What You Think You Are...You Are

Our thoughts are powerful.   Everything exists twice.  Everything.   First as thought, and then as form.

So how is this good news for those of us on an Abundant Healthy Living journey?

When we focus out thoughts to be supportive of the healthy fit person we know we are, then our actions will begin to support thoughts and our life will show up in healthier happier ways.

A great book to use that will help you on this journey is "Law of Attraction" by Michael J. Losier.   There are many exercises in this book and I highly recommend you take the time to do them.    You'll find this helps you create some powerful shifts in your thinking and that's only the beginning.

Here's one tip from the book.  When creating affirmations it might be a stretch for you to say "I am a healthy fit person now!"   Your mind may resist this and fight against this if you have a lot of challenges.   So, let's change these words to say "I am in the process of becoming healthier and more fit each and every day."   YES!   We are in constant change.   And if you have a commitment to your health and wellness, then you ARE in the process of becoming healthier and more fit.

Life IS a self fulfilling prophecy.   You decide what you think about YOU!  

QUESTIONS FOR THE BLOG
- Were you ever told things as a child that made you think 'small', made you hesistate, to not try new things?  Do those early messages still affect you today?   How can you change these thoughts?
- Share at least one empowering statement you either have been using or just created.

ABUNDANT HEALTHY LIVING ACTIONS
- Start with the phrase:  "I am in the process of..."    Write out 3 or 4 healthy fit statements and begin and end your day reading these.
- Sometimes it's easier to listen to the words someone else says than to listen to your own words.   Take time to really listen when in conversation with some else.   Do you hear limiting thoughts expressed?   Do you recognize those same thoughts in yourself?   Find a way to open the converstion to rephrasing these thoughts to more empowering statements.   After all, friends exist to build each other up!

A TRADE SECRET ... SLEEP!

I love the really simple TRADE SECRETS that the Abundant Healthy Living partners have found.
Did you know that getting enough sleep can actually help you reach your desired weight?!
Turns out that we need a minimum of 7.5 hours to produce the right hormone that helps us lose weight. See the complete article by following the link and Happy Sleeping!

www.glamour.com/magazine/2009/02/lose-weight-while-you-sleep

QUESTIONS FOR THE BLOG:
Do you currently get enough sleep? How many hours is right for you?
What is the one thing you could change to get better sleep?
Are you willing to make adjustments here to reach your wellness goal?

ABUNDANT HEALTHY LIVING ACTIONS:
Determine if you need to add activities to help you transition to sleep.
Make a list of actions that might help you. Here are some suggestions ... prayer, meditation, journaling, stretching, a warm bath, a light snack, reading a chapter in a book, etc.
Will you commit to doing them for one week?

In any language

och aye (Scotch) ola kala (Greek)
oke or okeh (Choctaw Indian)
aux Cayes (French)
au quai (also French)
Okay (English)

In any language, Okay is our post topic today. 

When I think about Okay I think about acceptance.  And acceptance is an important component of forward momentum and change.  See, in order for you to have the clear focus to move ahead, you have to be okay with where you are.  If you are not okay, then that creates a significant road block to all that you want for yourself because you are stuck.

How do you get to Okay?  One way is to do an exercise called Mirror Work.  Every morning and every night when you are going through your self-care routine - add a minute or two to look yourself in the eye and say - out loud - I'm okay and because I am okay, I am free to pursue and achieve my goals.  Some people even add "I love myself" and that makes it more powerful.  You can find more information on Mirror Work and other techniques to bring you to Okay in the book The Art of Extreme Self-Care: Transform Your Life One Month at a Time by Cheryl Richardson . 

To be honest, this past year, I have not been okay.  After my husband lost his job last fall I became stuck in a web of - I'm not okay and EVERYTHING is not okay.  I couldn't break out of my slump and even the AHL techniques that I KNOW WORK didn't seem to help.  I couldn't get off of the Dark Train.  My weight went up, my spirits went down and everything in my life seemed to stall. 

And then summer came and I went in for ankle surgery and was home most of the summer.  Slowly, the stillness of not being able to walk around -first not at all and then not very much - settled into my brain. What was I doing?  I started to want to break out of the fog, to see myself and my dreams again.  I needed to get back to Okay.  So I took the steps to get there and in fact, I am still taking steps.  I started with getting back on the Bright Train (what is Okay about the situation?  What is GOOD about the situation?).  Then I tackled my weight - all of the AHL principles of clean, healthy, focused eating.  And so on.  I am still tackling things - with the big one being my belief - looking at myself in the mirror and reminding myself that everyday I am okay and that my dreams are out there for me.  And trust me, I am okay with that.

With love and okayness,
Tee

Questions
- What are the small or large things you can do to help you start and maintain each day at "Okay"? 

Activities
- Buy or borrow Cheryl Richardson's book The Art of Self Care.  Plan to do each monthly exercise.
- Remind yourself everyday that you are okay and that this day is going to be special.
- Share the love.  Tell someone else something nice about them.  Help them get to okay.

Energize!

How do you keep your body charged and ready?  How do you keep your mind alert and open to life's possibilities?   What do you feed your mind and body to improve your ability to live a happy, healthy and vibrant life?

Are your foods and drinks full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, or are they empty calories?

How about what you read?  What you listen to?  Who you talk to?   Do these things raise your energy level or deplete it?   Do they open your mind to possibilities and opportunities?   Do they make you curious around other people or suspicious?

What we feed our body and mind matters. Is it Poison or is it Fuel?  Are you giving yourself the high test or the cheap stuff?  That's really your choice.   Is there an athlete that you really admire?   What do you think they would say if they saw what you ate?  What do you think they eat to stay healthy?

This is a key principle to integrate into your life to enhance your ability to live an Abundant Healthy Life.  You are being asked to take great care of your self and to learn to do what really serves YOU! These are not always easy changes for us to make but we will keep coming back to this.   Raising your awareness is always the first step.  

Remember, last week's post - you have to think healthy and fit thoughts first.    Healthy and fit thoughts are FUEL for your mind which help you make better decisions about providing fuel for your body. 

QUESTIONS FOR THE BLOG ...

• How do you start your day?   Do you feed your body fuel?  Do you feed your mind fuel?  Does it make a difference to your attitude for the rest of the day?
• What do you REALLY think about the concept of everything being either Fuel or Poison - no middle ground?

ABUNDANT HEALTHY LIVING ACTION ...

• For one day, just be aware of whether your feeding your body and mind Poison or Fuel. No judgements. Just awareness. Just taking the time to be aware can create new possibilities.
• Challenge yourself to go for one day eating and drinking only FUEL for your body. How does it feel?  Is there resistance?

Healthy Fit Thinking PRECEDES Being Healthy and Fit!

It is that time of year when summer vacations are pleasant memories, the kids go back to school and we pause to take stock. At least for me, Fall has always been a time of new beginnings. Therefore it's a perfect time to circle back to the beginning of the Abundant Healthy Living Program to take a look at our founding principle, Healthy Fit THINKING precedes BEING Healthy and Fit.

I really love this simple sentence because it reminds us that being healthy and fit is really more about our belief and focus than anything else. If you are not thinking the right thoughts you will never reach your optimal goal. If through sheer willpower you do reach the goal you probably won't be able to maintain the results.

We must develop the mindset of a healthy fit person before we become a healthy fit person. This is why so much of our program is about creating new beliefs about who we are and what we want. We must change our thinking before we create the results we want.

Those of us in Arbonne have recently heard ... 'Your brain believes what it hears the most'. It is true here too and the AHL program keeps the right thoughts in front of you week after week so congratulations for being here.

I used to think ...

• I will exercise when I have more energy. No, actually the exercise will give you more energy.
• I will journal when I wake up feeling good. No, actually writing in your journal will help you feel good.
• I will dress better when I drop some pounds. No, actually dressing better now will make you feel good about yourself and help you stay focused on dropping pounds.
• I will finally be fit when ... fill in the blank. No, actually you begin the journey by seeing yourself as fit and taking the actions of a fit person now.
  

In each case you must have the healthy thought/belief and take the healthy action before it becomes your reality or your new default response. Don't you just love this?!

QUESTIONS FOR THE BLOG ...

• What is your strongest thought or belief that keeps you on the path to wellness?
• What is your strongest thought or belief that keeps you from achieving your desired goal?
• Think about your own thoughts. What is one that you could change for September?
  
• What actions will you take to achieve it?

ABUNDANT HEALTHY ACTION ...

• Check out our AHL Mindset List under the Healthy and Fit Mindset Tab

• Print it, read it and put it to work for you.Place it where you will see it often, on your mirror, in your car, in your planner, wallet or purse, where ever you will see it often.

You are What You Eat

I know.  I know.  I have said this before and it is certainly a very well-worn saying.  But, sometimes, you need to hear things at least a million times before the message sinks in. 

During our time together - on the phone and in the blog - you have heard me go on about my love of SuperFoods (http://www.superfoodsrx.com/).  Well, recently, I re-discovered a philosophy that walks hand-in-hand with not only SuperFoods, but with the abundant healthy living philosophy we've been embracing. 

The practice is called Eat Clean (www.eatcleandiet.com).  The maven of the Eat Clean movement is a gal called Tosca Reno.  I encourage you to pick up one of her books - The Eat Clean Diet or The Eat Clean Diet Recharged are good starting points.  I have been eating clean for almost three weeks now and have lost 7 pounds.  My head is clearer and I no longer have the mid-day energy lull. 

The basics of Eating Clean are no white flour, white sugar (or white sugar derivative), or foods that are over processed.  If the label has more than five ingredients, or words you cannot pronounce it is not clean.  An interesting blog about food additives can be found at www.fooddemocracy.wordpress.com.

Additionally, eating clean involves buying local and using herbs and spices to bring out the real flavor of foods.  The plan also calls for small meals six times a day and for drinking plenty of water.  Sound familiar?  We know this!  The eat clean books are so reader friendly and they do a great job of tying it all together with other key components like exercise, rest, and perspective.

I have started taking a cooler of clean food with me each week for work.  I bring lean protein (turkey, chicken tenders, hard boiled eggs) and fresh fruit and veggies and rice cakes, nuts, and other healthy snacks.  It takes no time at all to pull a cooler together for the whole week on Sunday night. 

I also have started making sure I have food with me every time I go out.  Yesterday we went to the State Fair and I took a sliced apple with natural peanut butter and a Clif Mojo Bar (70% organic, most delicious bar EVER - you can get them at Target).  I had a couple of bites of Fair food but I did not over indulge.

One of the best tricks I have learned from the eat clean books is the oatmeal bag.  Take a Ziploc baggie and put in 1/2 cup of quick cook whole oats (not instant) and a handful of dried fruit or raisins.  Stick the baggies in your handbag, your carry on, your glove box.  The baggies provide a nearly instant clean meal - all you need is a cup of hot water which you can get anywhere (and usually for free).  I have this for breakfast every weekday. 

The most successful way to lose weight and be healthy is to ignore the diet fads and stick to what we know works in the long run, clean, non-processed, super foods.

My oatmeal is calling!
Tee


Questions

• What impact does making the commitment to eat clean or to choose SuperFoods have on you?  On the environment?  On the economy?
• What can you do today to re-embrace the abundant healthy life you know you deserve?

Activities

•  spend some time learning or reminding yourself about the principles of clean, local eating. The library, the bookstore, the Internet
• go to a Farmer's Market, or your own garden and come up with meals using only the ingredients found there. A delicious plate of grilled veggies - onions, squash, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers - sprinkled with Old Bay. Delicious!
• Make up some oatmeal bags. Go to Trader Joe's and check out their individual packs of dried fruit and nuts. Prepare yourself for when you are not prepared! :-)

Life's Elixer

Water – This is probably the most essential nourishment for our overall health and therefore an obvious choice to give special attention to in our weekly post.

Water has an extensive range of functions essential to life.
- Water assists digestion, absorption and assimilation of food. If you don't drink enough water you can't get the full benefit of nutrients in the food you eat.
- If you don't drink enough water you get constipated and put your kidneys under stress.
- Water is also essential to regulating your body temperature. If you don't drink enough water you compromise the evaporation process your skin uses to keep you cool.
- Staying hydrated will also improve your cognitive ability.

Those reasons are significant enough to make me take note. And if your goal is to lose weight, there are even more reasons to reach for water. Few people realize at first just how essential water is to the success of their weight-loss program.

Water is a natural appetite suppressant. Your brain does not differentiate between hunger and thirst. So, when you think you are feeling hungry, your body may in fact be signaling to you that you are thirsty! So reach for that glass or bottle of water before you reach for anything else!

If your diet has been one that did not provide you with adequate water, your body will have developed a pattern of storing water. It's part of the body's survival mechanism - to store up the essential nutrients in short supply - just in case they aren't available in the future. So if you don't drink enough water, you are 'conditioning' your body to store water. And water is bulk and unwanted inches.

It's so simple...drink water! But how much? The most common answer we hear is to drink 6-8 large glasses a day. I like the guideline to drink half your body weight in ounces. So if you weigh 150, you should drink at least 75 ounces of water a day. Now if you want to increase your water intake I recommend increasing the amount gradually until you get to your ideal intake – after all you are really stretching your water comfort zone. This is a great place to implement our Plus One technique!

And if you drink coffee or an alcoholic beverage, you will need to drink another TWO glasses of water to contract the diuretic effect! And what about soda? A study at the University of Texas Health Science Center found that there was a 41 percent increase in the risk for being overweight for every single can of diet soda a person consumed daily.

So realize that alcohol, caffeinated drinks and sodas are NOT an alternative for water.  If you don’t like the taste of water you can look to Arbonne for a couple of options. Try adding Arbonne’s Fizzy Tabs. They not only make water easier to drink but provide the added benefits of a focused energy boost, appetite control and increased metabolism! And you can also explore the world of herbal teas instead – like Arbonne’s Detox Tea, you may be pleasantly surprised!

When you make a choice for what to drink, you’re better off making it an informed choice. That’s what we want to offer you here.

QUESTIONS FOR THE BLOG
- Be honest, how do you really feel about drinking water?! What are your stumbling blocks?
- If you’ve successfully achieved a healthy intake of water, what have you noticed about how you feel? Sharing this can be great encouragement for others.

ABUNDANT HEALTHY LIVING ACTION
- For one day, write down how much water you are drinking. Simply observe and record.
- If there is a gap between how much water you are drinking and what is recommended for you, use the Plus One technique to gradually increase your consumption of water.