Setting Goals

 I am an all or nothing kind of person. I am either all in or all out and then sometimes I will circle back around. It makes dieting hard to stick with. I will try a diet fad, mess up, and then just quit. For me, it just doesn't work. I have found that making habits, small term goals, and a sustainable lifestyle is much more productive than all or nothing. SO I am going to walk you through everything I have done to get to the point I am in life.

WRITE IT OUT:

     Think about what you want to accomplish overall. Do you need to lower blood sugar? Exercise more? Eat healthier? Think of every little detail. The big picture.

Jean's Example:

•  Work out 3 hours a week
• Eat a plant based, whole food diet
• Eat 75% raw food
• Drink 1 liter of water a day
• Teach my children how to pick whole food, health sustaining choices

      Now that you have the overall goals think of what it would take to get there. Make these your mini goals.

 Jean's Example:

• Stop drinking calories (pop, mochas, sweet tea)
• Cut out processed sweets and junk food
• Cut out cheese and dairy at home
• Cut out meat
• Stop overcooking, salting, and frying vegetables
• Make time for exercise
•  Cut bread intake

        Take one goal and focus on it. Decide what steps you need to take to accomplish your goal and do it well.

   Jean's Example: To stop drinking calories I will

• Take water with me everywhere I go
•  Allow myself to have one pop everyday for the first week
•  One pop every other day for the second week
•  Two pops a week
•  One pop a week
•  Don't buy or bring pop home
• Order a smaller pop

                           

 Don't worry about your whole list. You have the whole picture in your head. It is going to take a while to get it all accomplished. I have been working on my list for over a year and I still have a long way to go. It is okay though because it is sustainable living and nothing is over night. There is no magic pill, there is no crash fad diet, it is all about discipline and education and consistency. Your list will change and you may scratch things off or add to it and that's okay too!

  Once you have one goal accomplished add another. These things could take a while to accomplish. You should try to accomplish one goal a couple weeks at a time. If it takes longer NO BIG DEAL. Give yourself grace. If you completely mess up one day- no problem. You are human. Dump the remaining pop down the drain. It isn't a waste. This is your health.

   When I started this journey it took baby steps to get to where I am. Once again-still need to change a lot! Here is what my steps looked like

- Start jogging in the summer
- cut out pop and sweet tea
-start counting calories
-cut out white sugars and flours and replace with wheats and natural sweeteners
-start eating clean, cut processed food out of my home
-no more cheese and dairy at home
-no more meat. period.
-start jogging faster and longer distances
-start adding toning
-start incorporating more raw fruits and veggies

 We have really struggled with bread and cheese this winter. And sugar! Its cold! I just want to hibernate. But it really is okay. I know that my eating habits as a whole are significantly better than they used to be. I see where I deal with stress different and I still maintain exercise even in my worst weeks.

RESEARCH- get a database of recipes. Read about clean eating. Read about Whole foods and plant based foods. It may seem overwhelming but it is the best way to retain information.

Overall that is the way that works best for me. Give yourself grace and remember it is a process!
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Nearly Raw Apple Pie Filling

 As most of you know, I'm snowed in. We have cleaned the house a million times, cut hair, built tents, done nails, and made a million things in the kitchen! (Bread, cookies, curry, apple churros, hot cocoa, spring rolls). Today I was looking through my pantry to see what I have left (certainly not flour) and I found a graham cracker crust! I know. It's store bought but I started thinking, "if I make a raw pie filling I will only have to feel half a guilty."

This pie came out WONDERFUL!

Nearly Raw Pie Filling

-2 sweet red apples, cored

-7-9 medjool dates (I may have had more

but I know I indulged a little :)

-1 tsp pumpkin pie spice OR a combination of cinnamon,nutmeg, or cloves 

-1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

-1/4 cup raisins 

-1 teaspoon cornstarch 

I put all of these things in the food processor in layers. First dates and apples. Then spice and milk. Then raisins and the cornstarch. Wait till it is blended pretty well. (It's going to be a little lumpy).  Scoop it into the pie crust. I also sprinkled whole flaxseed on mine. You could use pecans or walnuts as well. Refrigerate for an hour! So good! I should have made more to fill this crust but hey it's all I had. Maybe next time I can make a raw crust. Hope y'all enjoy! Hager Hugs! 

Feeling Less

 A couple good friends and I have been chatting about the subject of comparison and feeling less. Today I have definitely felt myself fall into this feeling of not adding up and it just wasted my day. I spent time thinking about how I could add up in some areas and lost track of what really mattered today. 

 It kind of hit me. The days that I waste feeling less and wishing I added up more are just that. A waste. God sent His precious Son, the perfect lamb and blameless man, to die for my sins. Honestly, I don't have time to sit around and wish I was something I'm not. I need to embrace who Christ has made me to be and do my best. Sure there is room for growth, but sitting here wishing this and that were different and wondering if I add up is not only pointless but a form of covet. I am where I am for a purpose. God not only loves me through it, but He placed me here ❤️

I run, I Walk

 I haven't jogged in two months. I sustained a minor bruise in my heel and it was bad enough that I needed to take a break. That, along with traveling through 7 states in 2 weeks, my grandfather's death, trying to maintain diet and homeschooling, and some personal things going on- it's been far away from my brain.  

Tonight I went out in the cold and a lite dusting of snow and I jogged. I only made it 15 minutes with about 11 of that being jogging. BUT it was much needed and it felt good. 

Jogging is great for me because I am able to do whatever I want to do. I can walk. I can stop. I can push for more. I can think, breath, cry, laugh, pray, smile. All at my own pace. I really missed all of that and so many emotions came flooding to me in the 15 mins I was out. 

 My break and injury in jogging can easily be compared to my emotional state right now. My injury sideswiped me and left me feeling repressed and frustrated in a time I could have used an outlet. I pushed really hard this summer, by God's grace, to do things that were hard and uncomfortable. Physically and emotionally. Take jogging for example. I shouldn't be a jogger. I have a bum knee, flat feet, I'm overweight, I have three children, and I am usually a short term project kind of gal. For some reason I have pushed to keep this in my life and to meet goals and to be active even when it's hard. The same goes with some things emotionally. All of the sudden, these things I had worked really hard at were put on hold. I could kind of feel my identity and my confidence fading. Add my grandfather passing on top of it and a super disorganized home a schedule. All of it happened at once. Left me reeling. Thankfully, God is good. He keeps my attention everyday and brings me back to my greater purpose- being Christ to others and raising up little girls who love Him and love others.  Even when there is a bump in the road, an injury, a few pounds gained, a messed up schedule, a less then perfect home, and a personal wound- I. Am. His. Nothing steals that away. He created me to do hard things. He also gives me grace. The last two months it was okay to take a break. To grieve over different losses. To try to find a new normal and to rest in the hands of my God. I hear Him whisper to me that it is time to stand up. Do the hard stuff. It might be cold and dark out but it's time to jog again. Time for me to Walk again. 

This post is personal to me but I really felt like I needed to share it. I am still learning how to be this healthier version of myself and how to fit it in. I'm excited for a new season of getting back to who I am created to be. I'll keep ya posted!

Detox

 My life has been kind of crazy here the last few weeks! From Alabama to Michigan I have been to 6 states in two weeks! As you can imagine my diet has suffered a little bit. From the hospitality of others to eating on the run I have fluctuated between 15 pounds! Now, normally I would be freaking out, but I really don't need to. I was on vacation one week and mourning the next. By the end of it I honestly didn't have the mental capacity to try and be perfect. It is okay. I am only human. Honestly, my biggest downfalls were too much coffee and adding cheese (we don't do dairy at home). So two days into detox and I'm already down and about 8 pounds from my recent lowest weight. I did notice while I was away. 

1) I didn't drink pop

2) I still did two or three workouts a week

3) I still chose raw veggies when I could

These are things that surprised me but I realized-I have been making these things habits for quite a few months now. They stuck with me even when I wasn't being intentional. 

Habits take time and so much effort but are worth it!!!!

Now to detox. My detox plan is as follows:

-water before coffee

- raw breakfast ( juice and smoothies are great for maximum nutrients. I am replacing a meal with them, not supplementing)

- mostly raw lunch. Maybe a pita or something but veggies are ideal!

-I am being lenient on dinner. Maybe some grain or rice but mostly veggies and closer to their natural state. Now sometimes I like a warm meal and This is when I will take advantage of that. 

-for snacks I'm looking to-take a guess-fruits and veggies and maybe nuts if I just can't kick a craving. 

In two days my body has given me headaches, acne, and nausea. All. Part. Of detox. My body loves and misses bad food so it's gonna throw superficial symptoms at me so I will give in. I'm not gonna!

Basically all I am trying to say is don't give up! Habits take time. Losing inches takes time. Detox, as horrifying as it is, takes time. Keep at it. Work hard! Let me know how I can help :)

Fantastic raw tacos!

http://roostblog.com/roost/in-the-raw-tacos-spiced-melon-avocado-shooters-watermelon-mo.html

Zucchini Pizza

My mom and I made this recipe inspired by a recipe in a magazine. Slice zucchini really thin. Add any spices you want. We did garlic salt, basil, oregano, and pepper. Place chopped tomatoes on top and spray with olive oil. We topped ours with Parmesan cheese. At home I will use ground cashews. Bake for 10-15 at 400 degrees.