you've been doing: how much weight gained/lost, successes, things you've struggled with, anything you've found that helps, etc. I will do a new post Saturday morning with my own results, and I invite you to share yours in a comment to that post. Or if you don't feel comfortable sharing that with everybody but still want the accountability, you can send me a private message.

Keep up the great work, and don't forget to love yourself!

Happy Birthday to Me (and a holiday challenge tip)

I have had such a fun birthday today and, surprisingly, I have done it without food being a major part of it. That is a really big deal for me, and it has caused me to reflect back on all the years when every celebration has revolved around food, especially junk food. It has been a long journey to get to the point I'm at today, when a friend offered to take me out for ice cream and I actually declined because I don't eat like that anymore. And I said it without the slightest feeling of deprivation! Two things occur to me as I think about this: 1) Everybody's journey to better health is a process that happens one step at a time; so even if you're not where you want to be yet, don't give up. Just pay attention to how far you've come, not how far you have to go. 2) Don't let eating be the center of your life. Of course we all have to eat several times a day to remain healthy (and alive), but we don't have to have our entire lives revolve around it. Try putting your focus on other things, and don't stress about what you can or can't, should or shouldn't eat. Just live life! We're meant to have joy, so let's rejoice in our lives and our health and our bodies. That's my tip today: Relax and enjoy life, putting your focus on your health and your happiness and your blessings rather than on food. You'll feel so much better if you do!

I'm so glad to be alive!