Embracing The Next Phase

I was recently let go from my job after 10 and a half years. I have not been happy there for the last 3 years and have constantly talked about moving to Florida and changing careers.  I now have the time, and some income for a while, to pack up my house and move. It’s all very exciting and new, however, I am a creature of habit, as most of us are, and it’s also scary, stressful, and mind boggling.  I know in the long run that everything will work out, but changing my very longstanding routine is so much harder than I thought. I don’t know whether to put myself on a schedule everyday so I don’t waste time, or just go with the flow and let things happen.  The stress of these decisions, and my emotional ups and downs everyday, is getting in the way of my motivation to eat healthy and properly everyday. I am still exercising as much as I can, playing racquetball 3 times a week, and walking in between, as well as getting a few Ab workouts in per week. I am motivated to exercise as it helps relieve the stress. I haven’t had this big of a change in my life for a very long time.

So it’s time to get back on track. I have floundered around with this long enough and I need to develop a routine, but I will call it a flex routine. What this means is I will set a general plan for my day, but if things change, or stuff comes up, I will just go with the flow, and not stress out that I did not stick to the plan. I have been watching Dr. Oz everyday for health tips and info. One of his tips was to exercise in the morning before you eat breakfast, and then have a good protein rich breakfast: Cereal, milk and greek yogurt with blueberries, 3 egg omelet with veggies, turkey sausage, and wheat toast, etc. The key is to get around 30 grams of protein at breakfast.  My plan is to exercise by 9am each morning (trusty ab workout), eat that big breakfast, and start my day. I am really enjoying writing so I have decided to pursue it further and try some freelance writing. I will write in the morning, and work on cleaning out the house in the afternoon. That is my general flex routine, and I will not stress out if other things come up such as playing racquetball during the day, or having lunch with a friend, or just a change in plans. I have already started getting back to my healthy eating habits; 3 meals a day, 2 snacks, and plenty of water. I feel better just knowing that I have a plan and I have started making it happen. This is something I have always wanted; to work from home on my own time, and enjoy my life.

I am finally getting excited about this additional lifestyle change. The last couple of weeks have been eye opening for me, but like all new things, it is an adventure that I am really looking forward to, and I will be so much better for it. I used to tease my aunt that we needed to start the last phase of our lives. She thought it sounded a little morbid. What I realize is that this is the NEXT phase of my life, but definitely not the last.

Living and Loving Change

Substitutes: Yes You Can (part 1)

Before I started this journey, my belief was that I could have everything I wanted in moderation. That’s what I had always read. As I said in earlier articles, I thought I was eating healthy, however I continued gaining weight and not losing or maintaining. When I started logging in my food and seeing everything I was eating, I realized that I needed to make major changes to the types of foods I was putting in my mouth. I needed to start using substitutes in order to stay on track and make healthier choices. Once again, it was about getting back to basics; good proteins, veggies, and carbs. I am a very routine person which makes things easier to stay on course. The hard part is making the initial change.

For breakfast I usually have oatmeal. Buy the Quick Oats in the cannister, not the flavored prepackaged type which is loaded with sugar. I use Almond Milk instead of water to get the morning dose of  calcium, as well as the addtional flavor.  There are many ways to enhance plain oatmeal. Try cinnamon, real sugar, or honey, any fruit, and nuts if you prefer.  My standard oatmeal is Almond Milk, cinnamon, Stevia in the Raw, and fresh blueberries. I alternate days with whole wheat cinnamon swirl bread and peanut butter, cinnamon, fresh blueberries, and a glass of Almond Milk. The key here is one piece of bread, and one tbsp of peanut butter (reduced fat, or natural). The serving size for peanut butter is 2 tbsp., but that has 16 grams of fat. As with most nuts and nut products, the fat content is high for one serving size. The key is; cut it in half.,  You still get the benefits but half the fat. I always have an 8 oz glass of low sodium V8 juice with breakfast as well. It’s a great way to get a couple of servings of veggies in addition to the blueberries.  I always start the day with coffee; one cup at home, and one cup at work. “They” say it gets your mind going and has some good benefits. For me, it is a necessity. The darker, and bolder, the better.

I usually bring the same snacks to work everyday. Routine, routine, routine. I eat every couple of hours, as well as drinking water in between; after coffee, of course. My morning snack is a small apple. I like gala apples, but whatever you prefer. I have an apple wedger (Pampered Chef), which gives you more peices to eat, and cuts down on the juicy mess. I eat this about one hour before lunch, and it keeps me from getting to hungry before lunch time, in addition to helping me curb my appetite during lunch.  My afternoon snack is plain greek yogurt (i prefer Chobani), with a couple of handfuls of blueberries mixed in. I started buying the individual cups but it was hard to find the plain in this size so I have switched to the large containers. It’s better economically, and a great item to keep in the refrigerator as a substitute for sour cream. There is no fat,  loads of protein, and calcium, and it is very filling. I usually eat this about 3 hours after lunch so I don’t have to rush home to eat dinner because I am starving from not eating since lunch. I have gotten so used to this routine that I can’t imagine how or why I didn’t have afternoon snacks before. I would always have something before going to play racquetball, but maybe not if I was not going to play.

Healthy eating means eating healthy food, not avoiding food all together.  Realize that not having enough food in your body will cause you to increase stomach acid which can lead to alot of pain and discomfort, as well as potential stomach problems. Please read on to “Substitutes: Yes You Can (part 2)”