I am use to flavored sweet bubbly fun drinks and wish i didnt have to drink water…..but  i do it cause all the years of giving into what i WANT vs. what my body NEEDS is what got me to being where im at!! …50 lbs. overweight.

So i read this book, found it cheap at a thrift store, Water Cure by Dr. Batmanghelidj.  Now im so excited i found a web site on it, watercure.com

Anyone struggling with water READ THIS, CHECK IT OUT!  YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED!

Success for me is more about how my pants fit and not so much a number!!!!

 They are fitting looser!

I am so proud of myself….this morning…..i woke up…..4:37 AM to be exact….and exercised even though i didnt want to!

So maybe i had to go to the bathroom really bad…but i forced myself to stay up!  The alarm would be going off soon anyhow.  MY morning time has become adictive.  I AM NOT SOMEONE WHO GIVES UP SLEEP EASILY!!!  I am not one of those perky people who jump out of bed and scream hello world!  I scream UUGGGGHHHH!

Being a working mom of 4 kids, the only ME time is 5 AM.   It can be done people!  I would never in a million years believe i would be waking up early to exercise!

So today i just didnt feel like it.   My right knee has been tender for some reason so i am baby-ing it and my thighs are sore from a work out two days ago.  I told myself i would at least walk 20 minutes, after 20 i felt good and said just 20 more.  After 40 minutes i had the good feeling chemicals moven enough to stay on for 60 minutes.  Through out the walk i literally closed my eyes and envisioned my body the way i want it to be….sure i was tired but i  thought of me with a flat tone tummy….smiling….able to wear anything….it kept me going.

Now i feel good and proud and that motivates me to give it a try one more day.

So anyone out there who feels like surrendering….give it one more try!

Well this came to me like a bolt of Lightning!  “I NEED TO MAKE PLANS!”.   I need to try a little harder and PLAN things vs. the usual waiting for them to come easily or going with the dreaded FLOW!!!!

So, i am online researching EATABLE, REALISTIC recipes that i could actually prepare without going all over the world to find the ingredients!  I am collecting low fat yummy salad dressings I can make at home without all the chemicals and preservatives.

I am going to make me a recipe file and grocery list and type it out on my computer.  Something easy to go to, print out, and make a grocery list quickly. I am going to collect real recipes and i will publish some here too!

Its kinda exciting!  Like a DA-MOMENT!!!

That is such a big excuse of mine: i am starving and have nothing GOOD to eat.  Or i go to the store completely unprepared and have no clue what to buy….then get frustrated….. before i know it ive eaten donuts and chocolate milk to ease that frustration…..snowball effect!

So ya, i am gonna plan, go out and get it!  One step at a time ~

FRESH FRUITY ORANGE SALAD AND DRESSING

Prepare dressing first, let stand to develop flavor

Dressing:

Blend together in blender

the juice from 2-3  freshly juiced/squeezed sweet oranges

5 Tbs. raw, extra virgin olive oil (or any other HEALTHY oil)

the juice from 1 fresh squeezed lime

2-3 fresh garlic cloves, minced (*a must*)

Dash of cumin, oregano, salt and pepper  to taste

(optional: a friend of mine also uses 2-3  Tbs. each  honey and apple cider vinegar, yummy too but im trying to stay away from sugars anytime i can)

Chill

Salad:

Prep

1 head crisp chilled Romaine lettuce, cut into chunks

Large handful of baby leaf spinach

2-3 ripe sweet oranges, peeled, sectioned, then cut individual sections into 3-4 bite size chunks (store bought have too     much sugar!)

1 cup very thinly sliced red onion pieces

2-3 Cucumbers cut up bite sized chunks

1-2 Avocados cut into bite sized chunks, if you like

(optional: add in any other crisp vegies or fruits, almonds, nuts or seeds, even 2 grilled chicken breasts, seasoned with Mrs. Dash or quality canned salmon is good and makes it a meal).

Toss dressing over salad, serve chilled, eat up !

GROCERY LIST

Oranges

Limes

Garlic

Red onion

Romaine Lettuce

Baby spinach

Cucumbers

Avocado

Cumin

Oregano

Olive oil

Optional:

Chicken Breast

Canned Salmon (Costco’s Kirkland brand is the best, pink and tasty, be careful, a lot of others are mushy and yucky!)

Almonds

So I bought a new treadmill.  I am vowing to not let it sit and be used as a clothes hanger like my stair climber!!!  But man that thing was impractical!  This one is sweet and the kind Ive always wanted.  I am actually using it!  I have wanted one for a long time and have used up all my excuses why I don’t exercise. Now I am walking on an incline getting a great workout.  The oxygen feels like a drug! It feels so good!  When I hit 55 minutes I feel such a rush that I could totally keep going and going!

I know all the stuff about how important scheduling before hand and making an appointment for myself is.  I am getting my lazy butt out of bed at 5 AM (!!!) every morning now.  I set my clothes and shoes out the night before so I don’t disturb anyone.  This is ME time and I really don’t want to have anyone bothering me! I never knew how divine this workout time alone, in a quiet house, seemingly all to myself would be!

Some of the problems I’ve had in the past were mainly never having time alone, “me” time.  If it takes having to waking up before everyone else than I will do it.  Its a struggle for me to give up sweet sleep but it really has been worth it.  I just make myself go to bed earlier.  I didn’t realize I would enjoy it as much as I am. The energy rush is AMAZING!  Just the little changes I am doing effects my whole day and is so worth it!