How to Eat Clean On-The-Go



Lovely Friend,

  One of my biggest downfalls to clean eating occurs when I am on-the-go. It seems like I always end up being gone longer than I planned, which often means I am out during meal times.  This has really thrown a kink in my clean eating on more than one occasion and I have decided to face this battle head on!

  I have preached about how great preparation is and it is still an area that needs lots of work in this house.  It is also a huge key to fighting the on-the-go pitfall.  This week (actually the part of the week that has been completed so far) has been a success for me!  Preparation has helped me stay on track in a big way!!

   To begin my meal prep, I have been making breakfast or lunch the night before. This has kept me from rushing in the morning and conveniently leaving this prep task off my already crammed morning to-do list.  Once we are ready in the morning, I can just grab the meal and head to the car easy-peasy.

  I am sure you are wondering what I have been preparing for my on-the-go meals (or sometimes snacks), so let me share a few of my favorites.

On-the-go Favorites:

1. One Green Apple- sliced and placed in a baggie with a sprinkle of lemon juice (to prevent browning) with 1/4 Cup of Raw Almonds in a baggie.

2. One Banana (when I'm detoxing, I only eat this after a workout) with 1/4 Cup of Raw Almonds in a baggie.

3. Nine Rice Chips in a baggie with 1/2 Cup of Fresh Salsa in a small container.

4. Four Ounces of Simple Truth Deli Turkey in a baggie with One Cup of Fresh Blueberries in baggie and 1/2 Raw Red Bell Pepper sliced in a baggie.

5. Four Ounces of Chicken-shredded and wrapped in a Gluten-free Tortilla with 1/2 of an Avocado.

   Those favorites have definitely helped me to stick to my clean eating plan and I hope that they will also help you!  However, if you jump track on your plan, I encourage you to forgive yourself and saddle up for the next meal!

Giving It My All,
Jess

THE Food That Is Both Budget and Health Friendly



Lovely Friend,

   Have you ever used the excuse that you couldn't eat healthy because of the expense?  I'll admit that the thought has crossed my mind a time or two, and I might even have been guilty of storing up on junk for the sake of the budget.  However it has been said that "you are what you eat, so don't be fast, easy, cheap, or fake!"  With that in mind, I want to be clean, healthy, and valuable, so my food needs to be also.  With clean eating, the value of the food is not in the dollars but in the nutrition that it supplies for your body.  To be honest, when you truly dig in to the nutrition of the food, you will quickly learn how unhealthy some health food is and how choosy you have to be about what you eat.  When I first started buying healthy food, my grocery bill went up tremendously, BUT I have learned how to bring it back down by planning and choosing high nutrition and lower cost food.

   I know it is crazy, but I actually enjoy budgeting and saving for particular goals.  Although saving for goals is long term, it makes me excited when I take a baby step and budget my grocery bill.  So in my madness with budgeting and eating healthy, I have discovered one of my absolute favorite foods!  The green bean.  Yep, good ole' green beans happen to be one of the best foods for both the budget and health.

  The green bean is so fabulous for the budget because of the low cost per pound.  These guys weigh in between $.99 to $1.29 per pound, and because they are so light, you get a lot of beans for only a pound.  My estimations are certainly not perfect or accurately measured but I estimate that each pound of green beans comes out to about three cups of green beans.  When I purchase the green beans, I grab about 4 pounds.  This amount is enough for 3-4 meals for my family and only cost $3.96- $5.16. Not only is the cost fabulous for the budget, but the health benefits are pretty amazing too!

   Now my love affair with green beans began because of their charming budget-friendly quality, and the fact that they were green.  In my mind, by default, anything green must be at the top of the nutrition list.  I have long been exposed to the lovely bean and, as a kid, ate cans of it by the dozen. Really, this, and frozen broccoli are the vegetables that I remember consuming the most as a child.  I have long left the cans and now grab the green beans from the fresh section of the super market.  These fresh, beautiful little beans are known for their fabulous health contributions.  They contain vitamins to maintain the health of the eyes and bones, and also have good cholesterol-reducing fiber content (4g for only 1 cup!).  In addition to those great health benefits, these stringy pods have only 45 calories for a cup!  I love filling half of my plate with the beans to prevent overeating and making sure that I maintain regular weight loss.

   As you can see, I highly recommend the green beans for healthy and budget friendly meals! Next time you are at the store, be sure to pick up a pound or two.

Giving It My All,
Jess

P.S.
For some health benefits of green beans, check out  this link and this link.



  

How Do Nemo and Weight Loss Relate??



Lovely Friend,

   I am so excited to be at a place with a measurable amount that I have lost.  Technically, all the weight that I have lost is measurable, but it is actually starting to show now.  I know that I do not parade around announcing that I have lost a pound, because, quite frankly, that pound could be back on the next day.  My weight tends to fluctuate within a pound or two because of water weight, food choices, etcetera, so I'm typically not shouting it from the rooftops.  However, when I reach a milestone like 15 pounds, I am ready to do a happy dance, maybe not in front of anyone yet, but I'm pretty excited!

   Now that I am down 15 pounds I can tell that my middle is starting to get a tad thinner and my neck area is slimming as well.  I still have a long way to go to reach my weight loss goals, but I have achieved leaps and bounds with my health goals!  Truly this journey has always been about improving my health to make sure that I am serving God in every area of my life, including my health.  Now, because I am overweight, losing weight is an all inclusive piece of health improvement. For so long, I tried to just lose weight.  There are so many toxin filled gimmicks out there that promise quick weight loss totally separate from improving health.  These products can often be laden with various forms of sugar or caffeine both of which can be detrimental to your overall health.  These products also promise quick results for our microwave society, but the truth is change takes time.  It took me four and a half months to lose the 15 pounds and I couldn't be happier.

  Because I took the slow and steady route to losing weight, I gave myself time to really learn some recipes that my family truly loves to eat. I also learned how to combat temptations by planning ahead so that I would not be hungry during a tempting time.  One skill that I can say that I have mastered the most at this time is getting back to toxin free eating once I choose to have a meal or snack that is not the best choice.  I really believe that removing the time restriction from my weight loss goals has allowed me the freedom to learn how to change my habits positively.  It removed the stress of a timeline which tends to lead to my derailment of a healthy lifestyle.

  If you, my friend, are working to change your habits, I encourage you to give yourself the freedom to learn what works for your family and to keep getting back on track, even when you make mistakes.  Forgiving yourself for being human while tapping into the power of the Holy Spirit can be huge assets to your journey!  The best advice that I can offer you (and myself!), in the words of Nemo, "Just keep swimming!"

Giving It My All,
Jess

Motivation to Change



Lovely Friend,

   If you are like me, then you have struggled with the motivation to change your health.  Unfortunately, my motivation was often a "reward" of the food that I wasn't allowed to have.  What?!  Admitting that flaw is laughable and ludicrous, but for so long it was my bizarre motivation to get healthy.  If I just lost "x" pounds then I could eat a molten chocolate cake or some other highly craved "off-limits" food.  This strange motivator was not only ridiculous, but it only worked temporarily! With my new motivation to focus primarily on health improvements rather than weight loss, I have also decided to change my motivation.

   Because I know that I already have emotional ties to food, I have nixed using them as a motivation for continuing my health journey.  I also know that I was not motivated by my improved looks and new clothing size.  I am by no means saying that I would not love a much smaller clothing size, but this is motivator is too long-term to keep me going.  I know I  need something short-term, tangible and fun.  With those ideas in mind, I came across an ad for the color run on Facebook.  I clicked on it out of curiosity, and found it was the perfect fun and tangible motivator. With only 3 months to be able to run 3.2 miles, it also is a great short-term goal!

  Since deciding that this goal would be a good fit for me, I have gotten on a regular schedule going to the gym 3-4 times per week.  I am highly motivated by how great I have felt.  In addition to feeling great, I am able to even hit the gym when I don't feel like it because I don't want to lose the progress that I have made.  I know how hard that I work for just a small amount of progress, so I am motivated to keep going to not only maintain the progress, but keep it going.

  This goal has had a positive affect that I did not originally foresee, but I am so excited that it has occurred!  This new motivator has given my husband and I a new activity to do together.  My hubby has become my constant encourager.  He has become the one that matches each step and pushes me in love to reach a little further each time.  This has given our marriage a new depth and I absolutely love it!


  So, dear friend, I encourage you to round up a few friends and sign yourselves up for the next local run!  It can be such a great motivator and including some friends can definitely keep you accountable!

Giving it my all,
Jess

Training Wheels



Lovely Friend,

  Can you remember what it was like when you were learning to ride a bike for the first time?  You had mastered almost everything about riding a bike: steering, pedaling, and braking; however, one skill remained: balance.  It's kind of funny how all the other skills seemed so easy, until balance was added to the mix.

    I remember the day that my dad took off my training wheels.  I was at my grandmother's house, a very familiar place where I had ridden my bike many times before.  I had gone up and down her long driveway countless times with no fear, but that all changed when my training wheels were removed.  With the removal and this added skill of balance, I remember forgetting how to steer.  I continually slammed into the wooden fence that ran the length of my grandmother's driveway.  That day, several times, I wanted to quit and give up.  It was hard work learning to ride and it was frustrating to be so bad at this skill that I had previously believed that I had mastered.  With perseverance I did eventually learn to ride my bike and I have a couple of scarred knees to prove it.

   My experience learning to ride my bike is very similar to my experience learning to eat clean.  I know what I am supposed to be doing, but balancing it can be very challenging at times.  I know that preparation is a big key, but figuring out how to balance the added food prep time into my schedule involves mastery of balance.  I also have had to master my schedule when I am away from home.  My previous habits have been to drive thru, but now I favor packing my own lunch.  Although I prefer this new idea, I still have to remember to pack our lunches before we leave the house.  It is new part of balance that I am still learning how to do.

   I am very encouraged to remember that anytime that I am learning to do something new, perfection is not expected immediately.  Eating clean is no different.  It requires perseverance for me to be able to master it.  It requires perseverance for me to jump back on track every time that I get off course.  It requires perseverance for me to make the hard choices even when I don't feel like it.  My friend, I hope that you are encouraged to stay on track even when you fall!  I hope, that like me, you realize that a healthier lifestyle is a change that will have ups and downs in the beginning.  But, like riding a bike, healthy eating does get mastered and your health will change as a result!

Giving it my all,
Jess

What My Health Battle Really Is



Lovely Friend,

  I cannot express the depth to which I have learned about myself through trying to change my health.  It really quite amazes me that so many parts of my life are so interconnected and woven together.  This may seem odd that your health could be so tied to other parts of your life, but for me, it truly is.  I have realized how much my health is tied to my spiritual, social, and emotional self. 

  My physical health is tied to my spiritual health more than I ever realized that it could be.  This past year I have been home with my daughter and have slowed down enough to hear the still small voice of the Lord.  My car is the place where He speaks to me the most and often brings verses to me in a way that I have not understood it before.  The initial verse that God brought to me was "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  He reminded me that serving Him takes place in EVERY area of my life, including what I eat.  Another way that I have learned about my spiritual health through food is when I have chosen to sin with it.  Now, I want to say that I do not believe that eating fast food is sinning.  But in this particular situation, it became a sin for me.  One night, I really was very tired and didn't feel like cooking.  I entertained the idea of driving through for a burger, although I knew that we really were saving that money for other expenses and it was not the appropriate health choice for me.  I ordered my meal and way overate, to the point where I ate mine and my husband's meal.  This is hard for me to admit that this even happened because it is not the norm for me at all.  I questioned, "Why when I could be satisfied with one meal, would I eat two meals?"  Digging deeper and being aware of my surroundings made me tune in to what happened.  First, I ate so much because I opened the can of worms called "craving" and overate because I craved the food.  I ate so fast and devoured the food before I had time to rate my fullness.  Second, this caused me a small kink in my relationship with my husband that night.  I did not have food to feed him which created an uneasy situation between us.  Just realizing that a food situation could affect my marriage was eye opening to the depth that food can affect me.  Third, later that night I did not sleep well because I felt so awful! Through this I am reminded that Satan comes to "steal, kill, and destroy" and he is making every attempt to do this through my health! 

  Socially is another area that I have come to realize that food is a major factor!  Most of the entertainment that we experience in our culture revolves around food!  For me, going on a date, often involves, my hubby and I eating at a restaurant.  Hanging out with friends, involves food to some degree, and family time is centered around food as well.  For the most part, I have wrestled down our clean eating at the home, but when I step foot out of the protection of my doors, all hell breaks loose!  I am tempted on every angle from the readiness of the fast food that is available to the social gatherings where it is encountered!  Food is a part of life and developing a plan to encounter it socially is HUGE!  It means that I have to plan to eat ahead of time or offer to bring something that is on my "good for my body" list.  It means that I may have to change some of my social patterns to gather with friends and family in places other than restaurants.  It means that I need to choose not to make exceptions outside my home because I am outside my home, often as much as I am in.  It means that know that I have learned how to control what I do behind closed doors, I must learn to control what I do outside them.

  Emotionally, oh how I am affected here!  My health is so affected by my emotions because I tend to grab food when I am stressed.  Something that I can do with food is continue to operate in my stressful situation while indulging myself in food.  I have read suggestions such as "take a walk" or "do yoga" to help calm yourself down from a stressful situation, but the fact is, those are not ideal!  I am not denying that a fair share of exercise wouldn't help me to balance out my emotional health, but in a stressful moment, I typically cannot leave, abandon my responsibility, and take a walk. This is why I have gravitated towards food to satisfy my emotional needs.  I can be in the brunt of a stressful situation and have trained my brain to release endorphins when I eat food.  These endorphins make grabbing food during stress so easy and convenient!  So for my emotional battle, I have to again put my foot down and say that enough is enough!  I have to be willing to take the hard road and change habits that are not easily changed!  I have to find new endorphin releasing experiences that can coincide with the stressful situation.  Several that I will pursue are diffusing oils, drinking tea, and beginning my day with a dose of Jesus and a good workout. 

  There is surely a reason that I have named my weight loss, a journey.  It affects so many facets of my life and I knew that it certainly would not happen over night. I knew that it would take some deep soul searching for me to be able to put one foot in front of the other.  There are definitely lots of hard days, but, I know that it will be all worth it when I am able to celebrating reaching each milestone that I have set!

Giving it my all,
Jess

A Week's Worth of Clean Dinners

Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato Skillet
(Used with permission from Primavera Kitchen)



Lovely Friend,

  Since I have begun changing my eating lifestyle I have been in the kitchen more than you can imagine!  I absolutely love cooking non-processed food for my family but, boy, does it take some work and dedication.  I have to admit there have been a couple of days where I have thought, "Can I just order a pizza?", and the recurring idea that we are saving for Disney World keeps me from jumping track!  As for the cooking in this house, meal planning is a must and Pinterest is my best friend.
 
   To begin my meal planning I typically use my boards on Pinterest.  I have my pins divided into categories that I can easily navigate when trying to put the pieces of a meal together.  This is truly the best tool that I have for staying on track and beating the boredom that can come with eating the same meal regularly.
 You can follow me on Pinterest here.


  In general, I try to follow this dinner outline.  Mondays are meatless, which gives our digestive system and pocket book a break.  Really Monday is the only day that I have a specific category designated.  For the rest of the week I know I will have one beef meal, one eating out meal, and four poultry meals.  Since the outline is centered around a main dish, I always begin there when looking at my boards.  I navigate through to pick something that we haven't tried yet with others that I know are already our favorites.  I try not to spring too many new dishes on my family at one time.  Once I've got my main dish down, I then begin adding sides.

  Truthfully, sides have been one of the hardest pieces for me to plan.  I feel like we always eat the same sautéed veggies and it can get a little boring.  I will admit that venturing out into some different main courses that have a variety of veggies has helped, but I am still working on this one!  My husband is a Cajun boy and he loves his rice, so I try to use it whenever it is appropriate to the meal.  He would prefer his native white rice, but I always choose brown for the added health benefits.    Right now, I am just trying to put some variety into our sides; but, as I grow, I plan to make one side always a raw one with fruits or veggies.

   Once I get the sides and main course together, I get to writing my grocery list.  I grab my meal plan and check the pantry to see what we have in stock.  If it's not in stock, it goes on the list.  I always add a few clean snacks to my list which include cuties, bananas, green apples, almonds, cucumbers, and carrots.  In addition to the snacks, our beverages of unsweetened vanilla almond milk and 100% apple juice make it, then it's off to the store.  When I choose an item at the store, I try to choose the best options available.  In my opinion, any item that is organic or pesticide-free would be the best choice for my family and would make it into the cart.
 
  So, this is exactly how my life looked last weekend when I made our bi-weekly shopping trip.  We have been through several new meals this round and I have loved them all!  I will admit that I was trying to spend a little less at the grocery store this week and opted for a more meatless meals than usual.  However, I have found each that we have tried to be quite good!  Below are the meals that we have eaten and plan to eat for the rest of the week.  I will include links to the recipes because I want to give credit to the authors.  I will note that I tend to modify recipes based on what we have in the kitchen or what my family will enjoy.  I will include my modifications below each link. 

Sunday: Unstuffed Cabbage Skillet
*This meal was really awesome and truthfully I was worried I wouldn't like it.  However, the whole family loved it and it was easy to prepare!  I did sub beef stock for concentrated beef stock and water.  I had it on hand and it was easier.
Unstuffed Cabbage Skillet Recipe

Monday: Chickpea Tikka Masala
*I have made this dish more than once because I really love masala!  I served it over brown rice. For the side, we had steamed broccoli with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of sea salt.  I made no modifications to the recipe because it really was that delish!
Chickpea Tikka Masala Recipe

Tuesday: Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet
 *I made this dish one night when I was very tired because it was one pan and looked easy.  I was right, it was totally easy and my family loved it!  My hubby even admitted that he didn't want to taste it, but kept raving about how good it was over dinner.  I served the skillet over brown rice with an apple spinach salad on the side.  I did modify this recipe by leaving off the cheese in our effort to be dairy free and I was out of yellow bell pepper so it wasn't added.  Next time I will add the bell pepper for added nutrition.
Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet Recipe

Wednesday: Homemade Chicken Fingers
*On Wednesday we were expecting snow and some friends so I decided to make a less adventurous meal.  I absolutely love the homemade chicken fingers but will admit they are very time consuming!  They are truly a labor of love and the result is delish!  I serve them with homemade sweet potato fries and fresh green beans.
Homemade Chicken Fingers Recipe
Homemade Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

Thursday: Mexican Quinoa Skillet
*I really need another quick and easy skillet recipe after making all the chicken fingers the night before!  This one is fabulous, but I will admit that realized I was out of quinoa in the middle of cooking so I subbed brown rice.  I know it's a rookie mistake but it happened and it was still great! I will definitely use quinoa next time. My two favorite ingredients in this bowl were the avocado and fresh cilantro. Yum!  I served this bowl as a meal without a side dish, and further modified it by leaving out the corn.
Mexican Quinoa Skillet Recipe


Friday: Tomato and Spinach Frittata
* I happen to really love frittatas because you can make them with a carton of eggs and just about any veggie that you have on hand.  In addition to this, they are super easy to make (mommy score!) and clean up!  I served our frittata with some fresh sliced green apples for an awesome breakfast for dinner.
Tomato and Spinach Frittata Recipe

Saturday: My favorite tortilla soup at Mr. Panchos! 
This soup is clean, filling, and only $4.50 for a large bowl.  I absolutely love that I have found a winner and look forward to visiting on the weekends!

I hope that you enjoy the recipes and use them to spice up your weekly meal plan!

Giving it my all,
Jess

Tomato and Spinach Frittata

Ingredients
3 Roma Tomatoes
1 Cup of Fresh Spinach
A Dozen Eggs
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil

Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grab a skillet, large bowl, cutting board, knife, whisk, and your ingredients.  Place the skillet on the stove and begin heating at a medium high heat then add the oil.  Using the cutting board slice the tomatoes into small pieces and place in the large bowl.  Roughly chop the spinach and add it to the bowl.  Crack the 12 eggs into the bowl and then whisk the ingredients together.  Make sure that your skillet is good and hot and then pour the egg mixture into it.  The purpose of this step is to make sure that the bottom and sides get a little crisp so that it will slide out of the pan easily.  I usually keep it on the stove about 5 minutes.  Transfer the pan to the oven and leave in about 30 minutes.  I periodically check it and when the top of the mixture no longer wiggles, I pull it out. Slice into 8 slices and serve.  I like to serve this with some fresh sliced fruit, a fruit salad, or a crisp veggie salad.

Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients
3 Large Sweet Potatoes- Peeled
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 Tsp Garlic Powder

Directions
Set the oven for 350.  Grab your ingredients, a baking pan (or two), a cutting board and a sharp knife.  I begin by slicing the sweet potatoes length wise about 5 times. I lay each of the slices out and then slice them length wise about 6 times.  I complete the sweet potato cutting and then assemble them on a baking pan.  I actually like to do them one batch at a time, but I am sure that it would be fine to use more than one baking pan and do two batches at a time.  I lay my sweet potatoes flat, in one layer on the pan.  I drizzle olive oil across the rows and then sprinkle the seasonings on the uncooked fries.  I pop them into the oven for about 25-30 minutes.  I check them at 25 to see how they look.  I tend to like them a little on the well done side, so just pull them out at your liking.  Keep preparing your batches until you have cooked all the fries.  Place them on a serving platter and they are the perfect compliment to homemade chicken fingers or burgers. I typically serve these with ketchup or unfiltered raw honey.

Homemade Chicken Fingers

Ingredients

• 1lb thin sliced organic chicken breasts
• 1 cup of gluten free flour
• 1/3 cup of flaxseed meal
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1tbsp sea salt
• 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1/2-1 cup of coconut oil or olive oil (coconut has a higher smoke point and works best)

Directions
I like to lay out my pans and ingredients first so that I am not scrambling.  Some recipes are more forgiving than others, and this is on the less forgiving side.  Grab your skillet, two shallow bowls, a platter, a cutting board, a sharp knife, and two sets of tongs.  When I make these I add a little oil with each batch so that it will not get too clumpy from the frying.  I prepare all my stations before I begin cutting the chicken.  I set up an assembly line centered around the burner.  I put the skillet on the burner and place tongs beside it. To the left I put the platter where the finished chicken with go. To the right of the skillet I put two shallow bowls and the other tongs.  The bowl closest to the skillet has the flour mixture and the other bowl will contain the eggs.  I lay the cutting board and knife to the right of the shallow bowls and my assembly line is ready for ingredients.  I crack two eggs into the designated shallow bowl and make sure that I mix the yolk and the white.  I place all of the dry ingredients into the designated dish and use my fingers to mix them together.  A couple of tablespoons of oil go into the skillet.  I begin on my chicken.  I pull the chicken out of the package and rinse it. I pat it dry and place it on the cutting board.  I slice it in half horizontally and then 2-3 times vertically depending on the size of the chicken.  I slice about half of the chicken and then turn my skillet on medium.  I finish the chicken and get ready to assemble.  I grab a set of tongs and dip the chicken in the egg. Next, I move it over to the flour and flip it around in the pan, trying to coat as much as possible.  Before I put it in the pan, I get about 5-6 fingers ready with the egg and flour mixture.  I put all the chicken in the pan at the same time and begin assembling about 5-6 more pieces with the egg and flour mixture.  The uncooked chicken sits in the flour dish until I am done cooking the chicken in the skillet.  I brown the chicken in the skillet about 4 minutes each side.  This is just an approximate guess because I am multitasking and honestly don't set a timer.  I just check with my meat thermometer and when the chicken is at 165 degrees, I pull it out.  I do this process until I have cooked all my chicken.  I get approximately 24 chicken fingers out of the recipe.  I like to serve this with fresh green beans and homemade sweet potato fries. Enjoy!

My Five Favorite Snacks



Lovely Friend,

   The more that I plod through this clean eating journey, placing one step in front of the other, the more that I realize how uniformed that I have been.  Some days I want to practically scream at the old me, "Wake up!!  Can't you see how this food is treating your body?  Don't you think that the God that designed your body would have also designed the food for it?"  I honestly get so frustrated at her for causing so much damage for so long.  But, in the same token, I have to forgive her.  She was highly uninformed, doing what had always been done, and led by her emotions. 

   While the old girl had a great life, this new girl is having an amazing one!  I really never realized how much food controlled my decisions, my health, and MY MOOD!  A good attitude change can do wonders for your relationships and overall daily outlook.  Wow, who knew?!

  So in my daily battle to CHOOSE to eat clean, I have come up with some tricks to keep me on the straight and narrow to rebel against the American eating norm.  One of my favorite tricks are good snacks.  Personally, I am a snacker by trade, but really left them behind with good clean meals. I have found that I don't really need them, except for when I have gone too long between meals and I am ravishing and very hungry.  Getting into this zone is one that usually derails me, so having clean snacks on hand can prevent the derail and tide me over until the meal.  Here is a list of my favorite five!

My Five Favorite Easy Snacks:

1.  Green Apple Whole or Sliced with 1 Tbsp Almond Butter
2. A Cup of Strawberries and Blueberries Mixed
3. A Handful of Almonds
4. Cucumber Salad
5. Sliced Yellow and Red Bell Peppers

Enjoy your snacks!

Giving it my all,
Jess

Celebration!!



Lovely Friend,

   Today has been a fabulous day!  I have been a total boss at my meals and I have progress to report!  Woohoo, who doesn't love some progress?!  Especially with a lifestyle change.  I have almost completed the eighth week of my detox lifestyle change and I am so excited that there has been some progress! 

   Unfortunately, I have not been able to weigh lately, because my scale has been broken.  I know there are probably some jokes being said, or at least crossing your mind, BUT I didn't break it!  It ended up getting a shower that it didn't appreciate (thanks, Camille) and hasn't worked since.  Because I am really not a fan of Walmart, I haven't made it in to get a new one, which means I only weigh at the gym now.  We have had some crazy winter weather and I haven't made it to the gym lately so I really am unsure of my current weight (but I do expect progress next time I go!)

   So no weight loss to report, but I am happy to say that my clothes are getting too big! Woohoo!
 [Insert Internet High Five]  Yep, my clothes are getting too big and it's in my waist.  This morning I pulled a pair of jeans out of the dryer and slipped them on.  I noticed that even out of the dryer they were a little loose, and was excited.  Typically, freshly dried pants are a little on the snug side and I may even have to lay on the bed to maneuver the button closed (You may have even tried this too!); so for them to be freshly dried and a little loose, I was ecstatic!  As I went through the day, I kept having to pull my pants up or they would have literally hit my ankles.  With all my lose pants excitement, I decided to measure my waist!

   Usually measuring my waist is not an event that I look forward to, because it is a reminder of the distance from my goal.  However, with my newly loosened pants, I was excited to have a measure of my progress.  I lined the tape measure across my waist just right and mentally crossed my fingers for progress.  Then, there it was, the measure!  I had lost a whole inch from my waist!  To some, an inch my seem minor; but when you decide to take the slow road, the one that will actually bring a PERMANENT change, you celebrate every step!

   One of the biggest lessons that I have gleaned from this weight loss journey is that it is okay to celebrate even the tiniest step.  Too often, if my weight loss has been a small portion of a much larger goal, then I have not felt that it was worth celebrating.  When I have heard stories of weight loss, there has always been a huge amount of weight lost in a short amount of time, and this is just not my story.  My story will be one of perseverance with many lessons learned along the way.  My story will be one that takes years to reach a goal, rather than months.  My story will be one that is never-ending.  So with this never-ending journey, I will proudly celebrate EACH step!

Giving it my all,
Jess



How I Started My pH Balanced Diet

 



Lovely Friend,

   I am about to let you know how I began my pH balanced diet and I want to start off with some reassurance.  I am going to be sharing with you a wonderful program that I used to begin this new way of life and while I currently still supplement with some products from the program, this is not what I follow daily.  I used this program as a catalyst for my healthy eating plan because it detoxed my body and got rid of toxic cravings.  Now, that you know that this was my beginning point, I want to reassure you that I am in no way receiving any financial compensation for sharing these products with you.  I am a preferred customer and I purchase them, just like you would!  I also want to reassure you that this product recommendation is in no way a plug for a friend; although I have come to know the consultant quite well, and she's pretty great!  Those that know me well would vouch for me and say that I tend to have very strong opinions about products and absolutely will not recommend something unless it is good!  Now that you have your assurances that I am truly sharing this product just because I love it, here it is!

   To begin my weight loss journey, I did the Arbonne Detox Diet Boot Camp.  Now, I do need to back up to give you a little history about my beginning this camp.  My very first time to try it was the summer of 2013 and I absolutely loved it then!  However, the school grind began in August and I really didn't give it a second thought.  Honestly, it was still "a diet" to me, although it worked well.  Fast forward to January when I had my yearly lady check up (yep, it got that personal!).   My doctor was asking general questions about my PCOS (which I've had since high school!) and I shared with her about this diet that I had done back in the summer that, for the first time ever, had gotten me regulated.  This doctor is a big believer in "food is medicine", which is not the norm, so she was excited.  We discussed the details further and I revealed that I wasn't on this diet any more.  She looked at me shocked and asked why I would choose to change when I found something that was healing my body.  [Insert Blank Stare] followed by embarrassment.  I was embarrassed that I had made such an unwise decision and chose to continue harming my body.  This was a big eye opener for me and really what made me begin to understand what food really was.  Although I was gaining understanding, it took me another year to move.

  So here I am now, a year later, with a true understanding of how food affects my body both positively and negatively.  I understand what toxins are and how to avoid them.  I understand what combinations of food to eat so that my body can stay oxygenated.  I understand why Japanese people live so long! (Okay, maybe this wasn't part of the boot camp, but their diets are very balanced!)  I know that I would not have any of this knowledge if I hadn't gone through the boot camp.  The camp is a way of eating that does have restrictions, but it is so much more than that!  Every day you are learning about food, toxins, and your body.  You are presented with research by various different doctors on how to teach you how to a pH balanced life. You are also in a support group where you can ask questions, get suggestions, and MOST OF ALL, receive encouragement!  The support and the learning combined with the eating plan is what makes this boot camp such a success.  I have tried all the diets out there, and THIS is the one that starts you on a different path! 

  I am sure that you are wondering what this diet is really like and how it works.  These would be my exact thoughts about the program!  The program is a month long program that you participate in via a Facebook group.  The group has only the participants that are currently going through the program as well as the coach.  (Let me add a side note about the coach here, Cara is fabulous!  I have never met someone that could think of so many nice things to say and encourage me so much!  One week, I gained weight and she was still encouraging me and problem solving to help me get back on track!  She is amazing!)  While you are in the group, you will see daily posts with research about toxins, eating a balanced diet, and how your food affects your body.  You will also have a place to ask questions, connect with other boot campers, and get advise about food or recipes. These are the basics of the group part of the program, but I know you are so interested in the FOOD part! (and honestly, I would be too!)

   Without further adieu, the food.  Each week you will be supplied with both a vegan and regular meal plan complete with recipes and shopping lists.  You are not required to eat every meal that is on the plan, but they were designed to get you started.  Some people choose to follow it exactly as it is written, while others mix and match the meals around (and even in sub in their own!).  The meal plan can be rearranged and edited as long as it follows the guidelines, but the guidelines cannot be changed.  The guidelines are why this works (along with eating the right food combinations).  So the dietary restrictions are as follows:

Don't Eat

• Soy
• Dairy
• Caffeine
• Corn
• Sugar, Honey, Maple Syrup
• Artificial Sweeteners
• Pork
• Gluten
• Farm Raised Fish
• All Beef, Except Grass Fed
• Nitrates
• MSG
• Vinegar
• All Fruit, Except Limes, Lemons, Green Apples, and Berries
• Non-Cage Free Eggs
• Peanuts and Peanut Butter
• Coffee
• Alcohol
• Non-Free Range Chicken
• Alcohol

For the boot camp, the list is very restrictive to get your body to dump as many toxins as possible and also to teach you about the best food for your body.  I still follow this list even out of the boot camp phase, because almost everything here is toxic.  Post-boot camp there are a few things that I have added back occasionally: Pure Maple Syrup, Raw Unfiltered Honey, All Fruits, Fresh Organic Corn in Season and Balsamic Vinegar (occasionally for salad dressing).

Do Eat

• Almond, Flax, or Coconut Milk
• Sweet Potatoes
• Brown Rice
• Almond Butter
• Legumes
• Olive, Coconut, Flaxseed or Grapeseed Oil
• Wild Caught Cold Water Fish
• Cage Free Eggs
• Free Range Chicken and Turkey
• Raw Almonds
• Green Apples, Berries, Lemons, and Limes
• Coconut Sugar, Stevia, Xylitol
• Green and Herb Teas
• Avocados
• Grass Fed Beef
• Non-starchy Vegetables

The above list is what I still try to include in my diet on a regular basis.  These foods make me feel good and are great for making great family dinners, lunches, breakfasts, and snacks.

  I have given you the basis of the food dos and don'ts so that you can see that you could do this without the use of Arbonne products.  The above two lists are basically just the quick and dirty view of how to eat.  I am going to walk you through the Arbonne products below that I used during the boot camp, so that you will know  how it fits into the equation.

Arbonne Products for Boot Camp:

• Arbonne Protein Shake- This is what I used 2x daily to cut calories and majorly oxygenate my body!  I put 2 scoops of powder plus 2 big handfuls of organic spinach, a little fruit, almond or coconut milk and blend them up. They really do taste good and I switch back and forth between chocolate and vanilla, depending on my mood. Currently, I still drink 1 shake a day to get that good spinach punch (because this girl cannot eat handfuls of raw spinach!)

• Fiber Boost- I mix it into my shakes for some added fiber during the camp and after.  My hubby even steals it and mixes it into whatever he is drinking too!  It doesn't taste at all or stay gritty!

• Detox Tea- This tea is one huge key for getting your body to an alkaline environment!  I drank these during the boot camp and have continued to drink them because they are so good for you!  I have learned to drink this as my post-dinner "dessert".  The tea really prevents me from eating when I am already full, but fills the desire of "I want something after dinner".

• Digestion Plus- This little supplement is not one that you think tastes amazing, well, because it doesn't.  I honestly put mine in a shot glass and mix with water and down it goes.  Although the taste is less than desirable, the benefits are great!  Your gut will be glad you didn't listen to your mouth!  I used this in the boot camp and have continued to use it daily to keep my gut in check.

• 7 Day Body Cleanse- This is the real gut buster!  This supplement digs deep and eliminates all kinds of junk so that your body can really have a fresh start.  You mix it with water and drink it just during one particular week of the program.  A plus, this tastes way better than the Digestion Plus! This is a supplement that I just used during the boot camp and may add once or twice a year. 

• Fizzies- These are my absolute favorite product and pomegranate is my flavor!  My daughter loves them just much as me, too.  These are my go to when I need my water to taste like something other than itself.  Because I have eliminated many beverage choices, these add some variety to my routine and are super-easy to slip in my purse when out and about! I really used these in boot camp and still continue to use them!

• Fit Chews- These were my sweet tooth life saver!  I had huge sugar withdrawals during the boot camp and these little bites kept me from caving.  I used them a ton during boot camp and will have one occasionally now.  The boot camp really kicked my sugar cravings so I don't need these as much now, as I did when I first started. 

   Although I am not currently doing the boot camp from beginning to end, I do still follow the plan that was laid out, because I understand it.  As stated above, I've been through more than once with the same info, and the weight loss is not what made me a believer, the health improvements are.  They helped me get and really want to comprehend the research.  The health improvements are what have kept me tied to this new way of living! 

  Friend, as you begin your new adventure into a pH balanced lifestyle, I would encourage you to consider the Arbonne boot camp as a starting place to begin.  I have not regretted my decision to try it out (although I was HIGHLY skeptical).  I am taking the very slow road to weight loss,  and I feel better than I have in a long time- both physically and mentally!  I am confident that my daughter will not have battles with food, like I did, because she is being fed properly.  I am convinced that each a pH balanced diet is the best choice to compliment the way that our bodies were designed!

Giving it my all,
Jess

 Click here if you want information about the Arbonne Detox Boot Camp.



10 Clean Eating Lunches That Are pH Balanced



Lovely Friend,

   I am so encouraged that you have been reading my blog and have become inspired with my journey.  This has been my goal.  I have shared before that my original plan was to wait to write this blog until my beach body was ready; but the truth is that it is easier to understand the journey when you walk it.  So join me as I walk, slowly, but surely!
  
   I have been chatting with a couple of you about where I started and what I am doing on this journey.  And that will certainly be my next blog post, but for today I want to share with you 10 lunches that I have eaten recently.  It may seem a little out of order that I would share this before I share my starting point, but if you are like me, if something works you wanted to start yesterday.  Wanting to start right away is one thing, but absorbing and sorting the information that often comes when beginning a new lifestyle is another.  For this very reason, I am giving you a quick, no-think starting point before I start delivering the ins and outs of what I have done.

   For all of these recipes I have chosen to use organic ingredients, not because they have more vitamins and minerals, but because they do not have the toxic pesticides and other chemicals on them.  I have also looked at the labels very carefully to ensure that no extra ingredients like sugar or oils are present.  I created these lunches using the pH chart (that I found on "Air, Water, Life") as a guide to help me balance acidic and alkaline ingredients and I am including the pH of each ingredient in parenthesis.  My goal is to make sure that each lunch has more alkaline ingredients than acidic to keep my body oxygenated and healthy. 

10 Clean Eating Lunches That Are pH Balanced:
1. 2 Slices of Cooked Turkey Bacon (5.5), 1 Handful of Raw Almonds (8.0), 1/2 of a Raw Green Apple (8.0), and 1 Large Raw Carrot (8.5)

2. 2 Scrambled Eggs (6.5) Topped with a Handful of  Sautéed Spinach (6.5) and a Sprinkle of Sea Salt (7.5), 1 Cup of Fresh Pineapple (9.0), and 1/2 of a Small Sliced Raw Cucumber (9.0)

3. 1 Cup of Cooked Black-Eyed Peas (6.0) with 1/2 of a Cooked Jalapeño Pepper (8.0) and a Sprinkle of Sea Salt (7.5), 1 Cup of Cooked Broccoli (7.5) with a Squeeze of Fresh Lemon Juice (10.0) and a Sprinkle of Sea Salt (7.5), and 1 Cup of Fresh Sliced Peaches (8.0).

4. 1 Small Cooked Sweet Potato (9.0) with Sprinkle of Sea Salt (7.5), Salad- 1 Cup of Spring Mix Lettuce (8.5) and 1/2 of a Small Sliced Tomato (8.0) Topped with 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil (8.0) and 1 Tbsp of Lemon Juice (10.0), and 1 Cup of Fresh Grapes (8.5).

5. 4 Ounces of Sliced Turkey from the Deli (5.5), 1 Cup of Raw Broccoli (9.5), and 1 Cup of Mixed Berries (7.5).

6. 1 Cup of Quinoa (7.5) Mixed with the Zest and Juice of 1/4 Lemon (10.0) 1/2 Tsp Raw Finely Chopped Garlic (8.5) and 1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley (9.0), 1 Cup Sautéed Yellow Squash (7.5), and1/2 of a Small Sliced Raw Cucumber (9.0) with Dressing- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice (10.0), 1 Tbsp Grainy Mustard (5.5), and 1 Tbsp Olive Oil (8.0).

7. 4 Ounces of Grilled Chicken (5.5) Seasoned with 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice (10.0) and Black Pepper (6.0), 1 Cup of Wild Rice (8.0), and 1 Cup of Cooked Green Beans (8.5).

8. 2 Cups of Raw Spinach (10.0) Topped with 4 Ounces of Grilled Chicken (5.5) Seasoned with Asian Marinade- 1 Tbsp Raw Honey (7.0), 1/2 Tsp Raw Crated Garlic(8.5), and 1/2 Tsp Raw Grated Ginger(8.5), and a Dash of Cayenne Pepper (8.5), Also Topped with a Handful of Fresh Sliced Strawberries (7.5), and Salad Dressing- 1 Tsp Sesame Oil (5.5), 1 Tsp Sesame Seeds (8.0), 2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar (6.5), and 1 Tbsp Raw Honey (7.0).

9. 2 Cups of Chopped Romaine Lettuce (8.5) Topped with Guacamole- 1 Avocado (8.0), Juice of 1/2 of a Lemo) (10.0), 2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro (9.0), 1/2 Jalapeno Pepper (8.0) 1 Clove of Fresh Garlic (8.5) and a Pinch of Sea Salt (7.5), and 1 Cup of Fresh Blueberries (7.5).

10. 4 Ounces of Sauteed Shrimp (6.0) Seasoned with 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice (10.0) and 1 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Parsley (9.0), 1 Cup of Brown Rice (7.0) Seasoned with 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice (10.0) and 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro (9.0), and 1 Cup of Multi-Color Sliced Fresh Bell Peppers (8.0).

 

  

Here is a Link to the Chart on the Air, Water, Life Website

 

 

I hope that you enjoy these lunches and that they give you a head start on beginning a pH balanced life!

Giving it my all,
Jess


**Disclaimer- I have tried to design lunches that are pH balanced based on the material that I have provided, but I do not claim to be a doctor, chemist, or any other form of scientist.  This blog is for informational purposes only and not intended to treat, diagnose, or prevent any diseases.  Please consult your physician with any medical questions.

The Secret to Losing Weight When You're Not at Home

Lovely Friends,

  It seems that I am quite full of secrets lately, and, it's true, I am. Being in tune with my food choices has really helped me uncover many secrets in the food world.  Some of these little secrets have been plainly in front of me for some time now, but I overlooked them.  For so long, I have tried every fad, because I have read the miraculous success stories and I just knew that I would be the next to pose with my own.  I would be the girl that had lost 125 pounds in six months and was flaunting my newly found, perfectly tanned beach body in front of millions of infomercial viewers.  Wrong, wrong, very wrong!  This new way of life is not a fad and I am not going to lose 125 in 6 months!  This new way is hard and tough, but produces long term results; and the secrets that I am uncovering are long-term as well.

  At this point, I have more or less gotten my habits in check within my home.  I purchase what I can eat and don't what I cant.  I have a routine for my eating and it works well for my daily grind.  However, one of my hang-ups happens to be when I leave the house. 

  Leaving the house means that I am leaving my routine and my control behind.  I have been able to master the restaurant routine pretty well and I will be sharing my tips for this later.  What I don't have in check is visiting another house.  It could be a friend or a family member, but a visit to dinner at another house still derails me!  When I am out of my house, temptations are present and I have no control over the menu.  It is burdensome for me because I want to do the right thing for my health and I don't want to hurt my friend's feelings. 

   The dilemma in my head usually goes like this.  "This food looks delicious and smells even better! I know my friend must have worked so hard on it and she will be proud to hear how great it tastes!  Darn, it's not detox friendly, but I have to eat something.  I certainly don't want to hurt my friend's feelings!  Ugh, what am I supposed to do?"

  Now that dilemma is one that I enter quite often and I hate feeling that way.  I know how important my health is, but thinking that I may hurt someone's feelings really makes me feel awful!  So what have I decided to do about it? Well, this is where the secret comes in.  I have decided to...prepare!

  Preparation has been my new found secret to losing weight even though I am out with friends.  The most important thing about being out with friends is that I am spending time with them and not have a battle in my head about what to eat.  So when I visit friend's or family's houses in the future I will follow this plan:

1. Bring my own meal from home. If I know the meal isn't clean, or I am unsure, I will follow this idea. I will either grab something from my clean, frozen arsenal in the garage or make myself a quick and clean dinner to eat.

2. Let my friends know that I have food sensitivities.  Doing this will let them know that I would love to eat their food but cant because of how it affects my body.  It will also help me to not feel guilty because I have explained myself.  In addition, it will keep them from wondering why I have chosen not to eat their family recipe lasagna.

3. Offer to bring a clean side.  If I know that part of the meal may be clean, such as the main dish, then I will bring something else that I can eat.  This will allow me to contribute to the meal and stay on track.

4. Bring plenty of fizzies.  At times, visiting friends or family, I can get bored and start snacking.  It's not that the conversation isn't good, but more that this is a horrible habit when I'm out.  I am the girl that grazes all night!  If I have a large glass of water with a fizzie in it, then I am less likely to graze for flavor.  I will simply sip and chat and stay on track.

  I am so excited to continually learn secrets and tips that I can use to stay the course and lead a happy, healthy life!

Giving it my all,
Jess

The Best Natural Appetite Suppressant (And It's Practically Free!)

Lovely Friend,

  As I journey to better health (and I do mean journey, complete with ups and downs!), I am continually analyzing my behaviors and emotions towards food so that I will know how to beat them! I want to be the best me possible and  learning to eat clean has brought many challenges.  One of the biggest challenges for me is preparation.

  Preparation requires lots of planning followed by lots of action to bring the plan together.  I constantly have to stay one step ahead of myself so that I wont get caught red handed (remember that earlier post?).  With preparation, many convenience foods have been removed from our grocery list, so I am always on the look out for something clean and EASY!  Can I get an amen?!  This ph balanced diet is hard work, but so worth it! 

  I must admit I have discovered something that is easy, natural (like really from nature!), and almost free!  I know you must be wondering what this big secret is.  Seriously, if I have discovered something so great, then why isn't it flooding our Facebook newsfeed like all the other weight loss products?  Good question!  Well, for starters, I think that God-made products often get overlooked and the Dr. Oz's of the world have become the experts on what is healthy for our bodies.  Another reason that this great suppressant gets overlooked is because it is old school.  In this American day and age, we are fad chasers!  We want the quick and dirty (meaning totally toxic) version and we are interested in looks being the end result.  The last reason that I think this  substance gets overlooked is because it requires some consistency throughout the day.  It is so much easier for us to pop a "magic weight loss pill" and go on with our day.  So, what is this grand suppressant that I have discovered??  It's...water!  Yep, good ole H2O!

  I know you must have two thoughts.  First, "Seriously, water?  I read three paragraphs for water?"  Yes, yes you did.  And the second thought is probably, "You have just now discovered water, lady?  It has been around since the beginning of time!"  Well, I have actually not "just" discovered water, but I have become more attuned to the appetite suppressing quality of this amazing substance.  So, before you stiff arm me, hear me out.

  Water being used as an appetite suppressant has three great benefits.  First, if I consume a glass or two of water with my meal (or even before it), I eat less.  Thus this is the appetite suppressing quality of this wonderful liquid.  Another way that I have used water to suppress my appetite is by drinking it throughout the day.  When I think that I might be hungry between meals, I drink a glass of water (often with a pomegranate fizzie) to make sure that I am not thirsty.  It turns out most of the time that I actually am just thirsty and the water fills my stomach, reminding me that I am not really hungry. I have had to learn to recognize the difference between being hungry and thirsty.  For so long, I considered every feeling as hunger so I turned off my tuner and drowned myself in food.  I am now rebelling against that former behavior and listening to my body communicate its needs.  The final benefit of using water as an appetite suppressant is that it is an alkaline substance.  According to the ph chart created by Air, Water, Life, tap water sits right at a ph of 7 which is neutral.  You can add some fresh lemon slices or a drop of lemon essential oil to move it to the alkaline category.  Since the goal of this diet is to create a more alkaline environment internally, water proves to be a great substance to use as an appetite suppressant.

  I will say, that even with all the benefits of using water for suppressing appetites, you will have to train yourself to use it.  I have always been a water drinker, so that was one habit that I did not have to add.  However, I have not always consumed as much water during the day as I currently do.  Right now, my goal is to consume 64 ounces of water daily. I plan to slowly work my body up to drinking a gallon of water a day.  So, I encourage you to try out water as an appetite suppressant.  You might find that you totally love it!

Giving it my all,
Jess

This treasure right here is my favorite water cup!  I snagged it at our zoo and I use it all the time to indulge in water with fresh lemon slices and a pomegranate fizzie.  This favorite cup of mine is 32 ounces, so I can finish half of my water with just one fill.  I encourage you to find a favorite cup!  It makes water drinking that much more exciting!

A Woman Has the Right to Choose

Lovely Friend,

   Today I am beginning my eighth week of this health journey, and, a journey it has been!  I have learned so much about myself, my habits, and my dependence on food.  I have learned about the cravings that are easily broken and the ones that I will have to continue to choose to combat.  I have learned that this thing called "a diet" is really "my diet."  It is not to be viewed as some event that happens over a course of time, but rather a step onto another path. 
 
   This other path requires preparation.  This other path requires discipline.  This other path requires patience.  This other path requires a different focus.  And, above all, this other path requires choice.

  Choice, is an action that I have come to know well.  It is an action that I did not use correctly for far too long.  It is an action that will cause me to leave the old path and walk the new.   And this action called "choice", is more than an action, it is right!  A right to healthy life!  A right to a happy life!  A right to a disease free life!  A right to feel great!  A right to be the best that I can be!

  I have always viewed "a diet" as a singular event, but no more.  I am no longer on "a diet" but this is "my diet".  And "my diet" will require me to understand that EVERY choice counts! 

Giving it my all,
Jess

Caught Red Handed

Lovely Friend,

   I am not sure how your bad decisions usually go, but mine typically fit into one of two categories.  The first, I completely KNOW that I making a bad choice and do it anyway.  Usually there is some benefit to the bad choice and, in the moment, that benefit outweighs the consequences.  Now, the second, is much more innocent.  This bad choice is a choice that I thought was a good choice!  It usually reveals itself in retrospect and brings with it a shock.  I am not here to judge or debate about the bad choices that I have chosen to make or not.   Rather, I want to give some insight into my typical experiences with bad choices, because last night caught me off guard!

  I have been on this journey to health for about 7 weeks now and I have learned so much about my bad habits and how to combat them. But last night, whew, I wasn't ready for it!  I wasn't even considering it!  So, what was my choice?  What did I do?  Last night... I "ate" some cheese! 
 
   If at first glance, it doesn't seem so bad, let me explain.  Those quotation marks around "ate" are definitely not there by accident!  No, they are very intentional.  The reason that I have placed them there is because "ate" is really not the correct word for what happened last night.  Truthfully, "inhaled" is probably a much more accurate depiction of the incident that occurred.

  It was about 9:30 P.M. and I was beginning my family's nightly routine.  We had picked up the toys, given the kisses and hugs, turned off Netflix and the T.V., turned on the downstairs lamps, prepared the diffuser, plugged in the electronics for charging, then crawled into bed.  I was tired.  I was exhausted.  I just wanted...S...L...E...E...P!  Just about the time that I felt settled, I remembered that I hadn't let the sinks and showers drip.  "Uggghhh" was my first thought.  "Stupid cold weather!" was the thought that followed.  At that point, I was tired and frustrated and just wanted to be in bed asleep; but,  I rolled out of my warm bed to complete this necessary task.  And, of course, since I was getting up, Camille wanted to get up, the dog wanted out again, and my sweet little routine now had a kink.

  This kink, during my moment of weakness, is what derailed me!  I had visited the downstairs bathroom and completed the cold weather precautions, then headed to the kitchen.  My shadow was following me and the dog wanted out.  I let the dog out, turned the knob to the kitchen sink until it just dripped, then heard the dog scratch to be let back in.  I let the dog in and was reaching for the kitchen light switch when I heard, "Mommy, I want a snack."  Remembering that my daughter hadn't completed her dinner and realizing that I forgot to reheat it when we got back from the gym, I grabbed a cheese stick for her...and TWO for me!

  Two cheese sticks, yes, two!  And the kicker is that I wasn't even hungry!  I grabbed both packages, unwrapped them and bit into them.  Now, this is where eating changes into inhaling.  I bit into the cheese, slightly chewed it, and practically swallowed each bite whole.  By the time that I had swallowed the first bite, I was reaching for the second!  I devoured those cheese sticks in about a minute flat and I really didn't even want them!  As I trashed the wrappers and I turned out the kitchen light, I questioned, "What just happened?  Why did you do that?"

  I headed upstairs to finish my water dripping task in the upstairs bath and tried to dig deep to analyze "why?"  I realized several things.  First, I was tired which made me irritable and likely to make a poor choice.  Second, I was pulled out of my comfortable routine to complete a minor task that I had forgotten to do.  This task, though minor, caused stress, and through stress I reached for food.

  Equating food with peace is something that the Holy Spirit previously revealed to me about myself, but last night, I wasn't prepared for this struggle.  I have slowly started implementing several techniques to deal with stress (which will be a great post for another day!) but last night, I caught myself red handed.  The thing about it is, it's okay!  Yes, I messed up.  Yes, I slipped. Yes, I was disappointed in myself, but it is going to be okay! 

  So where do I go from here?  What is my plan?  My plan is to get right back on the path to ph balanced eating and call this a mistake that is behind me! This is a journey, after all!

Giving it my all,
Jess

The Diet That FINALLY Makes Sense!

Lovely Friend,

   Like I have stated in previous posts that I have struggled with weight for a VERY long time!  I hit a chubby stage as a kid from 3rd-7th grade and then evened out in high school.  During college, the "freshman fifteen" turned into the "freshman thirty" and the weight kept piling on from there.  By the time that I was married, 4 years later, I had gained 90 pounds total since graduating high school.  My schedule had become my own and unfortunately fast food had settled its way into my life comfortably. 
  After being married for several years, my husband and I decided to have a child.  We struggled with this for 2 years before I finally conceived our precious daughter!  Six months before conceiving, I had decided to pursue weight loss once again and lost a healthy 30 pounds over the course of five months through moderation of food intake and meeting weekly with a personal trainer.  I was able to keep this weight off for those six months, my entire pregnancy, and several months post birth (total about 1.5 years).  During the course of my weight loss, this was the only time where I consistently lost weight and kept it off for any amount of time!
  Over the ten years that I have  been overweight, I have tried many things: diet pills, food journals, journal apps, low carb, vegan (very short amount of time!), just eating no processed food, Dr. Oz diets, and a slew of many other fads and "tricks".  Nothing ever seemed to be the "perfect fit" for me to maintain or really make me feel that great.  I always really questioned "What WAS actually healthy for me?" and "How would I know?"  There is so much research to comb through and try to analyze.  There are some health professionals that are more into medicine than food for healing and so it was hard to be sure. 
  Okay, so you know that I have tried everything and I really don't WANT to be overweight (this is another blog post), so what works?  What FINALLY makes sense? A ph balanced body is what finally makes sense!  One summer I tried a detox program hosted by my friend, Cara, who uses Arbonne to teach others about health.  Am I saying that you have to use Arbonne products to complete this diet? Not at all, but I will post a blog about some of my favorite products!  What I am saying is that a diet that balances your internal ph is the diet that finally works!  This diet will not only help you lose weight but can cure ailments that you got used to living with!  Oh, I did not realize that I could FEEL this great until I began this diet!
  So, what really is a ph balanced diet?  Well, I am NO expert but the basis of it is that you are trying to get your body to an alkaline environment that is oxygenated.  When your body is properly oxygenated, then it can release toxic fat (great for weight loss!).  In addition to releasing this dangerous fat, some of the ways that your body is "acting out" will be cured, because you are no longer irritating your body.
  Okay, so how do you have a ph balanced diet?  Well, the simplest way to put it is that you try to eat foods that will alkanize your body.  You would also avoid certain categories of foods altogether because they are toxic to your body. 
Here is a list of the categories to be avoided:
*Gluten
*Dairy
*Sugar
*Artificial Sweetener
*Corn
*Soy
*Pork
*Caffeine

   I am also posting this chart from airwaterlife.com* to model alkaline and acidic foods.  This chart has helped me to understand what food to eat and how it will be helping or hurting my body.  I try to eat food mostly on the alkaline side, but if I choose an acidic food, I compliment it with an alkaline food.  I have never had anything make so much sense to me as understanding what I am doing to my body with food! 
 

   So for my diet, I avoid the following foods above, eat organic as much as possible, and try to choose alkaline foods as much as I can.  I am definitely still a long way from my goal, but taking it a day and decision at a time!

Giving it my all,
Jess

 

*airwaterlife.com is a company that creates water ionizers.  I referenced them simply because they have created this wonderful graphic that models food so beautifully.  I personally have not researched ionizers.

 

Joshua and the American Way (2/4/15)

Lovely Friend,

I have been on my weight loss journey for about 1 ½ months now and I have lost a total of about 9 pounds in that amount of time.  That averages to about 1 ½ pounds per week.  I am definitely on the…S…L…O…W road to weight loss, which is EXACTLY where I NEED to be!  I have heard the phrase, “God, I want you to teach me patience, and I want you to teach me, right now!”  Oh, how this pertains to my attitude about weight loss!  In my head I was, “God, I want to lose weight, and I want to lose it, right now!”  But the thing about “right now” is that no habits change.  There is no leaning on God.  There is no dealing with those deeply rooted emotions that are tied to food.  So, I am taking the hard way, the slow way.  I am rebelling against the American way and leaning into Joshua!

Last week, as I was driving (The Holy Spirit knows he can grab a few quiet minutes with me in the car!), the Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit about a scripture in Joshua.  This was a scripture that I knew all too well.  It is one that I dare admit that I even overlooked and had gotten to familiar with.  The phrase that the Spirit of the Lord deposited into me was “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)  At that moment, this phrase took on a new meaning to me!  This phrase became my health cry! “ As for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord [in our health and eating habits].”  This revelation was HUGE for me!

As a Christian, I am supposed to stand out in everything that I do, not in a judgmental way, but rather, in a way that screams “She MUST know Jesus!”  So far, my eating habits have been so far from the way that the Lord would have me live!  But, the beauty about the revelation was that it did not make me feel guilty or horrible about myself.  My friends, this is not the way that our Savior works!  It was more like an “ah-ha” moment for me.  It was like “God, wow!  You have designed our bodies and you have designed the food that would make them function well.  You created the food that would prevent diseases and suffering from them.  You are awesome, my God!”  I love the way that my Savior so tenderly redirects my path so that He can save me (often from myself.)

 

Giving it my all,
Jess

The Road Less Traveled and Lessons That I Have Learned Along the Way (1/16/14)

Lovely Friend,

   “The road less traveled.”  If there ever was a clique, this would be one!  I have heard this phrase many times about life decisions, but this is the first time that I have applied it to food.  By nature I am very analytical, and I often try to learn about my own behaviors through analysis.  I know that I sound like a psychologist there, but I am far from one. In fact, I am type A personality on the dot, with a little ADHD mixed in.  Ok, focus, so road less traveled with food.  As I was digging deep into myself trying to understand my battles with weight and what specific habits needed changing, I realized that I was taking the same route as many other Americans.  I was busy.  I was tired.  I was emotional. I wanted quick.

   Being busy, tired, emotional, and quick often led me to fast food as a family fav.  In the last post, I mentioned my Wendy’s #1 that had become so dear to my heart.  Seriously, this meal, in particular, had become my daily craving and most of the time I gave in.  I was serving my family crappy food and I knew it!  Thus, the emotions came.  I felt guilty, but pacified this feeling with the false happiness that came when consuming my cheeseburger and fries.  Monitoring this behavior gave me some insight into myself and taught me a few things, so in “Type A” bullet format, I have posted the lessons below.

 

Lessons that I have learned:

1. I equated food (especially junk food) with peace.  I ate when I wanted to relax and I ate when I was stressed.

2. Hunger is the enemy!  The two times that I have cheated, I have been extremely hungry and grabbed whatever I could.

3. Meal planning is your friend!  When I choose to meal  plan, I have my ammo for the week and I am less likely to sway!

4.  Keep snacks in your purse.  The truth is that crazy things happen in life, and you cannot always do what you planned.  I personally have begun carrying water in a reusable bottle and some packaged almonds or unsweetened dried fruit for times when I may not have clean food handy.

Giving it my all,

Jess