Category: Change

Setting realistic goals for the New Year

Oh hey January. Or what I like to call…holiday hangover month. I am not sure if I am more mentally or physically tired from all of the “too many’s.” Too many Christmas parties, too many holiday drinks, too many late nights and early mornings. Instead of taking this behavior and having regrets and thinking my mistakes make me who I am today, I actually do the exact opposite. I have no regrets. I loved every late night and fancy cocktail I consumed. It was a stream of holidays to remember. Now I get excited about how I can transform my body back to what I crave for it to be. A body that can run up the stairs without losing a breath. A body that enjoys the pull of every muscle as I lift my children easily in the air. A body that just feels good.

My goal of this blog is to transform HOW people view health. I want you to see that your body functions a certain way, so you need to focus on that instead of the numbers on the scale. If you would like to make goals for the New Year, this is what I recommend. Don’t aim for a certain amount of weight or inches to lose. That is not realistic or maintainable, and it does not teach you how to live a healthy life. Instead, make goals of ways you can be healthy every single day. Get excited about taking care of yourself. Don’t set standards and goals that are not maintainable.  For example, this is how I live a life of health in the New Year:

  1. Move your body as often as you can…between 2-4 times a week. Keep a small range of numbers. If you start out high, it leads you to feel constant regret and defeat when you don’t reach that number. That will not encourage you to keep this positive behavior going. This is about maintaining. Also, find things you enjoy. Walk, run, hike, partake in a workout class. But don’t allow yourself to skip it too often.  If you do it once, you will do it again, and continue to rationalize it until that number returns to zero times a week. Make it a part of your normal life. You need to build muscle, bone, and get your heart and lungs working. Also, don’t worry if you are terrible running up that hill or fall over in yoga class…the point is not to be perfect. The point is to challenge yourself.  And you are not there to impress anyone but yourself…especially not that girl in the expensive work out gear.
  2. Once you start routinely working out, you will find that those processed, “artificial” foods will not be as satisfying. Foods are fuel, and if you provide your body with the right nutrition, your body will take it, utilize it as it should, and only make you feel better. If you work out, and then eat processed, nutrition-lacking foods, you will feel heavy and worn down, like your work out was cancelled out by your body struggling to rebuild with nothing. I prefer oatmeal with hemp, chia, and almond butter. Sandwiches piled high with avocado, tomato, greens, and possibly an egg. Within 30 minutes of exercise, I drink protein mixed with amazing grass powder. It boosts metabolism and satisfies me until my next meal. I do not consider calories. I choose nutrition packed foods that fill me up, and never weigh me down.
  3. Become best friends with your water bottle. I recommend buying a water bottle you love. One that you will proudly carry as an accessory. It is now a part of your life.  Water is the basis to basically every bodily function, and helps you remove wastes and toxins. Drink…drink…drink. If you don’t like water, you should probably recognize that as an issue, because you have messed up a natural human need. I actually keep reusable water bottles in the fridge for me and my children.  That way I can just grab it for them and me as we walk out the door. Make it easy on yourself. No excuses.
  4. Focus on gaining muscle, and not on losing weight. I really despise the words “fat” and “skinny.”  What does that even represent?  I know people that are skinny and are incredibly unhealthy and out of shape.  I know people on the heavier side that are constantly working out and eating right. To me, weight depicts very little. Therefore, I encourage people to start looking at their body to find muscle, not fat. Enjoy getting stronger, therefore getting healthier every day. Find a work out that makes you want to go home and flex in the mirror. Once you work on making your body strong, your mind and heart will follow.
  5. Don’t diet. Don’t overeat. Don’t count calories. I am naturally an incredibly healthy eater. Not because I make myself, but after going through a period of cutting out sugar, diet coke, and all the foods filled with crap…I basically went through a detox. And now, guess how much of that stuff I crave…none of it! If an opportunity comes up to have a cookie or piece of cake, it doesn’t even taste that good to me. I encourage every one to cut the crap, and allow yourself to reset. Once your body learns sugar is out, it will no longer crave it like it once did. You need to get through an ugly period, but it is the best thing you could do for yourself. Then, just love food. Food is awesome, and it should not be a stress. I eat for flavor, for the experience, and to enjoy life. You are supposed to eat…just make sure everything on your plate is REAL.
  6. Finally, feel good about YOU. Is that corny? Is that too broad? Is that even realistic? I am just saying, give yourself a chance. Don’t give up on having a body you feel good in. If you are full of toxins and waste from many days of treating yourself badly, you are not living life to the fullest because you probably don’t feel that great. Start small and start realistically. You cannot change overnight, and don’t feel bad when you don’t. Just want a better life for yourself, and every day get excited that you are getting a little bit closer to a more healthy you. Just be happy you have this awesome body working hard for you every day, and it is yours to take for a ride. Make it a joyful one.

Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.

Val

5 Days of Holiday Gifts…Gift 5: Do Good

Gift #5: “Do Good” Tees from Cotopaxi

It seems like this past year is sticking out in people’s minds as a tumultuous one. One marked by some negativity, ill feelings, and some uncertainty. My hope is things will turn, and everyone who choose to focus their energy on the good, and not the bad. Take their uncertainty, and create change. Really, just Do Good each and every day.

Cotopaxi (www.cotopaxi.com) is an amazing company because they sell outdoor products, but they equally show a passion for creating change in areas far behind hiking gear…Health (Reducing preventable disease and under 5 mortality rates), Education (Improve primary literacy rates and access to quality education), and Livelihoods (Create opportunity for entrepreneurial training and job skills development). Cotopaxi “creates innovative outdoor products and experiences that fund sustainable poverty alleviation, move people to do good, and inspire adventure.” I love this. I will always buy from these types of companies first. Ones that take a platform and uses it to spread positivity and hope for those who really need it.

The product I love that spreads this message, is their “Do Good.” tees. So simple yet so powerful. They come in baby onesies, kids sizes, as well as men’s and women’s sizes. The material is soft and lightweight, and is available in various colors.

Is wearing this shirt going to change the world? Probably not. But you will be reminding yourself and others that the ability to do good and create change is there. It is inside all of us, and the outside world does not have to dictate that. Make a small impact each and every day, and even if the world doesn’t change…you will.

Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.

Val

Scheduling selfishness…

Surviving each day, week, month is difficult because there is this thing that is really hard for me…it is called constant responsibility.  As a teenager, I spent my days sitting on someone’s dock in a Minnesota lake, with my feet in the cool water, trying to figure out how I was going to spend the rest of my day. Or during really “difficult” times, you could find me driving by someone’s house to see if they were home and as bored as I was. I loved that if there was a mess or some clothes I needed washed…it was miraculously taken care of if I just left it long enough.  Fast foward to present day, and that mess cleaner, and boredom inducer of children…is me. Every minute can be filled with other people’s needs if I allow it to be. And if there happens to be a small window of the day that I try to have a few seconds to myself, someone always finds me…

I recently had my first ever girl’s weekend since becoming a mom. It was a weekend filled with zero productivity and instead, pure selfishness…or should I say, self awareness. I did nothing useful with my time, and instead did something that I haven’t done in so long…I took time to think about myself. One important facet of health, is not only eating right and exercising, it is about taking care of your mental and emotional health.  This is something that can often be forgotten in our daily lives.  We over-work, over-schedule, and “free time” is looking at what other people are doing on social media.

I chose to spend my time away from responsibility by spending a day at the spa, shopping, eating at great restaurants, and drinking far more glasses of champagne than I would like to admit.  I spent the weekend not thinking about anything but my happiness. Is that selfish?!? I don’t think so.  I think it is a way to slow down and think about how grateful I am for a chance to really LIVE, experience new foods, and most of all, I could really remember that deep down, I was still that same girl with her feet in the lake. I just haven’t had time to think about her in a loooong time.

Another important facet of this trip was the fact that I learned to make my days and weekends of “selfishness,” days to indulge on my health.  When people generally use vacations to over eat and make poor choices, I use trips away to find ways to be healthy in new and unique ways…I actually get excited by this.  I find restaurants that offer fresh and local ingredients. In fact, there is so much more emphasis on making healthy “fast food,” it has allowed some costs to stay down, and quality ingredients are no longer only found with a huge price tag (Some of my favorites are Modern Market, Larkburger, and Grabbagreen. One tip…if you search out gluten free or vegetarian in a respective city, it will lead you to great places.  If they have to pay attention to what is going into their foods, they are generally more conscience overall.) I also look for hikes and exercise classes offered through the places I stay. Staying active and moving your body while in new locations will create some excitement in your work out. Not to mention, food or a cold beer never tastes better than after an amazing workout (Yes. I said beer. Remember, it is about learning to make health fun by creating a happy and positive feeling around it).  And in regard to all of those glasses of champagne…I think my laughter and relaxation increased before I even had the first sip.

Health is about doing what is right for your total body. Find joy in creating a life that allows you to be full of energy, having a heart that can help you climb a mountain, and a mind that will be at peace after a weekend spent laughing with a girlfriend.  There are no right choices, there is a desire for a better life. Find joy in wanting that for yourself. And don’t forget to pass the champagne…

Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.

Val

Smell that cool air?!?!

If you have seen me anywhere recently, you would likely witness me soaking up each and every minute of the changing scenery, and letting the smell of decaying leaves fill my lungs. Why?!? I am trying to taste, smell, and feel fall. I also may be trying to see if I can smell the snow…which in Colorado, could come any day now. But back to my body’s attempt to totally absorb the feelings of fall… To me, fall brings the greatest feelings of change.  It is back-to-school, back to routine, and time to reassess the direction we are heading in the coming year. I personally love change.  In fact, I thrive off of it.  So for me, this is a time of personal growth.  I feel so refreshed when I tackle a project around the house and try to get our lives more organized, but I also love the feeling of looking for new foods to entice my interests.

We love going to restaurants, and living in a city like Denver, we have become spoiled.  “Fast food” restaurants have been replaced by foods with fresh, local, ingredients. The menus are often seasonal, as they present fruits and vegetables that are, get this…grown in season! There is so much “Colorado pride,” and with that is pride in the food grown here, supporting local farmers and our home economy.

I am not going to preach anything about GMO’s, organic, or make anyone feel guilty if they just cringe at the site of a vegetable (Hey, if you ate a fruit or vegetable today, and drank a good amount of water, way to go).  What I have found through the years is that everyone needs to change how they appreciate food. Food should be an experience.  Each bite should entice the senses.  If you are consuming something without flavor or substance…it is probably not real and lacks nutrition! Why monotonously consume a bag of chips while you sit in front of the television.  If you are craving something like that, have a few, enjoy them, appreciate it for what it is, and move on. Find foods that bring flavor and interest to your palate. That doesn’t mean it needs to be full of spices, sauces, or additives, it merely needs to be full of foods! Every meal I make, I throw in as many grains and vegetables I can. In fact, most of my cooking revolves around healthy oils, some flavor packed spices, and himalayan pink salt…simple as that.

I have taught my girls to see, taste, and recognize what is in their meals, instead of try to mask or hide it.  They get flavors from the actual ingredients. Believe me, they don’t love everything, and my two-year-old may spit out a thing or two.  But my five-year-old asks for her sandwiches in her lunch to have tomato and spinach on them. Her favorites “sides” right now are fresh cucumber, and she even loves salad. This took a lot of time, but eventually her palate formed into something open and welcoming to new tastes and flavors.  It took a lot of effort and persistence, by giving her everything and anything, but it was worth it. To me this is proof that if a child can learn to love “healthy” and fresh foods, an adult can too.

So my challenge now is not to present an idea that you need to go out and buy every weird fruit and vegetable in the grocery store. It is to take a meal you enjoy, and fill it with good things. I am definitely not a Martha Stewart, or a domesticated goddess.  If you came to my house, I would not be baking, nor making homemade holiday decorations. I will not open a page that includes ‘Pinterest.com’ in the web address. I never know what I am making for dinner until 5pm, and it is a rush to the pantry for ideas.  I just stock my fridge and pantry with GOOD food. Real food.  My reasoning behind gravitating towards natural and preferably organic items is that I like fresh food, and I want my food to taste like it should.  For example, we eat frozen pizza often, and I am proud of it. Many meals of my week include various formulations of veggie burgers and french fries, pasta, and quinoa.  However, I take those meals and add lots of healthy fillers. I basically prefer my meals to have the basis of someone who is a vegetarian or vegan, but every once in awhile, I throw in some meat (In fact, some of my favorite restaurants are vegetarian or vegan).  My gluten free frozen pizza night, includes throwing toppings of fresh avocado, and spinach or kale on top. Then we eat it with our hands like a pizza sandwich.  It is so delicious and more filling. My veggie burgers are topped with any vegetable I have left in the fridge. Either fresh, or sautéed on the stove with oil.  I often prepare my french fries fresh from potatoes, mixed with olive oil and an assortment of spices (Almost all taste great. So don’t shy away! Paprika and turmeric add a great kick), and pink himalayan salt. When the fries are fresh out of the oven, I often toss them with fresh parmesan cheese.  The pasta I commonly make is created with a base of many variations of vegetables.  If the girl’s don’t like it, at least they tasted it, and in the future may grow to love it. Additionally, I am always roasting vegetables.  It is difficult and often expensive to constantly be running to the grocery store to stock up on fresh vegetables, so I keep many variations of frozen ingredients in our freezer. As I walk down the grocery aisle, I fill my cart with frozen veggies of every shape and color, so no matter what I make, I probably have something that will work. It is also cheaper than the produce aisle, and the vegetables are frozen at the peak of freshness and maturity, therefore maintaining the nutrition and flavor. Often times I just toss them with oil and salt, and put them in the oven until crispy.  It is delicious, and makes any vegetable taste more appetizing…most of the time…

This simple change is just to create awareness with what you are eating. Make it an unforgettable experience. Fill it with color, tastes, and flavors. Love food. Enjoy it. Make it about living. Smell that air?!?! It is time to make a change.

Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.

Val

The 10 ways I choose a lifestyle of health

I don’t focus on the details.  Like I said in my last post, I focus on simplifying my life.  I choose simple, basic, and wholesome ingredients.  I don’t go to a gym or use a trainer.  I don’t obsess about what I eat, how much I eat, and I never feel guilty over food.  That is not the point of living a healthy lifestyle.  It is about moving past the details, and just choosing to listen to your body, your mind, and your heart.

If anything I say is overwhelming or stressful, it is not for you. Find a place to start that makes you excited. For example, find a great hike, and go with a friend. Or listen to a playlist that makes you happy about what you are doing in that moment.  Focus on how you feel. Focus on the scenery. Focus on the view. Live the here and now. And I probably wouldn’t think about kale…

In today’s post, I would like to discuss 10 ways I choose a lifestyle of health:

  1. Do what makes you happy.  First, aim to get excited about being healthy. If you don’t like something, you will dread it and grow to despise doing it. A great example is how I feel about the gym. I don’t like it. Period! I don’t like how it smells.  I am not a fan of people staring at each other.  I don’t love that I jump on one of many treadmills lined up along a wall, and how the super stinky guy or the girl with too much perfume always manages to pick the machine next to me.  I also don’t like the way girls glare instead of encourage, and how the guys act like they are amazing enough to stare at themselves in the mirror. Get over yourself buddy! Also, it is so much work to get there.  By the time I get my kids in the car, park, get into the locker room to change, I am already hungry and have lost all motivation. Exercise or good food choices may always be a hurdle, but if it is doable and maybe even a part of day you get excited about, then you will keep it up.
  2. Learn to love to sweat.  The more you move, the more your body will learn to love it. Do it to feel good, not to change how you look. It sounds odd, but I know when my body needs to sweat.  My chest feels tight, and I feel like my body desires more than the stress of the day.  I am not thinking about how much I ate or how much cellulite has creeped onto my legs overnight. I am thinking about how good I feel when I take care of my mind, my body, and my heart.  I feel stronger for it in so many ways.  And I never think about how many calories I burned or whether I am going to look great in the new jeans I bought.  I think about how I feel when I am done. Proud and accomplished. And probably more sane.
  3. Don’t think about size or weight…think about HEALTH. I never weigh myself. I don’t count calories or fat. I choose things that make my body feel good. I want to be strong. I want to have energy. I want to sleep well. So I move my body every day, and I think of food as nutrition and fuel.
  4. Read packages for nutrition content, and if you don’t understand it, your body won’t either. I love fat-filled foods…avocado, oils (coconut, avocado, olive), whole fat cheese, almond/peanut butter…it really is found in all meals of my day. I use it to enhance the flavors of my food and fill me up. I also salt almost everything with Pink Himalayan salt.  It is nutrient dense and gives my body things it needs. Focus on quality foods and put things in your body that count. Often times, the less ingredients the better!
  5. Change your focus on meals. Food is a source of energy and a foundation to how your body functions. It should be enjoyed and considered, but not a center point. See food as a supply for what your body needs. The basis should be fruit and vegetables. It is essential for fiber and gut health. Let’s face it…pooping regularly is a great sign for how your body is functioning. But those essential foods should not be a stress. Find things you enjoy. You need your MIND to change, and your taste buds will follow.
  6. Stop focusing on how you look, and instead focus on how you feel. If you feel like crap…change something. Desire more for yourself because you deserve better. Your body is telling you something, and you are not listening.
  7. Never stuff yourself. Why would you? So you can feel terrible afterwards? Not worth it. Your body won’t use it, and it will probably all be poop later…because it’s crap!
  8. Watch out for blood sugar spikes. I really do eat very little sugar.  I broke that habit, and it honestly changed my life.  Sugar is addictive, and they have found people really do get a”high” off the feeling of eating it. I highly suggest removing as much of it from your diet as possible. It will not be easy, but once it is limited, you really will crave it less. Instead of feeling “high” when you consume it, you will feel like crap.  It has no nutrition content, and makes your body have a strong reaction.  Every time sugar is consumed, there is a spike in blood sugar, and insulin is released. If this occurs frequently, and your blood sugar takes the form of a roller coaster, your body will react negatively. With this, the risk for diabetes increases. Instant gratification can turn into a life-altering health condition in the future.  And if you do feel like a cookie or piece of cake every so often, timing is important.  Have a great meal and drink lots of water first. The spike will be less dramatic, and you may find a smaller amount will be more satisfying. If you do indulge, enjoy it! Having a treat is not to be followed by instant guilt or regret. It is a part of living and enjoying life.
  9. “Skinny.” Fat.” “Diet.” Words that are not in my vocabulary, and will not be spoken in our house. Period. Those words suck. “Strong and healthy” are the only words my girls will hear.
  10. Just LIVE. It doesn’t matter what you look like. If people around you think differently…get new friends! The only person you have to impress is yourself. If you were a good person today and felt loved…it was a good day. So live like it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.

Val