A New Year & A Good Start

Happy New Year!

I am really excited about 2011. I feel it’s going to be a really good year.

I have some decisions I know I am going to have to make, that are not going to be easy, and I know that it’s just a part of life to make difficult decisions. I am not going to look at this as a negative thing; I am going to try to think of it as just a part of life. (More on this at another posting.) With this mindset I don’t want to start this year out on a bad foot. I think it’s going to be a good start…..life will be good this year, again just a feeling. After all isn't that what they say.....what you put out there in the universe the universe will give back to you, or just the power of positive thinking. Or even better, the power of prayer. It all depends on how YOU look at it.

“A good start” is a perfect way to start my first posting for this 2011 posting.

Talking about good starts…….I am going to start sharing my feelings on how we can start this year out taking care of our insides and our outsides. We can start off by eating Breakfast everyday. I never used to eat breakfast, but it’s a fact that it starts up our bodies just like gasoline starts up our cars. Without the food / fuel you can’t get anywhere for the day. Another rule of thumb for weight loss is to drink 16 oz of water when you first wake up. Then make sure you eat your breakfast within the first 60 minutes of waking up. Make sure your breakfast consists of a protein and a carbohydrate mix, this way your sugar level stays even through out the morning. That’s what your body needs to be fueled up and be ready to face the world.

It maybe difficult to get that much water in you first thing in the morning, but let me tell you it helps flush out any built up toxins in your body from the night before. Your organs inside your body and your skin outside your body will be freshly hydrated and ready to do their job.

It’s relatively easy to eat a healthy breakfast but it’s a lot easier to eat an unhealthy breakfast. Let’s see….picking up chocolate donuts or making an egg white omelet with Multi grain toast and 1/2 a grapefruit. So yes, it is easier to eat unhealthy, but if you take just a few extra minutes you can eat and enjoy a healthy breakfast.

A few examples are: high fiber cereals, fat free milk with a banana and a small glass of juice. I need my cup of Joe along with that.

A multi grain English muffin with homemade or organic all fruit and a small nonfat yogurt. Of course a cup of Joe.

My favorite is an egg white, spinach and feta cheese omelet with, whole wheat toast and a light smidgen of butter, an half grapefruit and of course my cup of Joe.

I could go on and on…..but the point is to get that healthy protein, carbohydrate mix to get you started for the day and to hold you over until your morning snack. So, drop that donut or muffin routine and take a few extra minutes to take care of yourself.

Breakfast is a good start to your day and it’s a good way of starting your New Year!

I am done....

So, I woke up this morning and I said to myself…..okay, I am done.
I tried to keep on track by eating healthy this holiday season but I also tried to be realistic too. I hit the Gym a handful of times. I could have gone a few more times, but then again, I could have not gone at all….so it’s all good. I also eliminated a few holiday foods that I was never a big fan of anyway, for example that Green Bean Casserole. All that stuff combined together is just nasty. This year I made fresh steamed green beans and I eliminated the candied sweet potatoes too. Plus, we had homemade bread (my favorite). I also made three organic pies…One Apple and two pumpkins.

I had the hardest time with the Christmas cookies. I feel like the Cookie Monster from Sesame Street. I just couldn’t get enough Christmas cookies. But, I am done with them now and NO, not because I ate them all…
I stuck with my game plan of only eating homemade foods and I didn’t eat any processed foods (at least that I know of). With all that said and done, I feel like I may have gain a few pounds back……but no biggie.
I know we still have this week left but the worst of the food eating for me is behind me. Thank god.

I am off to have a Subway Sandwich and fruit for Lunch and then hitting the GYM tonight.

Ya gotta love the Holidays…

The Birth of a Baby Boy!

While Mary was still engaged to Joseph, she miraculously became pregnant through the Holy Spirit, as foretold to her by the angel.
Joseph too must have wondered in awe as he remembered the words found in Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
At that time, Caesar Augustus decreed that a census be taken, and every person in the entire Roman world had to go to his own town to register. Joseph, being of the line of David, was required to go to Bethlehem to register with Mary. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Probably due to the census, the inn was too crowded, and Mary gave birth in a crude stable. She wrapped the baby in cloths and placed him in a manger.
Out in the fields, an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds who were tending their flocks of sheep by night. The angel announced that the Savior had been born in the town of David. Suddenly a great host of heavenly beings appeared with the angels and began singing praises to God. As the angelic beings departed, the shepherds decided to travel to Bethlehem and see the Christ-child.
There they found Mary, Joseph and the baby, in the stable. After their visit, they began to spread the word about this amazing child and everything the angel had said about him. They went on their way still praising and glorifying God. But Mary kept quiet, treasuring their words and pondering them in her heart. It must have been beyond her ability to grasp, that sleeping in her arms—the tender child she had just borne—was the Savior of the world.

This is from "The Birth of Jesus" paraphrased from the Bible, The Book of Matthew.

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Here are my thoughts on being politically correct and making sure we don’t insult some group or other religion or belief by saying “Merry Christmas”.  Why do we have to make sure we say, “Happy Holiday”…or some other type greeting?  Well, you know what? I am a Christian, Roman Catholic woman. I am by far a holy roller, but I do believe that night in Bethlehem the Christ child was born from Mary. The Celebration of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. So, please don’t be insulted if I wish you a Merry Christmas, after all that is what we are celebrating. This is what Christmas is all about.....everything else is secondary.  This is how I feel..This is what I believe.. : )

From My Little Blog to Your Home, I Wish Everyone A Blessed and Very Merry Christmas.