I Moved

Thank you for following me.  I have moved my blog over to WordPress.  Please go and subscribe to my posts at the new site:  www.thehealthyhabitlady.com

As always, make champion choices,
The Healthy Habit Lady

More On My Mutant Status and Oily Interests

So in case you are not aware or missed the post, I got diagnosed with a gene mutation.  Ironically, my adopted daughter, has the exact same gene mutation.  Bizarre.  Anyway, you can read about it HERE.

My particular mutation or defect is called MTHFR C677T homozygous (A) ...and with that, it seems I lack an enzyme that protects my heart, and puts me at a 'higher' risk for all kinds of things like cancer and miscarriage, etc.  I gave birth to 3 healthy babies, but we did adopt our first child because we spent 10 years trying to get pregnant and were not successful.  However; I did have one miscarriage between child 2 and 3. Anyway, another thing to note is that my mother died of heart disease at the young age of 45, which is pretty unusual, so she likely had this mutation and I got it from her.  And apparently this mutation means I do not absorb Folic Acid and my level is non-existent so I need a prescription for this.  I started it this week.

Now, present day, doctor says I do not have an enzyme that protects my heart and given my mother's history and this mutation, I need to take a medication for the rest of my life that will protect my heart. The medication is fairly new and insurance does not cover it at all.  Some say I should get a second opinion. This drug is not cheap.  I'm on the fence about the whole thing, but would surely like to have all the odds in my favor.  I can certainly control lifestyle choices to improve my odds regarding heart disease and Cancer, but I cannot control an enzyme I don't have, lol.  So maybe I DO need this drug and we'll just have to adjust our budget to allow for the cost.  The cost X2 because apparently my daughter will need it as well.

Meanwhile, in my adventures of research, apparently how much or how little  homocysteine there is in my body greatly affects all kinds of things.  It is kind of hard to understand all this, especially if you're not much into chemistry, but here is an image of the complicated chemical cycle of homocysteine courtesy of Oregon State University. Now, for more data than you ever wanted to absorb regarding nutrients and the brain (or if you are a geek like me), go to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State.

Moving on, I also see a lot of reading that suggests that with this mutation my body does not purge toxins very well, like non-mutated people do, and that I should be maintaining a whole foods diet, with as few processed foods as possible, and have a household that has all natural products, chemical-free, etc. I should only consume organic foods, etc.  I lean towards that theology for wellness anyway; but in moderation.  I am certainly not 100% and neither is my household.  And I wonder if all that is truly necessary, like changing my makeup and skin care and body care and household cleaners, etc.   But then again, it surely couldn't hurt.

All of this leads me to a strong interest in essential oils.  So now I'm in research mode and debating between Young Living and Do Terra to be my source of oils, but IF there is a better source, where the oils are therapeutic grade and pure, as well as high quality, I'd love to know.  I'm gun-shy about MLM companies in general, and of course, both Young Living and Do Terra use reps and consultants and are home-based MLM business models.

And in other news ... I bought size 12 pants and shorts today.   This is cause for celebration in my world because I honestly have no memory of ever owning size 12 pants in my life.

Thank you for reading all of this, if you did actually do that, and wish me luck on this educational journey of mine.

As always, make champion choices,
Debra

Evertaster

Check it out, I just got this book in the mail and I am quite excited to read it with my boys... It is called 'Evertaster' by Adam Sidwell. It is a children's novel for about age 9 and up and can be found on Amazon.  In the story, 11 year old Guster is an "Evertaster"! He can eat a single bite of carrot and tell where it was grown and what the weather was like at the time. Guster could drink a single drop of milk and tell you whether the cow was fed grain or grass and whether the cow was well treated or whether the cow was sad. Needless to say Guster was a very picky eater because every time he ate he was so overcome by thoughts and feelings about the food and it's history that there is very little on earth that he is able to eat. His mother, in a quest to find something for her son to eat, learns of the mysterious secret recipe for the "one true food" which is so pure it will solve all his (and the world's) problems. Guster, mom and baby sis set off on an around the world quest to find it, facing danger from evil chefs who would appropriate the recipe to bad ends.

So those of you who understand SED and Supertasters, and those of you who know me at all, can probably understand why I'm giddy excited to read this. :)

Click here to order the book

And guess what else?  Adam Sidwell is making it into a series.  There is now a #2 book that I have ordered and should come in later this week.  The 2nd book is called "The Buttersmith's Gold" and can be ordered by clicking here.  Right now the Kindle price is only .99 - - and that is a good deal my friends.  Meanwhile, you can Say hello to Adam (The Author) HERE.

As always, make champion choices,
Debra

How Can a Picky Eater Lose Weight?

First, let's understand that I am well beyond what most would consider picky eating. I was born this way, no childhood trauma or anything. I had awesome parents. I suffer from something called 'SED' which is Selective Eating Disorder. The fear and anxiety that goes into trying new foods can be overwhelming for folks with SED. I am also a supertaster.  I notice things and taste things to a much more extreme than most people.  If it is bitter to you, it is three times more bitter for me.  If you are not familiar with SED or Supertaster, google these terms. There is tons of information. I just wish there had been more data on it when I was a child ... I would not have felt like such a freak for so many years. Feeling like a freak led to low self esteem which led to poor lifestyle choices. I won't even go into all of THAT right now.

I use to lie about it, hide it, make excuses, etc. I had a million tricks to deal with or avoid social situations where I knew eating someone else's food would be a problem, or going to a new restaurant, etc. It definitely made dating interesting when I was a young woman. I hated sleep away summer camps.

My husband and I did not become parents, until about 9 years into being married. So our habits of being D.I.N.K.S. (Double Income No Kids) ... led to a lot of eating out, a lot of movie popcorn with tons of butter ... and not a lot of cooking. Heck, I had those habits BEFORE we got married. I pretty much ate out every meal, at fast food or a restaurant, from about age 14, when I began working and making my own money.  I wasn't on my own at 14, but I pretty much quit eating at home around that time.  And if I was pressed for money, as I often was in the early years of adulthood, when I really WAS on my own, I would just eat a big bag of chips because it was cheap and would satisfy physical hunger. As you can imagine, these horrid habits led to severe obesity, where I topped out at 325 pounds, standing only 5'4" tall. And the soda, oh good grief the soda, I probably drank 6 or 7 bottles of Mt. Dew a day, no exaggeration.

Honestly, I had no interest in making changes or losing weight until I became a parent. I'm not saying you have to be a parent to be motivated enough to change, but for ME, that was the thing ... everybody has their own thing. My kid wanted me to swing on a swing and my 325 pound butt would not even fit into the swing, and it was humiliating. I wanted to be an active mom, around for a long time, and I knew I was morbidly obese. The only way I could tackle the obesity (for me) was to tackle the relationship with food. Longevity is my main motivation. I now have four kids. I had my last child at nearly 39 years of age. I really want to live a long time to see grandchildren etc. I still struggle. I had to force myself to learn to cook. But I'm light years beyond where I was. 

How do I get up the courage to try something new when it terrifies me? Education, honestly, is the key. I decided to educate myself on how my body works, how nutrition affects the body, etc. Armed with logical and rational data, I brace myself for the anxiety and gather up the courage.  I will go through periods where I can try new things, and then I will take a break, because it's exhausting.  I use to do all this privately; but now I talk about it, and make public blogs on the topic, in case there is someone else out there like me, who struggles, and thinks it is all impossible.

Now backing up a bit; since I pretty much became responsible for my own food at age 14 ...it was pure freedom to me. I loved it.  But with freedom, comes consequences.  While I was making all of my own choices regarding food, I was making terrible choices.  In every other area of my life I was very driven, did well in school, worked hard, responsible, very active. I only had one sibling and he was gone from our house by the time I was a teenager, so I think my parents just enjoyed the ability to have meals just the two of them and not stress about me. I remember my Dad cooked on weekends; but I loved what he made, pancakes and bacon, so I guess we had that one weekly family time together, every Saturday or Sunday morning. 

People ask me if I think I still have SED since I've made progress.  The answer is YES.  I definitely still consider myself SED. I still have struggles sometimes in social settings. I recently went on a two week road trip, alone with 4 kids, staying with family and in hotels. I was quite inconvenienced by my SED a few times, especially regarding my need for ice. I also recently spent four days at Family Church Beach Camp where they provided all of the meals. I hate that. I could only eat about half of what was offered and the rest of the time I was digging into my own stash, but there were no microwaves and no refrigerators which made it much harder to improvise. I still hate vegetables, so I have to get them into me via smoothies or juice. I still love carbs way too much so I have to monitor myself for weight purposes. 

Now for those who do not know this; my mom died when I was 17, right before I graduated high school.  It was a major unexpected blow and shock.  I got a job and moved out and thus began a career-driven young adulthood where I was on my own and ate out every single meal. I ate fast food mostly. Then the weight started piling on. 

So people want to know about my 'process'.  How to get from there to here, in a nutshell.  I'm not sure how to describe the 'process', except that I had a rude awakening of being a parent, being over 300 pounds, and not wanting my children to grow up without a mother if I died young!  I had high blood pressure and high cholesterol.   Now, given that my own mom died of heart disease when she was only 45, I just had a reality check of sorts and a very blunt doctor who got me moving, literally. I just started with water exercises. I didn't worry about food at first, just moving more. Then slowly I decided to replace one bad thing with one good thing, just one at a time. I had started and failed so many dang diets it was ridiculous, and they would always fail because of SED of course. No weight loss diet exists to account for SED, not really. I may make one up, maybe it would be a best seller - but everyone is so different, it's hard to tell someone else how to do this. 

It takes me a long time to get the courage to try something new, it is uncomfortable and I hate throwing up, but I just brace myself for it, do it in the comfort of my own home usually, and just DO IT. I have added several things to my diet this way, but also there are several things that just will never be on my menu, like tomatoes or broccoli or asparagus. I can't even stand the smell. So the process I guess is setting your mind right, being educated and then knowing you will be uncomfortable and things will be unpleasant, but also knowing it doesn't last and it won't kill you!  So I gather up the energy and strength and aim for progress, not perfection. I recently ate eggs at a restaurant for the first time.  That was HUGE.  I only added eggs into my diet in the last few years, but I only ate them at home where I knew exactly what was in them and how they were prepared.  It was liberating to be able to order eggs.  I was very nervous about it, but it went well.  It's the little things like that which give me courage, motivation and hope.  I still have disastrous fails as well, believe me.  I ordered roasted chicken at a restaurant where they swore it was NOT spicy.  Well, their definition of spicy and mine are completely different.  I could not eat the thing.

So with all glory and praise going to God for his Grace and mighty help and intervention in all of this, I open myself up with complete transparency and encourage you to do the THING that makes you uncomfortable.  Whatever that may be.  Face your fears.  You cannot fix what you will not face. So face it, head on, tummy in a whirlwind and nerves on edge ... face what you need to face and get yourself uncomfortable.  Lace up those shoes, put one foot in front of the other, take one step at a time, and get going.  I dare ya.

As always, make champion choices,

Debra

Inquiring Minds Want to Know: What is My Secret?

I aim for longevity, health and wellness, one habit at a time, one pound at a time. It's a lifestyle, not a diet. It's about a zillion choices we make every single day. I tried two new foods today, which for me, is quite monumental. One of them I hated, the other was blah, nothing special, but not wretched either. I am enjoying weight loss success, over 150 pounds gone. However; it has been a process of YEARS and an accumulation of habits over time. It has not happened overnight. But people constantly want to know my 'secret' or 'how to get going', etc. So here ya go, a blog on the topic. {and just for the record, I'm not selling anything} 

325 Pounds - Many Moons and Meals Ago

Simple Steps Towards Better Health!

Most often, it is the small changes we make, one at a time, that add up to a lifestyle change. You can't change your whole life in one day, or on that beloved 'Monday' when you will start things right. It's the little things, and the daily choices, that matter. It's also less painful that way. If you want habits that stick, you have to build them up. You don't want to make changes that are 'temporary', you want changes that last your lifetime, which hopefully, is a LONG time.

People ask me ALL the time how to get started. Here are some tricks to light the way...maybe a lightbulb will go off, maybe a bell will ding, I hope you get at least one helpful tip out of all this, something to kickstart your journey or recharge your motivation.   So here are my 'secrets' that are't so secret, and in no particular order of importance.

1. Serve two vegetable choices at dinner.  Fresh or Frozen is best. Cans are my last choice.
2. Fruit makes an awesome dessert.  Slice it up, chop it up, or just stick some in a bowl. :) 
3. Make a daily goal of at least 5 servings of fruits/vegetables, preferably 3 veggies and 2 fruits.  Use that as a starting point and build from there.  Give yourself (or your kids) a point or star for each day you hit five.  Once you can do that easily, increase it to seven.
4. Drink a boat load of water.  Well, maybe not literally, but drink a lot.  Like a whole lot.
5. Ditch the soda! Do not buy it, do not have it in the house .. use it as a treat only.
6. Eating out should be an exception, not the rule.  It should be an experience, not a habit or last resort due to fatigue or convenience/time.  Try not to eat out more than once a week. When you do eat out, eat somewhere good - with quality food - a sit down restaurant.  Enjoy the experience and atmosphere.  Enjoy the company and conversation with others.  Keep fiber bars or protein bars in your vehicle if you need to do that to skip the drive-thru.
7. Breakfast is important - do NOT skip it.  If you can't fathom cooking or preparing something for breakfast, consider Smoothies.  They are fabulous and it helps me greatly with my eating and texture issues.  I get good stuff into me through smoothies that I might not otherwise.  Great resources are:  Green Smoothie Girl's Blog or Green Thickies.
8. Snacks for your kids should be fruits or veggies, or quality yogurt and cheese ... get creative, make it look cute on a plate, make it fun ... go to Pinterest if you need to do such.
9. Learn about MSG.  If you don't know what that is, research the stuff.  Draw your own conclusions, but as for me and my family, we avoid it whenever possible.
10. Add quinoa to your diet. Many people, and experts alike, suggest that we all avoid white food, as in white bread, white pasta, white rice ... you get the idea. I'm not completely convinced all white food is the devil, but it certainly isn't going to hurt you to avoid these things if you feel it will benefit your health to do so.
11. Learn about and adjust your portions.  Learn what real portions should look like.  Americans are terrible at portion control and we have lost all perspective on what a serving of something really is ... if you don't know, weigh and measure.  Start tracking your food intake with a free online app like MyFitnessPal or SparkPeople, use your smartphone if you need to do that. You can even buy plates that outline and show the portions and what should be where. I saw some great ones at Amazon, for both children and adults.   Figure out a great visual for what a true serving of meat should look like, etc.
12. Google 'Salad in a jar'.  The results are plentiful.  Take your pick.  It's easy and fun.  Great for lunch on the go.
13. Clean out your pantry.  De-clutter the thing and organize it.  If you don't have a pantry, do the cabinets or whatever you use for storing food.  Do the same for the your freezer and refrigerator.  Donate or throw away the foods that you know are problematic for you or your family.  
14. Discover the joy of nuts and seeds. In particular, try out chia seeds, ground flax, sesame seeds, and wheat germ. I suggest you keep a little container of these things handy so you can sprinkle such onto anything and everything you can imagine.  It adds amazing fiber that is much needed in our diets, and often missing.   
15. Learn about Corn Syrup, especially High Fructose Corn Syrup. There is a lot of research that suggests a solid link between metabolic disorder and type 2 diabetes, for starters.  But do your own research. I am purposefully not including sources or links, I want you to do your own reading and draw your own conclusions.  
16. Don't fear the fat.  Distinguish the difference between good fat and bad fat.  You need the good kind and it is found in things like nuts, avocados, nut butters, etc.
17. Know your numbers; as in your weight, measurements, cholesterol, blood pressure, resting heart rate, blood sugar, thyroid, body fat percentage, blood type, etc.  You can't fix what you won't face, so go to the doctor regularly and know your numbers.  Keep track of this information.  Health and wellness is so much more than the number on a scale.
18. Figure out what your daily caloric needs are according to your activity level and resting metabolism rate.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about, get a free consultation at a gym, they usually offer that, or hire a personal trainer to figure it out for you.  It is worth the money. Then adjust those daily caloric needs as your body changes and activity level changes.
19. Don't believe everything you read in a blog.  Use your own brain and common sense and be educated.  Don't give into scare tactics and alarmist theories. 
20. Finally: try out some healthy freezer meals.  If you do not have a Wildtree or Pampered Chef consultant, find one - they are awesome and do great freezer meal workshops, quality food, good prices. If you need a referral, I know some great reps.  Also, here are some fabulous websites as resources.
• Freezer Dinner – this website includes fun and interesting recipes, go peek.
• Once a Month Mom – this website is in favor of once a month cooking, but if that is not for you, you can still take some of their ideas and incorporate them into your lifestyle.  They even include recipes that are vegetarian, gluten free, etc.  
• Stolen Moments Cooking – this website is great for those of us who like fast and easy cooking - folks like myself.

As always, make champion choices,

Debra

The 17 State Sojourn

So, I hauled me and my 3 boys and a girl from Spain across 17 states, one nation's capitol and over 4,300 miles in the span of about two weeks.



At times I was convinced I was being secretly filmed for some new reality series I was unaware about, but honestly, it was a blast and I wouldn't change a thing ... except maybe the hotel in TN, yeah - that one left a bit to be desired. Among other things, there was no elevator, which was totally a foreign concept for my children, lol.

All I can say for sure is God Bless the DVD and Blu-ray players in my mini-van, as my kids watched a lot of Disney movies and such. The boys were watching the original Dumbo Disney movie and my 9 year old says it's freaking him out because a bird is smoking a cigarette, an elephant is afraid of a mouse, a clown got them drunk and of course elephants apparently fly, lol

When we weren't driving, we were visiting family, catching up with friends and exploring.  Highlights included the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Dallas, state border pictures in Texarkana, surprising cousins, visiting an Amish Cheese shop, swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, exploring Washington, D.C., downtown Atlanta and New Orleans.  We went fishing and enjoyed hotel pools. But not at the same time :)  I believe I took over 300 photos and created a public album for them on Facebook.  Click Here For Pics 

Meanwhile, how do you know when you've been driving too much?  When your own hair scares you, Lol ... So this is what happens when your poodle locks get wet from walking around downtown New Orleans in the rain and you just stick the strands on top of your head with a clip; and then drive 10 hours ... yes, I was a lovely sight.

It is worthy to note that the casualties of this trip included my voice for starters (hard to sing and rock out while driving with a squeaky mouse voice), a pink nightgown and green turtle pillow in TN . Alas the nightgown was too big anyway, so no worries. We lost a bag of swim suits and swim shirts and brand new sunscreen in Alexandria. We've lost a brand new pair of sandals that belonged to Thomas - God only knows where they are, I've gutted the van and no luck. I lost my iPhone in Alabama but actually managed to find it in the trashcan at a gas station. I'm convinced someone tried to steal it and then tossed it when I kept pinging it with the 'find my phone' app on my iPad, lol. God Bless the LifeProof case because the phone was wet and yucky. Finally I temporarily lost my makeup bag - I was certain Louisiana had eaten it or something. No clue where it was. Perhaps that was a clue I did not really need it anyhow. However; it was later located in the bottomless pit that is my vehicle.

Birthday celebrations were abundant on this voyage, including my youngest son who turned six, but then kept exclaiming that he wanted his '5' back.  He wanted pancakes and bacon for breakfast, and he indeed got his wish.

At any rate, I am glad to be home.  I missed my husband more than can be imagined and I was quite happy to sleep in my bed and his arms last night.  Our family also suffered a loss as Tom's grandmother passed away while I was gone.  I'm not sure when my next sojourn will be, but be assured I will share my misadventures with the public for their comic relief needs.

As always, make champion choices,
Debra

The Mutant Super-Taster Mama

So apparently I have a genetic mutation. Just found this out yesterday after talking with my doctor.  The only reason they agreed to discuss it with me over the phone is because I am traveling and not able to come into the office until like July 21st.  

Now, my Gene mutation is called MTHFR C677T homozygous (A) -- in case any bored person wants to Google it, lol. I am totally wondering and curious if this gene mutation could be related to my SED {Selective Eating Disorder}?? After Reading some about particular kind of mutation yesterday, and getting totally overwhelmed with information overload, it seems like there have been a few studies done; but everything is relatively new. It also seems like a lot of incomplete/conflicting data and opinions are out there. I'm understanding that my type of mutation causes high levels of homocysteine which likely mucks up all kinds of things like chronic disease, thyroid, ability to purge toxins or makes me more sensitive to toxins.  High levels of homocysteine leads to inflammation and thus the inflammation can cause related damage. My doctor said all of my labs are good and I'm healthy EXCEPT my folic acid is too low and this gene mutation causes people to not absorb folic acid well, so I need a prescription for it .. and not to take an over the counter vitamin for this.

A couple of things that stand out are early heart disease, blood clots in the legs which I've had before, and Parkinson's disease. Now note that my mother died of heart disease at age 45 and my grandfather died of Parkinson's at 83. It actually sounds like it could be an underlying cause for all kinds of endocrine/thyroid/brain chemistry issues. But without a lot of guidance some bloggers take this little bit of information and go to holistic toxin nutrition vitamin crazy land where everyone's opinion is a fact.

Now if you've stayed with me this far, here is the weird thing. My 17 year old daughter ironically has the exact same mutation, same string and all. And in case you didn't know, she is ADOPTED! So how weird is it that my only adopted child (rest are natural born to me) has the exact same genetic mutation as me? This mutation also is said to cause ADHD ... Which she has big time!

Well that is what's new with me. What is new with you?

My 'Mutant' Adopted Daughter
was a Zombie for Halloween

As always, make champion choices,

Debra

40 Toes Across Two States

So I left my house with a van full of stuff and sleepy children, at approximately 6:30 a.m.  I drove from San Antonio to Texarkana and we arrived at the hotel at about maybe 5pm.  That is good time, especially since we goofed off in downtown Dallas and had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe.  While we were there, I got brave and ordered an Oreo Cheesecake.  I have never had that in my life, and we all know how I am weird about trying new foods.  You know, that whole 'SED' thing. Well I tried it and I loved it.  I did not eat very much, as I did not want to bamboozle my waistline, so I shared with the kids. They loved it too.

Once we were at the hotel, we checked in and dropped off our stuff in the room, and then went downtown to the Courthouse where the state line between Texas and Arkansas goes right thru the middle of the building.  There is an awesome photo op there where you can have one foot in Texas and one foot in Arkansas.  We've been posing for pictures in this same spot for over 20 years.  It is kind of neat to take all the different foreign exchange students to see it, on our trips, and to take pictures.  So here is a shot of me and my boys, 40 toes across two states.

After the picture taking adventures, we went to eat at a Barbecue place called Big Jakes, where my cousin Michael works.  The kids were quite excited to try fried pies, well two of the kids were anyway.  I had never even heard of such a thing.  I did not try it, not after having some cheesecake just hours earlier for lunch.   I did however get very nervous about the French Fries.  You know I hate seasonings and spicy things.  I could not tell if the fries were seasoned or not.  My son Thomas said he thought they were okay and not spicy and that I should try them.  I could not let him down, so I did. This is very brave of me to try something new in a public place, totally new restaurant, especially with family around, lol.  So I did the deed and tried a fry.  They were actually seasoned - as I had feared - but it was okay.  I liked it.  Shocker.  I never eat a lot of fries anyway, not healthy or necessary, but I did eat about 3 or 4 I think.  I was proud of my French Fry moment. 

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel to enjoy the indoor pool and hot tub (whirlpool spa).  I must say I was a bit disappointed in the pool and spa, as there was entirely too much chlorine, and the spa was not hot at all, more like luke warm, which just felt kind of weird.  I let the jets from the spa pulsate into my back, since I had driven all day, and it felt okay - but not quite what I had in mind. The boys of course, did love the pool and had no trouble jumping in and splashing around.  They made friends quickly with the other kids who were there.  Lucia, our student from Spain, who is traveling with us, enjoyed the gym and got in a workout.  She swam afterwards.  I was totally planning on doing the gym after the pool, but alas, that did not happen.  So I just did some stretching and called it a night.

Well my friends, that's about it for now.  Gotta get some rest, as I drive out tomorrow with this crew and we head for Dyersburg, TN where I will get to see two nieces and a nephew.  I am very excited about this.  And if I am lucky, I'll see an old high school friend on the way.  Stay tuned for that one.  Meanwhile, remember my mantra ...

As always, make champion choices,

Debra

On The Road Again ...

So what better way to celebrate Independence Day and the birth of freedom .. than to embark on a 2 week road trip, free from schedules and deadlines.  Yes, I'm that crazy.

I am going on a vacation, leaving at o'dark thirty tomorrow.  I am driving from Texas to Arkansas to Tennessee then to Indiana, and then from Indiana to Ohio to West Virginia and Virginia ... then heading back down thru North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and then back home to Texas. And yes I'm taking some of my own food, lol. I will exercise on the fly and do my best. I will be alone with 4 children, no husband. So pray for me, or light a candle or do whatever it is you do ... so that I maintain my safety and sanity. 

This will be another one of my many adventures.  I love to travel.  I love road trips.  I love visiting family and meeting friends.  I love just taking off and playing it by ear.  I also love coming home.  Not every day is an adventure, sometimes it is just keeping up.  Sometimes it is laundry and dishes and countdowns to bedtime.  Sometimes life is boring.  But it is what you make it.  So while I do maintain a household and enjoy my husband and family ... I also love exploring and seeing where life takes me.   You never know what you will find unless you open your eyes and mind to the possibilities.

Now you know I'll try to pop in and punch out a blog or two; but no promises.  I'm taking my laptop, but my circumstances and environments are not set in stone.  At any rate;  you all be good and keep focusing on those healthy habits.  Get out there and enjoy your own adventure.  I'd love to hear all about it.  You can email me anytime at healthyhabitgal@gmail.com, who knows maybe I'll share your adventure on my blog.  Meanwhile, here is a little view of my Patriotic Boys and nearly grown teenage daughter.

3 Boys: Ages 10, 9 and nearly 6

1 Daughter: 3 months shy of being 18

As always, make champion choices,

Debra

My Butt Fit in a Tube

Photo Source:  Sea World/Aquatica San Antonio

God Bless the NSV (Non-Scale Victory).  Once upon a time, whenever I was at a water park, or in a natural river where people were floating on inner tubes, I did not participate.  I would watch, or walk alongside, but I never actually hurled my body up into the inner tube and spread out on it, like all of the millions of people do every single day, it seems.  The above photo (which is not me, by the way), is an example of what I would do - walk alongside in the lazy river, or real river, or whatever ... playfully giggle with one of my children, pretend to chase, or maybe swim if we were in something I could actually swim within.  But my badonkadonk did not touch the tube.  Nope, no way.  Never even tried.

Until last year, that is.  I did try last year.  I failed miserably.  It was actually embarrassing.  It was at Sea World/Aquatica here in San Antonio.  I made a fool of myself trying to hurl my physique into the shiny slippery floating thing.  I gave up.  I saw plenty of people, obese and all, accomplishing this task.  Why couldn't I?  No clue.  I just said 'forget it', and moved on.

Yesterday; however, I did it.  Woo Hoo.  You know what else?  It wasn't even hard.  I did it quickly and without trouble. While I have no photo to prove it, as my camera was locked away in a locker, it will be etched in my memory well into old age.  My 5 year old son is now big enough to have his own tube, and I had a tube, and we just floated on that Loggerhead Lane river over and over.  We would drift under water falls, and get splashed, and bounced, and it was amazing.  The sheer look of joy on my son's face was priceless.  I imagine my face was pretty giddy as well.

Despite some fatigued muscles and pink skin, it was a spectacular day.  This mama slept well.  Now here is a photo that really is of me, and my lovely companions.

As always, make champion choices,

Debra

Lost Maples and Missing Towels

Today, we headed out on a sixty toe adventure ... destination:  Lost Maples State Natural Area!  If you're interested in where that is or what it is about, here is a link.  We had been there before, but never in the summer.

The weather was quite warm, and we felt certain there was a path at the park that would lead down to the river.  In anticipation of a wet dip, I assembled a nice gym bag and handy pile of towels.  Little did I know (until too late) that the bag and towels never made it into the van.  Ooops ... oh well, we improvise. Such is life.

We enjoyed a nice nature walk and picnic at Lost Maples.  The views were beautiful and the sky was amazing.  I took a lot of photos.  Should you be interested, the album is here.

Access to the river, however, was nowhere to be found.  The places where we did find water was not suitable for the kids to splash about in ... so we just enjoyed walking, the views, a picnic, etc.   On the way back home, we felt certain there would be another opportunity to frolic in a river ... and we were correct.

Right near Bandera, we stopped at a picnic area that had tables and a few places where folks could climb down into the water.  It was splendid.  There were a lot of bugs, but the kids did not mind.  I did not exactly enjoy sitting in ants, but I survived.  Meanwhile; The boys instantly made a friend with a little kid who was already there.  However; we were disappointed that there were not any towels to dry off after said excursion, as I mentioned before, they were somehow omitted from the packing of the vehicle.  But alas, we did not care ... we stopped at the Dairy Queen drive-thru and got some blizzards for the child folk and made our way home.

Immediately upon arrival at our humble abode ... BATH TIME!  Messy van can wait.

So what new adventure did you embark on today?  I'd love to know all about your journeys.

As always, make champion choices,
Debra

NSV If You Please...

Happiness is ... being able to wrap a regular size bath towel around myself and properly cover up those girly treasures.  Long gone are the days of requiring a BEACH towel for such a purpose.  We have a foreign exchange student from Spain staying with us for the next few weeks; and it is nice to be able to wrap myself up in a normal towel should one of my carless children burst into my room or leave my door open in a flurry.

And speaking of NSV's (Non-scale victories) ... it is also nice to haul all of the young people downtown, and explore a new area or investigate a new coffee shop and book store ... without worry about fatigue and exhaustion.

I love my city.  San Antonio boasts all sorts of interesting urban areas, natural areas, free fitness classes, a beautiful Riverwalk, family fitness events and all sorts of amazing adventures that you and your family can enjoy.  Lord knows me and my 60 toe crew often do.

For those folks anywhere near me, here is a link to all of the fun free fitness classes offered by the city of San Antonio (various locations).  This link is for the month of June, and the July schedule will be out soon.  Click Here for Class Schedule.  It will open in a new window.

As for as my endeavors to try new things ... whether it be food or activity or whatever ... I did try a new raspberry lemonade yesterday at the pool.  That was amazing.  The entire family loved it, like totally loved the thing.  Now I need to figure out how to make it at home.

I also discovered a new bookstore today, and purchased a fabulous hard cover called 'The Adventurous Boy's Handbook'.  In my world, it is perfect.   And just prior to spending too much money at the bookstore, I tried a new dark chocolate kind of cookie, and I think it had some bit of coffee in the mix.  Verdict?  I did not really care for this concoction.  I asked the boys to take bites, they did, and they did not care for it either.  Most of that cookie ended up in the trash, but alas, we did try it, nonetheless.

So do tell, what NSV have you enjoyed lately?  What new thing, food, adventure or territory have you experienced lately?  Inspire me with your endeavors!

As always, make champion choices,
Debra

Get Your Swim On!

Do you like to swim?  I do. I absolutely love it.  I crave it.  I won't join a gym unless there is a pool available.  Summer time, especially, provides  perfect opportunities for you to de-stress yourself by giving your body a chance to release stress ... you can do this by swimming and socializing with other people.

Did you know that swimming:

• Improves flexibility and strength 
• Builds up endurance 
• Increases muscular flexibility 
• Muscular balance 
• Heart muscle becomes stronger 
• Improves the physique 
• Increases circulation 
• Rehabilitates muscles 
• Improved ability to control and maintain healthy weight 
• Releases stress and tension 
• Renews energy

So, add the element of socializing - and this ultimately helps you develop a positive attitude, contributes to a sense of well-being, teaches patience, overflows in fun, is enjoyable and you get to fellowship with others.  Or go alone and enjoy some private time of peace and focused exercise.  Either way, it does a body good.

Sometimes I will go to the gym and leave my kids in the child care area FIRST, so I can swim alone and do intentional exercise, and then go get them, and have fun family time playing with them in the water.

Aqua exercise can be a lifesaver, literally ... especially when I weighed over 300 pounds ... it was about the only exercise I could accomplish due to the amazing anti-gravity feature :)

So do tell ... how do you like to get your swim on?  In a pool, in a lake, in a river, in an ocean, in a hot tub? :)  Let me hear from you!

This photo is of me, today, at Lifetime Fitness.

As always, make champion choices,

Debra

Moment of Truth

So you know how a song can totally take you back in time to a certain place or person/event, well I heard an old Billy Joel song this morning and it immediately took me back to my high school cafeteria days, who I always sat with and the song I played on the juke box. What suddenly stood out in my mind like a flash of lightning was that all through high school, every day for lunch, I would buy a chocolate milk and two orders of french fries. Seriously, that's what I ate for lunch every day. Very few people called me out on it, and if they did, I just told them to shove off. Amazing how early disordered eating habits start. 

I was a normal weight in high school, but as soon as I graduated - the weight started piling on. I did not go to college; I got a job, got my own place, I just ate out constantly and never cooked. I was not remotely concerned about nutrition; and whatever exercise I got as a teenager quickly faded as I threw myself into my career. My mom died right when I was graduating high school, so I'm sure that played a factor as well. 

I'm tempted to say something like 'why didn't anybody stop me, or shake me up, or slap me?' ... but in all honesty, if they had, I probably would not have listened. Not sure where I'm going with all this or what my point is exactly ... except that you can't change people, and you can't even HELP them change until they're ready. 

My moment of Truth came on a playground when my 4 year old daughter asked me to sit in a swing, and I could not, because my 320 pound butt did not fit. Sometimes your moment of Truth is small and almost subtle, but its yours - and sometimes it's a wake-up call at the dr. when you get a bad report. And sometimes, it takes us SEVERAL moments of truth ... and that's okay too.

And with that, I hope you sleep well tonight, happy and at peace with the choices you made throughout the day.  AND if not - well tomorrow is a new day!

Now, I'll leave you with my mantra ... 

Always make champion choices ...

Debra

Look Up

Do you ever hear people say "life is precious"... "Life is short"? Lately it seems like that people are not really present in their presence! Now that folks from all generations and from all walks of life seem to have a smartphone (myself included)... I see heads looking down everywhere; too few are present in the moment, and paying attention to what surrounds them in this beautiful life! Our lives are crazy busy and quickly whizzing by, are we noticing? It just seems sad to me that so much of our world is in hate mode... and I'm not sure why that is, and I'm not blaming Smart phones. I don't think we should give them up, I know I plan to keep my iPhone. But this weekend I will be in a national park with my family, with spotty cell service at best, and that makes me smile. I don't want to be 90 years old in a rocking chair, trying to hold my head up, and regret having my head down while life was whizzing me by. 

As always, make champion choices,
Debra

The Secret Sauce

You know you get to negotiate the results you receive, right?  The negotiation comes in form of the choices that you make.  Sometimes we negotiate with our own demons to go or NOT go do something we know we should be doing, lol.  You know you've done it.  Stop negotiating with demons and START negotiating with your results.

You do have 100% freedom to choose your choices, but with that freedom, you must remember that the consequences which follow are your own responsibility. You choose this and you will get that. Period. So, stop letting other's opinions and their personal journey affect the decisions you make. Betty Boop jumped on Paleo, so you will do this as well.  Sally Sue got results doing crossfit, so you should join as soon as possible. Here's the deal, it is your life (your results). You must do what makes sense for you ... and your body ... and your life.  

The life you dream of comes with ..."this is what you have to do to get that" ... so quit telling lies to yourself. Quit jumping on every band wagon that seems to be a magic secret.  The secret is in the sauce people.  And the sauce is your own stuff, that stuff that makes you YOU.

Dreams are your own. Be true to yourself.  This photo is of me in my happy place (OUTSIDE). I love hills and I love hiking and I love enjoying God's creation.  It was about 100 degrees that day, so forgive the hat and sunglasses :)

As always, make champion choices,

Debra

Define Your Flight Plan

So, I read a book called "7 Habits of Highly Effective Families"! So, In this book, Stephen Covey compares a successful family to an airplane pilot with a flight plan. For the pilot, the flight plan identifies the destination and outlines the path to getting there. But during the course of the flight ... things like wind, rain, turbulence, air traffic, human error and other factors act upon that plane. Throughout the trip, there are slight deviations from the flight plan. But barring anything too major, the plane will arrive at its destination because the pilot is constantly adjusting to get back on course and get BACK to the flight plan. He used a statistic saying pilots are off their flight plan like 90 - 99% of the time - but the reason they arrive at the correct destination is because they are constantly working to adjust for the interruptions and get back to the PLAN.

I believe that this principle can be used towards your fitness and wellness goals as well. We need to make sure we have a unique "flight plan" that reflects our values and principles ... and one that that enables us to successfully handle problems and thus reach our desired "destination."

I always say 'A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Wish' ! I even got an artist friend of mine to paint it on a wooden sign so I can hang it in my house. I love this daily reminder to constantly adjust my course to stay on PLAN and reach my DESTINATION.

As always, make champion choices,

Debra

The Happy Column Theory

For the most part, and generally speaking, I am a happy person.  Not necessarily because I have some magical life, but because I choose to be such.   People ask me all the time how come I am happy, bubbly, easy-going, laid-back, etc.  The answer is easy.  I decide to be such.  I choose joy.  And for the record, I don't even like the word happy very much.  I prefer the word JOY.  Happy indicates it is a feeling related to happenings or that your circumstances/environment or events somehow determine your state of 'happiness'. Joy is just pure joy, and an attitude.  I also think of the word JOY as an acronym:   Jesus.  Others.  Yourself. When I choose to live my life with this JOY attitude and prioritize Jesus, then others, then myself .. this is when I am genuinely the 'happiest' or most full of JOY.

Don't get me wrong.  I am human.  I get angry.  I actually have a quick temper and it can be a problem if I don't pay attention to this fact.  I get frustrated and annoyed just like everyone else.  I get sad.  I've experienced depression.  I know what it is like to be in a room full of people and feel lonely.  I've suffered great loss and experienced intense grief ... just like most people on the planet.  I just choose not to STAY in those emotional states.  Everyone is human.  Everyone is going to feel these various emotions, and then some.  But how long you stay there, well that is completely up to you.  Over the years, I have mastered the art of 'letting things go'.

Here's the deal.  At the end of your life, imagine there are two columns drawn on a piece of paper.  One column is titled the 'Happy Column' and the other column is titled the 'UN-Happy Column'.  Every minute of your life that you spend in the UN-Happy column, takes a minute away from the Happy Column.  We only get so many minutes on this Earth - and that number is unknown.  I am not in the business of wasting my minutes. Unless of course, I'm on Facebook, those minutes are totally wasted, lol.

So get mad.  Feel that frustration.  Be sad.  Steal a few minutes to just cry or scream or rant if you need to do that.  Then move on.  Let go, and Let God.  Easier said than done, I know. Now for my disclaimer: I also completely recognize and realize that depression or anxiety is a very real thing, some people need medication, and some people have tried everything under the sun and nothing works.  This is a physical issue, not a Faith issue, and not at all what I am talking about.  Those people are not choosing their state of being. That, my friends, is a whole other conversation.

Meanwhile, beyond my 'Happy Column Theory' ... here's my unsolicited advice:   Pray often. Forgive easily. Appreciate your blessings. Eliminate negative noise, even if that means people.   Be picky about what media and input or thoughts/images you allow into your psyche.  Laugh a lot, and hard, and I mean the belly gut laughs that make your ribs hurt.  Hug people.  Be kind.  Give compliments.  Give to charity.  Volunteer. Practice random acts of generosity. Be proactive.  Take of yourself (Mind/Body/Soul). Manage your money wisely. Keep your word.  Be responsible.  Do what you love. Eliminate clutter. Teach somebody something. Make time to play. Turn off the t.v.  Walk outside. And as cliche, as it may sound ... take time to smell the flowers.

As always, make champion choices,

Debra 

20 or more Fruits and Vegetables?

So I just bought this at my gym ... Since I hate vegetables I wonder if this would be good for me to try ... It says it has 20+ servings of fruits/vegetables. It came in chocolate and strawberry kiwi at the gym, but there appear to be more flavors online.  It seems they also have Mangosteen Berry, Mangosteen Mint and Strawberry Cream. This is gluten free. I've never even heard of this.

They describe it as follows: Dynamic Fruits & Greens Natural Chocolate by Nutri Dyn is a delicious, antioxidant-packed powdered drink mix featuring super fruits, whole-food concentrates, dairy-free probiotics, fiber and enzymes. Naturally sweet, rich chocolate flavor makes it easy to drink your greens!  Alkalizing Antioxidant Super-Fruits, Vegetables, Greens and More!

I have not tasted it yet.  It says to mix with it with chilled water but I will probably mix it with milk.  I got it yesterday.  It is about forty dollars.  Now let's see how long it takes for me to actually open it up and try it.  I tend to be very slow about these things. So who is placing bets as to how long I wait to actually open it up and give it a whirl??

Update:  It is now July and I have yet to open this thing.  I told you I was slow.  

As always, make champion choices,

Debra

Kickapoo Camping

So the Higginbotham crew went camping at a new destination this weekend, about 3 hours west of here.  It is called Kickapoo Caverns State Park ... a great use of our annual state park pass we buy every year.  The other great thing is that we had two families from Church join us, which really made it awesome.  Fabulous fellowship, great weather and an all around good time (except for the puke from James in the car on the way there and my 9 year old's bloody nose on the way home, lol).

One bummer of the trip was that my daughter could not go, she had to work, and it really seems weird to go camping without her!

I really enjoyed hiking a trail up a hill and the view from the top.  One thing that became painfully clear to me, though, is that I definitely need new shoes.  I also realized I should never under-estimate the Texas sun, as I did indeed get sunburned.

I will confess, I did not sleep well in the tent.  Partly because it was very windy and thus noisy, but also because my 5 year old was still kinda recovering from being ill and he kept trying to burrow himself inside my body all night.  But it wasn't too bad.  I think the hubby and I have agreed that an air mattress is now in order.

And there's a bonus.   I managed to lose 2 pounds since last weigh in, so clearly our little camping adventure did not derail me.  That's always a plus.  There were chips, and s'mores and and all kinds of things available for my consumption, but I stuck to what I had planned.  And on the topic of eating, I was quite impressed that my oldest son, William, tried and ate hard boiled eggs.  He has never done that before, and he liked them.  Thomas liked them too, but he is much better at trying new things.  William is more like me, so both me and him are definitely making progress.  YAY!   Now they want hard boiled eggs before school.  I can't complain about that.

So we've made plans for another camping trip with the same family.  We've decided on the weekend, but need to nail down a destination as many of the parks are already full.  So hopefully at the end of April, we'll do this again, somewhere new, and rack up some miles in our adventure logs.  Hopefully by then I'll have new shoes too.   And if I'm really lucky, I'll have a new air mattress as well.

Me in all my natural glory :)

As always, make champion choices,

Debra