The Solo Health Journey

 

Sometimes, you have to go at it alone. I hope you find inspiration to take on a health journey!

Listen to this new series here:

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I'm not giving up on me

I am so close to reaching my weight loss goal. 

WW has been a blessing. During this time of social isolation, the corporation did a great job keeping us connected. 

I have relied on their motivation and encouragement weekly to help me reach my health and weight loss goals. 

The thing is, regardless of the motivation and support I receive, I'm the one who needs to do the work. My motivators do not get to do the work for me. 

I made the difficult choice to lose weight during the pandemic because I decided not to give up on myself. It was difficult. 

I admit it would be understanding to let go and just coast for months. The problem was, I spent years praying to change. I waited to change. I took multiple baby steps that led me to where I am. 

I simply can't give up now.

WW is not for everyone. Just like any program out there, it receives its criticism. I don't mind criticism. I learned to listen and let go. Do you know why?

Critics are not paying for my membership. They are not doing the hard work of buying food, cooking fresh food, pre-packing meals, and feeding my family. 

I let go because I am responsible for what I put in my own mouth and how much I exercise. 

I'm not giving up. I want to finish what I started. With God's help and by His strength (along with my own perseverance and hard work) I will reach my goal.

Question: What is the one thing you won't give up during this pandemic?

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Cooking

I enjoy eating at home more than eating out. 

I've always been like this but now, even more. 

Even when we lived in the Houston area, we would eat mostly at home. 

I guess this preference came in handy when the restaurants were closed for a good spell here in East Texas. 

I used what I knew in order to make sure our meals were enjoyable. 

I usually come up with a menu. The menu includes foods I know my family would enjoy. In the past, I've bought exquisite ingredients I didn't use or my family wouldn't eat. I learned to stick with what I know they will like. 

I am sure this might change in the future because we are all pretty adventurous with our taste. My issue is also time to concentrate and execute a recipe that's not new to me. 

Anywho, once I get a menu ready, I buy the things I do not have. 

Here are a few things I make on a regular basis:

• Grilled/Smoked Meats 

• Grilled Salmon 

• Fajitas 

• Butter Chicken and Naan Bread 

• Brazilian food (Black Beans and Rice is our staple)

• Quesadillas 

• Tuna/Chicken Salad Sandwich 

• Spaghetti
• Pizza 

• Green Salads 

• Grilled/Sautéed veggies 

• Quick Bread 

• Homemade rolls 

• Homemade dessert 

• Fresh fruit

What are you cooking lately?

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MWLISS: What if my spouse won't diet with me?

When Zeke and I first met, somehow, I gave him the diet talk. I'm sure I was very joyous about it. I basically announced I was on a diet and proceeded to tell him what I was doing. We even went on a diet together for a short period of time.

Once we got married a lot of things changed. Looking back, I didn't know that sometimes, what works for one person is not best for both.

I confess I tried to make Zeke do everything I was doing. He even went along with it for a little while. In my mind, that's what couples did: they diet together.

My quitting point was when we were in the nutritionist's office. I had tried everything, including leaving the diet book in strategic places so he could read them. The visit to her office was my last attempt to get Zeke go get in the diet bandwagon. He was gracious but I knew our interest level was not the same.

I cried a little bit on the inside and gave up on making him diet with me. So, what if my spouse won't diet with me? Here are some tips I learned over the years:

• Respect your spouse - respecting the other is the best way to start. I know you want their good. I know you care about their health. You also need to respect them from the bottom of your heart. Respect their ability to know how to make good choices. Respect their ability to choose what's best for themselves. Respect the season of life your spouse is experiencing. There are seasons in life where a person just can't make big changes (stressful seasons such as grief or a if they are having a difficult time at work for example). Start with respect and everything will be better.

• Pray for your spouse - I'm sure I spent time more nagging and strategizing than praying. After that visit to the nutritionist, I turned to prayer. I learned that God cares about the health of my spouse way more than I do. Only God can change hearts. Only God can transform. Prayer is the best thing you can for your spouse in any area, health and nutrition included.

• Encourage your spouse - I must confess that my efforts to change Zeke were not encouraging. I know that most people clearly know when they need to make improvements to their health. They are simply not blind to it. Encouragement is like water to the soul. My husband actually told me that encouragement makes a person feel like they can conquer the world. Nagging and manipulating does the opposite. Only your spouse can decide when change will happen. Encouragement is a great way to pave the way.

• Remember your boundaries - I wish I could change people. The fact is the only person I can change is myself. Boundaries are really important when it comes to practicing good nutrition habits. I understand that like most wives, I thought it would be way easier if my spouse was doing the same thing I was doing. Once I understood the concept of boundaries, I learned that knowing where I end and someone else begins gives me a sense of ownership. Knowing what I am to own and take responsibility for gives me a sense of freedom. I own the responsibility to take care of my health. I can make good choices for my health such as exercising and eating a nutritious diet. I don't need someone else to do that for me because this decision falls within my boundaries. Encouragement from others is always welcome but the responsibility, or should I say, response ability, is all mine.

• You reap what you sow - My imperfection is a good reminder that I reap what I sow. I need mercy, therefore, I show mercy to my spouse. Chances are, Zeke wishes I would make better choices in a different area. I want to sow seeds of encouragement, understanding and love, knowing that God has this whole thing under control. When I respect, pray and encourage my spouse, I am practicing good boundaries. When I remember my own imperfections and need for grace, I am inclined to show mercy and to rely on God to do everything outside my power.

What if my spouse won't diet with me? The simple answer is, it will be okay. God is for you and He wants your entire family to be healthier more than you do. Follow the way of grace, mercy and encouragement. Practice good boundaries and smile, everything will be alright.

Stats:
WW start weight: 175 lbs
Current: 155 lbs
First Goal: 150 lbs
Second Goal: 146 lbs
Third Goal: 136 lbs

Previously in this Series:
• First week of WW
• WW Speak
• Premeditated Portion Control 
• Weights and Measures
• Time
• Carbs & WW
• Proof of Weight Loss
• Why I started

• Preparation

• Fear
• Daily Choices

• Is running ruining my weight loss?

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My Vegan/Vegetarian Starter Kit

Every now and then I eat like a vegetarian/vegan for 3 weeks. Sometimes it’s due to a Biblical Fast (Daniel Fast), sometimes the reason is to improve my vegetable intake. When I need a veggie makeover, I often go to my Vegan Vegetarian Starter Kit to know what to eat. The items in this Kit allow me to eat well and not dread the whole experience. Here are my items:

Rice

Beans

Almond Milk

Oatmeal

Bananas

Sweet Potatoes

Kale

Bell peppers

Broccoli Slaw

Salad

Potato sticks

Coconut Milk

Garlic

Onions

Olive Oil

Fruits

Dried fruits

Nuts

Green juice

Peanut Butter

Chia Seeds

Tofu

Cauliflower

My goal is not to complicate my family meals. If I make meat for everyone, I simply add items from this list as side dishes. So a Dinner would look like this:

Meat

Rice

Beans

Sweet Potatoes

Kale

Broccoli slaw Salad

Our go to Breakfast is always:

Oats

Bananas

Almond Milk

Chia Seeds

Peanut Butter

For Lunch I often eat leftovers.

I realize that I shouldn't reinvent the wheel so I use items from this list to increase our vegetable intake.

This time around I bought a few new items so I will be trying new recipes. I bought Tahini and changed the way I make Hummus. I bought avocado oil and red curry paste as well. I'm eager to try these new things!

I’m going to try not to bake a lot because every time I bake I go pastry crazy (as in, I eat everything almost immediately). I have learned to give away most baked goods but still, I’m trying to cut down on baking just so I won’t overeat. I bought Almond flour for the first time and I baked Pumpkin Chocolate Paleo Muffins with it. It was decadent! I mostly try to stick with fruits and nuts for Dessert and the occasional dark chocolate.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you found some inspiration to increase your vegetable/grain/fruit intake! Be healthy, one meal at a time my friend!

Recipe: Vegan Banana Muffin

Previously Vegan: Vegan for 23 days

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Food Journaling: new tricks, proven strategies

Every time I have successfully lost weight, it was thanks to a combination of strategies. The essential part of this process is food journaling. If you want to know how to successfully have a food journal, read my food journal how to post here. Last summer I challenged myself to journal my food for 100 days. I accomplished my goal and there were results but after 8 years of self experiment, I mean, discovery, I observed new tricks and proven strategies. Let's start with the latter: 

Proven Strategy 1: Low tech works better •  I started my journey 8 years ago by writing down my food intake and goals by hand. Recently, a flood of new apps invaded the market. They do make life simple and they calculate the nutrition, calories, etc. I tried different apps and somehow, I couldn't stick with it for more than one week. I also tried journaling digitally, and it was an awful experience. Low tech works better because somehow, my brain connects more with the information I manually write in the paper. I'm able to self-regulate more if I am using pen and paper. Even during the most tempting time of the day, I can succeed if I write everything down in pen and paper. I can say that as an expert on my own self, paper works. 

Writing everything I ate.

Proven Strategy 2 - Review as an education tool • I have learned that the things I write in my food journal need to be reviewed as an education tool. I simply glance at my choices and make a decision on what to do the following day. On day one this week, I decided that I needed to get a refresher on what a serving of vegetables looked like. I wrote that down in my journal and I got my refresher. The following day was successful because through review I noticed I forgot what a serving of vegetable was and I decided to go after that. Even when I have bad eating days, I review as an education tool. If the bad day was intensified as a product of stress, I decide what I am going to do the next time that situation shows up. Condemnation doesn't help me but education and decision making works every time. 

I really used to like that cup. I think I broke it :(

Proven Strategy 3 - be truthful • no matter how much it hurts. No matter how many extra potato chips I ate, I need to be truthful. Being truthful is an essential part of the process because progress is a byproduct of truth. I can't lie to myself and reach my fitness goals. I need to write everything down. If I don't like the decision I made, I make a better one the next meal. 

I remember feeling healthier when I ate those veggies.

New Trick 1 - get new goals • my goal is similar to my last health goal but I find it refreshing to have a different approach. This time around, I am asking myself these questions: "What is your stretch goal? - What is a specific subgoal? - How will you measure success? - Is this achievable? - Is this realistic? - What is your timeline?" I find that as I get more specific, I can be more successful.  
New Trick 2 - size matters • I have learned in 8 years that the smaller the food journal, the better. Large journals are difficult to carry around with me. Smaller journals are discrete and I can easily take them everywhere I go. I also buy several at a time so I don't lose the habit because I need to buy another food journal. 
New Trick 3 - treat yo self • I find that rewarding myself motivates the good habit of maintaining a food journal. If I am faithful to my food journal I always lose weight, so that's not a reward, that's my goal. A good reward would complement that goal. For small tasks, I am planning of giving myself a small reward. For writing in my journal for 1 week, I am planning of getting a bouquet of flowers. I haven't thought about the next reward but I know it will NOT be food and it will encourage me to keep the good habit intact. 

If I'm eating out, I'm writing it down.

* What do you think? What are some new and old tips you can share on the subject of food journaling?

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Vegan for 23: the wrap

23 days ago I decided to do my Vegan experiment (again). It wasn't easy but I got it done. This time one friend from church joined me. Most people who answered my digital invite told me "no thanks!" but I'm so thankful one person joined me!

I am aware that the next 51 days are the most challenging ones to start a nutrition plan so I'm glad I'm ahead. The vegan challenge was not easy but I am glad I did it.

At the end of the challenge I got in touch with a nutritionist friend who gave me some great advice on how to improve on what I am already doing. I am looking forward to following her advice and keep a large amount of vegetables on my plate! 

I don't intend to be a vegan for life but I do enjoy joining this great group of people every now and then for the health benefits. 

As the holiday season gets near, I am happy that I am already enjoying great health benefits and I don't want to regress. 

So, do you have a plan for the holiday season? My plan is not to gain weight but to keep up with my fitness training and to keep tracking my nutrition. Gone are the years I helplessly gained weight due to over eating. I want to encourage you to take small steps towards a healthier holiday season. My small step is tracking. What will your small step be?

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100 Days of Food Journaling: I did it!

I wanted to change and I believe I did. For the past 100 days I've been saying that by day 100 I will not be the same person who started this challenge. Here's how it happened:

Who: me, myself and I. I challenged myself to keep a digital food journal for 100 days. It's amazing how I did. Thank God I did. 

What: a food journal. Plain and simple, write down everything I eat, drink and how much I exercise. 

Where: there are many ways to do it but this time I chose to keep a digital food diary on Google Drive. 

Why: My weight and eating habits were getting out of hand. I was unhappy with the way I felt and running was tougher than what it needed to be. A lot of my clothes were not fitting properly. 

How: I kept the following format:

Day 5, June 13, 2015

Breakfast: banana, clif shot (pre-run); 1 egg, 1 slice of bread

Snack: Coffee with soy

Lunch: butternut squash with meat and tilapia. small piece of fried chicken breast

Dinner: butternut squash, fish

Exercise: 10-mile run

H20: 16 + 16 +  16 oz

Thoughts: It was tougher to eat healthy yesterday than I thought. I’m still determined to succeed. Today was a much better day: a night of sleep and a long run as well as yard saling with my mom really added to my well being.

Friends, I was obviously not trying to change drastically, I was trying to make progress. The important thing is that I'm not where I was before. 

The truth is that my weight went down more than up. The truth is that this challenge has helped me make progress and I am grateful.

Will I keep journaling my food or go for another 100 day challenge? You may ask. The answers are yes and maybe. I will keep journaling but I think I will focus on one week at a time. 

I do get better results when I journal for it is a great way to improve my health. 

I am thankful to God for this opportunity and I am happy to have accomplished another wellness challenge! 

100 Days of Food Journal: 
• Day 1 
• Day 11
• Day 21
• Day 59

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100 Days of Food Journaling: 3 words

This is day 59 of 100 and here is my latest update:

#100days #fooddiary #foodjournal I'm so thankful.

A video posted by Cintia Listenbee (@cintialistenbee) on Aug 6, 2015 at 4:01am PDT

I can say that writing down my food intake has become a well-established habit. I can also say that losing weight is not my main motivation (although it's really nice). Improving my health is the main reason why I am persevering in this project. The side effects are many: running is getting easier, I am losing weight and my clothes are fit better (yes!!!). 

When I started this process, my focus was to regain control of my food intake by paying close attention to nutrition. Every day has not been "glamorous" which means I am learning from my mistakes. My main drive can be summarized in 3 words "don't give up." 

Showing perfect before and after pictures can't do justice to the real stuff that goes on in real life. This week for example, I started my new job. I haven't worked outside of the home for 6 and a half years. It is a big adjustment but I am determined not to let this change derail me from my wellness goals. 

Exercising is still a priority but I've been fitting in when I can. Last night I had THE worse run ever but I got it done. This morning when I weighed myself I gave glory to God for helping me lose 2 more pounds. 

My friend, you can achieve your health goals. My encouraging words to you can be summarized in "you will succeed" and "take small steps."

If you need support in your wellness journey, join my Health Support Group on Facebook.

100 Days of Food Journal: 
• Day 1 
• Day 11
• Day 21

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How to do Meal Prep: 5 steps

Other keeping a Food Journal, I find that Meal Prep really helps me to eat better and more efficiently. Here is what works for me:

1. Buy the containers and the food you want to prep - it is important to have everything you need for success. I try to use what I have but as most normal people do, I keep losing containers. I recently went to Aldi and found containers for $0.86 each. Hard to beat!

 2. Cook everything at once - I park in the kitchen until everything is ready. The meals that work for me are rice, beans and veggies. They are quite easy to get it done in less than 2 hours. Those 2 hours saves me 4 days of cooking. I think that's a very good investment!

I tried to prep oatmeal but the kids didn't like it. Oh well!

 3. Store everything in your refrigerator - I personally do not freeze my meals but I believe I could. The goal is to go ahead and put it where you can easily access it.
4. Eat the meals - I sometimes cook a different menu for my kids so I need to intentionally eat the meals that I prep. It is important to remember why you prepared the meals ahead of time during these times. For example, I'm attending a banquet tonight. I can waste thoughts of calories feasting in the banquet or I can eat the meal I prepared ahead of time and have a better chance to succeed tonight. I believe I'll choose success.

The wonder containers I bought for $0.86 at Aldi. 

5. Take them everywhere you go - I know a person who takes her meals with her everywhere she goes. It sounds inconvenient but what that person never had a major health or weight problem. I bought an insulated lunch bag so that I can do just that. The benefits of taking your meals with you is that you will always have access to good nutrition. You will always have a great source of energy when you need it.

I hope these tips gave you a better idea of how easy meal prep can be. If you haven't already, follow me on Periscope. For one of my latest videos, watch here.

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Diário Alimentar: 100 Dias

Diário alimentar antigo: levei pro restaurante

Há 45 dias atrás voltei a escrever tudo que estou comendo em um diário alimentar. O objetivo é de ter mais controle na parte da nutrição. Fazer exercício não é o problema, o negócio é ficar dentro do limite das calorias.

Sempre tive sucesso com esse diário, toda vez que eu escrevia nele eu perdia peso. Quando perdia esse hábito as coisas ficavam bravas. Mesmo com a corrida e as competiçãoes, ficava difícil de manter um peso saudável.

Além da saúde, o meu objetivo é de correr a próxima maratona bem melhor do que corri nos últimos anos.

Tentando coisas novas com esse diário

No início eu só escrevia o que comia: nada de calorias ou muitas restrições. Também escrevia duas ou três frases refletindo sobre o dia. Depois resolvi mudar o tipo de alimentação pra ver como eu me sentia. A vantagem de se escrever tudo o que se come (e bebe) é que você pode ver o que está funcionando e o que não está.

Quando eu estava fazendo o Vigilantes eu contava pontos, mas agora estou contando as calorias que minha médica me indicou.

Antigamente eu escrevia tudo em um caderninho. Funciona bem, mas dessa vez estou usando o Google Docs e mantendo tudo digitalmente. Também gosto desse formato porque dá pra tirar fotos do meu progresso e colocar no Google Docs com facilidade.

O meu objetivo não é de mudar de noite pro dia. Mudança demora, por isso que esse desafio de 100 dias é muito bom. É injusto requerer que eu perca muito peso em 1 semana. O jeito mais saudável é de você mudar devagar. Outra coisa boa é que eu estou aprendendo com os meus erros. O negócio não é querer perfeição, mas saber que o objetivo é de formar bons hábitos que vai me ajudar a melhorar a saúde.

No final do projecto eu coloco fotos e conto minha experiência. Pra falar a verdade, eu não queri ter um diário alimentar pro resto da vida. O que eu quero é aprender o que funciona e praticar pro resto da vida. Não quero ser escrava de diário alimentar, mas quero usá-lo pra ter liberdade no futuro. E você, já usou algum tipo de diário? Como foi a sua experiência?

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Tools of the Food Journaling Trade

I received a great question about journaling from a friend on Facebook, but first, here is my 21 day update photo: 

I can see the change finally showing up! I will not lie, I was discouraged at times but I kept pressing on. Visible changes encourage us but great lessons happen when we decide to persist and follow thru with our plan. I guess I'll stick with this 100 Days of Food Journaling plan! 

My friend asked me if I had suggestions on electronic ways to journal while going through a food and exercise wellness journey. I have 3 suggestions for digital journaling that may work for you: 

• Day One App - this app has a nice design and it is easy to use. It also allows you to add a multimedia sphere to your journaling such as photos. This is my least used app but I do have it on my phone just in case I need somewhere to write. 

• Evernote - I use Evernote to take notes at Merry Ministries. I also use it to write blog posts. I have book ideas there as well as other things. Evernote is also known as a productivity app so you can totally make it work for journaling while on your health journey. 

• Google Docs - I am currently using Google Docs to document my 100 Days of Food Journaling. I like the versatility and I love the fact that I can use both the web and app version. I use this app daily to journal and write other things. I totally approve it!

One thing you need to be mindful is that you need to have access to your digital journal at all times so be sure that any option you choose has an offline version (I know Evernote does). 

The question I pondered on during these last 10 days was "How different will my life be at day 100 and what can I do today to propel that difference?" I believe that by day 100 I will be feeling much better physically. I will also have a well established habit of making the best choices for my health. I can keep journaling, drinking all the water I need for the day, resting and exercising accordingly in order to make that happen. Change will come because I am preparing to succeed. I just need to persist. 

A last note on my change: I'm dropping pounds off slowly for many reasons. I am happy to be losing weight at this rate rather than quickly. I've experienced quick weight loss before and the problem is that those fleeting pounds came back with a vengeance. This time I want to establish and keep the habits that will propel me forward to greater and lasting wellness. 

I hope today's post was helpful to you. Join me at my Hope Health Support Group on Facebook if you would like to have a group of friends in the journey to encourage you. Also leave me a comment with any questions about my process. I'd love to answer your questions!

Previously in this series:
• Day 1
• Day 11

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100 days of Food Journaling

The decisions I make today can and will influence the person I will be in 100 days. This week I launched a personal challenge to journal my food for 100 days. I followed the guideline that usually works for me:

1. have a goal - I wrote down measurable and specific goals for these 100 days.
2. share it with people - for accountability's sake I need to let someone know. I told my husband and now I am telling you.
3. do the goal - unless I do what I set out to do, this project will be a dream.
4. measure your progress - I am after progress and improvement. I can't manage what I won't measure.
5. treat your faithfulness - I need to make a list of healthy, non-food treats. I heard a podcast yesterday challenging me not to reward myself for doing what I'm supposed to do but to introduce regular treats to my plan. A great treat for me, in this season of life, would be 30 minutes of uninterrupted reading. It's great, it is refreshing and I think it will actually help me reach my goal. These are the types of 'treats' I need to include in my weekly schedule. Another good one would be an extra 30 minutes to exercise.
6. encourage someone else - I am sharing my journey with my Facebook Health Support Group. If you want to join the group and share your own journey, leave me a comment so I can add you. I started the group because I noticed several friends who are by themselves in their health journey and I thought we could encourage each other. I launched a 12-week health challenge earlier this year and now I'm launching the 100-day challenge. Join us for extra support and encouragement!
7. readjust approach as needed - notice I said readjust the 'approach' not the 'goal.' I find that sometimes, readjusting my approach to my goals really help. Taking a new class and changing up my vegetable selection a bit really helps me reach my goal in a more exciting way. Eating the same foods for 100 days is just not my idea of fun.

One of my most popular posts here on the blog is the Food Journal How To. Read it if you want a couple of tips on how to successfully start a Food Journal. Whether you write it in paper or go high tech, journaling your food will really help you be in control of the person you will be 100 days from now.

* Check out my new Running Page for post of all my races thus far.
Previously in this Series:
• Day 11: Change Begins in the Kitchen 

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Meia Maratona de Franklin: 25 dias

arroz, feijão, verduras e legumes.

Duas semanas atrás resolvi cozinhar meu almoço e minha janta, medir tudo e colocar na geladeira. Estar preparada pra semana foi uma das melhores decisões que já fiz! A minha alimentação ficou bem mais saudável, eu comi todos os nutrientes que precisava e perdi o peso que estou precisando perder. Correr a meia-maratona no peso certo é bom porque não vou carregar o peso extra por 21 km. Assim que comecei a medir tudo e comer na hora certa me senti bem melhor. 

Chia amolecendo na água, aveia com banana, pasta de
amendoim e canela. 

A maratona de Houston em Janeiro foi ótima, mas quando cheguei lá eu estava lutando pra não ficar doente. Com a graça de Deus terminei a corrida bem, e a recuperação começou. Depois dessa fase de descanso eu continuei a fazer exercícios, mas aumentando os kms no final-de-semana e incluindo a musculação. Fiquei feliz com essa a oportunidade de correr a meia maratona de Franklin porque é mais um incentivo pra continuar o treino e pra manter a saúde. 

Fim da corrida e a felicidade do nosso treinador atrás de mim.

Sábado passado corremos 16 km. Estava quente a bessa, antes de chegar aos 5 kms estávamos pingando no chão. O segredo aqui é correr onde se tem posto de gasolina porque lá dá pra colocar gelo na garrafa. Também passamos perto de escolas onde sempre tem bebedouro. Durante a época do grupo de corrida (começa em Julho e termina depois da maratona de Houston), um grupo de voluntários põe água e gatorade em certos pontos do treino pra nós, então não precisamos de nos preocupar. Nesse Sábado eu levei o meu próprio Gatorade (na verdade o Powerade Zero) porque aprendi no verão passado que repor os eletrólitos é importante demais. O meu objetivo pra essa semana é de continuar tomando bastante água, tomar o nuun (eletrólitos), comer bem mas sempre medindo tudo e continuar com o mesmo plano de exercícios. Tenho me sentido bem melhor e mais forte. Comecei a fazer mais exercícios abdominais e também tem me ajudado bastante. Parece brincadeira, mas por causa do meu abdômen estar fraco por falta de exercício e por causa das cesárias, levantar da cama ás vezes é bem doloroso por causa de cãibras. Isso melhorou bastante em um mês de exercícios abdominais e nos outros músculos daquela área. Bem, por enquanto são essas as novidades. Uma semana bem saudável pra você!

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Meia Maratona de Franklin: Investindo na Saúde

Oi amigos! Tudo bem? Hoje gostaria de falar sobre uma nova experiência como corredora. A maioria dos meus amigos começam a competir na meia maratona e depois eles correm a maratona. Eu fui diferente, comecei com a maratona mesmo. Graças a Deus, corri 3 maratonas e em 39 dias vou correr a minha primeira meia maratona em Franklin,Tennessee.

Você pode pensar que depois de correr 3 maratonas, competir em meia seria fácil, mas não concordo. O treinamento é duro, ainda mais que no Tennessee tem uns morros incríveis e aqui no sul de Houston é tudo bem plano.

Depois da Maratona de Houston tirei umas 2 semanas de folga e voltei a treinar. Graças a Deus não parei até agora. Também inclui uma classe de musculação duas vezes por semana, que está me ajudando a ficar bem mais forte pra correr melhor. Recentemente também resolvi a levar a minha alimentação mais a sério. A realidade bateu quando continuei comendo como antes da maratona, mas com menos kilômetros. O peso aumentou e estou pagando por isso agora. O bom de comer melhor é que você se sente melhor instantâneamente.

Chia e aveia. 

Pronto, não preciso pensar, só comer bem.

No sábado passado choveu muito aqui, mas consegui correr 11.5 kms. Queria correr 13, mas com raio, trovão e uma chuva que estava enchendo a rua, não deu. Pra vocês terem uma idéia, eu comecei a corrida com aquele tempo abafado. Quase no final caiu aquele pé dágua. Meu marido ficou tão preocupado que colocou as crianças no carro e foram me procurar. Não me importo de correr na chuva, o raio é que é o perigo. Bem, mais uma experiência de corredora pro meu livro né?

Essa semana o meu objetivo é de correr 3 vezes, fazer musculação 2 vezes e fazer exercícios abdominais 2 vezes. No final-de-semana eu quero correr de 13 a 16 km. Uma boa semana pra vocês queridos amigos! Invista na sua saúde, pois uma vida saudável é um dos melhores investimentos que podemos fazer. Até a próxima!

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5 foods that helped me lose 44 Pounds

I didn't have a personal trainer nor did I follow a diet. Thank God I was still able to lose  44 pounds the old fashion way. Today I wanted to tell you about 5 foods from the traditional food groups that I eat on a regular basis. Food was part of a winning combination of education, mind renewal, behavior modification,  stress management and flexibility which resulted in weight loss. Here's my list:

Real Food rocks!

5 • Banana - I buy a lot of bananas for our family. I like the way they taste and they are my go to food before my runs. It turns out they are also packed with B6 and vitamin C. Read about other benefits of Bananas here.
4 • Cabbage - I got in the habit of buying them because they are really cheap and they make a great basis for my vegetable soup. I started doing this 2 years ago and it just works for me. Most of the soup is cabbage and the rest is either mixed veggies, beans or whatever else we have. Cabbage has a lot of vitamin K and vitamin C. You can read about other cabbage benefits here.
3 • Black Beans - a Brazilian staple, these Beans have a winning protein/fiber ratio. We eat Black Beans most days at our house, I only stay away from it when I'm expecting. I guess my stomach couldn't take it for some reason. I add it to soups, we eat it with rice and we occasionally make Black Bean burgers my husband loves. Read about the benefits of Black Beans here.
2 • Almond Milk - I was very sensitive to dairy during my pregnancy so Almond Milk was my main source of dairy. I use it as coffee creamer because is super low in calories. I also drink dark chocolate almond milk as a recovery drink after running. Here are other benefits of Almonds here
1 • Oatmeal - I didn't grow up eating oatmeal but I acquired this great habit almost 7 years ago. The kids and I love it for breakfast and honestly for snacks too. It' is super filling if you don't want to be hungry in the morning. I almost never use instant oatmeal because I don't like the taste of it or the amount of sugar. I cook it fresh and we enjoy it most days of the week. Learn about the benefits of oats here.

I am thankful that God is such genius and created fresh food. I am aware that it is a lot of work to cook fresh food but oh the benefits! I feel better overall when I enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables. This past year I also enjoyed cakes, pies, sweet tea, chips, etc but on a very limited basis. Our family eats pizza once a week for dinner and I was still able to lose the weight. My point is to find the best quality foods for my body allowing myself the occasional treat.

I hope you enjoyed my list! What are some of the foods that helps your health journey?

Video Series:
• My Weight Loss in 60 Seconds (Complete Video Archives)

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