BONUS!

A quick reminder:

The Let's Get Healthy Giveaway ends tonight at Midnight!

Those of you reading, leave me a little comment-y love here for a BONUS entry!

The Spirit You Had Known

Do you remember what it was like to be a child?

To be able to run without stopping.

And when the time came that your body could take no more,

one quick little nap and you were back up and on your way again?

Infinitely excited.

Always moving and stretching and reaching out.

Can we go back to that? 

I want to feel the need to run and not stop.

To keep going, even when things don't go as planned.

To have the energy of a child again.

I don't think it's impossible.

Quick Workout

How easy is that?

Just a few minutes and you're doing something good.

Do it a couple times a day, it's minimal time and better than nothing!

Workout Song of the Week #3

 

This week's song:

Apple Bottom Jeans 

by T-Pain

I really do have the most eclectic love of music.

I find this one is super fun to work out with, because you move to the beat.

I like to shake my apple bottom butt to the beat.  haha

Hope you enjoy it!

Don't forget to link up!

Fat Ass Friday #4

Hey lovelies!  I'll admit, I wasn't nearly as focused this week as I should have been, and even caught myself snacking after 8 one night, and doing the whole grazing thing instead of eating a real dinner.  BAD! Grazing is terrible, and eating after 8 is something I've decided is a no-no.  Blah! This week I'm going to focus on paying more attention to what I put in my mouth, and sitting down for actual food instead of eating on the go.

On an up-note-I found a new pretty sundress that I'm in big puffy hearts with.  I LOVE shopping with Julie and Elisa, they basically said "BUY THAT" when I had doubts after trying it on.  I'm glad they did, it's so cute!

It looks a lot like this, only purple with a  slightly different pattern:

So now I need to work on exercising more, so I can look even more cute in it!

In case you missed it:

• Tuesday I encouraged you to stop saying "I wish" and start saying "I will"
• Monday I offered you RESPECT to work out to.  Respect yourself!
• Wednesday I made it clear that I'M NOT ON A DIET.

You should see:

• Joshwaa talkd about Your Shape Fitness and how it helps him work out.
• Bernie took a Zumba Class and reviewed it in: Zumba Kicked My Assa
• Beth wrote a great post about Counting Calories and the benefits.
• Jenn posted about purging the house of "Trigger Foods." I think I'll do this too!

How did you do this week?

Don't forget to link up with Brandy for Fat Ass Friday.

Who Says Eating Healthy Can't Be Delicious?

Just look at all the colors nature provides in it's food:

Now doesn't that make you want to go eat healthy?
Mmmmmmmm... I hope you crave these now. :D

Also, don't forget the giveaway!

I'm NOT On A Diet

Diet's don't work.

I hate to break it to you, but diets are like trying to put a band-aid over a bullet hole and call it good.  If you really want to change your life for the better, it's a lifestyle.  You have to eat healthy, not just diet. I'm making a lifestyle change that I can stick with for the rest of my life.  I want to be healthy, and happy.  How about you?

Don't forget to enter the Let's Get Healthy Giveaway!

I WILL

I wish I was fit.

I will be fit!

I wish I ate healthier.

I will eat healthier.

I wish I could get out and be more active.

I will be more active!

I wish I could fit in smaller clothing.

I will fit in smaller clothing!

I wish I wasn't fat.

I will be thin!

I wish I could reach my goals.

I will reach my goals!

I wish this were easier.

I will survive the hard parts and come out stronger! 

(Don't forget to enter the giveaway!) 

Workout Song of the Week #2

 

This week's workout song is taking us back to my teenage years, but you really should respect yourself and make everyone else respect you too! Enjoy! 

Percentages

Happy Saturday!

Fat Ass Friday #3

It's time for the weekly update! I didn't eat as well as I wanted to this week, due to the fact that I was really broke, so I pretty much bought myself a loaf of bread and ate Peanut Butter and Jelly.  However, here are the positive things.  I am a shaper-top addict.  If I go out in public, chances are I'm wearing one, I just like the security it provides.  I went to the corner store without my shaper top, and I didn't feel like I was bulging over my jeans! I felt thinner! I'm even wearing my little sundress today and I feel pretty and like I've lost a little bit (however tiny an amount) of size.

Yes it's a bad bathroom mirror shot, but I look pretty!

I realized all these good things though.  I have been a NON-soda drinker for 6 months now! Also, I haven't had Candy in weeks.  I still crave the candy now and again, but the willpower is strong.  I don't crave soda at all, mostly just tea and water-which is good! :) Yay!

Anyway, in case you missed it, here are some of this week's highlights!

• Yesterday I announced my Let's Get Healthy Giveaway! You could win an entire box full of tools and goodies to help you on your goal to getting healthy.  I'm excited!
• I learned a valuable lesson about cheat weekends and how you shouldn't overdo them.
• I'm starting to link up with Musical Mondays and share workout songs every week.  This week was Starstrukk by 3OH 3! and Katy Perry.

Things I recommend you look at:

• Kri from And Kristina Dies in the End bared her soul and talked about her Krohn's Disease and why she's decided to finally start eating healthy in a post called Life as I Know It.  I'm so proud of you Kri!
• Kri also posted an inspirational post called Just Do It where she talked about her frustration with a Plateau and how ready she was to give up.  But she's not going to.
• Heather at Wellness Without Pity posted her story about Intentional Health 
• Amberly from Amberly Adventures posted her Weekly Wrap-Up about getting back into the swing of things, and offered some helpful suggestions that are helping her! 

 My question for you guys this week:

Have any of you done Weight Watchers?

Do you like it?

Also, how did you do this week?

Let's Get Healthy Giveaway!

 CLOSED! 

Winner is:
Firewife!
Congrats!

Everyone look for another giveaway soon! This was fun!

To celebrate starting this blog and making healthy lifestyle changes, I've decided that a giveaway is in order.  Don't you think?

One lucky reader will win a medium sized priority box filled with goodies and tools to help you on your healthy journey.  Sort of a grab-bag-surprise-but bigger and better.  It could have anywhere from books to clothes to Vitamins or healthy treats in it.  You wont know until you open it! :) How fun is that?  I'm so excited to fill this as full as I can and help you with your goals!  It'll be roughly a $30 value (could be more.)

To Qualify

You must be a follower of this blog. 

Not a follower? Click on the pretty little follow button to the right ~>

To Enter

Leave me a comment telling me that you are a follower, and listing your biggest reason for being or getting healthy.

Want Additional Entries?

Good, I've got them.
Please leave ONE comment listing ALL of the things you've done.
(except the twitter/facebook entries that can be done once or twice a day)

• "Like" Health NOT to Health NUT on Facebook (Leave a comment there instead, that is where I'll count it.) +3
• Put my button on your sidebar (code is to the right) +5
• Tweet about the giveaway +1 (can be done twice daily)

Let's get healthy! #giveaway over at Health NOT to Health NUT! @MySoCalledChaos @Greatgiveaways http://tinyurl.com/letsgethealthygiv

• Post about it on Facebook linking back to this post. +1 (can be done once daily)
• Follow me over at My So-Called Chaos too. +5
• Blog About it. Leave me a link to the post in your comment. +10

Good luck!

Giveaway ends 06/30/2011 at 11.59PM MST

 Open to US & Canada residents.

Winner will be announced 07/01/2011 

& will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing info.

What I'm Loving

Here are some things that I am loving, while on my journey to getting healthy.

Whole Wheat toast, a little Mayo, Tomatoes, Salt & Pepper.

Heaven! This is what says Summer to me.

The Brita Filter Pitcher.

Seriously, the filtered water is so refreshing and cold!

This stuff is SO yummy. 
Every time I have a sweet tooth, it cures it.

Almond Butter on an Apple.
Absolutely fantastic in every way!



What are you loving?
Any secret weapons to share?

A Cheat Weekend In Review

I learned a very valuable lesson this weekend.

Having a cheat day is all well and good (I'd recommend it) but overdoing your cheat day will leave you miserable.  As in, my body is not used to the bad food anymore (since I've been eating good food) and so I had a very sick stomach all of Saturday night... Yuck!

Saturday we went to the Farmers Market, so I allowed myself to indulge a little on things I'd been looking forward to all year long.  That would be a real french cherry turnover from Pierre Country Bakery and a cookie from RubySnap.   I also had an amazing caramelized waffle with fresh strawberries and creme fresche from Bruges Waffles & Frites and it was amazing!

The worst part was that I was with friends and they chose where to have lunch, which ended up being KFC.  I'm pretty sure that's what made me the sickest, as my body never liked a lot of grease and this time was triple the usual ickiness I feel.  Blech!

Lesson learned, no more overdoing it on a cheat day.  I want to allow myself a treat and not suffer from it. 

How was your weekend?

Did you give yourself a cheat day?

Workout Song of the Week

So I've decided to start linking up with Musical Mondays over at my other blog My So-Called Chaos.  But over here, I'm going to post songs that I like to work out to.  Great idea, right? This should be fun!

This week's song:

StarStrukk
by 3OH 3 featuring Katy Perry

I would have posted the real video, but embedding is disabled.  Lame-sauce.

You can go see the real music video HERE.

I love this song, especially when I get to the leg/heel lifts part of the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.  It's high energy and keeps me moving! Huzzah! 

What are you working out to this week?

Go link up!

Farmers Market

The Downtown SLC Farmers Market opens today!

Seriously, during the summer it's my favorite part of the week.  Not only do I get to be in the fresh air, walk around a lot, but I also get to mingle with other free spirits and natural food lovers and buy really good food for myself! 

It makes me happy.

Completely and utterly.

Catch you on the flip side, you know where I'll be.

☮ & ♥

Fat Ass Friday

Well, I'm still a Fat Ass, but I have been seriously making progress on the eating healthy thing.  Yum! I've only had one day I would consider bad, and I made up for some of it by trying to hula hoop for about 45 mintues.  I suck so bad.  But look at my new love: 

Isn't she pretty?  I just SUCK so bad at it! 

One of these days I'll need to weigh in... I have just been avoiding the scale because I'm avoiding getting discouraged.  I'll just go with feeling better for now.

In case you missed this weeks really good posts, here are the highlights:

• Yesterday I recommended that you Change the Way You Think because your success is going to start in your head!
• Tuesday, was Coffee: How Beneficial is it? Where we talked about the potential health benefits.  I'm a big coffee lover.
• And Monday I suggested a yummy and healthy Cucumber Snack suggestion!

What I also recommend you look at:

• The lovely Bree shared this link talking about making your own iced coffee concentrate for cheap.  (It's sitting at home so I can try it this weekend) It looks YUMMY!
• Beth at Living a Goddess Life offered some Tips for Eating Healthy that I found very useful.  You should check them out.

How did you guys do this week?

Change The Way You Think

It's mind over matter people.

If you think negative things, you're going to feel negative and have a harder time succeeding in your goals.

If you think positive things, you're more likely to feel positive and have positive results.

The next time you crave sweets or chocolate, pick up a piece of fruit and slowly savor it. The whole time you eat it, marvel over the complexity of the flavor, how sweet and refreshing it is.

Soon, you'll be craving all the wonderful sweet things nature offers you instead of fattening candies and cakes.  The more you think about the beauty you are partaking of, the more and more you'll come to realize it's what you want and need.  That other stuff?  Just fills your body with toxins that make you crave it unnaturally.

The next time you're running, jogging, exercising, or anything-think or speak positive things to yourself.  Tell yourself "This feels so good." even when it doesn't.  Eventually, you'll start to believe it, and after that-it will feel good!

If you constantly complain about how hard it is to yourself, you will always hate it.  You have to set your mind to thinking how amazing you feel when you work out.  Eventually the brain will start to believe it and you'll always want to be active.

The next time you pour yourself a glass of water, and put it to your lips, consciously think about how good you feel as you take it all in.  How smooth your skin feels, how your aching muscles and organs feel quenched by it's purity. Feel it filling you with life.

The more descriptive words you put with the experience, the more likely you are to think and feel that every time you put these things into your body.  When putting good things in your body makes you feel good, you will always want to do it.  It's a beautiful and amazing thing how much power the mind has over the rest of you.  Enjoy it, savor it, love it and be healthy along the way!

So think about it, change the way you think and you will change your body!

 
So where will you start?

What are you going to start telling yourself to make a change?

Running

"Running is one of the best solutions to a clear mind"

- Sasha Azavedo

Coffee: How Beneficial Is It?

Coffee is a much debated topic around these parts.  One person listing off all of the reasons they think coffee is bad for you and the other side spouting off all of the reasons it is good for you.  It doesn't seem like anyone is middle ground, it's either bad or good, no gray area.

So what is the case here?  Is coffee good for you or is it bad for you? According to Web MD there is no hard facts on the matter, but most signs point to potential health benefits, and there is definitely more good than bad.

Studies show that people who drink coffee are less likely to get Type 2 Diabetes, Parkinsons Disease, and Dementia.  Researchers believe the fact that coffee is packed with antioxidants (remember the "Benefits of Berries" we talked about?) and minerals that can help lower glucose levels and regulate blood sugar.

Not to forget, theirs caffeine in coffee which gets you up and going and keeps you happy throughout the day.  It's a natural mood lifter, social drink, and diuretic-which means that it helps keeps things flowing naturally in your body.   

Let's not forget that before you add all the milk and sugar, coffee has almost no calories in it.  Isn't that awesome?  Plus if you limit it to only a tablespoon of cream, and a tablespoon of sugar-you're still generally under 50 Calories.

Plus, I'm a firm believer that coffee brings people together and there are so many different flavors and options!

Are you a coffee drinker?

What is your reasoning?

Flavored Cucumber Snack

Cucumbers are a very low calorie option for a snack, especially if you're in the munching mood.  Plus, they're high in fiber which means they'll keep your full longer and your body uses more calories during the digestion process.

You can slice them up and eat them like chips, chop them and mix with things, or you can wash them and bite right in.  However, what happens when you need a little bit more flavor?  Here are two excellent ideas that are still low calorie and add some extra flavor.

Lemony Cucumbers - Thinly slice up your cucumber(s) and place it in a bowl, pour lemon juice (or squeeze some fresh lemons) over them, sprinkle with salt and stir together.  This is a great treat for eating right away! 

Balsalmic Cucumbers: Thinly slice your cucumber into a bowl and saturate with Balsamic Vinaigrette.  This is best if you soak it for a day and then eat it.  You can also keep a bowl of them in the fridge to eat out of at any time!

True Story

You ARE Awesome.

Stop being sad by the little things you fail.

Start loving yourself for the things you do that are awesome.

Plus, NPH is my hero. =)

Fat Ass Friday

Ok, it's Fat Ass Friday, and no I did not weight myself.  Ha! 

Anyway, I did restart my 21 days as I said I was going to on Wednesday.

So far, I'm doing pretty well.  I've also found a new secret weapon.

I am in love love love with the Honey noosa. It is AMAZING.  

It is a little higher on the carbs for Yoghurt, BUT-it's better than a candy bar.

I'm going to use it for when I need to curve sweets cravings. 

I recommend you try it.  It's amazing.

I think that this less strict plan is much better.

I feel more likely to succeed. :)

How are you doing in your progress?

Red Wine & Your Health

My roommate told me recently about his coworker who had high cholesterol.  Within the span of three months he'd dropped it by 100 points and when the doctor looked at him in shock because he hadn't prescribed him anything, the coworker told him the only change he'd made was to drink a glass of red wine, three times a week.

I also had a coworker a while back who was a big supporter of red wine, and she had mentioned that certain types of Pinot Noir had been proven to lead to longer strands of DNA-which could mean longer life.  Wonder if it's true? Look HERE.  Apparently Italian scientists have found over two million genetic varients within the Pinot grape.   Amazing? Quite possibly.

This made me wonder what other possible health benefits red wine might have.  So here's what I found:

•  Heart Health - Isn't it curious how the wine drinking countries in Europe have high fat diets, but a really low record of heart related illnesses and attacks.  The antioxidants in red wine seem to protect the lining of the blood vessels in your heart.  Studies have shown that it reduces your risk of heart and cardiovascular disease.
• Resveratrol - This is found in Red Wine and helps prevent certain DNA mutations that lead to Cancer.  It also thins the blood which helps prevent blood clots and strokes.  Studies have also shown that it helps prevent Dementia and Alzheimer's.
• Restful Sleep - Research shows that some types of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Merlot, etc.) contain Melatonin.  So drinking a glass of wine before bed may help you sleep.
• Healthy Lungs - The University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain found that each glass of red wine per day reduced the risk of lung cancer by 13%.
• Cold Preention - In Spain, researchers found that people who drank red wine were 44% less likely to get colds than people who didn't.

As in all things, Moderation is key.  Red wine has all of these amazing benefits, if you drink it in moderation.  Too much red wine can lead alcoholism, obesity, high blood pressure, liver damage, etc.  Please drink responsibly.

Other Sources:
10 Health Benefits of Red Wine - Eat This
Red Wine and Health - Health Tree
Red Wine and Resveratrol: Good for your heart? - Mayo Clinic
All images from we♥it

Are you a wine person?

What's your favorite? 

Can I Call a Re-Do?

For those of you following, you probably know I started this blog when I started my 21 day challenge.  Well that's not going so well at the moment... My first week went well, but then the last few days have been terrible-I feel like I'm falling way out of sync with the plan-which throws off actually forming a habit.

So I'm calling a "do-over"

I'm starting my 21 days all over again, from this point forward I'm going to work on making that lifestyle change happen, but with minimal cheating and no more completely wasted days.

Don't get me wrong, I learned quite a bit from the first attempt-I'm already seeing a change in the water drinking and the food I choose to buy at the grocery store.  However, this time I'm choosing not to be so strict with myself-if I'm too strict I just get discouraged.  So here are the refined set of goals.

• Limit my candy/sweets.  Cutting it off entirely was just harsh.  So while I should still need to not eat them very often-as a small treat once in a great while is ok.
• Drink 8+ Glasses of water a day. Yes, I know I'm supposed to have a lot more than that (take your weight divide it by 2) but 8+ is a great starting point.
• Excersize at least 3 days a week for 30 minutes. I'm going to have to work my way up to every day.
• Keep making healthier choices when eating.  At the market, at the restaurant, etc.  Choose healthy food.

So there it is.  A little less limited, but much easier to succeed at while still forming a much better habit.  Here we go!