What Motivates You?

One of the greatest things about God, in my opinion is that He created us in His image and yet we are all different. Just sit and ponder that for 60 seconds...pretty amazing isn't it? At this moment on the World Population Clock(I didn't know there was such a thing until right now) the current population is...


               6,867,959,537


Plus the 6 billion souls that lived before now, that is AMAZING creativity. We are knit together so uniquely and yet God loves us so individually.  


So what motivates you? Praise or challenge? Encouragement or discipline? All of these or none of these? Me? I am a praise, encouragement and approval junkie. So, this morning when I got on the scale and saw that I had lost 6 pounds in two weeks of not eating and drinking the way I normally do, well, lets just say I was very motivated to continue my detox. I actually looked at vegan cookbooks at the bookstore and started to read about the continued benefits of eating wheat, dairy, meat and processed food free.  I began to count the cost of giving these things up long term. 


I don't want to get ahead of myself, which I tend to do, so one day at a time as they say.


We will see what happens when February 1st rolls around and I want to celebrate my 28 day detox with a number two, no onion, extra spread, cut in half with a coke to be eaten in my car. 

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” Frederick Douglass

I do not like struggle.  I like things easy and fun.   Half the time I am happy and half the time I struggle.  I believe life is filled with 50% struggles and 50% progress.  Last night our family and a couple friends watched the movie, Coach Carter.
A true story about a high school basketball coach that brings discipline to an undisciplined bunch of high school athletes.  His unconventional methods bring wins and good grades.  But, even with those great results, he is met with opposition.  So it is with life, life is not fair but it is still good!

Matthew 6:22-23 

   ²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy,your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!


I believe the battle is won in our heart and our mind.  It is determined on how we view things. Whether we see things as half empty or half full.


Change is hard, change is good, but change is not easy.

This is just my own personal pep talk for the struggles I am facing in my life right now.  Everyday I ask my self why I am doing what I am doing(the detox) Everyday it is a different answer depending on what else is going on in my life. I have yet to have a perfect day but I am still in the battle, still striving to do what I believe is best for this body at this time in my life. I trust that God will continue to lead me in the direction that He wants me to go.

My Dirty Little Secret

I am a very disorganized individual. I am a pile maker. I have learned over the years how to keep my house presentable but I can never seem to tame my office.  So I am "eating the elephant" so to speak, one bite at a time, while maintaining the clean that I achieve. Wish me luck!

The thing I am learning is that every little bit helps. I will never be perfect and I will never be able to do 100%, 100% of the time(nor do I want to for that matter). But, every scrap of paper, every pen, every book that is picked up and put away leads to an organized office. 

Getting Rid of Toxins

Getting rid of toxins is a painful, yet necessary process. When the body is in the process of healing, the unhealthiness has to come out before the body becomes completely well.  This takes time and can be very uncomfortable.  Normal side effects to a detox are headaches, flu like symptoms, and insomnia.  The best way to deal with these symptoms are continuing the detox, don't give up, stay the course. It may get worse before it gets better, just remember the pain is worth it in the end.  Your goal of a healthy body is worth the struggle.

Getting Back and Getting Back on Track

I realized this weekend that I am like Pigpen(from Snoopy) without the dust.  What I mean is that I am so disorganized as an individual that I always have piles of "stuff" that just follow me everywhere. I will get to that later...


I know I have been focusing a lot on the Leaner portion of my resolution and it is primarily because I am on day 8 of a 28 day detox.  So, being at a retreat I did not have as much control over my food choices.  That being said, I did surprisingly well.  I bent the detox both mornings by having a scrambled egg. Considering the enormous cinnamon roll, coffee, milk, etc., that I passed up, I reasoned that two eggs would not set my detox back too far.


I will say that I have been super charged in the energy department, which was a deficit in the sleep department for two nights.  It literally felt like I had electricity surging through my body. Almost like I was withdrawing from drugs.  I have read that the Standard American Diet(SAD) is like a drug to our brains, in the way they process it, like heroin.  So, it makes sense that giving up my drug of choice, In-n-out burgers, is having an effect on my body as I detox. I guess that is why I am subjecting my self to this torture, just kidding.  It has been a very beneficial process so far.

Spiritual Retreat

This is why I haven't published a post in the last couple days, I went on a Spiritual Retreat with about 30 friends to Lake Tahoe, Nevada. IT WAS AWESOME!! Love connecting with God through His creation and His people! 

Made a video, tried to upload it, almost lost my "Spiritual Retreatness" to my lack of technical know how. So just imagine about 10 more beautiful pictures with Acappella's  version of "His Righteousness". It is truly beautiful. If I can figure out how to upload the silly thing I will in the future. Enjoy.

SO...

So
So love
So love arugula
So love the way I feel AFTER working out
So LOVE the jacuzzi 
So LOVE the sauna
So LOVE GOD who created it all!
So don't love the cost of organic

Panera Please...

So I woke up this morning not wanting to do my detox. I had another headache and I am "PMSing" which means I don't feel good and want to eat something "BAD" for me. Something eggy, cheesy, and fatty; you get the picture. I wanted to go to Panera and have the artichoke souffle, a cup of coffee and a coke(even though they only have Pepsi, I make an exception because of the souffle) Well, I have cut out coffee, soda, eggs, dairy, and wheat, so that rules out Panera's artichoke souffle. Well, at least until February first.


So instead, I will treat myself to room temperature lemon water...

What I Do Daily During My 28 Day Detox

*Read my Bible
*Pray
*Drink 12oz of room temperature bottled water with the juice of one organic lemon squeezed in and a dash of cayenne pepper
*Drink 2 cups of detox tea
*Walk for at least 20 minutes
*Drink 64oz of H2O
*Take vitamins: 2 fish oil, B complex, Calcium with D3 and a multi
*Drink Green Juice
*Drink Red Juice
*Take at least 10 deep breaths
*Bought a house plant


What I DON'T DO:
*Eat Red Meat
*Eat Dairy
*Eat Wheat
*Eat Sugar(except for 1 dove dark chocolate)
*Eat Processed food
*Watch TV( except for Parenthood with Hubby)


I have to say, I am glad I am doing this for the discipline and the health benefits, but I get headaches every day around 3 and I wake up with one. I'm not sure if it is because I am still releasing toxins or that my body is just prone to them because of my TMJ and Fibromyalgia. But I am only on day 3 and I think I need to stay the course and give it time.

Black is the New Brown

For years I have heard about the nutritional properties of brown rice and how much better it is than white rice. The taste and texture of brown rice leaves something to be desired as far as I am concerned. I would eat it, at times, just because it was "good" for me. Well, there is a new rice in town and it is even better for us than BLUEBERRIES when it comes to antioxidant effects on our bodies, it is black rice. The great thing about it as far as I am concerned is that I really like the taste of it and so does my family, even my 14 year old son who tries to avoid healthy foods at all cost.
I made it last night with wild salmon and steamed organic broccoli. Talk about a plate of multi colored super foods! It has almost a sweet flavor and pleasant texture. Give it a try, I bought mine at Whole Foods and it was called "Forbidden Rice".  It use to be only for Emperors of China because of the health benefits and long life that it brought them. Luckily we live in an era that good health isn't reserved just for royalty!

 

Whole Foods Grocery Bag

Just in case you haven't read the side of a Whole Foods Grocery Bag, I thought I would share their Healthy Tips and wisdom: 


SALAD IS THE MAIN DISH, BUY A BLENDER, STRETCH YOUR BODY, FRUIT IS A DESSERT, STOCK UP ON HEALTHY OPTIONS, DRINK WATER, LEARN TO COOK,MAKE EVERY  BITE COUNT, MORE COLOR,MORE NUTRIENTS, EAT MORE KALE, YOU CAN'T BEAT BEETS, TRY NEW RECIPES, FRESH IS BEST, PACK A HEALTHY LUNCH, WHEN IN DOUBT, EAT A SPROUT, LOVE WHAT YOU EAT!


What this teaches me is there are lessons to learn everywhere, if you are looking...

Lemonade for breakfast

So this morning I woke up at 5:40, laid in bed and prayed. Got up at 6, drank 8 ounces of room temperature Alhambra water with the juice of one organic lemon squeezed in it, read some articles on the computer about the Holy Spirit. Got dressed, went for a 25 minute walk. Came home, rubbed my cold skin down with organic sesame seed oil and took a shower.


 I have been reflecting on why I have decided to write this blog. I think, first of all, it is public accountability that I need to achieve my goals. I tend to get really excited about an idea and within weeks, or even moments, I loose steam. Secondly, I hope that it will be entertaining to me and others. Thirdly, I hope to share my life in such a way that will inspire others to learn.


It has already taught me and inspired me, helped me and entertained me. So far, it is fulfilling its purpose in my life.

Turning over a new leaf... Part Deux

Genesis 1:12
The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

God clearly knows what He is doing! Having house plants are a good thing,

"The good news is that a classic NASA study found that common house plants could improve air quality. In fact, they reported that houseplants were able to remove up to 87 percent of air toxins in 24 hours. The recommendation? Use 15 to 18 "good-sized" house plants in 6- to 8-inch diameter containers for an 1,800 square-foot house." (www.sixwise.com)
So, I thought I would start with one.

The only problem with this new found plan, is that it is already attacking the "green" in my pocket. This beautiful plant set me back 23 bucks.  The lovely container was $13. The organic lemons for my hot water to detox my liver tomorrow morning were $3.99. The detox tea $3.98. Just sayin'.

 

Turning over a new leaf...

So here goes, my first blog. A internet journal of my year long journey to become Cleaner(more organized), Leaner(lose some lbs.), Greener(better to the planet) and not become Meaner(be kinder) through the process.
So today on the way home from church I will buy my first house plant. It will be my first because I have never owned one because of my propensity to kill plants by over watering and under watering. But the books I am using to guide my detox recommend a house plant for oxygen and beauty. I look forward to the challenge...