Ms. Blueyes' Life

I know that it's that time of year that pretty much all of America, even the world, VOW to lose weight, eat clean, and exercise. There are many "goals" or "resolutions" that a person can come up with... I know that my list, in past years, have been extensive. The thought of conquering EVERYTHING in one year - a tad bit overwhelming!  So why not tackle one to two different things for that year. Let's say, getting out of debt and walking more. Or meal prep and spend less time on social media. Whatever your "items" that you want to accomplish - make a list of the goals you want to reach from the most important to least. Take the first 2-3 items and make a plan as to HOW you are going to accomplish that goal. NO MATTER HOW HARD THE GOAL/DREAM/RESOULUTION/CHALLENGE, you have to STICK WITH IT! I know that's hard for me to do, but WE CAN DO THIS!!! Here are my top "goals/dreams/resolutions/challenges" are: 1. EAT HEALTHY ...

How did we do over Thanksgiving? Did we gorge ourselves like we do every year and VOWED... NOT THIS YEAR! I have to admit that I did do some overboard eating with the stuffing... I also had a sliver of pumpkin pie AND my Mama's homemade crust apple pie... oh yes... it was HARD to resist THAT! But, here we are BACK on the trail and continuing the journey. Up to date, I have lost 20 pounds by clean eating as much as I can financially do and 7 inches all over... not too shabby for 2 months of work. Rome was not built in a day, neither is weight loss in a healthy way. I want to encourage you to stick with it - EVEN WHEN IT'S HARD - especially through the holidays with company parties, friends, family, etc.... YOU CAN DO THIS and MOVE FORWARD in your journey of health. I am on this journey alongside you and on the same path... LET'S DO THIS TOGETHER!

Yes, it has been a minute since I last posted. Life has been crazy!! As we approach the holidays, it's going to be hard to resist the goodies! There are going to be goodies dripping with sweet ooey, gooey goodness and your mouth is going to water... what are you going to do? How are you going to handle the temptations that are set before you? And we all are going to say, "WILLPOWER!"... but let's be honest here. WHO is going to do that? Let's give ourselves some tools to be able to handle those types of situations, so we don't fail or get in that vicious cycle of beating ourselves up if we partake of the yummy goodness. When life gets crazy, healthy eating is sometimes one of the first things to be thrown by the wayside. It can be easier to opt for take-out when you’re juggling the kids' schedule, the ending and beginning  of a college semester, or even just a hectic time at work. But when you start to feel overwhelmed or tempted at the office partie...

Yes, it has been about a month since I have written. LIFE IS CRAZY !!! It's not easy being a parent, let alone, a single parent. Between raising my son, caring for my declining parents (Dad has dementia/Alzheimers), being Women's Ministry/Outreach/Marketing Director at my church, volunteer in my son's school, son playing soccer (so soccer practice 2x a week and a game EVERY SATURDAY), and whatever other hat I may have to wear - it is very difficult to have time to myself. I have to make time for myself - keep myself motivated and more importantly, believing in myself. I have to keep reminding myself that I AM WORTH MAKING TIME FOR . I make time and there for everyone else, so why not be there for me? Hmmm... Who are you there for? Are you making time for yourself? Do you realize that you are worth the investment? Start believing and face whatever fears that are before you... YOU ARE WORTH THE EFFORT!

It has been a few days since I've last written. It's been a crazy time with my brother from WI flying in, my parents 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY this Saturday, and dealing with motivation to stay on track. I've been doing some thinking about why it is so hard for me to either follow through or stay motivated. I belong to SEVERAL fitness and clean eating groups on Facebook and Instagram, but for some reason when it gets "hard" or I hit a "roadblock" I give up. After doing some reflection, I have found that I do not believe in myself or feel/think that I am worth it. I go to the ends of the earth for my friends and my family - I believe in them - their biggest cheerleader. They are worth spending time with and worth time and attention. Then why is it so hard to believe that I'm worth it? Why is it hard to believe in myself? Is it due to YEARS of people treating me that I'm not worth their time, or efforts? After experiencing this time and time aga...

Yes, it's been awhile since I last posted. Life has been a little busy and at the same time been dealing with the adrenal fatigue issue. Overall, I'm ok, but still pretty exhausted. It's hard to get anything done or even cook healthy meals for me and my son. Exercise is an effort - but I do it. I eat clean - because it's what my body needs. THIS is why it's so important to take care of your health from the very beginning. DO NOT wait for your body to tell you that something is wrong - that is, if you are closely listening to it to begin with. We need to be in tune with your body at all times. Everything from high/low blood pressure, high/low blood sugar, pulse, heart rate, constant headaches, migraines, tingling sensations, numbness anywhere on the body, constant fatigue, sleep pattern is off (not getting enough/insomnia or getting too much), etc. DO NOT be afraid to go see a doctor. They went to medical school for a reason. If you don't like one doct...

I have been posting about health and the body. Today I would like to talk about not just physical health, but total body health. There is physical, spiritual, and emotional healing that takes place when eating clean, exercising, and being in tune with your body.  A journey of health is just that - a journey. It is filled with exploring, wandering, victories, and moments of having to retrace your steps to back on track.  My prayer is that in the moments when you feel like giving up, you will instead lean on the strength of God to pull you through. Remember, He is more dedicated to seeing you succeed than you are. Health was HIS idea from the very beginning. He made your body, soul, and spirit - those three parts of your being that are all connected - when they are healthy and in harmony with each other.  Don't be afraid to start small. Take baby steps and you will find that you will experience victories! You ARE and OVERCOMER!

Some of you know, but some of you may not... I am dealing with adrenal fatigue. Many people have asked me, "What exactly does that mean? What do the adrenals glands do?"... Well... here is an explanation of what I am needing and in the process of doing... I have been experiencing strange symptoms kicking in, like laying wide awake in bed at night, not waking up rested (ever), waking up in the middle of the night to pee, or not being able to complete your sentences with ease. However, the ones we have the most control over are the stress hormones: Adrenaline and Norepinephrine These are the  short-term stress hormones. They are released in a state of ‘fight or flight’ or an emergency to help you survive. For example, if you’ve ever had a car swerve at you and nearly hit you, you’ve probably experienced the sensation of a racing heart, breathing heavily and reacting extremely quickly. Adrenaline and norepinephrine make sure to release a quick supply o...

Hello! I'm sorry that I have been MIA for a couple of weeks. Life happens, but we are back! Today, we'll be talking about the SKINNY OBSESSION that we all have in this society.  Young girls are punishing their bodies for what they think society says is beautiful. If they don't feel beautiful, they get teased in school, or some traumatic events happen in their lives, they choose to either NOT eat or binge/purge. THIS is NOT ok. The ache in their stomach takes distracts them from the pain in their hearts. How can we have our children have healthier self-esteem or self-worth, so they do not end up like us, adults, with these issues? Psalm 18:24 says, "God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to His eyes."  We introduce our kids, boys and girls, to how beautiful they are and to the One Who created them - to give them a healthy self-confidence.  Teaching and even us re-learning how to eat healthy, clean - the way God intended us to be ...

Since my last post, I found out that I am in adrenal failure. It IS reversible and have to work harder at getting on a sleep regimen, de-stressing (yeah, I don't know what THAT means), and really be on point with my clean eating.  But today, I want to talk about insecurity! We ALL face it - on various levels and types of it - but we all got it. Insecurity is the recognition of an area of vulnerability, the general sense of did-ease in one's own skin. It is like a mold in your kitchen: it's never welcome, but it seems to crop up in all kinds of places. The difference is this: I would never let mold remain on my bread or in my fridge, yet so often we women (and men) readily accept insecurity like it's a normal part of life. We have insecurities about appearance, approval, relationships, achievement. Insecurity keeps us self-focused and ultimately paralyzed in our life and relationships. So we (including myself) need to stop feeling this way and find our se...

Happy June! It's been a couple of days since I last posted - I was reading and researching about adrenal and thyroid health. Have you ever been to the Dr and they want to run tests on your thyroid as the possible cause for your weight gain? I know I have - EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. It's frustrating when it ALWAYS comes back as my thyroid is "fine" or within "normal range." Here is what I found out while researching/reading about this: Stress - whether good or bad - can throw these 2 glands out of wack. There are 2 types of stress: acute and chronic. Acute stress: more of you day-to-day, short term stress - like being caught in traffic, cook dinner in a time crunch, getting to work on time, etc. This type of stress comes and go and fairly simple to manage. Chronic stress: this is the kind that you want to avoid. This is where a person never sees a way out of a miserable situation. This is extremely draining and potentially even fatal. After a long period ...

As people that are researching eating clean, the types of exercises to burn the most fat, how much water they should really be drinking, what the best protein shake they should be making, there is also the talk, concern, or research of nutritional supplements. The vitamins and minerals found in our nutrition are essential to our ability to function properly. God designed food to meet our bodies' needs. We don't need to take supplements IF you are eating a diet full of nutrient-rich foods, staying hydrated, sleeping well, and have very little stress in your life (I don't know about that one - that's a hard one to keep in check). That scenario is not our norm of course. But the best way to NOT have to take supplements is eat whole, organic foods. If you are busy and "always on the run", you can take supplements in order to AID your body in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A good rule of thumb to make sure that your supplements are for you - make sure that t...

There was so much information in the first part of the detoxing, that I didn't want to overwhelm you with ALL the info. Here is simple break downs for the 2nd part and very useful to understand how our bodies work, what it needs, and how we can help our own selves work more efficiently - not harder. Detoxing the liver is very important. It is the 2nd largest organ that we have and it's function is to help with digestion by producing bile. The bile helps break down fats into smaller units to metabolize. Foods that my help in promoting liver health include avocados, dandelion greens, asparagus, walnuts, organic spinach, grapefruit, raw tomatoes, carrots, garlic, Brussels sprouts, and kale. Don't overdose on the kale, as it can cause flu like symptoms and be pretty potent! The skin. I'm sure you can guess what the best detox for your skin is... You got it... WATER ! Our skin is the largest organ and one of the most important ones that you have. Try having foods that a...

This journey of health is an amazing one. Just taking it one step at a time, and NOT all at once, is the key. Your mind and body WILL NOT be able to process it all at once. It will just set you up for failure...and that's what we DON'T want. Today is about eating clean. What we put in our bodies to fuel it, is so key and important. So, continuing in the book "Healthy and Free", there is a segment on this very topic. "A drawback to dieting is that it can indirectly exacerbate a weight problem. Recognize the triggers that cause emotional eating, stop dieting, and start nourishing your body with healthy, organic, living foods. Your body needs food to burn fat. When you starve your body, your brain tells it to store all your fat, because it knows that it's not getting enough in your diet. Once you begin to eat good, healthy, clean foods, your body will respond and will work for you. "Clean eating" means that you consume foods that are pure and...

Continuing with the "Healthy and Free" book that I'm reading, we have come to the section about "Get Moving!" Have you ever thought or felt, "If exercise were a pill, it would be the most cost-effective drug ever invented." When we sit on the couch, being sedentary, we feel tired and/or a little foggy-brained. Once we get up, though, we start to feel better, proving we are not created to be sedentary. Do you have to go to the gym to get results? NOT at all! I just want to encourage you to just move! Whether it's going to the gym, riding a bike, playing sports, or working out in your living room, the sacrifice of exercise is minimal compared to its benefits! Not only does exercise benefit your physical body, but it also has great benefits for you mind. It has been proven that physical activity can help combat depression and mental fog, relieve stress, and improve body image, and self-esteem. Don't limit yourself to one type of exercise. ...

It's amazing what sleep can do for a body! Sleep is a powerful tool in a healthy  lifestyle. Life seems to be so packed full with events and busyness that sleep often takes a backseat. Perhaps you feel guilty when you start to feel run down and decide to rest because you expect that you should have been able to get by on only a few hours of sleep. Too many of us feel that there are more productive things to do with our time than just sleep. We have to change our thinking and allow our bodies to sleep. Rest, even a power nap, may help improve your health and quality of life dramatically. Our bodies recalibrate as we sleep. Our whole system are restored. Sleep regulates hormones, as those that regulate appetite.  When you deprive yourself of sleep, you are only setting yourself up to fail physically and sometimes emotionally. Many people spend their lives serving till they came to the end of themselves. By putting themselves last, many went into burnout and some made bad cho...

Here is an important part of living healthy and do it free from the bondage of food.   Water is a vital factor in determining our health for many reasons. If you feel thirsty, you are already on your way to dehydration - already lost around 2-3% of your body's water content. Many people don't realize that as they reach for a soda or their favorite sugary, caffeinated latte when they feel thirsty, only leads to more dehydration.  Dehydration can lead to a variety of sickness, disease, and slower metabolism.  So how much water should we be drinking? A good rule of thumb is to take your body weight, divide it by 2, and drink that number in ounces. For example: if you weigh 130 pounds, you should be drinking 65 oz a day in water. I know that this may seem overwhelming - SHOOT - I should be drinking 175 oz a day!!! Hydration is a key factor in your journey to health, so keep drinking, no matter how hard it may get! Over time, your body will start to crave it and ...

As I continue to read, "Healthy and Free" by Beni Johnson, I am realizing more and more how I have allowed food to keep me hostage to how I feel about myself. I didn't really realize that I had negative thoughts and feeling about and towards myself, because of my weight. By going to counseling, I am dealing with the emotional issues that have happened and I chose to overeat to mask the hurt/pain. Today, in Chapter 3, it talks about being God's Art. WHOA . Never thought about myself as God's Art.  Here are excerpts from the chapter: *THE GREAT DESIGNER* - We are designed by God, who is the greatest artist of all time. We are fashioned with great care and much detail. YOU are God's BEST piece of art. The word "intertwined" means connected and linked together - the mind, body, and spirit cannot be separated. *SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST* - Many of us are familiar with the story of creation. In 6 days, God created the heavens and the earth and all t...

I am really enjoying the book Healthy and Free by Beni Johnson....  In my previous post, I shared some key points from Chapter 1... here are some excerpts from Chapter 2. .. SOUL HEALTH NEEDING TO LOVE OURSELVES - Loving God must be something that every fiber of our being can feel. The second commandment (note that is is not the second "suggestion") is to love your neighbor as you love yourself. It all starts in our minds. GIVING YOURSELF PERMISSION - Ask yourself these questions: Do I like myself? Do I love myself? If your answer is no, then it is time to give yourself permission to fall in love with yourself. Your entire being is dependent on you to love your mind, body, and spirit. You are worthy of being loved!! Become like a child and allow yourself to turn those negative thoughts into beautiful words. "Toxic thoughts are thoughts that trigger negative and anxious emotions, which produce biochemicals, that cause the body stress. They are stored in your mind...

I have been reading a book called, "Healthy and Free" by Beni Johnson. I'm only a couple of chapters in and I'm LOVING this book! Here are some excerpts that are ringing true in my own heart: 1. Find your "why". Ask yourself this - Why do you want to get healthy? Why do you want to be strong? Why do you want to lose weight? I think it's important to know WHY you are doing what you are doing. 2. What's next? Health and wellness can be overwhelming. Walk into your kitchen and say out loud, "Where do I start, God?" He will let you know, when asking with a sincere heart where you should start. It could be just starting to cut back on carbs. For some, it could be sugar. Maybe processed food? Just simply ask, where do I START? Not change everything at one time, but one thing at a time - baby steps. 3. Changing your mind. Next to finding your "why", the single most important thing to becoming healthy is the willingness to change ...

I know that it has been a little while since I've last post... I've been putting in my miles, when I can, but I've been recovering from an illness and an injury. I can't seem to lose weight, no matter what my nutrition is... I'm eating clean (not 100% on point, but for the most part) and walking, when I can... I'm going to go see an endocrinologist to see what may be going on with my hormones and why my body may be fighting against itself! As I write this post, I'm seeing that there is a re-occurring theme... I go in waves of being on point with nutrition and exercise, then there's a lull - maybe not on point, but at least there is some movement... I don't know or can figure out what the cycle is or even how to break the cycle.  I'm still going through counseling, so maybe that will reveal some things and things I may be holding on to.... I want to break this cycle! More to come and I will try to be better at blogging about this journey...

Yesssss, it's been a little while since I've written.  I've been busy with school, ministry, and being a single Mama.... I am training for at 12K that is coming up on April 2nd called Run Rocklin. The start and finish line is literally right down the street from my house! How convienent is that????  So, I'm going out tomorrow to get 5 miles in and get geared up to do my 7-8 miles in a couple of weeks. What I've also been changing is my nutrition. We will see how it works in about a month - it just might be the key to unlock this yo-yo lifestyle and lose this weight to be healthy! I miss getting out and running/walking and girl time with my Mae. I'm so impressed with her and she keeps me grounded and GOING! Knowing that she is waiting for me, keeps me accountable to get out, and an awesome friend.  EVERYONE needs a Mae in their lives! :) SO LET'S GET OUT THERE AND MOVE!!!

I have previously written that I had been feeling stuck - feeling like I was on a hamster wheel. But these past 2 weeks have been amazing!!! Not only did I receive confirmation  on what career I should be doing in life - using my God-given talents and abilities that He created me to have and be. With this new revelation of what I'm to be doing - comes a renewed sense of purpose and getting back on track with my nutrition and exercise! I just purchased the containers for me to store my food as I meal prep - back out getting some miles in and doing BeachBody 21 Day Fix Extreme DVD's with my son, Lincoln. He encourages me to get up and do the exercises with him. Here I thought I was to be the one to teach him about being healthy,  eating clean or good food, and have a positive body image. It turns out that HE is the one that is teaching ME!!!! Amazing what kids will teach us, when it really is our job to teach them. So come rain or shine - I'm out walking AND doing the DVD...

I went for a 2 mile walk/run today... it FELT sooo good to get out and move! It's been pouring down rain here for a good 4 days, so it's been very difficult to get out and get some miles in. I do, however, have Beachbody DVD's that I can do during these times of weather not cooperating with what I'm trying to do. I am looking forward to the future - by keeping up my exercising and clean eating - I KNOW that the weight will eventually come off... I am also looking forward to talking to a bariatric surgeon to see if there can be any revisions or other options for me, since I've already had the Gastric Bypass 14 years ago. I'll keep y'all posted on how that goes. MEANWHILE - Let's ALL look forward to the future and what it holds for each and every one of us! What are your goals? Are you taking the steps to achieve those goals? How are you accomplishing those dreams? LET'S DO THIS!

I'm sure that there are many of you that have felt or are currently feeling the way that I am right now.... STUCK! Sometimes it feels as if we simply cannot move on with our life. As if there was something that kept us from pursuing our dreams. Consequently, we feel limited and simply do not know what to do. We have no idea how to break free from the limitations that are imposed upon us. What is worse, we do not even know what it is that imposes these limitations on us. It’s quite scary to be confronted with an invisible obstacle you cannot seem to tackle. If you do not know how to precisely tackle the issue, breaking free from feeling stuck in life can be really difficult. The harder you try to get out of it, the more you’re getting stuck. That’s the big problem about being stuck in a rut. It gradually weakens your strength to get unstuck.  So what you can you do to get unstuck? I've been asking myself this question for a little while now and after doing a li...

IS AMAZING !!!  It's crazy how much your mind plays a role in your health and fitness! Since having a different mindset and thinking positively - THAT I CAN DO THIS - I look at food and exercise differently. I'm also going to intensive counseling to help me with my food issues and the reasons why I have been such a HUGE emotional eater.... I HAVE DROPPED 20 lbs !!! I can only encourage you to really evaluate how you view your life - from fitness, food, relationships, career, etc.... you might be surprised what that outlook is. If it's negative Nelly - change it to positive Polly! Your life will be more fruitful and productive! So this is going to be a short post tonight, but just really take a look at HOW you view things in your life... more positive, the more satisfied and accomplished you will feel when you obtain those goals that you have set out for yourself.... I know I'm seeing this firsthand.

Meal prep when you’re crunched for time takes planning. I am making Sunday afternoons, after church, my meal prep day, so that the rest of the week can be as stress free as possible.   Raw foods are a quick, no cook solution for when you’re in a pinch. Whether it’s making sure you have the right snacks on hand or just need to throw together something quick for a meal, don’t discount raw foods. It’s sort of like nature’s fast food! Some of these suggestions may seem deceptively simple but remember, there is no need to over complicate things especially when there are so many foods that are great in their natural state. Here are some go-to raw items: Bananas: Tasty and super rich in potassium to help stave off post-workout cramps Grapefruits: Refreshing, cleansing and a natural fat burner Apples: Easy, perfectly portable! Need I say more? Berries: Delicious and loaded with antioxidants! Try a mix of different types. Raw nuts: no more than 10-15 at a time as the...

Well, here we are 4 days into the new year.... How many of us have already "fallen off the wagon" or "slipped up on our clean eating plan"? It's ok... they way that it needs to be looked at is: Ok, so I may have "slipped", "goofed", or flat out "blown it" for a meal or even the day. SO WHAT ???!!!! There is always the next meal to "get back on track" of getting your health back! Don't shoot the whole day of eating based on what happened for ONE meal! Just make the right choices at the next meal going forward! So, since Dec. 14th when I went to the Neurologist in SF - I've lost 16.8 pounds!!! And that's even through the CHRISTMAS and NEW YEAR holiday!!! WHAT??? 😮 So, if I can do it, I know you can too! I'll be taking my measurements tomorrow to see how I do this year! I challenge EACH of you to get out and MOV E! If you live in the Roseville/Rocklin area, come join me at Shamrockin', Run Roc...