tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57688911407584378592024-03-19T12:13:22.661-07:00one.minute.mantraAs a Certified Personal Trainer I look to inspire happiness and health.Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-14522060719452878892015-06-07T19:31:00.000-07:002015-06-07T19:33:41.582-07:00Only slightly Blorft with a side of KaleIt's not yet been a year. I keep saying it has been, because it freaking feels like it, but it has been nine months. The back and forth. The aches and pains. The darkness. It's been a rough almost year. But holy shit, it's almost been a year and look at you, you are still standing. Congratulations to you, Loreli. You are a bad ass if only for the fact that you are still standing and you still have both eyebrows. And that whole still having both eyebrows thing... well let's take that as a win.<br />
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The bad news is. I still don't eat enough and when I do it's the wrong stuff. I am highly stressed. I am angry. I am not the woman I was two years ago. Where she was loving and alkaline, I am acidic. My juicer is dusty and my coffee maker needs a vacation. I need more green vegetables and more burpees and maybe, just maybe... one day.... a date. Shit. I need a date with a side of kale.<br />
This is a brave new world.<br />
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So nine months into the break up of the first 12 years of my adult life and it is time to stop being lame. I have cried enough to fill an HBO mini series and eaten enough doughnuts to make me a traitor to my trade. It's time to break up with Dunkin' and do what I do best: sing (badly), dance (with reckless abandon) and detox. A friend asked me this weekend, "So what have you been doing for fun?" And when I did not have a ready answer, I knew we had a problem. It's time, as my therapist so eloquently put it, to put my big girl pants on. Fingers crossed they still fit.<br />
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I want to be a better version of myself. I want to feel centered. I long to get to the end of this journey I have been on for the last nine months. I want to like myself again. I don't need anyone else to be proud of me... I just want to be proud of myself. I use to really like me. It's time to like me again. It's time to detox emotionally and physically. It's time to get my shit together. Completely together. You have cried and cursed and fought. Now it's time to drink juices of beet and lemon and breathe deep and laugh loud. It's time to come back.<br />
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Tomorrow I start a 15 day detox. I will be using Supplement RX products (http://www.supplementrx.com/index.php/shop-now/detoxification) as well as my usual detox go to: juices, smoothies and salads. The goal is always to go without coffee and sugar and wine. We will see how it goes. I have learned one very specific thing recently, and that is that life will spin you on your head. So find balance where ever you can and don't take it too seriously. But care for yourself through it all. And so, I will begin to regularly study yoga again and complete at least two workouts a week in the gym specifically designed to make other patrons nervous and uncomfortable. I will commit to healthy sleep patterns. I won't obsess over broken promises or loves lost. I will start my day dancing. I will smile more and freak out less. I will stop listening to sappy music (Ok, I will stop listening to <i>only</i> sappy music). I will meditate with really specific mantras filled with words like awesome, epic and every so often... sassy pants. And I will only be "Blorft" when it is absolutely impossible not to be:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">“I was a little excited but mostly blorft. "Blorft" is an adjective I just made up that means 'Completely overwhelmed but proceeding as if everything is fine and reacting to the stress with the torpor of a possum.' I have been blorft every day for the past seven years.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">― </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4385839.Tina_Fey" style="color: #666600; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Tina Fey</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">, </span><i style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/14302659" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Bossypants</a></i></div>
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Oh. And I will stop cursing. It's not lady like. </div>
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Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-82419861838029891572014-11-17T09:57:00.003-08:002014-11-19T19:27:10.826-08:00 Self Hugs<br />
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I woke up this morning to cold rain outside and an absolutely empty desire to get out of my amazing bed. (My mother checked in on me this morning to make sure I slept ok, to which I answered, of course I did, my bed is freaking amazing. Seriously, if you are facing a big life change, step one, invest in a kickass mattress and good sheets... it will save your life.) But I did get out of bed, only because of the children, completely committed to the fact that I could get right back into bed after I got them on the bus. However, I had registered for a 9:30 am Vinyasa class last night before going to bed which was my strong side predicting my weak side would want to crawl into bed and wallow. I got my ass out of bed, I made the kids eat and dress and brush their teeth. I got them on the bus. I talked to my mom. I went to yoga. It was raining. It was very important to go. If you are not doing yoga on a regular basis, you need to be. Right this moment. Seriously, even if you are at work, get off your butt right now put your hands on your desk, push your body weight into your hands and release all over your negative energy down your back and out into the space behind you. Pull all the ick of this Monday out and away from you. That is the beauty of yoga and flexibility. It does not matter if you can't touch your toes, or if you don't own a single item of clothing with "stretch" in it's title. Flexibility is the foundation of health and you probably don't even know it. Exercises that increase our basic flexibility not only increase the blood supply to muscle tissues but also to your entire body, which allows essential nutrients to be delivered through your blood stream. This means that by increasing our flexibility we can strengthen our basic body function, by more efficiently absorbing nutrients. Which gives us energy, aids in weight management and helps battle depression. Yoga adds all the benefits of flexibility and quiets your mind at the same time. It can teach us to breathe, which believe it or not most of us forget to do through out the day. Seriously, how often do you forget to breathe in a day? I bet it is more than you realize. That is one thing I will never fully understand about us humans, how are there not more of us fainting regularly though out the day. Seriously, with how stressed out we all are and the breathe holding we do, you think we would be falling out around each other like flies. I know at this juncture of my life the most important thing for me to do is to breathe. And Love. Love. Love. Today I just want to remember to breathe, yoga and love. I am currently using Melody Beattie's companion meditation workbook and journal to her book "The Language of Letting Go". It is a daily reflection journal where you read her encouraging passage for the day and then record your feelings. I had not heard of Melody Beattie before bringing my yoga practice back into the studio this month. BeachBee Studio closes their practices with the reading of passages from "Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing your Soul". This was the meditation for today: Nov 17th:<br />
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"Sometimes it is hard to trust life with all its sudden twists, turns and storms.</div>
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or frustrated, when life takes a different course then we hoped it would, it's easy </div>
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to stop trusting the flow of our lives. I didn't ask for this. It's not fair. </div>
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I don't want this, we think.</div>
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Keep loving yourself, and taking care of yourself, no matter what- through the storms,</div>
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the twists, the turns and the blocks. Take a moment to breathe deep, restore yourself to </div>
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that scared place of self-love and self-responsibility. Feel all your feelings. Then let them go.</div>
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Love yourself until you can hear your heart and what it tells you to do."</div>
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I know that moving my physical body is the key to healing my emotional core. If I stay in bed all day I will rot. My mind will rot, my heart will rot and my teeth will rot, because I have to get into the bathroom to brush them. Yoga is the crutch I can lean on to love myself. As long as I can love myself I know it will be ok. Namaste pretty much translates to: "My inner awesome gives an epic high five to the inner awesome in you" and who doesn't need a little bit more of that in their life? I know I do.<br />
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Mom, do some yoga today.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">"<i>L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.</i></span><i><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">You've got more than money and sense, my friend</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">You've got heart and you go in your own way</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">What you don't have now will come back again</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">- <b>L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N, NOAH AND THE WHALE</b></span></span></div>
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Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-62171188970514530132014-11-16T08:20:00.001-08:002015-10-17T19:48:11.615-07:00Divorce and Cancer and The Cranberries<br />
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Do you remember "No Need to Argue" an epic musical masterpiece by The Cranberries? I do. Boy do I. It was 1994, I was 13 and I vividly remember listening to "Zombie" over and over and over again. At 13 you are beginning to explore the concept of betrayal, lust, love, honor and trust. This was the year I also locked myself in the upstairs bathroom and refused to come out... with my dad eventually taking the door off the hinges. Reality Bites would be released in 1994, Empire Records the year later. I wanted to shave my head. I wore my great-grandfather 's pants until their mysterious disappearance in 1995. Eventually I would help shave my best friend's head, which amazingly took me and two boys to complete. It actually sounds like a bad joke: "How many teenagers does it take to shave a head? Three. One to mistakenly buzz off a 2 X 2 inch square and two others to convince everyone that full buzzcut was exactly what they were going for in the first place". I wore an impressive amount of overalls. I remember my first real heart break. I played "I Can't Be With You" on repeat and cried my little heart out laying on my... wait for it... waterbed (it was the '90s). I think back to these years and this album and I have realized those tortuous teenage years have paved the way for this time of my very adult life. I can't lock myself in a a bathroom for hours... I can hardly pee in the bathroom without someone trying to get in. But I can sit here and listen to this album and realize that I have felt all these feelings before. I have lived through it. Of course divorce and cancer is on a much larger scale then Boyfriend #2 of my whole life dumping me in a note found in my locker... but at the time... it was all consuming. Nothing feels as real and true and damning like that first real teenage heartbreak. To return to where you come from is a very beautiful thing, to look back at the raw teenage emotion and go, well, I am thirty-three now, but I still love that much. I love these people so much that I am completely consumed with the fear of losing them. And though I know one is worth letting go of and one is worth fighting tooth and nail for, it's all relative. This weekend is the "official move out" weekend. On Friday I drank too much and cried and told complete strangers how much I hurt. It was absolutely terrible. But I know it was bound to happen. Because deep down I am still the artsy girl who wears her great grandpa's pants and can be a complete emotional wreck. I am still the girl who starts to cry when she hears a song on the radio. The question is, how do I honor the 13 year old who walked these earth shattered steps before me, but translate and teacher to her to be harder, tougher, stronger. I know I need to become stronger. I need to harden myself to certain things I can not change. Because there are an impressive amount of things that I can not change. And I know, with all the new knowledge I have sitting here now, that if I am completely honest with myself that I don't want to change anything when it comes to my situation. Talking to a very good friend today I asked her to consider if nothing in her current situation was to change in 5 years, could she live in the environment and be happy? I have asked myself that recently. Could I live for the next five years in my current emotional and physical environment and be fulfilled? I told her that I don't want to enter the next decade of my life being this unhappy. Looking at what has happened with my mom, I have realized that we do not even know what tomorrow will bring. So maybe even if you had to live tomorrow still in a crappy emotional and physical environment, would you stay? I am committed to hard work, but you can only work on changing things for the better if everyone living in the environment is willing to pick up their shovels and do it. I can only work alone on myself. I am accepting that I am angry, that I am sad. I am accepting that listening to The Best of The Cranberries (with heavy emphasis on "Linger") on repeat does not make me weird. I am accepting that everything will get better. I am accepting that I survived being 13 and I am accepting that I will survive this.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">"<i>I have decided to leave you forever.</i></span><i><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">I have decided to start things from here.</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">Thunder and lightning won't change,</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">What I'm feeling and the daffodils look lovely today,</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">And the daffodils look lovely today,</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"><i>Look lovely today</i>."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;">- <b>Daffodil Lament , The Cranberries</b></span></span><br />
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<br />Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-6043469024548691922014-11-14T09:17:00.000-08:002014-11-19T19:27:52.489-08:00Cancer And Karma<br />
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Why has been the dominate word in my vocabulary for the last 6 months. When what we perceive as tragedy strikes we automatically search for answers to the question of why. Why is this happening? What did I do to deserve this? What could I have done differently? Am I being punished for something I did in the past? Why? It becomes torturous. Too often we beat ourselves down using why as our hammer.<br />
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I know exactly why my mother has <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Myelodysplastic Syndrom or MDS. It was directly caused by the treatment she received for her breast cancer. Her past chemotherapy damaged her DNA and she now needs a stem cell transplant. It's science. She did nothing wrong. This is not punishment. It's chemical just as her breast cancer was hormonal. This is not a cosmic karmatic question. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Often I hear people say "Karma's a bitch." I want to shake these people. Karma has no personality traits. Karma is a reflection of our social environmental reaction in times of stress. Karma is a mirror, not an antagonist. My mom did not get cancer because of bad Karma and if she had not found a viable donor that too would not have been related to bad Karma. Karma shows itself in the love projected onto you when you are in trouble. I can't direct the outcome of this treatment. It may succeed. It may not. Karma is not the reflection of that outcome. Karma only shows itself in the manifestation of the hope generated by those who love you and merely by the fact that you are loved. That you will be missed. That people find you valuable and that you earned this value.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My mother is not perfect. But she is good and giving and she is loved. She is worth our love. She has value to those around her. Her Karma is measured by that. Her Karma is reflected by everyone who has offered their time to care for her. Measured in the well wishes, the cards, the prayers. I am a reflection of my mother. I am her Karma. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">One thing I have heard over and over again lately is that I have given too much of myself to others. I spread myself too thin, which in turn left too little for some else. This reasoning quickly pushes me to think, did I do this? Is my current situation a reflection of poor choices I have made? What is my Karma? How does this effect my Karma? It is interesting to think that some people think you need automatic response to giving yourself selflessly. What will I get in return? How quickly will the favor be returned? I look at social participation as an investment. I have never looked to be repaid. I have always believed that the more positive energy one put into the universe would merely inject positivity into your own personal being. Nothing more, nothing less. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Yet, suddenly, I will admit to questioning Karma. What did I do? Why? And then it hit me. Why would I ever let the actions and choices of someone else, become the design of my mirror? My Karma is not a reflection of the action of others. My Karma is not defined by what is done to me. Yes, I have been wronged. I have been lied to. But my Karma is not a reflection of this, my Karma is found in the overwhelming response of support I have been offered. The doors that have been left open for me should I need a haven. The notes. The phone calls. This is my Karma. This is what I will teach my children. We do not give of ourselves because we have expectations. We give of ourselves without ever expecting anything in return. Because when we need them, our Karma will be reflected in all the hands that reach out to help us. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><i>“If you send out goodness from yourself, or if you share that which is happy or good within you, it will all come back to you multiplied ten thousand times. In the kingdom of love there is no competition; there is no possessiveness or control. The more love you give away, the more love you will have.” </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">― </span><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6224.John_O_Donohue" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">John O'Donohue</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/72003" style="text-decoration: none;">Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom</a></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-42074101365604691312014-11-13T07:35:00.000-08:002015-10-17T19:48:03.717-07:00Divorce and Cancer and Social MediaMonths ago I began erasing my husband from my social media presence. I took pictures down from Facebook. I changed status'. I erased any ties to a life connected with him. Then, a couple days ago I defriended my husband. And then I messaged his sisters and defriended them. And then I wrote a blog post about how much divorce and cancer suck. And then I received a whole lot of posts and private messages. And then I cried. And then I went to yoga and every song played reminded me of my marriage... every single one. And then I fell on my face in half moon pose. And then while sitting in bed I got this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbwagY_acR_mUpYnXFWjWjfjOCu42nrZRyo9761XEf724Mn_g1PwV2Ow60g96syQWoTvLbX8h85n-dIWLanyswleIQ3MIvcNReIdfC3hwnxhhHMZbH9FB5xvbCnpPTZhnuhgxgn5FBKTU/s1600/IMG_8734.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbwagY_acR_mUpYnXFWjWjfjOCu42nrZRyo9761XEf724Mn_g1PwV2Ow60g96syQWoTvLbX8h85n-dIWLanyswleIQ3MIvcNReIdfC3hwnxhhHMZbH9FB5xvbCnpPTZhnuhgxgn5FBKTU/s320/IMG_8734.jpeg" width="180" /></a></div>
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And then I smiled. And then for the first time, and this is truly lame that is was honestly the first time, I was completely sure I could do this. I have been devising a survival plan, involving Yoga, Journaling, Therapy, Wine and Ethan Hawk movies.... but a plan is just a plan unless you commit to it. I have not felt completely invested in it. I know I have been waiting for minds to change or to wake up, maybe to find this has been a dream, mom is healthy and my reality was still intact. But I know that this is my reality. And for the first time I can honestly write that without adding "Sadly". It's hard, but there is nothing "sad" about it. It can't be hopeless or sad if you send out into the universe your mess and receive in return love. I have felt like a house with no foundation, and then all of a sudden to to feel all these hands reach out to steady you and hold you upright all at once. Very often with Social Media we paint our lives in a manner to stand up to social norms. We often "Vague"book in order to receive support with out fully committing to to drama we all experience. I think that there is a beauty in being able to relate personal pain and joy with in minutes to such a large audience. We all want to be taken care of. We all want to feel supported. I defriended my husband because I knew, for now, I needed to carve out a small space that was just my own. Though I will be living separate from him, he will always be welcome in my home due to the children. Social media provides the space I need where I can go. And though I know we have some mutual friends I do feel like I have made a small space that can be just mine. My own social media wailing wall, somewhere to grieve. The five stages of loss are : Denial and Isolation, Anger, Bargaining , Depression and Acceptance. I am standing at a crossroads looking at Depression and Acceptance. I have traveled roads 1 through 3 and am refusing to be forced down road 4. I truly believe there is fork at roads 4 and 5 and it is completely possible to skip one all together if you so choose. And I choose to skip road 4 and instead journey on to acceptance. There is no shame in depression. But I don't have time to mess around. I have a whole life ahead of me, two kids to love and a Mom to do yoga with. But you can't do it alone can you? I am probably the luckiest person on the planet. Sharing something, anything, the pain, the joy, it's all beautiful. The ability of humans to understand and reflect the emotions of others is a great miracle. I would like to believe in miracles more than anything else today.</div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f6f5; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><i>" If there's any kind of magic in this world it must be in the attempt of understanding someone sharing something. I know, it's almost impossible to succeed but who cares really? The answer must be in the attempt."</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f6f5; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">-<b>Before Sunrise</b></span></div>
Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-85116117537638975782014-11-12T06:19:00.000-08:002015-10-17T19:47:00.922-07:00Divorce and CancerIf I stop and think about the current state of my life my chest begins to tighten and panic sets in. All the things in this world we as modern humans grasp onto in times of stress are paper thin in my life. My husband asked me for a divorce in September and my mother has cancer. I need to own that.<br />
I need to say it again:<br />
My husband is divorcing me and my mother has no shit cancer.<br />
And again:<br />
My husband does not love me anymore and my mother has fucking blood cancer.<br />
<br />
Fuck Shit Damn.<br />
<br />
Do I feel better? No. Will I feel better. Yes.<br />
Do I hate my husband? No. Can I stop loving him? Yes.<br />
Can I lean on my mom? No. Can I lean on others to be strong for her? Yes.<br />
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Can I dance? Yes.<br />
Am I worth loving? Yes.<br />
Is it ok to feel like punching the wall? Yes.<br />
Is it ok to punch the wall? No.<br />
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There have been two constants in my life for the last eleven years. My mom and my husband. They have defined who I am. You can say your parents don't influence your choices as an adult and you would be a liar. You can say your marriage doesn't change you and you would be a liar. The two things that have held the most influence in my life are disappearing or in danger.<br />
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Who am I if not my husband's wife? Who am I if not my mother's daughter?<br />
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I am my children's mother.<br />
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I am my sister's sister.<br />
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I am a friend.<br />
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I am Loreli, whether Vickers or DeLeon, I am Loreli.<br />
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I am kind and compassionate. I am strong willed and stubborn.<br />
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I am not perfect.<br />
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I am beautiful.<br />
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I am angry. I am sad. I am scared.<br />
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I am hopeful.<br />
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I do not hate my husband. He is human. I am human. My mom is human. Being human means making mistakes. Being human means being vulnerable. Being human means there are glorious moments and Fuck.Shit.Damn moments. Life is uncontrollable and I need to let go of my need to control it. Accept the fact there there are a million things out of my control and absolutely only one thing in my control, my reaction to it all. <br />
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So I chose compassion within reason. I will not put his comfort above mine, but I will make sure I act in way that builds a healthy partnership. I will begin to trust him, if only as a partner and co parent of our children. I will let him help me so that I can take care of my mom. I will do everything in my power to release the negative so that I only bring positive energy into my mother's battle. I will commit to leaning on my friends so that I can gain my emotional independence from him.<br />
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In no way do I believe any of this will be easy. but I have decided to commit to releasing myself to the glorious mess which is the universe.<br />
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Tears and smiles and all, I will be the Loreli I want to be.<br />
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I am the Loreli I want to be.<br />
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I will let go to be present.<br />
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<i>"Today I will go on living my life and tending to my routine. I will decide, as often as I need to, to stop obsessing about whatever is bothering me. If I don't feel like letting go of a particular thing, I will "act as if" I have let go of it until my feelings match my behavior." </i></div>
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-Melody Beattie</div>
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The Language of Letting Go</div>
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<br />Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-40621061169439444632014-06-20T07:47:00.000-07:002014-06-20T07:47:51.008-07:00OMG, We just went to Longhorn Steakhouse!So yesterday was an experiment in Flexitarianism both inside and outside the house. We battled meetings, children/ family, home construction and hunger. Here is a break down of everything we ate:<br />
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MEAL ONE:</div>
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Egg Cups </div>
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(Logan calls these Origami Eggs)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNTaSdbDKWyqdgJfyb30kIcyD-i6OBCr7GjhQjRc_0KqAvH0TfcblgLLb85NT5HzE80YTBuShp4BUZCgFRIjPcBUV3QHP20yBGGFsKApcbp80sEzANV57lI7nr1Yz73lBTJcNkM1EvEFX/s1600/IMG_7863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNTaSdbDKWyqdgJfyb30kIcyD-i6OBCr7GjhQjRc_0KqAvH0TfcblgLLb85NT5HzE80YTBuShp4BUZCgFRIjPcBUV3QHP20yBGGFsKApcbp80sEzANV57lI7nr1Yz73lBTJcNkM1EvEFX/s1600/IMG_7863.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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We were out of toast, but we were flexible, so we made these:</div>
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees, rub a cupcake tin down with organic butter and line with nitrate free turkey bacon, crack an egg into each cup and bake until whites are firm and cooked though - Top with basil, fresh pepper and sea salt</div>
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I cooked mine until the yokes were completely cooked through, similar to hard boiled, as we currently have to be careful of bacteria </div>
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Still Wonderful!</div>
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(Coffee with Organic 1% Milk and Stevia)</div>
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MEAL 2</div>
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Green Juice with Coconut water</div>
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MEAL 3</div>
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Big Salad with Chickpeas, Pistachios and AVC Dressing</div>
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MEAL 4</div>
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(this is where things get crazy)</div>
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No Sugar Frozen Yogurt </div>
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(no toppings for mom/ topped with berries for me)</div>
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MEAL 5</div>
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(OMG We are Longhorn Steakhouse)</div>
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Mom's Choice</div>
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Salmon (cooked well done) Green Beans and Salad with oil and vinegar (the vinegar selection was Balsamic - which we are avoiding due to high sugar, but we had it last night)</div>
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My Choice:</div>
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Flank Steak (Cooked medium well), Broccoli and Salad with oil and vinegar</div>
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I don't want to develop a ridged plan, I want there to be room to wiggle but still make good choices. We were too hungry (and that is a principle of this, learning to listen to your body and understand when it needs fuel) to wait to eat until we were home and for me make polenta (which was the original plan) and Mom knew that Longhorn Steakhouse had a good choice for her, so off we went! #winning</div>
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And so far today she and I have had Toast with Avocado and Tomato/ Tomato Basil Salsa:</div>
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MEAL 1</div>
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Toast With Avocado and Homemade Tomato Basil Salsa </div>
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and coffee</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyY0JQRG8fPAGvxPO3RVAhsrTa9eWAAiERqeaw5V6GKU3n2LqIcr8v6ERehYNyZzCMoxYxUuusfEMVlSBBntTLmlIK0KY_cmW9m3FkGMioKgwfiyDfKxsaSWwvnARP2HV7IXXxQ3Q214I/s1600/IMG_7882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyY0JQRG8fPAGvxPO3RVAhsrTa9eWAAiERqeaw5V6GKU3n2LqIcr8v6ERehYNyZzCMoxYxUuusfEMVlSBBntTLmlIK0KY_cmW9m3FkGMioKgwfiyDfKxsaSWwvnARP2HV7IXXxQ3Q214I/s1600/IMG_7882.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Roma Tomato Basil Salsa </div>
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("I Quit Sugar" By Sarah Wilson Recipe)</div>
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Mix 1 pound chopped roma tomatos, 1 tbs minced garlic,1/2 cup chopped basil. 1/2 olive oil, </div>
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1/4 cup ACV, 1 tsb fresh ground pepper and 1 tsp Salt</div>
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We could not find Ezekiel Bread at the store yesterday so we used whole grain bread</div>
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(http://www.foodforlife.com/about_us/ezekiel-49)</div>
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MEAL 2</div>
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(this would usually be green juice but due to construction had to be flexible)</div>
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One Origami Egg</div>
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MEAL 3</div>
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Green Juice mixed with Coconut Water</div>
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MEAL 4 </div>
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Same Salad as yesterday</div>
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MEAL 5</div>
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Polenta Patties with Sautéed greens and Roma Tomato Basil Salsa</div>
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(From "I Quit Sugar" Sarah Wilson)</div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: start;"><b>Be a Flexitarian – try to be flexible when it comes to eating.<br />Eat healthy, but enjoy the occasional indulgence and meals in the<br />company of friends without scrutinizing ingredients or feeling guilty.</b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: start;"><b>- </b></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b>Darina Stoyanova</b></span></div>
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Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-24897962106107549552014-06-20T07:00:00.001-07:002014-06-20T07:00:23.608-07:00Let's All Quit Sugar! (Sort of) and Let's all be Flexitarians I saw Kris Carr's (http://kriscarr.com) documentary "Crazy Sexy Cancer" before my mom got cancer the first time. And though this was years before I would, as an adult, buy her books and start to really think about the path I wanted my lifestyle habits to follow, it struck a cord with me. Here was this really cool person (I was a teenager, so cool was important) that had this terrible disease but was doing all these super neat alternative things about it. Drinking wheatgrass?! Totally gross! But totally cool.... so cool was this woman. I instantly loved her. And I know she wanted me to love her. She was banking on the fact that I, an american teenage girl, would be seduced by her ballsy attitude and raucous vernacular. But even now, as a responsible adult who hardly ever uses raucous vernacular, I am confident she is more concerned with saving my life (or at the very least insuring that I have a fulfilled one) then selling me a program. And so even now as I try desperately to bridge the worlds of the like of Kris Carr and Sarah Wilson (http://www.sarahwilson.com) I know I will keep the basis of me, the raw foodie at heart. I can't turn back on that. I know my inner being feels at peace when my diet is light to heavy through out the day and when I limit dairy and heavy animal proteins. I know that, especially now as my mother battles cancer for the second time (caused by the treatment that saved her life the first time) (dramatic twist!!) , she and I have more than just wanting to be less bloated or thin, we need to save our lives. Heavy stuff. We were talking in the kitchen yesterday (we are spending a lot of time there now, as I am usually found chopping or shoving things in a blender more on that later) about how this eating plan has not been hard for her to stick with. She does not crave the sugar and she feels really good. I must inject here, because many of you do not know my mother personally, she and my father both work intense, life engulfing jobs, that pay really well, but take over your whole existence. So needless to say, they both have been living off of packaged foods and take out for a long, long time. As you can guess, no Starbucks lattés and no Sonic is a big big deal. But this is real life and yesterday (with all the construction going on in her house and two roommates under the age of 11) we ended up at Yogurt Mountain and Longhorn Steakhouse (in that order). About three ounces of sugar free yogurt, salmon with green beans and salad later, we counted the night a success. Essentially my mother and I are solidifying our commitment to a Flexitarian (http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-blog/flexitarian/bgp-20056276) diet. In a broad sense begin a Flexitarian means that the largest part of your daily nutritional intake comes from a vegan or vegetarian philosophy and but you would not turn your nose at the flank steak dinner your girlfriend painstakingly prepared for you to celebrate your two and half month anniversary. You live in a world of give and take (with the compass always pointing more often to veggie island). Meat and dairy choices are organic and sustainable whenever available. In a more strict sense Flexitarian diets are vegan/vegetarian until dinner. Yet, again, I know I need more flex in my Flexitarianism. I may have a vegan day, followed by a ovo lacto day that was capped by a t-rex kind of dinner. Who knows, I am a bit of a wild card. But as my mother stated in her kitchen yesterday, "It really does make sense, and really is the way everyone should be eating!" We are experiencing a collective AH HA moment. And yes, it did take cancer to get everyone on the same page. But that's ok. Because right now, despite the chemo and the doctors appointments, I get to share green juice with my mom and give her praise every day she marks off her calendar that she stuck to her commitment to controlling our sugar intake. Not only that, but our two roommates under 11 (who are still allowed cookies, more on that later) are watching us. And just as I adored the coolness of Kris Carr and still feel that admiration and inspiration even now, I hope they look back at this time and don't remember that Mema was sick, I hope instead that they remember us drinking green juice and laughing.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><b><i>There is little success where there is little laughter.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>-</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Andrew Carnegie</span></div>
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Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-56668132231135376382014-06-18T13:21:00.001-07:002014-06-18T13:21:15.572-07:00Let's All Quit Sugar ! (sort of) a day or so in Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So we are more than half way through Day 2 of my "Let's All Quit Sugar! (sort of)" journey. And maybe for me, because I have done 21 day Cleanses before, it's not too bad. The ability to have animal protein like eggs, definitely help and make this feel more lifestyle-esq than my cleanses ever have. My mom seems to be doing well with it, which is the major victory and makes this feel slightly like a Thelma and Louis style road trip we are having in her kitchen. She and I can't control much that is going on in her life right now, but we can control what we put in her body and that's saying something. Today was a little crazy due to her having an early morning doctor appointment but we were still able to get avocado toast in her before she had to head into the clinic. Today there has been 1 green juice (mixed with coconut water), leftover salad from yesterday with some pistachios and ACV dressing, 1 cheese stick for her (and one more glass of coconut water, trying to give those platelets a boost!), an egg scrambled for me and yes some coffee with 1% Organic Cow's Milk. I will be making some quinoa stuffed spring rolls tonight for dinner and we will probably have some berries and herbal tea before bed. All together we have not had any sugar outside of the fruit infused coconut water, the apples, the toast and the milk. But all in all feeling good and don't want a cookie! #winning</div>
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I have been having simple toast with 2 TBS mashed avocado and some sliced tomato and red onion, BUT this would be a great option if you are looking for more HEFT! Sprouted Toast topped with:</div>
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Mashed avocado, Spinach, Nitrate Free Turkey Bacon and a Beautiful Fried Egg</div>
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Serves Two about 8 grams of Sugar per Serving</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Syncopate; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;"><b>Salad</b>: any combo of dark leafy greens and vegetables of your choice (I used baby kale, spinach, carrot, tomato, sliced cucumber, green onion, yellow pepper and red onion) and a tablespoon of nuts (I used pecans) and 1 TBS homemade <b>ACV DRESSING</b> : 1 tbs olive oil, 2 tbs apple cider vinegar, juice from one lemon (or Lime) dash of sea salt and fresh pepper</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Syncopate; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;"><b>Quinoa Bowl</b> which included : 2 cups cooked Quinoa (sub Millet for Quinoa), one can rinsed black beans, shredded carrots, 2 cloves minced garlic, chopped tomatoes, chopped pepper, green and red onion, baby kale and spinach. And to give a little more crunch, I tossed in a couple of pecans again! I added 1 tsp of low sodium soy sauce and the juice of one lime to ACV dressing and mixed about 3 tbs of sauce to mix. Each serving of quinoa mix was topped with three chopped chicken tenders I cooked in olive oil in a sauté pan. </span></div>
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<b>Fruit Infused Coconut Water</b>: Add any sliced fruit (We are sticking to low to medium fructose fruits) to organic unflavored coconut water and let stick in a closed jar or container over night. This is not a staple by any means in the "Let's All Quit Sugar! (sort of)" Plan, But as my mom has MDS- we are including it in our dietary intake. It does have 9 grams of sugar per 8 oz. </div>
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(http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/myelodysplastic/Patient/page1)</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><b><i>Cancer is messy and scary. You throw everything at it, but don't forget to throw love at it. It turns out that might be the best weapon of all.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>-</i></b></span></span><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/regina_brett.html" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" title="view author"><span style="color: black;">Regina Brett</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div>
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Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-74783969061017705282014-06-17T21:17:00.000-07:002014-06-17T21:17:44.852-07:00I Quit Sugar (Sort of) Plan and My Day OneWeek ONE:<br />
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We are choosing our own path here, so you are going to see multiple options:<br />
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Upon waking you are going to have one of the following:<br />
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<li>Hot Water with Lemon</li>
<li>Coffee with/without Milk of Choice and/or Stevia</li>
<li>Herbal Tea with/without Milk of Choice and/or Stevia </li>
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Meal 1: Toast With Avocado, Tomato, Red Onion and Sea Salt</div>
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Meal 2: GREEN JUICE: 1 green apple, 3 celery stalks, 1 lemon, 5 large kale leaves,1 cucumber, 1 handfuls of spinach, 1 handful of cilantro (optional) 1 handful of parsley (optional)</div>
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OR if not juicing, blend above ingredients for a (just squeeze the juice out of the lemon) smoothie OR no smoothies? Have homemade salsa an veggie sticks and/or crackers (The I Quit Sugar Lady has a great recipe for homemade super crackers)</div>
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Meal 3: Salad: any combo of dark leafy greens and vegetables of your choice (I used baby kale, spinach, carrot, tomato, sliced cucumber, green onion, yellow pepper and red onion) and a tablespoon of nuts (I used pecans) and 1 TBS homemade ACV DRESSING : 1 tbs olive oil, 2 tbs apple cider vinegar, juice from one lemon (or Lime) dash of sea salt and fresh pepper</div>
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Meal 4: More Green Juice or a small piece of fruit (preferably low fructose) and a protein source (almond butter)</div>
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Meal 5: Needs to include protein source (Animal or Soy your choice), Grain and Vegetable: I have a quinoa bowl which included : 2 cups cooked Quinoa (sub Millet for Quinoa), one can rinsed black beans, shredded carrots, 2 cloves minced garlic, chopped tomatoes, chopped pepper, green onion, baby kale and spinach. I added 1 tsp of low sodium soy sauce and the juice of one lime to ACV dressing and mixed about 3 tbs of sauce to mix. Each serving of quinoa mix was topped with three chopped chicken tenders I cooked in olive oil in a sauté pan. </div>
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Meal 6: Could be berries, I had one piece of toast with a little butter and melted cheese</div>
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For week one you keep the basic outline the same. Making simple changes within the outline to keep it interesting. You could have toast with spinach and egg for meal one. You could eat Avocado toast every morning. Its up to you. Change up the veggies in Meal 3 or try different nuts. Play with herbs in the AVC Dressing. It's up to you. Here are a list of books that I am getting meals from, I suggest you check them out:</div>
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<li>"It's All Good"</li>
<li>"Reboot with Joe"</li>
<li>"Crazy Sexy Diet"</li>
<li>"I Quit Sugar"</li>
<li>"Beauty Detox Foods"</li>
<li>Natural Health Magazine</li>
<li>Yoga Journal</li>
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and some websites:</div>
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<li>http://iquitsugar.com</li>
<li>http://www.rebootwithjoe.com</li>
<li>http://kriscarr.com/blog/crazy-sexy-diet/</li>
<li>http://kimberlysnyder.net</li>
<li>http://nomnompaleo.com</li>
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Week Two we will add more animal protein in, unless you dig a Wilber Free diet, then its up to you!</div>
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If you are weight training during week one, I suggest you add more calorie dense foods as needed. Think eggs or Protein Powder Smoothies! </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><i><b>Transformation is a process, and as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It's a journey of discovery - there are moments on mountaintops and moments in deep valleys of despair.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>-Rick Warren</b></span></span></div>
Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-63885998807586304292014-06-17T19:43:00.001-07:002014-06-17T19:43:50.111-07:00Let's All Quit Sugar The RulesThe Rules are as follow:<br />
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No store bought treats, but you can make your own! </div>
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Stevia is great!</div>
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When in doubt, have a glass of juice or eat an egg.</div>
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Avocados are a do</div>
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Coffee is ok! But limit to one a day</div>
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Dairy is a do, but 1% or higher... the % goes up an so does the protein. </div>
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Organic Organic Organic</div>
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Butter is cool, so is Earth Balance spread</div>
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If you eat Mayo... and believe me I won't be, NO LOW FAT-- it has a ton of sugar</div>
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Follow Your Heart Vegenaise is a go! No sugar</div>
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Green Apples are a go! This is how we will be sweetening our green juices!</div>
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Our Salad dressing base is:</div>
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1 tbs olive oil</div>
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2 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar </div>
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Juice of one Lemon</div>
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pinch of sea salt</div>
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dash of fresh pepper</div>
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Your go to grains are Quinoa and Millet!</div>
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Sprouted breads are best, but whole grain are a go</div>
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Almond milk is a go, look for unsweetened </div>
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Creativity is a go! </div>
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Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-33572198679353397032014-06-17T19:22:00.001-07:002014-06-17T19:22:08.830-07:00Let's All Quit Sugar! (Sort of)<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">As some of you know, I have been a real fan of raw diets and juicing for almost four years now. My gurus have been Kris Carr, Kimberly Synder and Joe Cross. However, these diets ( and all of the beautiful colorful juices peppered through my instagram feed) are pretty super high in fructose. And suddenly with all these peeps eating Paleo and "Quitting Sugar" it left me wondering if I could find a middle of the road. One of the biggest catalysts for this journey is pretty personal. My mom is sick... again. Ten years ago my mom kicked breast cancer to the curb with some pretty serious chemo. Come to find out this chemo from her past is pretty much causing her blood to act pretty </span></span></span><span style="font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">funky today. And though, some argue it, many claim that cancer loves to live off of sugar, so my theory is to starve that jerk. But to be fair I should write that many dietitians do state that getting rid of fruit from our diets does more harm than good, especially when it comes to the cancer patient. For example:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"As </span><a href="http://www.cancercenter.com/southeastern/doctors-and-clinicians/julie-baker/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f4dbc; font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Julie Baker</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">, Clinical Oncology Dietitian at </span><a href="http://www.cancercenter.com/southeastern/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f4dbc; font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">our hospital outside Atlanta</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">, explains it: “Our bodies use glucose, the simplest unit of carbohydrate, as their primary fuel. Without adequate carbohydrate intake, our bodies will obtain glucose, or fuel, from another source. Possibilities include the breakdown of proteins we eat or proteins stored in our body, which may ultimately lead to muscle loss and malnutrition.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">All in all though, as a collective, we ingest way too much sugar. The American Heart Association recommends </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">6 teaspoons of sugar (100 calories) per day for women and 9 teaspoons (or 150 calories) per day for men. Most of us... if not almost ALL of us blow that daily intake out of the water, easily digesting two or three times that amount. It is with that in mind that I launch this journey. Taking cues from many wellness sources I am going to devise a plan that marries the principles of both raw and paleo-esq diets into something that I hope some of us wanting to maintain that low to no sugar lifestyle can adhere to. One thing we have have to be cautious of if you are eating pre made foods (like sauces and dressings) this is where the hidden sugar lies in wait. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">This plan revolves around food that we make ourselves. By leaving out most pre made sauces and dressings we can almost eliminate excess sugar from our diet. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">And cutting out the sugar we attempt to fight off all the bad things we are finding come with over-consumption. We are talking about modern diseases. What makes it a modern disease? What does that even mean!? It means, we are tackling problems now that are ancestors did not have to worry about. Diseases like heart disease, type-2 diabetes and cancer. EPIC.AMOUNTS.OFCANCER. And of course, obesity. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">As a hybrid plan we will not be counting green apples, lemons, limes, blueberries and raspberries against us. We will be allowing coffee, dairy and animal products. As a general rule of thumb when it comes to fruit will be as follows: The best fruits to choose from are Kiwi, Blueberries, Raspberries, Grapefruit and Honeydew Melon. The High-Fructose fruits and ones we should avoid are: </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Grapes, Red Apples, Pears, Mangos, Cherries and Bananas. (But even on my plan we will allow these... just not as much) The Plan will be based as a high vegetable intake diet. Basically, I tend to lean on fruits more then veggies... and I am going to up the veggies. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: myriad-pro-n4, myriad-pro, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I am excited and scared out of my mind by this journey. But deep in my heart I know it is time to clean out the excess sugar from my life. I am knee deep in family cancer, my own battles with hormone based disease (PCOS) and I know that there is no other choice than to find a maintainable limited sugar lifestyle. Balance is key and from all the low sugar plans I have studied, none of them seems to fit just right. So I am going to attempt to make one, juicer and all. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><i><b>Sometimes it's the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination.</b></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br />- <b>Drake</b></span></div>
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Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-62687271532074266322014-05-29T23:42:00.000-07:002014-05-30T09:19:13.340-07:00Yoga With CheriWhen I first met her, she may or may not have been having an anxiety attack. She had just purchased personal training and I was being introduced to her as the trainer that would change her life (insert halo and singing angles here). She eyed me suspiciously. I smiled back annoyingly. I like to think we instantaneously became best friends.<br />
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Cheri had a very interesting and complex health history, which understandably gave her much anxiety when it came to exercise. To be honest, our first meeting was right after her heart rate spiked while walking on the treadmill, scaring the bejeezus out of her and catapulting her into a personal training contract. She had had the "AH HA" moment. The moment when one seemingly small happenstance causes you to know it's time for a change. I have never in my life met a more inspiring and determined fighter. Within days of training, Cheri changed. Gone was the fear and here was the can do anything attitude I have been inspired by every hour long, Bon Jovi fueled session we have spent together (and there have been a lot of them). As a personal trainer, I would love to say that every client that passes through your studio doors is special to you. That leaves a mark. But I would be lying. Just like we all have favorite children (joking!), we have favorite clients (totally true.). These clients challenge us and allow us to challenge them. They listen to us. They grow from us. And we become better trainers for having had them in our studio. And when you tell them, go give a yoga class a try they go.... and they leave 15 minutes into it. These are the special ones because the special ones, try again. And that's how you know it has clicked. That they get it. When months later, you say we are trying yoga class again and they don't even blink an eye. They are all in.<br />
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Humans are really good at giving up. It's a major bummer. Throwing in the towel. Being afraid to put in the work or only giving enough to barely get a job done. If I could stress one thing, it would be to never give up on your health and especially not to give up on yourself. You are worth a second, third, even a fourth chance. You deserve to live your life without fear. You deserve to be like Cheri. You deserve to run. You deserve to fight. You deserve joy. You deserve to be proud of yourself. You deserve to be strong. You deserve.<br />
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There is no overnight magical change. Big change is an accumulation of many tiny changes. Cheri walked before she ran. She planked before she burpeed. Like pennies in a jar, each workout combined with the next one to increase the total value of every workout we completed over time. So, no, she did not conquer her first yoga class, but she went, she tried. And she went again. And that second class, she spent the whole hour and fifteen minutes in active practice. And I spent an hour and fifteen minutes ... well not paying too much attention to Cheri because it was a really crazy yoga class and I was trying not to fall on my face. However, when I was not focusing on my Warrior II, I did sneak a peak and mentally fist pumped the truly inspiring lady warrior-ing one mat down.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><i>The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure , the process is its own reward.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>-</i></span></span><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/amelia_earhart.html" style="background-color: white; color: #0000aa; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" title="view author">Amelia Earhart</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<br />Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-87559674306487659682014-05-17T01:17:00.000-07:002014-05-17T01:17:39.438-07:00Welcome Back BloggerSo I got BIZAY. And completely ceased blogging. Which is sad really.... and not only for all my adoring fans who read this religiously, but because blogging kept me accountable and possibly sane. What's in a blog? Well, for me, mostly, it's getting to hopefully communicate with a diverse group of people on topics I find important and interesting. I really believe I have a lot of good things to put out into the universe and blogging has been a way for me to feel like I am doing that. Even if no one is reading them... but myself... and my mom (because she has too... because she's my mom).<br />
I have been working in fitness for a hot minute now and have found that:<br />
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1. I am a pretty talented motivational speaker... when I remember to stop being Italian and speak slowly and without the use of my hands.<br />
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2. I really really like talking about health and wellness (mostly with my hands).<br />
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3. I really really like making positive connections with other humans (but pretty much exclusively oratory ... not so much with my hands).<br />
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And so I am grateful that there is this magical place called the Internet where I can do this efficiently. Doing something everyday that makes you feel purposeful in life is " totes essential" and I highly recommend everyone doing so.... every day. It is with that driving force that I reenter my blog and I would like to encourage you to find something that makes you feel purposeful as well. And there we go... just like that... a mantra for May!<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="bqQuoteLink" style="line-height: 26px; text-align: left;">True happiness... is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/helen_keller.html" style="text-decoration: none;" title="view author"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Helen Keller</i></span></a></div>
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Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-89897483646681885782012-10-07T00:37:00.001-07:002012-10-07T00:40:24.976-07:00Quin-wha?!<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Things get a little crazy, when things get a little crazy. And when things feel a little out of control in my neck of the woods, sometimes the simple act of making something familiar in the kitchen can bring everything back to square one. Today the simple act of washing and chopping, measuring and simmering made the hectic pace of the last few weeks slow down for one beautifully understated hour of zen. Yes, todayI turned eight cups of cooked quinoa into a me moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Quinoa is one of my favorite foods. Not only for it's zappy name and nutty flavor, but for it's amazing versatility. Really, what other grain can be not only a breakfast food, but a salad, soup, side dish and dessert? Not to mention main course. It has twice the fiber of pasta and brown rice, as much protein as milk, covers you in the magnesium department and has high amounts of amino acid lysine, which is important for muscle growth (psst... this also means it's a complete protein.) Yes, the Incan Empire had a lot going for them in the grain department 500 years ago and lucky for us, their super food is still available to us today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I am sure many of you out there look at Quinoa and go "Well, I don't even know how to pronounce that... much less how to cook it" and simple move on down the grocery aisle. I, too, am usually weary of foods with names I at first have trouble pronouncing. For example, Salmon. I am still, to this day trying to get past that one. Good thing for you Quinoa is as easier to prepare than Salmon and so much easier to pronounce. Repeat after me, "KEEN-wah". Now this one, "AMAZE-ing". The best news yet it that you prepare it much like rice: Boil, Simmer, Season. And it's done in 20 minutes or less. Pow! Three of my favorite ways to prepare Quinoa are are follows:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Harvest Morning Quinoa</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Quinoa Taboule</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fiesta Quinoa</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">The first I made up myself, the second I copied from Bob's Red Mill and the third was altered from a rice dish in Clean Eating Magazine. All of them delish, quick and simple. One of them Sweet, one Savory and one a little of both. They all start with the same base: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">1 to 2 cups pre cooked, cooled organic Quinoa. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OfPlsgplHQN8MDAykhhCSp1VMXS1Ye0v2ByVoc25c8rijNAwdytRrSQi6pB51eIVOxEt6ammj2N_PK471xC6AQZvv6weIjrxWi4ff6W20fn7zBK26Wy4z6MlP5C6nld_44jH0uR0o9WC/s1600/IMG_3359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OfPlsgplHQN8MDAykhhCSp1VMXS1Ye0v2ByVoc25c8rijNAwdytRrSQi6pB51eIVOxEt6ammj2N_PK471xC6AQZvv6weIjrxWi4ff6W20fn7zBK26Wy4z6MlP5C6nld_44jH0uR0o9WC/s320/IMG_3359.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Loreli's Harvest Morning Quinoa</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cups cooked cooled Quinoa</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Apple Chopped </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Tbsp Brown Sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Juice of One Lemon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Tbsp Silvered Almonds</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Tbsp Dried Mixed Fruit Pieces</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Step one: Place chopped Apple, Brown Sugar and Lemon Juice in a wide mouth mason jar, secure lid and shake to coat apple pieces. Add the apple mixture to the Quinoa. Add both the almonds and dried fruit. Mix well. Enjoy or divide into two to four containers to save for later. Can be enjoyed warmed or straight from the fridge.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EA3dQpfUDrxF8ycv2TiIxVgrqtbjHcfcg7C493LmhKz_jvhenbh8G5JI-5tuLgdkB1uUd7Ns3t8collfN5BFon7E8tSCcYBoiCGH7KCVK4kanRKDLf4brcX_84crqTQp5HrGPenIofNn/s1600/IMG_3356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EA3dQpfUDrxF8ycv2TiIxVgrqtbjHcfcg7C493LmhKz_jvhenbh8G5JI-5tuLgdkB1uUd7Ns3t8collfN5BFon7E8tSCcYBoiCGH7KCVK4kanRKDLf4brcX_84crqTQp5HrGPenIofNn/s320/IMG_3356.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bob's Red Mill Quinoa Taboule</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cups cooled cooked Quinoa</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/8 tsp White Pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup chopped Parsley</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup chopped Scallions or Green Onions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Tbsp chopped fresh Mint (or 1 tsp.dried)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Garlic Clove, minced or pressed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Tbsp minced fresh Basil (or 1/2 tsp. dried)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup fresh Lemon Juice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 tsp Salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mix all the ingredients together and let chill for one hour before serving.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fiesta Quinoa</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cups cooled cooked Quinoa</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 8oz can of No Sodium Corn drained and rinsed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Orange Pepper, Chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 Green Onions, Chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup Dried Cranberries</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Carrot, Sliced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 Tbsp Fresh Parsley</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Clove Garlic Minced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 Tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Juice of One Lemon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 Cup Olive Oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 Cup Slivered Almonds</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 Cup Roasted Sunflower Seeds</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Black Pepper to Taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mix Garlic, Soy Sauce, Lemon and oil in a small bowl. Let sit while you combine Quinoa, Corn, Pepper, Onions, Berries, Carrot and Parsley. Add Dressing. Toss in seeds and nuts and season with black pepper. Serve or save personal portions in mason jars in fridge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Three different tastes, from one simple to make base. In the am I will put my Harvest Morning Quinoa in a bowl, add a splash of milk and warm it in the microwave. On Monday I will bring a jar of Quinoa Taboule to work for Lunch... and maybe dinner. It will not only taste fantastic but help me feel fantastic. And is that not what food is for? To fuel us and assist in making us preform to our best ability? I believe it is. Take a moment to think about what you are going to fuel yourself with this week. Make sure the road ahead is full of color, texture and love. </span></div>
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Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-9881384478035066112012-09-14T11:29:00.002-07:002012-09-14T11:36:12.847-07:00Honey, You are Working that Lower Intestine !Core Strength has become an obsession of mine in the gym. Over and over I find myself saying to my clients, "Belly Button up and into the Spine- TUCK TUCK TUCK" or "Shoulders back, Walk with Purpose People!!" - pretty much like a crazy person. To the point that yesterday I warned my newest clients that I have a tendency to basically go on a core awareness rant and to not take it personally. However, as a society we are losing our ability to foster proper core strength and posture. And it's not your fault.... it's those darn iphones.... and computers, and tablets. As a society all we do is look down. The ability to text not only has brought on bad manners (and you know you do this, multitasking while you try to verbally communicate with one co-worker and electronically communicate with another- totally rude. And I did this just yesterday, for shame!) We have gone from the world of Mad Men, all sitting around a table looking one another in the eyes and have completely shifted our view to our laps. It really is quite amazing when you look around. All you see are people looking towards their crotches. Look around, I bet you see at least two around you right now! Take a moment and with awareness look down at your crotch for three minutes (which is how long it takes me to text a two word message...) and think about about what you begin to feel. The heaviness of that big round weight you carry on your shoulders begins to pull and strain your delicate spine and it does not feel good. As we become a society of people who constantly look down our whole body begins to round forward as well, causing a our posture to go all out of whack. Combine this with a desk job where you sit on your tush all day and we have a recipe for mushy weak middles with a hump on your back.... oh baby, sexy! So not only do we begin to feel weak and achy, but bad posture can also disrupt the health of our digestive system. Rounding forward pushes our digestive system into a jumbled mess, giving the organs less room to do their jobs in. Think about a cubical filled office, everyone has their spot with enough room to spread out and work. Think about what would happen if you suddenly took everyone and pushed them into one cubical. No one has enough room to be productive and at least three fist fights would break out and there would be at least one printer casualty. Same thing with your digestive system. Good posture allows the stomach and intestines to contract correctly for healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients. Good news is we can fix this problem and without firing Siri. It all boils down to body awareness. Taking time to be cautious of your posture for one and two taking time everyday to work on your core.<br />
So how do we become body aware? For one lift your chin off your chest, roll your shoulders down and away from your ears, contract your pelvis, push your glutes towards the floor. Readjust your posture through out the day. The next is to think about your core through out the day as well and practice how it feels to engage those muscles. How do you do that? Stand up and place one hand under your belly button and one above it.<br />
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<i> Breath in and tuck your belly button up and into your spine, you should feel the lower hand being pulled up and in towards the upper one.</i> </div>
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<i>Exhale and relax the muscles bringing your hands back to the original position.</i></div>
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Do this in the car, at your desk or while making dinner. Just do it. Find one day a week to dedicate to core training. Some of my favorites are planks, walking planks, knee to knee planks on forearms, boat pose and wood choppers with a medicine ball. Try yoga or a Barre class! When strength training remember to engage your core in all moves. Even when preforming a simple bicep curl, pull your belly button up and into your spine tightening your middle and supporting your lower back. By doing this you will sleep better, digest better and be better... all around.<br />
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<span class="huge"><b>When I prayed for success, I forgot to ask for sound sleep and good digestion</b>.</span></div>
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<i><span class="huge">-Mason Cooley </span></i>
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Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-81114938025873312442012-08-30T12:05:00.000-07:002012-08-30T12:05:18.193-07:00Hunger Games French Toast (Slow Cooker)<br />
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So first blog in quite a while, and go figure, it's about French Toast. And not only French Toast, French toast you make in the slow cooker. And not only French Toast you make in the slow cooker, but one based off life saving bread from a young adult novel. Seems random at first, less random upon a second thought if you know me personally. <br />
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I now live in Alaska. Our first weeks here the sun stayed high in the sky until well past midnight. However now, the days are getting shorter and it's pitch black by 10pm. This signifies that my first Alaska winter is coming. Yes, folks, 'Winter is Coming' ... for me. I woke up this morning to a blustery grey day, that no amount of sassy Taylor Swift music could brighten. The first thing that came to my mind was, "French Toast". Quickly to be followed by "Peeta Mellark Hunger Games French Toast.... in the slow cooker!" I have actually made every dinner in the slow cooker this week. I am working more and more in the evenings and have found the only way to successfully feed my family is with this magical little device. Why, you may be asking yourself, does your husband not make a few dinners a week. And the answer to that thought provoking question is best illuminated with a short jaunt back in time:<br />
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<i>Once upon a time a beautiful princess married a handsome knight. Soon they were overjoyed to find that they would be having their first child. The princess made a serene mother to be, prefect in every way. One night, the princess, quite tired from being pregnant for 12 awake hours that day, begot her husband some Mac and Cheese. To which the handsome knight replied, "My lovely Bride, I do not know how to make this magical dish." Ever the patient, even tempered lady, the princess looked up at her sweet knight and proclaim gently "HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW TO MAKE MAC AND CHEESE?!?! IT COMES FROM A BOX... YOU MERELY BOIL WATER!!! THAT'S IT, THIS WILL NEVER WORK... I WANT A DIVORCE!"</i></div>
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<i>To say the least, the sweet docile princess never again asked the knight to cook for her. Ever. </i></div>
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<i>The end. </i></div>
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And so enters the slow cooker. The savior of many a marriage. Back to the present, and Peeta Mellark French Toast. </div>
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In <i>The Hunger Games</i>, Suzanne Collins describes the bread Peeta burns and gives to Katniss, as a "good hearty bread, filled with raisins and nuts" and this is exactly what I wanted my family coming home to tonight. To me food is more than just something we shove in our face through out the day. It can heal us, hug us, make us smile, even cry. It holds memories. When I think of Parmesan cheese in a little china bowl with a tiny silver spoon I smell my grandparents meatballs and I hear the laughing in loud crazy Italian voices. To me, the simple image makes me think of family, warmth and love. And tonight, I wanted all that.... maybe with a little syrup on top. This is How I Made it:</div>
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Peeta French Toast </div>
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<li>6 whole eggs, 3 egg whites</li>
<li>2 cups 1% Milk</li>
<li>1.5 Small Loaves of Seeded, Multigrain french bread, sliced</li>
<li>2 teaspoons Cinnomon</li>
<li>1 tablespoon Fresh Orange Zest </li>
<li>1 tablespoon light Brown Sugar</li>
<li>1/ 1.5 tablespoon dried blueberries</li>
<li>1/1.5 tablespoons dried cranberries</li>
<li>2 tablespoons raw sliced almond </li>
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I mixed the first six ingredients in a large measuring cup. I poured enough of the egg mix to cover the bottom of the pot and then began to layer the bread as such: bread, berries and almonds and more egg mix. Cook it on high for at least six hours. I already smell the cinnamon in my kitchen as I type this, making the morning begin to finally feel warm!</div>
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<b>The heat of the bread burned into my skin, but I clutched it tighter, clinging to life.</b></div>
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- Suzanne Collins, <i>The Hunger Games</i><b> </b></div>
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Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-81531701112214426362012-06-25T23:58:00.000-07:002012-06-25T23:58:39.746-07:00Hey NYC! Forget the Ban and Bring the BetterMy husband and I were sitting in McDonalds a week ago... OH MY GOD. Yes. McDonalds. And we were talking about how New York City has proposed a band on large sodas. What is a large soda you ask- whom ever decides these things has declared that it is a 16 oz serving or larger. To me 16 oz of soda sounds like an Andre the Giant sized serving.. but hey, what do I know. So- New York City is debating on whether or not to ban "large" sized sodas and from what I can gather the main purposed behind this ban is to steer our children away from drinking large sugary beverages. I am one person who thinks this is just plain ridiculous. Here's the deal. Cups are refillable. And soda can be bought at the local supermarket and your cup can be refilled at home as many times as you darn well want. Dummies. Really New York City, do you REALLY believe that telling someone they can't have a Big Gulp sized beverage container is going to so anything for the health of the nation?<br />
I still love you NY, but no, it won't.<br />
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So I know I am not the only person on the planet who has figured out that banning foods won't make us healthier. But better education and availability will. I bet in NYC, children everyday are being taught not to talk to strangers. I bet they are being taught to run if there is trouble. How to escape their home incase of fire. Their phone number. Their address. What children everywhere are not being taught, however, is the dangers of an unhealthy diet. What we are not offering these children are access to actual food. We need not to worry about spending money on banning anything... what we need to do is put the manpower towards erasing food deserts. How are people to choose the right foods when affordable healthy food choices are unavailable? No to banning, Yes to better. We need to bring more into our societies diet. More color. More texture. More Nutrients.<br />
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As my husband and I discussed the NYC soda ban, we ate our McDonalds. Like I said, We were eating McDonalds. Incase you missed it. McDonalds. (A little ironic I admit it) So What does a fitness nut eat at McDonalds. One Double Cheeseburger. For no other reason other then because I like them. My husband and I SPILT a small or medium soda and some times we SPILT a medium or small fry. And normally, we don't eat fast food often.<br />
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I usually make our food. As you can tell from this blog, I have gotten really into the art of the Stealth Veggie Attack. I hide as much good stuff in a dish as I can. Sometime it works, sometimes I wonder if my husband is considering hiring a food delivery service to replace me. Either way, I am trying. And you should too. Even if you don't have kids- we as a nation need to commit to trying to EAT BETTER. By simply eating better and moving more you can change your whole health M.O. It's really not rocket science,<br />
but I will spell it out:<br />
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How to Eat Better:<br />
1. I don't care if it is Organic or Not (But if not wash it well) just eat more things from the ground- Vegetables, Fruits, Legumes and Nuts.<br />
2. Pick Whole Grains<br />
3. If you have cheat items, like pizza or cookies, make them at home, instead of buying frozen or packages- which means you control what goes in them.<br />
4. Eat when you feel hungry, don't eat if you are not.<br />
5. Make sure you have a diet full of color, NO BROWN UGLY DIET FOODS<br />
6. Drink Water, Lots of Water<br />
7. Read labels, low fat usually means more sugar<br />
8. Pick Lean Meats<br />
9. If you feel bloated after eating something, don't eat it<br />
10. If you feel guilty after eating something, don't eat it<br />
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How to Move More:<br />
1. Move More, any chance, anywhere<br />
2. Engage in a physical activity that makes you sweat for twenty minutes a day<br />
3. Try something new<br />
4. Have fun with it<br />
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It seems that every minute a new diet book is published. The truth is, I don't count calories and I have never followed a "diet". I don't have the patience for diet plans and I get bored easily. Every so often I find a new program I feel I can incorporate into my daily life, but I am not a fan of fad diets and you should not be either. Research is great, but diets are kinda dumb.<br />
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Being healthy does not require running marathons or having a six pack, though they are there for the taking. All you need to do is make better choices. We are surrounded by "large" sodas and no matter if soon in NYC you won't be able to buy them, you will still be able to drink them. Big Brother can't force you to make better choices and there is a large difference between eating to live and living to eat. You need to make the decision on which path you will choose.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b>One cannot think well, love well, <a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/sleep" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #333333; text-decoration: none;" title="Psychology Today looks at Sleep">sleep</a> well, if one has not dined well</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">-<i>Virginia Woolf</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">* though I am a certified personal trainer, I am not a dietitian or nutritionalist, always consult a doctor before beginning a new health and wellness routine</span></i></span></div>Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-61402840893083195472012-06-23T23:52:00.000-07:002012-06-23T23:52:18.398-07:00We all Wail for KaleI will admit it, I have become obsessed with Kale. I roast it, bake it, saute it, drink it and even freeze it. I eat it savory and sweet. I have made everything from chips to smoothie pops with Kale. It is hailed as one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. Kale gets it's 'AWESOME' rating based mostly on it's high concentration of antioxidant vitamins (A, C and K). Kale can help lower bad cholesterol and help prevent heart disease. <br />
Kale pairs well with Italian themed dishes, much like Spinach. Tear up Kale to add to meatballs or cook with Chicken or Pork sausage before adding to homemade pizzas. Make a pesto using a 1:1 ratio with kale and basil, and add the kale infused pesto to lasagna or toss with with your favorite pasta.<br />
If you find the texture of the leaves a little rough try squeezing them in clean hands before adding to a salad.<br />
Here are two of my favorite kale recipes:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Alaskan Kale Chips<br />(Named purely by first being made in Alaska)<br /><br />Three Stalks of Kale – Washed, Patted Dry and Leaves torn into bite size pieces<br />1 Tablespoon Parmesan Cheese (Freshly Grated or Bottled)<br />Black Pepper<br /><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">Sea Salt<br />1 Tablespoon McCormick Perfect Pinch Mediterranean Herb Seasoning<br />Olive Oil<br /><br />Pre Heat Oven to 350<br />Place Kale pieces evenly on a baking sheet<br />Drizzle with Olive Oil<br />Sprinkle generously with Pepper<br />Add McCormick Seasoning and Cheese<br />Bake for Ten Minutes<br />Or until Edges begin to Brown<br />Sprinkle with a touch of sea salt and serve</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Warm Potato and Kale Salad<br />Serves Three to Four<br /><br />Ingredients<br />One/ Two Large or Four Medium/ Small Potatoes cut into chunks (Leftover or pre- Baked or Boiled)<br />Two Stalks of Kale- Washed, Patted Dry and Leaves removed and torn into medium si<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">zed pieces (discard stalks)<br />Low Fat Low Sodium Turkey Bacon or Low Fat Deli Ham – Cut into small Strips<br />Olive Oil<br />Sea Salt<br />Pepper<br />McCormick Perfect Pinch Mediterranean Herb Seasoning<br /><br />Heat One Tablespoon Olive Oil in Large Skillet over high heat<br />Add Bacon/ Ham and cook until bacon is cooked or Ham is heated<br />Add Kale, One Tablespoon of McCormick Seasoning and Pepper to taste<br />Sauté until Kale begins to turn bright/dark green<br />Add Potatoes and cook until heated through (the potatoes should be pre cooked so this should not take long)<br /><br />Sprinkle with a touch of sea salt, serve warm<br /><br />NOTE: If the Mixture begins to dry out or stick to the skillet drizzle more olive oil over it as needed to keep moist!<br /><br />Use as a side dish (Lean Boneless Thin Cut Pork Chops with Salsa Verde pairs well)<br />Or use to top a bed of mixed greens as a hearty salad (Top with one Tablespoon Neman’s Own Italian Vinaigrette!)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Don't be afraid to experiment not only with Kale, but any vegetable. Try adding vegetables to more and more dishes. When we begin to add more veggies into our basic meal prep we give our families the opportunity to enjoy the meals they love but at a lower calorie intake. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> <i>The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.</i><br />- <b>Thomas A Edison</b></span></div>Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-61709436902591464172012-04-22T18:54:00.000-07:002012-04-22T18:54:08.104-07:00Juicing it for all it's worthSo if you know of me at all, you have probably seen not only posts about the Beauty Detox Solution (http://www.kimberlysnyder.net) as well as a whole load of juice photography filtering from my twitter account over the last couple of months. Though I have been seriously weight training for years now, I have only recently gotten into hormone studies. Having PCOS, my hormones have waged a war on everything from my skin to my weight for about 15 years. Knowing that there must be something I was missing I started researching diets that would positively affect my hormone issue. And what I have found the most solace in was the information put out in Kimberly Synder's studies and her belief that <br />
"health and beauty are entirely synonymous: outer beauty is a reflection of inner health. Her main protocols include increasing the body’s alkalinity, consuming a diet high in enzyme-rich plant foods as close to their natural state as possible, supporting the body’s ability to naturally heal itself, increasing efficient digestion, as well as intelligent, guided and ongoing cleansing."<br />
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You do this by taking in as close to natural, raw, unprocessed and unmodified fuel as possible. You eat real food, you make green nutrient rich veggies the base of your intake, you eat light to heavy, you take out diary and watch your gluten intake and make sure to take the time to honor your body with foods that promote cleansing (like lemons!). This may seem overwhelming, but with the right prep work it is as easy and normal to do as any other dietary intake. I even cheat a little, by using Naked Green Machine Smoothies instead of making my own. And I will say, with complete honesty, when I take the time to fuel my body with juices, smoothies and salads as my base, subtracting the gluten and the diary, I feel amazing. I am lighter, my skin looks better, I am less bloated and less gassy. I still eat meat. But I eat it at the end of the day (with a salad). I don't rush to pump my tummy full of food in the a.m either, instead I wake it up gently with hot water with lemon and wait until I feel hungry to refuel it. This is usually a couple hours into my day. If you are wondering what my day looks like, here it is!<br />
<i>Wake up</i><br />
- Hot Water with the Juice from Half a Lemon<br />
- Green Smoothie (usually two serving size - this is about 300 calories!!)<br />
- Fresh Juice from my Juicer<br />
- Big Salad usually topped only with Lemon and Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, and Hemp seeds (Protein) or other seeds <br />
- Juice<br />
- Big Salad topped with Animal Protein, sometimes more steamed veggies on the side <br />
-Gluten Free Crackers as a snack if I am hungry at the end of the night, maybe with a low fat piece of cheese if I am wanting it- but I have been trying to avoid it<br />
I also take in a lot of water (with lemon of course!)<br />
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I bought a Jack Lalanne juicer at Target for 100 bucks. It does a wonderful job. It's easy to clean and pretty quiet. I usually experiment with produce in my fridge. Last week there was a lot of lemon, grapefruit, green apple, ginger and carrot mixing. This week I will experiment with kale, pears and cucumbers as well as the produce from last week. The kale pulp will be used in the meatballs I will make for my kids dinner as well as in some muffins I will make for them. <br />
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Taking the time to learn about the properties in your food that can help and hinder you is just as important as finding an exercise routine that works for you. By researching the effect certain foods have on my body (for example animal protein naturally raises testosterone levels, not so great for a woman with abnormally high T levels to begin with!) I am able to chart a direct course towards my personal health and well being. I implore you to do the same. Think about what you are consuming and how it may be adversely effecting you. If you are thinking about adding juicing to your diet remember to have fun with it. Be adventurous!<br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Our bodies are our gardens - our wills are our gardeners.</b></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;">~<i>William Shakespeare</i><br />
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<br />Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-72044970713678501922012-03-13T19:04:00.003-07:002012-03-16T18:54:30.290-07:00putting the one back in universeWe live in a world of roughly ... what?.... 7 billion people. That's a lot of people. And even if non avatar people are not your thing, we still live in a world where statistically you will be forced to communicate within the delicate balance of other human beings. These humans will most likely fall into one of two categories:<br />
A. Ones we chose to surround ourselves with<br />
and<br />
B. Everyone else.<br />
Sometimes, what we don't realize is that the people in category B have just as much influence and effect on us as in category A. And more often than not, they have even more.<br />
<br />
Social networking has made every last 7 billion of us accessible. Where as ten years ago your neighbor's sister's cousin's pharmacist who would have never EVER in a million years known what you looked like NORMALLY, can now see you tagged in so and so's photos from the community holiday party. You know the photo... we all do... and secretly, we kinda love it. And we sorta made a video montage with it and posted it to YouTube. And it's pretty popular... in your office.<br />
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So what I am getting at is this... we are 78% sure on a bad day that the people we chose to surround ourselves with are going to stick by us no matter what. And we are 99% sure that people we have never met are judging us this instant over the Internet. There are even adolescent girls actively seeking out to be rated, that's how CRAZYTOWN this world is becoming. Seriously, go back 15 years and ask Lori if she would ever be up for asking complete strangers to rate how pretty or ugly she was and she would probably laugh in your face, pull up the collar on her zombie skin-hued old man flannel shirt (SO pretty) and go back to listening to Hole or the Cranberries or Alanis Morrisette or some other female singer with weird hair on her Walkman. (by the way... this computer does not even recognize Walkman as a real word) But now, post a non approved photo of me on Facebook and I cringe... "What if I look like a crazy Sasquatch lady?!" -- just to be reminded a few moments into reviewing the photo that crazy Sasquatch lady was totally the look I was going for in that moment.<br />
I then relax and move on with my day.<br />
But many of us don't.<br />
We are constantly wondering what the neighbor's sister's cousin's pharmacist thinks of that photo. <br />
We are constantly reminded that everyone is watching you. <br />
I am surprised more of us aren't swan diving into a vat of botox.<br />
So how do we navigate through this modern world, because most of us are not going to swear off Facebook. And truth be told whether on purpose or not Sasquatch photos may surface from time to time.<br />
And honestly, I can't tell you we are all just going to have to look deep inside ourselves and find the beauty with in and say "Go sit on a rock!" to all those haters... because... there will be days when our insecurities get the upper hand on us.<br />
But I can say this.<br />
We need to start remembering what it feels like to be one person. We need to reconnect with idea that we exist first and foremost singularly. That if social media came a tumbling down we would stand alone. We have one voice, one heart, one mind and one conscience. We are one person. We need to explore the wants and needs of that one person. I am not endorsing hermit-tude... humans need community and crave acceptance, however, we have become so busy trying to please loved ones and strangers alike we forget to connect with ourselves. So how to we do this? We make a commitment to unplugging regularly, doing something quiet. Writing in a journal (with a pen... on paper), waking up a little earlier and having your coffee outside on your porch (not reaching for the smartphone) or taking fifteen minutes every night to do some deep breathing and relaxation. Mediation can be the simple act of siting in a quiet room, focusing on the simple act of breathing and nothing else. We need to get to know the person inside you who does not have a twitter account. The person who wishes and dreams in more than 140 characters. Find out what they need to be happy. It may be that they really want to live a healthier more full filled life and to do that, you must stay true to that one voice.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="body">Man is a universe within himself.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="body">-</span></i><span class="bodybold" style="color: black;"> <b>Bob Marley</b></span><i><span class="body"> </span></i></div>Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-19979346966842373032012-02-28T18:23:00.003-08:002012-02-28T20:25:21.743-08:0031 and the Never EversI have officially been a member of this planet for 31 years. And over the course of these years I am pretty sure I have used the term "never ever" quite a lot. I know I said I would never ever marry a military man. I remember distinctly when I was told I would probably never ever have kids with out fertility drugs. As a teen I swore to myself I would never ever be like my parents. And quite a few people have promised they would never ever let me down.<br />
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But I did marry a military man. <br />
My husband and I got a baby as a honeymoon present.<br />
I found out being exactly like my parents is really the only way I want to be.<br />
And <br />
I have come to terms with the fact that people let you down.<br />
I have begun to own up to the fact that I've let people down.<br />
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However, I am very lucky to have had the never evers I have had in my life.<br />
They do nothing but teach you who you really are.<br />
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When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, I wanted to leave school to be with her. I would never ever stay so far away with her being so sick. But then I was faced with her own "never ever allowing me to leave college", not even for cancer. Her never ever trumped mine. And I stayed in school. This alternately meant that I had to learn to lean on my friends, to believe in my mom, to depend on my Dad more than ever before and try to learn to let go of things I could not control. <br />
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As a one time vegetarian the "I will never ever eat meat" became a gift I gave up to my husband when he asked me to eat chicken for our baby and for his own piece of mind as he was deployed during our first pregnancy. It sealed the deal on us being a team first and foremost in our young marriage, something we have stayed true to through the last eight years.<br />
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I have said I would never ever do a pull up, buy a house before forty, drink a Naked Green Machine Smoothie.<br />
I have thought I would never ever survive child birth with out drugs or living in Germany.<br />
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But I can do pull ups, I bought a house and I love a tall glass of green machine with an extra squeeze of lemon.<br />
I conquered a natural child birth (with my mom there to slap the crazy out of me) and living three years in a foreign country did the exact opposite of kill me.<br />
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And though not every "never ever" I have proven wrong has been a winner (I will never ever yell at my kids was recently turned into I will never ever again throw a Rumpelstiltskin-esq tantrum in my kitchen over my four year old refusing to swallow antibiotics- #notwinning) I stand by the advice to only cautiously bet on a never ever.<br />
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Especially when the never ever goes like this:<br />
I will never ever forgive...<br />
never ever love....<br />
never ever say.....<br />
never ever try......<br />
Those are just begging to be broken.<br />
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Because, well, it feels better to forgive.<br />
And all we need is love.<br />
And say what you mean to say.<br />
And how will you know if you don't try.<br />
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If you made a list of all the things you would never ever do- AND- made a list of all the things you would do if you found out you only had one month to live, I wonder how many things on both lists would overlap. <br />
And though getting a tattoo would overlap on my two lists I am probably not going to run out and get one tomorrow (notice the non definitive) it's important to understand the things you are truly scared of and the things you really just haven't gotten to yet.<br />
(Pretty much sold on the too scared to skydive though.)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #353535;">Try a thing you haven’t done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time to figure out whether you like it or not.</span> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;">-<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #353535;"><i><b><span style="font-style: normal;">Virgil Thomson</span></b></i></span></div>Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-89392041469865957992012-02-23T18:46:00.001-08:002012-02-23T18:46:53.166-08:00It's a GoalSomeone I am currently training asked me a question recently. The question was this, "After I get past this, what should my next goal be?"<br />
And I gave her the truth. I can't answer that for you.<br />
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When it comes to personal training, a goal is a specific objective to be achieved at a specific point in time. Goals should not be end all be alls. They should be looked at as stepping stones. Rungs in the ladder, by grasping one, you are able to pull up to another. Though I want you to be and feel the best you can, I will never force another goal onto you. I will not project my hopes for you onto you. If I did, you would never get anywhere. A goal must have sincere emotion tied to it, it is what pushes us towards achievement. Therefore a goal coming from any other source than one's self is doomed to fail. You have to want it, to get it.<br />
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Here are some ways to accomplish successful goal setting:<br />
<ol><li>A goal must be well defined. No beating around the bush because if you can't lay it out, you will never have a map to success.</li>
<li>You must write it down. Life has a way of over whelming the unprepared. Writing down what we hope to attain and scheduling our time to support our goals is the only way to accomplish them. </li>
<li>A goal must be stated in the positive. Out with the "I won't" and in with the "I will". Instead of "I won't eat fast food.." try "I will prepare healthy meals at home." I hope you can see how the latter example provides a concrete affirmation, and the first one sounds weak. </li>
<li>You have to have a deadline. Any thing left open ended is destined to fall through.</li>
<li>A goal must challenge us, but not overwhelm us. If you make a goal too easy it becomes easy to push aside. But when you give it just enough weight, it is harder to shake off.</li>
<li>Remember to make it personal. </li>
</ol>And though it is not an official rule, I like to add this on when speaking on goal making:<br />
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You should not incorporate real sincere goals with insincere goal making holidays. There is a reason New Year's resolutions fail. For one, as we have already reviewed, a whole<i> YEAR</i> is already too long of a time line for goal getting. And not to mention that the whole new year stigmata already makes the goal less intimidating, as everyone you know is probably failing at their resolution as we speak.<br />
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Lent and other times for religious sacrifice are yet another time I believe it is best to leave goal making out of the equation. And this is why: When we give up things for religious purposes that we also wish to hold on to as a personal goal we take away <b>our</b> personal attachment to them. When you want to lose five pounds and you give up chocolate or fast food for Lent, you take yourself out of the equation. You have now given up Hershey Kisses for Jesus (and I know if you went all the way to church on a Wednesday morning you probably think Jesus is worth more than some lame chocolate) and not for yourself. And then what happens? Well, everything gets mixed up and fuzzy! Because when you are supposed to be focusing on religious devotion, you are now going crazy about not having chocolate. AND when Easter comes around you forget about why you gave it up in the first place and reward yourself with little chocolate bunnies for sticking to your promise not to eat them (forgetting that you were supposed to be giving them up for YOU) and TA-DA - no goal was accomplished at all! So, no mixing religion and secular goal making. It's troublesome.<br />
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Successful goal setting can motivate us to achieve greatness. When not set up correctly goals can seem overwhelming and scary. (Or worse yet, underwhelming and easily ignored!) The most important thing about goal making is to inject the I into it, and leave out everyone else. Though "I am going to lose ten pounds so I can rock this bikini I found in a box in the attic (marked 'summer of '94-best summer ever!') and blow my crazy neighbor out of water at the community pool, making her regret not inviting me to Bridge night the last four months in a row, I'll show her, neon lime green zebra print is totally back..take that, <i>Carol</i>." may seem genius at the time, it really is not going to get you into that bikini (hopefully a new bikini- Carol will laugh at a neon green zebra print two piece circa 1994). Learning to set proper goals, however, will change the way you view health and wellness. As you start climbing the ladder steadily and with confidence you will begin to wonder what made success look so unattainable in the first place.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i>You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>-CS Lewis</b></div><br />
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</div>Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-65496948283730518432012-02-20T18:09:00.001-08:002012-02-20T20:40:12.753-08:00Dance Runner!Hello. My name is Loreli, and I'm a Dance Runner.<br />
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Oh for the joy of Dance Running. Have you, perchance, seen me at the gym? I mouth along to the lyrics filtering through my ear buds. I speed up, I slow down. I have even been known to sneak in a jazz hand or two. Dance runner. That's me. <br />
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I can't remember the exact moment in my life I officially became a dance runner. I am pretty sure it was between crawling and college, as I have always enjoyed a good beat. There is a fantastic home movie circa 1984 staring one Miss. Lori Vickers on a rocking horse, humming her own John Wayne anthem only to add appropriate crescendo to such anthem by bopping one younger sister on noggin with a plastic baseball bat. You quickly hear my father from behind the mammoth video recording device give a warning, "LAWrie..." but I know the secret message he was sending me within that slightly faded North Dakota accent... , "You are rhythmically gifted, daughter, " I heard it echo from his frown, "Let the beat lead your sneakers in all your future endeavors. Go forth and get funky." And like the brave hero, I have.<br />
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I <i>have</i> let the rhythm move me. No matter how much it scares the retired gentleman on the treadmill next to me at the gym. "Yes, Sir!" I smile, "I AM running backwards on a treadmill! Yes, the incline is pretty high! No. I don't think my mother would approve!"<br />
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I don't limit my performances to indoor venues, thankfully, I am happy to bring the joys of dance running to the streets. Yes, that is me, coming up from behind and, yes, I may just be truffle shuffling as I pass you. And I will take that sideways glance as stoic amazement, thank you very much.<br />
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Is dance running for everyone? No. Is it distracting? Probably. Is it fun? Well, for me it is. And that's why I do it. Exercise should release tension. And dance running makes the treadmill bearable. It makes me smile. Do I dance my way through every run? I am pretty sure I don't. But when it's cold outside, and the kids have been cranky and I miss my husband and the toilet needs a new pump and the dishes still aren't clean and the weeds in the front yard won't just die already... <i>dance running</i>. There is a reason as ankle biters we want to run everywhere we go. It's fun. Raising your arms out to your sides and giving your backyard a good once around, humming like a jet plane is actually a pretty good remedy for a crappy day. We need to inject our lives with as many joyous moments as we possibly can. There is more to living a healthy life than just watching what you eat and making sure you sweat. It's about discovering true enjoyment within the little things we do daily. The freshness of a salad. The sound of your child's laughter. The appreciation of a stranger's act of kindness. It's the hidden genius in a Justin Bieber song, if only for giving you a moment of pure silliness with your spouse. And so I choose to be a dance runner. Because to me, it's less about getting things done and more about living. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>May your walls know joy; may every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="author-label">Mary Anne Radmacher-Hershey</span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b> </b></i></span></div>Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768891140758437859.post-29659136100960520782012-02-12T18:32:00.000-08:002012-02-12T18:33:19.605-08:00Let's EatI am going to be frank. If you have weight to lose, it can be hard. The sad thing is, it just gets harder and harder as we age. But, it's not rocket science, though granted, it seems scary and overwhelming.<br />
I am a big fan of balance and I really like picturing one's fitness goals as a scale. One side of the scale is labeled intake and one side is labeled output. The intake side does not represent calorie intake. I don't really enjoy counting calories and I think it is silly overall. Who is going to want to count calories for the rest of time? I certainly don't. It is much better to get into the habit of eating whole, natural and nourishing items. The intake part of the scale represents those times when you take in NON nutrient rich whole foods, or maybe if you are taking in non fruit and veggie based carbs. The other side of the scale represents exercise. If you are trying to lose weight you want the output side of the scale to be heavier than the intake portion everyday. If you are trying to maintain your current weight you want the scale to be in balance (this does not however mean that you are able to eat a bunch of nasty food as long as the scale is in balance-- you still want to be making nutrient rich choices- but you probably don't have to freak out if you have a muffin on Friday morning with a cup of coffee!) The only way that the scale gets a little confusing is if you are trying to GAIN weight, as that goal is very personal and specific and it changes the scale. One side still represents intake and output respectively, but intake using becomes more protein based and you want that heavy, but you also want your output heavy too. This post is going to be dedicated to losing weight, so lets go from there:<br />
There are five basic rules to eating well that go along with the scale. You can argue these, but they are a relatively universal blueprint for healthy eating.<br />
<ol><li>Eat every 2-4 hours. It keeps your metabolism humming and keeps blood sugar balanced.</li>
<li>Women should eat 1 serving of protein and Men should eat 2 servings of protein with every meal.*</li>
<li>Eat veggies with every meal.*</li>
<li>If you are trying to lose weight only eat non fruit and veggie carbs after exercise</li>
<li>Eat healthy fats every day - about 30 % of the diet should come from healthy fats.</li>
</ol>* I am very interested in hormones and diet, this being said I believe you should eat veggies before you eat anything else. Example if you are having a mid morning snack you would have a cup of veggies and then some almond butter. Also, if you are a woman with high testosterone levels, you may want to monitor how you feel on a diet high on animal proteins- talk to your doctor and nutritionist about this. And lastly, I believe, if you can, choosing organic dairy (milk, cheese and butter) is very important. <br />
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Like I said before I don't believe in calorie counting. I believe in being prepared. I believe in not having things like GMOs and sugary treats in your house if you can't resist eating them. (Even if you have kids, I know this seems impossible, but they will survive. And if they eat public school lunch, then you know they are having a least one brownie or cookie everyday... it will be ok!) I believe in limiting eating out of a box or a can whenever you can. Even if you are not looking to lose weight I want you to take the time to prepare your fruits and veggies after you come home from the store, just don't toss them into the crisper bins. Take ten minutes and wash the fruits and wash and chop the veggies. And about those crisper bins, put all the stuff you don't want to be eating in them, and put all your whole, healthy things on the shelves. And really toss all the stuff that is not good for you. If you can't help yourself, then help yourself... by getting rid of it. Also make sure there is no food items out in the open. When we see food we want to eat it, even if we are not hungry.<br />
We need to be prepared, we need to be organized, we need to be natural and whole and we need to be balanced. And we need to drink lots and lots of water. And we will be ok!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b><span class="body">Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="body"><i>Bern Williams</i> </span></b> </div><div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Loreli,etc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17405598679203816698noreply@blogger.com0