It has taken me awhile to form my thoughts in order to write this blog post, I did not know Stephen “Twitch” Boss But his passing lingers for me. He was always smiling and full of life while he was on social media dancing with his wife or kids. And I think that is what stays with me the most, those that seem the happiest can be in their darkest moments. We are only seeing a glimpse of what someone wants us to see. We need to remember that depression does not have a certain “look”. Just because someone is showing us on social media the perfect life does not mean they feel they have the perfect life or feel perfect. We all have different stresses in life and all handle it differently. Some of us keep our feelings in and are not comfortable sharing with others. Sometime the strongest people have the hardest time sharing their feelings.
I talk alot about my journey and about the physical and it is so important to remember the mental part too. If we are not taking care of our mental health then the we are only fighting half the battle. Just know you are not alone, you are loved and there are people out there that are here to help.
Please remember to lean on your friends or family and talk to someone about how you are feeling. Whether you are the one struggling or if you have a loved one and don’t know what to do, I am here , to listen, to talk or to just go take a walk to get out. Don’t fight this fight alone because please if you take anything away from this long winded ramble of a post, YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND YOU ARE LOVED!
If you know me or have read my journey you know the struggle I have with the scale. One of my favorite health and fitness people is Chris Powell, Here is some great advice on weigh yourself daily : I found it helpful.
How often should you weigh yourself? Do a quick search on PubMed and you will find numerous published studies and research articles in this arena and every single one points directly to the fact that…The more often you weigh yourself, the more likely you are to lose the weight AND keep it off. In fact, those who weigh themselves DAILY have the greatest success – both losing the weight and keeping it off. Now HOLD ON!!! There’s a big ‘BUT’ here: For a lot of us, stepping on the scale can be an emotional/mental slippery slope to misery – especially if we cannot separate our self-worth from the number on the scale! And this can lead to very destructive behavior in the long run: chasing the scale, disordered eating, depression, etc. SO BE AWARE!! When weighing yourself daily, you must fully understand these 5 RULES: 1 – Your self worth has NOTHING to do with a number on the scale. 2 – Your daily weigh ins are to increase your daily awareness off your habits and patterns – that’s it. 3 – You can only lose a small fraction of a pound of FAT on a daily basis. 4 – You should expect to see significant daily fluctuations of water weight in pounds on the scale. Some days it will be up, some days it will be down. If you chart your weight daily, it will likely look like a sawtooth pattern! 5 – You should only expect to see true fat loss trends on a weekly basis. Bi-weekly is even better. So for anyone who can follow the 5 rules – enjoy the learning process and seeing your bodyweight fluctuate on the scale daily! It’s pretty fascinating. But if weighing daily is not in your best interest, here’s some tips to get the most realistic trend for your weight:1. Weigh once a week on the same day2. Weigh yourself in the morning right after you wake up3. Wear the same light clothing every time. And if stepping on the scale at all is not healthy for you mentally/emotionally, track your progress with some other amazing methods to quantify your weight loss, like inches lost or clothing sizes! Hope this helps, my friends!
So if you read my blog you know that I have a passion for heart health and fitness. It is basically the whole reason I started this blog I wanted to make an impact in other people’s lives and let them know they were not alone in their fight. The biggest part of my passion is working with The American Heart Association. I started volunteering with them in 2017, this was mostly in part due to the passing of my husband’s aunt from atherosclerosis followed by my own mom having to have a triple bypass (from which she suffered two strokes during recovery). This is when I decided I needed to make changes in my own life; but more than that, I wanted to know what I could do to help others make changes as well. Working with the American Heart Association has been one of the most rewarding things I have done, it has really sparked an interest in being healthy and trying to be more active. This last February during the Go Red for Women luncheon they announced that they had nominated six amazing women for The Go Red for Women Woman of Impact. I was blessed and honored to be included as a nominee with these outstanding women.
It wasn’t about the title, for me it was just being included amongst so many wonderful women who shared the same passion I do. I love sharing what I learn, whether it is on social media or my blog so this was such a fun campaign to participate in. After eight weeks they let us know that I, along with another amazing woman, Kerry, and been named the first two inaugural Woman of Impact Award winners for the American Heart Association of Northern California.
I was blown away! I could not believe it! To be nominated for something that you truly love doing is really a blessing and I had no expectations of actually winning. I am more determined than ever to continue to share my experience, help raise funds, spread life saving information about cardiovascular disease, and help close the gender research gap. I will continue to use my voice to increase awareness about the signs and symptoms of heart attacks and stroke. And as always I will continue to be a relentless force for longer and healthier lives.
Eating healthy can be easy, affordable and delicious. It’s all about making smart choices to build an overall healthy dietary pattern.
After all, a healthy diet can help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and lots of other things you’d rather avoid. The good news is, eating right doesn’t have to be hard or require you to give up all of the foods you love.
Here are some tips to help you and your family adopt a healthier eating style:
Choose mindfully, even with healthier foods. Ingredients and nutrient content can vary a lot.
Read labels. Compare nutrition information on package labels and select products with the lowest amounts of sodium, added sugars, saturated fat and trans fat, and no partially hydrogenated oils.
Watch your calories. To maintain a healthy weight, eat only as many calories as you use up through physical activity. If you want to lose weight, take in fewer calories or burn more calories.
Cook and eat at home. You’ll have more control over ingredients and preparation methods.
Look for the Heart-Check mark to easily identify foods that can be part of an overall healthy eating pattern.
More Tips
Healthy Swaps for Common Foods – Healthy home cooking and smart shopping puts you in control of what goes into your recipes and your body. Follow these healthy guidelines to update your eating style and improve your nutrition profile.
Get Smart About Superfoods Infographic – So-called “superfoods” alone won’t make you healthier – but adding these nutritious foods to an already balanced diet can bring health benefits.
Healthy Foods Under $1 Per Serving – Eating healthy on a budget can seem difficult; but it can be done! Being creative can help you stick to your budget and incorporate nutritious foods into your diet. Try these tips to incorporate some of these inexpensive foods into your weekly menu.
Healthy Post-Play Snacks – All too often, kids are rewarded with unhealthy foods and sugary drinks and desserts, but there are lots of healthy choices that taste great!
Healthy Snacks for Summer Vacation – By Devin Alexander – Chef for NBC’s Biggest Loser and author, Devin Alexander shares her personal perspective as a chef in this blog entry with great ideas for healthy snacks for the whole family to bring on their summer vacation or anywhere!
How to Make Breakfast a Healthy Habit – Part of being Healthy for Good™ is creating simple daily habits you can stick with. One important habit that can help kick-start your day is eating a healthy breakfast. Think outside the (cereal) box with these quick and easy ideas.
Is 3 Meals a Day the Only Way – The number of meals you eat may not be so important. How you eat those meals is what matters most when it comes to decreasing the risk of heart disease and other health problems that come along with being overweight.
Organic Food Fact vs Perception – Many shoppers assume organic products are more nutritious and safer to eat, but these perceptions are based more on hype than hard science.
5 Tips to Deal with Picky Eaters (Both Kids & Adults) – Picky eaters can miss out on a lot of good food! Not only can it be challenging cooking for folks who refuse to eat some foods, but they can also miss out on important nutrients found in foods often on the I-Don’t-Eat list.
Are you fitting in at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of heart-pumping physical activity per week? If not, you’re not alone. Only about one in five adults and teens get enough exercise to maintain good health. Being more active can help all people think, feel and sleep better and perform daily tasks more easily. And if you’re sedentary, sitting less is a great place to start.
These recommendations are based on the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. They recommend how much physical activity we need to be healthy. The guidelines are based on current scientific evidence supporting the connections between physical activity, overall health and well-being, disease prevention and quality of life.
Recommendations for Adults
Get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both, preferably spread throughout the week.
Add moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity (such as resistance or weights) on at least 2 days per week.
Spend less time sitting. Even light-intensity activity can offset some of the risks of being sedentary.
Gain even more benefits by being active at least 300 minutes (5 hours) per week.
Increase amount and intensity gradually over time.
Recommendations for Kids
Children 3-5 years old should be physically active and have plenty of opportunities to move throughout the day.
Kids 6-17 years old should get at least 60 minutes per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, mostly aerobic.
Include vigorous-intensity activity on at least 3 days per week.
Include muscle- and bone-strengthening (weight-bearing) activities on at least 3 days per week.
Increase amount and intensity gradually over time.
A Little Means A Lot
Moving (even just a little) improves your heart health. Donating (even just a little) improves the lives of countless others.
What is intensity?
Physical activity is anything that moves your body and burns calories. This includes things like walking, climbing stairs and stretching.
Aerobic (or “cardio”) activity gets your heart rate up and benefits your heart by improving cardiorespiratory fitness. When done at moderate intensity, your heart will beat faster and you’ll breathe harder than normal, but you’ll still be able to talk. Think of it as a medium or moderate amount of effort.
Examples of moderate-intensity aerobic activities:
brisk walking (at least 2.5 miles per hour)
water aerobics
dancing (ballroom or social)
gardening
tennis (doubles)
biking slower than 10 miles per hour
Vigorous intensity activities will push your body a little further. They will require a higher amount of effort. You’ll probably get warm and begin to sweat. You won’t be able to talk much without getting out of breath.
Examples of vigorous-intensity aerobic activities:
hiking uphill or with a heavy backpack
running
swimming laps
aerobic dancing
heavy yardwork like continuous digging or hoeing
tennis (singles)
cycling 10 miles per hour or faster
jumping rope
Knowing your target heart rate can also help you track the intensity of your activities.
For maximum benefits, include both moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity in your routine along with strengthening and stretching exercises.
What if I’m just starting to get active?
Don’t worry if you can’t reach 150 minutes per week just yet. Everyone has to start somewhere. Even if you’ve been sedentary for years, today is the day you can begin to make healthy changes in your life. Set a reachable goal for today. You can work up toward the recommended amount by increasing your time as you get stronger. Don’t let all-or-nothing thinking keep you from doing what you can every day.
The simplest way to get moving and improve your health is to start walking. It’s free, easy and can be done just about anywhere, even in place.
Any amount of movement is better than none. And you can break it up into short bouts of activity throughout the day. Taking a brisk walk for five or ten minutes a few times a day will add up.
If you have a chronic condition or disability, talk with your healthcare provider about what types and amounts of physical activity are right for you before making too many changes. But don’t wait! Get started today by simply sitting less and moving more, whatever that looks like for you.
The takeaway: Move more, with more intensity, and sit less.
Science has linked being inactive and sitting too much with higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon and lung cancers, and early death.
It’s clear that being more active benefits everyone and helps us live longer, healthier lives.
Here are some of the big wins:
Lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia and Alzheimer’s, several types of cancer, and some complications of pregnancy
Better sleep, including improvements in insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea
Improved cognition, including memory, attention and processing speed
Less weight gain, obesity and related chronic health conditions
Better bone health and balance, with less risk of injury from falls
Fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety
Better quality of life and sense of overall well-being
The benefits of maintaining a healthy weight go far beyond improved energy and smaller clothing sizes. By losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, you are also likely to enjoy a higher quality-of-life too.
5 Steps to Lose Weight & Keep It Off
Learning to balance healthy eating and physical activity can help you lose weight more easily and keep it off.
Take it from people who have successfully maintained weight loss:
98% have modified their eating habits.
94% have increased their physical activity, especially walking.
Set realistic goals. Know where you are today so you know how to get where you want to be. Learn your Body Mass Index (BMI). Set yourself up for success with short-term goals, like “I will make lifestyle changes which will help me lose (and keep off) 3-5% of my body weight.” Short-term goals can seem more achievable and keep you on track toward your long-term goals.
Understand how much and why you eat. Use a food diary or tracking app to understand what, how much, and when you’re eating. Being mindful of your eating habits and aware of your roadblocks and excuses can help you get real about your goals.
Manage portion sizes. It’s easy to overeat when you’re served too much food. Smaller portions can help prevent eating too much. Learn the difference between a portion and a serving and how to keep portions reasonable.
Make smart choices. You don’t have to give up all your favorite foods. Learn to make smart food choices and simple substitutions instead. Discover healthy snacks and how fruits, vegetables, and whole grains help keep you fuller longer.
Be physically active. Physical activity is anything that gets your heart rate up, like walking. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. Move more, with more intensity, and sit less.
Conquer Cravings with These Healthy Substitutions
We have all experienced food cravings – and often those cravings have to do with texture – like something creamy or crunchy.
Food textures play a big role in whether we like or dislike certain foods. For example, while you may not like mushy canned peas, you may be surprised that you like fresh or barely cooked peas.
Luckily, eating healthy includes foods of all sorts of textures and flavors. Here are some suggestions on satisfying your cravings with nutritious snacks of a variety of textures
We have all experienced food cravings – and often those cravings have to do with texture – like something creamy or crunchy.
Food textures play a big role in whether we like or dislike certain foods. For example, while you may not like mushy canned peas, you may be surprised that you like fresh or barely cooked peas.
Luckily, eating healthy includes foods of all sorts of textures and flavors. Here are some suggestions on satisfying your cravings with nutritious snacks of a variety of textures:
Creamy
Instead of this: While ice cream may come to mind first, there are a variety of other smooth snacks that can be just as satisfying. Try munching on this:
Fresh avocado spread on whole grain bread OR ½ avocado eaten plain with a spoon
Warm 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter in the microwave for 10 seconds and drizzle over ½ cup low-fat, no added sugar frozen yogurt.
Puree some berries and swirl into a cup of low-fat yogurt with no sugar added.
Crunchy
Instead of this: Pretzels and chips have a crunchy texture that you may crave, but they can come with a lot of extra sodium that you don’t need. Try munching on this:
¾ cup whole grain cereal, no added sugar
Crunchy unsalted nuts
Whole grain crisp breads
Plain popcorn; to add some flavor, experiment with various spices like cinnamon or your favorite spice or herb
Liquid
Instead of this: Sweet tea or soda may sound refreshing, but it can take a while to work off all those empty calories. A medium-sized fancy mocha coffee drink with whipped cream can be 400 calories- and that’s before adding sugar or honey. Try sipping on this:
Plain iced tea made with a squeeze of lemon. You can sweeten with berries or a non-caloric sweetener
Add fruit slices to a glass and fill with club soda
Instead of the fancy mocha drink, choose a small latte made with nonfat milk and topped with cinnamon which is about a quarter of the calories.
Squishy
Instead of this: Jelly-like candies or even kids’ “fruit” snacks might sound like squishy fun in your mouth, but other options pack more nutrition. Try munching on this:
Fresh grapes are sweet and juicy; freeze them for a few minutes for a fun texture
Make tapioca pudding with squishy tapioca pearls; follow the directions on the box, only use half the amount of sugar or a non-caloric sweetener and fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk
Cherry tomatoes and room-temperature string cheese are squishy, stringy fun
Crispy
Instead of this: Some folks may not like apples because they can be soft and mealy or grainy; the same can be true of over-cooked potatoes. Try munching on this:
Choose crisp apple varieties like: Braeburn, Honey Crisp, Fuji and Gala; avoid Cortland, Red Delicious or Rome which can be softer
Choose red potatoes or white potatoes and don’t overcook; avoid Russet potatoes which are high in starch making them perfect for mashed potatoes – but also making them seem ‘mealy or grainy’
As we head into the Holiday season just a few helpful tips to try to keep us on track. If you are like me I have such a hard time saying no to that extra helping of mashed potatoes Also have you noticed how much candy is around once Halloween is over? I tend to want something sweet after I eat.
The one thing I am learning is to read labels. I used to just grab that frozen low-fat frozen lasagna to take for lunch because it was quick and easy. I never noticed how much sodium was in those meals. I also never knew how easy it was to meal prep with my instant pot on my day off and then I have my own pre-made meals ready to go. Eating healthy does not have to be difficult. You do not need to make this big lifestyle change. For me I started small, I used to go a few days a week to Taco Bell and get 2 burritos with extra cheese and sour cream. When I discovered I had a gluten allergy I continued to eat them because I would convince myself it was worth getting sick over because it tasted so good. Crazy right? My small change was to stop going to fast food. Once I got over the hump it became easier to not go there.
So do not make yourself promises you cant keep, do a small change, they will eventually become big changes.
Servings 8 
Tip: Click on step to mark as complete.
Calories2 Per Serving
Protein0g Per Serving
Fiber0g Per Serving
Cost Per Serving$1.60
