Category: Healthy Eating

The Secret to Happiness!

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The secret to happiness is…..

….to LIVE life with purpose and gratitude.

When I think back to life a few years ago, I never really understood how to live life with gratitude or with purpose.  I took for granted that I had my health and forgot how to have joy in the little things.

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I remember this moment.  I wanted to disappear into the crowd and I definitely did NOT want my picture taken. You can see it in my face.  PUT THE CAMERA DOWN…

This probably sounds corny or cliche, but we owe it to our kids, our partners, to our loved ones, and most importantly to ourselves to take care of our bodies.  By taking care of our bodies, in turn we are taking care of our mind too!  There is nothing better for your mind, body, and soul than to exercise and be proud of yourself for your accomplishments.  I was once a hater of all things active, so it’s definitely a learned behaviour.

What happens when I say the word “DIET”.  What do you think of?  The word “Diet” has horrible connotations attached to it.  To me diets are about will power, restriction, self-control, deprivation, etc.

Living a HEALTHY lifestyle is NOT a diet.   It’s a way of life that celebrates living the best life possible.

It’s about balance, being proud of your accomplishments, pushing yourself forward, celebrating your healthy body and all it can do, enjoying whole food packed with vitamins and nutrients and feeling the boundless amounts of energy that comes from eating that type of food.  It’s about feeling in control (this one is HUGE for me) and most importantly, feeling gratitude for your life.   LIFE IS GOOD.

When people ask me how I lost the weight, I often get the same reaction after I tell them it was through healthy eating and exercise.  Groans and eye-rolls…because we are trained to believe that it can’t be done or sustained because it’s a diet.  We are so used to hopping on the diet bandwagon and giving it all we got for a bit, only to realize that we can’t sustain it and then feel like a failure when the weight comes back on.  It’s a terrible cycle and it leaves a person feeling defeated.  I’ve been there, and it sucks!

I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be that way.  It really doesn’t!  If you think you can’t do it…you are absolutely wrong.   There is such freedom when you find a lifestyle that works for you and it can be sustained.

So where does one start?!

Start with little manageable changes and keep going!  Cut out processed, high-fat, high-sodium foods.  Eat the way nature intended…foods as close to their natural state as possible: whole grains, lean protein, veggies & fruits. ALWAYS eat breakfast.  Pack small healthy snacks (around 100 calories) so you never go hungry.  Eat smaller meals.  Plan your meals ahead. Walk instead of ride.  Take the stairs.  Dance, move, run, swim, cycle, jump, LIVE!

Read this: Dr. Phil’s “The Ultimate Weight Solution”

Even if you’re not a Dr. Phil fan, this book is great because it touches on all the elements that go hand in hand with losing the weight and keeping it off.  It’s not about the food.  It really isn’t.  There are many reasons for obesity, but for me it was so much more than just the food.

Find support!  I found a great group of women all going through the same trials I was (thank you “Living FIT/JTTH” girls! I love you & I’m so thankful for you)

I’ll support you! Leave me a comment or e-mail me at hopaluk (at) shaw (dot) ca

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I remember this wonderful moment too:  I received my goal weight key-chain from my weight loss support group!

By living a healthy lifestyle, you will tap into a side of you that you may not have known existed.  I can’t begin to tell you the freedom and zest for life I found when I realized that I didn’t have to be “the big girl” for the rest of my life; however, it’s not about the size you are or how much you weigh. It’s about honouring yourself and living the best life possible.

Christine

Self Acceptance

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“Accept everything about yourself–I mean everything, You are you and that is the beginning and the end–no apologies, no regrets.”
– Clark Moustakas

I’ve decided that I am the size and weight I’m supposed to be.  This weight loss journey has been a long one, but yesterday as I was beating myself up for fluctuating within the same 5 to 10 pounds, I realized that I’m the weight and size I’m meant to be. 

That doesn’t mean I will quit exercising.  Quite the opposite.  I enjoy exercising, but I also enjoy good food, and yummy drinks as well!  As long as I don’t abuse these yummy foods and drinks, I’ll be OK. 

So this is it.  I’m happy.  It takes the guilt out of enjoying rich foods from time to time. As I’ve said over and over, this is a lifestyle and not a diet.  I will always be active as it’s part of who I am now…it’s part of life.  I will continue to eat consciously…which is Key. 

Life is too short to be filled with guilt associated with food.  It’s time to move past that and embrace my life and who I am now.  Active, healthy, and full of respect for the whole process!

I’ve Lost Myself Again

Published on by Christine2 Comments

I haven’t been in control of my eating lately, and I feel terrible about it.  I haven’t been eating consciously this past few weeks (although a trip to Vegas is never helpful in the eating department) and I need to stop and pull it back together. 

I’ve been struggling with where I’m going with my photography as a business, and who I am as a photographer (among other things) so rather than think about it, I’ve been eating my way through the emotions.  Not healthy at all!  It’s only now that I’ve realized why I’ve been struggling lately. 

So often when we struggle, we are just going through the motions.  Every day: putting one foot in front of the other.  Refusing to focus, feel, or think…and then looking for something to make us feel better just for a bit. 

I just had to get it out there so I can start over.  The best part is that every day is a new day.  It’s natural to struggle and lose  focus, but I’m back on track today. 

Another facet of this issue is that I didn’t realize that my friends count on me to motivate them.  After a long conversation with a friend this week, I realized that she looked up to me.  What?  It blew me away that someone would think I had my “stuff” together enough to look up to. 

So…. Breathe….because I’ve lost myself again.

Today is a new day full of possibilities.

I’m going to be conscious of what I eat.

I’m going to be active today.

I feel my best when I’m in control of what I eat and when I stay active.

The only person that is holding me back from my goals is ME. 

I’m going to allow myself to feel today.

Healthy Oils and Relaxing Music

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I read in a magazine today that some fats – omega-3 fats- are actually good for your heart.  “They’re a type of unsaturated fat that can help reduce the risk of heart disease, fight inflammation and may even keep brain cells healthy as we age”. (Leslie Beck, author of Heart Healthy Food for Life) I’ve read that before, but what I found interesting was  that another study showed that listening to relaxing music up to 12 minutes (what a random number), 3 times a week can lower high-blood pressure.  

In a Seattle University study of 41 seniors living in retirement communities, researchers found that regularly listening to relaxation tapes reduced average systolic (the top number) blood pressure readings by 9mm Hg, while those who regularly listened to Mozart saw a 7 mm Hg reduction to their blood pressure.

So, as I type this I’m listening to relaxing music and I must say I’m feeling pretty calm and relaxed right about now!  lol

Move off the Beaten Path

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Move Off the Beaten Path

Good Morning!  I was thinking this morning about motivation and inspiration in the area of weight loss.  If you think back to past big life changes, what was the motivation behind your change?  I read a quote from a school teacher who wanted to lose weight.  She wrote…

“I just see something going on in kids today, there’s just such a lack of motivation and then I think about myself, I do the same thing day in and day out, I’m never challenged I’ve got it down to a science you know, I’m as complacent as they are.”

Lynn 

It’s the same if you travel the same path everyday, you are going to create ruts.  Before you know it, the rut is so deep that it’s almost impossible to get out of it.  So how do you get out of it?  By traveling different paths…  By taking chances and making small corrections that take you off the beaten path…Over the past few years I’ve made huge changes in my life, but the truth of the matter is, I didn’t start out making a ton of changes in my lifestyle all at once; but rather a few manageable changes at a time.  Each week, I added a bit more activity to my day.  I started out walking 10 minutes.  Before long, I could walk 15 minutes, then 20 minutes.  I started cutting out fat here and there, stopped drinking Pepsi, and started eating breakfast.  As long as I truly challenged myself every week; I was proud of my accomplishments. 

There is no point in making huge changes that are impossible to sustain in the long-term.  One of the reasons we fail in the area of weight loss is because it’s too many impossible changes all at once!  If we rely on will power; we will inevitably resign at some point, and then eat more to stuff the disappointment.  It’s a vicious cycle and one of self-loathing and negativity. 

Focus on positive, small changes, which lead to bigger changes!  Draw support and motivation from those who love you, or find a support system!  Don’t look at the amount of pounds you need to lose in its entirety, but rather focus on the first 10 pounds, or dropping one size. That’s manageable!  It’s a great time to start fresh don’t you think?!

It’s All About Choices

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“Your choices today determine your tomorrow and you make your life through the power of choice.”

Kathy Smith (Exercise Expert) author of Kathy Smith’s Moving Through Menopause: The Complete Program for Exercise, Nutrition, and Total Wellness

It’s all about choices isn’t it?  If you want to super simplify it all, we can make a difference in our bodies and minds little choice, by little choice.  I watched a 20/20 show on body myths awhile ago and one myth dealt with weather or not a slow metabolism made the difference between those who are obese and those who have always been thin. 

Medical studies showed that those who are obese actually had a higher metabolism because their bodies had to work harder to burn the calories.  What was the difference?  They strapped on a monitor to an overweight woman and another monitor to a woman who had always been thin and tracked their every move.  The outcome was that the thin woman moved around much more in everyday life.  It amounted to 2 hours more of everyday activities such as parking farther away and walking more, doing more activities with the kids, standing more (yes even standing), etc.  Can it really be as easy as doing a little more each day?  I think we know it’s a little more complicated than that when it comes to losing the weight, but it goes to show you that in the grand scheme of things, little choices do make a difference and make a huge impact to keeping the weight off once lost. 

Thoughts?

It’s Not About The Food

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It’s not about the food. 

I had heard that before, but I didn’t understand it.  I thought I was overweight because I loved food.  Looking back, it’s so wasn’t about the food!   After reading Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution, I started being aware of why I was eating.  It’s natural to use SOMETHING to cope with the hard moments in life.  I used food, and I used food to cope with so many emotions.  The thought never occurred to me for sometime that I could one day be in control of my eating.  I was somewhat at peace with the fact that I was always going to be the “big girl”.   When I started reading, and learning about the root of my weight issues, it was like someone turned on the light.   I didn’t know I could CHANGE my metabolism.  I didn’t know  I could still enjoy my favourite foods if I changed the way I thought about food!

Here’s some of what I learned:

Food is Fuel…put good stuff in, you feel good!  Put crap in…well, you feel like crap.

You CAN change your metabolism.  All it takes is to live a healthy and active lifestyle. 

Start listening to your body.  Eat when your hungry, don’t eat when your not!

Follow your passions!  You need a creative outlet.  What is yours?  I pursued my passion for photography and it’s my new “SOMETHING” to cope!  What do you love to do?  Figure that out, and do it!

Love yourself enough to take care of yourself!  As mothers, we get trapped in the idea that we come LAST.  The only way you can be a good Mom is to take care of yourself!  A good Mom is a happy Mom.  Your kids deserve a happy and fulfilled Mom.  If you’ve lost the joy  and zest for life and confidence in yourself, GET IT BACK!

The only person standing in the way of your success is you.  Take the power back, no more excuses. 

Set manageable goals, and achieve them.  Little by little, you’ll get there.

Journal everything you eat!  If you have to write each and everything you eat, you are less likely to eat it.

Think…instead of or rather than.  If you change your way of thinking, you can save 100’s of calories in a day.
Instead of a Big Mac at McDonald’s, I chose a salad with diced chicken from McDonald’s. 
Rather than an biggie Mars Bar, I chose a 100 calorie chocolate bar. 
Instead of pasta with Alfredo sauce, I chose multi-Grain pasta with marinara sauce.