Goals vs Dreams

My Kauai trip inspiring dreams

We live in a very goal oriented world today, you have to have goals, make goals, how to be successful with your goals, you will only be successful if you have goals, goal books, goal talks, goal this, goal that. I am not saying goals are bad or something we do not need, they can be a very good thing. Goals can keep us on task, moving forward, give direction, keep us motivated to push through the hard times. The down side of goals, to me, is there is no heart. A goal can be very cold. Anyone can give us a goal we need to finish, a task. A goal can be obtained, however you are not moved towards becoming a better person. It was only something to check off your to-do list.

A dream is who you are.
A dream is personal.
A dream is something you want to accomplish and complete.
A dream changes you.
A dream is inspirational.
A dream changes the world.
Dreams are fluid, they change as we grow.

What are the dreams for your life? Do you dream?

Just as with a goal that is large, most dreams are big life events and you need to chunk it down into bit size pieces so you can accomplish it. Once you have your dreams, what steps do you need to take to accomplish them? How do you make your dream a reality?

Do you and your spouse/significant other, have dreams? Do you spend time talking about your dreams? Do you support one another in your different dreams? Not all of our dreams are going to be the same, we are different people.

Do you dream in all areas of your life, personal, family, career, physically, nutrition and health, finances, traveling, education, this is just a small sample of ideas to dream in.

Do not be afraid to dream and be even less afraid to go after your dreams.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn

My 6 Step Holiday Parties Survival Guide

I cannot believe Thanksgiving is this week. Are you all ready? Have you decided if it is a cheat day for you? I know it is for me. I remember, Thanksgiving is one day, the one day I make homemade stuffing and eat pumpkin pie. It is yummy.

With Thanksgiving, comes the beginning of Christmas parties, some we enjoy and others we are forced into. But, either way, with these parties comes the dreaded thought of the holiday weight gain. Lets do something about that this year, enjoy this beautiful season without the dread. 

One of the first keys is to set yourself up for success. 

Here are six steps to take to help you be successful:

1. Decide before you go to your party if this is a meal you really want to cheat on. If you have several parties to attend, it is not realistic to indulge at each one them, if you do not want the weight gain. Decide before and honor your decision. 

2. Do not go hungry. Eat something nutrient dense and small before hand, my go to is bone broth. If you are not starving, you will not need to eat everything in front of you and with good food already in you, you will be less likely to want to cheat. If you are lucky enough to have a nice dinner for your party, then go hungry.

3. Take a healthy dish such as deviled eggs, meat balls, bacon wrapped sweet potatoes. Be sure to make extra so you have something healthy to eat at the potluck. Most will thank you!

4. Do a once over of the food table before getting in line to eat. This way you know what is there, not start and by the time you are at the end you have a mounded plate because you do not know something was there and you want some. Know before. Also, be at the end of the line. All the food looks the best at the beginning, before anyone has dug in. If you are at the end, it will not look as appetizing and a lot of it will be gone, the healthier stuff is what is at the end.  Good reason to not go hungry.

5. Have positive mantras you are going to say to yourself and others when the temptations and comments come, you know they will. Things like: I am eating for my health, not the instant pleasure. This cheat is not going to help with my long term goals. I have decided this is not my cheat meal and I will honor myself. 

6. Stay away from the food. If it is not in front of you, you will not eat it. Go to the party for what it really is, being with family and friends to enjoy this wonderful season. 

Do you have tips and tricks you use to stay healthy during the Christmas season? I would love to hear them and I am sure others would like more ideas.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God's bless,
Jenn

Your Relationship with the Scale

If I asked you how much you weighed, could you rattle that number off without a second thought?
If I asked you when was the last time you weighed yourself, when was it?
Do you rely on the scale for your progress?
How many times a day/week do you weigh yourself?
Do you have a predetermined weight you think you need to be? If so, why? What is this number based on? How did you come up with it?

Most of these I would be able to answer no on. You see, I broke my scale habit some time ago. Not that I ever weighed myself much, because I did not. But, I did think I had a weight I needed to be. This was from hearing others talk about their weight and what they wanted theirs to be. This number would make me worthy, beautiful, successful, or so I thought. This number I decided on would not have been healthy for me and the pursuit of it would have been devastating. Luckily, I did not go much further with the scale issues, weighing myself constantly, making it my end all be all and doing whatever it took to be this weight or base my worth on the number. Through the years, I have learned the scale is a really bad way to measure my success and to base myself worth on. I could not tell you how much I weigh.

The last time I was weighed was about a month ago, went to the docs. I could not tell you what the number was, because I did not look, do not care. The last time I actually looked at the number was six months ago? I am sure in that time, the number has gone up with all of the crossfitting I have been doing and lifting. Do I care, nope. I know I am stronger, healthier and love my life.

The number on the scale is arbitrary for most people.
It does not tell you how much muscle you have, muscle to fat ratios.
If you are working out, you should be gaining muscle and losing fat, the scale is not going to tell you if this is happening.
The number does not mean you are becoming healthier, sicker, more or less beautiful, worthy, on the right track for health. Really, in the end, it is a number that does not tell us much. Yes, in very few cases, it can give us vital information regarding your health, but that is few cases.

Far too many base their success on this number. Everything is wrapped up in it and when that scale does not say what they want, there is no success.

If this is you, maybe you need to have a break up with your scale. Through your scale away and in it's place put a sticky note, with a positive mantra. You are welcome to use any of mine or come up with your own.
"I am worth more than the number on the scale."
"The number does not equal success."
"I am becoming healthy by nourishing my body with healthy foods."
"I am beautiful."
"I am strong."

Here are some better ways to understand progress:
Pictures, take before and after's.
Measurements
The mirror, do you like what you are seeing, do you notice the changes?
How does your spouse, significant other, family or friends say you look?
Are you lifting heavier in the gym, if this is what you want?
Has your endurance improved?
Do you have more energy?
Are you sleeping better?
How are your clothes fitting?

If this is a deep struggle for you, do not be afraid to seek help to unravel your struggles with your worth and weight.

You are worth more than that number on the scale.
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn

Easy Steps to Stay Healthy

I know we are coming up to the cold and flue season, in some regards we are already in the season with the virus that has been hitting children in the last several weeks. How do we take care of ourselves? Is there anything we can do or just subcome to getting sick? Of course, I say no. We can do small things that will add up to help our immune system ward off illness.

• Avoiding sugar. I am not talking about in season fruit and raw local honey, which can actually help keep you healthy. Sugary drinks, baked goods, added sugar to processed foods, avoid these.
• Add in bone broth. 
• Keep your stomach acidic. Our stomach's should be between 1-3 on the acidity scale, very acidic, but most are around 6 or 7, which is about neutral. An acidic environment will kill bacteria and viruses, they cannot live there, which means they cannot make you sick. Adding in things like raw apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon and lime juice, komubcha, oranges, these will all help to make your stomach more acidic, keeping you healthy.
• Washing your hands with warm soapy water. Skip the anti-bacterial stuff, the warm water and rubbing your hands together vigorously for at least 30 seconds will actually get them off you. Be sure to wash your hands before you eat, touch your mouth, eyes and nose.
• Making sure you are in-taking enough fat soluble vitamins, A and D especially, pastured butter.
• Air out your house. I know this is hard when it is cold, but it will help rid your house of bad bugs. You can also use diffusers with essential oils or make your own air cleansing concautions, add water, lemon, oranges, cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves to a pot, bring to a boil and allow to simmer. This makes your house smell amazing and cleanses the air at the same time. 
• Take hot and cold showers. My Mom always told us growing up to not jump into the hot tub and then the pool, it will make you sick. Actually, the opposite it true, this will increase your immune system and your metabolism. 
• Eating a traditionally based diet.
• Exercise, but not too much. 

In the end, it is about prevention, not treating you once you are sick.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.

God bless,

Jenn

Primal for Life Challenge Info

Anyone looking for a lifestyle challenge to change your life, we are having one going for you at CrossFit Ogden. Here is the low down on the challenge.

This challenge is designed to help you make a lifestyle change. Changes you will continue once the challenge is over, not stop because the challenge is over. There are three levels for you to choose from, beginner to advanced. Choose the level that challenges you, but does not overwhelm you.

Level 1: This level is for those who have not ever done a healthy eating challenge or are new to the Primal life. This level entails:

• Set two goals around food and or lifestyle you would like to make a part of your life, even after the challenge is over. Write them down, share them, put them on sticking notes and post them all over to remind yourself of your goals.
• Removing sodas, energy drinks, high sugar beverages, artificial sugars and balance out your water intake, not too little, but not too much.
• Set aside time each day to journal, your food intake, mood, sleep, work outs, being grateful, your demons, whatever you are inspired to write. This is your time to challenge yourself and grow.
• Pick 3-5 processed foods to eliminate, maybe one of your favorites. Help yourself during this process by increasing healthy fats. Things such as coconut oil, butter, egg yolks, bone broth, these foods will increase your nutrient density, nutrient intake, help with sugar cravings and give you long lasting energy.
• Try a new recipe each week! This will give you a chance to try new food, expand your recipe box, find new go to recipes for your family. 

Level 2: This includes everything from Level 1 plus:

• Eliminate all processed foods 4 days a week.
• Spend more time standing.
• A night time ritual is crucial for a good night's sleep. Begin establishing one to work for you and your sleeping needs. Examples: turning off all electronic devices 20 minutes before bed, spend some time stretching, deep breathing, reading a book or journaling.
• For the second half of the challenge, I will let you know when, eliminate diary, if you have not done so already. This will give you the ability to see if you have a dairy intolerance or if it is processed foods that are causing the issues.

Level 3:

• Living a full Primal lifestyle and anything from the first two levels you need to add into your daily habits. 

How to being this challenge:

• Decide which level is going to be best for you. You want to challenge yourself, but not be overwhelmed. You can always go up a level.
• Set and write down your two goals.
• Surround yourself with people who are going to support you and challenge you to grow during this time.
• Begin. At the end of the day, you just have to begin. 

If you have any further questions, let me know.

The challenge begins this week and ends the end of October. Good luck!

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.

God bless,

Jenn