Tag: healthy living

devotions, Uncategorized

chapter 2

dailystepsblog

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Chapter 2… it’s what I’m on in my #amilewidebook. I’m not finding nearly the amount of time I want to devote to getting this book read, but that’s okay. I think perhaps God is being intentional with me to soak it in slowly.

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Along side this book reading is a sermon series I’m hearing our pastor preach about: mission and restoring God’s creation. The Bible’s true story, from start to finish, tells us that His mission is to rescue His creation and restore it to its original form. I got to thinking how yes, this is for the world and it’s people, but when you think about it, it’s for our bodies as well.

I think most of you who I have connected with would agree that we are working day to day to become healthier and stronger…. Restoration of our physical selves to a place God truly intended from the beginning. We want to move and be active and feed ourselves foods that our bodies were meant to thrive on and be nourished by.

But why? Why do we seek to feel better and live well? Getting healthy physically is our Chapter 1. So, what’s our chapter 2? I believe we should seek health to feel better and well enough to serve our world. To serve others. To serve Him.

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Chapter 2 in A Mile Wide is called “A Bigger Gospel”. Yes! We get healthy to then live beyond just serving ourselves… to live bigger! We live our chapter 1 to feel good so that in our chapter 2 we can serve more and add joy and goodness into the world. His world. His creation.  We should live at our best to give at our fullest

Chapter 2 is where we can do our part to start helping Him restore. Chapter 2… what’s mine? Honestly I’m still seeking clarity on the direction I feel God is stirring in me and I’ll keep you posted through this blog here. Chapter 2 is the beginning of the rest of the story. My story. Your story. It’s important. It’s where we meet others. It’s where God can really start using us.

Chapter 2… I’m seeking how mine will be written. What does it say for you?❤️

being mindful, daily moments, family produce project, healthy living

color us healthy

dailystepsblog

It’s a new school year, and I’m trying to start the school year with #goals. As a family, we have worked all summer to cook together and try new foods… Mainly produce items and colors but we tried cooking some new dishes, too.

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This pic here is my attempt to track our efforts. Tracking has become a norm for me since starting weight watchers. This is just a tweak of what I’m doing on my own, really.  Every month we will use this board to keep tabs of what we cook and eat- the proteins and colors we use. We will either color in or write in what we eat… The goal to keep it balanced and get all the colors in.  If we are lacking somewhere, then we will hunt through my  cookbooks or Pinterest to find something we could try.  I have come to love having our girls in the kitchen with me.  It won’t be easy with all of our schedules, but I’m hoping this board will be a visual for me to make more of an effort.  We had some good bonding this summer over peeling, grating, sautéing, and stirring the roux FOREVER.  You can have some pretty awesome girl talk in the kitchen!  Sometimes they’re more willing to talk when you’re doing something while you chat. 😉

But in all honesty, in thinking this through, I realized I need to keep a focus on health being all-encompassing.  Because it is so much more than salads and smoothies, right?   So, we also added a workout pyramid that I adapted from the bible study “Fit to Serve”. It will be a guide to follow for how often we do different types of activity during the week.  I can already tell this will need tweaking as we go… But it’s a good place to start.  It should get them thinking a little less about couch time with candy crush and a little more about getting out and about with Pokemon Go!  Fingers crossed …

We also added a big noticeable part to focus on:  random acts of kindness.  There is a grid of ideas to get us started, but also blank squares where we can write our own onto sticky notes. In an effort to live well, it can become pretty easy to become self-focused. That is understandably so, but it really should be in balance. Getting yourself healthier is really just a basis to live and serve in the world better. My goal is to have us, as a family,  point our eyes outward into the world and see where we can add just a little drop of goodness towards others in our day to day lives.

And at the top… We will each pick a scripture for the month. Faith needs to be the foundation to it all. Each of us will choose one bible verse that we all will reference. So that means six bible verses for us as a family to learn about, talk about, and practice over the course of a month.

My hope and prayer is that we will stay focused and interactive with this. It’s a visible way to keep track of what we talk about often. We have four daughters that each learn in their own way.  Talking through things is good, but the visual of this is just another way to try and teach them how to live better…. to live well. I hope this helps develop healthier habits for all of us. It’s a way to be intentional, which is something I have been working on for awhile now.  I will follow up at the end of September with how we did.  #squadgoals in a mind-body-spirit kind of way.☺️

get active, healthy living, movement, working out

overrated comfort zones

dailystepsblog

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This is where I teach class from. It’s a jazzercise thing for us to be up on a stage. It allows our customers to see us better when we #movetothegroove.💃🏻.

There was a lot I had to do and learn to become a certified instructor, but this stage was the biggest obstacle for me to conquer. I’m not naturally a put-me-out-front kinda girl. But… I was at a point in life where I was ready for something new. Ready to set a goal to work towards. Ready to get out of my comfort zone, which is scary but fun once you get your mind on board. I was ready for a challenge.

That was almost five years ago. Since I made that decision, it has been life changing. Fitness became not only FUN but my job- a priority. I grew as a person. A lot. I gained a confidence that has helped me since in other areas of life and I have learned new things about myself. Good, good things can come from getting out of our comfort zones!

I still get nervous before every single class. Every one! But a fellow instructor once told me that those nerves just mean that I care. I still want to do a good job. I want to encourage and motivate others. I want our customers to have fun! Do you have a comfort zone you’d like to breach? I will be the first to tell you it is worth it. You are worth it. The lives you could encourage are worth it. You never know what can come from getting out of your box… Or hopping up on that stage.😊

being mindful, daily moments, devotions, healthy living

tug-o-war

dailystepsblog

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Tug-o-war.  If you live in our neighborhood, this has been an annual tradition at the elementary school at least since my oldest daughter has been there.  It is an annual competition, a tournament among the grade level classes, that earns you bragging rights for the year.

This is a photo of my daughter’s 3rd grade class.  She’s the tugger in the white shirt right there with her teacher coaching her on.  These kids and their teachers are serious, mentally prepared, and make it fun.  The parents have as much fun watching as the kids do competing.

When I look at this photo it depicts how I feel with my daily journey to live more balanced.  Being about six weeks into weight watchers, I am feeling the reality settling in of living a new lifestyle. It’s not one big pull and I’m at my goal.  It’s something that I will work at always.  And I want to be healthy so  I take it seriously.  My health and the health of my family matters.  I have had to get to a place of being mentally prepared in order to approach this as a lifelong journey- a lifestyle of balance that I practice daily.  And, yes, I have fun.  I make it fun!  I have gotten in a rhythm of sorts with it all.  I found workouts I love to do.  I know what foods I need to fuel my body with and I am learning how to prepare them in ways that are tasty… that I look forward to eating.  I’m learning to say to no to things that make me feel overwhelmed and I try to rest when I can.  It’s not easy and it takes work.  Daily work.

So what else is going on in this picture?  How does this relate to a journey of better living?  I see a whole team that pulls with you, in the same direction you are going, to get you closer to the goal.  One person alone cannot carry the work that requires many.  Your team is right there by your side, going through the game with you, wanting the win too.  They are your steadies- those that do life with you in a way that makes you want to live better, love bigger, and give your all.

On the other end of your team?  That’s all the things that work against you… habits from the past that are hard to shake, negative self-talk that becomes your everyday norm when you are in that self-demoting mentality, emotional triggers that cause you fight or flight… and most days flight is just an easier option.  It’s those that may not support your new way of living or your new habits of bettering yourself.  And sometimes it’s just the taste of that one vice that you.cannot.say.no.to.ever.  (Remember… The chocolate struggle is real…). These things tend to always be pulling us away from our goal- whether it’s massive resistance or just a gentle tug.  We are in constant motion to pull back, away from these triggers.

Standing there right by your team is the coach.  Maybe this is a person, maybe this is an online community of support, maybe this is a monthly meeting you attend.  It’s that person or program that gives you specific strategies on how to pull harder in the direction you want to go.  Coaches that have clipboards full of ideas to keep you committed to do your best.  They see in you the goals you want to accomplish and they help you figure out a plan to execute a plan.

None of this would be easy without the cheering section.  These are those bystanders around you that yell out encouragement from the sidelines.  They are there, ready to give you that attagirl that we all need to hear from time to time.   They may not be in your life daily, but they are there watching you succeed, giving you that thumbs up to keep going.

My daughter’s class started off this competition losing two out of the first three rounds.  That didn’t stop them.   They kept trying, working together one round at a time, getting stronger as they kept going and relying on each other.  And by the time it was all said and done, they walked away with first place.  What a win!  Accomplishing a goal is always so much more satisfying when a little sweat and tears went into the game.

So I look at this photo and realize- this is life.  This is me using my strength to pull towards the goals I have set for myself.  One giant tug doesn’t get me there.  I have to work with those around me, that help push me towards my goals.  I have to use the support I have put in place to help coach me through, and I need to pay attention to the encouragement I get along the way.  One day at at time.  One tug toward the goal at a time.  The drawn-out, hard fought wins are always the ones that you remember the most.  And they are always so worth it.❤️

 

 

 

 

 

 

recipes

radicchio and chicken egg roll cups

dailystepsblog

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Ingredients:

3 oz. rotisserie chicken- shredded

3 egg roll wraps- unbaked

2 cups shredded radicchio lettuce

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. frozen orange juice concentrate

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

salt and pepper

 

  1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mold the egg roll wraps into a muffin tin- loosely pushing them in and tucking edges to make like a mini bowl.  Bake for 8 minutes then set aside to cool.
  2. While eggroll wraps are baking, place radicchio in a bowl.  Combine with olive oil and next 6 ingredients and stir well.
  3. Gently mix in the chicken.  Stir until just combined.
  4. Fill each eggroll cup completely full with the mixture.
  5. Enjoy!

These are so simple to throw together and make for a very flavorful, light lunch.  I just ate them with my hands… may be a little messy but worth it!  Weight Watchers= 7smartpoints total.

 

 

recipes

jicama mango salad

dailystepsblog

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A fellow WW member brought this recipe to our meeting yesterday- she had a copy for everyone.  How sweet was that?  The total time, start to finish, is 20 minutes AND it’s only 2 smartpoints!  I thought I would pay it forward and share it here- the flavors make my mouth water.

3 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 teaspoon minced orange zest

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

12 ounces jicama, cut into 1 1/2 inch-long matchsticks (about 2 cups)

1 large mango (about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 heads Bibb lettuce, washed and drained

In a small bowl, whisk together juice, zest, sugar, salt, and vinegar.  Continue whisking and add oil in a slow stream.  Set aside.

Place the jicama in a medium bowl.  Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin of the mango.  Carefully cut the flesh of the mango away from the large, oval pit.  Cut the mango into short, thin strips, and add to the jicama.

Add the dressing and cilantro and toss.

Arrange the lettuce on a platter.  Top with the salad.  Garnish with orange wedges, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

*i used thawed out frozen mango chunks  by the time I sliced and stirred it was a little soft and mushy  still tasty 😜

*one fellow member suggested also adding mint- yummy.

*another member suggested adding grilled chicken to up the protein and make it a full meal.

*when typing this out, I accidentally first typed the word “whiskying”… instead of “whisking”…. perhaps it was a Freudian slip… maybe a shot of whisky while making this salad just adds to the whole overall experience of having a yummy dish… (heehee)

get active, healthy living

we love jazz

dailystepsblog

we heart jazzercise

It’s a month of bingo at Sienna Jazzercise!  Trying to fill up our card by marking off the boxes- and we’re going for the blackout!  We get squares by taking the different formats we offer (8 different ones!), taking class 3 or even 5 days in a row, taking every instructor’s class, taking early bird classes, attending night owl classes, and selfies!  These gals were good sports to show their love for what we love.  Jazzercise is such a fun, stress relieving hour for me.  Every day wonderful women join me for an hour we give ourselves.  Music on.  World off.  That’s about how it goes.

being mindful, daily moments, healthy living

pretty blue water bottle

dailystepsblog

ww water bottle

So, week 2 of ‪#‎weightwatchers‬ has happened. I love my new, pretty blue water bottle and am hoping it serves as a fun reminder to add more water to my day. That’s just not something I’m good at. I REALLY don’t like rules and restrictions with food. But, I decided it’s time for some accountability and thought WW may be a good fit. I have never been one to get too hung up with the number on the scale- it goes up some and it goes down some- and that’s okay. That’s life. Yet if my clothes start fitting a little more snug (which they were) and, more importantly, if I am regularly feeling a little more sluggish (which I was) then I know I need to make some changes. Over the last several days of being a little more mindful about it, I can already see where some daily habits were getting a little out of hand. My small handful of chocolate chips is not really reaping the health benefits of dark chocolate when it happens several times a day. Every. Day. 😁. (‪#‎thechocolatestruggleisreal‬). I see my choices improving. When I have healthy food ready and available, I’m more willing to choose that first. Rocket science, right? Bottom line is, I FEEL better. I am not hovering over the scale. I just don’t have the time or inclination for all that. What does matter to me is how much I plug in to life each day. I have more energy and am less distracted and I just feel more HERE. THAT is not a number. And that is SO worth it. When I committed to jazzercise, it made a difference in my fitness level. When I commit to bible study, it makes a difference in my faith walk. So, I decided to commit to this to help me get healthier. I’m much more likely to live out my purpose by being healthy and feeling good.  1 Corinthians 10:31- “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

being mindful, daily moments, get active

mismatched socks

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mismatched sock wearer

And this is what it’s come to. I’m officially a mismatched sock wearer. I’m battling three girls who fully embrace this style and raid my stash daily…. And my youngest is not far behind… So I’m throwing caution to the wind and going for it. Sock singles all the way for me from now on. Just pick two and go.  Laundry just got a whole lot easier.

And you know what?  Every time I look down at these non-OCD feet, I feel a sense of freedom.  I’ve surrendered.  Yes, it’s just socks.  But it’s also the mindset that got me to this place.   There’s joy in the not caring.  There’s contentment in knowing my feet are still protected.  And there’s gratitude knowing I am still able to walk, run, dance, and move.  Letting go of the socks has really taught me it’s okay.  Letting go can be good.  Surrender is where we are supposed to live.  I believe true joy waits for us there.

 

 

get active, healthy living

the blessing of health

dailystepsblog

health is blessing quote

True health is a whole thing.  I mean that in two ways.  It’s a WHOLE thing, holistically speaking.  We’ve got to live a life of balance to really live and thrive.  But it’s also a whole thing– as in it’s always something we are pushing after, something that we work at all day (realistically), and something that as days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months, we are constantly tweaking to keep it all in balance.  A healthy body that can move and be active and that you nourish with real food- good food- that fuels and strengthens you… that’s where our physical energy comes from.  A healthy mind that thinks happy, positive thoughts and seeks joy as the root of how we live life… this takes energy and focus.  And we cannot forget our healthy spirit.  That internal gift that is a part of us and keeps us chasing after God- intentionally- not just when we get in a bind. A healthy spirit that urges us to dive into the Word- His word- to learn, pray, and always keep seeking Him. Our health IS a WHOLE thing. It’s a blessing- a gift we should nurture each day.  Let’s strive to THRIVE in mind, body, and spirit and go out and do good in this world.  ❤️ 3 John 2:  Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.