Plus One!

Great start to my day with a Plus One activity. San and I met for our walk at the Mall. I even got there early enough to do one full lap around the mall and then some - so it's an extra mile+ for me! Feels good to stretch on the activity level again.

And with sunshine and warm days ahead, I know there will be more outside walks, garden workouts and more to add in.

So where can You include a Plus One into your day? Please Share!

Keep Moving!

Hi Gerri, Tee, and San...

Thanks for a great call tonight

Especially love the encouragement to keep moving. Today, even though I didn't think I had the steam, I reached for a rake and spent an hour working in the garden. Ever notice that as you work, the kinks have a way of disappearing? At the end of an hour, the lawn was clean and green... old leaves gone, frayed branches picked up and gone. One more thing - led to such a feeling of accomplishment, not to mention a great hour of exercise in bright spring sunshine.

Thanks for the reminder - and the encouragement - to "keep moving"!

Prue

BRIGHT TRAIN DAY

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to share that even though it is gray and rainy, I am having a BRIGHT TRAIN day... good intentions, good food choices and T-Tapp and rebounding on my schedule.
'See' you all tonight for our Abundant Healthy Living Call!
Love, San

Checking In

We had a Swiss Beauty Workshop here today so that some of our clients could learn more about the skin care side of our business. It was wonderful to see the new products and we have some Arbonne converts!!
It has been a good week for me, staying focused and losing 2.5 pounds!
On to another great week of Abundant Healthy Living!
'See' you all Monday night for the call.
Love, San

Gratitude

I am thrilled to say that I am back on track ... and dropping some pounds.
The Abundant Healthy Living principles have helped me to maintain my weight where in the past I would have regained. I am happy to say that I am looking at some nice progress now.
This was a long plateau and I have loved the support of our program.
I am grateful to AHL and to all of you as I continue towards my healthy goal.
Love, San

REMINDER - No Call Monday, March 22

Good Morning All Aou Abundant Healthy Living Empowered Women!

I wanted to remind you that we will be skipping one week of our AHL calls due to travel and other conflicts with your Abundant Healthy Living leaders, Tee, San and I.

So for Monday, March 22nd - remember to still keep Abundant Healthy Living principles in motion and in practice. Check the blog, post, connect with an Empowerment Partner. I look forward to seeing and hearing what you'll be doing this coming week.

We'll return to our 'regularly scheduled program' on Monday, March 29th.

Remember to call in at 7:55 so we can start promptly at 8pm.

Call in # is: 712-432-0180 PIN 939046#

Enjoy an Abundant and Healthy Week!

Love - Gerri

Travel Goals

Tomorrow I leave for a week of travel. First is Arbonne's National Training Celebration followed by a couple of days with a long time friend at the foot of Zion National park in Hurricane UT.

Traveling can be one of the stumbling blocks for following healthy and fit practices. In the past it's been when I give myself permission to 'overindulge' and then I find a few extra pounds to bring back with me. Since being in the Abundant Healthy Living program I have definitely turned this around and I want to continue that new trend by stating my commitments aloud to all of you in this blog.

- I am currently at 138.5 pounds and I will not bring any extra 'baggage' home, unless it is actually new Arbonne products!
- I will take the stairs instead of the escalators whenever I have a choice.
- I will start each day on the right note with an Arbonne shake, Arbonne Hybrids and Omega-3 Plus.
- When I do buy meals, I'll choose healthier, nutritious, flavorful choices.
- I will take my Going, Going Gone with or before each meal (and yes - these are in my packing pile already!)
- I will ENJOY this time that is ME time, being with people that I love, being around people that inspire me, and will stay open to new possibilities.

Beginnings!

I love each session we do with Abundant Healthy Living. It's just that there's something special about starting anew. It just seems like a more significant point, a fork in the road, a new chapter.

And even though I am in this as one of the leaders for the calls, I am also a participant in applying these principles too. And I know that one of my commitments to myself in this round is to actively work with the assignments...anew.

It's wonderful to be starting SPRING with this program and my empowerment partners by my side.

Love! Gerri

Light Minestrone Soup - For Veggie Lovers

I thought this recipe sounded so fresh & healthy and in the words of Julia Child "You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients"

Light Minestrone
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1 carrot diced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups, fat-free, unsalted chicken broth
2 large tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1 can (16 oz) canned chick peas or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup uncooked small shell pasta (multigrain pasta if possible)
1 small zucchini, diced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Directions
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots and saute until softened - about 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Stir in broth, tomatoes, spinach, beans and pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add zucchini. Cover and cook 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh basil. Serve immediately. VOILA!

-Betty Robinson

Rejuvenating Power of Qi Gong

Ok - I'm hooked on Qi Gong, especially when Karl Ardo leads a group.

I finally got to one of Karl's walk-in sessions last night with Myra and another friend Janice after a many, many week absence. This type of movement just resonates with me. I've been struggling with a stiff lower back since our back to back snow events last month. My Chiropractor has helped and so has my personal stretching, but it's still be nagging at me. Last night for the first time in quite a while I was able to go to sleep without any discomfort. And it still felt that way this morning.

So in the words of Neil Diamond and The Monkeys (yes, I know I'm dating myself!), I'm a believer!

I love that Abundant Healthy Living is about finding and embracing those activities that feed our soul. It IS personal. It has to be something that bring joy, energy and life. And one size does not fit all.

I'm just thrilled that I found a perfect fit for me! And I love that I can share the experience with two wonderful women.

March Mindfulness

We hear a lot about March Madness - well, I'm going to focus instead on March Mindfulness. I really want to re-awaken my awareness and attention to those things that serve me, that bring me joy, that enhance my health.

Spring is in the air. There's an expectancy in the breeze. And new energy in the morning birdsong. I am ready to to embrace being alive and aware each and every moment.

Tips from Dr. Oz

Hello everyone -

I haven't blogged in awhile but I do try to keep up with what you all post. 

I saw this in the paper the other day and thought they were some good informational nuggets.  They are from a column on health written by Dr. Oz. 

You have: Mid-morning hunger pangs
Try:  Drinking skim milk instead of juice at breakfast.  Proteins in milk are better at managing hunger than the carbs in the fruit juice.

You have: The afternoon munchies
Try:  Chewing gum after lunch.  People who did this had fewer cravings for sweets and ate fewer afternoon snacks.

You have: Seconds.  Thirds.  Fourths.
Try this: Eat walnuts before dinner.  The healthy fat in about 6 walnuts triggers a cahin reaction that slows the rate at which your stomach empties.  So, you'll be less likely to overeat.

You have:  A chocolate craving (story of my life - LOL!)
Try: walking down the hall (away from the vending machine!).  A 15-minute walked nixed cravings in a grup of chocoholics probably because the feel-good hit they got from moving around gave them what they were seeking from chocolate. 

You have:  A little movie with your popcorn
Try: Watching a funny movie instead of a tear-jerker.  When people in a study watched a fynny movie vs a tear-jerker, they ate 30% less popcorn.  And remember air-popped popcorn always.

Have a wonderful week.

Love, Tee

Beginning of March

Today is a new month with a new season in the verge of creation. Seems like a good morning to post my monthly goals to the group as my way of announcing them to the world. A nice way to promote personal change and accountability.
- my weight has held steady now for a few weeks..which is all good. I now know that for me to truely get beyond this plateau I need to do two things (that I know of right in this moment).

1. water,water,water. I will reset three alarms to my phone to fill my water container and drink it down.

2. I purchased a yoga CD online yesterday. It was primarily a CD entitled Yoga for MS. I am hoping that I receive it this week and can begin this practice.

3. Continue with spin classes 3 times a week.

4. increase veggies, fruits, and continue already established healthy eating principles.

5. Continue protein shakes for breakfast with blueberries or 1/2 banana with a tablespoon of flax seed oil mixed in.

If anyone want to chime in and add any suggestions, please do so.

~myra