10 am version vs 5 pm version

10 vs 5? What does that mean? I made a comment to my husband several weeks back and it weighed upon my thoughts as something to explore. I innocently said one evening, "I wish you could meet the ten o'clock Suzy." And he replied (as only a husband can) "Why? Is she nice?" And I lovingly looked up my husband and snapped "Yes, she certainly is!" We both laughed and then the thought lingered. The ten o'clock Suzy is amazing and the five o'clock she's kind of a lazy whiner. Am I alone? Or do you too have perkier, kinder, wittier, and all around better alter -ego version? There is something about the ten o'clock version of me who is ready to conquer the world. And I don't want to put down the five o'clock version of myself, but she is closer to being conquered BY the world than completing any conquests of her own. At ten I have got energy and plans. Lots and lots of plans, oodles I dare say. By five, I just want to sit down in front of the TV and rip up all the lists I have jotted. Because the five o'clock version has no intention of stepping off the couch; let alone out of the house. At ten I can't imagine resting until all ten lists are completed and two more are started. I am so excited to get going, I beginning fidgeting in my seat. Because at ten, I am full of positive energy and the can-do spirit. My lists begin to fill quickly and schedules dance around in my head. I believe the ten o'clock version of myself could be Santa's Personal Assistant. Organized, friendly, excited to get to work, that's me! But hours begin to pile as the perkiness begins to subside. By the time I hit traffic to head home five o'clock Suzy has quietly and moodily slipped into my car. She is cranky, exhausted, and can barely read the schedule of daily needs. At ten I just know I am going to hit the gym, try out a new recipe, go grocery shopping, update the blog, contact friends and family, and still be super pleasant to greet my husband and pets. At five I know I am going....home. And TRY to put on a happy face and try not to grumble to much about the day, traffic, and the dirty house. Because thou who complaineth, cleaneth! There is obvious reasons why at ten life seems a little better, a little brighter, and just all around a little bit perfect. Mostly, there is time to dawdle and take the scenic route while trying to accomplish the daily tasks. By five, time has dwindled and the pressure to get everything done NOW is compounded. At ten, there are few burdens traveling throughout the mantra of lists. It is easy to plan for the gym when there is no headache, no problem to run errands straight away from work forgetting half the objects are sitting on the cupboard ready to go, and still pick up groceries. Because at ten I am not hungry, after work I for some reason am famished as if I have traveled the desert for a week's time. Finally, I would say the lure of no crowds makes breezing through the lists fantastically easy. In the imaginary world everyone else is still at work while I breeze in and out of lines, traffic, and stores. The five o'clock Suzy has no such luck. This version gets sandwiched between the most annoying people in the world, the other five o'clock versions of everyone else who have ten places to be, right now!!! So in this exploration vision I have learned my ten o'clock energetic self has to one day meet the cranky run-down five o'clock version. If for no other reason my hubby deserves to meet the "nicer" version. May your HealthFULL journey be FULL of wisdom, insight, and laughter. Remember to Fully Understand Life by Living whether it be as your ten o'clock version or your five o'clock version! 'Til we meet again. . .

Pity Party for One, Please!

Can you see it? I am waving my white flag. It has been kind of a rough week. Yes it was Christmas and to this day is my favorite holiday. So I do wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas. It is a joyous holiday regardless of my personal circumstances. I do warn you the following rant is going to come off as whining. But this is a pity party and I do intend for it to be a good one. Where shall I start? Well this is my HealthFULL Journey so let me update you about my health. This week I suffered from the Seasonal Flu according to a doctor's best opinion. I believe it might have been the flu nicely topped off by a cold. But I am not the doctor just the patient. I suffered four full days of fever sprints. One would break and then another would quickly replace it. I have had no energy. I am on the sixth day and still find it completely draining to walk room to room. I have blown my nose through TWO kleenex boxes and am soon to start my third. I have been achy and chilled. It was actually the chills that drove me away from work Monday. I tried to keep warm by wearing my jacket at work and the sleeves drove me crazy. Every time the cool lining touched my hot skin I wanted to cry as if I was being burned. But ask me where I went after work on Monday? Did I go home? Oh no, I headed to my parents to nap for the afternoon. Because our house was being worked on by a plumber. A fantastic plumber, a kind plumber, but he was doing extensive work on our house. What work you may ask out of curiosity? Well, remember the hole in our bathroom. Our slight hole with a slight mention. Well that hole was joined by a new friend, another hole that was much bigger on the outside of our house. Our plumber was more determined than I to discover the leak. He proceeded to remove the siding from our house, pry into the board, and then drilled out our concrete slab to get a peek at our pipes. Well concrete when drilled turns into a fine dust, a powder that travels through the outside hole into the inside hole and covers our bathroom, our connected master bedroom and our living room with a gray sheet of dust. Yay! We spent that evening last Thursday (the evening before the predicted snowstorm) dusting and vacuuming and completing four loads of laundry so we could sleep in a semblance of home. I do blame myself as I asked and hoped for a clean house for Christmas. Be careful of what you ask for!!! So our plumber returned Monday to complete the outside work which he did. It looked wonderful. But Monday afternoon I could not handle drilling noise and drafty holes while I rested and recuperated. I returned home to a completed outside wall and then climbed into bed. I believe it was Tuesday I discovered that showers/baths provided a needed way to combat the chills. We were choosing not to use our master bath as we were resting the pipes to make sure that everything had a chance to set after recent construction and needs a good cleaning from the initial gray powder storm. It was then Midnight of Wednesday that I gained the strength of the Hulk and managed to break our one working shower's only handle. You might think "Oh no" and I say, "Oh yes even in my sickly state I can have the impossible happen." I was pretty devastated. So after a morning conference with my husband who pointed out that I broke our only working bath and reminded me our plumber was en route to visit his family for the holidays about six states away. He figured out how to make a temporary fix and stole the master bath's shower handle. We then headed to the Urgent Care. Because I am going to admit now. We don't get sick often and still haven't really found our family physician. So my wonderful husband had called several (I think five or six) doctor offices to try to make an appointment and their was no luck. So to the Urgent Care we went. We then waited ....and waited....and waited some more. I believe we spent over two and half hours waiting through the appointment and lab results. Mind you this is the day before Christmas Eve. We aren't completely done shopping, no presents wrapped, Christmas letters waiting to be sent, library books overdue, and Christmas decorations are not up. We had plans, numerous discussions, and here we were in the final hours of prep sick as can be. I with my flu and my husband with a cold well on the way. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh! Corey finished our shopping with detailed instructions and late Christmas Eve together we wrapped. Every couple presents we passed back and forth the anti bacterial foam. I was stubborn and with hubby's help put up our tree Christmas Eve. Now granted it comes in three parts and is pre-lit; but I was still as impressed as if we, ourselves, displayed the Rockefeller Center Tree. We did enjoy Christmas Day with the family though I was under Dr's orders " No hugs, no kisses, no sharing spoons, avoid contact with the kids, and no holding the baby(my youngest niece)". I am a hugger. But I got through the holiday following the orders to a T. I had big plans for today even being down for the count all week I figured this weekend I would get the Christmas Cards done and out. No such luck. This flu is not an easy bird to kick. But it was a big lesson this week. I haven't been grateful for the Health I do have and that Health really does matter. Without our Health everything else stands still. It is our Health that mostly dictates our abilities. So though I am way off the HealthFULL Journey I do look eagerly upon my return. May your HealthFULL Journey deserve appreciation and that illness stays far away from you and those you hold dear. 'Til we meet again. . .

The ART of CHOKE

Can we just say D-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s?!?!? Because the veggie of the week was a goodie. I will confess I have been a fan of artichokes in the past, but those artichokes have been hidden in a dip, with a salad, or on a pizza. This means the hard work had been done for me and just leaving me the tangy flavor. The artichoke as been quite the enigma to me. I had heard stories that you couldn't eat the leaves, that there are pricklies to avoid, and that the delicious heart of the artichoke is well hidden. Let me tell you these stories are completely true. I am also going to say yes it can be quite the production to get the veggie prepared. But it is WELL WORTH the wait!!! Have you seen an artichoke? They are quite intriguing. Some really could be used as artwork as they look like a fun sculpture. Maybe that's why artichokes start with "art" :) The sizes range from a ping pong ball to a huge softball or perhaps a big grapefruit. Our artichokes were a little bigger than a baseball. Then imagine a deep forest green color and the shape of pinecone. The artichoke is just leaf layered upon leaf. Then most leaves appear to hold a tiny solitary needle at the very point of the leaf. This is because the artichoke is actually an overgrown thistle. Yikes right? No need to worry. The prickly can be intimidating, but we can easily win this battle. Big universal tips when picking out produce. You can read these tips in most literature, web information, or just acquired knowledge. Choose heavy produce items. If you pick up a squash, an eggplant, or an artichoke and you think wow this weighs a lot more than it looked , put that produce in your cart. That weight tends to be flavor. If the produce gives you the opposite reaction, "Wow that is as light as a feather." Put the vegetable or fruit down and walk away. The light factor can be the produce did not develop or that dried up. Either way, not tasty. Also look for appearance. Do the colors look inviting, stand out, draw attention? That means the nutrients are alive and well. That food is going to have flavor. If there is a darkness, a haze, or a fuzzy coat (Kiwis are from the tropics they deserve their fuzzy coat :), that produce is not worth your time because they are past their prime. Now preparing these delights does take some effort, but there will be fun in the consuming I promise!!! You can cook artichokes in a variety of ways. But it is highly suggested as they are such a hearty thistle to either steam or boil before applying the "final flavor". You can even microwave them. Boiling you lose nutrients which means you are also cooking out some of the flavor. Steaming allows you to hold in your flavor and maintain the health benefits. We ate barbequed artichokes. Mmmmmm goood! I pulled out our fun little steamer basket. Which honestly I don't remember using before. But will be pulled out more often now that I have figured out the contraption. After I uncurled the peaces I placed water to boil in the pan and covered it with the steaming basket. Now the directions on the steaming basket remind users do not lose the water. Maintain the level of boiling water. I remember specifically asking my hubby who would not pay attention and would let the pot run dry. And he so nicely reminded me that the basket will cover the pot so it is easy to forget and not pay complete attention to the water level. Pish posh I am becoming quite the cook who can create smoke haze. Ummm yeah I'm the novice that they write those simple reminders specifically for. Yup because I scorched the bottom of our very nice pan. I scrubbed and scrubbed the layer of char. It is soaking as we speak. So yes steaming is easy, especially with the fun little basket. BUT DON'T FORGET TO MAINTAIN WATER LEVEL!!! Just speaking from experience. The steaming can take 25 to 50 minutes from what I read. The fork will tell you. If you can pierce it easily you have completed stage one. Before you steam you should rinse your artichokes and cut off the top third. I strongly recommend if you don't already have one, purchase a big, strong, and heavy knife. A rinky dink paring knife will be your nemesis against this hearty plant. Remember you have layers upon layers of leaves to cut through or more accurately, saw through. This exposes your "heart". Some articles also suggest that you trim up your leaves and cut off that prickly tip. It's just a suggestion, but does not affect the flavor or the edible facor or your choke. I'm kind of wimp so I didn't want to take chances with eating a thorny thistle. The trimming is kind of fun. You are making the produce attractive, easier to enjoy, and the activity has a soothing rhythm to it. I also chose to cut off the stems that left me an even base to steam the artichokes. Www.oceanmist.com recommends of only trimming the stem as it can be quite flavorful and that you can steam either base down or base up. After the artichokes are steamed, any cooking method is correct. I found an easy marinade that gave the tangy a rich brightness. But you could even enjoy the artichokes once steamed. Dips are encouraged. After letting the artichoke pick up the marinade's flavors I pulled out our trusty grill pan. Love this piece of our cooking arsenal. We've only owned the pan for maybe four months and have used it on a weekly basis. I placed the yummy leaves in the grill pan until it reached a mild char on both sides (six minutes each side for mine). Then it was placed on our dinner plates and the festivities could begin. As you take a bite there is a manly, dainty way to attack the leaves. The leaves are both what you eat and yet remain inedible. Take a leaf and scrape it with your teeth. The masculinity of eating with your bear hands is quite thrilling. And yet, by closing your teeth and dragging the leaf through. It feels dainty to eat without the munching and the crunching. The artichoke blended the flavors really well together and picks up great taste through it's leaves. The tanginess factor seems to blend fairly easily towards spicy or sweet. Definitely a favorite. Please experiment and experience all that you can on your HealthFULL Journey. Fear compounds too easily. So, make choices, discover your options, and fully embrace what at first appears challenging. 'Til we meeet again. . .

Celebrating milestones

We all tend to celebrate milestones. Some common events are celebrated by most of us through birthdays, anniversaries, and other holidays. Other milestones can lean to the more personal victories such as sobriety, travels, or championships. Some milestones may remember a tragedy, acknowledge a life-lesson, or simply exist. We each travel our journey. We cannot move forward without creating a past. Which means each of us will create and celebrate hundreds of milestones. Some will be good, some will be sad, and some will be downright ugly. But without these events, we wouldn't be the same individuals we are today. It is these events that shape our understanding of life, living, and interactions with others. It is easy to become pensive and reflective during the Holiday Season. We use the Holidays as reminders to be grateful of what we have, love those around us, and to both accept the past and celebrate the near future. As we move through the holiday season we work to create memories. We seek comfort, love, happiness, and peace. the aftermath of a milestone tends to be more interesting than the actual event. It is hard to truly feel an event as we are constantly processing and going through the motions. But in the aftermath we can reflect and feel all that has occurred. As you travel your HealthFULL journey I hope you Fully Understand Life by Living as you celebrate your own personal milestones. May your journey be full of lessons and celebrations. May your reflections be exciting, comforting, and joyful. 'Til we meet again. . .

A Plentiful Feast

Mmmmmmmmm..... My hubby and I just finished a delicious feast with tons of color, wonderful variety of textures, and no meat. Our meal included stuffed delicata squash and red quiona blend. I joked about taking a picture as it was just so pretty to see. But I couldn't quite bring myself to that level of boastfulness and I didn't know where the camera was hiding :) It was a supper full of newish foods. We first roasted the squash which couldn't be easier. The delicata squash are oval - shaped and either dark colored like watermelon. Or like the ones we sampled tonight that were bright yellow with beautiful orange stripes running along the ridges. It was super simple to prepare the squash. Rinsed it as the peel is completely edible and super thin. As most squash prep starts , first you cut it in halves and scoop out the seeds. The delicata especially is reminiscent of those jack o lantern carving days or scooping out the pulpy seeds. Place the halves on the cookie sheet and cover with a little salt and pepper. Then the fun comes with mixing up a stuffing. Around our house we had some silken tofu, canned black eyed peas, canned spinach and collard greens. Drain and rinse the canned foods and saute everything together. After the squash can be pierced easily then you can fill it with the stuffing. Place panko breadcrumbs and some cheese on top. Then put the squash back into the oven to create a crisp crust. Yummy right? Then our side dish was an easy blend of red quinoa with Israeli couscous, Baby Garbanzo beans, red quinoa and orzo. The blend has just the right amount of chewiness with nutty goodness. Oh the holiday season comes with its own craziness. As we race around trying to get everything done it is easy to lose focus. It was fun to be healthy creative with our evening meal. I already can feel how nice it was to take time to discuss our days and enjoy a meal packed with nutrients. I hope while you travel your own HealthFULL Journey that you can find a little down time to pamper yourself while you improve your own well-being. Hurry back soon when we discuss , "Wish you could meet the 10 am me vs the 5:00 version". 'Til we meet again. . .

What if?

Do you play the game of questions? I would have to consider myself a sort of master at the "what if" game. I am a champion worrier. We currently have a hole in our bathroom wall. ( You may remember me mentioning that we were having plumbing issues. ) I am "nervous" with this hole. If I am to be candid I am terrified that a creature of unknown proportions will pop out of the wall at any moment. Or that our furry creatures will decide to explore and squeeze through. (This would be quite a feat, but it still makes me nervous.) My fantastic hubby has helped quell my worries by covering the hole. I am not a hundred percent confident but I do feel a little more secure and that we keep the bathroom shut until our second friendly plumber pays us a revisit. Part of the what if game can lead to worries, solutions, or some intriguing discussions. I dally in the what-if game for all three reasons. Let's play a quick little round now. Since I am sitting here anxious about animals let's think about that theme. What if you could be any animal what would you choose to be? I tend to think that most of lean towards the powerful beautiful felines. There are the royal lions, the quick cheetahs, and the agile tigers. But what if we changed the question what would you CHOOSE to be to the question; what animal do you most resemble currently? Again I think many of us would like to be a quick cheetah, a humorous monkey, or perhaps a loyal dog. If I am to truly be honest with myself and all of you. I would have to pick the turtle. That doesn't so "cool" or even exciting, but strikes close to the truth. I like to carry "my shell". I like to think out solutions to most problems; regardless of how probably the outcome. I want to tuck my head in my shell and ignore the "problem areas". For instance I was not ready to call the plumber. I pull my vulnerable self into my shell and all is well. Also like the turtle I have always moved at my own pace. Most often the pace is slow and steady, but it is my own. I will hole up in my shell until I feel secure enough to move forward. The other quality I believe the turtles and I share is the ability to adapt. When you bring your home with you everywhere it is pretty easy to adapt. On your HealthFULL Journey I hope your what-ifs lead to few worries, many solutions, and interesting discussions always. 'Til we meet again. . .

Bok to you!

When my blogs were on the sporadic weeks my hubby and I tried an interesting veggie that should not be overlooked. I have previously mentioned my taste for yummy Chinese cuisine. So we set out to fix ourselves a healthier version at home. We pulled out our trusty wok and threw in some bok choy. Oh yummy! How do I describe this intriguing vegetable? If I was limited to one word I would choose "rich". The flavor is very mild which matches well with its light color. Be on the look-out for this vegetable next time you are out shopping for produce, especially if you are a fan of celery or cabbage. I am not a big fan of celery and appreciate that in some instances that bok choy could easily stand as a replacement. Bok Choy is the chubby celery except it is actually part of the cabbage family. Bok Choy is tall like celery. Its base is a silky white bulb and then the white stalks stand thick and tall. Gorgeous green leaves cover the stalks. The leaves are a deep rich green tone offset by the silky white stalks. Simply divine darlin'. Simply Divine! The richness factor does not simply stop at the appearance. The flavor is delightfully mild. It blends into the meal as subtle as a broth. The subtle flavor allows it to blend really well with almost any other ingredient, especially spices. The stalk and the leaves are completely edible. You can choose to eat it raw or cooked in a variety of ways. We created a bok choy stir fry. Its texture upheld really well in the heat. Depending on the method of cooking will greatly determine the texture of this vegetable. In most instances the stalk will remain firm with a meaty texture. The leaves also have a strength that can handle the heat. The texture almost melts into your bites which adds to the richness of bok choy. Each bite includes a reminder of the comforts of home. I build up this vegetable because I was pleasantly surprised. I was under the impression that the vegetable would lack any sweetness and for some reason I thought it was going to be just bitter. And bitter it was not. Some of the nutritional facts I could find about bok choy were quick to mention that it is very low calorie. It is also a great source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C according to www.essortment.com. Also Bok Choy is a high source of calcium. So I encourage you to continue to stretch your meals with nutrition and new flavors. I highly recommend this versatile vegetable that will could add richness to any menu. I continue to travel on this scenic route of my HealthFULL Journey with my eyes wide open and have experienced a ride I could never imagine. 'Til we meet again. . . .

Tradition or Habit?

Oh the holiday season brings so many wonderful "traditions" forward as we celebrate the season. But what really qualifies as tradition instead of habit? Don't the two words play power games in your head? "Tradition" to me needs to be honored for the sentimental factor, the coziness of past honored every year because of the good memories it holds. "Habit" kind of is blah. Habits tend to run on the negative side of the spectrum. Yes, good habits exist but bad habits persist. It is bad habits that lead us to destructive paths and run parallel to addiction. Habits can be boring and when we start to fall in a rut. Traditions are noble and habits are everyday. Habits can be changed and Traditions are to be upheld. I am playing with this word choice because though I am a fan of traditions I am aware of how I use my friendly term as another excuse. It is okay to try everything at Thanksgiving dinner because it is Thanksgiving. What is wrong with one more, two more, or the honest five more cookies that are Christmas themed? It is holiday season only once a year right? It is tradition to enjoy the holiday sweets dressed up in green and red colors. The treats of limited flavors like cinnamon, mint, or egg nog deserve a taste before they disappear. These bonuses just encourage us to feel the spirit more, right? Even though we know these holiday items are not exempt from the everyday calories or offer little nutritional value to our bodies that we have to carry with us all year round. Traditions allow for splurges on a habitual basis. And habits? They are boring because we are not powerless to their sentiment factor. We use the good habits to establish routines that help minimize the hassles and allow for most rewards. Bad habits are to be discarded when found non-helpful. Eating constant sweets in the everyday world and as a habit is not looked upon as the healthy choice. Skipping the gym under the guise of tradition during the holidays to focus on family and friends again seen as noble and caring. Skipping the gym for extra treats is a horrible habit. So though I am all about traditions I am going to try to honor the true roots of the tradition and not substitute it with its horrible imitation. If baking pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread with my dad is the tradition. Then spending time with my dad is the tradition. Remembering what kitchen duties I was assigned and joking about memories is how to revive the tradition or even throwing on the apron and pulling out the recipe. Polishing off a store pie is not the memory to cherish and relive. May true traditions abound on your HealthFULL Journey. For I truly do believe to Fully Understand Life by Living we need to honor the memories and that the magical spirit of Christmas is rooted in true traditions. Just beware of those cleverly disguised habits that offer little substance for your health or memories. 'Til we meet again. . .

The Little Things

Happy Thanksgiving!!! Today is the day we choose to celebrate the little and big moments we cherish with gratitude. Do you know what I am thankful for? A working toilet. Was that a thank-you at the top of your list too? If it wasn't; I am gonna guess you haven't had plumbing problems of recent weeks. Then you need to be thankful because our bathroom is slowly draining our patience *wink*. It is having one issue after another. We tried to ignore the initial problems or at least downplay them. But the toilet that one got our attention and a plumber on their way. The plumber was happy to give us an estimate for all of our troubles, but notice I am grateful for the toilet. One issue down and many more to address down the line. It was a slight problem. We would flush the toilet and it would do its thing. Empty the water and then fill back up. Keep filling the back tank. And keep filling. And not stopping. Do you know where the water went? Out the handle!!!! Like Niagra Falls. I am not a handy-person. But that, that was wrong and kind of gross. I know I know. It's just water. But ewwww!!! My husband and I both became scared of the toilet. It was a rough roulette. Because sometimes it worked and more often it did not. The toilet was winning the war because we were running halfway around the house to use the non-issue bathroom. When the plumber came for his first visit of what might sadly turn into many he quickly fixed our first issue. And as mentioned gave us an overview of what events have sadly played out in the bathroom and what could be done to remedy them. We've all been there. Those moments that need to be addressed but that we just want to ignore. Weight is that way for many people. One pound, Two pounds, five pounds, who is really going to notice. No one really, twenty pounds might get an extra look, fifty there is gossip or at least chatter, and then hundred piles on within a nanosecond it feels. But it doesn't happen in a nanosecond, probably not even a week, possibly a month, but most likely a year's plus of looking away choosing to ignore the current moment. Life is complicated there is no doubt. But life is full of choices. Do we fight or take flight? Sometimes we can't do it all. It would be nice to roll over and go back to sleep and ignore everything like: the pets that need to be fed, comforting the sick child, balancing the impossible check-book, sorting the mountain of laundry, washing the never-ending dishes and the list goes on and on for all of us. It is in the moments of chaos we need to focus on the little things. We can't fix the whole picture in one stroke. But, we can fix a little thing one stroke at a time. By realizing with each little step we are choosing to improve the whole picture. I like to rush the masterpiece and try to paint everything with one stroke. It doesn't work and then I try to ignore everything. But that also doesn't work. Nothing gets done. So we pick a small project and focus. Because each step forward may be a little thing, but it tends to be a little thing worth our gratitude. So thank you plumber for fixing the niagara falls toilet. On this day and everyday I hope you have the people in your life that help you either enjoy or laugh at the little things from your daily life. May your HealthFULL Journey be FULL of choices and focus and gratitude. 'Til we meet again. . .

Touchdown!!!

It is football season people and I am caught in the middle of all the excitement. GEAUX SAINTS and Yay Vikings! Isn't it fun to cheer for the winners? Especially, if you feel you were there for the long run regardless of the good and the bad and week after week they pile on the wins? There is something about watching this American pastime. There is a sense of camaraderie I hadn't really grasped until this year. I have watched games in the past, but this year I feel invested. Watching a game is kind of an emotional experience. I cheer, I scream, I get frustrated, I feel sad, I laugh, I cry, I tense up, I explode, I comment, I criticize, and at the end feel a little bit emotionally drained. American Football is a true outlet for almost every athlete. There is a place for runners, catchers, throwers, kickers, blockers, tacklers, punters, coaches, cheerleaders, tumblers, and fans. Fans who go all out and dedicate themselves for the betterment of the team. Which makes me ponder? Who would I be on the football team? Would I be benched because I can't face the opposing team? Could I coach in all situations and devise the best strategy on the drop of a dime? Would I cheer in all circumstances even when morale is down and encouragement is most needed? Could I catch under duress while all eyes looked upon me? Would I block and/or tackle to save the ball risking my own health in hopes of saving my quarterback? Where do you think you would best perform in the world of American Football? I am having trouble imagining where I would best fit in the Football Family. But, I do know that I would like to be the type of player who completes The successful Hail Mary. A person that you can trust regardless of all situations, a person who trusts them self. I would hope I could protect my teammate even if the end result could cause me pain. My point is regardless of your role, couch potato to Head Coach. You matter on the field and off. Because we all have a role to choose to cause optimum results. Our daily routines include game plays. We tend to forget that we choose our schedule everyday. If the end result isn't working then call a different play. Because only when we choose to change do we choose to explore our options, to build a better team, and to grow confidence in the ever-dramatic Hail Mary. For every bad toss is a chance to improve and increase the probability of scoring when all eyes are on you to save the big day. May your HealthFull Journey include a team that cares. I thank you all for helping me to establish and reach this goal. Til we meet again. . .

New Staples

When changing a lifestyle the pantry goes through a makeover of its own. Slowly and surely old standbys are traded out for healthier alternatives. Some of the big changes in our pantry is that "kiddie" cereal is traded up for adult breakfasts, like oatmeal and Kashi brand. Good-bye Lucky Charms and Corn Pops. *sad wave* (Though I will confess it is nice to invite my precious nieces and nephews over so that I HAVE to buy the magically delicious cereal.) What can I say? I am truly like a child ;) Though oatmeal with a small scoop of raisins and topped with a splash of almond milk and on "special" days I stir in a spoonful of peanut butter. Mmmm, satisfying and comforting, what a great way to start the day and of course a banana. I kind of have a meltdown when I can't start the day with my banana. If you were paying attention you might have noticed almond milk. Have you had the chance or taken the time to try a milk other than dairy (cow's) milk? There are some great choices worth tasting. There seems to be an increase in findings that more and more of us have trouble tolerating lactose (the dairy's milk sugars). We might not all have as much trouble as a person formally diagnosed as lactose - intolerant, but it still might help some of our stomachaches, digestive troubles, and headaches by eliminating or at least cutting down on the lactose we consume. Even if you don't want to trade out the milk you regularly consume it is worth checking out your choices. The flavors, the textures, and the added nutritional benefits makes these beverages a great option. I regularly keep almond milk in our fridge. It has a great consistency and flavor that I find useful for most of my needs. I found Coconut Milk to have a rich thick texture. It would probably be great for a milkshake base. It was a bit pricey and I didn't find it quite as tasty as the Almond Milk. I found Soy Milk to leave a bit of a chalky aftertaste for me when drunk by itself. However, mixed in something like coffee or used for cereal I didn't notice the aftertaste. Also, the consistency reminded me of Skim Milk. Which I like, though others might find that they miss the rich heaviness like some dairy milk. The other additions would include beans. Which I have gone kind of nuts about. Do you get in buying habits? Where you like to have a huge variety available? I get in these a lot. I would say cereals, chips, and yogurts were my old variety buys. Now I would have to say my new shopping compulsion is buying beans. I pick up the canned and the bagged, little and big, and the array of colors. Another pantry staple we quickly adapted into our routine is quinoa. Oh fantastic grain. The Incas according to www.Wikipedia.org referred to quinoa as the mother grain. This teeny tiny pellet packs a heck of a nutritional punch. Quinoa has great protein value with all of the amino acids. Great fiber source and remains gluten-free. We have also found it to be quite tasty and pretty easy to swap it for rice in most recipes. Quinoa cooks in less time than white rice. So you can have the health benefits and save time. Love that!!! The other big change is that tofu makes regular appearances in our dinners as we learn how to use it in a variety of ways. Don't let the word tofu intimidate you. Tofu can be bland but then so is most meat/entrees until you add the spices and flavors. I slowly am learning how the textures really effect the overall meal. And that's why practice makes perfect. I hope your HealthFULL Journey brings you a wealth of nutrition as you stock your pantry. 'Til we meet again. . .

The stalks of many Colors

Have you ever seen rainbow Swiss chard? G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S ! Honestly if you need a showstopper of a vegetable side as we move into this holiday season, I highly suggest you figure out how you can make use of this interesting and beautiful vegetable. The beauty in my opinion comes from the brightly colored stalks. The colors can range from bright flamingo pink, orangy, and sunny yellow. Then sprouting off these pretty stalks is the dark fluttery greens. Both the stalks and the leafy part are both edible. The cooking of this vegetable could not be easier. And trust me on this as I still haven't quite lived up to my name as Suzy Homemaker. The leafy greens are very similar to the richness of spinach and you can sub in the Swiss chard for spinach in most recipes. I do warn you the bright colors will mix into any cooking liquid. Which can be pretty, but to those who don't know what you were cooking could be slightly alarming. For instance tonight for dinner we had PINK tofu scrambled eggs. Interesting and tasted pretty good. I sauteed (look at me using the cooking vocab) up the greens on my second attempt. The first attempt may or may not have included burning the garlic. Let me tell you garlic turns from golden brown to STINKY black in less than three seconds in way too hot olive oil. I am just sayin'. The second attempt yielded a flavorful wilted green with some sweet heat. Then I chopped up the stalks and sweated them in a frying pan before adding the scrambled tofu and eggs. Which wasn't the recipe I had planned, but what are you going to do when the tofu and you enter a battle and the tofu wins? Tofu won the battle, but I won the war :) Tofu entered the battle pale and sinister and left as a pink yummy entree. The stalks could taste a little more bitter than celery but with a little heat and a splash of flavor they become tender and mild. Like most greens ,Swiss Chard (which is a huge family that includes Rainbow Swiss Chard) is a nutritional powerhouse. If someone mentions Vitamin C most of us know to reach for the citrus fruits, but leafy greens also tend to be a great source. Swiss Chard also includes Vitamin K and Vitamin A (according to www.whfoods.com ). Plus to round out the nutritional lowdown the vegetable also includes magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, copper, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and protein. There are even more nutritional benefits to be found, but I don't want to overload you with too much information. May your holiday side dishes be loaded with personality, nutritional benefits, and yumminess. I encourage you to find out where your rainbow leads (and hopefully, not just to a bag of colorful candy that rhymes with vittles) on your HealthFULL Journey. FULL means to Fully Understand Life by Living. 'Til we meet again. . .

Celebrating the Small Victories

And the crowd goes wild!!! Or at least a part of you shouts out in joy and hears your inner cheerleader. We all do this, don't we? Well if you don't I give you permission to celebrate your own personal victories. If professional athletes can do a celebration dance, a business CEO can high-five and pets receive praise for just not being bad, then we can hoot and holler for ourselves. My small victory might not make sense to you or register on your scale of victories but for me was a giant leap. I have committed myself to taking my health journey in a stricter direction, (not crazy strict but with the hope of losing at least some "physical" weight). One of my goals or big efforts towards health is to limit one of my greatest vices. I feel I need to hang my head and maybe cover my heart in reverence. But I love me a good Chinese buffet. I know I know - buffet and HealthFULL Journey don't really walk hand in hand. But the sign to a good Chinese buffet is like a beacon in the night or a siren of the vast ocean. It calls to me. And though we have had a good selection before in our area we have an incredible one with tons of value. The buffet is HUGE and the price isn't bad. Less than seven dollars for a lunch buffet (since I am drinking water vs soda. ) Seven dollars for a super-filling, tasty lunch. GREAT!!! But that is my problem with this vice I lose my mind at a Chinese Buffet. It is all the yummy unhealthy foods on display with no effort to attain. It includes foods that are fried, layered in sauce, and sweetened. Ahhhhhhh, I am licking my lips. I know I know I know!!!! My plan is to not to visit one until next year (it helps make my commitment sound dramatic). But I hope to avoid eating at any Chinese buffet until after January 1st, 2010. This is kind of dramatic as we were frequenting one almost every two weeks and getting closer and closer to once a week. I am hoping that by avoiding them for two months; the cravings will die down. That I will have trained my palate and fullness scale to enjoy myself and not to lose control or sight of my BIGGER goals. The victory occurred Thursday night. We had ran some errands during the evening. We were very close to my favorite buffet, literally driving by its sign advertising their yumminess. We were hungry and definitely wanted a quick dinner with no fuss. The night that sets up a visit to the Chinese buffet. However, I had voiced my choice previously when I was in a rational mood. And knew I couldn't let myself down. So, as we drove by the temptation we stayed on course and visited a sub shop that we had never frequented previously. I told my husband that I was in the mood for a satisfying veggie wrap or a close alternative. What did they sale? A grilled veggie wrap which I found delicious. Now I think the deliciousness factor included the flavor of the tasty wrap (which I will be enjoying again in the future, most definitely). But I also think some of the deliciousness I enjoyed was the taste of a small victory. So, I encourage you on this HealthFULL Journey to fully enjoy your taste of success by celebrating those moments you choose to resist your personal temptation in lieu of the choice that betters you. No victory is too small to celebrate because every win is a win regardless of the margin. Celebrate you and your win when you choose to Fully Understand Life by Living on your HealthFULL Journey. I am cheering for you and myself 'til we meet again. . .

Ridding the Excess Baggage!

Well Howdy, did you notice something? I didn't get three blogs out last week. I didn't even get two :( But, I did make a choice for what would be best for my health in the moment. I chose sleep over blogging late Saturday night. So the big news! Well not so great of news, actually, I am kind of sad, but not shocked; that I haven't lost a pound! Though if I wanted to look at the other side, the good news is I haven't gained a pound either. So this HealthFULL Journey is quite the adventurous experiment. I did say that this effort was to find my way into a healthy life. I sure was hoping to get rid of the extra weight physically, but I am learning there is quite a bit more emotional and mental baggage that needed handling first. I have to say I am not shocked as I haven't found the consistent rhythm for my life, yet. But I am working out kinks everyday. I went into this gung-ho and they say ignorance is bliss. I like to wear the rosy color glasses when starting a project and then I quit when the hue is not so pretty. But this journey I am seeing through, it's life, so it's not really an option. I was excited when picturing the cute outfits I could wear for the holidays and knowing when New Year's hit I would not have to state the same old resolutions because I would already be living them. And though those dates are still in the future. Time is continually speeding up. And I have to start being real. Yes there will be perks when I hit certain milestones. But I have to focus on the task at hand instead of celebrating 3 months to a year in the future. I need to be aware of the big benefits (and risks) and not the "perks". I forget the view from the other side of gaining weight. There was a time when I gained 60 - 70 pounds in a year and I didn't know if it was going to stop. There was four years I couldn't take off my wedding ring. So though I am "disappointed" that I haven't lost more physically. In these last three months I have started to polish off the rosy hue on some memories and polished off the tarnish of others. And slowly, but surely, as some of us tend to spring clean. I am becoming more balanced. I am sorting through the emotional and mental baggage that STILL serves a purpose and the baggage that has overstayed its welcome. Though, I continue to sort through some hang-ups I am growing a bit stronger as a whole person who looks forward to the days where I will enjoy not only the big benefits, but some of the "perks" :) May your HealthFULL Journey be made easier with the good baggage and never hindered by excess baggage. 'Til we meet again. . .

A Cramming Pack-rat

That's me!!! I am a certifiable pack-rat and I cram the uncrammable. I have this overwhelming fear that I am going to miss out on. . . something, Everything! I pretty much have allowed chaos in all areas of my life so that I have the chance to cram just that extra bit in every nook and cranny. I really can't remember a time in my life that didn't include a little overloading. We own a DVR (which is entirely too addictive!) and I run the memory full. If there are twenty-four hours in a day I like to "schedule" all twenty-four as active hours. If a room has two feet of empty wall space...I must fill it! I have closets filled full of memory items and interesting, but useless objects. These items fit in the categories of I don't want to forget that moment and I don't want to be without the miscellaneous object. Because I don't want to miss out on the opportunity to save the day. I like limits so that I can establish the teetering point of drama and see if I fail or accomplish an amazing feat. What does being a pack-rat have to do with my HealthFULL Journey? A lot more than I wanted to admit. I have trouble limiting my choices. By taking responsibility of choosing a restaurant or activity I am cutting out the chance of doing it all! I am trying to figure out why I have this great fear. I am in the early stages of my brainstorming, but let's see if we can muddle through this together. It is safe to say we all fear failure on some type of scale. We are afraid we can't pay our bills or that we won't meet others' expectations. We might be afraid that we only will get one chance of lifetime especially those moments concerning the subjects of love, success, or happiness. We tend to build towards celebrations and milestones that become stressful events because we feared that the event itself wouldn't register as perfect and/or memorable. I think all the previous things mentioned and worry about so much more. I hate to disappoint and carry that guilt and shame everywhere. I believe that I cram so much into everything so that no stone is unturned. I think deep down that at some point in life; there is going to be this huge pop quiz and I for one want to be caught ready! And as many times as I tell myself that no pop quiz exists I still try to cram just a little more experience into the nooks and crannies. I don't want to "fail" when it comes to life, so I take it all. All or nothing is probably the closest phrase to my daily mantra. But isn't the truth that when we seek all; we end up with nothing. For example, have you ever filled your laundry a little too full? Okay, have you ever overloaded your laundry to the point where the washer fills with water, but can't spin the clothes dry. The weight exceeds the washer's spinning limits. Instead of having freshly clean clothes you end up with soggy laundry. That is how most of my life has become a crammed pack-ratted day. I am so worried about experiencing it all, that I end up with bupkus!!! So instead of enjoying a day full of fun and leisure, I overfill everything and start to over feel EVERYTHING. I try every flavor so that I don't miss that one lifetime experience. Sometimes, we just don't have to try it all. A couple of years ago I found Bertie Bott's Jelly beans, the candy described in the "Harry Potter" series as the candy of every flavor. They truly included the yummy and the disgusting. They had flavors such as grass, smoke, and vomit. And could I just leave well enough alone? Oh no! I had to try the whole box to not miss out! Does anyone really need to eat a grass-flavored jellybean? Noo!!!! And I think the other flavors go without saying ;) While on this HealthFULL Journey I am learning that less is more and not every experience truly enhances "The Life Experience". While I continue to embrace the philosophy to Fully Understand Life by Living I encourage you to also check out what are you cramming into your mouth, your schedule, and your closets. May you cram less and enjoy more! 'Til we meet again. . .

Oh, to be a Puppy!

I've mentioned my dear puppy Belle who loves to go for walks. She loves them so much she knows how to watch for certain signs that indicate a walk is in her near future. And when she can't go on a walk she shows her disappointment in various ways. I would like to put forth that no Miss Belle and I have not had our time to reflect and exercise together as I have been sick and the weather quite rainy. Alone these options are not fun, but together the postponement of our walks was inevitable. Belle doesn't quite see it that way. She understands that she has a lot of "energy". She understands that she wants attention. And she understands that she would like to be outside. When we skip walks, her happiness goes down; which has to be shared with the household. Our dachsund/german shepherd/bassett hound mix (we're guessing) one - year - old does not accept the excuse we are skipping our walk/workout for the day. Oh no, she answers back with a full-fledge kickboxing chew-out. No loose item is safe and Miss Belle will get her aggression out. Hats, books, magazines, shoes, cables, our steps, carpet, paper, and more should not expect safety. Belle is going to vent her displeasure, get in a work-out, and just let us know how much she values "family" time during her walks. We all could learn a thing or two from Belle's passion to maintain an active lifestyle. That we need to find a way to burn calories and keep our heart pumping even when the rain overshadows our plans. We also need to express our feelings so that we can communicate to those we hold dear. Now if we could only teach Belle a more constructive and less destructive way to demonstrate her displeasure. May your HealthFULL journey include less destruction and more energy. 'Til we meet again. . .

Couscous is all the rage!

Most weeks I have shared about either a new fruit or vegetable. However this week I am sharing about a new grain we tried and prepared. Couscous! Now in my quick research through wikipedia.org and one of our cookbooks entitled Vegetarian; couscous is a lengthy process to prepare. Or I should say once was time-consuming to prepare as there was a lengthy steaming requirement before the grain could be consumed. However, the couscous most of us will find in our supermarkets requires very little preparation time. Couscous appears to have a grainy texture, but is actually a pasta. I think of it as a pasta crumb. The size of couscous is very small. You can prepare couscous as part of your main entree or as a dessert as several culture prefer. Some choose to use it as the main ingredient or because of its blandness couscous can help "calm" a spicy dish. We ate a yummy veggie chili on this gorgeous autumn evening and included couscous as recommended by the recipe. A little couscous goes a long way. The small bites included a lot of chewy texture. It was a fun challenge to try to eat just one bit of couscous at a time. It reminded me of either crumbs made of pasta which I mentioned or similiar to a nibble of old-fashioned dumplings. The chewiness that quickly picks up the flavor of the entire dish. It will be fun to see what other dishes we can add this little punch of texture into the future. As you explore your HealthFULL Journey may you find little surprises that enhance the whole experience. I continue to try to Fully Understand Life by Living, I encourage for you to do the same. 'Til we meet again. . .

Restin' a Spell. . .

So this HealthFULL Journey isn't the racing route I was hoping for but much more a scenic route with a lot of twists. I am sick, but not really. I don't "feel" sick, but I sound horrible. No fever, but definitely feel run down. Coughing, but only for a second. Slight headache and a little bit ditsy or "slow" to react physically or mentally. Right now feeling like this I don't think exercise should be a HIGH priority. But hopefully, fingers crossed that my energy will return quickly. And that I will get over this "bug". We did enjoy a little fresh air with our puppy this evening. She was so ECSTATIC!!! It has been quite a rainy week which I don't want to "accuse" but may have some impact on the way I have been feeling. With all the rain and not feeling a hundred percent we just haven't been on top of our game. But we are only on rain delay as baseball would say and still plan to finish every inning. So I am resting up as I plan to hit the GRAND SLAM as soon as I can! May your HealthFULL journey lead you to those moments you need rest and can appreciate those energetic days all the more. 'Til we meet again. . .

Looking for the Extra Step!!!

Do you like easy? Do you try to save time? Do you cut corners when able? I could answer yes to these questions most of the time. Sometimes it feels that the world is moving too fast to savor moments. But when we don't go the extra mile or fully embrace an effort we give up way too much. I mentioned a podcast I started to listen to in a previous entry entitled No Excuses Weight Loss by Jonathan Roche. He's a big believer in what he terms "creative movement". To seek out ways that deliberately add extra movement naturally to your day. For example when brushing your teeth you can march in place or a big idea that he promotes (one we've all heard) is to park in the furthest parking spot. Another idea he's mentioned is to not carry one load of laundry out of the laundry room but three trips, six trips, up to an individual trip for every single article of clothing you wash. Did these ideas make you giggle? Did they make you roll your eyes? At first, the ideas made me laugh. But then I took advantage of the suggestion. This is my HealthFULL Journey and I am looking to open myself up to new experiences. I start my job pretty early every day though shocker I do tend to run a couple minutes late. So early that I tend to be no more than the tenth person at the building. I have a guaranteed opportunity for one of the closest parking spots. And this last week I have passed up those easy accessible spots and park eight rows back. I probably add 250 extra steps one way. Which means I add an extra 500 steps daily. Somewhere I have both heard and read that to stay healthy we should each walk 10,000 steps a day (roughly two miles). So just by walking the parking lot I complete five percent of that goal. By tacking on an extra 2 - 3 minutes I am adding real benefits to my health. I also have tried the marching in place while brushing my teeth. This movement hasn't became as natural to my routine but it's getting there. I take extra trips when moving items from room to room. And though physically this extra movement is great and simple, the real benefit is the mental aspect. When marching in place while brushing my teeth, I remember to start out my day by having fun and to remember to laugh at myself. Because yes it is awkward to watch myself in the mirror marching to the invisible drummer while trying to remain coordinated enough to complete the real task of brushing my teeth. I sometimes am a clumsy girl. But this helps me to remind self that I may be a clumsy girl who can still make herself laugh. I also have added little exercises outside when walking Belle. She enjoys her "sniffs" and I am less impatient with her. The extra trips aren't that time consuming because I save time not trying to figure out how to do everything in one swoop. It is a great reminder that little by little any task can get completed. Also, less likely to drop something. This is all about the early question do we cut corners? Sometimes, when we are in a hurry we rush a project we don't double check that the T's get crossed. This is when mistakes occur. By taking the extra time or in this case the extra trip. Everything is covered and completed well. But the parking lot that's my favorite mental boost. It helps keep things new. I feel the extra steps I'm taking. It is like every step is reconfirmation that yes I really am embracing my HealthFULL Journey. By Fully Understanding Life by Living. I don't park in the same places so I see new sights. I have to confess the first day I totally forgot at work that I parked eight rows back. So I got extra steps in my day by walking to both parking spots and that big sigh of relief. I get the chance to see kids totter away from the parents in anticipation of shopping. I watched an older couple walk out to their car laughing and playing around. I've caught snippets of songs that I haven't heard in ages as the windows are rolled down by those waiting. So now I look forward to playing the game which spot is the furthest from the door. I encourage you for both your mental and physical health to see where you can take an extra step in your HealthFULL Journey. 'Til we meet again. . .

Tennis, Anyone?

Tennis is an intriguing sport. First off I love the scoring. What other game do the rivals start off with Love/Love? Fantastic! Each player is allowed a bubble space and I am a girl who likes her space. And to top it off you are each handed a weapon. Wonderful sport! Cor and I live in a nice neighborhood where we have access to tennis courts that we certainly don't take advantage of enough. However, here in South Carolina we are having some gorgeous days. I am from the North. When you are having a gorgeous autumn day with leaves changing bright colors and the temperature edging toward the eighties, one has got to enjoy the outside. So we grabbed our rackets and hit the court. Now part of the reason this is a great game for us is that we are somewhat evenly matched in our tennis abilities. And to you let you in on what part of the talent spectrum we belong, let's just say we won't be plannin' any doubles matches with Stefi and Andre anytime soon ;) Since we are just getting back into the rhythm of tennis we didn't keep score. But let's say we definitely were playing with some "Love"! Tennis is quite deceiving. You look at the court and go wow can someone really work up a sweat playing this itty-bitty square. Answer: Absolutely! You vow to play "friendly". I already mentioned you start off speaking love. But then there is something about seeing that obnoxious little neon bouncy ball come flying towards you. While your eyes focus on the whistling missile coming straight at you; a tightening starts in the gut that explodes and fires through your tendons through your racket. Your mission becomes "HIT that ball away!" - as quickly and as forcefully as possible. Then a calmness falls over you as you hear the satisfying ting of the racket strings connecting to the rubber enemy and watch it sail back over the net, safely away from your well-marked bubble. I can hear the applause now. Sometimes though the celebration ends quickly because here comes that irritating little enemy once again. Instinct takes over and you leap, pounce, and swing with all you've got. This rhythm continues. Until your body just hits that wall. The ball comes sailing over the net and your body turns to stone. There is no leaping, there isn't even reaching. You just watch the ball bounce and then roll away. That's when you look back at your tennis buddy and go, "Done?" and the usual answer "Yup!" You both walk to the net shake hands and go "Great game!" Ahh the beautiful civility to it all. May you have a partner who helps you enjoy the Love/Love of your HealthFULL Journey. And never underestimate the peace that abounds after whacking a fuzzy little ball with that satisfying ting! 'Til we meet again. . .

The Dreaded Green

The vegetable of the week is one that I have dreaded trying! You have all heard of it. Many claim to dislike them. The veggie of the week is. . . . (Can you hear the theme to Jaws?) Brussels Sprouts!!!!!!!!!! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! And you know what? They actually are delicious, and super cute. Now for those of you who are like; count me out. Have you actually tasted a Brussels Sprout? Or even seen a Brussels Sprout? It is one of those vegetables many claim as disgusting and horrible to eat. Words get passed around until everyone is claiming the same opinion, without anyone actually tasting the offender. Or some of you have claimed the Brussels Sprout as your nemesis because you have tried Brussels Sprouts and they were awful. If this sounds like you I read a book awhile back with a cook who said something along the lines, "If you don't like Brussels Sprouts then you are cooking them wrong." Some helpful hints I have gathered in my research is don't buy/prepare frozen Brussels Sprouts. You will end up with a soggy mess every time. If your Brussels Sprouts are gray when you are about to eat them; put the fork down and walk away. Those are either way overcooked or were not a good product from the start. Look for bagged Brussels Sprouts in the produce section with tight leaves, a hefty weight , and bright green. The Brussels Sprout has got the cute factor going on as they look like miniature cabbages with a beautiful shade of green. The taste in raw form near the stem reminded me of cauliflower. That bitter earthy flavor. When we prepared our Brussels Sprouts we trimmed the edge by whacking off the ends and shredded the miniature cabbages. The shredding was quite a relaxing action. We then added a little spice and a smidge of sesame oil and soy sauce then mixed up in our handy wok. The final dish had a great rich nutty flavor to the Brussels Sprouts. We discussed a little extra crunch from a toasted nut would have been perfect. We'll just have to try it next time. Because there will definitely be a next time for the Brussels Sprouts in our house. Don't be scared to try things on your own HealthFULL Journey, even if others claim dislike. You aren't others. Be proud to be you and discover your own tastes as you travel and explore on your HealthFULL Journey. Remember FULL means to Fully Understand Life by Living. So explore, have fun, and Live Healthy. 'Til we meet again.

For you a Fuyu

A what? A fuyu persimmon, which we chose as our trial fruit of the week. We tried it out as a snack and ate it in its raw form. A fuyu persimmon is not the typical astringent persimmon. A fuyu is known as non-astringent. An astringent persimmon should not be consumed until ripened which it can do under room-temperature. The persimmon can become a gorgeous bright orange color. Think the brightness of oranges mixed with the deep, rich tone of pumpkins. This fruit pares well with the whole autumn palette. That intense of an orange was the color I saw of the persimmons when I was choosing between the average persimmon and the fuyu persimmon. The color difference was that the fuyu was much lighter in color and kind of a cute squatty shape. The fuyus I picked out resembled tomatoes. The flesh starts off a little softer than the persimmon that is shaped like a skinny acorn or resembled Roma tomatoes. The flavor is quite intense and unique. If you do not like sweet flavors I would warn you to either stay away or take small nibbles. I have quite a sweet tooth and even I found the "sweet" factor overwhelming. The flavor starts out very mild. The fuyu persimmon we chose reminded me of a nectarine just starting to ripen, both in texture and flavor. After reading some tidbits; the articles suggested when consuming the persimmon raw that many people avoid the peel. So we cut into the persimmon and ate the wedges like a cantaloupe, chewing the fruit and leaving the peel alone. The core of the persimmon was edible, but not flavorful. As you bite deeper into the fruit, the taste intensifies in sweetness. The aftertaste finished like a sweet melon, refreshing with a sweet twist. Now this might be my imagination, but the more I ate the more I could pick out a cinnamon flavor. This could very well be a power of suggestion as I think a persimmon sounds closely like cinnamon and I naturally link the two together. As I said in the beginning, this was an interesting taste. It has some unique flair. It would be interesting to match this fruit with a bitter green as in a salad combination. Or to cook down into a baked goodie with some drier grains. If you like sweet then definitely find your way to a persimmon. May your HealthFULL Journey bring sweetness Fu-yu :) 'Til we meet again. . .

Mappin' It Out!

Have you ever created a timeline for yourself? Once upon a time I was a confirmation mentor and we were asked to create a faith timeline. You can get as detailed as you want. We were given the advice to note key moments in our lives and then incorporate moments of faith. I am not quite finished with my new timeline as I want to include a lot of information and I also want to let my memories have a chance to surface. It is interesting to look at a couple pieces of paper and really see the patterns in our own life. My timeline consists of one piece of paper for every five years except from 1980 - 1990 on one sheet of paper as my memory is low for the first 10 years. I wrote my timeline in the middle of the paper. At the bottom of the paper I wrote where I was living and at top I wrote specific weights I could remember. On the timeline so far I have included the "big" events that many of us typically experience and would include: (deaths, marriages, births, graduations, moves). What I am waiting to finish is the small moments that were just personal to me. We all have had a book, a movie, a drive, a random meeting that changes our outlook forever. I am letting those memories come forward. So far seeing the timeline progress is interesting. There are memories that I wouldn't mind staying hidden and some have been fun to remember. Just seeing events on paper is eye-opening and very healing. Which is why I started the mapping of my past. If I truly want to embrace the healthier lifestyle and make my future a truly HealthFULL Journey I felt I had to remember the past. I wanted to see where certain choices became part of my daily routine. Perhaps by seeing the past I can truly understand why certain rituals are so strong and were used to serve a purpose that I no longer can grasp. I highly suggest you map out your past. It's a great tool to reintroduce you to . . . yourself. May you move forward in your HealthFULL Journey with your head held high and appreciate your past that got you to the now. 'Til we meet again. . .

H-2-O

Howdy everybody, This post is going to be short, but I wanted to check in. When looking back at my checklist I would have to say the biggest and most consistent life change I have made is drinking water. I am doing great on keeping hydrated by drinking water and very little else. I still may have the occasional diet soda, but that is all it is. I don't NEED soda. I even have trouble finishing a full can within an hour when I used to be able to guzzle a full can within five minutes. We have been eating out quite a bit lately as we had some celebrations and visitors. I can notice the way I peruse a menu that I have certainly made some life changes nutritionally. Drinking water out used to not even be a consideration. The waiter barely glances in my direction before I voice my choice of beverage - good ol' H2O. I try to venture new cuisines and take note of the variety of salads. Where I used to base my choice on sides of mashed potatoes and fries, I now seek out steamed or grilled veggies. I try to shrink my meal instead of super-size the entree. I seek out the smaller portion and add a salad. I can feel when I am not drinking as much water. I can't believe only a couple of months ago that I consumed less than 25% of what has become my daily water intake. I hope that I as I work on my checklist for Health that the other goals become as natural to my life as drinking water. May your HealthFULL Journey allow you chances to explore. 'Til we meet again. . .

Somedays are just Ruff!

Well confession time. I didn't get to the gym twice this week, but at least I got there once for an hour workout as I attended my second Zumba class. However, I am happy to report that the gym was not my only exercise for the week. My hubby and I are trying to get more regular at walking our precious baby canine. We had some rainy days that we chose not to brave but otherwise we try to give our Belle a little freedom. Miss Belle, our one year old possible German Shepard - Basset Hound mix puppy is benefiting from our new lifestyle. She can sense when we are beginning the walk prep. As we begin to gather the necessary items, tennis shoes, doggy treats, plastic bag, and a house key. Belle begins the Wiggle Waddle. Her wiggle to the left followed by an excited hop. It must be her way of stretching before the great work-out. Then she almost loses her mind as we reach for her leash. It seriously can take two minutes to calm down her wiggling enough to attach the leash to her collar. Once we are ready we head out the door. She helps me get excited to go for the walk and to appreciate our surroundings. Somehow I have started to take for granted our beautiful, peaceful neighborhood. I begin to notice the small changes like new seasonal decorations, planting of new bushes, tricycles traded out for bicycles. The little things that don't register when rushing off to a new appointment or returning home after a long day. For Belle the walks are always a new adventure and not the certain rhythm we found following the same route. I believe to her it must be new discoveries, adventurous smells, and exciting finds. To me the walk is exercise and something on a to-do list. Until Belle makes me stop. That's right, Belle paces the walk. My favorite time to take our walks is late in the evening. There is a coolness to the air and the nighttime sky is gorgeous with a bright moon and millions of twinkling lights. It is one of the rare times the neighborhood is quiet. In the determined stop of our puppy my husband and I really appreciate what surrounds us. We catch the neighborhood cats hidden in their yard designs. We giggle as Belle tries to catch a frog yet again or finds her favorite snack, sun-fried worms, BLECH! - But she loves them. It gives us a time to catch up on each-other's daily adventures. And with a little pulling and tugging and sometimes a short jog we are sad to realize that our mile and half jaunt is done. So though there are days I feel overwhelmed or just not in the mood for a walk I am grateful I have a puppy who holds me accountable. If I want to truly experience the HealthFULL Journey then I better at least take the first step, at least the first step with a leash attached to a puppy who is always ready-to-go. Enjoy your HealthFULL Journey and may you find a partner as encouraging and excited for your success as I have found. Keep Fully Understanding Life by Living, 'Til we meet again. . .

Let's get Seedy!!!

Once again I picked a "new" fruit to try this week. This is the first time I have actually tasted the "fruit". Where in the past I have experienced the flavor in juice form. This was the week I tried the pomegranate. My three words to describe this fruit would be Yum, Interesting, and Fun!

The nutritious value of this fruit is outstanding. If you are looking for antioxidants, potassium, phytochemicals, vitamin C, fiber, and the possibility to reduce dental plaque and lower bad cholesterol you can find all those benefits in a neat little package in this particular fruit. Yum, right? :)

This fruit is interesting to view. The color of the pomegranate falls between a deep pink with reddish tones. The outer skin/peel reminds me of an older regularly used baseball; when the leather looks worn, almost cracked. The size resembles an apple. After you have appreciated the outside and cut into this inedible peel is when things get interesting. If you have no knowledge of what to expect , you may take a peek inside the fruit and then throw away a perfectly good pomegranate. Why? Because it may appear fruitless. The pomegranate is filled with hundreds of seeds (roughly six hundred). The seeds are the fruit and they are packaged into clusters protected by white pulp. Unlike the white piths of oranges that have an almost cotton-like texture, the pomegranate's pulp has more of a plastic-like quality. The seeds are fun as they look like tiny jewels because of their intense color and bright sheen. The crunchy minuscule seeds are encased by juice balloons. It is like viewing hundreds of little presents wrapped in see-through balloons.

I chose to eat this fruit raw with little preparation and treated it like a dessert/snack. Extracting the fruit is super fun! There are several approaches one can take with this special packaging. There is the no-mess tactic where you place the halved fruit in a bowl of water that will naturally separate the pulpy membrane and the arils (seeds). Then just strain and scoop. But I was looking for the fun technique. I do suggest not wearing white when taking this next approach as pomegranate stains anything a deep pink almost instantly. To begin the "fun" (and quite messy) technique you remove the top of the fruit and then cut into the fruit four sections. Open the fruit but do not pull apart were the instructions I read. Flip the fruit over the bowl unto your palm and start smacking it with a spoon, releasing the seeds. WHAT FUN!!! I loved it. A way to get some aggression out. It was thrilling to see the pretty jewels fall from the fruit.

Now for the taste, YUM! When biting into these seeds it was like biting into mini-bubbles. You get the satisfying pop of juice which is sweet and finishes tart. Each bubble is quick and instant flavor. After biting into the seed, releasing the juice you are left with the crunchy seed. The seed might be the tart end - note. So as I said this fruit was Yum!, Fun!, and Interesting. . .

Highly Recommended when you are looking to rejuvenate your palate. Enjoy your own HealthFULL Journey as you discover new flavors for yourself. 'Til we meet again. . .

Countin' My Pennies

Sometimes us everyday people want things instantly, situations perfect, and deserve everything or nothing at all. I fall into these mental traps. It is almost too easy to start thinking ONE negative thought. Then that ONE negative thought becomes two, then three, and then it snowballs into you having a bad day, week, month, and well, you get the picture. So when we are changing our lifestyles we have to be on guard for those creepy crawly negative thoughts that slip their way sneakily into our thoughts. These negative thoughts have a way of either slowing our progress or downright demolishing our goals. If the scene can't be perfect, why even try? If I mess up one day, why even bother with the others? Sounds familiar if you personalize the message. I ate a piece of cake so my diet is shot anyway. I didn't make it to the gym today so I'll never lose the weight and should give up. I failed the math test so I should drop the class. I messed up the meeting so I'll never get promoted. Ahhh starting to ring some bells, right? Negative thoughts can hide beneath temptation, deception, fear, shame, guilt, depression, and a million other feelings that can consume your thoughts. And when you are trying to change your life for the better in any area these icky emotions have a way of shaking up your confidence and determination. So as I try to be proactive in my HealthFULL Journey I was trying to think of something that would help me edge out the bad thoughts and focus more on the good strides made from good choices. I came up with the penny jar. I have been listening to a new podcast which is very motivation. I believe the title is the No Excuse Weight Loss with Jonathan Roche. (I will have to double-check the name). He made an interesting point that when we are focusing on our health. It is like building a house. When we make a good choice we are strengthening our house with a brick. When we choose an option not benefitting our health it is like taking A brick away. So if we are working hard making a ton of progress. Getting healthy, getting fit, eating smart, and choose to have one cookie. The HealthFULL Journey isn't over! We all get to that point I want it ALL OR NOTHING! That is impossible to keep up. We are human and get tired, hungry, and downright frustrated. So yes it is okay to have one cookie as a choice and we should be aware that yes a cookie or two might slow the progress of weight loss and improving health. But one cookie shouldn't stop the WHOLE process. So to create a visual for myself. I have a glass vase in my kitchen (the room where I will probably be making most of my "choices"). Every time I make a healthy choice, (get a full night's sleep, drink water, eat a healthy snack, choose extra movement) I drop a penny in the vase. If I CHOOSE to eat a dessert or miss the day's movement or don't get to the gym in the FULL week I take a penny away. I pay myself and collect from myself daily. So whatever sins are committed they are done and paid when I move into the next day. But the rewards continue. When I collect enough I am going to treat myself to something that will continue to enhance my HealthFULL Journey. I've only started to Count My Pennies, but it already has helped me to focus on the fun of finding healthier alternatives. It also has pushed aside the Negative Roadblock. Hope you are Countin' Your Pennies and leaving the Negative Roadblock behind. Enjoy your HealthFULL Journey! 'Til we meet again. . .

Which vegetable pulls at your Heart?

Hearts of palm, of course! Can you guess the vegetable of the week? If you guessed Heart of Palm you would be correct. They sure are tasty! This entry is going to be short because I feel I cheated a bit on the new vegetable as it was not prepared in our own kitchen by myself or my hubby. I let a restaurant take on the weekly task and feel I am halfway trying something new. I feel part of introducing the new "healthy treat" of the week should be prepared in my own kitchen. As part of the problem of not eating healthier is being intimidated by the unfamiliar factor. In the future, I will try to keep it prepared within my sight at the very least. If you like artichoke hearts you will be fond of the Heart of palm. It is also an extremely healthy veggie to consume according to the information found on nutritiondata.com which included the following statement. Hearts of Palm are a good source of Protein, Riboflavin and Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Copper and Manganese. The Hearts of Palm has a hearty almost strong texture that falls into the stalk vegetable family - think asparagus and celery as relative cousins. The taste is similar to artichoke hearts. I sampled this new veggie in a huge salad mix with a ton of vegetables. The hearts of palm were easy to single out with their salty and tangy taste. I highly encourage you to grab this tasty treat to elevate any salad you plan to create. It will bring some meatiness, a whole of tanginess, and a little bit of fancy to the table. Hope you are enjoying your own HealthFULL Journey. 'Til we meet again. . .

Winners never quit and quitters never win!

Have you ever heard this expression before?

Winners never quit and quitters never win!

If we apply logical reasoning to this popular saying, one cannot be both a winner and a quitter. If I had to choose a team. I may have to be on the Quitters team. And if I am completely honest, maybe even captain of the Quitters team. However, I am working hard to be on the Winners team, even if it means only as a bench - warmer.

I never mean to quit. But then, it is hard to believe anyone starts a project, works toward a goal, commits themselves fully to an idea in hopes of not finishing. I even try to rationalize my reasons for dropping out, sometimes I even convince myself it is for heroic reasons. That by my stepping down I am allowing others the chance to win, lead, or at least finish. That by fading into the background I am choosing to be noble. Truthfully, it is easier to drop the ball early in the race then to get to crunch time and risk failing. Risk disappointing those who were counting on a flawless performance.

I wring my hand at the thought of disappointing others. There is only one other feeling that I hate to stir up in others even more than disappointment is knowing that I did something to cause someone else to become upset. I like people to feel calm, soothed, and downright comfortable around me. Which is why I believe I choose to avoid personal confrontation like the bubonic plague. Absolutely there are some fights worth fighting! Those fights may include helping others lead improved lives which I have stood toe to toe in some of those battles and happily would do so again. But when it comes to personal goals and battles I usually have chosen to sweep my half-hearted attempts under the rug. If I truly want to attain a firm grasp on living a HealthFULL life by traveling my HealthFULL Journey then I have to start finishing some races (regardless of if I place last or first) and most importantly see my actions completed. Not everything I have to offer will be perfect, but I will see my actions through from beginning to end.

As I close, let me share one of my first goals I plan to accomplish. I am raising five hundred dollars for the March of Dimes. This started as a charity my office chose to support. I felt it would be easier to rally behind by making it personal. I sent out letters and emails announcing my plans to participate in the March for Babies that took place in April 2009. I chose to March in honor of five wonderful women that I am privileged to call friends who were pregnant at that time (months later the world has welcomed four beautiful girls and one handsome boy). I also Marched in memory of a little boy that left us far too soon at the age of fifteen months, but left a profound footprint upon many hearts, especially mine. As the March neared, I was super nervous if I would be able to complete the fully anticipated six miles (they ended up shortening the length to four miles, whew!). I did finish the March for Babies and was pleased that I raised $350 of my anticipated $500. That is seventy percent! I felt pleased at my respectable effort.

Well one hundred days ago my family was greeted with an amazing miracle, my youngest niece. As of October 1st, 2009, she is still a week away from her original due date of October 8th, 2009. That's right! Our family's smallest miracle entered the world according to her schedule. Because of some of the March of Dimes funded research my family is directly benefiting from their passionate research and outreaching efforts. Because of organizations like March of Dimes my precious niece can experience the best of care even while starting off with such a fragile beginning. In honor of her I feel I need to see this goal to the full $500. I would love to be an aunt that can show all my nieces and nephews that we don't have to finish first but we should always complete the race. I am currently 82% of my goal at $410. Perhaps there are nine people who can donate ten dollars to this worthwhile cause and help me both honor one of my "newest" heroes while also motivating me further along my own HealthFULL Journey.

If you would like to help complete the goal of $500 in honor of my family's littlest miracle, please go to www.marchforbabies.org/SuzySullivan . Also if you have any comments, questions, or topic suggestions and would rather not share them publicly you can email me at HealthFULLjourney@gmail.com .

Thank you for meeting me here on my HealthFULL Journey. 'Til we meet again. . .

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race.

I have kept the faith. -- 2 Timothy 4:7