1Corinthians10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
A good friend of ours gave us this yummy recipe. I have never used steel cut oats, but bought some today and plan to make it tomorrow. Can't wait!
Cranberry-Maple Slow Cooker Oatmeal
Ingredients
8 cup(s) Water
2 cup(s) Hodgson Mill Steel cut oats, or other brand (I bought this in bulk @ Sprouts)
¾ cup(s) Cranberries, dried, chopped
½ cup(s) Syrup, maple
1 tsp Cinnamon, ground
½ tsp Salt, table
3 Tbsp Almonds, slivered, toasted
Instructions
Combine all ingredients, except almonds, in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on low power for 4 to 6 hours, depending on desired creaminess. Stir well to combine and then sprinkle with almonds. Yields about 3/4 cup oatmeal and 1 teaspoon almonds per serving.
Simply stir the ingredients together before bed time and wake up to a comforting bowl of creamy, filling oats.
Servings: 9 PointsPlus® Value: 6 Preparation Time: 8 min
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours Level of Difficulty: Easy
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Support...Do you have it?
Support, a word that can be used in many contexts...we support our families financially, we support our children to grow up to be good people, women need breast support (some of us more than others!), at work we have support teams, when our electronics break down we call tech support (usually someone from Indiana that mysteriously has an very strong Indian accent!).
But the support that has been looming in my mind lately is the support of friends and family. We all need to feel that the lifestyle changes we are making and accomplishing are good. We also want others to approve and support us in those endeavors. When we surround ourselves with people that support us and keep us on the right track of improving our lives, it can mean the difference between being successful and sticking with what we are trying to accomplish or failing miserably. On the other hand, if we surround ourselves with people who are "nay-sayers" and do anything but support you in the changes you are making in your life, it can cause you to fail, or at the very least, make you question the changes in your life and feel badly.
If you are making changes in your life, and "shaking up the dynamics" of whatever support system you have been a part of, there may be people who dislike the changes, sometimes seriously dislike the change. It is important to realize that those people who do not support you in your endeavors cannot pull you down. You may even get to a point where they cannot be an intricate part of your life as you make these important changes.
It is extremely important to be positive, surround yourself with others who will support you, keep you on track with the good changes you are making in your life, and cling to the people in your life, or find new people, who are supportive and embrace the lifestyle changes that make life better.
But the support that has been looming in my mind lately is the support of friends and family. We all need to feel that the lifestyle changes we are making and accomplishing are good. We also want others to approve and support us in those endeavors. When we surround ourselves with people that support us and keep us on the right track of improving our lives, it can mean the difference between being successful and sticking with what we are trying to accomplish or failing miserably. On the other hand, if we surround ourselves with people who are "nay-sayers" and do anything but support you in the changes you are making in your life, it can cause you to fail, or at the very least, make you question the changes in your life and feel badly.
If you are making changes in your life, and "shaking up the dynamics" of whatever support system you have been a part of, there may be people who dislike the changes, sometimes seriously dislike the change. It is important to realize that those people who do not support you in your endeavors cannot pull you down. You may even get to a point where they cannot be an intricate part of your life as you make these important changes.
It is extremely important to be positive, surround yourself with others who will support you, keep you on track with the good changes you are making in your life, and cling to the people in your life, or find new people, who are supportive and embrace the lifestyle changes that make life better.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Treat your feet right!
Last time we blogged, we wrote about getting active and some things to help get you started. One important component of working out, however, is taking care of your feet. After all, what takes a large lump of the punishment when we walk, run, dance, etc., our feet of course. And, if we don't take care of them correctly, they will let us know!
I had the pleasure of buying a new pair of running shoes today, yippee! We keep a log of how many miles we put on our shoes, and when we get to the maximum number, 350-500 miles, we get fit for a new pair. Get fit, you may ask? Well, our retail store of choice is Run On!, but there are other stores, such as Luke's Locker, that are trained in looking at how you walk, run, and squat to determine what type of support your little piggies need. For example, I have in the past, been an oversupponator, (turn my feet out when I run) but now my gait has leveled itself out and is neutral. If I had not gone in to Run On! and had them fit me, I would not have known this. On my own, I would have bought a shoe that was too supportive than what I actually need. That could have caused injuries down the road that could have been prevented. I am SUPER anxious to try my new shoes out now!
If you are planning to begin a workout routine, it is a good idea to visit Run On! or Luke's Locker to have them fit you in a shoe that will be the right amount of support and will be the fit that is best for you.
Another aspect of taking care of your feet that we have found is cotton free socks. Cotton can cause blisters when worn for long periods of time. You can buy super expensive socks at specialty stores, but we have found cotton free socks at Wal-Mart and Target. The trick is looking at the material list on the back of the packaging. Find socks that have NO cotton in the materials list.
And, of course, one very important aspect of taking care of your feet when working out, that the women will especially like, is getting regular pedicures! Besides making your feet look beautiful, having someone attend to your feet and toes, especially the toe nails, and massage sore feet and lower leg muscles, will make a huge difference in the way they feel during and after a workout.
Here's to 10 little happy piggies!
Ronna and Eristeo
I had the pleasure of buying a new pair of running shoes today, yippee! We keep a log of how many miles we put on our shoes, and when we get to the maximum number, 350-500 miles, we get fit for a new pair. Get fit, you may ask? Well, our retail store of choice is Run On!, but there are other stores, such as Luke's Locker, that are trained in looking at how you walk, run, and squat to determine what type of support your little piggies need. For example, I have in the past, been an oversupponator, (turn my feet out when I run) but now my gait has leveled itself out and is neutral. If I had not gone in to Run On! and had them fit me, I would not have known this. On my own, I would have bought a shoe that was too supportive than what I actually need. That could have caused injuries down the road that could have been prevented. I am SUPER anxious to try my new shoes out now!
If you are planning to begin a workout routine, it is a good idea to visit Run On! or Luke's Locker to have them fit you in a shoe that will be the right amount of support and will be the fit that is best for you.
Another aspect of taking care of your feet that we have found is cotton free socks. Cotton can cause blisters when worn for long periods of time. You can buy super expensive socks at specialty stores, but we have found cotton free socks at Wal-Mart and Target. The trick is looking at the material list on the back of the packaging. Find socks that have NO cotton in the materials list.
And, of course, one very important aspect of taking care of your feet when working out, that the women will especially like, is getting regular pedicures! Besides making your feet look beautiful, having someone attend to your feet and toes, especially the toe nails, and massage sore feet and lower leg muscles, will make a huge difference in the way they feel during and after a workout.
Here's to 10 little happy piggies!
Ronna and Eristeo
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Starting a workout plan...Steps to get started!
We've talked a lot about the right foods to eat, and the commitment to healthy living, but another key component to living a healthy lifestyle is getting active. Are you active, or do you need to move in that direction? It is amazing how much better you will feel and how much more energy you will have when you get your body moving! Our blog today contains tips to help you get started to begin living a more active lifestyle.
(Of course, you need to check with your doctor to make sure you can start an exercise program, but once you are clear, the following are great ways to get you started.)
When getting started, we suggest beginning a journal. In it, you can begin by writing down what your abilities are at your beginning point, ie. how far you can walk, how many push ups, sit ups, etc. you can do, body measurements, weight, etc. This is exciting to look back on as you make progress in your life changes!
Decide on your goals. Do you want to lose weight, run a 5K, 10K, or just build more strength and stamina? Whatever your goals, plan a routine. Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (For example, walking 20-30 minutes/4-5 days a week, to begin) — or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity — a week. They also need two or more days of strength training a week. Write down a plan for when, where, and what you will do in each workout. Make an appointment with yourself, that you keep, for each workout in your plan. Journal your appointments, and your successes during those workouts, so that you can see what you have done for yourself.
Plan to do activities that you enjoy. If you don't enjoy it, you won't keep it up. Do you like dancing, walking, cycling, rowing, elliptical? Whatever you like, do it. To keep from getting bored, change it up on occasion, to keep your mind from getting bored, and help your body use different muscles.
Find a freind. If you have someone else to enjoy the activities with, the time goes by faster, you focus more on the conversation and less on the fact that you are working out. Plus, if you have someone else counting on you to be there, you are more likely to keep to your fitness goals!
Remember, as you start, don't begin too intense and burn out, or worse, injure youself. Listen to your body, and push yourself, but don't hurt yourself. Give yourself time to recover from your workouts. Muscles and joints need time to recover and build between your workouts, so rest is equally as important as the actual workout itself. Also, if you aren't feeling well, give yourself permission to take a day or two off. When the body if fighting off an illness, it doesn't have the strength to do much of anything else.
As you progress, be sure to keep track of your successes. It is also important to record any failures, or lessons you learn as you go through your fitness journey. These are always good to look back on and learn from. Getting in better physical shape is a journey, not a roller coaster ride. It is something, that if done right, will be a part of your life throughout the remainder of your life. It is something, that if done right, will change your life for the better and will better your life in more ways than you can even imagine.
(Of course, you need to check with your doctor to make sure you can start an exercise program, but once you are clear, the following are great ways to get you started.)
When getting started, we suggest beginning a journal. In it, you can begin by writing down what your abilities are at your beginning point, ie. how far you can walk, how many push ups, sit ups, etc. you can do, body measurements, weight, etc. This is exciting to look back on as you make progress in your life changes!
Decide on your goals. Do you want to lose weight, run a 5K, 10K, or just build more strength and stamina? Whatever your goals, plan a routine. Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (For example, walking 20-30 minutes/4-5 days a week, to begin) — or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity — a week. They also need two or more days of strength training a week. Write down a plan for when, where, and what you will do in each workout. Make an appointment with yourself, that you keep, for each workout in your plan. Journal your appointments, and your successes during those workouts, so that you can see what you have done for yourself.
Plan to do activities that you enjoy. If you don't enjoy it, you won't keep it up. Do you like dancing, walking, cycling, rowing, elliptical? Whatever you like, do it. To keep from getting bored, change it up on occasion, to keep your mind from getting bored, and help your body use different muscles.
Find a freind. If you have someone else to enjoy the activities with, the time goes by faster, you focus more on the conversation and less on the fact that you are working out. Plus, if you have someone else counting on you to be there, you are more likely to keep to your fitness goals!
Remember, as you start, don't begin too intense and burn out, or worse, injure youself. Listen to your body, and push yourself, but don't hurt yourself. Give yourself time to recover from your workouts. Muscles and joints need time to recover and build between your workouts, so rest is equally as important as the actual workout itself. Also, if you aren't feeling well, give yourself permission to take a day or two off. When the body if fighting off an illness, it doesn't have the strength to do much of anything else.
As you progress, be sure to keep track of your successes. It is also important to record any failures, or lessons you learn as you go through your fitness journey. These are always good to look back on and learn from. Getting in better physical shape is a journey, not a roller coaster ride. It is something, that if done right, will be a part of your life throughout the remainder of your life. It is something, that if done right, will change your life for the better and will better your life in more ways than you can even imagine.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Beef with Broccoli-A Yummy, Easy Dinner w/out the take out calories!
Here is a great Beef with Broccoli recipe we found and tweeked a bit. We had it last week and LOVED it! Wanted to pass it on to you all. Hope you enjoy it! If you try it, let us know what you think.
Prep Time: 10 minutes + 1 hour for marinade Cook Time: 8 minutesFirst, marinate the meat:
2. In a large wok or saute pan, spray cooking spray heated over medium heat. Add broccoli and saute 3 minutes, stirring often. Transfer broccoli to a plate.
3. Spray the hot pan with more cooking spray. Add the marinated meat and half of the sauce mixture and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Stir in the broccoli and remaining sauce. Saute 1 minute more. Serve over brown rice or quinoa.
Divide into 8 portions: Per serving: 250 calories, 2g fat, 8g fiber, 6WW Points
(Rice or quinoa are not included in the nutritional facts.)
Prep Time: 10 minutes + 1 hour for marinade Cook Time: 8 minutesFirst, marinate the meat:
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs extra lean sirloin steak, sliced into thin strips
- 1/2 c low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp sherry (I didn't want to buy sherry for just 1tbsp, so I found out you can use regular wine, and, of course, I ALWAYS have wine on hand!)
- cooking spray
- 6 heads broccoli, crowns only (The original recipe called for only 2 heads, but it wasn't near enough broccoli, so we added a lot more! We like a lot of veggies with our meat!)
2. In a large wok or saute pan, spray cooking spray heated over medium heat. Add broccoli and saute 3 minutes, stirring often. Transfer broccoli to a plate.
3. Spray the hot pan with more cooking spray. Add the marinated meat and half of the sauce mixture and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Stir in the broccoli and remaining sauce. Saute 1 minute more. Serve over brown rice or quinoa.
Divide into 8 portions: Per serving: 250 calories, 2g fat, 8g fiber, 6WW Points
(Rice or quinoa are not included in the nutritional facts.)
Saturday, January 14, 2012
White Rock Lake
This morning, as I made my way around White Rock Lake, I wondered how many of our friends know about what an awesome place this is to experience a wonderful walk/run on a beautiful weekend day.
We would consider it one of the best places in the Dallas area to run/walk. It is so pedestrian friendly, unlike many spots in the metroplex, and it is such a great place to do any number of miles you want for your workout. (Seeing all the different people and listening to other conversations is quite entertaining, too!) There are tons of places to park, and you can go out and back as far as you want, and since you are sticking with the trail, there is no fear of getting lost and not finding your car, you just turn around and head back the way you came! :0)
The website for White Rock Lake is http://www.whiterockdallas.org/. There you can click on a tab at the top that will give you a map of the area, as well as see a listing of upcoming runs, volunteer information, and things to do around the lake.
If you want to explore the lake and don't know where to start, let us know. We can give you some direction on where you may want to start your walk/run, based on how you want your workout to go.
If you are looking for just a relaxing, easy walk, enjoying a gorgeous day, or if you are looking for a rigorous, long distance run, this is the place to be on the weekend.
Eristeo and Ronna
We would consider it one of the best places in the Dallas area to run/walk. It is so pedestrian friendly, unlike many spots in the metroplex, and it is such a great place to do any number of miles you want for your workout. (Seeing all the different people and listening to other conversations is quite entertaining, too!) There are tons of places to park, and you can go out and back as far as you want, and since you are sticking with the trail, there is no fear of getting lost and not finding your car, you just turn around and head back the way you came! :0)
The website for White Rock Lake is http://www.whiterockdallas.org/. There you can click on a tab at the top that will give you a map of the area, as well as see a listing of upcoming runs, volunteer information, and things to do around the lake.
If you want to explore the lake and don't know where to start, let us know. We can give you some direction on where you may want to start your walk/run, based on how you want your workout to go.
If you are looking for just a relaxing, easy walk, enjoying a gorgeous day, or if you are looking for a rigorous, long distance run, this is the place to be on the weekend.
Eristeo and Ronna
Friday, January 13, 2012
Eating like a teenager? E's Story...
On December 12th, 2006, my best friend, Sam Cole, invited me to lunch, and again I had to hear the story of Weight Watcher's and what it did for him. With every sentence he spewed, I just nodded as I ate my heavily laden ranch dressing salad.
Suddenly he hit a nerve - I quote "why are you still eating like your a teenager, don't you want to see your grand kids one of these days?" Wow, I did still eat like teenager, but I no longer had the metabolism of one to help me melt away my bad decisions. So, now I'm paying attention! He had lost over 90 pounds and even ran a marathon. I asked, "What did you do again?" He told me he just paid attention to what he was eating and "logged his points". But Sam - I can't eat pre-package food (see I'm already looking for excuses), and he said - this isn't one of those programs - this let's you eat normal portion of normal foods. As he spoke, I felt a condeming spotlight on my heavily laden Ranch dressing salad and my other bad food decision.
Ok, enough of the commercial, but to the point - I ate horrible and I felt horrible. It was time for me to take control of food and not let food control me. I grew up (a little) and joined Weight Watchers. I was so happy and full of pride on the choice I had made to better myself and my future. I couldn't wait to tell Ronna about my discovery and revelation.
*POP* - that was my balloon being popped by the very sharp needle of a wife that would not have anything to do with my endeavor. If I wanted to pursue this, she told me, I would have to do it on my own. My heart was broken, I told her by no means was I going to continue to eat myself into a grave, and my eating habits had to change because I was wanting a future with her. I wanted to see our grandchildren grow up, and I didn't want to be burden to her and my family in the future - I was serious and she knew I was. She said I could do it by myself and she would help by selecting better foods for us, but she would have nothing to do with the program.
Of course, all I did was talk about the program and how many points/calories were in our favorite foods. After about a month of this, she proceeded to tell me she'd had enough of me always talking about Weight Watchers. I re-stated my plight - do you think I was joking about my health? She got my point from the sharp needle of a husband, and of course she joined the program the next day.
From that day forward, we teamed together and helped, loved, prayed, argued, encouraged, argued (yes - I said it twice on purpose), and inspired each other every step of the way. I can't speak for Ronna, but it was very easy to do once we got started, but the hardest part was taking that first step, the first step that eventually lead us to our Path of Purpose.
Suddenly he hit a nerve - I quote "why are you still eating like your a teenager, don't you want to see your grand kids one of these days?" Wow, I did still eat like teenager, but I no longer had the metabolism of one to help me melt away my bad decisions. So, now I'm paying attention! He had lost over 90 pounds and even ran a marathon. I asked, "What did you do again?" He told me he just paid attention to what he was eating and "logged his points". But Sam - I can't eat pre-package food (see I'm already looking for excuses), and he said - this isn't one of those programs - this let's you eat normal portion of normal foods. As he spoke, I felt a condeming spotlight on my heavily laden Ranch dressing salad and my other bad food decision.
Ok, enough of the commercial, but to the point - I ate horrible and I felt horrible. It was time for me to take control of food and not let food control me. I grew up (a little) and joined Weight Watchers. I was so happy and full of pride on the choice I had made to better myself and my future. I couldn't wait to tell Ronna about my discovery and revelation.
*POP* - that was my balloon being popped by the very sharp needle of a wife that would not have anything to do with my endeavor. If I wanted to pursue this, she told me, I would have to do it on my own. My heart was broken, I told her by no means was I going to continue to eat myself into a grave, and my eating habits had to change because I was wanting a future with her. I wanted to see our grandchildren grow up, and I didn't want to be burden to her and my family in the future - I was serious and she knew I was. She said I could do it by myself and she would help by selecting better foods for us, but she would have nothing to do with the program.
Of course, all I did was talk about the program and how many points/calories were in our favorite foods. After about a month of this, she proceeded to tell me she'd had enough of me always talking about Weight Watchers. I re-stated my plight - do you think I was joking about my health? She got my point from the sharp needle of a husband, and of course she joined the program the next day.
From that day forward, we teamed together and helped, loved, prayed, argued, encouraged, argued (yes - I said it twice on purpose), and inspired each other every step of the way. I can't speak for Ronna, but it was very easy to do once we got started, but the hardest part was taking that first step, the first step that eventually lead us to our Path of Purpose.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Unconditional Love
One of my dear friends, and a follower of our blog :-), asked us to tell our stories of how we got started on our weight loss journey. This is Ronna's story....
My whole life has been a battle of weight; losing it, gaining it, worrying about it, crying about it, hiding it. I was always the girl with the "pretty face", the girl that didn't quite fit in, literally, the girl that tugged at her clothes, had to shop in the big girls' area (which was few and far between back then!), the girl that was constantly looking for approval from others, the girl who couldn't understand why the boys didn't like me because I was big.
The need for approval, despite my weight problem, was deep and desparate. It seemed that no one, whether it be family members, friends at school, myself, would accept me because of my weight. That desparate need for acceptance and approval only increased my weight problem, because the sadder I became, the more I ate. The more I ate, the sadder I got, and then of course, I ate to make myself not so sad.
This sadness and yearning for acceptance continued into my adult life. The "normalcy" of fighting for acceptance, despite my weight, was basically the theme of my first marriage. I spent everyday of the marriage longing for acceptance. I lost weight on Phen-Fen, for his acceptance, I lost weight on Jenny Craig, for his acceptance, I worked out for his acceptance, but everytime I gained the weight back, plus some, because it was for him, and a crying out for his acceptance.
Of course, surprise, surprise, that marriage failed. In the time after my divorce, I did a lot of praying and working on alleviating the life long sadness and striving for acceptance from people who could only love me conditionally. As I worked on these changes, with God's hand on me, I met a wonderful man. It was instant (no joke) love and acceptance. Although I was at my heaviest at the time, this man loved me, despite the muffin top, double chin, and jiggly legs. This man loved me, despite myself.
Five months, to the day, after we met, we traveled to Colorado Springs to be married. The first few years of our marriage were so great! We enjoyed life, loved each other in a way we had never experienced, and were incredibly happy. Okay, so we were happy, but certainly not healthy!
In December 2006, Eristeo had lunch with his best friend from high school who had been following the Weight Watchers online plan and had lost 100 pounds and ran the Dallas White Rock Marathon earlier that month. Eristeo was so inspired by his accomplishment, that he came home that afternoon and told me that he would be joining Weight Watchers and beginning a healthier lifestyle. I told him he was welcome to do so, but I would not be following along.
Why, you may ask would I not join him in this endeavor to live a healthy lifestyle, if I loved him so much and had struggled with my weight my whole life. Well...I had been diagnosed with Autoimmune Hepatitis earlier that year, and it had thrown me into a deep depression. I was on high doses of steroids, which made me aggresively hungry, which in turn made me gain weight. I had given up on any chance of ever losing weight again, especially since I had no idea how long I would be on the steroids, possibly the remainder of my life. Therefore, my response was, "Thanks, but no thanks." I told him I would be supportive, but would not be coming along on this journey with him.
Well, after a month of having to "tweek" the recipes I made for his WW points, watching him weigh all his food, listening to him talk about the changes he was making, and seeing his wonderful results, I told him, "Look, I am sick about you talking about this all the time!" (Really supportive and loving, huh?!) He looked at me lovingly and deeply compassionate and said, "I am going to do this whether you join me or not. Do you think I am joking when I say I'm not going to live to see us grow old together? I have to do something about my weight so I can grow old with you. I love you, whatever choice you make."
Unconditional love...That's all it took. The fact that, whether I lost weight or not, he would love me. The very next day I signed up on Weight Watchers online to join my love in the journey to lose weight, get fit, and eat healthier. I was still on heavy amounts of prednisone, but the motivation to be true to myself, record everything I ate, follow the plan, exercise, and live a better life was great!
The bottom line is, I had to realize that weight loss is all about me. Being fit and exercising regularly are up to me. The choice to be healthy, make good choices, improve my health is up to me and about me. Others may benefit from my choices, but ultimately, it is about me, and how much I love me!
I hope you will all find the deep love and appreciation for yourself, within yourself, and will make the choices and changes to make your life the best you, you can be.
Ronna~
My whole life has been a battle of weight; losing it, gaining it, worrying about it, crying about it, hiding it. I was always the girl with the "pretty face", the girl that didn't quite fit in, literally, the girl that tugged at her clothes, had to shop in the big girls' area (which was few and far between back then!), the girl that was constantly looking for approval from others, the girl who couldn't understand why the boys didn't like me because I was big.
The need for approval, despite my weight problem, was deep and desparate. It seemed that no one, whether it be family members, friends at school, myself, would accept me because of my weight. That desparate need for acceptance and approval only increased my weight problem, because the sadder I became, the more I ate. The more I ate, the sadder I got, and then of course, I ate to make myself not so sad.
This sadness and yearning for acceptance continued into my adult life. The "normalcy" of fighting for acceptance, despite my weight, was basically the theme of my first marriage. I spent everyday of the marriage longing for acceptance. I lost weight on Phen-Fen, for his acceptance, I lost weight on Jenny Craig, for his acceptance, I worked out for his acceptance, but everytime I gained the weight back, plus some, because it was for him, and a crying out for his acceptance.
Of course, surprise, surprise, that marriage failed. In the time after my divorce, I did a lot of praying and working on alleviating the life long sadness and striving for acceptance from people who could only love me conditionally. As I worked on these changes, with God's hand on me, I met a wonderful man. It was instant (no joke) love and acceptance. Although I was at my heaviest at the time, this man loved me, despite the muffin top, double chin, and jiggly legs. This man loved me, despite myself.
Five months, to the day, after we met, we traveled to Colorado Springs to be married. The first few years of our marriage were so great! We enjoyed life, loved each other in a way we had never experienced, and were incredibly happy. Okay, so we were happy, but certainly not healthy!
In December 2006, Eristeo had lunch with his best friend from high school who had been following the Weight Watchers online plan and had lost 100 pounds and ran the Dallas White Rock Marathon earlier that month. Eristeo was so inspired by his accomplishment, that he came home that afternoon and told me that he would be joining Weight Watchers and beginning a healthier lifestyle. I told him he was welcome to do so, but I would not be following along.
Why, you may ask would I not join him in this endeavor to live a healthy lifestyle, if I loved him so much and had struggled with my weight my whole life. Well...I had been diagnosed with Autoimmune Hepatitis earlier that year, and it had thrown me into a deep depression. I was on high doses of steroids, which made me aggresively hungry, which in turn made me gain weight. I had given up on any chance of ever losing weight again, especially since I had no idea how long I would be on the steroids, possibly the remainder of my life. Therefore, my response was, "Thanks, but no thanks." I told him I would be supportive, but would not be coming along on this journey with him.
Well, after a month of having to "tweek" the recipes I made for his WW points, watching him weigh all his food, listening to him talk about the changes he was making, and seeing his wonderful results, I told him, "Look, I am sick about you talking about this all the time!" (Really supportive and loving, huh?!) He looked at me lovingly and deeply compassionate and said, "I am going to do this whether you join me or not. Do you think I am joking when I say I'm not going to live to see us grow old together? I have to do something about my weight so I can grow old with you. I love you, whatever choice you make."
Unconditional love...That's all it took. The fact that, whether I lost weight or not, he would love me. The very next day I signed up on Weight Watchers online to join my love in the journey to lose weight, get fit, and eat healthier. I was still on heavy amounts of prednisone, but the motivation to be true to myself, record everything I ate, follow the plan, exercise, and live a better life was great!
The bottom line is, I had to realize that weight loss is all about me. Being fit and exercising regularly are up to me. The choice to be healthy, make good choices, improve my health is up to me and about me. Others may benefit from my choices, but ultimately, it is about me, and how much I love me!
I hope you will all find the deep love and appreciation for yourself, within yourself, and will make the choices and changes to make your life the best you, you can be.
Ronna~
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Fresh Vegetable Soup-Hearty meal for cold winter nights
A good friend of ours recommended this hearty, full of veggies soup recipe from the Weight Watchers recipes online. We haven't tried it yet, but plan to very soon! It looks awesome! If you get a chance to try it, be sure to post your thoughts about it on the blog. Happy cooking!
Fresh Vegetable Soup
PointsPlus® Value: 1
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 35 min
Cooking Time: 13 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
2 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced
2 medium uncooked carrot(s), diced
2 small uncooked zucchini, diced
2 cup(s) uncooked savoy cabbage, or other variety, shredded
2 cup(s) uncooked Swiss chard, chopped
2 cup(s) uncooked cauliflower, small florets
2 cup(s) uncooked broccoli, small florets
1 medium uncooked onion(s), diced
1 medium sweet red pepper(s), diced
1 rib(s) uncooked celery, diced
2 tsp thyme, fresh, chopped
6 cup(s) vegetable broth
2 Tbsp parsley, or chives, fresh, chopped
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional
Instructions
1. Put garlic, vegetables, thyme and broth into a large soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in parsley or chives; season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
Notes
If you like thick soups, consider pureeing this recipe in the pot with an immersion blender.
There are so many variations on this recipe. Add or leave out vegetables to suit your taste.
Save time by using frozen vegetables instead of fresh ones (though the texture of the soup might change a bit). You can also buy small amounts of pre-cut vegetables from your supermarket's salad bar.
Ronna and Eristeo
Fresh Vegetable Soup
PointsPlus® Value: 1
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 35 min
Cooking Time: 13 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
2 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced
2 medium uncooked carrot(s), diced
2 small uncooked zucchini, diced
2 cup(s) uncooked savoy cabbage, or other variety, shredded
2 cup(s) uncooked Swiss chard, chopped
2 cup(s) uncooked cauliflower, small florets
2 cup(s) uncooked broccoli, small florets
1 medium uncooked onion(s), diced
1 medium sweet red pepper(s), diced
1 rib(s) uncooked celery, diced
2 tsp thyme, fresh, chopped
6 cup(s) vegetable broth
2 Tbsp parsley, or chives, fresh, chopped
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional
Instructions
1. Put garlic, vegetables, thyme and broth into a large soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in parsley or chives; season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
Notes
If you like thick soups, consider pureeing this recipe in the pot with an immersion blender.
There are so many variations on this recipe. Add or leave out vegetables to suit your taste.
Save time by using frozen vegetables instead of fresh ones (though the texture of the soup might change a bit). You can also buy small amounts of pre-cut vegetables from your supermarket's salad bar.
Ronna and Eristeo
Monday, January 9, 2012
Resolutions...A Promise Kept or Broken???
Tonight as we worked out at the Wylie Rec Center, packed full of anxious people, ready to better their bodies, it excited me to think of all these people whose obvious New Year's resolution is to take better care of their bodies and become healthier. But then, as I thought more about it, I realized, that as the year goes on, the number of people improving their health dwindles to smaller and smaller numbers the more the weeks and month pass.
That brought me to the thought of why? Why do people break their resolutions to become healthier, more vital beings? Is it that they decide they just aren't worth the time and effort? Is it that they decide that sitting on the couch watching TV is such a better choice and decide to forego that evening workout for a lazy night of "couch potato-ing" it? These, plus many other reasons, I am sure, are the culprit for the broken resolution to get yourself healthier and in better shape. But, how sad these reasons are.
If you know you are worth making the resolution to improve yourself from the very beginning of the year, then why are you not worth it the remainder of the year? If you know that the resolution you have made is what is best for you, then what makes it not the best thing for you later in the year?
Could the reason for giving up on your resolution to be a better you be because you don't see the results fast enough? Well, in that case, examine the direction you are going in. Are you improving at all? Do you have more energy? Have you lost any weight? (Even a pound or two a month will be 12-24 pounds in a year!) Do you feel stronger? Are your clothes getting any looser? Do you feel better about yourself? Even the smallest change or improvement in any of these areas is going in the right direction, be it small or big, it's the right direction!
We pray that you will all continue to realize that you ARE worth keeping up the resolution to make yourself feel and look good! You ARE worth being healthier and improving your outlook on life! You ARE worth making the effort and the little steps, whatever they may be, for you to be a better you, in whatever way you desire!
Be the Resolution Kept this year!
Eristeo and Ronna
That brought me to the thought of why? Why do people break their resolutions to become healthier, more vital beings? Is it that they decide they just aren't worth the time and effort? Is it that they decide that sitting on the couch watching TV is such a better choice and decide to forego that evening workout for a lazy night of "couch potato-ing" it? These, plus many other reasons, I am sure, are the culprit for the broken resolution to get yourself healthier and in better shape. But, how sad these reasons are.
If you know you are worth making the resolution to improve yourself from the very beginning of the year, then why are you not worth it the remainder of the year? If you know that the resolution you have made is what is best for you, then what makes it not the best thing for you later in the year?
Could the reason for giving up on your resolution to be a better you be because you don't see the results fast enough? Well, in that case, examine the direction you are going in. Are you improving at all? Do you have more energy? Have you lost any weight? (Even a pound or two a month will be 12-24 pounds in a year!) Do you feel stronger? Are your clothes getting any looser? Do you feel better about yourself? Even the smallest change or improvement in any of these areas is going in the right direction, be it small or big, it's the right direction!
We pray that you will all continue to realize that you ARE worth keeping up the resolution to make yourself feel and look good! You ARE worth being healthier and improving your outlook on life! You ARE worth making the effort and the little steps, whatever they may be, for you to be a better you, in whatever way you desire!
Be the Resolution Kept this year!
Eristeo and Ronna
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Cool Weather Turkey Pot Pie
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
A very dear friend of ours suggested we put more healthy recipes on our blog. So, our goal will be to provide readers of our blog at least three healthy, hopefully easy, recipes for you to try out yourself. If anyone ever has a great recipe that they would like for us to share, please feel free to let us know. The more great tips and recipes we can share, the better!
A very dear friend of ours suggested we put more healthy recipes on our blog. So, our goal will be to provide readers of our blog at least three healthy, hopefully easy, recipes for you to try out yourself. If anyone ever has a great recipe that they would like for us to share, please feel free to let us know. The more great tips and recipes we can share, the better!
Cool Weather Turkey Potpie |
 |
|
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sliced carrots 1 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/8 teaspoon pepper Cooking spray or 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cups cubed cooked turkey tenderloin | 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (sub. whole wheat flour if you would like) 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 1 cup frozen cut green beans, cooked and drained 1 "roll out" pie crust (9 inches) 1 tablespoon milk |
DIRECTIONS:
| In a skillet, saute carrots, onion, celery, thyme and pepper with either cooking spray or 1 tbsp olive oil until vegetables are crisp-tender. (You can substitute or change veggies to your choice of other veggies you like in turkey pot pie, if you choose.) In a large resealable plastic bag, combine turkey and flour; shake to coat. Add turkey, soup and green beans to the vegetable mixture; mix well. Spray the bottom of a 9 inch pie crust with non stick spray. Add turkey mixture. Roll out pie crust to fit top of pie; seal and flute edges. Cut slits in pastry. Brush with milk. Cover edges loosely with foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-65 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into 8 servings. Serve warm. Each serving: 270 calories, 12 gr fat, 5 WW points |
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Quinoa? What the heck is that?
In our search for the healthiest foods, we came across this strange, incredibly nutritious, and yummy food, quinoa (keen-wah). We first heard of quinoa when Bob Harper, the Biggest Loser trainer, was giving protein alternatives for vegetarians. We are not, by any means, vegetarians, but we are always looking for ways to increase our protein intake without adding fat.
Quinoa is a "grain like seed" that is very small and is usually found with the other grains in the store. We found our quinoa in bulk at Sprouts, but I did see today that Kroger carries it in their bulk area, so I bet other stores would carry it also. If there was a category for SUPER FOODS I would think quinoa would be on the top of that list. The benefits are almost too good to be true. Just a few of these are:
* full of tons of vitamins and minerals beneficial to your body
* rich in protein, it contains all the nine necessary amino acid supplements important for the uptake of protein to your muscles
* rich in antioxidants, helping your body fight and get rid of free harmful radicals
* sufficient fiber content which cleans your colon, keeping your colon clean is necessary to fight cancer
* high magnesium content important in preventing risky diseases like hypertension
* gluten and cholesterol free and low in calories
* still gives you a good amount of starches and carbohydrates to fuel your body
We began cooking our quinoa in our rice cooker, which is super easy, but there are also very simple ways to cook it in the microwave and on the stovetop. One important tip is that you should always rinse your quinoa before you cook it. We use our metal mesh strainer, with very small holes to rinse it, because the quinoa is very small.
Once you have rinsed your quinoa, cooking it in the microwave, can be done as follows:
Use 2 cups water to 1 cup quinoa (2:1 ratio anytime you are cooking quinoa as a dish)
Place the quinoa and water in a microwave safe bowl with your choice flavor of boullion (to taste)
Cook on HIGH 100% power for 5 minutes, then 60% for 8 minutes, let stand for a few minutes and it's ready.
If you want to cook it on the stovetop, bring the quinoa, water, boullion mix to a boil for 5 minutes, cover, take off heat, and let stand for 15 minutes.
We hope you will try this incredible food. It has become one of our favorite side dishes, as a replacement for higher calorie, less nutritious rice! We have been experimenting with main course dishes using quinoa. We made a soup this week that was fabulous. We will post it and a few more later. If you would like to try it before we post it, just let us know.
Happy "Quinoa-ing"!
Ronna and Eristeo
Quinoa is a "grain like seed" that is very small and is usually found with the other grains in the store. We found our quinoa in bulk at Sprouts, but I did see today that Kroger carries it in their bulk area, so I bet other stores would carry it also. If there was a category for SUPER FOODS I would think quinoa would be on the top of that list. The benefits are almost too good to be true. Just a few of these are:
* full of tons of vitamins and minerals beneficial to your body
* rich in protein, it contains all the nine necessary amino acid supplements important for the uptake of protein to your muscles
* rich in antioxidants, helping your body fight and get rid of free harmful radicals
* sufficient fiber content which cleans your colon, keeping your colon clean is necessary to fight cancer
* high magnesium content important in preventing risky diseases like hypertension
* gluten and cholesterol free and low in calories
* still gives you a good amount of starches and carbohydrates to fuel your body
We began cooking our quinoa in our rice cooker, which is super easy, but there are also very simple ways to cook it in the microwave and on the stovetop. One important tip is that you should always rinse your quinoa before you cook it. We use our metal mesh strainer, with very small holes to rinse it, because the quinoa is very small.
Once you have rinsed your quinoa, cooking it in the microwave, can be done as follows:
Use 2 cups water to 1 cup quinoa (2:1 ratio anytime you are cooking quinoa as a dish)
Place the quinoa and water in a microwave safe bowl with your choice flavor of boullion (to taste)
Cook on HIGH 100% power for 5 minutes, then 60% for 8 minutes, let stand for a few minutes and it's ready.
If you want to cook it on the stovetop, bring the quinoa, water, boullion mix to a boil for 5 minutes, cover, take off heat, and let stand for 15 minutes.
We hope you will try this incredible food. It has become one of our favorite side dishes, as a replacement for higher calorie, less nutritious rice! We have been experimenting with main course dishes using quinoa. We made a soup this week that was fabulous. We will post it and a few more later. If you would like to try it before we post it, just let us know.
Happy "Quinoa-ing"!
Ronna and Eristeo
Friday, January 6, 2012
What Kind of Fuel do you put in your Gas Tank?
We all know when your gas tank has water in it, the engine knocks and pings. We also know you can’t hold a match to a tire and light it on fire. So why do we put the wrong fuel in our body and expect it to perform correctly? The truth is, we often fuel our tank with fast burning sugars, fats, etc. and wonder why we feel lazy and don't want to get out of bed.
I know this seems too simple, but it’s the truth. The strength we have can only come from the correct fuel put into our bodies.Eating lean meats, fresh produce and whole grain will give us the fuel our bodies are looking for. Quick fix, "gimmicky" diets with empty promises may seem like a simple solution, but won't be a long term solution to our bodies long term fuel needs. For a healthy, trimmer body, you must get the right fuel – good nutrition, less junk food and/or excess food in order to build muscle, and not fat.
Our body wants to be in motion and when we “top off” our gas tank with correct foods our metabolism will create a natural chain of events that will give us that “pep” in our step.Now, we aren’t saying throw away all your foods and go to the health food store and spend hundreds of dollars on protein whey, exotic fruits, and organic breads. We all have to start somewhere and by incorporating a small change today, you will create the small steps toward feeling and being healthy.
Some small changes that can make a difference–
*Use whole wheat pasta instead of enriched white pasta (For more flavor, throw a cube of boullion in with the boiling water to give the whole wheat pasta a little more "umph".)
* Use brown rice instead of enriched white rice
* Use all white ground turkey breast in place of ground hamburger
* Use turkey bacon instead of pork bacon
* Replace an egg with two egg whites
* Use equal amounts of applesauce in a baking recipe in place of the oil
Happy fueling, the right way!
Eristeo and Ronna
Thursday, January 5, 2012
It's a marathon, not a sprint
"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon."
Emil Zatopek
As we have started this blog, our opportunities to speak with people about healthy living have been increased greatly. That is such an awesome thing for us, and inspires us, just as we hope we are inspiring others.
A couple of conversations lately have brought up the fact that living a healthy, fit lifestyle is a big commitment, that is not always one of ease. In fact, many times, it is a very big pain in the butt...ie, to turn that lazy afternoon/evening into an active time of working out or to cut up those fresh veggies to use in the healthy recipe for dinner instead of popping in that frozen entree full of fat and preservatives, are not the easiest choices to make. As my friends have pointed out in these conversations, if it was easy, everyone would do it.
Making changes to a healthier lifestyle is not a sprint to a final finish, it a marathon throughout life. It never ends, if you do it right. You will hit "walls" that will knock you down, extremely difficult to get over, but dealing with the obstacles and moving past them will feel better than you can imagine. Making the choice to eat healthy, get moving, and make good decisions that will better your life, is about experiencing life, a good life, rather than sprinting to the finish.
Emil Zatopek
As we have started this blog, our opportunities to speak with people about healthy living have been increased greatly. That is such an awesome thing for us, and inspires us, just as we hope we are inspiring others.
A couple of conversations lately have brought up the fact that living a healthy, fit lifestyle is a big commitment, that is not always one of ease. In fact, many times, it is a very big pain in the butt...ie, to turn that lazy afternoon/evening into an active time of working out or to cut up those fresh veggies to use in the healthy recipe for dinner instead of popping in that frozen entree full of fat and preservatives, are not the easiest choices to make. As my friends have pointed out in these conversations, if it was easy, everyone would do it.
Making changes to a healthier lifestyle is not a sprint to a final finish, it a marathon throughout life. It never ends, if you do it right. You will hit "walls" that will knock you down, extremely difficult to get over, but dealing with the obstacles and moving past them will feel better than you can imagine. Making the choice to eat healthy, get moving, and make good decisions that will better your life, is about experiencing life, a good life, rather than sprinting to the finish.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Color Run-February 19th
Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death amoung women in the US, even over breast cancer? Each year 200,000 women die of a heart attack, 5x the deaths from breast cancer.
On February 19th, 2012, Dallas will be the host to The Color Run, a VERY COLORFUL, fun 5K run/walk. This run benefits the American Heart Association. This is the most unique run/walk we have ever seen. You begin the walk/run wearing a solid white shirt, and by the end of the 5K, you are a rainbow of color. Check out the link to find out more about the fun! http://thecolorrun.com/dallas/
We have formed a team, Path of Purpose, that we would LOVE you to join to be a part of this awesome opportunity to have a good time and raise money for the American Heart Association as they do their part to lessen the impact heart disease has on our nation.
The registration schedule for team members is as follows: 35.00 before Jan. 15, 2012, 40.00 before Feb 1, 2012, 45.00 before Feb. 19 2012. In order to be a part of the team and get the team discount, search for our team name, Path of Purpose, and your discount should be applied. If you have any questions, be sure to let us know.
We hope many of you can join us for this fun time. Having this walk/run as a goal in about 6 weeks time, might be just the motivation you need to get up and get moving. No need to be fast, or run all of it, or any of it for that matter, it is just a fun time and a way to get out there and get moving. We hope that we will have lots of people join us on our team!
Ronna and Eristeo
On February 19th, 2012, Dallas will be the host to The Color Run, a VERY COLORFUL, fun 5K run/walk. This run benefits the American Heart Association. This is the most unique run/walk we have ever seen. You begin the walk/run wearing a solid white shirt, and by the end of the 5K, you are a rainbow of color. Check out the link to find out more about the fun! http://thecolorrun.com/dallas/
We have formed a team, Path of Purpose, that we would LOVE you to join to be a part of this awesome opportunity to have a good time and raise money for the American Heart Association as they do their part to lessen the impact heart disease has on our nation.
The registration schedule for team members is as follows: 35.00 before Jan. 15, 2012, 40.00 before Feb 1, 2012, 45.00 before Feb. 19 2012. In order to be a part of the team and get the team discount, search for our team name, Path of Purpose, and your discount should be applied. If you have any questions, be sure to let us know.
We hope many of you can join us for this fun time. Having this walk/run as a goal in about 6 weeks time, might be just the motivation you need to get up and get moving. No need to be fast, or run all of it, or any of it for that matter, it is just a fun time and a way to get out there and get moving. We hope that we will have lots of people join us on our team!
Ronna and Eristeo
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Burrito El Grande
Today, Eristeo is contributing one of his favorite recipes for your enjoyment. This is one that he has developed through trial and error. We hope you enjoy it. And remember, if you ever have any questions about anything we blog, be sure to message us. We'll be more than happy to try to answer it, or we will find the answer if we don't know it! :0) Happy Eating!
Burrito El Grande
Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 15 min Serves: 7
Ingredients
8 oz uncooked 93% lean ground beef or all white, lowfat ground turkey
salt, pepper, and fresh minced garlic to taste
15 1/2 oz canned kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
3/4 cup(s) fat free salsa
7 serving(s) Ole Xtreme Wellness High Fiber Tortilla Wrap
1/2 cup(s) Kraft 2% milk reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup(s) romaine lettuce
3 cup(s) fresh tomato(es)
1/2 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
1 item(s) (medium) uncooked bell pepper(s)
1 cup(s) (sliced) uncooked red onion(s)
Instructions
BROWN meat with chopped bell peppers, onions, and salt, pepper, and fresh minced garlic to taste, in large skillet on medium/high heat; drain.
Stir in salsa and kidney beans. Bring to simmer. Simmer on low heat 5 min.
SPREAD mixture down centers of tortillas; top with cheese, lettuce and diced tomatoes. FOLD in each tortilla, then roll up burrito style. Place on cookie sheet, seams down, and toast in oven till crisp, about 3 minutes. Serve with sour cream and extra salsa.
Calories 145 Fat 2.5g Carbs 17g Protein 8g Figer 17g WW 5pts
Burrito El Grande
Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 15 min Serves: 7
Ingredients
8 oz uncooked 93% lean ground beef or all white, lowfat ground turkey
salt, pepper, and fresh minced garlic to taste
15 1/2 oz canned kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
3/4 cup(s) fat free salsa
7 serving(s) Ole Xtreme Wellness High Fiber Tortilla Wrap
1/2 cup(s) Kraft 2% milk reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup(s) romaine lettuce
3 cup(s) fresh tomato(es)
1/2 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
1 item(s) (medium) uncooked bell pepper(s)
1 cup(s) (sliced) uncooked red onion(s)
Instructions
BROWN meat with chopped bell peppers, onions, and salt, pepper, and fresh minced garlic to taste, in large skillet on medium/high heat; drain.
Stir in salsa and kidney beans. Bring to simmer. Simmer on low heat 5 min.
SPREAD mixture down centers of tortillas; top with cheese, lettuce and diced tomatoes. FOLD in each tortilla, then roll up burrito style. Place on cookie sheet, seams down, and toast in oven till crisp, about 3 minutes. Serve with sour cream and extra salsa.
Calories 145 Fat 2.5g Carbs 17g Protein 8g Figer 17g WW 5pts
Monday, January 2, 2012
Make Each Day Count
You're never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. -Les Brown
Everyday is a new day, regardless of whether it is January 1st the beginning of a new year, or July 31st, with 1/2 the year gone, it is a day that you have been blessed with to make the best of. Mistakes of yesterday are in the past, today, the present, is what you have now in your power to do something great with. It doesn't have to be an earth shattering feat, but just a small change or choice to improve your quality of life. Vow today to be conscious of finding at least one better choice or change to make today.
You might choose to park at the farthest end of the parking lot for a little further walk, or walk around the block a few times when you get home before you sit down and get too comfortable! :) How about taking the clothes off the workout machine at home and use it for what its purpose is, not a 2nd closet! :)
Making some small better choices at meal time could be to forego dessert for a piece of sweet fruit, choose a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a hamburger, have a side of steamed or grilled veggies instead of those fries or mashed potatoes, or have only one small piece of bread instead of visiting the bread basket multiple times. Use can also use a smaller plate for your meal, the smaller the plate, the bigger your portions look.
Make a choice, or multiple choices, for yourself, because you are worth it! Remember the day's yours, how will you choose to live it?
Ronna and Eristeo
Everyday is a new day, regardless of whether it is January 1st the beginning of a new year, or July 31st, with 1/2 the year gone, it is a day that you have been blessed with to make the best of. Mistakes of yesterday are in the past, today, the present, is what you have now in your power to do something great with. It doesn't have to be an earth shattering feat, but just a small change or choice to improve your quality of life. Vow today to be conscious of finding at least one better choice or change to make today.
You might choose to park at the farthest end of the parking lot for a little further walk, or walk around the block a few times when you get home before you sit down and get too comfortable! :) How about taking the clothes off the workout machine at home and use it for what its purpose is, not a 2nd closet! :)
Making some small better choices at meal time could be to forego dessert for a piece of sweet fruit, choose a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a hamburger, have a side of steamed or grilled veggies instead of those fries or mashed potatoes, or have only one small piece of bread instead of visiting the bread basket multiple times. Use can also use a smaller plate for your meal, the smaller the plate, the bigger your portions look.
Make a choice, or multiple choices, for yourself, because you are worth it! Remember the day's yours, how will you choose to live it?
Ronna and Eristeo
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Welcome 2012
2012 is here, and what better time to begin taking care of yourself and making yourself and your health and happiness a priority. Eristeo and I are hoping that we can make a difference in your life with a few small changes you can make to get you closer to that goal. We love talking about and passing on healthy tips and suggestions to whoever will listen, and pray that they will be taken with the love and good intentions that they are given with.
Living healthy is not about being a size 2, I am perfecly happy with my size body, but it is about living in a way that treats your body like the temple that God intended it to be. In making small and meaningful changes throughout the year, within 12 months you will have made huge strides towards improving your life and feeling better in your body.
If at anytime you find something that you would like to share with us that we can pass on in our blog, please feel free to share with us. The more knowledge we can pass on, the better. Also, if at anytime, you have questions, we would love to answer them the best we can. We don't have all the answers by any means, but will do our best to answer them, or find someone who can.
We hope you will enjoy the blog and will visit often. Our goal for the new year is to find more ways to pass on the blessings we have been given. May you all have a blessed and Happy New Year!
Ronna and Eristeo
Living healthy is not about being a size 2, I am perfecly happy with my size body, but it is about living in a way that treats your body like the temple that God intended it to be. In making small and meaningful changes throughout the year, within 12 months you will have made huge strides towards improving your life and feeling better in your body.
If at anytime you find something that you would like to share with us that we can pass on in our blog, please feel free to share with us. The more knowledge we can pass on, the better. Also, if at anytime, you have questions, we would love to answer them the best we can. We don't have all the answers by any means, but will do our best to answer them, or find someone who can.
We hope you will enjoy the blog and will visit often. Our goal for the new year is to find more ways to pass on the blessings we have been given. May you all have a blessed and Happy New Year!
Ronna and Eristeo
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