Monday, December 31, 2012

Shutting This Page Down for an Actual Site

Hey Gang!

I just wanted to tell you that I am moving my blogging to an actual website I've put together.  I've been wanting to do this for a while and now I'm able to do so.  There's so much more I'll be able to do and I can post my videos without the delay and hassle that I was receiving from YouTube and Facebook, allowing me more control of what is added.

I want to thank you all for riding this wave with me for the past year and I hope that you can continue to enjoy what's new for 2013.  I've already begun posting to the new site.  The link is:

www.creatingfromwithin.weebly.com

Join me for the new year as things can do nothing but get better and better!

Be Happy  Be Healthy!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Seriously Gang... Seriously?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2208452/Russia-suspends-import-use-American-GM-corn-study-revealed-cancer-risk.html

Okay,

You know I love my country, the US of A but there is a problem with our beloved nation.  I'm not political by any means but we are poisoning ourselves.  I got a quick peek at a photo today from another I belong to and sought out this article.  Please read this!

If others are protesting this, why aren't we?

I'm just saying.  I love you all.
Be HappyBe Healthy!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

5th Place!

I just got an email from the Mercy Ministries 5K Family Fun Run and Walk.  The results, I know, I showed off like crazy but I have news!  I just got news that I- Oh, let me show you:


Age Group Race Report as of 10/27/2012 3:49:23 PM for Female 40 to 49 in division 5K
Place Bib # Name Start Finish Total Pace
________________________________________________________________________
1 902 Dorthy Stombaugh 09:08:18 09:37:59 00:29:41 9:35
2 296 Kim Knittig 09:08:18 09:46:17 00:37:59 12:15
3 295 Patty Griesenauer 09:08:18 09:47:39 00:39:21 12:42
4 255 Patty Lane 09:08:18 09:51:47 00:43:29 14:02
5 247 Alyssa Hunt 09:08:18 09:55:26 00:47:08 15:12

I scored 5th place for my age group!
Can you believe it?  Granted, that means there weren't many 40-49 year olds but still- I placed in the top Ten AND top Five!
Yay Team Alyssa!

Be HappyBe Healthy!

Monday, November 5, 2012

Patterns: Self-Fulfilling Prophesy

Here's a quick one for ya!

     Have you noticed that every day of our lives, we're recycling a pattern?  From the time we wake with the alarm to bedtime, we repeat ourselves.  If we work to stay positive then we more than likely have a positive day.  Things flow our way: we make every light before it turns yellow; we clock in with the perfect amount of time before we have to get busy at our jobs (except me, since I work at home).  We carry a smile that people around us appreciate and they reflect that smile right back at you.  Isn't that awesome?

     But when we get up and fall from the wrong side of the bed, it gets things rolling down Mount Fuji at a pace that makes everyone we meet fall right behind us.  Even when you come in contact with someone carrying a smile can become victim to your foul attitude.  And it carries on until you fall asleep that night.

     We have to be careful of this process.  We have to create a new pattern each day.  Now can that become repetitive?  Sure but it's the good kind, you know?  The thing is, each day you wake up in appreciation that you woke up, you are starting your day off with positivity.  You are creating a new You and your day.  You can roll through your day, knowing exactly what you want to achieve and actually accomplish it.
   
      Whether you're trying to squeeze in some exercise, cut out an item from your diet or add more vegetables in- you can do it!  I know you can.

     And in the immortal words of Forrest Gump: That's all I'm gonna say about that!

Be HappyBe Healthy!

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Matching Your Outside With Who You Are On The Inside


Matching Your Outside With Who You Are On The Inside
     Have you ever opened your eyes from a good night's sleep and felt like a million bucks, only to gaze into the mirror and think, "Who the heck is that?"  have you ever felt like crap but as soon as you got on your feet, you knew you could defeat any obstacle that faced you?  It's crazy right?  How can we be two people in one shell?  Well, I don't know about you all but I have about thirty or forty different personas within this shell!  LOL  I kid, I kid.  But really, have you experienced this?
   
     Well, don't feel bad.  We all have.  I've done a bit of research on this and feel like I"m a professional.  I know that when you feel good in the mornings, the psychological reference to this feeling is: FEELING GOOD!  How about that?  And when you wake up and you feel like morning road kill, it's diagnosed as FEELING BAD.  See that, I've diagnosed us all!

     Here's the deal: Our feelings and our appearance do not always sync.  There are times, especially for us women, when we just can't match our outside with our inside!  No matter what we do, it's just not tangible, so we put on masks.  We pretend to be what we are not until the feeling hits us.  Problem is, it doesn't always happen.  We have to do our best to stay away from that state.

     When it comes to us being healthy and losing weight, we tend to wake with feelings of inadequacy, disappointment and despair because we can't get the control we desire.  We end up disliking and even hating ourselves.  Then we don't care and just do whatever we do, adding the pounds on, leading to more upset which puts more food in our mouths or stops the exercise that takes us to self-hatred.

     I can relate to these feelings.  I've been through many cycles of Karate Kid's Weight On- Weight Off to last a lifetime!  This can be prevented.  First we have to appreciate ourselves for who we really are.  I could be made at myself ro not losing much weight this past year but what would it get me?  Frustration, binge eating and no exercise.  Will I allow myself to go there?  Heck no!  Because I do like me, really I do.  I also have appreciation for who I am because I know I have drive and enough love to give my husband and children without excluding myself.  This can be done.

     Once I appreciate myself, then I want to make sure I remember that I matter.  How I feel must be addressed and catered to.  With this being done, I know I carry value and am more than just my weight.  I know that I am worth every bit of time and money that I spend on making myself a better woman.  I then place my value and appreciation into action.

     With action, I can accomplish anything.  I make goals for myself and if I fall short- I don't beat myself up.  I learn from the experience and devise a new plan.  One that will get me where I need to be through adjustments and positive attitude.  Is it easier said than done?

NO.

     It can be done and anyone can do it.  You just have to believe.  Remember my vlog on Paper Dolls?  (Youtube Week 10- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpgurOVTiS4&feature=g-upl).  All you have to do is give yourself a goal and stick to it.  If you have problems sticking to it, devise a back-up plan!

     I am actually making a vlog on Back Up's tonight.  I'll hopefully have it uploaded with no Facebook issues.  I hope you all enjoy it and can empathize with me.  We're a team and I desire feedback and ideas as much as the next gal.  We don't have to feel alone in this.  We keep each other perked up and pushing forward because that's what we're supposed to do.

I'll see you tomorrow and remember to...

 Be HappyBe Healthy!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

How I'm Feeling...

How I'm Feeling...

     Have you ever set out to do something?  Have you ever taken the time to plan, organize and motivate yourself?  Okay, so now that you've more than likely said yes to these; have you ever done all of said above and it didn't get you where you wanted to be?  Have you repeatedly tried and tried and all you've received in return are tears, cries of frustration and anger?  Now we're getting somewhere huh?

     What did you do after you threw your tantrum?  Did you say "I Quit!" and throw everything around the house?  Did you tell your cohorts, "It's my ball and I'm going home!"  Or did you sit and stare everything down, your mind already engaged in a form of retaliation?  Me?  Well, I'm the latter.  I throw my fit and then I look at it all, even my behavior, and start mapping out a new strategy.

     Last year, I weighed 245 pounds.  I was miserable, thought I was in a state of Peri-menopause and couldn't understand why I kept swelling up like a Sunday ham on one day and then exhausted the next.  I was in a state of depression and confusion.  I put together the idea of making myself a page to jot down my ideas and even make videos on them.  I wanted to share my struggles with others and see what it got me.  So, what was the result of all that planning?

     It first off got me this neat page.  LOL  Then I got a Facebook page where so many friends- 399 to be exact, joined me and gave me so much self-value and information!  I get up every day and see what's going on with them and in turn, they check me out!  I have words that come from a beautiful woman named Eileen Marshall (Hi Eileen!) and I get awesome information from a technical point of view like the page, The Science of Eating.  Then I have pages like The Size of My Life, Smiles and Rainbows: Positive Ways with Patricia Love and so many others, that help me feel better about who I am now while I transition into what I want to become later!  I would have quit had it not been for these people and so many others.  

     I learned a great deal about myself this year.  In 2012, even though it's not ever yet, I have discovered that I am truly in Menopause.  No dancing around it, no possibilities- nope!  I am a Hot Flasher and Moody Aggravator!  And it's alright.  I can deal because it adds to what I've been fighting against this past year, like weight gain, migraines and such.  So cool, right?
     
     I also learned that my thyroid as been super-duper low and that's why all of my efforts got me loss and then gain again.  It explains why I was developing swollen ankles and fingers, my headaches, my depression and many other symptoms.  It's a truly trying issue for me but now that I know, I have new ammunition.  This is my time to Adapt, Adjust and Move on!

     So as I prepare to move into the year 2013, I feel even more positive and ready for challenges.  I'm weening myself free of the medication my GYN prescribed me.  I am keeping my BP low and my Doc is proud.  I will get my TSH levels back on track and get this weight off.  I WILL get back into my skinny jeans and be healthy when I do it!

     Now this year isn't over.  We are now entering the time of year that's frightening to us all: Halloween candy, Thanksgiving trimmings and Christmas treats.  The thing is, I am not afraid.  I will see these things as the minor obstacles that they are.  By the end of this year, I know that I will be down in my weight again.  I will not stop.  I can't!  I will be down, be healthy, feeling great and looking good!  And so will you.

I know this!

Be Happy Be Healthy!

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Eating Healthy!


A Family In Crisis!

I just wanted to share this cute photo.  Now my husband and son are in a health crisis.  My son is way over weight and my husband's BP is so bad, he could fall over at any time!  Instead of me falling apart, they are!  What's going on?
Well, I've been doing my best to warn my husband and son of the dangers of care-free eating with no exercise can do.  I've gone through the house and emptied out all of the pantry's and cabinets of salt.  I pushed for a soda-free home but it hasn't worked yet.  I've pushed for no pizza's on the one night Mommy doesn't cook and I have fussed about no one walking with me.  It has traveled through one ear and out the other!  What is up with that?  So I decided to try a new tactic.  One that's worked before but slowly died.

I began to cook things and not tell them what it is.  I would make hamburgers with ground turkey instead of a lower percentage of fatted beef.  I started making pitchers of flavored water instead of Kook-aid and as previously mentioned, I cleared out all the sodium in the house and replaced them with Mrs. Dash of all flavors!  Sofar it's worked but I can't be everywhere at all times.

When they leave me to go on their Boys Night, they eat whatever they wish to.  When I go to church, the eat all wrong.  I've caught my husband eating my son's veggies and they sneak things and hide the evidence in the garage trash can.  I find these things and get so frustrated.  BUT...

Then we went to our family doctor.  One of the advantages of being an at-home mom is that I can schedule all of our appointments at the same time.  I got to have someone other than myself fight against Mr. Hub.  Someone with more qualifications and information that I could ever come up with on my own and my tidbits of research!


It really opened their eyes... I think.  My son is on board.  My hub says he is but I still found an empty styrofoam cut in the garage yesterday.  I don't knwo what to do but keep trying.  My health has improved.  He didn't take me off of my BP meds yet but I'm doing great with the weening of Zoloft for my insidious menopausal rages.  I'm getting back on track and expect to see my weight going in the opposite direction at any time.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

So with that, I'm a happy camper who's worried
about the environment of my family.  Will they be able to follow me?  Will they pay more attention and do their best to be with me when I've reached the age of 88 or more.  I'll be happy if I can get that far.

I hope everyone reading this is seeing progress.  This year is almost over friends.  I know I haven't lost much weight- almost the same but you know what?  I'm happy because I've learned a lot about myself in this past year.  I've done some real work and although the blood work showed my body had yet turned against me, my pills have been adjusted and I'm on my way.  I am honestly looking to knock some pounds off before it gets cold outside.  Winder is not the time to be too big for my wardrobe.  I've got some cute sweaters and heavy dresses!

Anyway, Be Happy Be Healthy!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Even When You're Sick

Even When You're Sick!

     You know, when I get sick I just want to stay in bed and mope.  I want to nurse myself back to health with no talking, questions or other home responsibilities.  But as a homeschooling house-wife that's kinda impossible.
     I still have duties that will go undone and that's just not acceptable.  My husband is a wonderful man but to work all day, then come home to teach, wash dishes, cook and clean afterwards is simply wrong.  I love my hub dearly and wouldn't dare subject him to such.  So I have to take care of myself.
     I do my best to eat right and plenty of good chicken soup.  Did you know cysteine, an amino acid that’s released by cooked chicken. It’s chemically similar to a bronchitis drug, acetylcysteine, and it works with other soup ingredients to reduce inflammation. Salty broth also helps thin mucus. {http://www.intelligenius.net/foods-to-eat-when-you-are-sick/}.  I just knew that it was good for colds but never knew why.  I love that.  I also leaned thatYogurt with active cultures, that are also know as probiotics or live healthy bacteria, can help fight colds in the first place. One, Lactobacillus reuteri (found in Stonyfield Farm yogurt) are very good. {same article, as mentioned above}.
     So when you get sick, take time to drink plenty of fluids, like tea- which helps your body fight viruses and inflammation.  Also, add a bit of peppermint.  It's great and helps with upset tummies and GERD.  

     I hope none of you catch anything too rough.  I am feeling much better but I am still under.  I got a flu shot yesterday but I don't blame it.... much.  LOL  I will be back with you late today.

Be HappyBe Healthy!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Curing The Junkie

Curing the Junkie

     I have found a new source to tap into.  I am finding that I am leaning into the Clean thing.  Have you heard of it?  It's where you only eat natural foods, free of added sugars, hydrogenated fats, trans-fats and anything else that is unnatural and unnecessary. Many people use this diet as a way to lose weight. Used as a way of life, clean eating can make you feel healthy and full of energy.  Now I have not switched over completely but I am transitioning and thrilled about it all.

     I know that I am not there yet, mostly because I still love to eat foods from Trader Joe's that's prepackaged.  I do it two reasons: (1) because it helps me keep my calories in check, along with my sodium. (2) is because I love to try exotic and new items that I can easily prepare for myself while still cooking dinner for my three boys.  It's a time thing.  I'm working on it and it's important because I am really seeking to change my way of life and theirs for the better.

     Also, I am making a confession.  I am on an unnecessary medication and I'm curing myself.  Before I was diagnosed as a victim of menopause, I was going through monthly tantrums.  For about a week, I would fuss, bicker and roar at my husband and son.  I didn't realize that the vicious emotions surfaced around the same time each month or that I was even being cruel- I would just Become.  


     When I understood what was happening to me, I asked my OB/GYN to put me on something to keep my family from leaving me!  LOL  I was an emotional wreck and taking it out on them.  So she put me on Zoloft.  It worked and I stopped man-handling my family... but at what cost?


     I tried to get off of the stuff and I don't know if you've read all of my blogs but I tweaked!  I was going spastic and didn't know why until I researched my symptoms on the net.  Rapid eye movement, flashes of light, jolts of electrical pulses,...Yup, I was hooked!  I didn't like it but I had to go back on the stuff.  I was highly upset but didn't complain.  But I did know that I wanted off that stuff.

     So  in the middle or end of September, I will be taking half a pill a day for a few months.  I will later cut that tiny pill in half.  I know I can do this, finally ending with taking a half pill every other day until I no longer need it.  Crazy?  yes but effective?  Absolutely.  I will get myself off of this pill and only be on my thyroid medication and my BP bill.  

     The BP pill is next!  Now remember that this Zoloft is not an actual med that I am required to take.  I wouldn't do this with my levothyroxine or my blood pressure med.  With those two, I will go through my practitioner to get that job accomplished.  He's all for it.  I'll have him in a few of my blogs later when I discussing that.

     Well, that's all for now my friends.  If you're interested in the eating clean thing, I've posted a link.  You can also join the team at www.facebook.com/eatingclean.  I hope you have a wonderful week and remember to 

Be HappyBe Healthy!

Read more: How to Eat Clean | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2049770_eat-clean.html#ixzz24l8K4E9s

Thursday, August 23, 2012

My 5K Numbers...


For the Run For Your Lives 5K Obstacle Course, I finally received my survival numbers. Out of the 1229 Survivors, I was survivor #1167 with a finishing time of 1:21:18! The last survivor came in a few under 2 hours! I feel pretty good.

Considering how many obstacles they threw in there and that I HAD to hit every water station, I'm proud.  Hopefully October's marathon will go much easier.  Nothing will be chasing me and I won't have to jump walls and such!

I'm just proud I finished alive.  I'll do much better for Mercy Ministries.  ;)

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Week 35: I Ran For My Life!

I RAN FOR MY LIFE

     I really need to shed these pounds!  LOL  I looked like a muddied baby beluga in the end but I had a wonderful time.  I'm even lucky enough to be paying for it all in aches and pains!  The best part is that I didn't get shocked one time!

     I ran, jumped walls, ducked underneath trees, attempted to jump leap muddied pits, walked through smoky, electrical mazes and boxes, crawled under electrical fences and slid down a huge slide into 3ft of muddied water!  AND dodged zombies the entire time!  The landscape was extremely difficult, going from rocky to dirty to boggy!  I've never experienced anything like it!

     All in all, I had a great time.  I was worn out, burned a lot of calories and met a really cool gal from StL but goes to school in San Francisco, in Knob Hill!  We talked/gasped with one another the time.  I even saved her a few times!  LOL  Get that, me saving someone!

     Enjoy the video, laugh a lot too but please, pay no attention to how horrible I look!  lol
Be HappyBe Healthy!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Week 34: I Can Handle It!


I Think I Can Handle It!

This Saturday I am running my second ever 5K.  This one is different though.  I'm afraid and not because of the zombies.  I'm afraid I may have made a mistake in running with this.  I know I am a zombie lover and I am a fool for getting the crap scared out of me but to be chased in front of thousands of people, getting muddy, wet and chased after AS BIG AS I AM!  What the heck was I thinking!?

Apprehension is knocking at my door and my nerves are hot.  I've been working on my final reading of my manuscript before I hand it in to the production department and I can't keep focused!  Funny.  I was going to give this Zombie 5K obstacle course run to my daughter but she'd never have survived.  She can barely take a walk without limping and whining.  So, I kept it for myself.  Not only that, it cost $75 bucks to register!  That's a lot of money to watch someone quit on.

I know I won't quit.  My husband, who's a HORRIBLE photographer is going to catch me in action...I hope!  I am going to do this but I am so nervous it's not even funny.

I'm ready.  Come on Zombies!  I can take you!


I think...☠

Saturday, August 4, 2012

"Fake It Till You Make It!" - Week 33





Fake It Till You Make It!

     So, am I a supermodel?  Nope.  But I play one in my blog this week!  As you can see, I've been taking photos for a long time, since I was about 16.  I have been all over the world and have seen many beautiful places and people.  None as beautiful as myself, mind you.  I can be on any cover I so choose.  but I choose to be sharing information with you today.

     This week, I was asked to take time from my precious catwalk to share with you how to make it.  Yeah, I am to tell you about how, if you don't feel good about your situation, like when I was in Milan.  I asked to have all red roses about my room and to only give me blue M&M's and to even make sure that when I arrived, there were cotton balls set to my toilet seat- I have a tender bottom, they didn't do as I requested!  I had red roses, blue M&M's and a vinyl-covered toilet seat!  I was outraged that I threw the chaise lounge out of the twelve story- Oh!  I digress...  As I was saying before getting sidetracked, it is about how to be what you are not until you get there.

     When I was in elementary school, Halloween popped up and all students were invited to wear their costumes.  Well, my parents hadn't purchased our costumes yet, so my brother and I asked if they could get them the night before.  My parents said no but we could make costumes instead.    Now my brother and I didn't like the idea but decided to try it out.

     Well, my dad got those large, brown paper bags that are in the grocery store and he cut a hole in the bottom of the bag and holes for our arms on the sides.  Then told us to decorate the bag to look like a robot.  Needless to say, we were pissed to all get out!  No matter what we drew on those freaking paper bags, we didn't look like freakin' robots!  We were so made and I remember walking around the playground in the Halloween costume parade in that stupid paper bag.  I was so embarrassed.  I was laughed at.  I was angry and I wanted to go home but I wore it and made the best robot I could!  

     Now later that evening, my parents took my brother and I to the store and we got our costumes.  I don't remember what my brother was but I was Wonder Woman.  A little brown girl with pigtails and a white face with black, plastic hair.  It was hilarious, now that I look back but it was everything to me then.  I got to be what I wanted to be and not that freaking Bag-Bot!  (Momma, I know you remember- stop laughing!)

     Anyway, I got to be one of my favorite heroines that night.  I did tricks and cartwheels for candy - everything!  It was the best.  The point of my story is, we have to remember that we aren't always going to be who we want to be.  There are times when we want to be in that size 'whatever' jean or dress.  Men, you want to be able to wear that tuxedo when you get married or when you walk your daughter down the aisle.  We've all wanted to be who we aren't at one time or another.  We just have to be who we are IN THIS BODY until we get the weight off. 

     We have to do all we can to be as healthy as possible and get to our goals.  Doing it right the first time may not always work out.  It may take a few times but don't give up!  Pretend to be who you want to be until you get to be who you really are!  Now, if you will excuse me, I have to get back to my modeling.  PLEASE!  Enjoy some of my modeling photos below.

Be HappyBe Healthy!



I had so much fun making these but my husband didn't like them.  Huh,... no sense of humor!  

Friday, August 3, 2012

Loving Yourself Helps Others Love You Too!

Loving Yourself Helps Others Love You Too!

I wanted to share this video because it's funny first off.  Not making fun of anything but the face that we are always looking for a quick-fix to our weight-loss issues.  We dig, spend and cry about it for years- sometimes a lifetime... All because we are unhappy with ourselves.

Well, this week, my topic is "Fake It Till You Make It".  It's about doing your best to be happy with who you are until you get where you want to be.  When we are happy with ourselves, we love ourselves.  When we love ourselves, others love us to0.  We also obtain more respect, consideration and assistance from ourselves and others.  We have to find it and be proud of it until we remold it to our so-desires.

This is an awesome clip and I think you'll enjoy it as well as see my theme.

Be HappyBe Healthy!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

"Happiness" - Week 32

"happiness" - Week 32


Sharing the Smiles


     This week I had a plan.  I wanted to share the love... and the smiles.  There are so many days that we walk our journey and it feels like we've got all the blocks stacked against us.  We can't just go and eat breakfast; we have to figure out the points, the calories or the carbs for it all.  Then there's the snacks, the lunches and dinners that include figuring numbers and stuff.  It all becomes a chore, causing us to lose the joy out of what we're trying to accomplish.


     Well not this past week!  All this week, I made sure to be as positive and excited about life and it's challenges as possible!  And I had some challenges.  Anyway, I met them all with prayer and so much positivity, I thought I'd explode.  I needed a way to release all the happiness I was feeling.  So I now ask you to view the vlog.  I set out on a mission and accomplished it!  


     It was fun and people were very receptive!  You'll see what I mean.  






Be HappyBe Healthy!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Week 31- Professional Loser Confession: Looking For Alyssa

Week 31- Professional Loser Confession:

Looking For Alyssa

 I have been lost for a time!  I have had to nurse myself back to health, then go on miles of road before flying to CA to help my brother recover from his stroke.  I then returned to find that I was to go on a quick road trip to Chicago before getting home, finding my home was a wreck from the boys being lazier than ever!  I have spent the last week and a half cleaning and regaining control.  I've also been catching up on all the sleep that I'd lost along the way.

     The thing is, I ate well, didn't get much working out and thought as possible as I could.  I still gained a bit of weight.  BUT I DID LOSE 2.2 POUNDS!  Yay!  The thing is, I'm still lost.  I can't find myself.  I've endured so much, helped others and stayed positive and still I can't find the thinner me inside.  I feel like I've failed myself these past six plus months and still, this morning, I got up, hit church and walked.  I won't stop.

     Who am I?  I know I'm a healthier version of myself.  I've cut red and white meat from my diet.  I am living the life of a Pescatarian and enjoying it.  I haven't felt the need to eat any candy but found so many other replacements that are better for me instead.  I got rid of all the salt in my house, other than bath salts and even those may be leaving soon.  I purchased the entire line of Mrs. Dash and am loving it- the boys are too!  I'm so excited.  I even convinced them to only purchase organic meats and veggies from market instead of the grocers.  I know it's more expensive but I've been doing way too much reading and don't want the toxins... or the chance of the pesticides that I've beed educated on through Environmental Working Group:   <link>www.ewg.org/foodnews/</link>.  Yet, I'm still over-weight!

     My husband, bless him, always says that it's alright.  That I know I have a condition that prevents me from losing the weight as i'd like but COME ON!  I refuse to use that as an excuse.  There are people all over the world that have the same condition and are smaller than me.  What is it that prevents me from getting where I wanna be?  

     I have a Run For Your Life 5K obstacle coming up in August.<link>runforyourlives.com/overview-st-louis-mo/</link> I can't wait!  It's where you run the 5K with zombies trying to pull your flags.  It's gonna be exhausting because you run on pavement, dirt, mud, water and sliding!  I'm thrilled to be a part of something so exciting.  Then in September, I have the Mercy Ministries 5K <link>mmoa.convio.net/site/TR/Run/RunforMercy?px=1116632&pg=personal&fr_id=1461</link>  (please donate if you'd like to help out!  I'm only raising $100)  I'll be entering for the second time.  EXCEPT I will be running this one!  I'm proud of myself.  I may be over-weight but I'm healthy enough to get this done!  Yay Team Me!<em>224</em>

   Even with all of this going on, I think I know why I'm behind so drastically.  I think I'm the reason.  I don't' know what it is exactly but I'll figure it out.  I don't want to keep jumping from one plan to another or resort to liquid tactics.  I want to do this the right way.  I want to succeed and show others that it can be done, just as I see in others on the same journey.  I am looking for ideas.  I am looking for weight-loss tactics.  I am looking for Alyssa.

     If you have any issues with metabolism and your thyroid and have some tips that I can follow and pass alone through my website and Facepage, please let me know.  I'm not stopping - will get back to my thinner, healthier self.  I am just looking for some new ideas in order to get there!  I'll share what I get no matter what friends.

     Thank you for reading and keep Sparking!

Be Happy❤Be Healthy!   

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Mercy Ministries - My 5K Jog

http://mmoa.convio.net/site/TR/Run/RunforMercy?px=1116632&pg=personal&fr_id=1461

I am jogging for the first time during my 2nd 5K.  I'm so excited.  I've done it so often on a treadmill but to be on actual pavement and such- I'm scared to death!

I posted the link to the marathon if you'd like to donate.  I registered a while ago and now I am asking for help to raise $100 for the cause.  Please take a peek, even if you can't give.  It would mean a great deal to get their mission out there.

Thank you and remember to
Be HappyBe Healthy!

"Excavation" - Week 30 (Revision)

EXCAVATION


     I am so sorry for my technical issues!  Not only did my pdf blog not go as I'd originally planned but then I had a malfunction with my audio when I created my last minute vlog.  


     I am done now and I proud to be done with this darned thing!  LOL  I hope you enjoy and I'll see you soon.


Be HappyBe Healthy!

"Excavation" Repair...

I'm sorry folks.  I had the vlog up but my mom caught a mistake in the audio.  I am in the process of uploading the repaired version.  Please hold on for me!

Thanks!

Saturday, July 14, 2012

"Excavation" - Week 30

I want to lose my weight but it's not just about weight-loss. There's so much more detail. I'm looking to discover myself. I'm moving to being natural, meditate, become healthier and love who I am. It's all possible and my number one goals!

(thus is tomorrow's vlog topic)

Thursday, July 12, 2012

"That Womanly Thang!" - Week 29

That Womanly Thang!

     So as you know, we as human beings go through hormonal modifications.  We have skin issues, were our faces taking on the ill-fated polka dots; training bras; voice changes; chest hairs and menstruation, just to name a few.  No matter what, we all have the same life problems, whether we enjoy it or not.  But that's where the similarities remain.  For both men and women, there are changes that are not shared and can make or break life's journey for an extended period of time.

     For men, it's simple.  I'm not a man and my husband wouldn't be honest enough to tell me so I had to ask around and then do some internet research to see what they really had to deal with.  I found quite a bit of nothing!  For real?  I discovered men (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andropause) and I quote: Andropause or male menopause,[1] sometimes colloquially called "man-opause", is a name that has been given to a menopause-like condition in aging men. This relates to the slow but steady reduction of the production of the hormones testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone in middle-aged men, and the consequences of that reduction,[2] which is associated with a decrease in Leydig cells.[3]

Unlike women, middle-aged men do not experience a complete and permanent physiological shutting down of the reproductive system as a normal event. A steady decline in testosterone levels with age (in both men and women) is well documented.[4]
  
Unlike "menopause", the word "andropause" is not currently recognized by the World Health Organization and its ICD-10 medical classification. This is likely because "andropause" is a term of convenience describing the stage of life when symptoms of aging appear in men. While the words are sometimes used interchangeably, hypogonadism is a deficiency state in which the hormone testosterone goes below the normal range for even an aging male. Unquote!  What the heck!  They've got it made!
     But women,... That's another story altogether!  Now I'm speaking from experience.  I've just turned 41 (psst!  Don't tell anybody!) and I have experience what most women don't move into until they're at least 50!  Okay some maybe a bit sooner but come on!  I was peri-menopausal when I was 34!  It was a blow that shook my world and sent me spiraling into a fit of depression.  It was difficult because I'd always felt I was dealt a raw deal in most situations in my life- caused by my own ignorance or otherwise.
     Well, first had a slight fight with acne- it was more so that I could grease a bowling lane to perfection.  My skin didn't glow, it blinded with oil!  Then I didn't get small boobs I got huge breasts!  LOL which was both good and bad while growing up.  Then while I wished I had my period like most girls who thought it was cool when they didn't have it- I got the mother-load!  
     My monthly cycle got me time in bed, migraines, vomiting and crying spells.  It was the worst for me.  I had to endure 7 days of torture but I survived until it later changed to 5, then 3 and now a few days every few months!  But that's now.  Let's pull some Wiki-facts and all about what other women go through.


     I quote this information from Wikipedia as well.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menopause)
Menopause is a term used to describe the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the humanovaries[1]: the ripening and release of ova and the release of hormones that cause both the creation of theuterine lining and the subsequent shedding of the uterine lining (a.k.a. the menses or the period). Menopause typically (but not always) occurs in women in midlife, during their late 40s or early 50s, and signals the end of the fertile phase of a woman's life.[2]

Menopause is an unavoidable change that every woman will experience, assuming she reaches middle age and beyond. It is helpful if women are able to learn what to expect and what options are available to assist the transition, if that becomes necessary. Menopause has a wide starting range, but can usually be expected in the age range of 42–58.[4] An early menopause can be related to cigarette smoking, higher body mass index, racial and ethnic factors, illnesses, chemotherapy, radiation and the surgical removal of the uterus and/or both ovaries.[4]Menopause can be officially declared (in an adult woman who is not pregnant, is not lactating, and who has an intact uterus) when there has beenamenorrhea (absence of any menstruation) for one complete year. However, there are many signs and effects that lead up to this point, many of which may extend well beyond it too. These include: irregular menses, vasomotor instability (hot flashes and night sweats), atrophy of genitourinary tissue, increased stress, breast tenderness, vaginal dryness, forgetfulness, mood changes, and in certain cases osteoporosis and/or heart disease.[5] These effects are related to the hormonal changes a woman’s body is going through, and they affect each woman to a different extent. The only sign or effect that all women universally have in common is that by the end of the menopause transition every woman will have a complete cessation of menses.

     Now If you noticed, the range for menopause is 42-58.  I was diagnosed as a full-blown menopausal graduate at age 38!  That sucks!  Then the fun part- all of those wonderful, what I call AFFLICTIONS!  Oh no, I couldn't just get hit with grey hairs and the need to drive a fast convertible.  LOL

     The womanly thing is just not fun, no matter who you are but it is a part of life.  We have to accept the things we can not change and roll with the punches.  Something many articles didn't always share is the inability or difficulty in losing weight.  It's rough and every woman will tell you the same thing.  I read somewhere that every woman gains at least 10-12 pounds a year.  Now add those 12 to my already fussy body and I'm battling obesity for the rest of my years!  Fine, I'm on it!

How about you?  I'm laughing at my life.  Keep laughing with me.  It's healthy and it shows character through the rough stuff.  Remember that which does not kill you makes you STRONGER!

BE HAPPYBE HEALTHY!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Growing Older

     Do  you find yourself looking for that Mad Scientist to conjure up the perfect concoction for younger, healthier skin? Are you a product junkie?  Always seeking out a new item that will keep your hair thicker and longer or that whitener that makes your teeth bright as chalk?    We've all been there.
     Let's face it, getting older means our bodies are running down.  Our time is ticking and there's nothing we can do about it.  We have to learn to deal with the sagging neck, the discoloration of hair and skin, liver spots and so much more.  For many of us, it's the worst thing in the world, to grow older.  Other's barely give it a second thought, not caring that gravity is pulling on parts of you that used to have sitting up on its own, yeah?  LOL
     Well, I've always been the latter.  I never cared that I had a few grey hairs on my hair.  I barely noticed the immense gravitational pull in my chest area- mostly because I've always been heavy there.  When my weight sky-rocketed and then took me down to a side 8, I didn't worry.  When the weight came back and I felt like a baby beluga whale, I didn't fret...much.  I didn't think anything of it when my temperament began to grow irritable towards others as well as myself.  Not until my seven year old and husband began to speak out on it.  Aging was never a big deal for me. I knew I was getting older but it didn't matter because I have always felt young at heart.  I didn't care about anything else.  I felt good and that was that.


     But the older I got, the more I began to notice things.  My temperament didn't just get irritable, it became irate!  I was getting mean and yelling at my family for no reason!  I didn't just get a few grey hairs, I began to lose hair- more than ever before and what was left was sprinkled with shiny, amazingly lighter hairs!  I didn't just lose to gravity, I developed my own gravitational pull and sadly, started pulling objects into my world!  I realized that I was getting OLD.     I could accept this fact much easier if it weren't for  losing my hair again!  I had enough loss when I endured the radiation.  But to lose it now?  What the heck- my dad had all of his hair when he died.  My brother still has all of his hair but me and my mom...Oh Boy!  We are shedding like an aged shag rug!

     I don't mind crows feet (which I do not have), grey hairs or even boobs the hang to my knees (I do mind the last one! lol) but I won't stop working to be happy more than anything else.  My thyroid and hormones are giving me a run for the money and I'm not losing much weight but I am blessed.  I have a husband who kisses my hand every day, even from afar, and tells me that I'm the most beautiful woman in the world.  I can't beat that.  I'm blessed with being a grandmother of two and everyone in shock that I even have a daughter old enough to give me that title.  I'm blessed with a son who doesn't give me anywhere near as much stress as my daughter did and I have the best job in the world: Taking care of my family & home!

     I hope that as you grow older, you can be happy with yourself too.  It took a long time for me to even like who I am; to be happy with myself is an achievement that makes me feel like a winner!  You can go for the gold too.  I want you to be as happy as you ever could be.  Do it!



Be HappyLove Yourself!

Monday, July 2, 2012

"One Of Those Days?" - Week 28


ONE OF THOSE DAYS?

     Okay, so with this vlog, I show how I deal when I have one of those days.  Now since I now live in the Mid-West, I don't always have the opportunity to enjoy my Happy Place but when I do return home, I'm all over it!  I am an Orange County native, so when it gets hot, I hit the water.  Now I just hit it in my indoor, heated pool.  The thing is, I love the ocean.  I love the beach.  THAT'S my Happy Place!

     I hope that if you do not have a Happy Place, you look for one.  Find it, tuck it into your pocket and use it as needed.  

Be HappyBe Healthy!

OOTD's Facebook Collage

This week's topic covered how you handle emotions while battling weight loss and life's added adventures.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

"Changes" - Week 27

Changes


     We all have a walk to take.  Our lives are to follow a path that has been determined for us, whether by God, fate, destiny...whatever you may call it.  We do our best to take control of this path by making plans and plotting out our futures but sometimes it doesn't happen the way we wish.

     Things go wrong:  Plans fall through and we have to deal with what's left.  Most times we accept that fall and roll through the rest of the day.  Other times, we get frustrated and adjust to the problem, making a new plan to run with.  Then there are those time when something happens and we get angry, try to force the change and we make the situation worse, causing ourselves worry, grief and periodically defeat!  Those are the days when the roadblock CHANGES us.  That change isn't always for the better of us either.

     I don't know about you but I've been through so many changes, I could write a book on it.  When I was in my mid-thirties was diagnosed pre-menopausal.  It was very difficult but I decided to not let it keep me down.  Then when I was told I was in full-blown menopause- I still took it to the chin,  deciding to tackle the things I knew I could handle and receive assistance with the rest.  I had to, for the sanctity of my marriage and my own sanity!  (meaning I asked my doctor to prescribe me Zoloft to mellow my attitude!) lol

     But that's just me.  I'm one of those who gets upset for a little while then gets back up.  I just can't quit.  What about you?  Do you feel like giving up on yourself during times of change?  Do you let yourself go with the flow or accept the change and decide what you're going to do to make it work?  Do you get mad and let the change control you or do you control the change?

     No matter who you are, life is going to to dish out some pretty yucky situations.  You can beat them. You can accomplish whatever you want.  You just have to be ready to adapt, adjust and move along.  You must also be able to accept the fact that there are times when you can't do anything about what happens to you and start from scratch if need be.  Those are the weight-loss days where you say, "Okay- my next meal will put me back on track."

     You can do it.  Change is nothing big and happens to everyone.  Be strong enough to know that changes are a part of your everyday life.  You have to take life's bull by the horns and brand it with your name!  Anything you want is yours if you're willing to deal and handle what you can't with grace!

     Have a wonderful day.  Be HappyBe Healthy!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

"Holy Shmoly!" - Week 26

"Holy Shmoly!"


     This week, I got the shock of my life.  Thankfully, I was able to recover rather quickly.  I had to have a long talk with myself and realize that no matter what happens, I am in this for the long haul.  I can't quit and more importantly, I won't quit.

     I hope this video keeps you going when you get hit by something as big as what hit me.  Nothing should break your determination if you want it bad enough!

     Be HappyBe Healthy!