Tag: healthy lifestyle

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Going Around In Circles

Image by Brennan Emerson from Pixabay

With summer almost over, many of you will look back either with pleasure or with pain on the long road trips you took and the hours you spent sitting in a small cramped space. If you made frequent stops along the way, the ride would have been much more tolerable than if you’d been wedged for hours like a hamburger patty between two oversized slices of bread. Once you got out of the vehicle, you were relieved to be able to stretch and feel the blood flowing again.

A sad story

What does this have to do with going around in circles? Recently, I read a sad little story about a dog that had been kept in a small cage for all her life. When she was finally let out, she could only move around in circles because that was all she was accustomed to.

Prayer of Jabez

As I reflected on that painful story, I thought of my own life and the times when I felt like I was only moving around in circles, not going anywhere fast. Have you ever been in that position? In 1 Chronicles 4: 9-10, Jabez asked God to “bless him indeed and enlarge his territory.” Some have used this prayer as a mantra to guarantee success after the book written by Bruce Wilkinson became a mammoth bestseller. Here, I am comparing “enlarge my territory” with moving in circles, or staying on the same spot. It’s not healthy for a dog and it’s not healthy for us.

Enlarge your territory

As you embark on your journey to health and wholeness, ask God to enlarge your territory. Ask Him to take you out of that small, cramped space you have been operating in for so long. That limited way of thinking and behaving, of doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. You are setting limits on yourself and on God who has no limits. He wants the best for you in every area of your life.

The Bible says, “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well,” (3 John 1:2). NIV Think about that as you go through your day and ask God to give you the wisdom and direction to move out of that small, tight circle. God bless

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Mothers, take care of yourself

I know, Mother’s Day was yesterday and I’m writing a post about mothers. However, what I’m going to say here is evergreen, always relevant. Mothers, take care of yourself, no one else will. In fact, no one else can. God gave you a body, which the Bible calls the temple.

What is a temple

A temple is defined as a place of worship or the dwelling place of a god or gods. The Bible says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (2 Corinthians 6: 19 – 20).

Should you worship your body?

No, that’s not what the passage says. The passage says a temple is a place where people go to worship, like a church or a synagogue or a temple. It’s a sacred place and we should regard it as such. Those of us who are Christians have an honored guest – the Holy Spirit – living inside of us. Therefore, we ought to keep our bodies clean and pure and care for it in the best possible way.

Taking care of our bodies

Eating the right foods, getting the right amount of exercise and rest, and refraining from using harmful substances such as cigarettes, excessive alcohol and illegal drugs is the best way to take care of our bodies. Also, getting regular check-ups- like you would do with your car – and following the doctor’s orders is another way. However, those are not the only ways we look after our temples.

The one that destroys

We must protect our temple from sin. It is insidious, crafty and cunning, and in most cases, it gives no indication that it’s destroying us . We may look great on the outside, but like a cancer, sin is eating us out on the inside,
and guess what? At some point it begins to take a toll on our bodies, and we become ill. I’m not saying that all sickness is the result of sin. Genetics and lifestyle do play a part, but sin, which, by the way, can be a part of your lifestyle, can contribute toward illness.

A plea to mothers

Courtesy morguefile

I started this post appealing to mothers to take care of yourselves. Now in conclusion, I am once more making that appeal. Mothers carry a tremendous responsibility. The location of every one’s socks, your children’s future, your pet’s health, your husband’s success all depend on you. You need to be fit – physically, mentally and spiritually. You cannot do it alone. Ask God to help you. If you are not a Christian, ask Jesus to take control of your life and see what a big difference that will make.

If you enjoyed this post, please share with your friends or on social media. Also, if you are a mom and you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, why not fill in the form below for a free coaching session. I would love to chat with you. God bless.

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monday motivation – when life gets difficult

When things go wrong

Have you had one of those days when everything that can go wrong does go wrong? Or, it might be more than a day. It could weeks or even months when everything seems to go downhill. We all have them – even those of us who are living, what we call, good Christian lives.

God is with you

As you try to reach your goals for living a healthy lifestyle, you may come up against one obstacle after another. Maybe you catch a cold or the flu and you can’t go out to exercise. Or, maybe there’s a family crisis and you find yourself reaching for comfort foods . Those times can be frustrating. You may be tempted to give up, but know that God is with you. He has promised “never to leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13: 5).

Jesus said, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28: 20).

Trust Him

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you (Psalm 9 : 10).

Take comfort that God is with you in all things, and that whatever you’re going through right now will one day come to an end. Do you feel the need to have someone help you reach your health goals? If yes, just fill in the form below. 

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5 reasons to get rid of that belly fat

Belly fat is not only unattractive, it can signal the presence of some chronic diseases. Read on to find out more.
Checking waist measurement may bring awareness to the problem of belly fat.

Not all fat is created equally. Have a waist larger than 35 inches if you are a woman (larger than 40 inches for men) means you are holding on to too much abdominal fat, and this particular condition comes with some very serious health risks.

While the fat that pads your arms, thighs, and butts may seem like a big deal when you look in the mirror, it’s the fat you harbor in your midsection that is actually the most dangerous to your health and longevity. This belly fat, also known as visceral adipose or visceral fat, is strongly linked to some severe disease risks and conditions, so shedding this excess fat is crucial to ensuring your long-term health. Here are the top five reasons you should start working on eliminating that extra belly fat today.

Excess belly fat is not only unattractive, it can signal the presence of many harmful conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and even dementia.

Belly Fat Affects Your Hormones

Subcutaneous fat, like the kind in your arms and butt, behaves differently than belly fat. The fat in your midsection acts much like another organ in your endocrine system, secreting hormones and affecting how well your body regulates hormone levels. These fluctuations can negatively impact metabolic functions as well as your mood. Shifts in hormones impact neurotransmitters, which can lead to an increase in depression and other mood disorders. Women with excess belly fat are especially vulnerable to this effect.

Belly Fat Raises Your Risk for Heart Disease

Those who carry around excess weight in their middle, particularly for extended periods, are more likely to develop coronary heart disease. Even when you adjust for all other heart disease risk factors, those with larger waists have a risk factor that is two or more times those of others of similar age and gender.

More Belly Fat Means A Higher Chance of Cancer

Your risk of cancer also rises sharply when you have visceral fat. Excess fat in the middle raises your risk for developing colorectal cancer and breast cancer. This type of fat is associated with increased levels of leptin, estrogen, and inflammatory proteins, thereby raising cancer risks. When you lose weight and decrease belly fat, these biomarkers all fall as well.

Your Belly Fat Can Cause Dementia

Long-term research has confirmed a link between people with high amounts of abdominal fat in midlife and the development of dementia later in life. Even considering other risk factors known to contribute to dementia risk, those with a larger waist circumference are still more likely to end up with dementia as they age.

Belly Fat Leads to Many Chronic Diseases

Those with the highest amounts of belly fat also have the highest incidences of Type 2 diabetes, migraine headaches, respiratory disorder, and other chronic conditions that can shorten your life and severely impact the quality of life. Those with larger waists are more than twice as likely to die prematurely, even when their overall weight is healthy.

Reducing your belly fat is, therefore, critical to your longevity and health. Losing the spare tire or those love handles, though, is not just a matter of doing more crunches. To eliminate visceral adipose, you need to limit your intake of calories and burn more calories through exercise. Severely cutting back on sugar, which is a significant contributor to belly fat is essential. Also, limit your intake of alcohol, fried foods, and refined carbohydrates, like bread and pasta.

You should eat plenty of dietary fiber and protein, especially fresh vegetables and fruits, legumes, and whole grains. Be sure you are getting enough sleep each night, which can help regulate your hormones and assist in shedding that excess fat.

Need some help reaching your health goals? Fill in the form below and let’s talk about how I can help you in this journey. 

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Have A Tea Break And Boost Your Health

It may be mid-morning or mid-afternoon depending on where you are, but any time is a good time to have a cup of tea. The English know it, the Orientals know it, and here in America, we seem to be now catching on. Research has shown that drinking tea can provide several health benefits, especially to women.

Tea, whether it’s green, black, red or white, is rich in flavonoids, chemical compounds found in plants and said to contain many health benefits. Researchers have found that tea may help fight cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity and other conditions.

Let’s look at some benefits of green tea:

1. Brain boost. Green tea contains caffeine, a known stimulant, also found in coffee. However, unlike coffee, green tea doesn’t make you feel nervous and jittery, but you do get the increased mental alertness that caffeine provides. Some studies have found that green tea may also prevent Alzheimer’s.

2. Weight loss. Some studies have shown that the weight loss experienced by some individuals is insignificant, while other studies show increased energy expenditure and fat burning as a result of drinking green tea.

3. Cancer fighting. Because of the powerful antioxidants in green tea, researchers have found that you can lower your risk of developing several types of cancer.

4. High cholesterol. Green tea has been found to lower your LDL and total cholesterol numbers and as a result protect you from heart disease.

5. Diabetes. You can bring this crippling disease under control by drinking green tea regularly. It improves insulin sensitivity and helps lower blood sugar levels.

If you are heading for your coffee break, why not have a cup of tea instead? But like everything else, you need to follow a healthy lifestyle. That means healthy nutrition and regular exercise. If you load your tea with lots of dairy and sugar, you would counteract the healthful benefits of the tea. So, buy the best possible brand you can get, brew it yourself, add a squeeze of lemon, a teaspoon of honey and enjoy. You may have it hot or cold.

Here are some brands you may be interested in. These are affiliate links. If you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a commission. Thank you!

Want to learn how you can easily achieve your health goals? Just fill in the form below.

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Cancer Awareness Month – No Bra Day

As you all know, the month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this just happens to be the month I have my annual mammogram. So, you guessed it. I had mine done this morning. Never a pleasant experience, but I do it dutifully because I know it can help save my life. Last year, one of my dear friends was diagnosed with breast cancer, but, thank God, she is okay now.

So, there are a few things you can do right now to help stave off cancer:

1. Make sure you get your mammogram this month if you have not done so already.
2. Follow a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fiber.
3. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. Just walking will do.
4. Limit the use of alcohol. Quit smoking
5. Pay it forward. Support breast cancer patients, donate to worthy causes and do whatever you can to help those who need it.

In case you’re wondering about the picture above, it is taken from a post by the National Day Calendar on Breast Cancer Awareness. According to the calendar, today is National No Bra Day, and here’s why. So if after reading you choose to go without a bra, that’s up to you. I’m not taking my support that far. No pun intended.

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Incorporating Exercise Into Your Daily Life cont’d


So, you recognize that exercise is important otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this article, but you are having some difficulty establishing and maintaining a proper exercise routine. In my last post, I spoke about setting your mind to move more and setting aside a specific time each day to exercise.

Here are a few more tips to help you get off that couch:

• Find your favorite exercise. You’ll be more likely to stick to it if you enjoy it. To find one you’ll enjoy, think about what you played as a kid. Did you enjoy team sports? You might be more of a group or class person, so try a spin class or sign up for an adult sports league. Did you enjoy playing alone? Try running, tennis or a marathon. Rent an exercise video to experiment with different types of exercise.
• Vary your routine and activities if you get bored easily. Try cardio three days a week and strength training twice a week and yoga twice a week. Try working out in the morning part of the time and in the evening part of the time.
• Exercise at the right time of day for you. The best time to exercise is whatever works for your schedule. Mornings might be ideal if you’re a busy professional. Fit in a gym session on your lunch hour or after work if that works best for you.
• Have a dog? Then you have a dedicated exercise partner. A 150 – pound person walking Fido one mile for half an hour a day burns 112 calories.
• Have fun –Exercise can be fun. Do you like to dance? Alone or with your partner (more enjoyable), dancing is a great calorie burner. Or maybe you prefer swimming. Whatever your choice, adding movement to your life can help you lead a more healthy lifestyle. Just be consistent.

Want to learn more about how you can lead a more healthy lifestyle? Just fill in the form below.

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How to Incorporate Exercise into Your Daily Lifestyle


Studies have shown that daily exercise can improve not just your appearance but your overall health and well being. However, having a daily exercise routine can be difficult depending on your lifestyle and your state of health. If you are new to exercising or you haven’t done it for a while, the best way to begin incorporating exercise into your life is to begin with small steps.
• Set your mind to the idea of moving more. Remind your body to get more movement every day by standing more or taking the stairs more often. Other ways to get more movement in are to do stretches in your chair, squat to pick something up from the floor or park farther away from the door.

• Move more. Find ways to move more in your regular daily activity.

You don’t have to join a gym or do anything strenuous. Just make sure you increase your physical activity so you burn those calories – if you want to lose weight. The key is to keep it simple.

In my next post, I will show you more ways you can include exercise into your daily lifestyle for optimum health.

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How To Incorporate Healthy Eating In Your Daily Lifestyle


According to John Norcross, a psychology professor at the University of Scranton and author of Changeology: 5 Steps to Realizing your Goals and Resolutions, healthy eating is one of the top five resolutions made each year. Unfortunately, it’s estimated that 75 percent of all New Year’s resolutions will end in failure.
So, if we’re determined to change at the beginning of a new year, why do so many fail at following through? Temptations! They lurk everywhere: sweets at work, fast food for lunch, potato chips calling your name when you walk past them in the grocery store. The good thing is, you are not alone and it’s never too late to get back on the right track.

Maybe you dropped the ball on your New Year’s resolution and with half of the year gone, you figure, why bother? If this is you, here are 4 ways to incorporate healthy eating into your daily lifestyle:

1. Don’t sacrifice a nutritious breakfast. You’ve probably heard the old adage “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, and it’s true. But not just anything will do. Skip the sweet Danish for a more nutritious breakfast. Keep plenty of healthy breakfast foods on hand.
2. Enjoy easy, healthy snacks. Healthy snacks keep you from getting too hungry and overeating at your next meal. Keep foods such as yogurt, nuts, fruit and veggies such as washed apples, carrot sticks, and grape tomatoes, cottage cheese or sliced turkey on hand for a quick snack.
3. Cook more than you can eat. This tip saves you time and money while allowing you to eat healthier. Cook extra to refrigerate or freeze for your next day’s lunch or dinner. When you know you already have a nutritious meal waiting for you, you’re less likely to grab the high-calorie, high-fat junk food at the drive-through on your way home. Some good options include chicken, veggies, soups, and grains, including quinoa and brown rice.
4. Eat as many colors as you can every day. Opt for a range of nutritious vegetables and fruits every day. Keep a variety of colors on hand and make it a point to see how many different colors you can eat a day. Eat red peppers, spinach, sweet potatoes and blackberries one day and the next eat green peppers, yellow squash, blueberries and bananas.
It takes time to make these changes, but if you keep trying every day, you’ll eventually begin to see it’s become a habit to eat healthier.
Need more advice on following a healthy lifestyle? Fill out the form below.

 

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