Fast Food – Detoxing – Cycling

February 5, 2014

02/03/2014
H2O Challenge: Drink 8 glasses of water per day (8)
Exercise Challenge: Do at least 10 minutes of exercise per day (10 minutes)
Step Challenge: Walk 7,000 steps per day (7,357)
February Challenge: Walk 50k steps (31 miles) his month (15.53 miles so far) or 17,873 steps so far this month

02/04/2014
H2O Challenge: Drink 8 glasses of water per day ( 9)
Exercise Challenge: Do at least 10 minutes of exercise per day (16  minutes)
Step Challenge: Walk 7,000 steps per day (7,376 )
February Challenge: Walk 50k steps (31 miles) his month ( 22.66 miles so far) or   steps so far this month

Good morning,

It can be difficult sometimes when I see people losing a lot of weight, fast; it makes me want to get on the bandwagon because it is taking me a long time. I have to keep telling myself that the tortoise always wins the race in the end. It might seem like I am losing the race; however here is what I am learning about some of these fast weight-loss ideas.

Fasting – most of the weight that comes off is water. If you are going to fast, fast from Fast Food 🙂

Detox – Can spell disaster because you devoid your body of valuable nutrients and oh by the way… it is short lived and it is not backed by science

Calorie Cycling – when you eat less than your calorie range one day and above your calorie range another day (trying to trick your body into losing weight). Cycling works best on a bike! 🙂

Best way, is to stick to your calorie range (the hardest part for me) and to eat whole food packed with nutrients 🙂

So instead of trying to catch up with a Fad Diet, I am learning to celebrate my victories – especially non-scale victories. My victory for the past couple of days is my step count (over 7,000 steps) and my water intake (at least 8 glasses a day). I have been steady in both! :::patting myself on the back:::

Instead of worrying about how well others are doing, I am grateful to them for leading the way on this journey into a healthier lifestyle and for being such GREAT encouragers and supporters! Thank you!

AffirMINTion: I believe that slow and steady wins the race.

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

A Mini Minty MoMINT

My mom says that walking me helps her to be healthy…. AND I LIKE IT!

Life is Minty Fresh!

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Take Time to Play! :)

01/19/11 – 10 Minutes of Exercise Strength Training (10-10-10) – H2O – 8 Glasses – Steps – 4,300 +

Good morning Mintdom,

I feel good about getting my steps up there, and I actually did better then what you see above, but somehow I have misplaced my pedoMINTer or it fell off and that was about what it said when I last looked!  I hope that it is at the office or in my car.  If not, I am off to buy yet another one!  LOL!  It really helps me to wear a pedometer, as I am much more aware of moving during the day.

I have to be extra good with food and water today as tonight is our office’s happy hour.  By good, I mean I am going to eat correctly, with protein, fiber and a lot of water.  I do not want to be hungry or thirsty when I go, which will help me not over, indulge!  I am looking forward to it though.  Our happy hours are fun because the people are so awesome! I think it is always good to take time out to play, although some in my family might think I like fun a little too much! 

“Have fun in your command. Do not always run at a breakneck pace. Take leave when you’ve earned it; spend time with your families.” – Colin Powel

AffirMINTion: I love putting fun in my day!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

A Mini Minty MoMINT

My mom says that she has fun playing on the floor with me… and I LIKE IT!

Life is Minty Fresh!

Minty Plays!

Solution as Easy as 1-2-3!?!

01//03/11 – 10 Minutes of Exercise – Off on Mondays – H2O – 6

Good morning, Mintdom!
 
One of the things that I keep reading about is not to cling to old ways.  Here are a few of my old ways that I am letting go.
 
Isolating when I am not feeling good about myself or have gotten off track (This is my biggest one) Solution #1: Stay present, involved, ask for help (shudder), and continue writing and posting Mintdom.
 
Take Flight when I have the Fight or Flight choice – I flee. When I get off course, I keep going. If I do not like the results of something that I am doing – I quit.  This is part of another old way – Perfectionism.  Now perfectionism is something that I never thought I had because I never did anything perfect. Solution #2: Stay present, stay put, forge ahead, put up my dukes, and be ok with my imperfections.
 
Rationalization: An example of this is how I am stuck on the idea that I do not like to drink water.  I even moved my goal down to 4 glasses per day with the rationalization that I was starting slow.  hmpf! I also find articles that tell me that drinking all that water is not necessary to back me up! The other thing I tend to do is say to myself things like, “I will have this one __________ (fill in the blank) and then tomorrow, I will do better.” Solution #3: Stick to my commitMINTs if I run into trouble, see solution #1 and 2.
 
I can tell you that the solutions are not as easy as 1-2-3 for me.  Most things that I let go of have long claw marks on them! LOL Can you relate to any of these?
 
AffirMINTion: I LOVE drinking my 8 glasses of water a day! (on my second glass this morning)
 
Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.
 
What are you waiting for?
 
Life is good!

PS I am still having technical difficulties with my computer this morning so I only have an old Minty photo.  This morning’s post is not perfect and that is good!
 
A Mini Minty MoMINT

“Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.”  ~Henry van Dyke
 
My mom cannot carry a tune but she is singing this morning…. AND I like it!

Life is Minty Fresh!

Ratatouille – Not the Movie!

07/29/10 – 5,234 Steps
5 glasses of water

07/30/10 – 6,292 Steps
5 glasses of water

07/31/10 – 7,258 Steps
7 glasses of water
60 minutes of exercise (swimming)

08/01/10 – 8,476 Steps
5 glasses of water

Good morning Mintdom,

We were in France last week for our summer camp challenge (not really or you would know if before now).  One of our challenges was to go to a farmer’s market, buy the ingredients for Ratatouille.  Ratatouille is a traditional French Provencal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice. I guess there are debates over the original recipe, but everyone agrees the ingredients are tomato (key ingredient), garlic, onion, bell peppers, zucchinis, eggplant, and herbs (like thyme, and/or basil.

     

Farmer John’s Market on Route 15 near Lucketts, Virginia

The farmers are struggling a little this year because of the weather, but these vegetables were absolutely delicious!

Here is my own version of ratatouille.  I do not really love eggplant so I use yellow squash in place of it. This will feed 4 people as a side dish and 2 as a main dish.

“A good meal ought to begin with hunger.” –French Proverb

 

I spray the bottom of a non-stick skillet with olive oil

• Olive oil (spray)
• ½ large onion sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 medium yellow squash
• 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• ½ teaspoon oregano (not exactly French)
• A dash of red pepper flakes
• (optional) ½ cup part-skim mozzarella cheese

Heat pan on medium-high heat and spray the bottom of Non-stick skillet with olive oil. Add onions, peppers, garlic, cook until soft.  Add zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and spices. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. 

This is optional, but I like to sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over it and let melt for a couple of minutes.  Then I serve it all with 1% cottage cheese and it is sort of like an easy version of vegetable lasagna. (shhh do not let the ratatouille police hear that). In any case, it is healthy and delicious, and my unexpected dinner guest seemed to enjoy it!

AffirMINTion: I love eating healthy meals

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!
A Mini Minty MoMINT

“The greatest wealth is health.” –Virgil

My mom walked me three times yesterday. I am helping my mom get healthy and wealthy when she takes me for a walk, and I like it. 
xoxo

 

 

Pooped Minty Pup!

A Heartbeat at My Feet – Good for My Heart

06/27/10 – 8,514 Steps
6 glasses of water

I can see why having a puppy is good for me. Not only is Minty keeping my mind off food, she is helping me with my step count. Now, I have yet to get all the way up the block with her and back on the leash, but going out five times a day is a good thing, and shopping for her is even better! LOL. Another good thing about having this puppy is this. I have a gate that blocks off the carpeted part of my house. A week ago, I had a difficult time getting over it, now it is so much better. I am thinking I will always have to have a gate up, even AFTER she is puppy trained. LOL The best thing about it though the snuggling and the love I get with this little fluff ball! I would totally recommend getting a pet. There are lots of little loves out there waiting for someone to love. Just be prepared to have them consume your life!

OK I promise that I will not make this all about Minty; in fact, tomorrow, I have a little story that I think you will find inspiring. This quote will give you a little hint to what you will see then.

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” – Mark Twain

AffirMINTion: I am a grateful pet owner!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

A Mini Minty MoMINT:

My mom agrees with Edit Wharton who said, “My little dog – a heartbeat at my feet” and I like it

Life is Minty Fresh!

Directing Change!

05/13/10 – 6,388 Steps

1-hour exercise

Good morning Mintdom!

Even though I wrenched my neck and shoulder, I feel GREAT! With the exception of last night and a few days ago, my eating habits are finally beginning to change. I even ate blueberries out of the container yesterday! Oh, AND although I did not make great choices last night for dinner, I actually LEFT the doggie bag at the restaurant. Baby steps!

“Goals allow you to control the direction of change in your favor.” – Brian Tracy

This morning, I am meeting a friend for coffee and we are supposed to bring three thought provoking questions. I thought that I would share my questions with you to think about.

1. People hide behind masks at one time or another – what masks do you wear? (Examples, busyness, fear, I am not _____enough, what will others think?)

2. What does success look like to you?

3. Do you say, “I have a problem?” or do you say, “I feel troubled?”

I am taking my direction from Brian Tracy and doing a little home retreat this weekend (one advantage of living alone) to look at my goals, organize my life a little, and do some writing. I want to tell you that you are important to me and so many of you have made a huge difference in my life. Thanks for accompanying me on my journey.

AffirMINTion: I give change direction by setting goals

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

The Persistence Factor!

050510 – 5,186 Steps

Good morning Mintdom,

I know that I have not been very consistent this past month, and I apologize. I just cannot seem to fit everything in that I need to do in the mornings since I started this training. I have another week to go, and then things should get back to normal. It has been very good for me and along with learning that I can push myself farther then I thought I could, I am eating better then ever. The best part is that I do not feel deprived! I am not cutting things out. I am making better choices, and they are choices that I am enjoying! One of the biggest issues I have had in the past is that I will go on a ‘diet’ and lose, but when I go off it, I binge it back on. I am not the only one in training these days – my taste buds are also in training; although, they are a little stubborn when it comes to eating fruit, but we are working on it.

“The most essential factor is persistence – the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitable come.” –James Whitcomb Riley

A couple of guys in my office are a good demonstration of this quote. They have the Persistence Factor – I see it each day. I see how they encourage each other and others. Thank you Erin and Bob for being GREAT examples of the Persistence Factor.

http://tinyurl.com/ThePersistenceFactor

AffirMINTion: I have the Persistence Factor

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

Learn to Say No to a Balanced Life!

04/20/10 – 5,535 Steps

 Good morning Mintdom, 

Well, I did not make it to the gym last night – ug. My mind wanted to and when I got home, I planned to change and walk up to the gym. I got home later then I planned and once I was there, I just could not make myself go out again. I DID fix a very healthy dinner, and I went to bed before 10:30. That is good. This morning I am off to training so I am expecting a GREAT day today. 

It is amazing how many people I heard from yesterday that struggle with balance. I certainly am not alone that is for sure. One of the hints that I heard is to learn to say no. For instance – No, I am unable to take on that volunteer position. No, that chocolate cake will not pass my lips. Ok… well the second one must be for advanced No’ers. LOL! Actually saying no is not difficult for me as I learned a long time ago just to say, let me check my calendar before saying yes. It is amazing how many other people will fill the request. <grin>

 “Learn to say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best.” –John C Maxwell

 “Learn to say no. It will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin.” –Charles Haddon Spurgeon

I could not decide between the two quotes this morning so you get two for the price of one – your bargain for the day!

 AffirMINTion: I am a balance seeker!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

 What are you waiting for?

 Life is good!

Finding the Elusive Balance

04/15/10 – 7,076 Steps

1 hour of exercise

 04/16/10 – 6,032 Steps

 04/17/10 – 11,346 Steps!!! Whoo hooo!

1 hour of exercise

 04/18/10 – 5,360 Steps

 Good morning Mintdom,

 I am moving more and more each day! My body feels it in lots of ways. I did not realize how closed up I am until I started training. It feels good to open up a little and losing 5 pounds does not hurt either! Lol

 I have Toastmasters this morning and I am the Toastmaster. I had to pick a theme and I chose balance. I chose it because it is one of my biggest challenges. I do not believe that I am alone in this. I am trying to strike a balance between work, play, and rest. It seems that I am either working or have my mind in work mode and when it isn’t it is in play mode. Now it is difficult to put exercise in a slot. It is not rest, it certainly is not play for me because it really feels more like work, but it doesn’t have anything to do with my job. So… I need to strike a balance between work, play, (play includes family and friends) exercise, and rest. I always seem to be in one mode or another or at the most two modes at a time. My challenge is to balance them all AND eat healthy to boot! How do you balance your life? I need some help with this so any suggestions are welcome. Feel free to e-mail me or post your thoughts on www.Mintdom.com

 Is this the secret or is finding balance merely science fiction?

 “There is no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves.” -Frank Herbert (American science fiction author and writer 1920-1986)

 Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

 What are you waiting for?

 Life is good!

 PS I need to fit in Toastmasters, staff meeting, work, eating well (packing lunch), exercise, a healthy dinner, and bed today

Let it Snow and Snow and Snow!!

12/18/09 – 6,888 Steps

Food Journal – No

 12/19/09 – 2,414

50 minutes of cardio in the form of shoveling snow!

Food Journal – No

 Good morning Mintdom,

 It is 11:28 on Sunday morning and I wanted to get this started before I go out to shovel.  I had a low step count yesterday, but I added cardio because I yesterday we got almost 2 feet of snow and I shoveled my driveway to try and keep up with it a little.  I figure by the time I could get out.. I did not want to shovel the whole thing at once!  There is a huge mound at the end of my driveway.  Another good reason to get strong is to be able to shovel snow. 

About 20 Inches on my Patio Table

OK… it is afternoon… I have shoveled, cooked, ate lunch (leftover spaghetti and salad), talked with my daughter and worked on my farm.  Now I am listening to Christmas music and getting ready to put up some decorations.  I do not know about the rest of you, but I REALLY like this snow thing.  I am not getting steps in BUT I am burning a lot of calories!  Lol

Just Think of ALL the Calories I Burned!

  I had help with my driveway at the end.  My neighbors – two that I just met – helped dig out the last of it where the plow blocked my driveway.  It was the hardest part because it had not been touched.  <patting herself on the back> I have to say though… that I am proud of myself for shoveling all the black top.  Just think of all those calories burned!!!  I can feel it already though!

“The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball.”  – Dough Larson

 

:::::: running out and throwing a snowball at my house::::::  I do not  want to be accused of being old (shut up Bruce) lolol.  You can look at snow as you look at life.  You can look at it as an inconvenience, troublesome, an interruption, hard work, and difficult OR you can look at it as beautiful, wonderful, pure, a way to burn calories, a way to make new friends and lots of fun!  It is a choice.  I choose the latter. 

AffirMINTion:  I love snow and all the opportunities it brings!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

 Life is good!