i've been reading... and it's worth it

Several years ago, you would have found me elbow-deep in a Beth Moore study.  Workbook and notes all around me.  Homeschool.  Or something health related.  I have nothing against Beth Moore.  Really.  But I haven't picked up an 'inspirational-self-help' book in a few years.  That's a post for another day.  Maybe.

I just can't get into fiction.  Wish I could.  Well, except for The Shack.  Loved that book.  Once I got past the first 5 or so chapters, that is.  I know.  I'm probably in the minority when it comes to my I.C. {Institutional Church} friends.

I'm trying to get my health back on track.  Hubs used to call me a walking encyclopedia of information.  It's hard to pull that title off when you've somehow managed to find 20 lbs over the past 4 years.  Ugh.

Contributor #1:  Exercise. 
{Ummm... I decided not to use the word "Excuse" in place of "Contributor".  Just FYI.}  I used to have a great exercise routine {operative words being 'used to'}.   My alarm went off early-I was at the gym-back home-making breakfast... all before hubs had to leave for the office.  I miss that routine.

Fast forward.  Hubs has a different job.  A bit further away.  When he's in town, that is.  Now, his alarm goes off much earlier than mine used to.  All in the name of beating city traffic and getting to the gym in time to get cleaned up before his first meeting.

The girls and I really do appreciate his efforts in going to the gym.  I've wanted that for him for a long time.  He likes it, too.

Endorphins.  It's a good thing {spoken in my best martha stewart voice}.

Confession:  My exercise DVDs collect dust.  I have good intentions, but those are best exercised at a gym.  I love being driven by my own music via earphones.  And when I'm paying for a membership, I'm more likely to follow through.  It's weird.  I know.

So when do I go?

After feeding everyone breakfast would cut into our school time.  I can usually sneak in a visit to the gym during one of the girls' dance classes and a quick trip between Saturday or Sunday when hubs is in town.  When the girls are sick... it just doesn't happen.  And even if hubs manages to get home at a predictable time in the evenings, Mama is simply too 'tuckered out' to go.

I wish this weren't such a struggle.

Contributor #2:  Toxins.

Have you been wondering when I would get to the 'what I've been reading' part?   Suzanne Somers.  Se*xy Forever.  Don't let the title scare you.  This book is loaded with healthy information {probably similar to her many other books, in which i don't own}.  Se*xy Forever is really not about 'being se*xy'.  More about being healthy.

If you thought the sugar you were eating was the only culprit to the spare tire you may or may not be sporting, you'd be wrong.  Toxins.  Or should I say, a toxin overload!  I can honestly tell you that I felt my healthiest when I was on top of my exercise routine... and cleanses.  It's true.  I'm convinced my liver was never so clean.  TMI?  It's too bad that we're not more comfortable with this kind of talk.

We should know about the cancers caused by the usage of chemicals, like Round-Up.
The poison, which goes by the name of Fluoride, accumulating in the body.
BPA (Bisphenol A), found in many plastics, causing birth defects.
Aluminum, and it's link to Alzheimer's.
Words we can't pronounce in our cosmetics and cleaning products.
What and how our animals are fed... not to mention treated.

"Russia doesn't want our chicken, and they have a food shortage.  That should tell you something!"  {Oi}  
"The more toxins you take in, the more fat is required to store them."  {*sigh*}

There are a number of suggestions for cleansing in her book.  Some, I doubt I could afford.  You know, like purchasing a special sauna.  If I could, I would LOVE to at least have some of these tests done for my whole family.  I haven't been good at picking up on little clues when doing a quick elimination diet.  Maybe because I lose patience with it.  I like to eat.  #hangsheadinshame

So, finding out if specific foods are causing joint pain, bloating, headaches, weight gain, dark circles, and even cellulite {yes, it could be food allergies!!} would be won.der.ful!!

Have I bored you yet?

I say if you're interested in preventative health, you'd like this book.  There's tips on which foods are highest in pesticides {especially apples and grapes, which happen to be gracie's fave.  thankfully, i only buy those in organic.} and a plethora of easy-to-read information, so that you, too, can sound like a walking encyclopedia.

Staying out of the doctor's office {and health} is the goal.  {repeat}  Well, other than the chiropractor.  I see them more as preventative care.  Love them!  They gave Nator's ears a good poppin' on Tuesday.  We were talking about medications causing a plethora of symptoms, etc... and Nator said, "Don't they teach them {doctors} that in school?"  Ha!  If only the health system in America were focused on prevention.  *sigh*

This is the kind of post in which most of my friends politely roll their eyes, smile, and nod.  {here she's goes again, they think}  It's okay.  I've been getting that look for years.  But, secretly, I often wish there were more support for people like me.  Walking against the current gets tiring after a while.  So, I write this {eternal} post to remind myself to keep fighting the good fight.  Kids will get sick, even when all precautions have seemingly been met.  As my chiropractor gently reminded me, they are still building their immune systems. 

Buying organic, not driving through fast-food chains, dishing out daily doses of vitamins and supplements - twice a day, serving vegetables, getting enough sleep, and... even exercise are all... worth it.

#1:  Not sure how {yet}, but I've got to find a workout {routine} again.  Juggling the many logistics of a homeschool and mamahood may prove to be a challenge.  No excuses, right?
#2:  I'm getting started on a cleanse.  Hulda Clark style.  I'll spare you the details, though.  ;)

{suzanne somers did not send me a free book for review, nor does she even know of my existence; however, if someone from her company would like to donate a sauna or blood test results, i would be more than willing to write a review.}  :)

Think on these {favorite} things

It's the little things in life.

Really.

You know.  Like when you complain endlessly of back pain happen to mention that you need a new mattress, and hubs suggests we go shopping with our Uncle Sam check.

Like I said, little things.  ;)



My goal is to have the ability to sleep as soundly in my bed, as my dog does on the floor.

I'm afraid those fancy pillows we bought aren't quite as rejuvenating as they claimed to be.  Back is doing better, but the neck... Oi.



Think she's dreaming of Starbuck's 'puppy foam'??

I digress.

Oh... the little things.

Like when hubs begins breakfast on a Saturday and/or Sunday morning and fills the house with the aroma of good things to come.  Nator has decided the smell of turkey bacon is her wake-up call.

Here are a few {little} things that have made my day run more efficiently, lately.

Because I always have to watch what I eat {did you think it was something other than food? ha.}, it's nice to have ready-to-go snacks on-hand. 



In addition to fresh, organic fruit, I love...

1.  Pomegranite Green Tea.
Sometimes, I use this to curve an appetite.  Yea, it doesn't always work.

2.  Unsweetened Almond Milk and Jay Robb's Chocolate Whey protein.
With these two combined, I'm getting a sugar-free protein {chocolate} fix, which helps stabilize blood sugar.  I'm on the look-out for unsweetened coconut milk, too.  I'm out of whey... must. get. more.

3.  Raw Almonds.
Raw simply means that it hasn't been through a heating process, which leads to it's oils becoming hydrogenated.  I'd like to think the almond milk is raw, too... thus my search for coconut milk. ;)  And I'd also like to believe that any 'chipping' of the nuts is due to having been through some machine to crack the shell... and not some... *gulp* rodent.  eeeek!

4.  Triscuits and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.
A container of hummus is not safe around me.  I should make my own.  Seriously.  Why Triscuits?  It's part of the whole 'keeping the blood sugar low' concept that seems to work for me.  Who cares if it tastes like hay bales.  Not that I've eaten them before... unless you count Shredded Wheat cereal biscuits.  I just cover that baby in hummus!  Maybe that's why I go through containers so quickly.  Hmmm...



5.  Oh... and I almost forgot.  These Fiber One bars are pretty good, too.  But I only buy the 90 calorie bars.  At 5 grams, they have the least amount of sugar.  They're yummy.  Just don't eat the whole box in one sitting.  Not that we have.

Tragically, none of these companies are sending any freebies my way for this post.

That I know of.  *sigh*

It's simply my lil' favorite things {snack-food edition} gift to you.

The list, that is.

What are some of your quick-go-to, healthy snacks?  I know.  I had to throw that 'healthy' in there, huh?

Astros, a confession, and {Win}ners

I'm not a huge sports fanatic fan, but I enjoy a good Astros game... especially when I know things about the players.  You know, important stuff.  I like to know if they're married, how many children they have, favorite food, blond or brunette, and all the other lil' facts they share during a game.  No, I'm not a stalker.

Sadly, many of the players that were with the Astros from the beginning have moved on...  to others teams, that is.  There are many reasons, but apparently, you become expendable when you reach a certain age.  *ahem* 

Now, I'm {almost} back to square one.  I should write a questionnaire for the new players to fill out for fans like myself.  Inquiring minds want to know.  You know?

I put your lovely names in this fancy dish, once filled with ice cream that was inhaled at a game, long ago, I'm sure.

I wish I had a couple more books, so that everyone could have received one.  :(   That's the least I could have done for the few brave souls who volunteered to receive a book on natural hormones, right?  ;)

Three strikes and you're out.  Yeah, I said that a lot this week regarding my gym.  Sooo... I've been gym shopping.  I tweeted that I'd rather go to the dentist.  I wasn't joking.  All I ask is that they keep their equipment working, be nice to my kids, and keep the price fair.  Oi.

To make me feel better about the long story I'm sparing you {you're welcome}, hubs bought me two LARGE bags of M&Ms.  One, dark chocolate with almonds, the other is simply dark chocolate.  They were out of peanuts.  Oh, and did I mention that they were LARGE?!

After all these years, hubs still thinks I have self control when it comes to the pantry.  Pssh!  Yeah, I better decide on a gym... and quick!  Ha!

Okay... on with the winners.

First book goes to... Londa @ The Sneaky Mommy! 
Have you visited her yet?  She's great.  Such a sweet, positive, encouraging mama of three cuties.  You should go there.  In a minute. ;)

The second book goes to Susan D @ This Day!
She's my exercise hero.  When I grow up, I want to be like her.  Well, maybe minus the Harley.  I would probably hurt myself.  ;)

And the final book goes to Jen @ Scrapingirl!
She's a fellow homeschool mama to two little ones that keep her goin'.  Never a dull moment.  I can't relate.  At all. ;)

Congratulations, ladies!!  As soon as I get your snail-mails, I'll run to the post office for ya!

As my lovely assistant, Gracie, says, "Actually, y'all are all winners."   Really.  You are!

Pst... I'll have something to give away for the little ones soon.  Remember all those DVDs the girls handed me because they are so grown up now?  *sniff*sniff*  Yeah... some lucky bloggy follower will benefit soon.  It's bitter-sweet.  Sigh.  I should go console myself with a bag of a few M&Ms.

Just a Few Faves in the Kitchen

Gee, is everyone tired of all the 'health' posts yet?  I must apologize in advance... or is this one of those moments where it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission??

Blogging is about what's going on in your life, right?  Well since I'm in the middle of a crazy yeast cleanse diet, health is on the mind a lot more as of late.  Or maybe I'm just losin' it?  You know, as a side effect of my dietary changes.  OR maybe it's because bloggy friends keep posting beautiful, sugary yummies on their blogs that I can't have.  {insert big ol' pouty lip}  You know who you are! ;)

Here's a few of my favorite food swaps or guiltless indulgences...
See how I get you back with my healthy-sugar-free pix?
{I know... it doesn't have the same effect.}

Spaghetti Squash

I love to substitute spaghetti squash for noodles.  Simply cut in half, scrap out seeds, place on baking pan and bake for roughly 45 minutes @ 350 degrees.  Let cool.  Then using a fork,  you're ready to scrape out your 'noodles'.  {I put mine on the pan face down as to not turn the 'noodles' brown.}

It's a great carb alternative; however, it's a texture my family decided didn't compare to noodles, so for them I alternate between whole-grain or gluten free pasta.  Spaghetti squash is worth a try.  Do you have any creative uses for this veggie?

Stevia

If you read my blog, this shouldn't be a shocker. ;)  I mostly use this in my teas or lemon water and DK uses it in his coffee.  {For more information, click here.}

I'm looking forward to trying Xylitol as well.  {For more information, click here.}  Gracie has a love-fetish with honey, so I'm going to try this.  Although we use great-local-raw-organic honey, it still gives an insulin spike.

Raw Almonds 

I can thank Dr. Oz for enlightening me on this one.  Who knew that roasted nuts were hydrogenated?!  What a disappointment.  Considering how fragile some oils are, it simply makes sense.  Sigh.  I have to admit... roasted, salted nuts taste better, but I've acquired a taste for these unsalted, raw almonds.

I'm thinking I could one day make my own chocolate covered almonds with some 85%  dark chocolate... hmmmm.  32 oz!  Yep.  When we found these at Tarjet, we bought a total of 4!!  You probably think I've gone nuts mad, but this is one of the few things I'm allowed to eat while doing this yeast cleanse. 

Spry Gum

Let's face it.  You know I have a sweet tooth and Biggest Loser is always advertising gum for those purposes, but I don't want sugary gum or any containing "phenylalanine".   {I can copy and paste that word much better than I can pronounce it.  For. Sure.}   Thanks to our local Vitamin Shoppe, we discovered this gem!  It's my new candy!  It's sweetened with Xylitol and now I can say yes when my girls ask for gum.  Yay!  The only down side is that the pieces are small, so I eat about 3 at a time {with no guilt}.  It's not the softest gum compared to some, but it makes me happy.  ;)  Click here for more info.

Sugarbusters Protein Shake

I'm often asked what kind of protein shakes I use.  Of everything in my kitchen, I must say that the Sugarbusters Protein Shake is my favorite... and has been for years!  {Ironic how my favorite gets the smallest pic.  I'm out and need to order more!}  I have been using this particular shake for five years now.  Cold-filtered whey is one of the best forms of protein.  It's great for the immune system.  Personally, I like it to help keep my blood-sugar stable... and sometimes, well...

that's all this busy mama has time for.  Love. It.

Unfortunately, many shakes on the market are laced with fillers and counterproductive sweeteners.  The Sugarbusters shake is sweetened with Stevia and there are no fillers!  I like the one that Jorge Cruise's book, The Belly Fat Cure, recommends okay, but it has the ol' "natural ingredients" in it's listing.  Ugh.  That could be anything from MSG to.... you name it!   Companies are sneaky in how they get to categorized ingredients on labels.  It should be a crime.

Our whole family enjoys a good shake.  I drink one everyday at some point.   Of course, I give my girls a smaller portion.  When they were younger, I would freeze it to make "ice cream" for them.  They were so young, they never knew the difference.  Now?  Well, they've unfortunately had too much exposure to the real deal since then, but they still enjoy a cold shake.  ;)

If interested, you can find some here.  They offer it in chocolate and vanilla.  I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard of adding a lil' nut butter to the chocolate shake to make sort of a Reeces flavor.  You can add berries or cinnamon to the vanilla as well.  Yummo on the go!  {The magic bullet comes in handy for this!}

And if you haven't heard enough...

More Belly Fat Buster tips

There's so much more... but,

that's all the healthy stuff I'm going to subject you to.

Now let's see what tempting treats all my friends will post tomorrow while I'm crunching away on my raw almonds??

See how nice I am in not calling you out?
Teehee...

The Belly Bulge {part 2} A Review

After the birth of Gracie {my youngest}, I went on a binge of pancakes, Little Debbie's Nutty Bars, and rice crispy treats.  It always seemed a race to see how much of the rice crispy treat batch I could eat before it started to cool and harden.  Am I being transparent enough?   I had to get back on track... and quick, before I turned into the shape of a pancake... but on a much larger scale!  No pun intended.

I say that to say... I had have a real problem with sweets and carbs.  Maybe they have a problem with me?  I mean, they seem to jump right onto my hips when I walk by them... or smell them from another room.  That's the way it feels sometimes.  So. Hard.

People tend to assume that by appearances, I don't struggle or that turning down sweets must be easy for me.  Those same people should hear the dialog I sometimes have with myself in an effort to get this body to the gym.  Or... see the effort I have to put into my workouts.  I resemble some sort of sweat blob.  Not. pretty.  How is it that everyone else seems to stay lookin' so cute?  The newest sweat machine I'm rotating in my self torture cardio is the stairmaster!  Wow.  I've been working out for years, but my legs have not hurt like this... ever!  Everything about health is... work.

I'm not without hope though!  I began implementing what I had learned from Sugarbusters  again and before too long, I was on my way.  Sometimes, it's 2 steps forward, one step back.  Baby steps.  These genes were not built to eat carbs the way some can eat, escaping negative results.

{*Edit:  I failed to mention that on this 'lifestyle change', I lost 55 lbs overall.  You probably didn't see that one coming, huh?  Ha!}

If you are just getting started and want a deeper understanding, I would say that buying the Sugarbusters book would be a better investment in the beginning.  Unlike The Belly Fat Cure, they go into a deeper education of how certain foods cause an unhealthy rise in your body's insulin levels, telling your body to store fat.

For instance, many people eat a white baked potato, thinking it's a better option.  However, according to Sugarbusters, your body converts that bad carb into the equivalent of one cup of sugar!  Shocking, huh?  They also explain the importance of eating an insulin rising fruit 30 minutes before other foods as to not get a similar reaction. 

My main concern with Sugarbusters is that they promote the use of artificial sweeteners... Which is a big no-no!  I mean, if you don't mind killing brain cells, that is.  I don't know about you, but I need all I have... left.  ;)  However, there are many products to chose from... and that's where The Belly Fat Cure comes in.

Measuring 8x8, it's a great size.

You just gotta love a spiral bound book, too!

 

Chapter 1:  Lose your belly in one week.  What?  Has he seen my belly?

Not. happening.  It's gonna take one week at a time.

 

Here's where he breaks it down.  If you need to lose 30-60+ lbs, expect to lose 10-13 lbs each week.  If you need to lose between 10-29 lbs, expect to lose 4-9 lbs.  If you need to lose 3-9 lbs, expect to lose 1-3 lbs.  I think that's more realistic.

The recipes look both easy and yummy!  I love that he uses bad examples against great alternatives so that we can see how subtle changes make a huge difference in helping to keep our sugar levels from spiking.  Berries, as you see here, are lower in sugar.  The safe sweeteners he recommends are stevia and xylitol.

 

His pictures tempt me to start eating meat again, but I'm holding steady.  There are so many alternatives available, that it's really doable!   Well, I do eat some fish, of course! ;)  How could I resist hubby's yummy dinner??

 

Unlike Sugarbusters, this book offers a system to help you keep track of your good carbs and sugar. For extra help, there's a table in the back of the book to help calculate individual foods.  You can have up to 15g of sugar and 6 servings of carbs a day. {0-20 grams of carbs = 1 serving, 21-40 = 2 servings... and so on}  He calls it the Sugar/Carb Value.  That may seem impossible, but with the recommended dietary changes, it is doable!  It was no wonder I had put on a few pounds... 

Mental note:  Just because something says 'healthy' on the label does NOT mean you can eat 3 servings at once! 

 

Chapter 5 is what makes the book worth buying!  It's the Carb Swap Products list... 32 pages of good vs. bad recommended products.  This book would be great to tuck in your purse while grocery shopping.  He also includes a page of websites to help if you can't find the products in your area.

The author implies that this is a new movement, but I find the premise similar to that of Sugarbusters. However, they each have great things to say.  Basically, doctors love these books because it really works at trimming down belly fat, where it tends to be the most dangerous.

All in all, I give The Belly Fat Cure a thumbs up for the price!  I'm not gaining anything by advertising these books, just trying to keep myself on track... and maybe help someone else out along the way.

To find a copy...

The Belly Fat Cure 

Sugarbusters

If you missed The Belly Bulge {part 1}, click here.

Next...

Do you want to know what some of my favorite products are?  ;)

Email me if you have any specific questions.  I may not have all the answers, but I'm always willing to learn.

Show us the Money

Ilove really like the Biggest Loser workout videos, but I need a break… something different. I get bored… and my muscles are as bulky as they are going to get using them! Joke.

So, I'm back at the gym... or "meat market" as my hubby calls it sometimes. I missed the challenge of keeping up with the iPod on the elliptical, changing the speed and resistance to confuse my metabolism. I chuckle at what others must think as I swing my arms as if I were running on the treadmill. After my chiropractor strongly recommended that I stop running (wipe tear), I learned that I could do the same thing on this handy machine with less long-term wear on the ol’ joints.

You see, I need to keep up with my hubby. He’s in a contest right now with many of his co-workers... Biggest Loser style! Whoever loses the highest % wins $300! Exciting… and motivating, huh? If he is not the biggest loser, we have to cough up $50. Not exciting.

The best part about it? It was his idea. I know, I’m proud of him too. The very next morning after making this financial gamble commitment, he was at the gym. He weighed himself in and has determined to make better food choices as well. Needless to say, Weight Watchers has faded away. It’s not that we can’t formulate a needed ‘life-style change’ within WW, it’s simply that we do not like keeping a tally of points. I’m too lazy to count ‘points’. I prefer not to count everything I eat.

I do better knowing which foods to eat that will keep my blood sugar level. It’s all about the glycemic index as well as different food combinations. A rise in insulin is not good for Mama’s hips entire mid-section.

Tune in to see hubby's progress... GO, BAY, GO!!

Oh, and if you see a determined lady jammin' to the tunes in her iPod on the elliptical, swinging those arms away... Well, it very well may be the only time I've listened to any music these days. Please don't be offended if I don't wave back.

It's only because it could throw Mama's rhythm off and Mama will go *splat* on the floor! Chiropractor would frown on that too, I'm sure.

It's official... Exercise clothes make you fat!

Seriously, I've put on at least 15-20 lbs since reaching my goal weight a few years ago. My feet have not touched a scale in at least 3 months. Mix a huge life-change (maybe I'll save that for another post), schedule change and older aching joints and you've got the perfect recipe for increase! At the height of my fitness, I loved doing a walk/run combo. However, over time my hip joints began to complain. My chiropractor has pointed me to the elliptical machine and I'm learning to love it in combination with the perfect songs on my ipod.

A plastic surgeon once said that running breaks down breast tissue and after a while all runners begin to look the same without a surgeons intervention. That's just great. After a hip replacement, I could add reconstructive surgery to the list if I'm not careful. Forget it! After giving birth to 2 kids, mama has a secret wish list anyway! I must remind myself that I am wonderfully made... even after pregnancy.

I put the workout clothes on in the morning and begin my day! Morning chores are calling me. I warm up the skillet to cook pancakes and eggs for breakfast while warming up to sing the 'Mom Song', school the children, tend to the pets, do those chores that never get noticed until they do NOT get done somewhere between subjects, wonder and hopefully prepare what will be on the menu for my picky eaters, run any needed errands, grade papers, cut the grass, take out the trash... I really could go on, but I think you get the idea? Momma feels as though she has run a 1/2 marathon already!

No excuses, right? Believe me, I actually enjoy working out once I get started and I will find my routine again. I will.

Back to the point. I've noticed that these exercise clothes are quite comfy! That is, until I try to put my jeans on in the evening. Ah! Either Mama has not watched her insulin rising food intake as closely as she should (Can I put that chore on someone elses list please?) or someone has replaced my jeans with that of my 9 yr olds!

Maybe I'll slip the jeans on (or stuff myself in them) in the morning instead and lay the stretchy clothes next to the front door to throw on right before I hit the gym?! It could work...