Oh, the places you'll go!

Today I gain inspiration from Dr. Suess as I do many times. As you set your new goals for the upcoming year reflect on the things you've accomplished. No! Don't think of your failures or you will feel  overwhelmed. Truely relect on all the good and happy things that have happened. Then set a goal for yourself that stretches out of your comfort zone. For the last month or so I have struggled with eating healthy and exercizing regularly which normally comes with the holidays. But I'm not going to reflect on that I am going to think of what I'm going to do to get back into the routine and getting back on track. And all the other accomplishment I've made and how I can push those a step further.

" You won't lag behind, because  you'll have the speed. You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of best. Wherever you go, you'll top all the rest. Except when you don't. Becasue sometimes, you won't. I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true that bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you." -Dr.Suess-

When you go out of your comfort zone at times you are going to "pass the whole gang" and take the lead. You'll have so much umph in you that you will top all the rest. But don't be discouraged by all the Bang-ups and Hang-ups. Remember how happy your past achievements have made you happy and have helped make you the best you can be. " and you will succeed? Yes! You will indeed! (98 and 3/4 guaranteed)...Today is your day! Your Mountain is waiting! So....get on your way!" -Dr Suess- Start making your goals and write them down. A wise person once told me "If you don't write it down, it's nothing but a dream." I know I'm going to fail some days and I know I will feel defeated but I know tommorrow is a new day.

I encourage all of you again to write it down! Just as I encourage it must do and I will tell you what my goals are.

1. Eat at least a fruit and a veggie a day
2. Run a half a marathon with my dad
3. Exercise at least 4 times a week
4. Go out to eat only 3 times a month

One more suggestion make sure you make realistic goals but also ones that will stretch you. I wish you all good luck and happy goal making!! Make sure to post your goals and we will talk about them and encourge and celebrate throughout the year!!

-Tori- 

Tis' the Season

Hey everyone sorry i haven't blogged for a while life gets busy sometimes. Todays blog is on how to get through the holiday seasons without ruining all your hard work. Don't just think "oh it's ok it's the holidays, I can eat whatever I want." If you think that then you are bound to fail. And don't think you are depriving yourself either.

Here's what you can do if you are in a party or hard holiday situation. Rate the food. I know you just as everyone else wants to go pig out but if you do that you'll end up regreting it later in the day. When you get there say there's brownies, a plate full of chocolates and some carmel. So from 1-10, 10 being the best which would be your 10? Which one is going to be worth all of it's calories? Then get a plate and place that one thing on a plate then leave where the food is and socialize. Only eat what is on your plate and don't go back for seconds. If you feel like seconds just put it on your plate and take it home where you most likely will forget about it and not eat it.

Now here is a guilt free holiday treat :)

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies ( Don't worry they are delish!)

1 cup     canned 100% pumpkin
1 cup     Splenda or atltern (sugar substitute and really yummy!)
1/2 cup   Applesauce (this replaces oil)
1/4 cup   Egg Beaters (Doesn't change flavor at all)
2 cups     flour ( you can use white or wheat. if you use wheat use 1 1/2 cups)
2 teas      Baking powder
1 teas       Baking soda
2 teas      Cinnimon
1/2 teas    Salt ( you can use no salt)
1 tab        Vanilla
11/2 cups  Dark Chocolate chips


Hope you enjoy and Happy Holidays!

HIGH QUALITY H2O

Water is such an important aspect to our lives as we go about each day, especially if you are trying to exercise and eat healthy. We don't really know how just drinking water can affect our bodies but in reality it aid every aspect of our bodies! " Men should consume 120 ounces of water a day and women should consume 80 ounces." Jillian Michaels. There are many things though that can make us have to drink more than that like exercising.  You should consume 12 ounces of water 2 hours before working out, then 4 to 8 ounces while working out. Finally when it's all over with you should then consume 12 ounces of water within 30 minutes after of your workout. This is because of how much you are sweating; you need to replenish your body. Another thing to know ( all you caffeine lovers out there!) you should consume 8 ounces of water for every caffeinated beverage you drink. So maybe next time you want to grab that Dr. Pepper or Mt.Dew you'll think of how much water you're going to have to drink to get it out of your system. Also when you drink caffeine it dehydrates you and leaves you at a sugar low. If you're skeptical about drinking that much water just try it and see how you feel that day. Get a water bottle fill it up with H20 and make it your best friend, take it where ever you go and in turn it will leave you feeling healthier, hydrated and having more energy!

MOTIVATION

What is it that drives us? What is it that makes us get up in the morning or makes us feel good everyday? This is what everyone needs to find for themselves to help motivate them to accomplish their goals and dreams. It could be both your spouse and your children or it could be wanting to have a rockin bod for that bikini you just bought; whatever the case might be make sure before you start what you've written down of your goals and dreams, to find what is going to motivate you through it. When you're on the floor and you think you can't do that one last crunch or that last push up think about: why am I doing this? Don't think about what you are doing at the time think about the future and how good you're going to feel after you are all done and you can feel well accomplished. Here is a quote by Jullian Micheals ( my idol):
                                          
                                                  " Break the 'all or nothing' mentality; you're not on a diet,
                                                     you're establishing a pattern of health. Move your body
                                                     every day to take care of yourself."

And that's what we surley need to do is to find the moviation and forget any of our past failures and to look forward and take it one step at a time to establish a pattern of health. This will in turn make our lives so much more happier and enjoyable.

THE BEGGINING

       Everything has a beggining, a middle and an end. So I guess you would say today is the beggining of this blog and there will be a middle but the difference is that there will never be an end. Just like this blog is beggining for us with this adventure of striving to live a healthier life style. We all have dreams and goals to have better physical fitness and to have a healthy diet but what are we doing to achieve those goals and dreams? 
        I've always been worried about what I'm eating and what I'm doing physically but not till recently have I taken action. I've started to be more aware  of what I eat more than worrying and I've been more concious about being more active than being scared of not being active. My first step was to write down those goals and dreams I had for myself because without writting them down they will remain nothing but dreams. Then I had to come to the realization that sometimes I'm going to fall and make mistakes but if I take it one day at a time and pick myself back up I can achieve my goals and dreams. So today I encourage all of you to write down what your goals are for your physical wellbeing. Make sure they are atainable and not so far fetched that you won't ever be able to accomplish them.Even if it's just simple like eating a healthier breakfast and walking one hour a day and doing that for a week and then the next week adding something ontop of that. Accomplishing your goals and dreams is just the beggining; then you start believeing in yourself!