Ambition Trap

Very often along the journey, I find things are going so well that I get a little ambitious.    Zeal is a good thing unless it switches on self-effort mode.  I begin thinking, "Let's turn this jog into a sprint and get things done."   If I just change this or that, I could really speed things up.  It's like watching a cake bake.  Opening up the oven won't help it cook faster.  It makes the cake fall.  Just let the oven do its job.

The weight loss greed is a trap just waiting to trip me up and delay my journey.  I've been down that road and I know where it leads.....failure. I remember I can't do it----self-condemnation---discouragement---weight gain----   The dreaded cycle takes God to pull me out...again.

When Me, Myself, and I take over, I'm doomed to fail.  It's classic Rabbit from the Tortuous and the Hare.

If  I could do it, I would have, but it's the ego-me who got me into this mess.  It's the real me, the rested me, the slow-and-steady me who will walk out of this effortlessly. The solution is within.  I'm of the God-kind.  I remember who We are, together, and I rest.  This is my pace.

Really this wouldn't even be an issue if I was fully persuaded of who I am.  It is only with a lack mentality that a tripwire in the road is even possible.  I still believe a tiny bit that this is somehow about me.  I won't take the carrot if I am content.  And when I make it about me instead of resting in who I am, that is when I try to make things happen.  That is when I fall in the trap.  My mind returns to bondage, and my journey to health slows.

I must enjoy this journey one moment, one jog, one meal at a time.

To get in a hurry is only fruit of unrest.  To be unrested means the fleshly me is driving this body.  "She" doesn't live here any more.  REST IN PEACE----literally.

I will remember who I am.   I will remain present.  I will enjoy.  Patience.  Rest.  Slow and steady.
....Suddenly, I win and didn't even break a sweat. 

Nutrition Nugget

There are few flavors in this world that can really do it to me like fresh pineapple.  I  was intimidated by that big spiky fruit in the produce section for years.  Fresh pineapple takes me right back to St. Thomas where we went on our honeymoon.  I think I must have eaten my weight in pineapple. Fresh pineapple is my favorite, and so sweet and tart that  it is a great dessert for a meal.

Pineapple is really a fabulous fruit.  Not only is it yummy, but it has cool nutrition and functional food properties as well.  Pineapple contains vitamins A and C, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium, and it is high in fiber and carbs for a good energy source.  Pineapple contains enzymes that help breakdown protein.  That is why it is good to cook with meats but also dandy for digestion.  I also have read that this same enzyme helps decrease blood clots that are dangerous to us, but as always, I'm not sure sufficient research has been done on this.  But it still couldn't hurt to eat more pineapple.

 If you have ever been like me and intimated by pineapple, I'm here to help.  This is what you do....

Get a sharp knife, cutting board, and potato peeler or some sort of fruit scoop like a melon baller
Cut your pineapple at the top and bottom.
Slice off that skin.
Take the fruit scoop and dig out the skin pieces that were left behind.
Slice it in rings.
Take the knife and cut out the hard center.  You might need to push out the center after cutting.
I usually have to stop right there and eat a big juicy piece, but then I can cut it up into the pieces I want.  Enjoy!  Nutrition never tasted so good!

Enjoying the Present

Living in the present is one of the most life changing revelations I believe one can wake up to.  It means being content, rested, and just enjoying life.  But there are some simple pleasures that make living the present even more enjoyable when we look forward to them.  One of my favorite things about Christmas is the anticipation of it.  One of the best things about waking up in the morning is getting to try a new flavor of coffee that Santa Claus filled my stocking with this year.  And at the end of the day,  I look forward to some yoga pants. One of my all time Favorites mentioned how looking forward to parts of the daily routine helps her make it through the day as a mother of toddlers. 

Enjoying the present is such a big part of my weight loss journey. Maybe even more than I ever realized.   I enjoy reading recipes that might be tasty and healthful.  I like planning menus, and learning new things about health.  I also enjoy doing stuff in general a lot better because my energy level has increased.  I really think enjoyement IS Living in the present.

To think of where I NEED to be or place any sort of expectation on myself only brings counterproductive emotions.  I might feel overwhelmed or discouraged. If I let it go too far, I might even feel depressed until I'm in such a hole, it will take a right-minded person to throw me a lifeline.   Any negative emotion is only a warning light that I have a way of thinking contrary to reality.   I'm thankful for all emotions because they are indicators of where my heart is.  Happiness is an emotion and I believe an indicator that we are living in the present.  Resting. Inner peace.  Walking in peace...whatever you want to call it.

So I look forward to my yoga pants.  And I'll put on my tennis shoes.  Then I'll read my exercise plan and walk out the door or maybe Just Dance on the Wii with the boys.  I used to think exercise was something I MUST do to Be, and therefore it only reminded me of an imaginary bondage.   Now it's not a burden, but a pleasure.  It's part of my present.  Health can be and is enjoyable. 

What things do you enjoy that promote the freedom of health? 

Nutrition Nugget
I'm still hungry for soup.  We LOVE potato soup at our house.  It can be a super-quick crowd pleaser,  or a savory comfort food.  It can be dolled up healthfully of course.

The super quick, no mess potato soup.  Not amazingly nutritious, oh so yummy.

Boil A bag of frozen potatoes (Hash browns) with a little salt and some pepper.
Drain.  Add in some sour cream,  cheese and milk.  More pepper if needed.  Simmer carefully with stirring because of the milk.


But today I was thinking of a more healthful loaded potato soup.  I've made this before.

Dice potatoes and chop broccoli.  Boil together.  Maybe even throw in some diced carrots or celery.  Add a little salt and some pepper.  Add a little garlic and diced onions if you want.  Drain.  Add milk and throw in some cheese. If it isn't creamy enough,  add some low sodium cream of chicken.

Any potato soup can be powered up with puréed cauliflower.