I'mmmm baaaaaaack!

It has been a while since I have written. Actually, I've allowed myself to be too busy and I haven't spent much time thinking about myself, but as they say, things they are achanging.

I have spent the week living a much different lifestyle than I usually do, at least with the way I am eating. I'm choosing to "eat clean". That is from a book called the Eat Clean Diet and it isn't so different from the way I've been feeding my family for many years except that I am leaving out anything processed and all refined sugars and flours. I have been buying and making organic foods for quite some time but I am really focusing on learning what to absolutely avoid and that will mean a search to completely buy organics or nothing. I say I'm trying so bear with me.

I would like to pass along an article you should find interesting from the CBS Early Show dated February 11, 2010 and it entitled "Chemicals in Food Can Make You Fat",

I would recommend all of you read this. It is very disturbing what the government is allowing in our food sources that are making us sick. Be aware and take the steps to change this in your families. If everyone began buying organic than the demand would go up as would supply

I must get some things done before the kids get home. I will keep you posted.

I shall venture forward and post my progress.

I read in the paper Sun. tips to help you stay on track with resolutions and I thought these were worthy of repeating:

Have a support system. The more people rooting for you the better.

Leave options open. Don't box yourself in by doing the same workout over and over. (I'm thinking a trip to an exotic island to run the beaches is what they mean!?!)

Hold yourself accountable. Keeping a journal is a good way to take an honest look at your choices. (ie: what excuses do you give yourself when you don't feel like working out or counting calories.) I will try to journal these. For me they are "I don't feel like it right now, I'll do it later, I'm too busy/tired, I hate to write things down because remember, I'm don't journal. You see coming to terms with what may have stopped you from reaching your goals in the past is key, so don't slip back into self-defeating patterns of behavior. In a study of 1500 people, participants keeping a food diary more than five days of the week lost almost twice as much weight as those who didn't, and were able to keep the weight off. Hmmmm, if it's good enough for 1500, it's good enough for me!

Be positive. Successful people are driven by two things: an unwavering belief in themselves and an excitement about the future. The way you talk to yourself can be empowering, energizing, keep you focused and motivated, or it can create stress and zap your energy. This self-talk is key with me. I think I have an unwavering belief in myself. I do in most things, but the result is that somewhere within myself I don't believe I can "do it" or am "worthy" or I wouldn't be overweight. But I can say I have the excitement for the future thing going on and that's why I'm doing this.

Use exercise as your stress buster. Stress is a major trigger for overeating, fatigue and subsequent avoidance of exercise. Being active keeps stress at bay. It also relieves depression and anxiety and reduces feelings of anger, sadness and irritability.

Be Patient. Allow yourself about three weeks for exercise to become a habit. If overweight (shut up), acknowledge it took time to get that way and it will take time for pounds and inches to be lost.

On average it takes about 12 weeks of diligent diet and exercise to see changes.

While aerobic exercise helps you lose weight, without regular resistance training, some of the weight you lose will be muscle. To help ensure body fat reduction instead of focusing only on scale weight, engage in strength training two to three times weekly.

This part wasn't in the newspaper articles, but is key for me. I rely on Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior to help me through tough times, especially when something in the core of me needs changing. This is scary for me, and for anyone changing a lifetime of habits. I trust that He will help renew me and He will give me the strength I need for a transformed mind, body and spirit.

Good advice and I shall remind myself of these, especially the self-talk. So, go Debbie go. Keep your goals in mind,. You can do it. You are worth it and there will be a payoff in the end that is much better than where you are at right now. Be inspired, change is hard but it can happen and it can become the new you.

I feel better and stronger already.

My very first blog post

Ok, so this is my very first blog post ever. I must admit to finding the process of getting a blog started to be a bit daunting, but I shall persevere. Thank you Karen for your patience and help in this.

So much to say, now where to begin....

I normally resist journaling I've never found it to be very therapeutic, although my friends would argue this point. I would like to begin my journey with the hopes that journaling my thoughts, insights and overall life experiences will help me to be more introspective, and therefore, help me be a better me in this second half of my life. I hope you find me as interesting as I find me. With that I shall sign off.