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When you make up your mind to start eating healthier it can be as overwhelming as it is exciting. If you’re not careful, your enthusiasm to improve your health through healthy eating will get derailed by the planning and extra work involved.
Before you jump in determined to eat healthy 100% of the time, set aside a little time to think about what healthy eating looks like to you and develop a strategy to make the transition.
The key to successfully developing healthy eating habits is to keep it simple.
Start with one meal.
As you begin to eat healthier drop the all or nothing mentality. Focus on eating healthy just one meal a day. For example, plan some easy and healthy breakfasts for the week. Spend that week focused on eating a healthy breakfast every day.
After a week or two, incorporate another meal. Choose whichever you would find easiest to plan and stick to. Focus on two healthy meals a day for a week or two before adding in your third meal or snack. Continue to do this until you build the habit of healthy eating. This strategy will help you gradually change the way you think about eating without being overwhelmed by it.
Make healthy swaps.
Think about the foods you already enjoy and how you can make them healthier. Instead of eating a burger and fries, have a burger salad. Instead of making yourself some instant oatmeal or eating a bowl of sugary cereal, make yourself some regular oatmeal sweetened with fruit and a little honey. Eat raw veggies instead of chips and crackers to satisfy your desire for a crunchy side. Eat a square of super dark chocolate instead of a regular chocolate bar.
Keep meals simple.
Don’t go crazy trying out lots of new healthy recipes. It will just overwhelm you. Keep your meals very simple.
Breakfast could be oatmeal with fruit and honey or scrambled eggs with sautéed veggies on the side. Lunch could be a hearty salad, a smoothie, or a wrap filled with meat and vegetables. Dinner could be baked chicken with steamed veggies and rice, a quick and easy stir fry, or a big pot of soup made with healthy ingredients.
Allow yourself to try no more than one or two new recipes a week. Over time you will find lot of new, healthy recipes that you and your family enjoy.
Plan and prep.
Knowing what you’re going to eat and doing a little prep work will go a long way in helping you stay on track with your healthy eating.
Take a few minutes at the beginning of the week to plan out your meals. This shouldn’t take long. Remember to keep it simple.
Then, set aside a little time to do some prep work. You can easily do this while you’re already in the kitchen preparing a meal. Chopping veggies for a meal? Chop extra to use as snacks or in other recipes later in the week. Baking chicken? Bake extra to use in wraps, salads, and soups during the week.
Prep work doesn’t have to be complicated and it will make a big difference in how the rest of your week goes.
Give yourself grace.
Remember when I said to drop the all or nothing mentality? That is so important. If you get off track for one meal, or two meals, or even a few days of meals, it will be okay. Take a moment to think about why you’re off track, give yourself some grace, and start over with your very next meal.
You cannot change poor eating habits overnight. This is a process and you’ll enjoy it a whole lot more if you’re not constantly beating yourself up when you don’t make the best choices.
Healthy eating is a crucial factor in improving overall health. While it’s not always easy to change your eating habits, it doesn’t have to be complicated. A few simple strategies will get you on the road to healthy eating.
Have you changed your eating habits? What are your best healthy eating tips?
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Breaking old habits is hard and if you didn’t start your kids out eating healthfully, it’s hard to get them to enjoy doing so. To avoid fighting a battle at every meal and snack time, I usually change things out slowly, making swaps: changing an unhealthy food for a new healthier alternative. Here are my favorites.
7 Easy, Healthy, Kid-Approved Snack Swaps
100% Organic juice with no additives for regular juice
The main idea here is to get rid of all those additives. If you ever flip over a bottle of juice and read the ingredients, you’ll usually find a ton of added sugars, flavors and dyes. Last time I checked, fruit was pretty sweet on its own and didn’t need all that stuff, so why give it to children? What you want to find is a juice that 100% juice or at least 100% natural with no added sugar. Some people don’t like to purchase juice from concentrate, but if your budget, like mine, limits you to that, it’s okay. Making small changes is better than making no changes. If possible, buy organic, especially when purchasing a juice made from one of the dirty dozen foods, like grapes.
While these juices are a bit pricier, their popularity is causing a lot of grocery chains to offer their own versions that don’t break the bank. My grocery store tends to charge a bit more than a dollar extra for store brand organic juices, which makes it easier not to break the bank. Also, since these juices are so sweet on their own, they’re incredibly easy to dilute with a little water, which can stretch your money a little farther.
Almond Butter for Peanut Butter
The first time I tried almond butter, it was grainy and awful. But I mentioned it to a friend who had made the switch and she said “oh, that brand? That brand is gross. There are way better ones out there.” A few years later, I did try again after reading various reviews of other brands. She was right. There are a number of almond butters that are amazing. So amazing, in fact, I don’t think our family will ever go back to peanut butter.
Our family’s favorite is the MaraNatha brand. There are quite a few choices and though the Creamy No-Stir one isn’t the healthiest of them all, it is our family’s stand out favorite. It’s creamy and sweet and delicious. If you’re a bit hungry or just craving sweets, a small teaspoon of it is completely satisfying.
Almond butter goes great with sliced apples, celery and my 9-year-old’s favorite: pretzels. If your family likes almond butter and you want to try another nut butter, I’ve heard great things about cashew butter and hazelnut butter (not Nutella). These two can be much harder to find though and typically have to be ordered online or purchased at a specialty shop.
Roasted Seaweed instead of Chips
If your kid is a bit daring and willing to try new things, you’ve got to give them some roasted seaweed. These snack packs are found in the chip aisle and also with International foods and come in a variety of flavors. You can get them plain, salted, sweet or spicy and the crispy texture combined with choice of flavor makes a great substitute for chips. It’s roasted, not fried an entire pack is usually only about 60 calories.
“Simple” yogurts instead of regular or kid-branded ones
Have you ever read the label of a kid’s yogurt? There’s a ton of frightening stuff in there: chemicals you can’t pronounce and tons of dyes because kid’s won’t eat it if it’s not a circus color, right? Flip over a “simple” yogurt and you’ll find exactly what should be there: the same fruits listed on the front of the package, milk and maybe some other natural, easy to pronounce stuff. It’s a no-brainer. Not only that, but neither of my kids ever noticed when I made the switch to the simple yogurts: The flavor is still great without all that added junk.
Organic mac n cheese instead of store brand
I’ll admit that Kraft is getting better about this and I hope this is a trend we’ll keep seeing with big companies. While we haven’t tried the new Kraft macs yet, we have been buying organic mac from a couple of other companies for a while and my mac-addicted kiddos claim the organic stuff is way more delicious. The two favorites in my house are Annies and Back to Nature. Both are amazing and both can be purchased at warehouse stores (Annies at Costco and Back to Nature at Sam’s), so the cost of them becomes about the same as buying a name brand, non-organic variety.
Hummus instead of ranch dip
While ranch dip is delicious and you can purchase low-calorie or low-fat varieties, hummus is all natural. Not only that, but hummus is a great source of iron. This is really important if your child doesn’t eat a lot of meat or has an iron deficiency (My own daughter is both). There are some delicious varieties of hummus at the grocery store or for even more health benefits, you can make your own. It’s super simple and comes out delicious (and it’s great at parties). Pair it with pita bread, crackers or veggies. And for more iron-packed goodness, serve it with orange juice: it will increase iron absorption.
Home made chips instead of store bought
I know this one looks a little scary, but it’s not too tough. Store bought chips are usually fried and are covered in who knows what kind of flavorings. For an amazingly delicious and easy to make alternative, you can pick up one of this Top Chips Maker for around $15. Simply slice your potato, sweet potato, squash, etc. and place on the ring. Then cook it in the microwave and you’ve got instant, fresh chips. My pickiest eater loves these more than anything he’s had store bought, and from him, that’s a huge endorsement.
So what are some healthier swaps you make for your kids snacks?
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Written by Karen @ To Work With My Hands, Contributing Writer
What about your spring garden?
Even though it’s still cold outside, it’s not too early to think about and start planning! Starting now gives you a fun distraction from the chilly temperatures, lays the foundation for a more successful garden, and can save you a lot of money.
Let’s Get Distracted:
I’m sure there are those who adore winter. I am not one of those people. While I’m grateful we have seasons and there are wonderful celebrations and beautiful scenery in each of them – even winter – I personally spend most of every winter very uncomfortable. I’m ridiculously cold-natured and if we keep the house temperature where I like it, some of my family is sweating! This is true.
I’ve learned a few ways to cope, however, and focusing on spring is one of them. If you’re a gardener, you can’t even mention spring without thinking of tender green growing plants. Getting a head start on the garden now is a great way to be distracted from the bone-chilling cold and sometimes bleak days of winter.
Lay the Foundation for Success:
As with most anything, good planning lays the foundation for a more successful gardening year. Deciding what you want to grow, learning their preferred growing conditions, finding out when to start indoors and when to move outdoors, choosing any special growing structures that may be needed, and calculating when you can expect a harvest are all things to take into consideration before spring arrives.
Determining all of these aspects of the spring garden and pulling out your calendar will keep you on track for maximum yield by having your plants and garden ready at the optimal time.
Save some Money
Gardening in and of itself is a great way to save money on your grocery budget, but if you aren’t deliberate about how you do it, you could actually end up still spending quite a bit of money.
One of the very best ways to save money on garden plants is to start them yourself from seeds, and if you grow open-pollinated varieties of plants, you can save even more money by saving seeds from your own garden year after year.
Planning ahead can also save money by giving you the time to find unconventional supplies. Will you need trellis supports or growing cages? If you wait until spring you probably will only have enough time to purchase whatever your home improvement store or nursery sells. Start planning in winter, and you have time to consider what you may already have (or what you can find in a thrift store now that you are thinking about gardening structures) that would work well for a fraction of the cost.
So how to start planning now?
First, consider your growing plans. Do you already have a garden area? Will you need to start one from scratch? Will you garden on a deck or patio? Will you grow some or all of your garden in containers? How much sunlight will your garden get? How will you water? Do you need to amend your soil?
The answers to these questions will shape your plans.
Next, decide what you’ll grow. Peruse online garden suppliers or seed catalogs and choose vegetables, herbs, and flowers you want to grow based on your growing plans. Two of my favorite suppliers are:
Both companies offer open-pollinated and organic seeds and have a large selection to choose from.
Once you have your seeds selected and purchased, get out your calendar and determine when you’ll need to move your plants outdoors. Check your seed packets for information on how long seeds take to germinate, and when they can be transplanted into the garden.
Using the last frost date for your garden zone, count backwards on your calendar for the specific requirements of each plant. Then you’ll know when to start them.
I’ve just finished a 4-part series on starting herbs from seed and it contains detailed information on how to start with a packet of seeds and end with strong and vibrant herb plants that are ready for the spring garden.
Finally, you can go ahead and get started growing your garden! Gardening has some basic principles, but each garden is as unique as the gardener. Spend some time now planning and dreaming about your spring garden and before you know it, you’ll be enjoying the results of your efforts during the frosty days of winter!
What will you grow this spring?
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On the heels of New Year’s come the New Year resolutions that we all make.
Whatever the goals or resolutions: healthier way of eating, weight loss, financial goals, marriage goals and/or spiritual goals they all can be accomplished if we set ourselves up to succeed.
I prayfully chose a word and a Bible verse to focus on throughout this year.
Now that a theme word, goal or resolution has been chosen, what’s next? How do we make sure we are setting ourselves up to succeed? We do this by having a plan.
Tips to set yourself up to succeed
1. Pray
Every morning spend time praying over your resolution. Seeking God about your goals will help you stay focused and aligned with God’s will for your life. Ask God to help you succeed! Just like Eliezer did in Psalm 145:18
2. Plan your day
Make the time to plan your day, week, month and year out. Write down your goals and the plans you have to accomplish. Thinking ahead will help you achieve your goals. For example, are you trying to eat healthier? Plan out and prepare what you will eat for the next day or week. Stock the fridge and pantry with healthy foods and snacks. Plan what exercises you will get done and when you will do them.
3. Don’t procrastinate
Look at your goals and the plan you have set into place to help you achieve your goals. Now get on it! Do not procrastinate. If you’re trying to save money and pay off debt; don’t wait till the next paycheck or the next month to start on that stricter budget. Start today! Start now!
4. Get help
Bringing other people in your life that will encourage, motivate and hold you accountable while you are working on your resolutions is a huge help in succeeding. Accountability holds you responsible to your goals, plans and actions as you work on your resolutions.
5. Stay flexible
Bumps in the road happen to all of us. Be flexible enough in your plans by allowing bumps in the road to happen and not throw you off course. Be clear about your goals, but flexible in the process of achieving them. Remember life happens and that is OK.
6. Stay positive
Stay positive about your goals and resolutions. Even if you have had a bad day, week or month; you can still bounce back, refocus and accomplish your goals. Stop those negative thoughts in their tracks. Philippians 4:8 reminds us of what God wants us to think about.
What steps have you put in place to assure that you accomplish your goals? What are you doing to set yourself up to succeed?
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Happiness seems such a difficult thing sometimes. I have a devoted husband, loving and successful children, a beautiful home and the kind of life I always thought would be out of my grasp. Yet some days, the failures of my life play over and over like a movie reel, reminding me of unforgivable shortcomings and casting a shadow of fear across my future.
The thing is, I’m human: a flawed, imperfect human who’s in a constant mode of figuring things out. We all are. As much as we believe we’re supposed to understand everything by now, the truth is we don’t and we can’t and we never fully will. The best we can do is accept ourselves and our lives for the amazing miracles that they are and learn to be happy, because we only have this one life.
Here are 5 realistic, tried and true ways to improve happiness.
Declutter
It seems counter-intuitive: decluttering is such a stressful activity, but the results are life-changing. Studies have shown that a cluttered area makes your brain feel like there’s chaos around. You automatically get a heightened sense of stress. This becomes your baseline and everything else piles on.
Start out small and set easily attainable goals like “By the end of January, I’m going to have my bedroom sorted”. This doesn’t mean it has to look like something off Pinterest. It simply means that clothes are neatly put away in drawers, surfaces are clear of all but a few possessions, floors are clear and cleaned. Waking up in a space where you aren’t reminded of things you have to catch up on will improve your mood from the get go.
Live Like Martha
I don’t mean have the perfect home and craft everything yourself and cook like a pro. Nope. What I always find soothing on Martha’s shows is that she frequently plays soothing music in the background. It’s the kind of music on the kiosk by the greeting cards in Target: a kind of classical with acoustic guitars and whatnot.
For the month of December, I played the “Classical Christmas” station on Pandora at a soft volume at home. It changed the entire vibe of the house. Not only was it calming, but I noticed that I became more productive. It worked so well, in fact, that I started using it during my Girl Scout meetings and it really seemed to help move things along.
Find a Problem, Fix a Problem
“My face looks old and I hate it”. “I’ve gained so much weight, I’ve let myself go”. This kind of negative self-talk will ruin you. Not can, WILL. It’s tough to fight those demons, so take a logical approach and think of yourself as a trusted friend you can give advice to.
If my friend said she hated the way she looked, I would a) tell her she’s beautiful and perfect just the way she is; and b) suggest that maybe she can make a small change with big impact: a new hairstyle or color. Maybe new makeup. For me, I find just spritzing a little MAC Fix+ on my face makes me instantly look more alert, which is transformative. When I feel fat, I go out shopping for a new shirt or two that are not oversized and hiding myself, but flattering to my figure, no matter what shape that may be at the moment. Having at least one outfit that makes you look good will do so much more for your self-esteem than thinking you look like a blob in everything.
Put Things in Perspective
A few years ago, my husband and I had a huge argument. I can’t even remember now what it was about. It wasn’t anything life-changing, but I was beyond angry. Beyond. I wondered to myself, “what comes next?”. I imagined a high-drama movie where a divorcing couple has to stand in front of a judge and state the reason their marriage is irreparable. I imagined the judges annoyed reaction when I told him that this fight was the reason for our split. I realized that in the big picture, this argument was nothing. I couldn’t hold this grudge forever, and really, I’d be terribly flawed if I did.
The point is to try to see situations in perspective. Are you being fair in the discipline of your children? Are you responding appropriately to people who are less than courteous? Is that conflict with a teacher/administrator/parent going to matter in a year? How about a month? How about a week? Are you even going to remember this happening? Probably not. Put it into perspective and respond appropriately.
Find Joy in Every Day
Whether you’re jotting it down in one of those handy line-a-day journals or just taking a quiet moment to reflect, make sure you take the time to find something positive in each day. In our family, we have a tradition: every night at dinner, we go around the table and everybody states how their day was (for better or for worse) and then they tell the best part of the day. For the kids, they also have to state what the best part of school was. This helps us to ensure that each day, no matter how tough, we all find something that brought us joy. As an added bonus: it keeps our family close and gets a lot more info out of the kids than simply asking “what did you do at school today?” which always produced a non-answer.
I hope these tips help you keep happiness close. If you feel though that nothing can make you happy anymore, please see a professional. Sometimes we need personal coaching to be reminded of how incredibly precious our lives are.
What do you do to keep happiness close?
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The holiday season often brings along with it unwanted stress.
Christmas parties, holiday shopping, cooking, cleaning, entertaining, children Christmas play practices, extended time with family, limited funds and everything else wrapped around the holidays may cause unwanted stress.
However, following the tips below may help us manage this stress and keep our holidays joyful.
6 Ways to Less Stress During the Holidays:
#1 Plan ahead
Do not procrastinate. Get as many tasks done as early as possible. Write out a to-do list and beside each item on your list – write the date/time that it needs to be done by. Put your list on your fridge, in your calendar or anywhere you will see it and will be reminded to get stuff done.
#2 Recruit help
Are you hosting and cooking the holiday meal for your entire family this year? Do not let anyone, including yourself, make you feel like you have to be superwoman and unless you thoroughly enjoy, want and can peacefully handle that huge responsibility get your family members to help you by bringing a drink, side dish and/or desert to the holiday meal. Pick one or two things that you can shine at and do them well. Let everyone else help by bringing an item to share.
#3 Do not set your expectations too high
Most of us love and dream of the picture perfect home, decor, family and food when planning the holiday, but when hiccups in our plans happen (and they will) it may cause our high expectations to come crashing down on us. Which may cause unneeded stress. Set realistic goals for yourself, your family and the holidays.
#4 Get plenty of rest
Pretty much the entire month of December you’ll find bumper to bumper traffic. Everyone is out shopping for presents and supplies for the upcoming holiday. Do not shop till you drop! Give yourself a time out. Take a break. You need time to rest, re-group and re-energize. Getting plenty of rest will help you maintain your stress at a balanced level.
#5 Stick to a budget you can afford
Make out a budget and stick to it. Don’t let family, neighbors, nor friends make you feel like you must have or spend a certain amount of money to have a good Christmas. Don’t fall into the trap that your kids will not be happy without that $500 item on their wishlist. Although anyone would enjoy to be lavished upon during the holidays, Christmas is not about the gifts. It’s about being with those that you love and spending time together. If you are using credit cards to purchase everything, please remember that come January you will get that hefty bill in the mail. Communicate with your family before hand and try to get everyone on board with a family Christmas budget.
#6 Don’t take yourself too seriously
Lighten up. Laugh. Go with the flow. Be flexible. Give yourself and others grace and love. Remember what the holidays are really about.
Bonus tip: Pray. Put God first in your life. Remember, He has you.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27
Do you have any tips on enjoying the holidays with less stress?
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Written by KT @ One Organic Mama, Contributing Writer
Each year, our home fills with the kind gifts that those who love my children. I am so grateful for all of the wonderful and loving people in my life who surround them with fun stuff! Instagramed pictures of giant piles of gifts fill my phone and long lists to santa fill my facebook page. However, as the world becomes smaller with the internet, I find it harder and harder to create a list of things my kids or I “need” when people ask.
We want for nothing. When my kids want to sign up for soccer, I can buy the cleats. When they are hungry, I can grow and buy food. When they are cold, I can turn on the heat. We don’t need anything.
I find it hard to spend money on things we don’t need when there are so many wonderful organizations providing for people who do really NEED. Here are some of the details on organizations that need my money more than I do. I am always careful to research how much funding ends up in the hands of those who need it – so I wanted to share that information here. I also share some ideas for getting involved more locally for Christmas. The descriptions and missions are taken from the organizations’ pages.
The Exodus Road
A nonprofit which helps find and free slaves through strategic action and ordinary people. The Exodus Road empowers rescue for current victims of human trafficking, equips nationals to fight slavery in their own communities, and encourages effective collaboration among practitioners.
- 71% of their funding goes toward their mission/programs
- Exodus Road Merchandise
- 100% of their current online campaign goes toward their mission.
- Become an online abolitionist
Fair Trade USA
We seek to empower family farmers and workers around the world, while enriching the lives of those struggling in poverty. We use a market-based approach that empowers farmers to get a fair price for their harvest, helps workers create safe working conditions, provides a decent living wage, and guarantees the right to organize.
- Choose a purchase with a purpose here – there are many organizations listed here –so check out where your money is going!
Refugee Operated US Businesses
Samaritans Purse
A nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world.
- 89% of their funding goes toward their mission/programs
- Donate here
- Volunteer opportunities near and far
World Vision
World vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice.
- 85% of their funding goes toward their mission/programs
- World Vision Gifts
- Choose where your gift goes when you donate to a specific mission
- Get involved!
Act Locally!
If you would rather do something local here are a few ideas:
- Choose someone random in your moms’ group (or online yard sale group, or church group) that you know could use some help. Send them an anonymous grocery store gift card for their Christmas dinner.
- Offer to babysit for a couple you know sometime in January so they can have a date night.
- Leave money with a cashier at a store for the next customer (or let them choose one who might need it).
- How do you spread kindness or shop with a purpose during the Christmas season?
- Volunteer at a local food bank (either donating or stocking shelves)
- Go caroling (added… bring treats!)
You can find the above information by combing through a charity’s records (most/all of which are available online) – but here are some good resources to use when choosing an organization to donate your money to!
- Worst Charities to donate – you might recognize these names from your caller ID – use extreme caution when donating – especially over the phone prompted by an unsolicited call
- Charity Navigator – not all charities are listed here – but good information for the ones that are!
- Charity Watch – another charity rating service
How do you spread kindness or shop with a purpose during the Christmas season?
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Written by Kari @ Kari Newsom Contributing Writer
It’s that time of year again.
As a Health and Nutrition Coach, I always have people ask me for some tips on how to successfully celebrate special occasions without completely going off the deep end when it comes time to eat.
The first and most important thing I always tell people is this:
ENJOY THE CELEBRATION!!!
All to often we try so hard to do ‘the right thing’ about the whole ‘eating during the holiday’ issue, that we actually end up NOT enjoying this time of year.
Don’t do that anymore. Eating healthy and making healthier choices isn’t about being miserable. I promise.
There are a couple pointers I like to give people who don’t want to go crazy, over indulge and completely get off track with their healthy lifestyle.
If you are like the average person, this time of year {or any celebration for that matter} can be a challenging time.
My family typically eats extremely healthy, BUT I don’t freak out and go crazy that I’m not getting my organic and fresh foods. I am always thankful that someone would take the time to prepare a meal for us to enjoy – whether it’s considered ‘healthy’ in my book or not. Since 98% of the time we eat extremely healthy and disciplined at home, I never feel guilty when those occasions arise where we aren’t able to eat that way.
If there are certain foods that you absolutely cannot eat (if you have allergies or have celiac, etc.) then speak with the host for that day and explain your situation and ask if it would be okay if you brought some of your own items so you can still sit down and enjoy the meal with everyone else. Many times you will find that the host may offer to make some dishes according to your needs. If your eating preferences are just that, preferences, then it’s up to you to make smart choices while you are filling your plate.
Here are a few tips that might help you out this Thanksgiving holiday:
1. Eat a Smaller Meal Beforehand
If you are prone to eating TONS of food and filling your plate to overflowing, then going back for seconds and thirds – try eating a small meal before you go to your Thanksgiving celebration. It doesn’t have to be a rich meal, just a small meal that will help fill you up enough where gorging out on food doesn’t look so appealing to you! You’ll still get to enjoy the food on the table, you just won’t be shoveling it all in your mouth like there’s no tomorrow.
2. Water
Drinking a glass of water about 30 minutes before sitting down to eat can make a person feel full, so you won’t end up eating as much.
3. Self-Control
Make a decision to only have one plate of food, which means smaller portions of each item. Not always easy, but your stomach will thank you for it once dessert time rolls around.
4. Mini Size It
If you are a dessert sampler like some {GUILTY], then don’t take full size servings of each dessert. Cut in half, thirds or quarters so you can sample all the wonderful goodies, without consuming the amount of an entire pie or cake by the time you’re done.
5. Control Your Eyes
If your eyes are always bigger than your stomach, then it’s about discipline, discipline, discipline! Just CONTROL yourself when filling your plate!!! Yes, it smells so good and looks amazing and Aunt Susie’s mashed potatoes are the bomb, but you don’t need a mountain of food to enjoy all that goodness.
Studies show that the first couple bites of food are the most intense and satisfying – taste wise. Even with amazing desserts, the more bites you take, the magnitude of it’s greatness starts to taper down a bit after the first few bites.
6. Going Back
Are seconds bad? I don’t think so, as long as your first servings weren’t gi-normous to begin with. Just remember that you don’t need to over do it! When your body tells you to stop eating – then STOP EATING!
7. Enjoy The Company
Make a conscious effort to enjoy the people around you. Aren’t we all gathering on Thanksgiving (or whatever celebration) to spend time with each other? Yes, so enjoy your company, engage in conversation, laugh and CHEW SLOWLY. This is a guarantee that you won’t eat as much when you talk with people and give your food a chance to settle and your brain is told that you’re full (this usually takes about 15-20 minutes to occur.)
8. Chew Chew Chew
Along with chewing slowly, we should all chew each bite 20-30 times before swallowing completely! I know you think I sound crazy, but you will reduce the amount of food you eat by quite a bit. Why? Since you’re taking the time to chew your food purposely, you won’t be gulping down large portions every 5 seconds and by the time you’ve been eating for 15-20 minutes and your body is saying ‘STOP, I’M FULL’ – you won’t have consumed nearly as much food. Also, chewing this many times is the most important part of digestions since it breaks down your food to a point that once it hits your stomach, your stomach won’t need to work so hard to continue the digestion process.
9. Nix Tons of Liquids While Eating
Try not to drink a ton of liquid while you are eating. The reason is because it dilutes your digestive juices in your stomach and then it takes so much longer for your body to digest your food. This can lead to you feeling so full that you feel sick to your stomach. Give your food a chance to do its job once its in your body!
All in all, we need to demonstrate self control and we are more than capable of doing that! Take time to enjoy the food that has been prepared for you and enjoy the people surrounding you. These holidays have a purpose behind them, so focus on those purposes instead of making the food the center and most important aspect of the day.
Most importantly, when it comes to the food you eat, pray over your food and thank God for the nourishment to your bodies and protecting you from any harm. Thank Him for the family and friends that are surrounding you and the many blessings you have in your life. Thank Him for the life you have. If you are reading this, then you are alive! What a wonderful thing. On top of that, you can’t be reading this post without a computer, ipad or smart phone! Be thankful! You are blessed! Now, be a blessing to others!
What simple things do you do during holiday celebrations to avoid over-indulging?
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Written by Christine @ So Domestically Challenged, contributing writer
A few weeks ago, I was invited by Rachel to be a contributor here on Day2DayJoys. I read her invitation. I got excited. I closed my email and made a mental note to get back to her…and I did get back to her a few days later.
She invited me to do a post. Immediately, at least 6 great ideas popped into my head. I was thrilled. I was energized. I was ready to go. But here I sit, in the last few hours before my first post is set to go live, and I have nothing. Those half-dozen great ideas have betrayed me: each one seemingly fantastic until I realized that I couldn’t find the words or it just wasn’t so interesting after all.
Here I am, a blank. I’ve spent days analyzing my life and motivations, reading notes I’ve written, mind-mapping, reviewing books, magazines, Pinterest…and nothing. Have I truly lost my mojo?
The truth. I turn my focus inward to look for reasoning. The truth, though I hate to admit it, is fear. I have procrastinated since day one because of fear. Not that I have any kind of real fear for my own well-being. No, my fear is distinctly first-world. My fear is of disappointing, failing, not being good enough. My fear makes me feel like a child, but is a fear I always tell my own children they have to push through.
The reality is that I procrastinate because I’m scared of failing and scared of the unknown. I figure this is an issue that probably faces a lot of us, so for my first post, my introduction to you, I’m going to share 5 ways to stop procrastinating and get things done (in the future).
5 Ways to Stop Procrastinating:
Commit
Saying “I’m going to do this later” or “I’ll have time after work on Thursday” are open-ended and set yourself up to keep moving the day or time you’re going to do something. Instead, make a “To Do List” every day, and write in how much time you’re committing to the task and when, just like an appointment: “I’m going to write my post from 5:45pm-6:30pm on Tuesday night”. Writing it down has the added bonus of somewhat tricking your brain into believing that the task absolutely has to be done at that time.
Reward Yourself
As I write this, I’m craving my three biggest vices: a cup of coffee, a coconut Outshine bar, and a book….okay, not a book. I want to play spider solitaire online. Guilty. I know that I’m going to enjoy doing those things a lot more when I don’t have anything else hanging over my head, stressing me out. I’m not going to allow myself any of those things until this post is complete! Not only does the reward give me something to look forward to, but it also takes away my ability to use any of those things to procrastinate: “I’m going to get back to working after this ice cream”. Bam! A two-fer.
Visualize the Future
This is actually something I do with my family and my Girl Scouts when they’re stressed and it works great for both long-term and short-term issues. Take a minute, relax, breathe and go through the steps of what is going to happen next. Work it out.
I’m going to keep typing.
I will get to the end of what I want to say.
I will read it back to myself.
I might hate it.
I will make sure it’s correct and of good quality.
I will submit it.
Some people might not like it.
I might be asked never to write again.
I will keep breathing. I will keep living.
Tomorrow, I will write about something else.
In a week, I won’t even think about it anymore.
Break a Job Into Tasks
Sometimes a job can seem stressful and overwhelming because it’s got several steps to it that don’t immediately sort themselves out in our minds. Try breaking a job down into various smaller tasks and write out a checklist. Even if you don’t have time to do an entire task, you can look at your list and get a few parts done.
For example:
Brainstorm talking points
Type up post
Review & edit
Format post
Add links
Take photos
Edit photos
Add photos to post
Submit post
Stop Being Your Worst Critic
Where did we all learn this? Every day is like one long Dove commercial, but instead of just criticizing the bags under my eyes or my flabby middle, I criticize my entire being: “I just did that because I’m an idiot” or “I could never understand that” or “I’m a terrible housekeeper” or “I wish I was better/smarter/more comfortable with myself”. Sometimes even confident-sounding statements to yourself can be undermining you: “I’m just going to fake it until I make it” or “I’ve still got it” or “I was great at that when I was younger”. All of these statements have an implied “there’s something wrong with me”. We send ourselves these constant messages that we are somehow less than our full potential, and worse than that, we quietly start believing it. Instead, make statements that are inherently true and non-objective.
I am a mother.
I am a wife.
I am a mentor.
I am a writer.
I am enough.
My words/actions/abilities are enough.
And they are all perfectly me.
Do you procrastinate? Why do you think you do it and what do you do to fight it?
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Written by Lydia @ Frugal Debt Free Life, Contributing Writer
I don’t know if you’ve heard this quote “mom sets the tone.” I see it on Pinterest all the time and to be completely honest the first few times I saw it I rolled my eyes.
The tone in my house is loud, messy and harried. I feel like I am rushing my kids through the day while carrying this knot between my shoulders. Then one day it hit me, mom sets the tone. It really is true. By the time nap timed rolled around I was a stressed out mess counting down the minutes until my husband got home.
I needed to slow down, be still and quiet and simplify my home. I did this by developing a good morning routine. This one might not work for everyone, but since doing this I have seen an immediate difference in my home and day. And the shoulder knot.
How a morning routine saved my sanity:
Make a to do lists the night before
I found this helped me rest better. Instead of getting up in the morning and jotting down what needs to be done, I take a few minutes at night and make a to do list for the following day. I swear this helps me sleep better because I am not lying in bed lingering over what needs to be accomplished the next day. My road map is already laid out ahead of me.
Prep for the next day
I make sure that coffee grounds are in the pot and all I have to do is press the on button. I lay out my clothes, even though I am work at home mom. Not falling back on yoga pants or sweats makes me feel more put together.
And I clean my kitchen and wipe down counter tops.
Unload the dishwasher
In the morning when the coffee is brewing I unload the dishwasher. This way as we use dishes they can go directly into the dishwasher and not clutter up the sink.
Family devotional
The boys and I usually have a family devotion time in the morning using one of our baby Bibles.
We might also watch a Miss Pattycake DVD. If you don’t know who Miss Pattycake is, the DVDs are a fun way to incorporate scripture and praise music into a toddler or preschoolers life. The DVDs usually last about 30 minutes and they are sweet and engaging.
We also say a simple morning prayer that I wrote, “Thank you Jesus for today. Please protect us while we play. Helps us listen and obey. In Your name we pray, Amen.”
I want to set the tone of prayer, that we seek Jesus in the morning. That we begin each day with a clean slate.
And when my to do list is ready and my house is somewhat clean I don’t feel as rushed and stressed. I am not as easily unglued and my home just feels calmer.
That is not to say that this routine gets implemented everyday to the letter. It’s not to say that my house is spotless (far from it!) and that my kids are perfectly behaved.
But having a morning routine to fall back on gives us a good anchor in the chaos of life.
What is your morning routine?
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