Join Us for a Healthy January Challenge | Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog

Join Us for a Healthy January Challenge Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog

NEW YEAR. NEW YOU

Is setting a New Year’s resolution really such a bad idea? People are always saying “I’m not jumping on the New Year’s resolution bandwagon” or “look at all of the New Year Resolutionists”. I like to think of it more of a resolution-solution for me rather than a bandwagon headed for who knows where. I know that what goal I set on Jan. 1st might get blown on Jan. 2nd but that doesn’t mean the rest of the 363 days are also blown. I just have to tell myself its okay. I’ve had a small setback and then I will get back up and start over again….every…single…time. The next time I will try harder and the time after that, even harder than before. It’s the only way to do it folks. If you don’t learn from the past then you can’t work towards a better future. Remember making a poor choice doesn't mean you'll never get it right. Just as God is the God of second chances you can give yourself one (or two, or three) as well. Whatever you need to set right this year pray to Him that you know you've made this rut or disorganized mess or whatever it is...but He is bigger than any rut or mess you've made and will help you see a way out.

My goals are not very different than prior years as far as health goes. I want to get in better shape and eat healthier. Okay, I know you are about to cover your mouth and point your finger at me because I just said that my goals are the same as last year and the year before and so on….. That is proof that a New Year resolution doesn’t work, right? Nope, negative, nil, zero, and huh-uh!! It just means that I have room to improve and I’m going to keep at it. I’m not perfect, never will be (Ssssh! Don’t tell my husband that!). I also have new goals too though. I plan to learn a lot more about proper nutrition and also the science of exercise and fitness. My husband and I have one common New Year's resolution and that is to make our left legs stronger. We both have a weaker left leg (him due to an ACL he had replaced years ago and me due to a bad knee and ankle on the left). We know that if we strengthen up our muscles on that leg it will take the pressure off of those joints and do wonders for our fitness levels. He may have others too, he didn’t say, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one wasn’t trying to live with a hyper active, introverted, almost perfect wife (wink wink).

Everyone likes to receive gifts so I want to leave you with a gift all wrapped up in a pretty little gold and silver sparkly package for you to open up as you begin a new year and that is this: the good thing about you controlling your destiny is that you get to hit the refresh button on your life as many times as you need. Sure, you might decide to set goals during the year anyway so why do you have to decide on Jan 1st to start them – what’s so magical about that you ask? There’s nothing magical about it at all. It is merely a motivational tool…as we like to reflect back on our years we also like to forecast what a new year will be like. So at the first of the year set your plan(s) in motion and get going! Make whatever your dream is into a reality by digging harder and deeper inside you to find that willpower, stamina, adventure, or whatever it is that you need. Keep looking up even when you are down and don't be afraid to hit the refresh button.





Relapse Is Not Collapse

I have been in a fitness relapse of sorts but I am clawing my way back out of it.  I wish I could just jump into it and never look back but it has been a struggle for some reason this time.  For one thing I'm carrying a few extra pounds that seem to make me feel sluggish and it's also winter.  Winter's short days just make it tougher for everything doesn't it?  Well, I said I've been in a relapse but I did not and will not collapse.  I know that as long as I'm still walking and talking that each day is a brand new day that I am blessed with and more time to get back on track. 

Today I will run from my house to the fitness center (a 3.6 mile round trip) and when I get there I will do some much needed strength training and then run back home.

I had some leftover baked chicken breast and smoked ham that I chopped up last night into bite sized peices for salads so I'm going to the grocery store to buy some fresh salad greens and some fresh fruit to snack on.  I think I will also get something to put in my food dehydrator as well!

In my prayer time this morning I asked God to be with me as I do all I've set out to do today.  To be with me as I lace up my shoes, to be in my music I hear on my run (I have a playlist of worship songs and a couple can really get me running with my hands lifted up to heaven), and even as I shop for groceries - I really need Him there to help me with temptation!  I know that with God all things are possible, even such small things as me feeling good about myself and my choices today as my head hits the pillow tonight.

Praying for you today as you face choices, some big some small, and that you ask God to go on the journey with you everyday.

Tis the season for everything GREEN!

Some people get green with envy but I am green with excitement for my new green running shoes!! A Christmas present from my wonderful husband....thank you, thank you, thank you!  He also got me a brand new Timex sports watch and, you guessed it, it is green.  They both go along so well with the green nano shuffle I already had. 

I don't know why or when my love affair with the color green started, but I've always favored it.  I guess everyone has a favorite color and this is mine.  It's often a hard to find color too which makes me even more excited for my two new additions this morning.

I took the shoes out for a 3 mile run this morning to see how they felt.  The shoes were great but the 40 degree temps on the other hand....not so great!  That's okay though, it didn't take long until I was breaking a sweat and warming up and as always, glad afterwards that I exercised.

Some things are better left unheard

Have you ever wondered what other people are listening to in their mp3 players?  I was working out yesterday for an extended amount of time while Danica was at a friend's party at our fitness center.  I took advantage of being at the gym for 2 hours and did a lot (well, 2 hours) of cardio.  As I was on the jogging track there was an older man, about 70 I'd guess, walking along.  He had on jeans, a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and his tennis shoes.  He had earphones on and I couldn't help but wonder....what is he listening to??  Was it some old country like Hank Williams Jr or maybe some folk - Kingston Trio perhaps?  Janis Joplin rocking out on "Me and Bobby McGee"? He could be listening to some jazz or blues, maybe gospel....or he could even be listening to today's Top 40.  Then he left the track and went downstairs and picked up a basketball and started shooting hoops.  Then I thought, maybe he's listening to a sports game.  Who knows, he could have quite a hodgepodge of musical choices just like I do in my iPod.  A little later into my workout I had moved into the cardio room and was riding the stationary bike.  I had my earphones plugged in to watch a movie that was on the TV.  As I finished my workout and unplugged my earphones, I heard a song playing rather loudly (too loud to be from the piped in music playing throughout the center) and as I turned around to find the source there was a large man, probably mid-50's, working hard on the elliptical machine.  His headphones were slid back off of his ears and so you could hear what he was listening to plain as day - "Venus" by Bananarama.  Yep, that's the one (it's in your head now isn't it?) ...

She's got it,

Yeah, baby, she's got it

I'm your Venus, I'm your fire

At your desire

Well, I'm your Venus, I'm your fire

At your desire.

Okay, I decided then that it was probably better to use my own imagination and try to guess what people are really listening to than to actually know.  Some things are better left unsaid, and some things are really better left unheard. 

Happy trails and happy tunes!  

Bouncing Back

It's been a satisfying week for me.  After getting the green light to exercise from the Dr. on Monday, I ran 1.5 miles, walked on treadmill, did spin bike, the Arc trainer (whew, that thing wears you out in a hurry!), and swam 16 laps.

Food-wise I have improved but can definitely do better!  Going to prepare some meal plans for me this week that will include well-balanced meals and snacks to ensure I'm getting the protein and fibers I need.  I can totally eat Cuties oranges and Honeycrisp apples for just about every snack break because they are both so juicy and sweet! Love them both right now.

My prayer and devotion time is to really help me focus on resisting temptation when it comes to eating - it's hard when you are at a conference and there is a luscious dessert already sitting in front of you with a fork beside it.  It might as well have a sign sticking out of it that says "Eat me - what are you a chicken?"  Also for being able to resist the temptation to not exercise because by the time I get home from work and change it is too dark to get back out (or too cold or damp).  I have to outsmart those temptations by being prepared which may mean pack my lunch and snacks the night before and pack my gym bag so I don't have a chance to go home first.   Temptation is, well, tempting!  I saw an email the other day that took words and switched them around and came up with new words that were similar or related somehow to the original.  If you took out two of the "t"s in "temptation" you could spell "pain to me"!  That's what it becomes if you give in to it.  "When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so you will not give in to it" 1 Corinthians 10:13

Swim or Bust - we busted

Tonight the plan was to start back in a swim workout and by the time I got off work, bought groceries and unpacked them, I was running later than I wanted to be but the two younger kids and I put on our suits, packed up the totes and headed off to the fitness center to spend a little time in the pool before they closed.  Well as we checked in we found out that the pool had to be closed due to an "accident" of what I'm going to assume was something we didn't want to be swimming in the midst of anyway!  The kids were disappointed and I was too but thankful that we took that little extra time at home so we were not in the pool when something apparently went horribly awry!

We will try again on Thursday and with the groceries bought, we should be able to get a head start.