Shine Update

 

Dear Friends,
If you remember my focus this year is to SHINE.  You can read more about that HERE. 

One of the things in my life that has been lacking is to "shine" upon myself and to really care for myself.  I need to lose some weight and get my blood pressure in check.  I've made a focus in working to get in 10,000 steps each day and to really change my eating habits to real or natural foods.

Let me begin by saying that since December 29th I've lost 8.5 pounds.  I want to lose a total of 25.

With Emily, our middle child who is 17, having dealt with Lyme's disease as well as Hashimoto's disease, she has made radical changes to her diet.  She is quite disciplined as she knows how much better it really makes her feel to eat foods in their natural state.  I've always felt nutrition is important, but it has been a weakness of mine to reach for the sweets (after every meal) and I love bread.  Emily has been a huge source of inspiration to me.

I've done my best to cut out as many processed foods as I can.  My next step is to make more of my own salad dressings.  I've cut out most all simple sugars (candy etc.) and have cut way back on the complex sugars (rice, oatmeal, bread).  In fact, I'm limiting the complex sugars to one meal a day.  Finally I've basically eliminated anything fried as well.  I've given myself a one meal a week as a freebie or a treat meal in which I can have a dessert.  Side note here:  I used to work as a nurse at a weight loss center.  I know what to do, it is just the mind set of DOING it that is difficult.

For the last couple of months I've been wearing my pedometer.  It is surprisingly difficult to get 10,000 steps in each day.  If it is a quiet day, I'll normally get 4,500 to 5,000 steps.  If it is a clean the house day I get in about 6,000 steps.  If it is a shopping day I get in about 7,000 to 8,000 steps.  This means I have to do some intentional walking/exercise each and every single day. 

I'm doing it.  I'm working hard to care for myself.  I'm worth it.  I'm shining.

God Bless,
Nancy