The weather where I live is -10 F today!  Ugh!!  Who feels like getting into shape and eating healthy?  I really don't, but I DID IT!  It is so hard when the weather is perfect for hibernating.  I have one "wintery" meal that I ate last night for supper that is super for you and great tasting.  I LOVE sweet potatoes!  I made fish and baked potatoes last night, but threw a few sweet potatoes in also.  I had sweet potatoes instead of regular white ones.  My kids even ate them for dessert smothered with butter and carmel sauce.  I figured the sugar rush was worth all the good vitamins they consumed.  I do put  a little butter on it and and have put things on it like brown sugar, agave, cane sugar, or even greek yogurt.  Hope the weather changes soon, but if not I will make the best out of it.  It's a good thing our joy isn't dependant on circumstances.  If it was, I would know a lot more crabby people.

Most of the time!

Here I am!  With a blizzard, teething baby, and life in general it makes it tough to blog.  Also, tough to focus on this task of getting healthy.  I lost another pound last week.  I was hoping for more, but I will take the one.  I am constantly trying to balance this wonderful life I have.  On my daily "to do list" I have so many things.  I heard a sermon a few weeks ago and the preacher was speaking about the busy lives we lead today.  He talked about what our dinner table looks like today.  It used to look like a family sitting around the table eating a meal that mother had made.  Today, dad is working late, the kids are eating something quick and packaged, and mom is standing by the kitchen sink drinking a weight loss shake.  Hmmm.......I can't stop thinking about that.  It stuck in my head and convicted me.  Dear Lord, help me to be a good example to my kids.  In all ways!  So, I am working even harder to prepare meals that we all can ENJOY, which is difficult to balance, while we enjoy each other!  Yes, there are going to be nights where my husband is working late, I will cave and make Ramen noodles or mac n cheese for the kids, and I will make something for me that no one else would ever eat or drink because it's "too healthy".  Like I said in a previous post, it's not what you some of the time, but MOST of the time.  So, here's to all of us who are trying to get it right most of the time!

We got groceries last night and I noticed some new kinds of apples.  The kids and I got a few different kinds and tonight we are going to sample them.  Dad will be working late, so I am trying to not do what I just got done talking about.  I will eat apples with them, but I am going to make some fruit dip for them!  I have found no better way to make my kids eat fruit, than by letting them dip it in something gooey and delicious.  I will let you know what the verdict it.

I missed you yesterday!  I am going to try and write every day except on weekends.  Well, it is snowing here today.  They say 3-6 inches and somewhere there is a rumor of 17?  With all that talk, I feel like a hot chocolate!  This is what I made this morning, instead of my green machine.  One reason is because of the weather, the other because I am out of good groceries!  I have Coconut milk in my fridge.  I have the vanilla flavored and it is awesome!  So, I microwaved a mug full of that, only 80 calories a cup with lots of calcium.  I added a scoop of coca powder.  I added a little cane sugar and salt.  Mmmm.....my math says it is only 150 calories and it is so worth it!  

Have a great weekend.

I am feeling slightly less than motivated this morning.  I have checked my facebook three times, sipped coffee, and still not doing my morning workout.  I better get a move on.  I wish I had something profound to say or some mind blowing recipe, but today I feel like just pushing through.  Pushing through is underestimated.  So many times we just have to push through even when you don't feel like it.  If it's at your job, a relationship, or even the journey to better health.  Lots of times I don't "feel" like doing something.  Today is that day!  So, I will stick with my routine that I know works, and push through.

I read that obedience is better than sacrifice.
1 Samuel 15:22
New International Version (NIV)
22 But Samuel replied:

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
    as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
    and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

 I need to look at this like being obedient to doing the right thing, rather than some sacrifice.  Isn't that true is many areas.  Sometimes sacrifice can make me feel like a victim.  It sounds like so much work, to sacrifice.  Obedience, well that just sounds better.  Lord, help me be obedient today.  To You, to myself, and the call you have on my life.  There are times for sacrifice, but let me be obedient in them also.  Amen. I better go, know that I am humming, Trust and Obey, cause there's no other way, ................

Every morning I wake up and I have oatmeal.  I LOVE it! I sometimes put fruit in it, but always brown sugar!  I have heard about those people who can drink their breakfast, but that is NOT me.  Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day!  One reason, I fast every night after supper so breakfast is literally breaking the fast.  After my workout I have started a new tradition.  I make something I call a Green Machine.  I fill my Magic Bullet up with "green stuff" and ice.  It still adds up to 200 calories, so it better be worth it and I think it is good.   This is what I put in: Pear (absolutely necessary, because it covers the flavor of other green things), kiwi, kale (I just started eating kale for the first time, not bad), and spinach.  I used to add water to make it mix better, but I started adding coconut water.  Don't be fooled, it does not taste like coconut!  It actually tastes nasty on its own.

I passed a test yesterday.  I made some gooey delicious brownies and I only at ONE!!!!  Of course I ate one, but only eating one was a major accomplishment for me.  I guessed it to be 200 calories and counted it for my afternoon snack.  When I was making them I hurried and filled the pot with the leftover frosting with soapy water so I couldn't lick the frosting out! ha

Have a great day!!!  Be back tomorrow!

The weekend is over and I am back at it.  Thanks so much to all of you who are checking in.  I took my own advice and took Sunday off.  I would love to tell you that I didn't cheat and I didn't even want to.....but I did and it tasted amazing! I made some rice pudding, complete with whole milk and sugar.  I heard someone say once, "it's not what you do all of the time, it's what you do MOST of the time."  I got on the scale this morning and I lost 2 pounds.  Good enough!  I love to cook and EAT, so that is how I will try to do this.

Exercising is going good.  After having my baby I realized two different things had changed.  #1 I had back pain almost everyday.  I am sure because I had no tummy muscles left and also just holding a baby everyday makes your back hurt, (especially when you wear high heels!)  Anyway, #2  My flexibility was GONE.  I used to be able to get up off the floor in one quick smooth motion, now I had like a three point plan to get up off the floor.  I don't know if I looked at geriatric as I felt?  I have been exercising five days a week.  Nothing too intense right now, just getting started.  I do exercise five days a week.  Two of the days I run on my treadmill.  I try to run one mile.  Sounds easy?  I remember when I first started, my goal was to only stop like 4 times when I ran, then three, two, one and then finally I moved to NO STOPS!!  On those two days I do some "old school" things like sit ups, push ups, and weights.  The other three days I do Yoga.  OK, to all my Christian friends out there.....it's not the Voodoo kind where I let all the good and bad energy exchange places, it is just stretching and basic Yoga moves.  I even have a Yoga for Christians DVD.  Let me just add....it has been amazing!  I can not even tell you from the first day to this morning, I can touch my toes, I can get off the floor in a smoother fashion, AND no back pain.  It feels so good!

I better go!  I will tell you about my new favorite thing tomorrow.....Green Machines!!

Thanks for checking back!  Things are going well here with my journey.  As I was exercising the other day I kept thinking of the word accountability.  Yes, my food journal keeps me accountable.  My husband occasionally asks how it is going. (But I don't like to involve him, because he lost like 4lbs this week by watching ME eat fruit and exercise.)  I can be accountable to myself, but let's be honest;  I can talk myself into why eating more cookies is OK if I added whole wheat flour and wheat germ to them.  I need to give this whole thing over to God.  With HIM all things are possible.    

Dear God, Thank you for giving me so many wonderful things in my life.  I pray that you help me on my journey to better health.  I promise to be a good steward of all things in my life, including my body. Let me be an instrument for you, so I promise to take good care and condition of it.  Please give me self-control through your Holy Spirit.

May your weekend be Blessed!!  Take good care of the gift He has given you.