Enjoying the PENT-house

I love THINKING lessons. I have a new favorite science game that exercises the brain. One of the tips it gave me to improve brain health is to avoid thoughts of obligation, encouraged having a  lighthearted attitude, and an enjoyable life. Cool ‘eh?!? I loved this! Just another confirmation of the way of thinking I believe we were made for.

I love the word, “Repent.” I’ve learned that “-pent” is the same meaning where we get the word “penthouse.” “Repent” means to “return to the high way of thinking.” My poor little flabby brain was weak because I of how I believed in the past.  I believed, "I am what I do."   So happy to “return to the high place.”  The High place is seeing things from the perspective that God sees.  Sounds really noble, but it is really difficult.  To see ourselves the way God sees us takes great humility.  Humility is always thought to be lowly, but remember in God's Kingdom, everything is topsy-turvy!  The high place IS humility.  To believe about ourselves who God says we are returns us to his way of thinking.  I am so glad his ways were higher than my ways and his thoughts were higher than my thoughts.  I'm so thankful he lifts me up to see things from his pent house.  Too good.  Just too, too good!

For brain and body health, I cast out thoughts like the following:

• That I’m worth less because of my physical appearance.
• Cast out regret for “letting myself go.”
• No “If Only…” self talk.
• Not allowing myself to feel overwhelmed because I get bogged down with how I need to improve.
• Opinions of others thinking I’m less than.
• Put pressure on myself to get results.

Thoughts like these have done nothing but delay my journey.

I will change my way of thinking, return to the high place, and see me for the real me.
 
Nutritional Nugget:

Five More Tips To Add Fruits and Vegetables From the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
eatright.org

 
1. Keep cut vegetables handy for mid-afternoon snacks, side dishes, lunch box additions or a quick nibble while waiting for dinner. Ready-to-eat favorites: red, green or yellow peppers, broccoli or cauliflower florets, carrots, celery sticks, cucumbers, snap peas or whole radishes.

2. Place colorful fruit where everyone can easily grab something for a snack-on-the run. Keep a bowl of fresh, just ripe whole fruit in the center of your kitchen or dining table.

3. Get saucy with fruit. Puree apples, berries, peaches or pears in a blender for a thick, sweet sauce on grilled or broiled seafood or poultry, or on pancakes, French toast or waffles.

4.  Add color to salads with baby carrots, grape tomatoes, spinach leaves or mandarin oranges.

5.  Stuff an omelet with vegetables. Turn any omelet into a hearty meal with broccoli, squash, carrots, peppers, tomatoes or onions with low-fat sharp cheddar cheese.

And With a View of Journey's End

It is nice to be in a place on the journey where the only reasons I eat are because  I need nourishment and just for the pure, simple pleasure of it.

Enjoying life… What a concept!

The goal and place of rest is to have no consciousness of fat or food. Food adds to my enjoyment of life, but it is not my life. 

The “nucleus” of chaos, confusion, and distraction is a sly little temptation that says, “If you are _____, then _____.” It’s a sneaky one this thought. If you are somebody, then PROVE it by losing weight, exercising, eating better, etc. etc. etc.  Becoming and doing sounds so noble to those who are still sleeping. No wonder it was a snake who brought this temptation to Adam.

 There is no magic formula, but these are things I think about that keep me from following into a food trap and the lie that I am only valuable if...

• Remind myself daily that I’m worthy of health.
• I’m worth taking a walk/run in the morning.
• Going to bed at a decent time to get enough rest is good for me.
• Buying more whole and healthful foods at the store is what I really want, and it is okay for me to have what I really want.  Then I make plans of how I want to eat it.

• Drink water and more water.
• Write down foods I eat and monitor my calorie intake on paper to give me a proper perspective. 
• Patience with myself.
• No pressure or expectations on myself to get results.
    I'm good enough, smart enough, and dog gone it, people like me. 

This journey has been more about skinning up the insides and it is exciting to think how the physical will follow.  When I’m distraction free, I feel like I’m already at the end of this journey and this is what it feels like.

• No more fear of failure.
• No eating for stress or comfort.
• No eating for boredom.
• Habits are changed.
• Pressure-free eating.

At the journey's end, food adds to my enjoyment of life. I can’t remember the pangs of being fat. It feels like “that wasn’t so bad.”  Remembering being fat as if it was just a dream and never a reality.

I lost another 3 pounds.

Nutritional Nugget: 

Five Tips to add more fruits and vegetables from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 

eatright.org

1. Variety abounds when using vegetables as pizza topping. Try broccoli, spinach, green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini.
2. Mix up a breakfast smoothie made with low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana.
3. Make a veggie wrap with roasted vegetables and low-fat cheese rolled in a whole-wheat tortilla.
4. Try crunchy vegetables instead of chips with your favorite low-fat salad dressing for dipping.
5. Grill colorful vegetable kabobs packed with tomatoes, green and red peppers, mushrooms and onions.

Eating In The Pressure Cooker.

I found another one I meant to post in June....

I was doing well and enjoying my new healthful habits. I was exercising more, sleeping better, choosing more healthful food choices, and losing weight. Then I went through two weeks of stress because of my job. It’s routine that the inspectors come at least once a year to sniff out deficiencies and help us become more excellent, but that doesn’t make it any less stressful. I know that one day, I’ll be able to walk through times like these without pressure at all. Currently, I am not there, and I’m just fine with that.

Not only was the stress dreadful for my brain and body, but the schedule that went with it was hard on my diet and exercise regimen that I so enjoyed. I was thankful for the lessons on patience that I have learned. I allowed myself to “get through it” without putting added expectations that I MUST lose weight this week. I still made good choices when I could, but I just maintained my weight during this time.

I’m finally back to life as usual and once again enjoying sneaking in exercise and monitoring my diet to help me lose weight. I was happy to see how kind I was to myself. I’ve come a long way. I used to think it was the right thing to put pressure on myself.  Now I see the LIFE in resting.  I’m very excited to get back dropping the poundage.

Oh and by the way, I was deficiency free!   (It never pays to worry.)  

Bread of Life.

There is no flaw in you.  Can you believe that?   It's TRUE!

Nutritional Nugget

Raw eggs are yucky. I know Rocky did it, but not only is it a big salmonella risk, but raw eggs bind up a B vitamin called biotin. I’m in favor of cooked eggs!