Cheers To A New Year!

I am BACK!  I have been missing in action, but I am back.  My New Year's resolution is consistently blog and to provide my readers with insight, advice, laughter, happiness, motivation, inspiration... and whatever else I can bring to the table.

I was quite busy in the last few months, finishing up Fall quarter of school; it's moving fast and I shall obtain my A.S. in Nutritional Science by this time next year.  I am super excited to be taking a LARGE leap forward with my education and career.  Thus, educating my readers and providing them with knowledge, hope, insight, intellect, etc.

This NEW YEAR has begun a little rocky for me.  However, I am determined to turn it around.  First things first!   Let's start blogging... Today's topic: YOUR HEALTH.  You need to be aware of your health.  Each year, millions of Americans make the "get healthy" or "lose weight" resolution; that's about 45% of the population.  How many of those people actually succeed?  According to proactivechange.com, after six months only 46% of people maintain their resolution to get healthy. That number is cut in more than half by a year!

People tend to think of resolutions as fail or succeed... break or keep... do or don't.  This is called "black or white thinking."  With this mindset, you are bound either fully succeed or completely fail.  For example, you are on a diet and are forbidden to eat refined sugar.  You eat a bite of tiramisu for dessert; you've ruined your diet or so you think.  The train of thought is that if you ate that one bite or one small cookie or a spoonful of ice cream that you just ruined your resolution/diet so might as well just keep eating the rest of that tiramisu or finish that box of cookies or carton of ice cream.  DON'T!  Stop rrrrrright there! 

You didn't ruin anything!  You didn't fall off the wagon and you certainly didn't just give up all the hard work for the last few days or couple weeks!  Move forward.  Use that little mistake as your learning curve!  How did you feel after eating the "no-no" food?  Did you feel better about yourself?  Guilty?  Mad?  Happy?  Most likely you were mad at yourself for giving into temptation.  Channel that anger into positive steps forward.  Next time dessert stares you straight in the face, remember the feelings you had after you took that bite last time.  Easier said than done... I know.  But, you are the almighty and powerful self that will not be brought done by peer pressure or lack of discipline!  You WILL NOT let anything break your promise to yourself... your resolution... and by the way, minor set backs will occur.  So, get over it and move forward.  Otherwise, you have created a snowball effect and will never be able to accomplish what you originally set out to do: to get healthy!

Oh, by the way... What is your reason for losing weight?  What steps are you going to take to accomplish this?  If you don't have answers, I can help!  As of lately, I have been keeping a journal to help track my progress, see where I need to improve, and to help identify the aspects of my health that work for me.  Yep, that's right!  Bust out that spiral bound notebook or laptop and start putting down in words what you are trying to achieve.  You will be MORE likely to stick to your plan when it's staring you in the face on paper or screen. 

For some, it goes beyond this.  Some simply just don't know where to start.  Start simple, start slow, START NOW!  You can't keep putting off today until tomorrow... It's a never ending cycle.  Start now by simply doing five minutes of jumping jacks!  Throwing away your processed foods and stocking up on clean foods (I will explain that shortly).  Walk around the block after dinner, skip dessert, drink more water.  Simple steps to jump start are great ways to well, uh, START!

Clean foods you may ask... What the heck are clean foods?  Clean foods are foods in their most natural and pure state; NO processed foods, NO refined sugars.  White bread = not a clean food.  White rice = not a clean food.  Cookies = definitely not a clean food.  Clean foods are vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products.  They are only clean if not smothering in fatty sauces, dressings, spreads, etc.  Eating clean is fun and simple!  One of the best ways to keep healthy and fit.  For more info got to Tosca Reno's website:  eatcleandiet.com

Now, get ready for this year by sticking to your health regiment and following a few suggestions I have mentioned.  Have a plan and write it out, journal about your journey (food and fitness), don't get discouraged, keep your eye on the prize, and start now!!!

I'll be back to post some clean eating recipes I have created... all today, too!!!  CHEERS TO A NEW YEAR!