Praise God January is over!

Don't know why I am so glad it is January 31st but I am! I personally found January harder than the holidays this year..........especially in the living well dept! It felt like I was thinking so so much about eating right and so so much about my spiritual life I didn't do much to "live well". I did increase my time on the treadmill and I am now doing 44 minutes but I have to admit that it didn't feel like living well.....it felt like working hard. So now I am taking a deep breath and looking forward to the next 11 months and a more balanced attitude.
Happy New Year friends.
Carol

Recipe Swap

I tried this recipe the other day and everyone at our table was quite pleased with the results! I was looking for something for dinner that included the ingredients we had on hand in the kitchen - chicken, peppers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts. It was nice and light! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/11955

Yearly physical

You know that feeling of facing your yearly physical and dreading getting on that scale with all your clothes on and even your shoes!! If any of you remember that was the point many years ago when I was told I was too young to carry the weight I was carrying! My journey began at my doctor's office.
Well, yesterday was my yearly checkup and of course the dreaded encounter with the scale (the grey monster I called it in my first book)and the nurse before the doctor comes in happened as usual. And of course I deducted the numbers for my shoes and for my "heavy winter clothes" so the number was more acceptable to me.
Then my doctor came in and started his examination with my chart sitting on the table to his right and after about 5 or 6 minutes he said "so how much weight have you lost Carol"! I almost fell off the table. And I said "how did you know without looking a the chart for previous years". He responded very gently "I can see it in your face" Oh my word HAPPY NEW YEAR Carol I said to myself. What a gift of encouragement to me. And since I don't like January and hearing diet, diet, diet, and seeing men and women who have lost half their body weight this was just the gift I needed. Yup I am eating right, living well, and loving God for another year-----------hope it will show up next year when I have my physical.

Mark Twain

I found this on my desk this morning and it gave me a big smile!

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not. Mark Twain

Happy January.
Carol

January tips!

Every magazine, every t.v. show, and every newspaper tells me 'how to do it' And I get more discouraged than ever personally. I have to work very hard to keep my thoughts up higher during the month of January. The truth is January is no different than February or May or September when it comes to learning how to eat right. So reach for new insights from all these shows and magazines but make a choice not to get discouraged. Everyone's battle is different and you are you with your own set of emotions and needs. Let me tell you the tips that I have embraced for myself this January beyond what we have given you in the new book YOUR WHOLE LIFE:

Definitely eat breakfast within 45 minutes of getting up even if it is only fruit and protein.
Write in my food journal no matter what I have eaten not just on days I eat right!
Continue to weigh in regularly and record in my journal my weight.
I love apples so someone suggested eating one on the way home from work and I am going to try that. They also say apples could prevent certain cancers, lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. That puts me beyond the losing weight mentality.
Keep almonds and apricots in my desk drawer at work.

Shopping hint: Buy chicken breasts when they are on sale and cook them all at once and portion them out in refrigator and/or freezer . Great to have them available to throw on a salad, or stir fry, or add some grapes and make a chicken salad.

Have a good January