Update

When I first started this blog I made THIS post. Now it's almost a year later, to the day, and I feel like I'm right back where I started and never really did what I promised to do. Is February just an inspiring month for me? Not sure what it is. Either way, I'm ready to truly make a change.

In looking back over the last year I feel like I've failed. I didn't really seek out an answer, I didn't write about my feelings, I did what I have always done ... hid my problems under the table and avoided them. I have spent the last year doing exactly what I was doing, with no change. Why? I was physically miserable in the process? Why do this? I wish I knew the answer. I'm trying to figure that out so I can make a permanent change. What will that take? I am committed to find that out and to honestly try, and maybe fail along the way, but to not be scared to fail because ultimately that is how I will succeed.

I must begin the process by looking back. There is some great quote about history and what it can teach us about the present, but I can't seem to find it. What I am trying to say is that until I look back and see what either didn't work or what I didn't do, I won't be able to make any progress into the future. The past gives so much power about the future.

So, I've began to ponder ... What have I done in the last year that has helped my health? I think the biggest accomplishment was learning how to talk about what I go through with my husband.My illness is not something that is obvious. It's not like I have any outward symptoms that allow others to see me as a sick person (which is a blessing for sure and I recognize that). For the most part I look healthy and fine. Having my husband in medical school makes it that much more difficult. He is being trained to look at the problem and fix it. So, when there is no physical symptom is it hard to "just fix it." There is no "quick fix." I've learned that it's a journey. Each day is a new day and a different day. I believe that stress is a HUGE factor in my physical health. I have come to a new realization of how interconnected the body and mind really are and how much they affect each other. I have come to really believe in the benefits of yoga. I believe in naturopathic medicine. I have not always been a believer, but over this 6 year journey, I have come to be a believer in the power in nutrition, supplementation, clean eating and acupuncture. In an ideal world I would eat only organic, do yoga everyday, get acupuncture bi-weekly, see a naturopath and have a supplementation plan, however, we are in medical school and are trying to survive, financially. All of those previous answers cost money. Therefore, my challenge is to find cost-effective solutions.

I'm going to start by making small changes. I'm going to also start by being aware of my body and documenting how I'm feeling week by week and what changes I have made that week and their result.

I hope and pray that I can have the dedication to make progress this time.

SASSY WATER

My nickname around the Dimond family is 'Sassy Pants' ... so I think this drink it appropriately mine, especially since I LOVE lemon and cucumber water. Never had them at the same time until now. heaven!  

SASSY WATER

it's very easy to make: in 2 liters water add 1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced, 1 lemon, thinly sliced, 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger and around 10 spearmint leaves. 

Leave in the fridge for a few hours or overnight and in the morning you'll have a cold and really refreshing drink.

Aerobic vs anaerobic exercise

Stress is a leading trigger for chronic illness. 

Get the sad out and put the happy in!

Mark Hyman, MD

 

Random Abs | Today

Have you done your Abs today?

Random Abs | Today: Do something good for your Abs everyday ... and they are never the same! Variety keeps us going, right? It does me!

Motivational Monday

“Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the moment has passed.” - Cavett Robert

Ever thought of a TO-BE list instead of a TO-DO list? Think about making lifestyle changes instead of resolutions that will come and go.

Are you ready for a New Year with a NEW YOU?

10 tips to achieving your new goals:

1. Make it personal. A resolution is the act of making change, and that only happens when you lean into something that really matters to you.
2. Simplify. You don't need flashy clothes, expensive equipment or a complicated plan—you just need to take action, get moving and make it fit your lifestyle.
3. Be realistic. It's okay to think big, as long as you start small. The number one reason for resolution drop out is launching into doing too much, too soon and making too drastic a transition from where you were when you started. Start with getting in one workout, and then focus on the next and the next. Focus on what you can do today, and go from there.
4. Go deeper. Avoid pinning your target on a number. Losing 25 pounds, finishing the race 10 minutes faster—these are all external outcomes. Wrap your goal around something intimate and achievable like sleeping more hours, weaving clean foods slowly into your diet, improving your pacing skill to finish stronger. It's not about a number—it's about a deeper quality of life. When you focus inward, the outcomes happen naturally.
5. Think evolution not revolution. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is a fitness goal. You can build a stick house in a day, but it will only protect you until the very first storm hits. Don't get caught up in all the short-term hype—invest in the long term.
6. Start when you're ready. There is no clause stating you must start when everyone else does on January 2. Make your plan, put it on your calendar and start when you're ready.
7. Be open. Listen to what speaks to you along the way. You may find that new Zumba class you're taking keeps your body from aching and adds a fresh spin on the old plan. Create your own recipe along the way and move outside the lines. You'll avoid burnout and have more fun (and want to do it again and again).
8.  Find your flow. As much as we like to believe our bodies are linear-progressing super heroes, the truth is we're like the seasons. We ebb and flow through peaks and valleys of energy. Move with the rhythm of your personal flow and you'll make the most of every workout. That means running by feel rather than a pace. Some days you'll be faster, some days you'll be slower. It's not about a pace—it's about moving at the right effort on that day.
9. Connect. People that move together evolve together. They go longer, run stronger and have a lot of fun along the way. Join a buddy or group—you'll learn a lot, have a built accountability resource and a set of healthy role modeling friends.
10. Celebrate. Be mindful along the way. The true gifts of making serious change in your life are the quiet moments when you realize you feel better, move more easily and you're running in tune with the rhythm of your life. 

 source:Active.com 

Here is to a happier and healthier new year,
new YOU and new ME! 

Now, let's get movin'!

I will soon reveal my big fitness goal for 2012.
I'm still working on some details ...
(I'm on #6 from above).

Check back for more inspiration, motivation, 

recipes and new fitness and weightloss ideas!