22 more days to go!

78 days ago I embarked on this challenge.  It is so weird to even say that number.  I have reached the point where the total number of days I have gone out to walk far outnumber the days I have left to go!  And I am shocked that I made it this far.  And to be honest none of the people that I began the challenge with were able to keep going.

I could have dropped out too.  But, I kept thinking that I would hang in there for as many days as I could until something got in the way.  I thought the weather would do it...but so far I have only walked in the rain three times...and this is the rainy season.  I thought maybe having guests or conferences would interfere but I was still able to get out there.

Perhaps it's because of the heaviness of our work load.  The things we hear in the counseling office are oftentimes overwhelming.  When I go out to walk I can leave all the stress out there.  As I lace up my shoes and then walk out the door I feel a lightness come over me.  If I am in a bad mood I know that walking will lift it.  If it's been a great day then the walk feels like the icing on the cake.  If I don't feel well physically walking relieves the pain.

I cannot imagine giving up this habit.  It has changed the way I feel, think, and look.  It has given me an inner confidence, shown me that I can accomplish a goal if I set my mind to it, and filled me with peace.   And for all of that I am so grateful.  22 more days to go!

Pain is temporary but quitting lasts forever...

Today is Day 57.  In the early days getting out to walk was a major ordeal.  I had to watch the time to make sure that I stayed out the full 30 minutes.  My body ached.  My attitude was not the best...I just wanted to "get it over with".  Now, I cannot imagine my day without going out for a walk.  And I am so grateful that I didn't quit.  The pain is over and I am 43 days away from my goal!

Pain is temporary but quitting lasts forever!

Half way there!!

This evening when I go out for my walk it will be the 50th day!  

It is so hard to believe that I am half-way to this goal.  It's not always easy to go out walking here.  Two days in a row the rain has come down so hard it didn't seem like it would ever stop.  My contingency plan is to walk around the house for a half hour but fortunately I have not had to do that yet.  It seems to clear up just in time for me to get out there,

I also have to confess that I learned a valuable lesson this week.  Just because I walk everyday now does NOT mean that I can eat ice cream everyday.  You probably knew that...but, for some reason I was delusional and thought a small bowl wouldn't hurt.  I guess my bowls are not that small because I gained a pound back.  Live and learn!

So how are you doing with your health and fitness goals?

Why should you eat fruit?

On the road again!

The rocks on the road shift and groan as I walk along.  Being out in the fresh air early in the evening is priceless.  And lately it has become one of the highlights of my day.  I don't always realize how tense I am until I get on the road, my shoulders relax, and the stress for that day melts away.  When I get back home I am covered in sweat, breathing a little heavy, and am overwhelmingly calm.

Today is Day 36...and I am still putting one foot in front of the other!

One day closer to my goal!

Today is Day 30 on my way to 100 days of walking!

This past month has not been easy.  I still don't like sweating.  I still face days when I don't want to go.  I have had to walk in the rain a few times.  I was followed by an annoyingly loud barking dog one day.  And did I mention that I still DON'T like sweating?!  But, the good things are; I don't question whether I am going out or not anymore.  I have lost five pounds.  My posture has improved.  And I feel incredible when I'm finished!

 As I was walking the other day I realized that: 

I prefer to see how far I can push myself over trying to get away with the bare minimum.  

One day at a time!!

whether I want to or not...

23 days ago I started walking for at least 30 minutes a day.  Yesterday I walked 2.2 miles in 36 minutes.  A personal best time for me.  Some days it takes every bit of mental discipline for me to get out the door.  I don't always want to keep going.  But I made a commitment to myself and the women who are in the challenge with me and I am determined to follow it through. 

I have had some friends go out with me a few times and that is always a treat.  I pray when I go out to walk alone and that is always rewarding.  Discipline has gotten me out of the door when it rains and when it's been hot all day.  I tried walking in the morning but that doesn't work for me.  It is easier to get out there as the sun is setting.  The air is cool and sky is gorgeous.  My goal for the next 77 days is to keep getting my butt out the door because it is worth it.

It is worth how good I feel when I am done.  It is worth how well I sleep each night.  And it is worth the strength I feel mentally and physically as the days turn into weeks.  Lord willing, I will remain healthy enough to make it through to the end of the 100 day challenge.

I would love to learn from you.  So, what are you doing that is making a difference in your health?

Anatomy of Walking...

It has been 16 days since I started walking.  So I have 84 days to go to complete the challenge!  

So far I have lost three pounds and gained a new appreciation for health and strength.  I saw this graphic on the Everybody Walks blog and discovered even more benefits of walking.  Enjoy!

Going Gluten Free in Belize...

 

Gluten free baking supplies can be found here in Belmopan!  I thought I was going to have to take a trip out to Spanish Lookout to find everything I need.  Thankfully, that was not the case.  

I found the tapioca starch and the rice flour at Fansico, a Chinese owned grocery store, and I found the Xanthan Gum at Ultimate Herbal Health Food Store.   I was shocked to find the Xanthan Gum...totally shocked.  But so relieved that I didn't need to order it online and try to have it sent here.  

Tom is the bread eater in our family not me.  So I thought I could just eat meat, chicken, fish, veggies and fruit and be okay.  And then I remembered how much I love pancakes, pizza and pasta.  That epiphany almost weakened my resolve but I knew I had to soldier on.  

After spending time googling recipes I got overwhelmed.  We live on a modest income and cannot afford to do too much experimenting with expensive ingredients.  I need to make every cent count.  I stumbled on a simple recipe for an all-purpose gluten free flour and knew I was headed in the right direction.

All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour

3/4 cup rice flour

1/4 cup tapioca starch

1 tsp xanthan gum

I started a Gluten Free board on Pinterest to collect recipes and tips.  My quest for ingredients started on Saturday.  I knew where to get the rice flour and 'lo and behold' right next to it was the tapioca starch.  The xanthan gum was harder to find...fortunately, we finished up in the counseling office yesterday early enough for me to head over to the health food store.  I found coconut flour, almond flour and even a gluten free baking mix on the shelf.  I asked about the xanthan gum and the girl found it quickly.  Success!  

Last night I was able to make a batch of 'test biscuits' using the all-purpose gluten free flour mix recipe.  I tried them once before just using rice flour without the tapioca starch or the xanthan gum and they came out dry and heavy.  They were much improved over my previous effort but I will do one more test run before posting that recipe.

My plea for help on Facebook got me connected with a friend of a friend who told me about some other ingredients to look for and is going to pass along some recipes as well.  I was taken aback by how many people know someone who is gluten free.  I didn't want to do this at first.  I didn't want to be difficult to feed when we are away from home, and I just didn't want to be different.  Yet, I have to take care of myself...I have lived with the pain of fibromyalgia for far too long.  I had told myself that there was nothing more I could do or take than what I was already doing.  But, I was wrong. 

After a week of taking some new vitamins and eating gluten free I am already experiencing less pain and more energy.  And I know that it will only get better the longer I stay away from gluten and continue down this path toward better health.  

So, if you have any gluten free recipes or tips to pass along I am open! 

How much sugar are you consuming?

Source

Have you seen this chart on Pinterest? 

I am fascinated by the comparisons.  But, each time I look at it I end up wanting to eat something sweet.  Sugar has always been my weakness...and my goodness that Cinnabon Cinnamon roll looks good. But, it is more likely that I will eat watermelon or some pineapple because there are no Cinnabon stores in Belize!

Is there anything on this chart that surprised you?

Which step have you reached today?

source

To quote my brother, Stephen, "if you're gonna talk about it...be about it!" 

 I have talked about getting healthy.  So obviously my next step was to be about it.  Since I wrote the post Determination today...better health tomorrow I've been walking consistently each week.  When we have an errand to run, if it is within walking distance, we choose to walk instead of taking the car.  I have finally made the shift in my head to telling myself I can do it instead of making an excuse as to why I can't do it.

And my reward for being about it?  

The weight gain has stopped!  At first nothing changed.  But this week I stepped on the scale and was down a pound.  But, the best part is how I feel.  Mentally and physically I feel so much better when I am able to get a walk in...even if it's a short one.  The week is not over yet and my goal is to get two more days of walking in this week. Can you guess what I am telling myself about that goal?  I can do it! 

Which step have you reached today?

Negative Calorie foods?

I saw this list on Pinterest last night.  

source

Since I had not heard of this concept before I turned to my trusty friend, Google, for insight. 

I found this over at LiveStrong.com:

The concept of negative calorie foods, or the idea that you burn more calories digesting and metabolizing certain foods than the foods themselves contain, is more of a diet myth than a reality. Even though some foods may give your metabolism more of a boost than others, and some contribute so few calories to begin with that they do require a couple of extra calories for digestion, the extra calories burned won't be enough to affect your weight.  click to read more

and this over at MayoClinic.com:

The bottom line: Many of the foods touted as negative calorie foods are vegetables and fruits that can aid in losing weight as part of an overall healthy diet plan. But they're probably not negative calorie and they're not a magic bullet for weight loss. In addition, following extreme diets that promote eating only a few foods can cause you to miss out on important nutrients. The key to successful weight loss is adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and regular exercise. click to read more

I think it bears repeating that there is no magic bullet for weight loss.

Say it with me!

"There is NO magic bullet for weight loss."

And that is okay by me because I was not and am not looking for a fad diet.  

I am looking to be healthy. 

And to do that the answer remains the same.  

Eat right.  Move more.  

Both of which I can do.

I also found these words to live by:

This is my goal for the year...what's yours?

What is your brain made of?

Source

  

Did you know all of this about water?  

I sure didn't.  

Tom and have always been water drinkers.  We don't keep soda, or even juice in the house and we only buy them for special occasions.  Depending on where you live and how active you are the amount of water you need to drink to avoid dehydration varies.  Most days we each drink two liters of water.  On really hot and humid days Tom might drink up to four liters of water and I drink three.  When we first got here we bought bottled water to drink and to cook with.  

After experimenting with a few different water filtration pitchers we settled on the Brita pitcher we have now.  But, when the time came to buy a new replacement filter...they were no where to be found.  Our friends saved the day for us and donated enough filters to last an entire year.  Water filters may not be the most expensive gift we have ever received but they most certainly are valuable to the quality of our lives.  Especially in light of how important water is to the proper functioning of our bodies.

So what do you drink the most?

What is your brain made of?!

Determination today...better health tomorrow!

On Monday, I got to work and realized that I had forgotten the power cord for my computer.  Our first client of the day was male so I knew that I had time to dash home to get it.  Tom suggested that I walk instead of using the car.  I was a bit put out...I mean it was only a five minute drive.  Then I thought about it.  The walk would be good for me.  And we were getting low on gas and pay day was not until the end of the month.  

So, I walked home.  

When I got to the house 15 minutes later I realized that the walk was not horrible.  It didn't kill me. I used the time to refocus and reflect.  I was able to throw a load of laundry into the washing machine, drink a cup of tea, and write in my journal for a bit.  I changed out of my cute shoes and put on my walking shoes and went back to work with the cord for my computer and a new attitude.

And I have been walking daily since then.  

Tuesday, I walked to the post office and stopped by the market to pick up some fruit.  Yesterday, we walked over to the counseling office to pick up some copies from the secretary.  Belmopan is a small city.  The first four months we got by without a car.  We got around the city either by foot or on the bikes graciously donated to us by a couple in Nebraska. It takes longer to walk or bike but it is doable...especially since we are now into the dry season.  

There are some health benefits to walking.  

I have been feeling better physically, my mind is clearer, my mood is lighter. 

I know it will take a while for me to make walking a habit but I know that if I put my mind to it I can do it.  Tom has been walking five days a week for several weeks now.  He is determined.  I respect that.  And his faithfulness is admirable and contagious. 

Determination today will lead to better health tomorrow.

What are you determined to do for better health?

 

Tasty Tuesday...what your cravings mean

I came across the handy chart on Pinterest.  This is fascinating to me.  Not long ago I blogged about my sugar cravings.  And now I can clearly see what my body is missing when I have those cravings and what real foods can give me the nutrients that I am needing at the time.  

How awesome is that?!

source

Not only do I love sweets but salty foods too.  Popcorn and potato chips are my weaknesses.  Tom and I are both looking to make better choices with food.  As the one who does the cooking I feel a greater responsibility to make sure that I am doing my part to help us both eat better.  And I have been inspired by his commitment to walking.  He has been going out five days a week.  We walked a lot before we got the car last year.  We lived for five years in Russia without owning a vehicle.  But here in Belize the public transportation system is not like it was in Russia.  Since purchasing the car I have gained ten pounds.  I was shocked when I got on the scale.  Absolutely shocked.

Today is Tom's birthday and he asked for a cake.  I will bake him a Texas Sheet Cake today but we will be sharing it with friends so we won't be tempted to eat the whole thing just the two of us.  

We aren't going to be counting calories and weighing in each week. 

 The goal is to make better food choices, 

eat treats in moderation and walk as often as we can.  

What changes are you making for your health this year?

What a difference a day makes...

Yesterday was a pain filled day for me.  Part of the joy of fibromyalgia.

I have good days and bad. After getting a full night of sleep today was a fairly good day.

Anyway, we spent the day working in the counseling office, we had a prayer meeting at the Child Development Foundation to pray over all of the upcoming events and tonight I am speaking at church.  So you could say it was a full day.  Usually these long days are stressful and stress is a trigger for pain.  But today I didn't really feel stressed.  And that is a good thing.  A blessing actually.

I had some time at work to put a handout together for my teaching tonight.  I thought it might be helpful for some of the new believers that we have in our meeting.   We will look at knowing who we are in God.  You will notice this is  not a comprehensive list of all of who we are...but it is a start.   Some of the people are new to studying the Bible so I tried to follow the principle of keeping it simple.

  Know Who You Are!

John 1:12- You are His child

John 5: 24 -You have eternal life

2 Corinthians 5:17 -You are made new

1 John 1:9 -You are forgiven

Romans 8:1-You are set free from condemnation

Ephesians 2:13 -You are brought close to Him

Philippians 4:19 -You will be taken care of

1 Peter 2:9 -You are chosen

Romans 5:8 -You are loved

1 Corinthians 15:57 -You are victorious

You were made for more than to just live the same type of life that everyone around you is living...

You have an identity in Christ. 

Remember who you are.

I am grateful for this opportunity to teach tonight and really looking forward to our day off tomorrow!  

Two of the three...

Yesterday I went with Tom to visit his doctor. During the consultation Doctor Ramos recommended drinking plenty of water, cranberry juice and coconut water.

I had seen coconut water in the stores here but we had not tasted it yet so this was the perfect time to give it a go. After doing a bit of research online I discovered that there are many benefits to drinking coconut water; it hydrates the body, is an antibacterial and is the purest liquid second only to water itself. Apparently it is chock full of electrolytes, calcium, potassium, magnesium; everything that is good for you.

As for taste, well it isn't bad.  I just had a sip. Tom drank the whole bottle and was not totally sold on the taste.  He said he would rather have Gatorade!

Siberian Ginseng

These past few weeks I have not been feeling well. The constant change in the weather along with the work load that we have been carrying has taken it's toll on my body. There were days when I felt as if my fibromyalgia was totally in control of my life.

A friend sent me a text message today describing a natural medication that she thought might be of help to me. It's nickname is Siberian ginseng and here is a blurb from the University of Maryland Medical Center:

also known as eleuthero, has been used for centuries in Eastern countries, including China and Russia. Although a distant relative of American (Panax quinquefolius ) and Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng ), with some overlap in its uses, Siberian ginseng is a distinct plant with different active chemical components. Prized for its ability to restore vigor, increase longevity, enhance overall health, and stimulate both a healthy appetite and a good memory, it is widely used in Russia to help the body adapt to stressful conditions and to enhance productivity.

You can read the rest of the article by clicking here

I am looking forward to feeling better and am hoping that this works out for me! If you give it a try let me know!!

under the weather

The weather here has been strange... we get a bright sunny day and then a rainy one. And I am left with muscle pain and fatigue. I wish the weather would just make up its mind!

root canal part 2

I went back today for more work on my teeth. She worked on the other side this afternoon. I had four more root canals started, my mouth is sore, and I am wiped out.

One interesting difference that Tom and I have experienced here is that patients are responsible for maintaining their own medical records. She sent me home with copies of all my records including xrays on a CD!