Tag: acceptance

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Five Steps to Stop Eating Foods that Your Mouth Loves but Your Body Hates

I’m guilty! You probably are, too! Guilty of what, you ask? Eating foods you know good and well you need to leave alone. After the last time I did it, I realized that I just can’t do it any more. I didn’t jot anything down at the time, but I later realized that I’d created a system that any one can follow. I’m calling it five steps to stop eating foods that your mouth loves but your body hates.

I think it’s pretty safe to say that everyone has some type of food that they should avoid for a variety of reasons. I’m not really referring to food allergies here, though. For those us with food allergies, we know what consuming something we’re allergic to can do. Typically, we avoid those foods at all costs…unless the reaction is minor.

I’m talking about people who have developed intolerances to food that they used to be able to eat with no problem. Or someone who has hypertension, so they really need to avoid foods that will elevate their blood pressure. There could be someone with indigestion, acid reflux or irritable bowel syndrome who needs to be careful.

I could keep going, but I’m sure you get the point. There are people from all walks of life who have grown quite comfortable eating foods that they shouldn’t, and they suffer the consequences. We see them, and we know them. We might even be them.

There’s that one guy who can’t resist getting a Rocky Road Milkshake when he’s knows it’s going to tear up his stomach.

How about the girl who loves the sweet, spicy and savory song that Jamaican Jerk Chicken plays on her tongue, knowing that her chest will feel like it’s on fire soon after she’s done?

Or me if I decided to raid that candy stash at work before deciding that I’d rather be able to move freely than eat that much sugar.

When I talked about how to kick your sugar habit last week, I didn’t realize that I’d followed specific steps that can work for anyone who needs to release a certain food for the betterment of their body. I’ll list them in order before breaking them down.

Five Steps to Stop Eating Foods that Your Mouth Loves but Your Body Hates

  1. Choose an Accountability Measure
  2. Pause and Think
  3. Consider the Outcome
  4. Find an Alternative
  5. Broadcast Your Success

1. Choose an Accountability Measure

If you know that you’re going to struggle, you need to start by finding someone or something that will hold you accountable.

Choose a person. Make a chart. Do something that will keep you motivated.

It doesn’t have to be major, but make it something that will keep you on track.

2. Pause and Think

I think this is where most of us mess up…at least that’s the case for me. Sometimes we grab for things because they’re right there. Or we’re bored. We might even be a bit stressed. But it’s really important to stop, think, and maybe have a conversation with yourself…literally…like talk to yourself out loud even if others can hear you.

Things to ask yourself: Is this the right time for me to be eating this? Do I even really want this? Why do I feel like I have to have this right now. Maybe there’s something else I can do instead of eat this. I’m going to leave this here for now; if it’s still here when I get back, maybe I’ll get it?

It’s highly likely that after you’ve had an indepth conversation with yourself about all that, you won’t even want the thing anymore. If you’re still thinking about it, move to the next step.

Following the Five Steps will help you avoid this level of discomfort.

3. Consider the Outcome

Really think about how you’re going to feel if you do this. Will it set you back? Will you need to take time off work or have to spend time alone when your family is having fun because of that you’re about to eat. Is it even worth it?

Before you eat that thing consider what’s going to happen: heartburn, hives, gas, migraines?

Is it worth it? Probably not, so put it down. And walk away.

4. Find an Alternative

There’s always another option, a better option. Avoid the candy dish. Buy healthy treats. Take a walk. Chew some gum. Eat a carrot. Drink some water.

I know some of those are silly, but if you know that you’re going to be tempted when you’re out with friends you have two options: either eat the thing and suffer the consequences or come prepared with an alternative.

I actually thought of a third option – not hanging out with your friends, but that wouldn’t work for most people.

5. Broadcast Your Success

Those you know you know your struggle. They’re the ones looking at you with concern when you’re about to eat something even they know you shouldn’t eat. They probably don’t like the idea of you being in pain, and I bet they wonder why you keep doing it to yourself.

When you get to that point where you’re done eating those things, let people know.

Can you imagine how proud of you they’ll be with you just say know to the foods your body hates. Who knows? It might even make them more conscious of the places they go. They may avoid certain place when they hang with you because they want you to continue making positive food choices.

Will she follow the five steps to stop eating foods that your mouth loves but your body hates?

Stay the Course

Food is really comforting. Sometimes it feels nice to let you tastebuds take you down memory lane and travel back to a time and place where life was just easier. Unfortunately, those comfort taste can result in extreme discomfort for some of us.

I know it’s hard. Seriously, I do! I wanted a cupcake so badly yesterday, but I got a pedicure instead.

Having these five steps to stop eating foods that your mouth loves but your body hates is our first pathway to success.. You can do this! We can do this.

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Today is World Sjögren’s Day

July 23rd is World Sjögren’s Day

About a month ago, I learned that July 23rd is World Sjögren’s (pronouced SHOW-grins) Day. When I realized that it falls on a Wednesday, it occurred to me that it’s the perfect way to relaunch my Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in!

If you’re new here the phrase “Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in” is a double entendre…only without the risqué element. Wednesday is the day of the week where I weigh in, as in give my opinion, on some topic related to health and fitness. It’s also the day that I encourage people to step on the scale to weigh themselves. (Honestly, I think you should weigh yourself every day, but that’s a story for another time.)

It may seem random for me mention that today is World Sjögren’s Day when I haven’t weighed in on any other type of medical condition. But this day focused on awareness of and education about Sjögren’s Disease, an autoimmune disease that many people haven’t heard of.

I figured the best person to talk about World Sjögren’s Day is someone who has Sjögren’s Disease…that would be me.

July 23. Hand writing text World Sjogren’s Day on calendar date. Save the date. Important date. Holiday. Day of the year concept.

Learning of My Sjögren’s Diagnosis

I learned of my diagnosis in 2023, but I was already familiar with a host of other autoimmune diseases and conditions. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had what I referred to as popsicle fingers and toes. When I got really cold, I lost circulation in my fingers and toes. The insides of my hands would go from a healthy looking color to white and then purple, and I couldn’t feel them. They were frozen, for lack of a better word. Thawing them out was a really painful process. I thought that happened to everyone, but it was just worse for me since I was really cold-natured.

One day a co-worker noticed my hands and said, “Oh! You have Raynaud’s!” I had no idea what she was talking about, but after doing a little research and getting tested, I learned that I did have Raynaud’s Syndrome, which is an autoimmune condition. When I get cold or have contact with cold objects, my circulatory system goes crazy and tells my brain to stop sending blood to my fingers and toes resulting in those popsicle fingers.

Upon receiving that diagnosis in 2005, my rheumatologist conducted further testing to see if Raynaud’s was a primary or secondary condition. He said that it’s rare that a person simply has one autoimmune condition. I disclosed that I had scalp psoriasis, but he still conducted further testing, and I tested positive for Lupus. Fast forward ten years, I was never diagnosed with full blown Lupus, but my ANA (antinuclear antibody) numbers were extremely high. Despite that super high number, my doctor at the time wasn’t concerned. He said that was just part of who I am.

I relocated to a different state in 2019 and let my new doctor know what the first doctor said about that high number. He accepted it without hesitation. Some time in late 2021, one of my sisters let me know that she has Alopecia, and asked if I’d been diagnosed. I’d always had hair growth issues, but had never been tested. I went to a dermatologist who confirmed that I have Alopecia Areata, but she wanted to know why. She really didn’t like that high ANA result, so she kept testing and discovered that I have Sjogren’s Disease. Believe it or not, I was relieved, because it answered so many questions for me.

What is Sjögren’s Disease?

According to The Sjögren’s Foundation, “Sjögren’s is a systemic autoimmune disease that affects the entire body. Along with symptoms of extensive dryness, other serious complications include profound fatigue, chronic pain, major organ involvement, neuropathies and lymphomas.”

As you may know, autoimmune diseases like Sjögren’s causes the body to attack itself. Though The Sjögren’s Foundation does provide a pretty comprehensive list of symptoms, they preface that section of their website by saying that each person with Sjögren’s experiences the disease differently. Some of the most common experiences and symptoms are featured in the image below. You’ll notice that one of the main symptoms is dryness of the eyes, nose, throat, mouth and skin.

As my doctor from over a decade ago indicated, it’s pretty rare for someone to only have Sjögren’s Disease. In fact The Sjögren’s Foundation has a list of the most common autoimmune diseases that accompany Sjögren’s. That list includes but is not limited to Lupus, Scleroderma, Raynaud’s, Sinusitis and Hypertension.

Sjogrens syndrome vector illustration. Dry body autoimmune disease. Labeled medical explanation with moisture producing glands. Symptoms, diagnosis and consequences.

Sjögren’s Disease and Me

As I mentioned earlier, when I learned of my Sjögren’s diagnosis a few years ago, I was relieved. That may seem strange to some people, especially after they learn what it is. However, it helped me understand what I was going through.

Prior to my diagnosis, I was beginning to feel like my body was falling apart. I had little very little energy, and I was exhausted all the time, but I couldn’t sleep very well. I had sinusitis so much that when I went to the doctor, I told them what was wrong and let them know what. My joints were hurting. I couldn’t run like a used. I’ve actually fallen a few times while teaching fitness classes. I would have nosebleeds at the most random times. There was pain, weakness and tingly sensations on left side of my body. I thought I was going crazy. But I wasn’t. I just had an autoimmune disease.

I also realized that my digestive issues, high blood pressure, Raynaud’s and nearly all of the other “random” things I had aren’t random. They are all tied to Sjögren’s Disease.

Autoimmune disorders diseases in human body. Symptoms of illness when the immune system attacks joints, blood, skin or internal organs. Medical poster with male silhouette flat vector illustration.

Living With an Invisible Disability

As someone who is living with an invisible disability, I’m learning to take care of myself and I’m also learning to advocate for myself.

I know that I don’t look like a person with a cluster of autoimmune diseases. In fact, my current doctor frequently says that my physical appearance doesn’t match my bloodwork. That’s how autoimmune diseases work. Many of us with Sjögren’s Disease suffer in silence because people don’t understand what we’re going through and we don’t look sick.

I want to be clear in stating that my symptoms haven’t changed, in fact, they’re a bit worse. I still have left side weakness. I’m exhausted most of the time. Something almost always hurts. I still have nosebleeds on occasion. It takes my body longer to recover after intense exercise, so I had to cut my fitness teaching schedule down from eight classes a week to three. The major difference is what I do. I’ve learned how to manage my symptoms.

There is no cure for Sjögren’s Disease, but there are certain things that I do to help with my symptoms.

  1. I drink a TON of water to stay hydrate and help alleviate the dryness in my body.
  2. I use eye drops and nasal drops, probably for obvious reasons.
  3. I have a humidifier that I really need to use more often. I also have a small one for travelling.
  4. I stretch every single day to keep my muscles and joints flexible.
  5. I tend to wear my glasses way more than I wear my contacts because the contacts dry out my eyes.
  6. I do at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity almost every day because it’s good for my heart, and it help me fight fatigue.
  7. I consume far less caffeine, meat, sugar, and carbohydrates than I used to because I noticed that my body feels better and performs better when I use those things sparingly.
  8. Most importantly, I listen to my body and rest when it tells me to.

Your Next Steps

Today is World Sjögren’s Day! It’s a day that’s devoted to bring awareness to an autoimmune disease that many don’t know about. You might not have Sjögren’s Disease, but now you know someone who does.

Please help me spread awareness by sharing this post.

Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: it’s just a number. Our weight fluctuates, so if it goes up, down or nowhere, we’re still AWESOME!

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How to Finally Kick Your Sugar Habit Forever

Kick Your Sugar Addiction text on notepad, concept background

Three Strategies to Finally Kick Your Sugar Habit Forever

I have a sweet tooth…a HUGE one. Sugar is my biggest weakness. Sometimes I think of myself as client and tell myself, “You really need to kick your sugar habit.”

This has been a struggle for a really long while. About 15 years ago, I tested positive for Lupus, and my doctor wanted to discuss treatment plans. I wasn’t interested in taking more medications, so I went to someone else for a second opinion. That physician suggested an elimination diet to determine if my symptoms were the result of what I was eating. He told me to eat a diet that consisted of no meat, no grains, no dairy, no caffeine and no refined sugar. I literally said, “Umm…sugary substance is my main food group.” (He didn’t think that was funny.)

As I’ve gotten older and have learned of some major health issues that I have, I’ve come to see the need to kick my sugar habit forever. I wanted to share my strategies with you.

Quit Cold Turkey

Sometimes the best way to kick your sugar habit is to just stop eating sugar. Don’t schedule a day to start a sugar detox. Or have one last sugar binge. Just stop.

I’m sure the people close to you are aware of your love of sugar, so you might want to let them know of your recent decision. Feel free to ask them to hold you accountable.

I actually did this a few months ago. I let my family members and co-workers know that I was not allowing myself to eat any candy other than peppermints. I was really surprised at how successful it was. Knowing that people were going to ask me about my candy consumption really motivated me to stay away.

My only regret was that I didn’t include baked goods in that phase of kicking my sugar habit.

Portrait of woman wearing sportswear while refusing to eat sweet food by kicking a pile of donuts

Stop Buying (and Baking) Treats

This strategy for kicking your sugar habit seems pretty obvious, right? I mean, if you don’t buy the cupcakes, they won’t be in the house, so you won’t eat them! And if you don’t bake the cookies…well, you get the idea.

I don’t know what happens to you when you bake or buy treats, but I can tell you what happens to me. I’m fortunate in that I have food allergies. Why is that GOOD thing? I don’t have as many options for baked good and sweet treats as the average person. Unfortunately, I still have plenty of options.

After giving up candy for a while, I bought a package of my favorite gluten free vanilla sandwich cookies. That package should have last me at least a week, if I only consumed one serving size a day. Sadly, that’s not what happened. It pains me to say this, but those cookies were gone within 36 hours. The same thing happens when I bake cookies.

Whether I bake them or buy them, I plan to eat a few and give the rest away. However, once they make contact with my taste buds, it’s like my brain can’t stop. I’ve learned that it’s just best for me to stop buying them and stop baking them.

Consume Natural Sugars Instead

All sugars aren’t created equally. Eating a banana and an apple every day can result in amazing things happening in your body. However eating banana laffy taffy and caramel apple suckers everyday, might not be so good for you.

I’ve discovered that switching that my brain and taste buds don’t know the difference between natural sugars and refined sugars. To them sweets are sweets. So when I make a smoothie out of frozen fruit, pineapple juice and a tablespoon of honey, I’m able to satisfy that sugar craving in a way that’s actually helpful for my body.

Sometimes I freeze blueberries and pop them in my mouth like their skittles. My brain may think that I’m tasting the rainbow, but I’m loading up on antioxidants that are going to help reduce inflammation in my body. It’s a total win-win.

Choose What Works for You

I hope this post doesn’t make you think that I’ve conquered my sugar habit complete. It’s still a work in progress. I’ve been doing this in three phases as outlined above.

Do I still eat candy? Not often. I know that when I have a piece of candy – any candy – there’s like a little trigger in my brain that need more and more and MORE. If I really want some candy, I opt for sugar free gum. It’s sweet and only about 5 or 10 calories, so it’s not terrible for me.

What about baked goods? I can’t remember the last time I baked something. Come Christmas, I know that I’ll bake my signature peppermint sugar cookies, but I may do that a family members home, so the cookies can stay with them. On occasion, I may buy a slice of cake or a cookie from a local gluten free spot. However, I’ve noticed that my tastes are changing, and I don’t really care for those treats any more.

Natural sugars seem to be my sweet spot. (No pun intended.) I’ve even discovered lemon blueberry muffin Greek yogurt that’s delightfully tasty and much better for me than any muffin could.

If you need (or want) to finally kick your sugar habit forever and you don’t know where to start, pick one the options and try it. Doesn’t matter if you try it for a day, a week or a month. Just put it to the test. You might be surprised with your results.

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Three Amazing Benefits of Fitness Challenges

Three Amazing Benefits of Fitness Challenges

Did you know that there are three amazing benefits of fitness challenges?

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with fitness challenges. I introduced the 28 for 28 Challenge last month. Before that, I did a Firm It Up Challenge, although I didn’t mention it here. Sunday, I mentioned the March 2023 Flexibility Challenge that starts today!

About a week ago, I did a quick Google search because I wasn’t sure what I wanted my March challenge to be. I was surprised to see that there were a ton of fitness challenges out there. Although I didn’t opt for one of the challenges I saw, I couldn’t help but wonder why in the world there were so many fitness challenges.

Then it hit me: no one wants to do anything alone. I mean that’s precisely why I invited people to join my flexibility challenge.

When I thought about it a bit more, I realized there are three amazing benefits of fitness challenges .

Benefit #1: Community

We were built for community. Even the most introverted person needs to be around people every now and again. The same is true in the fitness world. People go to the gym, join teams and attend fitness class because they’re not alone.

It’s the same reason why people join fitness challenges: they want to do great thing and meet their fitness goals, but they want some help along the way. Even if they don’t meet in real life, people who participate in the same fitness challenges have a special camaraderie and build a sense of community. They can relate to one other.

Benefit #2: Accountability

Because there’s a built in community within fitness challenges, people will notice if you go silent or stop showing up. They may tease you or give you a hard time, but it’s all in good fun. As the saying goes, “misery loves company,”, so they want you to suffer with them.

The fact that you’re participating in a fitness challenge may actually encourage you to keep pushing and not miss a day because it feels like they’re watching. And you don’t want to let the team down.

Benefit #3: Contagious Success

When it comes to fitness challenges that have a strong sense of community and accountability, there is a great deal of posting and sharing personal success. When you see the success of those around you, it makes you strive for success.

Sometimes you want to catch up with them. Other times you want to surpass them. In all cases, seeing the success of other is something that spurs you on to be better.

Go All In

In order for you to get the most out of fitness challenges, you HAVE to go all in! Post your successes and your failures. Comment of other people’s post. Encourage those who started the journey but have been missing in action.

Whether you find the perfect fitness challenge online, create your own challenge or join me for my March 2023 Flexibility Challenge, do it full scale.

If you do want to join my Flexibility Challenge, please use the social media links below to register. Please note: since it’s alive stream class, the link will be different every day. However, you will get to participate for free all month if you use the student code…which won’t change.

Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s success!

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Three Reasons You Should Listen to Your Body

Three Reasons You Should Listen to Your Body

Nearly a month ago, I introduced the 28 for 28 Challenge. I announced that my goal was to swim for 28 minutes every day in February. After my first week, I had to stop. I got really sick, and I learned that there are three reasons you should listen to your body.

The last thing I wanted to do was stop swimming. For seven days in a row, I’d woken up at 3:15 am in order to get to the Y, by 4:30 for my swim. I was developing a habit and feeling really proud of myself.

But something happened on Day 8. I could not get out of bed. It’s not like I just popped out of bed on the previous seven days, but I didn’t have it in me. So I slept in, and made plans to swim later that day. Unfortunately, as the day progressed, I felt worse and worse.

I was a sniffling, sneezing, runny nose mess, so there was no way I would be able to swim. In fact, I couldn’t swim for the next five days.

Motivated young woman pulling a red banner with success word overcoming a failure

Feeling Like a Failure

Needless to say, I felt like a failure. I was really disappointed that I couldn’t push through. I should have been able to make it.

Then it occurred to me that what I considered a failure was actually a major success. Why? Because I listened to my body.

That got me thinking about why that’s so important, and I came up with three reasons you should listen to your body.

Reason #1: Prevent Injury

When I was in college, my dad injured the same shoulder several times. One injury was the result of his job as a letter carrier. I’m not sure if that one could have been prevented. However, the other one was completely preventable.

My dad was known for being a sprinter. There were a few teenaged boys who challenged him to a race. He was in his late forties or early fifties at the time. In his own words, he knew that he had “no business racing a group of kids”. However, he chose to ignore what his body was telling him. As a result, he fell and injured his shoulder.

There are definitely times when it’s okay to push through. Sometimes we definitely need to challenge our fitness levels. However, if you’re thinking that you should hold back or avoid doing something: that just might be your body’s way of helping you prevent an injury.

Reason #2: Promote Healing

Did you know that too much activity simply isn’t good for you? If you were to do a simple google search, it wouldn’t take long for you to find thousands of articles illustrating that point.

Sometimes when you’re not feeling your workout, especially if you’re recovering from injury or getting over an illness, it could be your body’s way of letting you know that you need to take a little time to heal. It would re ally be a great idea to listen.

Reason #2: Preserve Rest

Sometimes I over do it. I’m committed to getting my own forty-five minutes of fitness, even on days when I teach multiple classes. I also work on new content for my classes each week, which requires more exercise.

Maybe that’s not something you can relate to, but I’m sure you might over do things, too. Maybe you go through seasons where you stay up too late, but you still wake up really early the next day. Or there’s so much going on that you get caught in the cycle of eating too much junk food or not eating at all.

During those time when we overdo it, we may still be committed to fitness. So we opt to workout, when we’re really too tired to do so.

It’s possible that our exhaustion is a signal from our body’s that we should take the time to get the rest that we need.

Being Good Listeners

Listening to your body isn’t always easy. Especially when you’re being prompted sit down and not do anything. The alternative is much worse. Pushing though when you need to stop, returning to activity before you’ve fully recovered or not getting adequate rest are all detrimental to our health. Ignoring our body’s messages about slowing down could result in permanent injury. No one wants that.

We have to learn how to listen…even if it means we won’t be able to meet an original goal. We’ll just have to revise the goal.

As for my 28 for 28 Challenge, I’m still in it. I had to double up a few days last week, but I’m all caught up now. I won’t swim 28 minutes every day, but it will average out. Hopefully, I won’t miss anymore days this month. But if my body lets me know I need to rest again, you better believe, I’m going to listen.

What about you?

Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s success!

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How One Healthy Decision Creates Three Amazing Outcomes

How One Healthy Decision Creates Three Amazing Outcomes

If you haven’t been here long, you may not know that I believe that life is all about choices. The decisions we make are a direct result of those choices. And our lives are a reflection of those choices. I recently discovered how one healthy decision creates three amazing outcomes.

I’ll explain what I mean when I say “healthy decision” because those words could mean different things to different people. I’m pretty sure that all of us know what it means to make a decision However, it’s the word “healthy” that may be a bit confusing or ambiguous.

In short, when I use the word “healthy”, I’m referring to anything that has to do with your personal health. It could be financial health, mental health, physical health or nutritional health.

So when I say “healthy decision”, I mean an intentional choice to do something that will positively impact your health. However, it could also be an intentional choice to stop doing something that negatively impacts your health.

The Background

In October of 2022, I made a decision to drink more water. At the time, I had a half gallon jug that I carried pretty much everywhere. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, I hadn’t consumed much water. I felt like such a hypocrite. I was ALWAYS talking about drinking more water. But I wasn’t doing what I told others to do.

I won’t get too deep into the steps I took, but I figured it out. I can’t say that I drink half a gallon of water every day, but I do drink way more water than I did last fall.

That one healthy decision – to drink more water – has created three outcomes that I didn’t expect. First, I’ll tell you what I looked like for me. Then I’ll explain how it could look for you.

Fitness background with bottle of water, apple, dumbbells, nuts, and tape measure on pink table

More Movement

Initially, the idea of drinking half a gallon of water each day was intimidating, but now it’s extremely attainable. Since I met that goal, I looked for more ways to challenge myself. I decided on a movement goal: 45 minutes of personal exercise each day.

I’m a fitness instructor who teaches six to eight classes, but when I’m teaching I’m not exercising. That’s not my time.

Finding time to get my personal workout done is impossible. I have to MAKE the time, to wake up early or move things around in my schedule to get it done. There are times when it doesn’t happen, but most of the time, it does.

More Rest

When I decided to get more exercise, I realized that would only happen if I woke up earlier eat day. That meant I would have to go to bed a little earlier, so I could wake and exercise at the beginning of the day.

Sleeping in means I won’t have time to work out early. If I don’t make time in the morning, I can almost guarantee that it won’t happen for me later in the day.

Because I know what time I need to get up in order to get to the gym in time for my swim or get out the door for my run, I know that I have to be in bed by a certain time in order for me to get the amount of sleep that I need. So I’m actually getting more rest than I did this time a year ago, even a few months ago.

Better Food Choices

Since I’m exercising more, I’m actually a lot hungrier than I have been, and that makes sense. I’m burning more calories, so my body needs more fuel to sustain itself. I find that I’m gravitating toward foods that are rich in fiber, anti-inflammatory and full of nutrients.

I want foods that are going to stick with me not bring my energy levels up way high before sending them crashing down. I’m not saying that I never eat junk food, but I’m more interested in the good stuff nowadays.

Will It Work For You?

If you had sat me down a few back in November and told me that I come mid-February, I’d be experiencing a snowball effect healthy outcomes based on my decision to drink more water, I wouldn’t have believed you. I think it will work for you to.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying that if you decide to drink more water, you will have the exact same three positive outcomes that I have.

I am saying that positive healthy choices propel you forward and provide stepping stones that snowball into other things.

For example, suppose your healthy decision is to spend one less hour scrolling through social media each night. Maybe you use the extra time to pick up a hobby that you put down . That could lead to a clearer mind and better self-awareness.

The outcomes aren’t the focus; it’s the healthy decision that starts the ball rolling.

So figure it out. What’s that one healthy decision you’ve been putting off? Take care of that. Focus on that decision and only that decision. Before long, you’ll find yourself surrounded by more positive outcomes than you can count.

As always, I’m here to help if you need me.

Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s success!

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Can I Eat After 8:00 pm?

Is it okay to eat after 8:00 pm?

I was always that if you eat after 8:00 pm, you’ll gain weight. Your body simply won’t have time to burn off the calories before you go to sleep.

As a result, I went to bed without eating quite often. However, I’d wake up between 11 pm and 2 pm, ravenously hungry. Then head to the kitchen to get something to eat, not caring where the calories went. I should note that eating after 8:00 pm didn’t cause me to gain weight.

Who Placed Deadlines on Daily Meals?

I’m not sure who came up with the magical time of 8:00 pm for evening meals to cease. I’m guessing it was a dietician or doctor who conducted a study. I would bet that the findings were for a specific group of people. It probably also had something to do with when people went to bed.

Someone probably took those results and applied them to the general population. Because the statement was backed by science, people assumed it had to be true for all people. But I would counter that.

As I’ve mentioned before, every exercise isn’t for everybody. In like manner, every bit of nutrition advice isn’t for every one either.

Why Am I So Hungry At Night?

Before we go any further, let’s discuss a few reasons that you may be hungry when you’re winding down for the day. There are two many reasons.

You’re actually thirsty.

I think I’ve mentioned this before, but the body doesn’t have a clear signal to let you know that you’re thirsty. Sometimes your stomach growls when you’re in need of liquids, but you think you’re hungry.

If it’s later in the evening and you feel hungry, drink 12 to 16 ounces of water and then wait 20 minutes. If the hunger returns, follow the guidelines listed later in this post. If if doesn’t, head to bed. You were just thirsty.

You’re under your calorie count for the day.

If you count your calories, then you know precisely how much you can eat at any point in the day. However, if you’re not a calorie counter, you may be surprised that you’re hungry at an odd time.

If you’re significantly under your calorie consumption for the day, your body will let you know. But you shouldn’t just eat anything.

Balance is the Key

I think everyone knows that they key to a healthy lifestyle is balance. Whether we’re discussing your work/life balance, a balanced diet or making time for both friends and family. Too much of one thing – good or bad – simply isn’t healthy.

If you’re wondering, “Can I eat after 8:00 pm?” The answer is, “Yes.”

If your next question is, “Won’t that make me gain weight?” The answer is, “It depends?”

What you choose to eat after 8:00 pm is just as important as what you chose to eat at 1:30 pm.

When choosing something to eat later at night, consider the foods that you’ve eaten through out the day. You may also opt for something healthy, like fruits or nuts.

Choosing What to Eat After 8:00 pm

If you’ve determined that you need to eat something after 8:00 pm, choose wisely.

If you have left over chicken fried rice or lobster ravioli, those might be a little too heavy if you’re going straight to bed. However, if that’s what you have a taste for, perhaps you could take a couple of bites and drink 8 ounces of water.

The best options for eating later at night are fresh fruits and vegetables along with some thing light.

Gaining weight if you eat after 8:00 pm doesn’t have to happen. If you make healthy eating choices for those late night cravings, you’ll be just fine!

Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s success!

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Change One Thing At a Time

Seriously?!? Just Change One Thing at a Time?

I sense the quizzical looks and imagining that you’re trying to figure out what that means. You have way too many things to accomplish to be trying to change one thing at a time. You’re a masterful multi-tasker like me, right?

Just hang tight! I promise that you will see how important it is to change one thing at a time very soon.

Road-Trip Reading

I read a ton…like a lot. Admittedly, my day job as a librarian at an elementary school is one of the reasons I’m such an avid reader. However, I fell in love with the written word LONG before I became a library media specialist.

Because I always have an incredibly long list of books to read, there are times when I opt for an audiobook rather than books with pages.

Just so we’re clear: listening to an audiobook still counts as reading a physical book. I haven’t quite figure out how it’s possible, but whenever I finish a book – whether digital or physical – I have the same smack your lips, {{deep-sigh}}, -that was SO good feeling.

In December of 2022, I finished my road-trip book. I’m not sure why I only read (or listened to) it when I drove out of town, but I did. The book was Girl, Stop Apologizing, by Rachel Hollis.

Embracing and Achieving Your Goals

I’d been reading that book for over a year, but I’d honestly forgotten about it. It’s not that I didn’t take and road trips during that time. It simply slipped my mind. Until this Christmas. i didn’t realize it at the time, but that book was the perfect way for me to end the year.

For a ton of people, including me, the month of December is rather reflective. We celebrate about our successes. We consider missed opportunities. We contemplate our next big steps. We beat ourselves up about our failures. And we start planning our next moves. We make goals or resolutions for the new year and promise ourselves that things will be much better.

That’s what I did the whole time I read/listened to that book. I was actually a bit overwhelmed by everything I wanted to do…until Rachel said three words, “Change one thing.” In short, you can’t do everything at once, so change one thing now. Let that be your focus. When you’ve mastered that thing or you’re ready for more, just add the next thing.

Change One Thing

Those three words breathed life into me, and they made me think about you.

Nearly every day, I talk to someone who isn’t happy with their life the way it is. I’m not saying that everyone is down in the dumps, but I don’t know very many people are 100% okay with thing they way that they are right.

We’re already half way through the first month of the new year, and I would bet all the money in my bank account right now that someone reading this has spoken to someone who vowed to do at least one of the following in 2023:

  • Lose weight
  • Exercise more
  • Eat healthier
  • Improve relationships
  • Get more rest
  • Read more
  • Binge less shows
  • Drink more water

Can You Relate?

Did you see yourself on that list? If so, you’re not alone.

I know what it’s like to have so many goals and plans that you have no clue how to pull off.

That’s why I’m here. And I’ll tell you what Rachel told me, “Change one thing.”

What’s Your Thing?

So what are you going to change this month? It doesn’t have to be huge, but it should help you move closer to meeting your goal or resolution.

Did you resolve to get more rest? Then get to bed five minutes earlier each night for the next month.

Do you want to drink more water? Place a glass or bottle of water close to your alarm, so you drink 16 ounces as soon as you wake up in the morning.

 Are you trying to fit more exercise into your day? You could split your lunch break in half: eat for the first half and walk either indoor or outdoors for the second half.

I can’t prove it, but I think that if you change one thing at a time, it will give you the push you need to have the best year possible.

Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s success!

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What Is the True Definition of Success

Do You Know the True Definition of Success

On Sunday, August 29, 2021, I completed my twelfth triathlon. A short time later, I found myself wondering, “Do you know the true definition of success?”

You might think that I was overcome with joy when I crossed the finish line. You’d be wrong, though. I was discouraged and completely disappointed in myself. In fact, I cried – not once…not twice…but three times within 90 minutes of completing the race. I felt like a total failure.

I know that sounds weird. I’m sure it’s hard to understand how someone who swam a mile, rode a bike 26 miles and ran a 10K could feel like a complete failure. So I’ll try to explain as best as I can.

A Little Bit of Background Info

I’d trained for that race for several months. For me, the hardest part of the race is the swim, so that was the main focus of my training. I wanted to be comfortable in the water. Like so comfortable that nothing would faze me. The week before the race, I felt really confident. Two days before the race, I had my final swim, and I felt pretty comfortable. I set a goal. I just KNEW that I was going to have the best swim of my life, that my bike ride would be consistent, and that I would own the run. But none of that actually happened.

Long story short, I had the worst swim and the slowest run out of all my previous triathlons. I didn’t come anywhere close to reaching my goal, so I felt like a failure. However, when people asked how it went and how I felt, they seemed surprised by my response. They all said something like, “What are you talking about?! You did great! You finished the race!”

That made me look inside myself and ask, “Do you know the true definition of success?”

What is the Definition of Success?

If you were to walk up to four different people and say, “Do you know the true definition of success?”, it’s highly likely that each of them would give a totally different definition that makes perfect sense. For our discussion, we’ll head over to Google since it’s very simple.

The first thing that comes up when you Google “definition of success” is, “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose”.

That’s it. It’s just that simple. To accomplish (or complete) something is the very definition of success. 

If it’s that simple, why in the world have I been feeling so badly about my performance?

Can You Relate?

I’m sure that someone can relate to feeling like a failure while everyone else celebrates your success. 

Maybe you intended to wake up early enough to get to the 5:30 am class at the YMCA Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but you were only able to make it on Wednesday. The instructor was super excited to see you when you came, but you’re embarrassed that you only made it once after saying you’d be there all week.

Perhaps you have a five pound weight loss goal, but you didn’t lose anything at all. Your personal trainer is excited because you were able to maintain your weight for an entire week, but you’re extremely disappointed because the numbers didn’t go down.

It’s possible that your challenge has nothing to do with health and fitness, but there’s some area in your life that your friends and loved ones celebrate, while you’re tempted to give up because things are just that bad in your eyes.

Keep It In Perspective

If you’re with me on any of that, my words to you are precisely what I’ve been telling myself for the past few days: success is success. Each small victory is a stepping stone to a larger victory. Every single success should be celebrated rather than placed on a scale that measures its importance. 

I can’t prove it, but I think that truly embracing that all success is success would lead us to have more fulfilled lives.

Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s success!

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