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