My Morning Routine

I love mornings.
They represent new beginnings.
As a teenager, I would wake up and think, "I have a new chance to succeed." My habits made those chances worth pursuing.
As a wife and mother, I am productive in the morning.
I accomplish a lot in the early hours. My morning routine is not about a list of things I do but specific habits that lead to success.

Instead of thinking of routine as a series of robotic activities, I think of the habits that propel me towards a happier day. Here they are:

Habit 1 • Phone Downtime. The digital age has given us quite a bit of control of our uncontrolled urge to check our phones all the time. A great solution to this problem is to utilize the "downtime" setting of my iPhone. This setting locks almost all my Apps from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. The only things not clocked are my Bible App and my camera. The act of not checking my phone when I wake up helps me to be more purposeful, peaceful and productive.

Habit 2 • Rest. The fuel to the best morning routines is resting well the night A good morning requires a restful night. Rest is the most underutilized productivity tool. After a night of rest, I feel refreshed and ready to be productive.

Habit 3 • Prepare. It's been said that "by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail." I prepare everything I need the night before. I set aside my running clothes, shoes and I make sure the coffee maker is ready to go. I also pack any lunches the kids need the night before. Preparation makes my morning routine easier. I can simply sit with my Bible and coffee knowing that everything I need to do later is already ready to go.

Habit 4 • Focus. Distraction is the chief thief of productivity. I've had days when I wake up early and I waste precious minutes by browsing the internet mindlessly. Focusing on my actual routine is very important. When I wake up, I get dressed, I wash my face, brush my teeth and I get the coffee maker started. I get on my knees and pray for a while. Then I read my Bible. After that, it's time to go for a run. I only have a set amount of time to do all of that, so focusing on starting and finishing each activity on time is very important. Decide what you want to do and focus on each activity.

Please know that these suggestions might not work for you. I also need to tell you that I'm very much a work in progress. Every now and then I need to recalibrate and do these very things anew.

Other tips:

• Keep your phone out of reach. Put it in a room adjacent to yours. You will sleep better, and if you need to hear the alarm, you'll get up to turn it off. I always remind myself that I am not an E.R. doctor on call. I can live without my phone if need be. Remember, technology is a great servant but a terrible master.

• Plan for Downtime - When my phone is about to shut down, it gives me a 5-minute warning. It is a mental reminder that I need to go to bed. My phone is not part of my bedtime routine, so I need a plan for my own downtime. Will I read a book? Will I join my husband and watch a show? Will I prep for the next morning? Planning ahead is a great way to succeed.

I would love to hear about some ways you keep your morning routine popping.

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What do you when you are stressed?

I'm not sure if you can tell but since I started this blog in 2003, I've had some major battles with stress. I am thankful to God that I won each one and each year, I continue to learn how to manage stress well so it doesn't manage me.

The other day, I was mapping a running route for my running group. My mind told me "I'm under stress." I quickly told my mind: "NOPE! Stress is under me."

Here are six ways to stay in control when you are navigating stress:

1. Recognize you are stressed - denial will not help you at all. I learned that accepting the feeling of stress is actually good. Denial only delays the process of management. I accept that I am stress by greeting it. Once I say, "Oh, hey. I see you." I immediately move on to the next step.

2. Identify the source of stress - This requires asking myself some leading questions. What is concerning me? Why do I feel these feelings? Writing helps. Thinking about it helps. I don't dwell in this step too long. Identification is followed by action. There's no need to identify the source of stress just to stop there. Let's move to the next step with confidence.

3. Pray about the situation - God wants to hear about the source of your stress. He has the right solution for your burden. Talk to Him. Cry if you feel tears are coming. He will give you beauty for ashes at the end of it all. That's the kind of God He is: wonderful.

4. Talk about the situation - Chances are, you know the right person who can handle your stressful situation. They will listen attentively. They will offer advice if you ask for it. They will be supportive and they won't gossip about your stuff. Let me remind you that Facebook is not that person. You need a real human being who can be trusted with your troubles.

5. Find intentional relaxation moments - Last year, I majored in finding intentional relaxation moments. I found these moments to be very helpful because they helped me manage the side-effects of stress. These moments have to work for your personality. What is relaxing for me might not be relaxing for you. I encourage you to make a list. Some items on my list are a manicure, bubble bath, and a long walk.

6. Seek professional help - I believe in seeing a Christian counselor during stressful times - as well as regular times in life. I find counseling effective in giving me the tools to fight and win this battle with stress. I always leave feeling better than I came in. I become aware of my power, not the lack of it. Come to think of it, that's what stress does to me: makes me aware of my lack of power. When I seek professional help, I become aware that I am a victor, not a victim.


What do you do when you are stressed my friend? Here is what I know for sure: you can win. You can overcome and you will rise stronger. God's for you, no doubt!

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2017 goals: the time frame talk

Remember those goals you and I set in January? We can still accomplish them. I love the quote that says "there are no unrealistic goals, only unrealistic time frames." Here's the time frame that you and I, Oprah and Bill Gates have been granted by God: 288 days. This is exactly how long you and I have till we reach December 31, 2017. How much can you accomplish in 0.7 years or 41 weeks or 9.46 months or 6,912 hours? 

Where are your goals my friend? Take a confident look at them because you have time to accomplish them. It'll require some dedication from your part because your goals are not unrealistic, your time frame might be.

Here's what you have going against you: screens. If you are like the *average American, you are spending close to 11 hours a day looking at a screen. What that means is that out of the 6,912 hours God has given you for the rest of the year, you might spend 3,157 looking at a screen. Impressive hum? I know you and I can do better!

Here's what you have going for you: your Amazing Brain! Yes! You can think for yourself and you can shake this need of letting life pass you by without your full and conscious participation. Decide now who you want to be in 288 days and let those goals serve as a map to get you to your ideal destination. The first step is to decide where you want to go. Then you follow that map. Next, you should expect detours. Lastly you will get there so celebrate! (For a full, fun post on "goals as a map," please click here)

Friend, I can't shake these countdown numbers off my head. If you were a pregnant lady, you would totally have a baby in 2017. Whether you are pregnant or not, we are all expecting great things in the form of goals. I'm here to remind you that now is the time to reframe how you will spend the rest of your year.

Use your brain and map your way to success.

* Nielsen report

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Loving Texas while missing North Carolina Autumns

I love Texas for many reasons. I couldn't help but fall in love with the culture I experience here. Heat is part of Texas culture and I'm determined that tough summers build tough people. The scalding heat you feel when you walk out of your air conditioned car builds your possess. Walking outside to get your mail in the blazing sun affects your brain in a way that it increases your ability to live life better (away from the sun). 

This time of year I dearly miss North Carolina. The golden, crimson colors of the changing leaves made me feel like I was inside of a postcard. I'd drive my old, straight shift car in those curvy roads. I often didn't have destination. My goal was to get lost in the beauty of God's handwork. That my friends, is the best time to look at the changing leaves.

When you move away from a place, it seems that the only thing you really take with you are those mental pictures. Hopefully, they are mostly happy. That's North Carolina in the Fall to me: beautiful mental pictures. I remember the leaves changing, the cooler air and the joy that this new season bring. The hope of Thanksgiving, the taste of holiday meals and the laughter with friends. Carolina in my Mind is the soundtrack of my Fall. 

I open my eyes and I am right back in the heat of Texas. I've given birth in the heat of this summer. No wonder my child is fierce. I've suffered the effects of heat and humidity, and it made me wiser and stronger. 

Still, I miss my Carolina Autumns. All I had to do was to look outside of my window where my older kids played and played in those golden leaves. I hope these memories will never fade away. For I am determined that this crazy love for Texas is here to stay. All while missing my North Carolina Autumn. 

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95 days till 2017!

95 days and we are in 2017. We have work to do people! The key is to start where you are! Read "September is the new January" for inspiration. 

 I'm trying not to be discouraged when I look at my goals but to be inspired to reach them. Here's the thing about goal setting: just because I wrote it down, it doesn't mean that it will magically happen. It does mean that I have margin and guidelines for the year. 

One of my goals was to run an out of town half-marathon and the race is coming up this weekend. I trained, I set my goal and Sunday I will race after that goal (literally). I appreciate your prayers for a successful race and trip. 

Others goals have not been easy to do. I often think of ignoring them but that would not be fair to the person who wrote those goals last year (moi). I choose instead to keep pursuing them for 95 days and then I'll see what I can get accomplished.
One of my real life, goal setting inspirations, is my friend Jennifer. She's a working wife and mother of a little one who just finished her second Ironman Triathlon. Instead of thinking of her as someone who has supernatural abilities, I think of her as a wife, mother and professional who has a busy schedule but takes her goals seriously. I also admire her thankful heart. Recently she shared her thanksgiving for her family and the many people who support her so she can reach such a big goal. It does take a village! I'm thankful for Jennifer being one of my real life goal achieving examples.

So here is what I am working with:

Fitness Goals - I successfully trained for my Fall Half-Marathon and I'm on track to reach my PR goal. This upcoming race will also be my base race for the rest of the season. My ultimate goal is to PR the Chevron Houston Marathon in January. I have lots of racing to do and I plan on learning strategy that way. 

Family Goals - family schedules are quite fluid throughout the year. The first 6 months of this year was very intense. Okay, the first 8 months! Things are different now which means I have room to be on top of my family goal of scheduling dates with my husband. We've been dating when we can but the plan is to get a firm date each week. Another one of my goals is to "give everyone 100% attention: no looking at screens unless working." I've been convicted about this because I'm teaching through my actions. So far, so good. 

Business Goals - this one has moved slowly but not really. I've invited God into my business goals and I've been getting exactly what I can handle in this are. For that, I'm really happy. 

Faith Goals - I've been super late with my Bible in a Year plan but the great thing is that I haven't neglected Bible reading at all. During the summer I focused on Colossians and in the Spring, when things got busier for me, I read less in quantity. I still think I can catch up. Stay tuned! I also set the goal of (Biblical) Fasting more often. I'm glad my church has Fasts on Wednesdays, which is a great reminder of my goal. It's also nice to do it as a church. 

Other Goals - Most of my "other" goals were accomplished. I don't know why, it just was easier somehow to get those done. They were also travel related, which is nice.

I also would like to remind us that the holidays are near. As of today, we have:

89 days till Christmas
58 days till Thanksgiving

We don't celebrate Halloween but if you do, get on the ball! The goal is not to let these holidays catch you unprepared. How am I preparing? I've been cleaning closets and making room for the extra things we pick up at the end of the year. This is making me very happy!

Time is going to pass by my friend. Wisdom is found when you decide how to spend it towards reaching your goals. Have a blessed day!

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Goals: 32 Weeks in 2016

I just completed 42 weeks of my adventure as a preschool music teacher. I am thankful to God for what's ahead. While I have learned a lot from the past, one thing is for sure: there is nothing I can do about it. Yesterday is gone and all I have is what God has given me in the gift of today. 

You and I have great possibilities contained in the next 32 weeks. What will you do with it? I have a pretty great idea of what I can do. 

• Family - Camp Listenbee will be in session for the summer again. I am planning an epic time with the kids. The goal is to experience new things without being over committed and exhausted. I'm looking forward to a happy summer filled with fun memories. I also plan on spending some major time with my husband. I've been married to him for 10 years but somehow, I can't get enough of him. 

• Health - I scheduled my annual exams and I have been working closely with my family doctor. I see her every 3 months because of the high blood pressure meds I have been on since 2007. The last time I was there I told her I am working on losing weight and she gave me some great advice. My goal is to be fit for my Fall and Winter races. Now is the time to do the hard work and I will continue to benefit throughout the year. 

• Fitness - I am reading "Run Less Run Fast" with my running buddies. I like the book and I plan on starting that training plan soon. My next race (Rock'n'Roll San Jose Half) is in October, so my fitness goal is to PR as well as a have a lovely time in California with my dear friend and her family. Right after that we crank up the Chevron Houston Marathon Training. My heart is to train with purpose for Houston and finally, finally run a dreamy race that shows in the numbers. 

• Business - I am open and eager to pursue new business opportunities this year. I've been praying and working on new projects and I'm excited about the places God is taking me. 

• Faith - There is something about faith that is not quantitative. God is all about relationship, so I'm happy about that. I am planning on continuing to read my Bible in One Year. I'm late but I am persisting and reading daily. I am also embarking on a new area where I have the honor of co-teaching Colossians with a dear mentor and a faithful sister in Christ. The study is called "Walk this Way" and you can listen to it this summer at www.MerryMinistries.com If you are a local friend, I expect you there. If not, do listen online. I will be studying and praying more than usual this summer as we embark in this amazing journey through God's word with the help of the Holy Spirit. 

I wonder if you have considered the fact that this is a good time to focus on your goals. January is gone but God is a present help today and He loves you for who you are, just where you are. 

Look for updates on these goals a few times this year and I will count on your prayers and encouragement, deal? 

Have an amazing day! 

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10 Natural Stress Relievers

1. Exercise - this is a great way for your brain to produce feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Some call it "runner's high" but you feel as great at the end of a Zumba class. Doing what you love is the way to go about it. 

2. Rest - there are many benefits to resting. It gives you a much needed "reboot." It helps you get a better perspective on life's circumstances and it gives your mind a chance to start fresh. 

3. Deep breaths - without getting too weird, taking deep breaths helps you relax. It does something magnificent with your cardiovascular function. I remember taking deep breaths when I was nervous as a child. It has been a great practice. 

4. Bible reading and meditation - getting focused on the word of God is a natural stress reliever. I get to reestablish my foundation in God's promises. His word which does not return to Him void, which means, it works!  

5. Take it easy - life is not what it used to be, so respect this new season and don't put more on your bucket than you need to carry. Your stressful situation is only for a season. 

6. Meet a good friend for coffee - seeing a friendly face is naturally relaxing. I think that good friendships are naturally relaxing. Make a point to see a human being who loves you when you're under stress. 

7. Recognize - it's important to admit that you're stressed. Neglect just makes things worse. Once you recognize it, you can treat your symptoms accordingly. Recognition targets the problem so you can proceed to a solution.  

8. Counseling - professional counseling really help us get to the root of the matter and take steps towards solving our issues. I am a firm believer in professional, Christian counseling. I have benefited from sessions with a counselor during times of high stress in my life. 

9. Go on vacation (or staycation) - remember those commercials of people sunbathing on a sandy white beach? None of those folks look stressed. While most of us just can't take off to a beach, we can leave our usual places and go to a local park just to enjoy nature. Even if all you have is 15 minutes, it helps sooth your mind and body.  

10. Write on a journal - before running, journaling was the only thing I had to relieve stress. It's a great tool because you get to get your feelings out on paper. I remember feeling much better after writing a few pages. I was also able to process things better that way.

I want to encourage you to know yourself and get a couple of natural stress relief tools on your pocket. Life offers you stressful situations at times and it's great to know how to navigate through them. It is my personal conviction that one should not medicate stress with illegal drugs and bad habits but one should cut the problem by its root. We all go through stressful seasons but we were not created to dwell under stress. Seasons change and as we learn to navigate through stressful situations we will rise as better, more mature human beings. 

• What are your favorite natural solutions to cope with stress?

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Mid-year Goal Update

My goals for 2015 were not too lofty. I attribute this to the way I began my year: accomplishing a big goal and dealing with some frustration right after crossing the finish line. I’m not sure if I’m the only person who deals with disillusionment after reaching a goal. I managed to pick myself up and keep going. Not setting lofty goals has its advantages. While that feeling of disillusionment is what I remember from January, I decided to look at the goals I actually wrote the for the year. To my surprise, I have done pretty well. 

I set goals in the following categories: Faith, Fitness, Business and Family. I have accomplished a lot of the goals and I am making progress in many others. I was particularly surprised at the completion of 3 particular goals: my travel goals and my travel and business goals. I’m amazed at how simply writing the stuff down empowers you to go after those goals with God’s help. I think that what I learned about goals this year is that I can’t give up. A lot of my goals seem impossible but with God’s help and diligence in my part, I believe they will get accomplished. I think that setting goals is a vote of faith in God and a vote of confidence in myself. Sure, life takes over and stuff you don’t expect happen. It is still imperative not to give up on the long term fact that you become the person on the other side of the accomplished goal one baby step at a time.

My encouragement for you and I is to be a good finisher. We have half of the year under our belt so let's keep going and finish strong. 

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3 Ways to get Kids to Eat Vegetables

Creativity might be the way to end my concern about how many vegetables my kids eat. They are great fruit eaters, it's the vegetables they don't completely trust. Here's the plan to introduce them to a greater variety of vegetables: 

• Set a Good Example -  If more is caught than taught, my kids better catch me eating a lot of vegetables. I gladly do just that. We eat the same things for breakfast most days and we enjoy the same fruits. I am hoping that they will become more willing to try new vegetables. Some intentionality is needed on my part. I need to plan on introducing new vegetables and repeat it a couple of times until they pick up on the new habit.

• Little Hands-On - The image of black beans spread on the kitchen table is forever sealed in my mind. I grew up being involved in the process of food preparation and I hope to pass on the same tradition to my children. The other day they helped me prepare black beans and cauliflower. They had fun but were not convinced they should eat those foods themselves. My long-term goal is to teach them how I cook these food so they will also attain healthy cooking skills.

Toddlers helping with beans. The baby actually likes her food,
she was just wondering why I take so many pictures.

• Try a New Tactic: I read an interesting article online on how to introduce more vegetables to children's diets. The new tactic is to ask the kids to describe the new food: 

"Encourage your child to describe how any new vegetable or food tastes with descriptive words like slippery, crunchy, mushy, chewy, sweet, sour. Discourage other descriptive words like yucky, gross and other non-printable words. Make a game of seeing who can come up with the most descriptive words. Does it seem that your child prefers mushy textures? Then more mushy vegetables it is!" Roy Benaroch, MD I never thought of that! I will give it a try for sure

Some of the produce that quickly disappear from our household. 

My hope is to expose my children to a great variety of fruits and vegetables. I want my children to try natural foods from an early age so they can make educated choices in the future.
QUESTION: How do you introduce new vegetables to your children? Leave a comment with your best tips!

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3 Tips for Social Media Savvy Musicians

There’s a world of websites promising you fame and fortune. A wise musician needs to know how to spend their time in order to receive more buzz for their music. Here are 5 tips that are sure to help you be social media savvy.

1. Go where your Fans are • Most people do not know what Reverb Nation is. Many will try their best not to sign up to another place where they can listen to your music. Instead of trying to lead a massive exodus out of traditional social media platforms, go where your fans are. Focus on better utilizing those platforms which are very versatile when it comes to musicians. The key is to glam your fans where they are instead of making more difficult find you.

2. Don’t Spam your Fans • During my Social Media workshops and consulting sessions I offer smart strategies for business owners who want to gain and maintain interest from consumers. Spaming your fans include bad strategies such as using your personal profile to tag hundreds of people on a video of yours or on a photo promoting your next project. This is the easiest way to lose fans because you are crowding their walls with information that belongs on your Artist or Band page. Here are other easy ways to lose fans on Facebook.

3. Measure your Efforts • It’s important to use social media as a measurable tool. If most of your strategy consists of tagging people in videos and photos you posting on your wall, how can you measure efficiency? Measuring your online marketing efforts allow you to be a more successful user of social media, which will in return give you more time to dedicate to your precious creative process.

For more information on Social Media Strategy or for consultation information, please go to the Listenbee Media's website www.cintialistenbee.com

• For a complete list of Social Media articles, click here

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Welcome Local Readers!

I have a story on my local newspaper today so I thought I'd take this opportunity to welcome my local readers by introducing myself and this blog. 

Who am I?

My name is Cintia, I am the {Christian} wife of a wonderful man (Zeke) and we have two children. LP was born 15 months before his sister Z Girl, to whom I gave birth at the end of July. My husband is a Worship Pastor in our community and an amazing father and musician. We will be married for 5 years next month. Zeke is a Mississippian, I'm Brazilian, we met in college. We got married here in the Mountains. The last time we went to Brazil was 3 years ago (thank God for Skype, right?).

I have a B.A. and M.A. in Journalism, so that's my trade. I'm currently a full-time mom who does contract work as an Event Planner, Social Media Expert, Photographer and Writer. 

About the Blog

I have been blogging for 5 years. I started this blog as a food diary and a place to talk about my (many) failures and successes with weight loss. I realized I am more than a number on the scale, so this blog became a place where I talk about the lessons I am learning as I walk with God on this earth. Some of the Topics Covered are:

• Raising bilingual children (my kids speak Portuguese and English)

• Small steps weight loss & fitness

• Reflections on the Bible 

• Life in Brazil 

• Being an ethnic minority living among the majority

• In-law relationships 

• Music 

• Praying with and for children 

I hope you subscribe to the blog and follow my journey. I have a great series on the works for January of 2011, so stay tuned! I'm also a video blogger, so look in the archives to see me in person (kind of!). You can also follow me on Twitter.

Welcome again to my blog. Leave a comment and let me know where in the world you are and how you found me. Have a blessed and productive day! 

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Top Posts of 2010

Proofreading a post
while drinking coffee

I'm looking back at this amazing year I just had. We always start the year celebrating my marriage and my birthday. In 2010 LP had his first birthday and I gave birth to my daughter. In the midst of so much life we also celebrated the home going of my father-in-law. It was a bittersweet year but the sweet surpassed the bitter. I spent a lot of time with my mom and I learned many life lessons about parenting, death, friendships and God's love for me. Here is a list of my best posts of 2010. Let me know how you enjoyed reading Simply Cintia this year and which one of the posts is your fav (even if it's not listed here). I also always wonder when and how you found this blog.

Pregnancy and Birth:  

40 Weeks • The poops and pearls of pregnancy

week 27 of pregnancy #2

Baby gender announcement video • the gender of LB

Here lies my VBAC • I came to terms with not having a natural birth

The Birth Part 1 • birth experience in full

The Birth Part 2: recovery • life after a c-section

Babies 101 • the basics on the care of babies

Series: 

While I Wait: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 • Reflections for different seasons of waiting

Weight Watchers Wednesday: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 • I'm ending/changing this series

Family:

The challenge of Encouragement • this challenge benefited my marriage

Marriage + Kids • Things one can't forget after having children

Mother-in-law relationships: sour or sweet? • for those who struggle with in-law relationships

Memory • I remember my late father-in-law

Children:

playing

I love my hair • Black (hair) is beautiful

What to Expect: Church Nursery • read this before leaving your children there 

Praying with Children • a guideline for those who want to incorporate more prayer with their kids

Weight Loss:

Life after baby: Weight • this one caused quite a stir probably because there are many experts out there.

Life Lessons:

Fertilizers • some people are like poop in the soil of my dreams

Top 10 reasons to post on Facebook • not every FB post is well intended
Women of faith • my experience

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What to Expect: Church Nursery

My son has been in church nursery since he was 6-weeks-old. We were quicker than most to make the move because we both lead worship at church. In order for me to be at peace and feel secure during Sunday service, I learned to expect several things from any church nursery:

• Clean Sweep – I notice how neat and clean is the place is. Does it smell like dirty diapers? Are the toys neatly stacked or are they a hazard to toddlers and adults? A clean nursery is a peaceful nursery.

• Quality Staff – I heard that 3 kids per adult is a good ratio to have. I usually notice if the nursery is well staffed. If they are understaffed, I might as well not give them one more little one to worry about and hold on to my baby until the end of service.

• Confident Atmosphere – It’s important to pay attention to the atmosphere: when children are crying, look at the staff. Are they in ‘emergency mode’ or are they calm, nurturing and attending to the needs of the children? Are the volunteers focused 100% on the children or are they talking to one another? A secure atmosphere brings confidence in the parents.

• Feedback – It’s nice to know about what your child did while you were in service. Was their diaper changed? At what time? Did they take their bottle? I believe that churches who give a report to parents get it right. It establishes trust, professionalism and it guarantees that guests will return. I was really impressed with a church who put this form filled out in my diaper bag:

To my surprise, there was also a sticker on my son's diaper telling me what was the last time he had a diaper change. Highly impressive and helpful!


• Ministry – unless ministry takes place, a church nursery may be classified as child care. Churches can make a difference when children are blessed during their stay. The staff can always pray that God will give the babies grace through teething, as they learn how to walk and that they will be a blessing for their parents. God hears and answers prayers.

I’m sure you too can add many other healthy expectations parents have for church nurseries. My prayer is that your place of worship continues to provide more than childcare; I pray they provide a ministry that loves and cares for children while blessing the parents with peace of mind.

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Why Cloth?

My mom is my hero. We were all breastfed and we all were on some kind of cloth diapers. Why? Partly because cloth was all that was available in Brasil in the 80s. I remember the amount of cloth diapers being washed every week as well as being ironed every week. Crazy but we made it through. When considering my diapering options last year when my first child was born I did not consider cloth. In my mind, why would I want to go back in time if disposable is more convenient? We also were blessed with over 6 months worth of disposable diapers and we didn't have to spend money until recently. What a huge blessing.

When my niece got on cloth diapers my interest grew. All the good reasons (listed bellow) were not impressive until I found someone real to me who was using it.

My husband and I bought our first (and only) cloth diaper a while ago. This photo is the second time the Little Prince has wore it. Cloth is cute tough I have to smell it until I wash it. I haven't bought the other products that go along with it. Oh, I always hope LP won't poop in it but he does.

Now that I have been trying it for myself I can agree that saving money is always good. Not having to make the diaper runs to the store would be awesome. The only cloth vs. disposable argument I don't quite agree with is the better for the environment one. I agree that we will avoid landfill waste but we will use more water to wash the extra amount of clothes. As I balance all the pros and cons I still think that cloth is better. Will I switch? I can totally see myself doing it half and half at least. Here's an article about it with all great reasons to switch. Let me know if you do cloth or disposable in the comments session.

Why Would You Want to Use Cloth Diapers?

an article by Cloth Diapers Blog

Are you considering cloth diapers? Good! It makes financial sense. It makes environmental sense. Let's talk about why.

Cloth diapers are cheaper to use than disposables. Disposable diapers cost around $0.25 per diaper change. That varies based on the type of disposable diaper you buy. If you buy cheap store brand diapers, you may spend as little as $0.09 per diaper. If you buy higher end name brand diapers, you could spend over $0.30 per diaper. Every single disposable diaper you buy and use is thrown in a landfill. How much money are you wasting? Replace that image of a disposable diaper fluttering in the breeze at a landfill with a mental image of piles of quarters. There you go! You may have thrown away around $1600-$2000 by the time your baby starts potty training.

Cloth diapers are an initial investment that pays off in the long run. Your initial investment will vary based on the brand you choose. Cotton Babies offers cloth diapering packages that range from $34.95 to $339.00. Want to spring for the nicer diapers (like bumGenius) but not sure how you can afford it? Try the budget plan. Buy one diaper per paycheck. Did you know that shipping is free on everything at Cotton Babies, including cloth diapers?

Is it worth it? Heck yeah! Even if you only saved a little bit of money because you bought the most expensive cloth diapers on the market, it is a little bit more money than you would have if you'd chosen to use disposable diapers and thrown that money in the landfill instead! Use cloth diapers. It makes financial sense.

Cloth diapers are more convenient. Imagine just realizing that you just picked up the last disposable diaper. The diaper bag was empty. The "emergency stash" in the car was gone. Now what? Well, you can send your partner out on an emergency trip to the grocery store, or you can rest easy because you have cloth diapers. It's just time to do a quick load of laundry!

Cloth diapers are better for the environment because they prevent landfill waste. According to a recent EPA study, disposable diapers take up over 1.5% of the space in landfills. Cotton Babies is in the middle of researching more information about many pounds of waste your baby will contribute to that landfill waste if you choose disposable diapers. Research is so impersonal though! If you are anything like me, it is hard to correlate numbers in a spreadsheet to something visual that really affects my life. Thankfully, Hollywood took the time to create the visual for us. Have you seen Wall-E yet? Remember the mountains of garbage? Everytime I see a disposable diaper in the trash, I have mental images of the piles of garbage that little robot was trying to clean up. That's enough to make my insides shudder. I've written quite a bit more on this issue (and included links to relevant studies) in my Cloth Diapers - Just the Basics resource page.

Cloth diapers are realistic. Yes, cloth diapers can be used in virtually any family situation. What solution you choose will vary based on some variables - including whether or not you work outside of your home and who is the primary caregiver for your child. If you are a stay at home parent, it is easy to use cloth diapers all the time. If you work outside the home, consider using cloth diapers on the weekends and overnight. Some daycare providers will cloth diaper your baby though (to boost your argument, consider a one-piece cloth diaper like bumGenius Organic All-In-Ones). I don't know your individual situation though. It is important to identify what your family needs and just choose a diapering solution that will work for you!

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Férias

Finalmente saímos de férias! O bebê viajou muito bem, nós é que estávamos muito cansados. Quando as férias terminarem vamos ver se tudo o que fiz vai funcionar mesmo. Por enquanto, está tudo legal. Uma coisa que estou reparando mais é que nem todo lugar onde vamos tem mesa de trocar fralda. E quando tem, as vezes tem no banheiro de mulheres e não no de homens. Meu marido gosta de me ajudar muito com o bebê quando saímos mas nem sempre dá por causa disso. Não viajo há 4 meses. A última 'viagem' foi pro hospital pra ter o meu Pequeno Príncipe.

Estou aproveitando pra descansar mas também tenho que continuar treinando pra corrida, então devo fazer issso daqui a pouco.

A Emi me mandou uma matéria muito legal sobre Inibidores de Apetite. Ela passou um pedaço com eles antes de perder peso de uma forma mais saudável. Eu quando cheguei aqui nos E.U.A. há 11 anos atrás comprei remédio pra emagrecer mas nem cheguei a tomar por um mês. Senti o coração disparar e fiquei com medo, então parei e perdi peso de uma maneira mais saudável (depois ganhei tudo de novo e a sanfona começou). Tiraram o remédio que usei do mercado por ser muito perigoso para saúde. No meu caso eu estava desesperada e resolvi ver se remédio funcionava. Pra falar a verdade, agora que estou lembrando: a primeira vez que usei remédio pra emagrecer, uma endocrinologista no Rio me passou um remédio natural com uma dieta. Tomei o remédio, e me tirava a fome mesmo, mas o problema é que eu continuava comendo muito porque o remédio não tirou o hábito. O melhor é perder peso de uma forma que vc possa manter depois. Ninguém quer ficar tomando o remédio a vida toda - pelo menos eu não quero.

Vou continuar aproveitando a nossa viagem. Uma ótima semana pra todos!

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Focus on Health Not Underwear Models

GREAT article on WebMd:

The most successful dieters are those who focus on health, instead of a figure on the scale, Katz says. He offers five simple tips to get you started on the journey toward improved health:

1. Your goal should be both to eat healthier meals and get regular physical activity. Most people cannot lose weight by diet alone but need to balance calories consumed with calories burned. Regular exercise also provides a wealth of health benefits.

2. Restrictive diets may work initially but usually fail over the long haul. Forget about "dieting" and instead, think about strategies to satisfy your hunger for fewer calories. Eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help manage your appetite.

3. Be a role model to teach your family about healthier eating patterns and lifestyles. There is strength in unity, and when you engage your family, you will be improving their health as well as your own.

4. Become more aware of the nutrition environment around you. Read food labels, and stock your kitchen with nutritious foods so you'll have ingredients on hand for healthy snacks and meals. Plan ahead and take nutritious food with you when you're on the go so you'll be prepared when hunger strikes.

5. Identify what led to your weight gain and address it. For example, if you overeat because of stress, consider a stress management course. Develop a strategy to address areas where you're vulnerable so you can set yourself up for success.

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Positive Confessions

There's well known verse in Proverbs 18:21 which says "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." (King James Version).

I love other translations of the same verse:

Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose. (The Message)

We all have said words that give life and we all have said words that kill – someone's confidence, a friendship, our own self esteem. Words are powerful thing. Many times in my life I should have chosen life instead of saying words that do not uplift.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. (Amplified)

I like to eat good stuff. Did you know that through the power of your tongue you can eat good or bad fruit? Usually when I bite into a spoiled apple I immediately spit it out and throw it away. The Bible says that if I indulge in bad words (saying them, listening to them and therefore believing the bad words I say) I will eat the bad fruits that follow those words.

"The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences." (New Living Translation)

Before I started losing weight for good, I loved to talk about myself. I used to look in the mirror and I'd say, 'I'm fat.' Even when I wasn't looking in the mirror I'd say things of that nature.

Once I prayed and asked God for help to lose weight and be healthier, the first thing He told me was 'Stop calling yourself fat.' Why would God care if I called myself fat? Because I was confessing the power of death over my life and I was reaping the consequences. I saw myself as a fat woman, therefore, I had the worse attitude about myself which kept eating wrong foods, not exercising and therefore gaining weight.

I have a good friend who keeps saying that overeating is matter of the heart. I'm a witness.

Before successfully losing weight, God had to transform my mind. How do you know your mind is renewed? Watch your words.

Before a word is in your lips, God knows it completely (Psaml 139:4), therefore God is the one who can help you talk more positive things about yourself.

God led me to read "Me and My Big Mouth" a book by Joyce Meyer. I learned about positive confessions in the Bible and the concept was highly emphasized in that book.

What are positive confessions? Positive confessions is confessing (saying) the word of God out loud and making it personal.

Pray and choose some Bible verses that speak to your situation and make them personal. In my case, I wasn't exercising and I wanted to exercise because I know God wants me to enjoy a healthy life. This is an example of a positive confession I use concerning exercise:

"I exercise often and I enjoy it. I walk, I run 5Ks and I can do it through Christ who strengthens me."

I need to point out that I confessed this for 1 year and a half before I actually got anywhere and walk. It will probably be 2 years before I take part on my 5K. The thing is, positive confessions lead you to the blessings God has stored for you. No matter how long it takes, they are seeds and they will bring great fruits in your life.

I encourage you to be specific when confessing the word of God. If God led you to lose a certain amount of pounds, say I will lose X amount of pounds with God's help.

We are very specific when being negative about ourselves, so be sure to be specific when being positive and when confessing God's wonderful words over yourself.

Proverbs 31 talks about the virtuous woman. On verse 26 we know that she speaks wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue. Nowhere on that chapter we see that she's negative or lazy. She is always giving and working to please God, to care for her family and to help others around her.

When you are being negative, you are being selfish. You focus on yourself and you forget about a loving God who is crazy about you unconditionally. You forget about the needs of others out there in the world and you forget about how much you can contribute to the happiness of others.

The Bible also teaches us that we reap what we sow. Sow positive words over yourself and your situations. Confess positive words over yourself and your situations and see good fruit all over your life.

* I'm taking a break from the blog. I will be back with great news, you many not want to miss it! Thanks for reading Simply Cintia!

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The building blocks of successful weight loss

I read this today on Maria's Last Diet so I decided to actually answer it:
List your reasons for wanting to lose weight – controlling high blood pressures; avoiding diabetes and any other illnesses that come with being an overweight black woman; having a healthy pregnancy and strong delivery; being able to run at least 3 miles per day without the extra weight on my body making it difficult; being an active mom with my children. Being able to hang with them from birth til we take them to their college dorm; in order to have energy! My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I want God to be able to use me and having a healthy body makes it much easier! Of course I want to continue to look great for my husband and I want to be able to wear smaller clothes than I currently have. I don’t wish to go back to the larger sizes ever again.
Determine how your life will be enhanced by being thinner – My health will be greatly enhanced by being thinner. I will also be able to hang in there when it comes to hiking, running, walking, swimming and doing all the other fun things I like to do.
Make the decision to shift your focus to your weight loss effort - OK
Choose a diet or weight loss plan that fits in with your lifestyle - OK
Don't keep it a secret - tell people close to you what you want to do – I have told people who are extremely close to me and sometimes someone who eats with me. It’s worked so far.
Make a list of any danger spots you anticipate – this weekend? We’re eating out a lot. I guess that writing everything I eat will continue to help me.
Create a detailed plan to get through these danger spots – Saving calories for dinner this weekend by writing my meal plan and making sure it makes to the journal.
Enlist the support of a least one trusted person – I gotta work on that…
Make sure to set smaller goals along the way – 1. write a plan for the weekend 2. register everything I eat in food journal
Reward yourself every time you reach a smaller goal – I haven’t been good to do that. I need to go back to an old list of rewards I have. Maybe that’s what’s wrong. I reach goals but there are NO reward for the smaller goals I meet. Thanks Maria’s Last Diet!
GOAL!!!!

* Train 3 times a week for the 5 K (done!);

* Write everything I eat on food journal;
* Get enough protein and dairy every day;
* Get a manicure and a pedicure;
* Go to the gym at least 3 times this week. (done!)

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