Tricks and Treats for Us Divas

Trick Yourself into Feeling Full

Water, Divas, Water! I can’t say this word enough! Everyone knows this. If you drink a ton of water, you'll have to pee a whole lot. This means your flushing your system and oh, you'll feel fuller all the time and you'll eat far less.

If you eat a hearty bowl of vegetable soup 20 minutes before your main meal you will feel full. By the time you’re ready for your main course your soup is halfway through part of the digestive process. We only truly know how full we are TWENTY MINUTES after eating. After soup, you'll no doubt be less hungry and will be able to eat less of your main meal.

Treat Yourself

A pretty vase full of flowers always makes me feel special and cheerful. Why wait for someone to buy you flowers? Go grab some yourself! You don't have to pay an arm and a leg for some pretty blooms. Farmers' Markets are great for getting a bouquet of pretty sunflower for $5.

Take the time out for a nice bubble bath. A nice warm bubble bath is always deserved. Wait until you can be undisturbed and run a nice bath with your favorite bubbles, scent, or oils. Light some pretty smelling candles and just relax.

Happy Halloween

My Mom is a Pink Warrior in Heaven

I have been thinking about writing this entry for some time now. How was I going to word what I was feeling and thinking and now I think it may all just come together as follows.

At the age of 55 my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in both her breasts. She had a
bilateral mastectomy. She was also a diabetic and the healing process was less than kind to her. So, needless to say she was not a candidate for reconstruction surgery. What a devastation this was to my mom and to my family. She died only 4 short years later.  My mother always had a fear of cancer and she worried all the time that she would end up with some type of cancer or another. The fear was always there.  It was sad to see her live that way, and then to end up with breast cancer.

My fear is for my health to become my mother's health.  It’s always in the back of my mind. My fear now is just as strong as her fear was then….I now believe my mother’s spirit is whole in heaven and I believe the holy spirit has freed her of all her fears and diseases. She had to die to be freed of these burdens. I want that now, and I don't want to wait. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Writing this blog is part of it. It’s therapy for me. It keeps me on the right track.

I started working with a nutritionist two weeks ago. I am determined to reduce my weight, body fat, as well as inches, but the most important thing to me is to reduce my chances of breast cancer. There is scientific proof that a higher body fat percentage is linked to a higher chance of breast cancer in woman. In fact, a higher risk of all types of cancers. For this reason, as well as many others, I choose to change some of my fears and I hope to some how eliminate my mother's past fears. So, in her memory I want to do what I can do, on my part, to lower my risk of breast cancer. This includes, eating well, exercise, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, self breast exams, and mammograms. Divas, I encourage you to do the same. Do it in honor or memory of someone you may know, or more importantly just do it for yourself.

I know my mom is a pink warrior in heaven.

Motivating Strategy Part 3

Motivating Strategy Part three of three.

I had a few hard times with my part 2 of this strategy, so I needed to lengthen the amount of time on that exercise. I feel like I am ready for part 3.
So here it goes.
Part 3 is to keep those good feelings close to you as you practice the behaviors you know will help you make progress towards your goals.
I have to ask myself: What are some of those other behaviors? For me, its how I feel about where I am in my weight loss or just about how good I feel when I am eating healthy nutrient dense foods. It’s also about making healthy choices. Sometimes its small changes such has changing your milk (what I am about to do)……Going from your regular milk to fresh organic milk from your local farmer. Or it could be about putting a few extra dollars into your savings account before you put those few extra dollars in your pocket. Maybe it’s time to actually sign up for that class you have been thinking about. You know, the one that may help you prepare for your new career or progress in your present career.  The behaviors your practice will just depend on your goals. Sometimes you need to write them down so you see the behaviors that will help you move towards your ultimate goal. Post them up so you can see them. Keep in mind your goals may change as you move along. You just have to adjust as you move forward.

Your motivation should come within, but it’s always nice to have a support system to help you along.

So, I just keep chugging along and I try to make each day the best I can....

Spending Time with family.

Spending time with family is so important. We often get so wrapped up in our careers, finances, school and other things in life that we sometimes forget about the most important things.

It is more important than we realize to spend time with our family to bring them closer together, while it is also important to spend quality time together. Spending time with your family over the years is something you can't replace because time goes by quickly. It just seems like yesterday I was raising two small children and now years later they are adults and starting families of their own..

A few days ago we had our children and their families over to celebrate my son’s birthday. I made dinner and baked my son’s favorite peach cobbler for dessert. Afterwards we played a game of 20 questions. We really enjoyed playing the game and it was so nice just to spend time together.

We decided to make it a monthly activity. So once a mouth we will get together for a family game day. I hope it works out because being with my family makes my heart happy.
My mother was a big fan of Erma Bombeck so in her memory I am sharing Erma’s thoughts on family.

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck

Cupcake Eater?

NOT ME MONDAY -I just wanted to let everyone know, that it wasn't I that sneaked the last 3 cupcakes leftover from my son's birthday party.  I would have resist them or gave them away.  I wouldn't have enjoyed the creamy fudge icing and the buttery cake.  For goodness sake, I would rather have had a broccoli sandwich.

  No, it wasn't I......Just look at these yummy decadent cupcakes. 

    Why would I want to eat them?  Ha, Ha!