Bread, Make it! Bake it! Satisfying

Bread making when done consistently as part of your weekly routine becomes a joy you look forward to.
Do you desire satisfaction, and joy? I think our creator intended we make our own bread. Men do it, women do it and some young ones do it.

Appreciation for Bread making was instilled when I was a child, she made bread and rolls each week. Such satisfaction and we loved her bread and rolls. I never had the opportunity to learn her recipe a real disappointment for sure. Yes, she took pride in providing the most tasty beautiful bread.
Over the years I have met bread bakers. Most occosaional. Yet, those that do it each week have satisfaction and joy.

Tips for great bread…

Add an egg, a bit of plain Greek yogurt, and honey.
a 1/3 cup of unbleached self rising flour so you get a natural bread not so dense.
consider replacing a cup of the flour w oatmeal.
use unbleached flour. More healthful. Why? Research Bleached flour.
making your own bread this way for sandwhiches, toast, French toast etc is a delight.
teach your young ones how to make bread and it takes more than once, a routine of it. Let them get good at it and enjoy it. Earn a little healthy esteem from accomplishing something good.
a bread machine or not?… If you have a bread machine use it. If you do not have a bread machine learn to work it in your own bowl. When busy I use a bread machine, when home I may or may not use the dough cycle of bread machine then raise in a large ceramic rectangular dish perfect for a bread loaf for sandwhiches.
Bread machines can be found like new at any good will as they are expensive, bought with good intentions or received as a gift. Then tossed off to a resale shop.

There are many reasons to make, making bread a regular occurrence in your home. I was delighted to see Rihanna Giddens one of my favorite singers post bread she had made. My appreciation for her rised like a perfect loaf. People whom make bread regularily seem more grounded and natural. Can you try to implement it in your routine?
Written by Gina Rydin

September, All is not at a Loss! Goalsetters, Get Ready!

September, the beginning of fall, where will it take thee’, where can I go…?

September is the fourth to the last month of the year. The ninth month of the year, we still have time. Time is still on our side, if we get busy now.

What goals did you have for 2022? We can still amp it up a bit and get good results. Take time to consider what you thought was important. Are those things still important? Here are a few to improve all aspects of life.

We still have four Fridays and Four Sundays. No, we really only have three Saturdays. Confounding really! This is Monday, September 5th, 2022.

We can put our time to good use. Here are twenty things we can do in September that will help make the next few months go smoother. Make life more enjoyable. We can improve family life and become more satisfied if we just try a few of these or all of them. I would love to hear if someone tries them all consistently til end of the year. Is anyone willing to try all twenty? Yea!!! We can do this!

1. Any outside special cleanup and repairs for our home, property And vehicles. You can make that punch list. Weatherizing before cooler weather. Mulching, glazing, window washing, pressure washing, minor repairs or major. Getting them done will just feel good. It is cool enough to paint the house or trip to improve overall look of the place.

2. Maintenance to lawnmower, bicycles, other equipment. Wash, pump up tires, check the belts, chains, and fluids.

3. Put a check mark on our calendar each day when we get a 20 min or better walk or workout done. A smiley face if you like.

4. Weigh once a week like Tuesday and put that number on your monthly calendar each week. A record to reflect on helps quarterly, or sooner if need be.

5. Plan a trip, a short close by one for a long weekend. Or visit local zoos and museums.

6. Plan a couple Fridays or Mondays off to get some big domestic projects done over a long weekend.

7. Consider a totally new hairstyle, a new refreshing look. Do we still look like we did ten years ago? Can we grow our hair longer or cut it shorter? Go to a stylist and get some professional input. Just nothing high maintenance please. If your hair is already high maintenance can we simplify things and stop doing something that makes it high maintenance? Keep it nice, just try something new.

8. Is there something you can tweak about your diet that could help you feel an look better? A small thing. Cut down on the soda, or increase the water. Have smaller meals and include at least one or two veggie salads per day.

9. A reading goal, read some poetry or even the Bible five minutes a day. Something refreshing each day.

10. Call family weekly, you know the family that you rarely talk to, and you never hear from them. Just call! Say hi! It has been a tough couple years for everyone. Sorry for my neglect., what is going on with you? How is everyone holding up? Then listen. Express care and concern.

11. Time to pull out a hobby or craft, how about finishing that one you started a few years ago. I like doing little quicker projects while I have a bigger project. Keeps it mixed up so I don’t get bored. I do get bored, jump around, get nothing done. You should see all my wonderful drafts of articles I have written and not published. Boo Haw! I will! I really will honor them and finish them.

12. A basketball, tennis ball, or football? Take your pick, they can do nothing without you. Oh, really has it been years…it is not the balls fault. Your not crawling yet. Get busy with it, get active.

13. New recipes please, the food has gotten boring. I will elaborate in a different article. Challenge: Use a real cookbook you own and find a couple recipes to enjoy making.

14. Clean the car, go get it detailed unless your good at detailing it yourself. I am not good at detailing let alone anything else other than keeping gas in the car sometimes. I do respect those w clean cars. Maybe my self respect will improve as I improve. Imagine that equivalent to self esteem. Good decisions, good actions, good results, good esteem.

15. Look at the body, yea, the one in the mirror. Take measurements quarterly and keep track of improvements and the need to improve. I lost 8 inches just w tiny little exercises since last September with no weightloss. Amazing! Don’t obsess! Just do toning exercises. Weightloss, another subject as I have a lot to lose. Always trying, never denying, and one will never lose. Made up by me just now. Some of us could afford to deny less or more.

16. Driving, how is your driving? Do you speed, do you get impatient? Do you get up close to the vehicle in front of you? Do you mess with your phone while driving? We know what we do, distracted driving and accidents are real. Aggressive driving is happening all around us, we do not have an excuse even if the other driver is inconsiderate and rude. We are responsible for what we do. Tickets, accidents, all cost money and time. Keep a good record and you will feel blessed.

17. Gifts anyone? Whom doesn’t like a gift? A gift is nice to give or recieve especially without expectation. A loved one we reside with, can we pick up something not expensive yet meaningful they may like? Or, the gift of time, have they been nagging we get something done that we just almost refuse to do, just do it with a smile and love to bless them and yourself. Don’t make them ask again. They will appreciate what you do even more! Can you arrange with them a long lunch and meet for a light lunch or a coffee? How much does eye contact and a smile cost? Can we try to stop a moment each day and look at each member while they are talking, really see them, really hear them and w a thoughtful response of positivity to validate their concerns or expressions.

18. Board games anyone? I am game, I really love playing cards or a board game w my favorite people. You know whom you are. No phones at table it is rude! Relax, have fun together.

19. It is still early enough in season if you like to go boating or camping or kyacking. It is fun! I do not do those things but my friends whom do are always happy they plan the time.

20. The final Big One! Mathew 5:3 say Happy is the one concerned w their spiritual needs. Include time to Pray to the most High at Psalms 83:18 about all these matters to improve your life in all ways. He really will help you. As you know principles are the backbone of structure. Nothing good can stand without it. As we learn his principles and apply them in daily life we will see the good results.

This is September, we have 17 weeks until the end of the years. Let us finish strong and achieving much so we can gain the esteem that comes with good results. Good results come from consistent efforts.

We can Do It! Finish Well, improve our health, wealth, family life, friendships, environment, spiritual health and esteem. Joy will come, satisfaction will be our gift.

Your Author, Gina Rydin from Fat fit an Fab . Com

fatfitanfab.com

Checking In

We are sailing thru the third quarter of the year. How smooth is your sailing?

It is important in these tough times to maintain joykeepers in our routine.

The worldscene is in a devastating place right now and although we do not want to be obsessed we must be aware of what is going on globally. It seems we may feel hopeless at times when we see what’s going on yet we can pray for others in difficult situations.

The fact that we have our own situations can be challenging. There are those that are near and dear that we worry about. It is true we have our own responsibilities we have to care for. And sometimes our own situations can consume most of our time whether it’s financial responsibilities, life‘s responsibilities, shortage of time, funds or energy. It is hard to keep up, however we still have to make time to go out and get that walk to enjoy a little sunshine or read a bit in a book or listen to some good music. We can call someone that needs to hear from us. We can express love and care now. There are many things we can do to enrich our life.
We still have five months, approximately 23 weeks to accomplish self improvement goals. what goals have you set? To save a little, or to establish a new routine for improved rest, or to replAce one meal a day with a healthy salad, or organizing our paperwork so we can be ready for tax time early. There are many things we can do in this 23 weeks to be more organized and more healthy. Join me in this, I believe I will do this Eight Minute exercise routine every morning from today on. I found it on you tube. Now onto the joy keepers…

We could get a massage if you can afford it or a pedicure. It is vital to take good care of yourself. Giving more attention to our personal care routine like our hair, skin and nails once a week. Before bed I rub a nice jelly like lotion into my nail beds of fingers and toes, it is a way to acknowledge them each day for working so hard for me.

I enjoy being able to watch some PBS music shows. A great channel is JW Broadcasting on the Roku with some really positive and encouraging talks, movies, and beautiful music always free.

The walks can help take care of your physical health. Bible reading helps with my spiritual, emotional and mental health. Going out in the sunshine a bit always cheers me up.

Each month I try to find a couple new recipes to try. I want to make simple soups and not alot of it. A friend just recommended I try to go to bed earlier in the evening and I thought I would give it a try.
I am dealing with the exhausting effects of chronic illness. I have to rest more than I want. It is a joy buster having something interfere with your regular routine. Yet, I still try to include good things in my daily life. I want you to do that too.

I really want to know how you are you doing. Any new routine are you trying? Is anything new and different? Life is unpredictable and the sailing may experience much turbulence as the stormy winds and waves of life interfere with us maintaining our route. The problem is we must accept there will be storms for now, yet our efforts to Stay The Course will be blessed in due time. Keep up the joy with much prayer.

Written by Gina Rydin

Life is full of uncertainties, yet, we must find joy keepers to endure the trip and stay the course. This article helps us to consider some possibilities.

Endurance with Joy is a challenge. Let us consider a few possibilities.

Pandemic Dip

It has been more than 18 months of a pandemic. Things have changed so much. Here are a couple things I have noted.

We are learning to make do with what we have and no longer run out the door for items we may need as often. If I do not have it, My I have been learning to improvise more. This has been leading to a greater creativity.
I am happy learning to make substitutions where reasonable and using what I have available. It is saving money and time.

My Pandemic Dip was created because of improvising. Try it, it is delicious.

1 Roma tomato

1 toe garlic

1 avacado

1/4 cup red onion

lemon an lime squeeze

1 cup Greek yogurt

cilantro

red pepper, parsley garlic spice

salt an pepper

whip up in blender.

Pandemic Deficet:

if I had chickpeas I would have put in

I forgot to put in a shake of soy and Worcester sauce each.

Covid-20

Written by Gina Rydin

Covid-20 May be a new epidemic. This year of 2020 has seen more isolation, social distancing, stress, anxiety, loneliness and economic pressure than previously experienced world wide.

The news daily giving daunting details of an illness most do not understand. The dangers that affect all countries, people, and ethnic backgrounds. This virus is bringing about such dread and fear that people are experiencing a stress. Comfort sought sometimes in unhealthy ways.

Some people are gaining weight due to stress and isolation. Being home is new for many, the stress is compounded by boredom. Due to the need for comfort some are eating more, unaware of grazing-like activities. They nervously grab a handful of cereal, some candy, some chips. Never quite satisfied wanting more, eating more. Continually, greedily, stressfully looking for more to eat. Feeling so stressed searching for something as the hand meets the mouth with longed for comfort that eludes… .
The Covid-20 may not be everyone’s reality. Yet, it will affect many, only time will reveal how mankind has been affected by this epidemic.
Gaining weight is unhealthy for most. It should be noted once the habits that contribute to weight gain go on blindly practiced it just compounds an already unhealthy situation.
Good News! I am aware of many that are still mindful of making healthy food choices. People whom are still taking walks or going for bike rides. Are these people the same ones whom have maintained healthy diet and exercise routines for years? I am not sure, yet, there are many I know that do not want to gain weight whom do strive to eat a healthful diet and they make an effort to exercise most days.

With many children and young people being restricted from normal activities they may be potential candidates for weight gain. As parents we have the responsibility to find ways to get our children out in the fresh air and to get exercise. For growth, brain health and immunity children need sunshine, fresh air, exercise, and stimulating challenges. This also helps maintain a healthy esteem despite all the world’s present dangers and circumstances.
Parents, Adults and caregivers with responsibilities are under an inhumane amount of duress. There is very little time to care for personal needs. Their situation merits much compassion. Small choices add up to big dividends. Making good food choices for self, healthy portion sizes and making time for exercize may help maintain a degree of sanity. As many depend on you a parent or caregiver your not expendable. Involve others in your exercise and healthy eating.
One trick that helps me in two ways is when I am almost done with my meal I set the timer on my phone for 2 hours and 25 minutes.

1. This helps me to finish my meal w satisfaction and know that I am done eating. Yes, done eating.

2. The second way it helps is that my sugar is not apt to go too low by then. Therefore I can have a healthy snack and reset the timer for 2 hours and 25 minutes.

Breakfast 2:25 min a snack 2:25 min lunch 2:25 min afternoon snack 2:25 min supper and if you choose another 2:25 min a light snack in evening. Amazingly this trick let’s me know I will not starve to death. No nervous grazing like a cow. No nibbling out of boredom, I have things I need to do. Food should not be an obsession or a compulsion. This timer method I use helps me not think of food. It is very freeing. By the way, I am losing weight and I have a lot of weight to lose.
Remember: There was a time when hobbies,…clean hands keep the puzzles clean while we could be putting Them together. Clean hands keep our knitting, crochet, or sewing projects respectfully clean. Go ahead, make a rug or a quilt or do a woodworking project.
Children thrive with projects to work on why not make some time to get them busy. Remember coloring books, word find books and crossword puzzles? The workbooks of a child’s grade curriculum are great to have them do a couple pages each morning. It keeps their mind sharp and ready for school. I would get these workbooks at a bookstore and sometimes at wal mart. Every summer my sons had these workbooks to do.
We live in historic times, let us not respond like victims. We can be survivors by making healthful choices.
Previously people did not have time to pursue hobbies. During these uncertain times make time for hobbies. They can keep our minds and bodies healthy.
A few things I am exploring is of course developing spiritual interests as Mathew 5:3 says Happy are those aware of their spiritual needs. I read the Bible and look at the jw.org website which is always encouraging. Another thing I am trying is a new Domestic routine. Looking at small maintenance things that need done while I try to spring clean a room each month. I want to make a dress and finish a few small projects. My challenge is always health, energy and stamina. We all have challenges of sorts. That is why it is imperative that we have interests and goals we strive to practice and achieve. All this is stimulating and satisfying. Why not see what you can accomplish with joy!

Disclaimer: Some people will succumb to Covid 19 and this is a very sad loss. I am not a physician or healthcare practitioner.
Please consider your own situation because only you know your situation and I hesitate to advise. Please talk to your physician or other responsible person before you change your situation. This article is meant for healthful consideration. May you and yours be safe and healthy.
I, Gina Rydin decided to title the article Covid 20 as we are living in 2020 and 20 may be an unhealthful weightgain for most. It may be a reality for some. Let’s work together to be healthful with good choices.

Feeling Blue

Blue in the sky is most inspiring, everyone loves a blue sky associated with happiness. Yet, a cloudy day can cause some to feel uninspired, tired or depressed.

Why is blue when associated feelings commonly associated with being in the dumps, depressed or almost grieving?

I do not have the answers yet I wondered why a beautiful bright blue sky and or a mournful type of mood could be associated with the same color.

Blue can be a complementary color for most people to wear. Midnight blue is a different hue than navy blue which is different than bright blue or light blue.
Some are born with blue eyes, blue green eyes, light blue eyes or grey blue eyes. Elizabeth Taylor was said to have had a violet type of blue eyes.

Yet, feeling blue is a true blue we feel that most understand. A very wide variety of emotions, or circumstances, can create this. Understanding the difference between feeling a little blue compared to true depression is important to consider.

Physically under the weather, a bad day at work, or some temporary feelings of loss or loneliness are experiences most people occasionally have.

Longterm distress, loss, physical pain, financial duress, health problems, stress, feelings of failure, painful experiences and the list goes on. This can bring on a form of situational depression. And if we cannot figure out solutions to our problems than this brings on a greater form of depression.
Understanding our situation, have we a total loss of control of our situation? Depression is inescapable making us incapable, the cycle goes on.
When hit with all types of problems at once we can be devastated. It seems there are no answers and it is hard to discern the best answers. One thing I am trying is a new list. Do you like making lists? They can help us identify, and accomplish.
The list I am working on is my top ten stressors now in my life. What seems out of control? What three things can I do for each thing on my list?
Yet, something to consider is the control offered by striving to practice these few things can remedy much. The reality is we must strive to practice a simplified daily routine

Eat regular healthy meals an snacks

Get daily walks or exercise

Make time for your spiritual needs, as Mathew 5:3 days, Happy is the man conscious of his spiritual needs. Of course, reading our Bible daily can greatly nourish our mind an heart an give us direction.

Try to pick up after ourselves daily. This is not an easy one for me but it makes me happy when I do.

Keep up with our daily chores another thing I am always seeking to improve on.

Oh, how I yearn to make good choices, responsible decisions, educated conclusions. There are so many opinions, faulty guides that do not always care about the consequences we must endure.

Personally I am between feeling blue and a deep depression. Some situations feel forced upon me yet I am unable to find valid solutions. The situation causes me to feel rather helpless an hopeless.

Prayer and Principle are my only valid options right now. I am praying a lot, and seeking to maintain principles of integrity and always wanting to bring honor to my God. Therefore, my current circumstances are distressing as I am trying to make the most honorable choices.
Just as Job an David in the Bible felt distress at times, we seek to, despite our problems, we want to make beneficial decisions and sometimes only Jehovah God can help us when we have tried to make decisions, only he can bless us.

How is that for a long sentence that breaks all the rules with sentence structure? I am a writer, not an editor.

If your depressed, feeling lonely or blue, hurt, defeated or depressed try praying to Jehovah about it. Talk to a close friend, relative, or even your doctor about it.
I hope you will be seeing sunshine and blue skies again. I desperately need that too.
Let’s work on our lists an see what we can accomplish while we clear the clouds away.
Written by: Gina Rydin

Monday, Why I love Mondays.

MONDAY, MY FAVORITE DAY!!!

Monday is a day many dread. It seems to some all falls onto their head on a Monday. Being overwhelmed, the day can be unproductive, stressful, depressing, and it does not have to be this way.

About ten years ago I met a refreshing person whose name is Annemarie. A perky blond whom looked like Meg Ryan. I invited her to do something with me for the upcoming Monday and she said no, any day but Monday. I asked her why not Monday. She told me that was her day for herself. She used Monday to get rest, to clean, do the laundry, to do gardening and lay in the sun. I was so impressed that I have reserved Monday ever since.

A DAY OFF: If you have a choice in the matter. If you can afford to work four days instead of five, why not take Monday off from your employment. Many take Friday off by choice viewing it as a vacation day. Yet, Monday may be an even better day to take off instead of Friday because it may be more fulfilling. Everyone else in household is back to work and school. Do not view your day as a day to Care Less or be carefree. By carefully considering how you will spend your time on this special day, your life can take a change for the better.

Monday at home could mean an extra hour of needed sleep, getting in a relaxing walk, a trip to the library or museum by yourself, meeting a friend for lunch, doing your bills, or yard work. For balance in my life, getting chores done in the form of a quick clean makes a difference for the whole week. I do not mean a slave day, more like a day of time blocks adhered to. Having attention deficit, time blocks help me to focus without the temptation to multitask. If I multitask then my mind is unaccountable and takes flight. The day is gone. This can still happen to me when I feel weak due to health problems. Yet, I strive to do as much as I can on Monday because for me it is a sanity keeper.

A time block for extra rest like sleeping in an extra hour, and an hour break in the middle of the day. A block for phone calls, A block for laundry which during that time while washing and drying are going on I can clean the bathrooms and or phone calls. A Block for quick clean which is 12 minutes per room. (my quick clean is ten minutes to do a quick pick up, gather what does not belong in the room including trash and set at doorway, wipe surfaces quickly, then timer goes off and I quickly sweep or vacuum. Then on to next room and set timer for ten minutes). (The Slob Sisters have a great book about this and The Fly Lady, for years I read and reread. They helped me so much. It seems so hard for me to read anymore books yet I will never forget that their programs are fantastic). Then I run and put doorway items away as fast as possible. Time for a break when all done. A block for yard work or errands. The blocks can be minutes long or a couple of hours long. Use the timer. If the timer goes off before your done then one must determine if another day of a few minutes will make a difference or if a few minutes now will make a big difference. This is not the day to get caught up in trying to get each room done as a perfectionist would. Each week of this activity will make a few weeks worth of efforts a visible accomplishment.

I like Monday because if I get my Monday work done, the whole week is much smoother.

What I like to do on Mondays. First, I sleep in as long as I need to, with chronic health problems a lack of sleep contributes to my flare-ups. Secondly, I start the laundry and make my phone calls. I do a deeper clean up in the kitchen. Monday happens to be my deeper clean kitchen day. While wash is going I clean my bathrooms. A quick pick-up and sweep-up through the house remedies the mess the weekends create. I wash towels every Monday, and if possible I may get a jump ahead by doing them on Sunday night.

Setting up my schedule for the week on Sunday night helps me to know what phone calls are vital for me to make. Doing my phone calls by 11:00a.m. really takes the pressure off the rest of the day. Over the week, I pay attention to whose anniversary, graduation, or achievement has come about that I can on Sunday nights or Monday write out these cards and send them. My husband seems to enjoy running errands, and I like being home on Monday. Emotionally, I really like being home on Monday because life seems so busy on the weekends, the downtime to get things done is precious. I rarely accept an invitation to leave my house on a Monday. Hanging my clothes out to dry is another thing I have done for decades and I like to do if the weather permits. Cooking a good meal and doing a little meal prep to make the next couple dinners for the week easier is important. Eating a little lighter during the day helps me to maintain my focus and lessen the burden on my internals. A walk or isometric exercises refreshes me.

At 1:30 pm. on Monday is a PBS station sewing show called Sew it All. I like to stop and enjoy this show and put my legs up. It is only a half hour and because I enjoy sewing it is a treat to watch. On Wednesday, Sew Easy comes on, I will tape it to watch later. If sewing or painting or something else is your interest, give yourself a 90 minutes time block to work on a project, and then that evening your free to get back to it if you can.

Filling my Monday with practical efficient activities sets up my week for greater productivity and less stress. Whether it is every Monday or only a once a month Monday, having this day to catch up on domestics, relaxing activities, yard work, gardening, and phone calls makes for a better start to the week. It also is important to avoid time wasters on this day. Unless the errands are vital for the week to go smooth try to keep most of the day to yourself at home. Beware of Time Wasters such as gabbing on the phone, texting, internet cruising, or television watching. This day is a day for yourself to reset and restore. With an extra hour of rest, getting a home in order, car cleaned, laundry done, gardening, essential phone calls and bill paying your investing in a more peaceful life. The week and month will go smoother. The evening of Monday is a good time to be refreshed by going to bed early for an extra hour of rest before resuming regular activities on Tuesday. Monday’s never get me … .

When a size Large is too small…

Five Things I can Do to reach my weight loss goal.

Doesn’t life seem that way sometimes?.. Everything is off, nothing seems to work right, and nothing fits. Efforts seem futile, like today I was putting the onions in the ground to grown when I was done, I looked at my nice small shallow rows with the onions planted, when suddenly J.J. my Sylvester cat decides to jump in, lay there, pull and chew on them. I urged him to leave the patch and he dug a hole as if that would be the perfect spot to do his evacuation. I turned the hose on sprinkle mode and he left out of the area quite quickly.

I love the clothes in the Robert Redford line of Sundance. His catalog features such beautiful clothes and goods, superior quality, and the price to match. Sadly, I just cannot afford these wonderful items. I came across one linen blouse, just gorgeous, and a size large. Last year I wore a medium. For less than $20.00, I received this lovely blouse. You can imagine my feeling’s when I discovered it is just a tight fit, is it the companies fault?

Last week, I was attempting to try on a dress when my husband was standing there looking at me. I said to him, “I am going to try this on…” trying to give him a hint it is a good time for him to move on to other rooms and activities. He stood there, still, and then he said, “From the looks of it, it might be a tight fit!”. I told him to just get on the move. I put the dress on, and I could not button it. Sadly, the stinker was right.

It is no fault of any clothing company, it is, just what it is, OBESITY. How did I get here, and why. When I was young, I was too skinny and I could not gain a pound. Now, I patrol all I put in my mouth and it is an accruing situation.

At 215 pounds, it seems to be a losing battle, as I steadily gain. Now, off the antibiotics, I feel I can lose some. A friend said, “How do you go about losing 90 LBS?”. My response, “How else, a pound at a time”. She is sweet and very encouraging about anything I want to do. She respects my needs for projects and is always interested. So, losing this 90 lbs is my newest project.

Filet, Sweet Potatoes, an Asperagus

What is a project without a plan?….How soon can I realistically achieve my goal? What can I do today that is simple or small that will help me be equipped to reach the goal?

Faith: Have Faith and conviction that the idea, goal or project is worthy to accomplish.
Acknowledge: Acknowledge the Healthy habits and routines that are already practiced as beneficial. Feel Good about what we already have right!
Implement: When the most beneficial plan of action is decided upon, get to it.
Tenaciousness: A friend of mine whom is slender is very tenacious about her diet. She is sensitive as to how different foods affect her. She does not let social gatherings affect her feelings about the importance of sticking with her eating plan. I am a person swayed too easily by my emotions. I forget my diet if a lovely dessert appears in my mind. It is time to pull out my “Instead Of:” list. (I previously wrote about the power of Instead Of) Instead of the banana split, I will work on a painting. Or take a walk . Being Tenacious with our goal is protecting our investment of heart, effort, etc. Aggressively seeing it thru to the finish is what is required to have a successful outcome in the shortest time possible.
Hum: People whom hum often times do so because of a happy tune or a happy heart. Feel good about all the baby steps we stick to. If, we think about how far we have to go, we may give up. If we feel good about following our small achievements. We will be successful in achieving our goals.

What goal do you want to achieve?

We need to write the goal at the top of a nice piece of cardstock.
Break down three categories titled of types of actions needed to accomplish goal. For example: Weight loss of 90 lbs. The four categories for this are 1: Diet, 2: Exercise, 3: Weekly Positive affirmations, 4: Attitude check and Progress.
As I look at the first category, I will write down just three things I want to do for my diet, whether it is Lower my carbs to 25 per meal, or have two cups of vegetables each day, or have 350 calories for breakfast as well as lunch, then 450 calories for dinner with just 100 calories for a snack. Be specific. Whereas, the Exercise category may be cardio for 35 minutes every other day, with biometrics on the other days. The Category of Weekly Positive Affirmations are statements that give a person courage, truthful statements that are considered several times a day, whether a reminder put on cell phone or written on a paper or something included in prayer. A positive weight loss affirmation for me is: I do not need to be heavy to be strong, I do not need this fat as a protection. I am strong and safe anytime. (with Jehovah’s help). or another is: I like caring for myself with the best food possible. Each person knows their own insecurities. One of mine was, If I was heavy, I would not have to deal with unwanted attention. Turned out, even while heavy, I still get bothered. A lot of people have this problem, either they bother others or they are getting bothered. I am learning to put my hand up in a strong manner when I do not like what is coming my way. This is difficult for me, but it is becoming my manner. And the last category is Attitude Check and Progress. Write down the weight each week, what is my attitude that week gone by, and what good thing I can say to myself to keep motivated. If I gained three pounds, checking my attitude like: I have been in the dumps so I ate cookies and skipped my workout all week. Then my new Affirmations will be born out of that. Example: After a healthy early dinner and walk, I am going to the bookstore and checking in the bargain section for a craft book. Or, I am going to arrange to meet a couple of friends to go on a walk with me on some local trails. Affirmation: I am not waiting for good to happen in my life, I am inviting happy activities into my life each day.

It is time to practice FAITH in our daily life. We must keep having Faith and Conviction in the beneficial outcome of our project. We have to Acknowledge the good things we already do right,

in order to have a healthy mind frame. Implementing our plan of action gives us the power and action through habits and routines. After we come up with our plan of action we must keep it visible in order to implement our new plan. The Tenacity we exercise because we see how worthy our goal is, we must be Tenacious in sticking to our plan of action. We can Hum because we know we are right now fulfilling our goal.

Live now! Do not wait to LIVE your life.

Does time pass you by? Life’s responsibilities keep us busy enough. Yet, a sneaky thief may be invading your life. It steals valuable time that could be used for more rewarding activities.

Consider these ten rewarding activities, then find out the thief you may be mindlessly aiding.

1. Productivity: Productivity requires time set aside to reach goals. Using our time wisely gives us the reward of something tangible.

2. PERSONAL ORGANIZATION: order of our enviroment, finances, and diet require good habits that are routine. Instead of seeking fulfillment from shallow pursuits which take money an time. Using our time wisely to get things done causes us to feel more accomplished. When our enviroment is organized an less cluttered we are free to be creative.

3. Exercize: making time for a daily walk or going for an exercize class a few times a week is very satisfying. This investment pays off in a few ways including the possibility of staving off weightgain, controlling our blood sugar levels, and having our clothes fit better. A workout three times a week can help us maintain. A workout 4-6 times a week can help us to lose weight with a sensible diet.

4. Food we take in: Well planned meals can give us energy, save money, and improve our health. The other day I saw my thin friend eating a salad while she was sitting in her car waiting on someone. I was impressed by her forethought. Another friend whom is losing weight packs a little cooler an takes it everywhere, when we meet at the donut shop she is snacking from her pack.

5. LIMITS: People feel so threatened by LIMITS which are boundaries. Limits can be a protection. Excess of anything can be costly.

6. Social Activities: Making time to do something with your mate or children is essential for healthy bonds. Inviting aquaintences, extended family members, etc., to go to the zoo or museum can build lasting relationships.

7. Take time for yourself to replenish: Daily Bible reading and prayer have done much to empower a person to make healthier choices in their life.

8. Plan Ahead: By having a yearly, quarterly, bi-monthly, monthly, and weekly goal plan can help make life more rewarding. Including areas just discussed in this article in your plan can change your life.

9. Living your Dream: What have you dreamed of being or doing? Whether it is learning carpentry skills, educating yourself about photography, learning to do great sauces and gravies from scratch. It is important to view these as relaxing activities so they will no longer be put off to imagined better circumstances that may never come. I did not know I would be in a car accident that would make it so I could never play golf. I sent my children for Golf lessons, I should have been getting them too. You may be waiting to write that book or take the cooking class or joing the crochet-knitting group at the senior citizen group.

10. Sleep: Try to get some sleep on a schedule. Consider your natural circadian clock. Are your activities circumventing your natural rhythm?

The thief revealed: Time, how you spend it. Do you imagine your relaxing is coming home to watch the television? Playing games on your pad or cruising the net for a couple hours. Messaging is the greatest interupter. I saw a person having a nice run whom stopped to check a message. If we are cleaning the garage or doing housework, writing, cooking, exercizing, crafting, doing personal bible reading, or enjoying social activities we are rewarded by protecting our focus. More people complain of problems focusing which interpheres with accomplishment and satisfaction. Electronics have their purpose, yet, without limits can bring our lives to ruin. We overspend, we have no time to exercize, eating less mindfully, looking at our phones during a fine meal provoking jealousy, our domestics are harder to manage, and taking time to learn a craft or hobby becomes a distant thought. Do not let an aid become a thief in your life. See what adjustments may improve your life.

June is running by ….July approaches …

June is running by, and half the year is now behind us. What do we still have to do? Is there anything we wanted to accomplish this year?

It is a good time to refer back to our Goal List for the year. Three areas I like to consider

Health and Fitness Goals.
Relationships
Domestic

1. Health and Fitness Goals: Let us expound on the most typical goal for the year, Health and Fitness. Each year we get older and even young people are experiencing health problems. We will not even discuss the newfound issues with healthcare and insurance costs. The high monthly costs of mandatory insurance is causing many to avoid visits to the doctor because of high copays and deductibles. If there was not a good enough basis for a healthy diet and regular exercise, there is more motivation now.

We have one body, and our health we must seek to protect it. Wise choices, no extremes are necessary. Fruits and vegetables never go out of fashion and are readily available in most markets. It only takes moments to use a regular blender to make a nutritious cool drink. Would you like to know my recipe for a quick tasty fruit smoothie?

One I have been using for literally decades is, I will call it:

Fruit Frapp by Gina @ fatfitanfab.com

one serving recipe: 6 oz orange juice, (not from concentrate), or 6 oz of water. a banana, a peeled apple, and one cup of frozen berries. Put in the blender, put on for 40 seconds to a minute an a half. If you do not want to use a bannana, you can substitute a cup of fresh-cut papaya.

The banana or papaya give the drink a smoothness like a shake. The frozen fruits may have raspberries in which do have seeds. They remain like seeds. I just swallow them. If a person has digestive issues like diverticulitis the seeds may bother them so you may choose just a strawberry/blueberry mix.

Be careful if you have diabetes or blood sugar problems. Only you know if you can have citrus, some medications are a problem. As I am not a doctor or nutritionist, I am only sharing a recipe which helps me to get my vitamin C, other vitamins, and natural fiber.

I like to make vegetable smoothies in the late afternoon before I start making dinner, that I can sip which can get the edge off hunger and be quite satisfying. My cardiologist did recommend simply having a V8 each day. I do not have a great tasting vegtable smoothie that is quick to make. I do like spinach, a clove of garlic, a handful of fresh parsley, two carrots, and a celery stalk with the leaves. I do use a pinch of salt because I naturally have low blood pressure. Then I blend in my regular blender.

Responsible self-care involves regular exercise. With all the responsibilities people have in their life it can be a real challenge to cull out the time to take a walk, or take a bike ride, or use an exercize machine. Yet, it is relaxing, destressing, and exhilarating. Not only can it help us to maintain our weight, it can help prevent us from gaining more weight if that is our objective. If our objective is to lose weight, than exercising daily with a plan can help us reach our goals. I had ankle surgery on my right ankle in the beginning of February. It all seems so slow to heal. Both ankles have each had two surgeries. As much as I want to take off and go for a run, or go for a walk it is just not reasonable at this point. I purchased a bike and I have been striving to go for a ride a few times a week. The heat is unbearable for daily rides and I am unfit. Should I call myself unfit? Maybe that is harsh to label myself as unfit since I do regularly do daily stretching and isometric exercises in my home. OK, I will accept the congrats! for maintaining my regular stretching and isometric exercize program for decades. The exercizes I do help me to deal with chronic pain associated with lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. I have a lot of muscle spasms and nerve pain. The exercize helps me to feel that I am taking responsibility for what I can control. The exercize benefits me also because I like to have a scoop of ice cream, and I have diabetes, therefore, exercize keeps the sugar manageable.

Each health situation is different, but so many suffer. If we take some time to consider our own situation, and start right away to manage our health before more serious problems develop. Not only can we keep our healthcare costs down, we may feel better.

2. Relationships: Relationships affect our peace of mind. The relationship we have with our creator, with ourself, with our loved ones and if we are employed than we have our social relationships. Can we improve all these relationships?

The relationship a person has with their creator can affect how they also feel about themselves and how they live their life and the consequences etc. I have no more to say on that subject. It is worth considering privately.

The relationship we have with ourself is very complicated indeed. So much of how we feel about our-self is deeply rooted from our conception, our upbringing, the family situation, the make up of the family dynamics. Some come from secure family situations, that is very rare these days. Some of us are very wounded from broken homes, lack of security, an absent parent, and some experience abuse. All these factors shape us. Yet, we do not have to be defined permanently by any of these situations.

Earning a healthy esteem is a very valid concept that I have lived by for decades. We may remain sensitive or fragile. Yet, I think of a flower that appears to be fragile, sure, someone may be cruel and pull some petals off. If the flower is left alone, it can even go thru a thunderstorm with high winds and still remain beautiful. Someone may pull our petals off, but we must remain rooted in what we know and what we can do. We can bloom again and if necessary, we can be the seed that blows in the wind, and be rooted elsewhere. The sun, the rain, will come again. A positive attitude and hope are fortifying.

When I went thru some health dilemmas this last year, the effect had a stifling effect on me. I felt incapable and unable. I quit writing, painting, making bread, and sewing became a rarity. Cleaning the bathroom mirror I wondered if it was done right. No one was doing this to me, and I cannot blame anyone. The doctor whom helps me with my life management skills regarding my attention deficit, he helped me to realize that something was rooted in my youth. He said, “OK, you do not want to blame anyone, you do not want to blame it on something in your youth, mistreatment you endured. Yet, you do acknowledge you were not in ideal circumstances to grow a healthy esteem, you did not feel safe, and your accomplishments were met with disfavor by those whom should have been proud of you. If you can accept this, you can move on. You can find a new way to respond to your accomplishments.” Of course, I did not have a tape recorder and it may not be a perfect word for word account. That was the basic jist of it.

To get thru all of this, I kept the habit of making my Master List for the month and the week. I referred to them often. A book from the Library on Productivity that I referred to in one of my previous published articles suggested that when I make my TO DO List that I leave room between each to put a couple of actions that are logically needed to accomplish the task. This really helped me to get more done. Feel Good Feeling! My friend Mattie has an infectious cheer about her and giggle. She is all about giving yourself a cheer when you complete something. I am trying it, and it feels good. My husband John likes to stand back and look at what he has done, you can see his pride well up even with the smallest of accomplishments. I use to look at him in wonder when I would walk up and find him doing so, in fact, because I did not understand it, I thought it was downright silly and it made me a bit uncomfortable. Over the years, I have slowly come to understand this gift.

Did you know that at the end of each day of creation, our Great Creator would say “It is Good!”. We are made in his image. So if we know we worked hard, and we did our best, I believe it is healthy to feel “it is good”! My relationship with myself is greatly improved, and I am sewing again. If we can possibly have a healthy esteem, we can then be healthy to be in a relationship with. Our relationship with our mate, family, children, and work mates can be healthier if we are more positive to be around. By having a healthier diet and exercise program, a healthy attitude, we can have healthier expectations of others too. Nurture those relationships respectfully. Each person is subject to the law, and each person is protected by the law. If that is remembered, then abuse would be uncommon.

Last night I saw true love. A couple with their toddler entered the diner where we were enjoying a meal. The man was lovingly affectionate and obviously proud of his lady and the child. He was quite handsome. She was quite obese and unkempt. It likely had been a hard day for her. Yet, this man loved this woman, and she knew it. I was greatly touched.

3. Domestic, no I am not talking about domestic beer. It is where we live, what we drive, and where we spend our time, and how we manage it all. Half the year is gone, there is some warm weather maintenance we can do on our home, car, and property. Have you made your punch list? I want to get into the car and do some deep cleaning, and it is not just because I turned a to-go container of spaghetti upside down in the back seat of the car yesterday. I was already planning on a thorough detail clean of the interior of the car, now it just seems more immediate to do. Thankfully, my caring husband got the spaghetti spill cleaned up, but I do feel I need to do that thorough cleaning in the next day or so. Light colored car, little spots could be anywhere. This time of year is a great time to clean the garage, and have a garage sale or donate your goods. Fix your bicycles and use them. Plan a trip to the zoo, or keep cool in a museum, visit family, or go away for a long weekend.

John got some weatherstripping done on all the doors last week. Our lovely old yellow cat, PUFF, has already scratched up the new weatherstrip on the front door. I am going to do a smelly hairspray on the lower door frames after I rub a little essential oils on the weatherstrip. We still need to get some exterior painting done. There is a list. I am eager to get the windows clean. As I am zeroing in on a room at a time with the deep cleaning, the last thing I do in the room, the final touch is cleaning all the glass, which includes the windows. Doesn’t it make everything look good.?

Attention to these three areas can give pretty quick improvement in many areas of our life. We can already feel better about this year and all we hoped to achieve. We live in a very demanding and often insecure world. Gently, yet, effectivly gaining more control over our health, relationships, and domestic situation can give us a sense of accomplishment resulting in a healthier esteem. June may be gone by,…we still have a half year to fulfill our goals.

	passiveincomepro23 on Cards, Puzzles and Dominos
	passiveincomepro23 on Cards, Puzzles and Dominos
	fatfitanfab.com on Checking In
	Colleen on Checking In
	fatfitanfab.com on Checking In