Here’s my plan. I’m going to try to jump right in – to the post and the goals. 1…2…3…go!
-1-
Eat Well
Right now I am on the hunt for a healthy eating menu plan with shopping lists. I am pretty positive we aren’t going to commit to anything like Paleo because I know I won’t stick to that. Really I just want to eat more whole foods. Not Whole Foods – we still want to own a home and hard-soled shoes.
So, I am also going to put together a list of foods I will need for breakfasts, lunches and snacks. I am pretty sure I want to go with Fresh20 and a few tips from 100 Days of Real Food. If you’ve got anything better or easier, you know the drill.
Are you getting a feeling for exactly how insane I am?
-2-
Exercise
We all know this is the hardest one. But, I have three fail-proof plans. Ha. Hahah. Wooo. Ok. So, Monday through Friday I will either attend Faithful Fitness (a cheap program with childcare a few blocks from our house) or use one of my DVDs. If I don’t do a little something every weekday, I won’t do it.
And, I want to use a pedometer to make sure I am moving as much as I’d like. I am thinking I won’t need one of those fancy pants ones, but that is still up for negotiation depending on how cute it is, of course.
-3-
Essential Oils
I have been dabbling in these since Christmas now – using them for heartburn, wakefulness, headaches, flu care and anxiety moderation. Now, I have a list of oils I want to ad to my arsenal (lavender, lemon, frankincense, DigestZen, Serenity), and I am pledging to reach for these first before reaching to the medicine cabinet.
Apparently my Motrin and Zantac habit is “frowned upon” in the world of healthy living. Something about using them in “moderation” and they “aren’t candy.”
-4-
Take a Blood Builder and Probiotic
I am hoping these will increase my energy level and fix some gut problems we have around here. Any good brands you like? Are these good with nursing? Am I sure to be popular and highly intelligent after using them? That’s what I’m going for.
-5-
Daily Prayer
This should be number one I suppose, but I typed it fifth, so fifth it stays. Motivated blogger did not make this list. Anyway, this has been something I have been working toward for some time now, and I am going to continue to work on it because I am determined like that.
Check out Prayer Sticks for help in this area.
-6-
Reduce Sugar
I heard somewhere that if you’re craving sugar, you should eat root veggies or squash. Is this true or baloney? Mmm! That brownie looks great, but I really think I am going to go for the radish instead. Anyway, I need to cut it out, and I want to use doTerra’s Slim and Sassy or grapefruit to help with the craves. Maybe even a detox plan? Do you have a fave? Will my entire family hate me if I cut the Suge Knight?
-7-
Calm My Mind. Identify Anxiety Triggers. Replace Anxious Habits.
Honestly, I’m hoping that if I do #1-6, then this will take care of itself. I am right in thinking that, right? Say yes. Otherwise, there is always Habit Reversal Therapy which I ain’t too proud to beg for if needed.
Linking with Jen “Heat Stroke” Fulwiler
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What do you use for heartburn and has it helped? I feel like anything I’ve tried is just not enough. I’m counting the days until my zantac pregnant state starts (still rocking the Tums for now, those ARE candy, right?).
I’m no help with anything else. I’m actually foregoing most “real food” type things at the moment and realizing that a frozen pre-stuffed breaded chicken breast is better than McDonalds. Survival mode for sure.
I’m having a ton of heartburn this pregnancy too! (I never have before) I totes think Tums are candy. They’re just antacids right?? That can’t be bad! <3
It can be so hard to have a good budget and have good, whole foods around! Thank you for the resources :)
I think probiotics are safe while you’re nursing. I was just told to make sure I was hydrated :-)
And the less sugar…I’ve had problems with that one. I KNOW it’s bad for me but its SO good. While I was pregnant I had gestational diabetes, which meant I literally had no sugar (including most fruits) for the majority of my pregnancy. Squash was my sweet then. But now that eating sugar doesn’t hurt my baby….uh uh. I eat my chocolate. I try to make sure I make the sweets and avoid corn syrup so it’s healthy..er lol
Cutting the sugar can be hard. I have a few go-tos depending on the craving.
Sweet beverage? Herbal Tea with cinnamon or licorice in the ingredient list. (Avoid the licorice if pregnant.)
Soda? Sparkling water cut with a teeny tiny bit of juice. Or better yet, dash of lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt.
Candy? Fruit. Sorry, it’s sugar, but at least it comes with vitamins and fiber.
Chocolate? Go as high a cacao percentage as you can handle. I keep 85% on hand because nothing else satisfies a chocolate craving.
And by root vegetables, think carrots. A week after cutting sugar out, they taste unbearably sweet.
Finally, if you go without sugar for a month and still have serious cravings, that would be the time to talk to an endocrinologist. Sometimes it can be a sign of hormone imbalance.
I just started the 30 day shred two days ago. At this point I’m feeling both really amazing and total shame for eating a trail of crap since the twins were born last summer. I’m rooting for you & excited to start taking better care of myself as well!
Go Jenna! My kids and I have been taking Primadophilus brand probiotics (the kid and adult varieties, respectively). The kids have been a lot less sick this winter, and my chronic yeast infections have gone away. Could all be a coincidence, but I”m sticking with them.
Whoo-hoo! Go you!
For healthy / whole foods eating, I cannot recommend Saving Dinner the Low Carb Way by Leanne Ely strongly enough. Don’t let the title mislead you – it’s not gimmicky low carb stuff, just delicious recipes without refined flour. And it has store lists!
And you probably already know this, but be careful with the blood builders. Excess iron decreases the immune system, a lesson I learned the hard way when I got extremely sick after taking a blood builder when, as it turned out, anemia wasn’t the cause of my fatigue. :)
Thanks for joining in!
I’ve been trying to “eat healthier” for about three years. I pretend I eat healthy, but I suspect that I don’t. One thing I do is try to limit coke. I LOVE coke. Love it. Love. I try to limit it, but I still drink it. And if a cookie or brownie or some cake is within my reach, I cannot resist. Candy? Oh yeah! Sometimes I have healthy things in my fridge. For example, I love clementines and have a whole bag here, but when I’m craving something sweet, I open the freezer instead and grab some ice cream. Seems like a will power issue. But also, good foods just can’t compete taste-wise. I’m sorry for the long and discouraging vent. My point is, if you can figure out a way to help me reduce sugar, I’d love to hear it! Not only for my sake, but for the sake of my unborn baby, three year old, and diabetic husband. KThanks!
Oooo I *have* made a lot of progress on cutting back on fast food and go for home-cooked in these three years. Let’s try to count the accomplishments too.
XOXO for reading this ridiculous comment. Best of luck on all your amazing goals!
Hi Jenna!
Way to go! Amazingly enough I’ve got the same type of goals. So, anytime you post about these goals I’ll be right there to help keep you going. I’m doing it to be a better human, mother and wife… Here’s hoping all of this hard work shows.
My sister set me up with the Maximized Living program for body & nutrition. It has some great recipes. Hard as heck to take out all of the sugar in my diet, but so far well worth it.