I Blew It (again)! Now What?

Do you ever feel like, I want to eat the right foods, I want to eat healthy, but, gosh-darn-it, it's SO HARD, or I JUST LOVE TO EAT, or OOPS I BLEW IT AGAIN?!!  Well, if so, you are not alone.  We are designed to eat anything in sight.  It's the natural order of things.  I see food.  I want it.  I eat it.  Plain and simple.  The trick is, once you've already succumbed to that CHOCOLATE TEMPTATION,  or taken more than enough MOUTHFULS OF PASTA, what do you do? 

1.  Just start with your next meal.  I mean, why beat  yourself up over the PAST?  Just recommit to eating healthy your next meal!!  Really, what else can you do?

2.  Sure, go ahead and exercise!!  Even a moderate walk 30 minutes a day is beneficial.  So, yeah, get up, go for a walk, take a ZUMBA class, or whatever other form of exercise floats your boat!!  I LOVE  the happy-high feeling I get from all the endorphins and serotonin floating around in my brain after exercise!!  I also love MAKING FRIENDS with the other participants in any group exercise class (usually offered at many gyms).

3.  There's actually A LOT you can do to prevent over-eating, or mis-eating (again) in the future.  Another thing you could do is TO MAKE A PLAN.  What this looks like for you, or for me, might be different based on a variety of factors.  But, nevertheless, make some kind of MENU plan ahead of time might be a helpful strategy for some people.  For example, let's say chicken, rice and beans is on the menu for your family.  You could eat the chicken and beans and omit (or go easy on) the rice!!  And, add a fruit and salad to this meal, and you will feel full and satisfied for hours!!  Not to mention all the nutritional benefit you will gain from this meal: fiber, protein, phytonutrients.

4.  Let's say you are a working person.  Take healthy snacks with you to work so that you never again (or less often, at least) have a "food emergency" again!!  You know, when you eat ANYTHING in sight, simply because it's there, even when you know you shouldn't or that it's not good for you?!  On the last week of work, one of my co-workers brought in an entire dozen of donuts to share with us!  I contributed to the delinquency too by bringing in a huge bag of potato chips (gasp)!!  And, we each had at least 2, if not 3, donuts a piece!  We stuffed ourselves, and felt the all more miserable for it afterwards!!  I promised myself that my next meal would be a salad!!  Which I did.  But, PLAN! PLAN! PLAN! 

5.  What are some healthy alternatives for snacking at the office?  I'm going to try to have fresh veggies cut up and bring.  We have refrigerator we can use; or I also have small purse size cooler bag to put in.  Canned tuna; salmon or chicken.  Healthy nuts, trail mix.  Having healthy snacks ON HAND and EASILY ACCESSIBLE for eating will make life a whole lot easier, for our waistlines and our optimal health.

So, next time you "blow it", and you don't eat as well as you had hoped, or wanted, know that you are not alone!!  Better yet, don't drink your guilt and sorrow away with alcohol or your favorite sugar-laden iced coffee drink (one of my biggest challenges especially during the hot summer).  We can simply start eating right again starting with our next meal.  And, we can plan ahead for both our main meals and our little snacks throughout the day.  It might  not seem easy (at first), but with each tiny baby step in the healthy direction, we can get to where we want and need to be!!

Love you!

A Personal Inventory

     Today I was craving pasta!  So, where can I get delicious pasta?  None other than the Corner Bakery of course!!  So, today I headed over to my local corner, which in this case, happens to be in Huntington Beach, and ordered the pasta combo.  I ordered the CAFE sized pasta combo, which is a smaller portion of pasta that comes with a side salad.  I ordered the Caesar salad, and also asked for chicken meat so I could get a protein in there as well!!  After enjoying my delicious meal, I relaxed with a good book in hand, "The Daniel Plan", and began reading chapters one and two.  Upon finishing chapter 2, the author challenges, requests, and/or encourages the reader to take a personal inventory of where they're at TODAY.  Where am I at today with what Pastor Rick Warren calls the 5 Essentials from his book, The Daniel Plan?  Here is what I came up with for myself.


1.  Faith Essential

• Generally, I see my life as in God's hands, especially through prayer...
• I haven't attended church on a regular basis for nearly 3 years...
• I feel a little bit hurt by God because  He didn't give me a full-time, 40 hour a week job for nearly the past 5 years...
• Need to trust God through this time of testing/trial

2.  Food Essential

• I've maintained a weight of 166-168 lbs. for at least past 2-3 months...
• Have had previous success in weight loss...dropped from 200 lbs. to 140 lbs. in 2011
• Want to drop 20-30 lbs. more!
• Currently, my downfalls are coffee, cream, sugar, sweets, breads/white flour, and fried foods...

3.  Fitness Essential

• I've been teaching Zumba 3 times or more a week
• I should keep utilizing a food and fitness journal
• I need to add 3 days into my routine of resistance training
• And, chart or record my progress

4.  Focus Essential

• I desire to help others lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle
• Will read the book "The Daniel Plan" by Rick Warren
• Will listen to the "Nutrition Made Clear" University level course on CD by Professor Roberta H. Anding
• I'm getting my "Healthy Plate" license through Zumba
• Getting reading to jumpstart my career goals:  ESL, credential, certificate and MA in TESOL etc.  (refocusing on life purpose)
• Also, restart and keep blog going (monicas food  diary, this one!  LOL)

5.  Friends Essential

• Possibly, Liz, at my new school worksite, will become my new/next fitness buddy!
• There's many people to help out there...
• Do not have a healthy buddy...
• Have Jane for a buddy, but have not connected with her in a while

June 4, 2015, begins my "Day 1" of The Daniel Plan" (40 days to a  healthier life).  Heck, I'll be happy with 21!!

How To Get Motivated To Lose Weight

     Yesterday I went to the library to print something from the computer and to use the copy machine.  Afterwards, I decided to browse the non-fiction section, looking for materials to check out on nutrition.  I found two items of interest to me.  One was a book, called "The Daniel Plan" by Pastor Rick Warren.  The other was a CD University level course entitled "Nutrition Made Clear" by Professor Roberta H. Anding. 
     Wow! All I can say is "wow".  Listening to the Professor on nutrition was eye-opening.  I can hardly wait to devour the course!  And, I began reading The Daniel Plan, and I'm feeling greatly encouraged and motivated to STAY THE COURSE of living and eating healthy!!
     Chapter 2 of  The Daniel Plan, Pastor Warren discusses/teaches about what he considers the "5 Essentials".  The 5 Essentials he considers to be necessary in achieving a healthy life are as follows:  faith, food, fitness, focus, and friends.  He elaborates more in chapter 2 about what he means by each one of these.  Then, at the end of the chapter, he challenges the reader to take a personal inventory of where he/she is today in each of those 5 categories.
     Stumbling upon these two resources yesterday, and by listening to the 1st few chapters of the CD, and reading the 1st few chapters of the book (The Daniel Plan), have greatly encouraged and motivated me, ONCE AGAIN, to recommit and refocus and REMAIN on this path of health and fitness.  My friend, if you are reading this today, then I hope the same for you, too.  Hip, hip hooray!!