Mamavation Monday - Where's Katie?!?

I looked through some old posts the other day trying to figure something out on my blog and realized it had been 2.5 months since I last posted! EEK!

Where have I been?  Funny question. . . .

In the last 2 months, I've been dealing with a job change.  Still same career field, but different job!  As many of you know, my old job had insane hours and I never knew how long or when I'd work no matter how much I planned.  This new job, is slightly different!

I'm working normal Monday-Friday hours which is great!  However, all my routines/habits that I had developed over the last few years working my other job have really been hard to break!  At my old job, I had a week day off.  At this new job, I have the WEEKEND off.  It's nice, but I'm trying to adjust to not having an entire day at the house to myself.

At the moment, I am literally typing as everyone else is asleep.

It seems that since I've started working "normal" hours, I have found myself busier than ever.  Between church events, cub scout meetings, PTO meetings, chiropractor appointments, etc. I barely spend any time at home.

I am not complaining.  Do not take any of this as complaining. This is just a slightly insanely stressed mom who is trying to get her routine remade (again) so that things will once again run smoothly and I can find time at the end of each day to post some meaningless drabble on my beloved blog.

Until I get back into my normal routine, I will continue grabbing any time I can get for a quick workout (it may end up being a playout), make a better choice on what I am eating, and find the beauty in each day.

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Posted in mamavation , mamavation monday , stress , work

Detox Diet Day 4 Update

If you read  my post on Monday, you know that this week I'm doing a Detox Diet.  I can pretty much guarantee that I am full of toxins because I am having crazy changes happening.  These crazy changes are not good by any means.  I have to keep reminding myself that these are happening because my body is releasing toxins and probably in shock or even healing!  Every single "issue" I have happening all points back to detox.  Trust me - I was researching this fairly extensively when I was awake randomly at 3am (which by the way is a symptom....)

Besides being awake at crazy hours, what else has been happening?

• Canker Sores UGH.  I have 2 right now.  I haven't had anything like this since I was a small child and I was so confused when I discovered these yesterday.  Sure enough, a huge sign of detox or diet changes can cause these painful things.  I literally want to cry a little whenever I eat right now. . .
• Acne.  I've never had the greatest skin, but since yesterday, my face has been broken out even worse!  And guess what Dr. Google told me?  Yup.  Another sign. . .
• Sweating.  I can already out sweat most dudes and now?  I can out sweat 3 dudes!
• Sleep Disturbances.  A huge sign of detox.  Someone also said that waking between 3-5am can be an adrenal gland overload or even it healing.  I'd say mine is healing from the massive amounts of coca cola that I've ingested in the past!
• Excessive oiliness. I'm already pretty oily naturally.  I am one of those people who has to wash their hair daily and use a really good face wash.  Yesterday I washed my hair in the morning and by afternoon it looked like I hadn't washed my hair in days.... On a positive  note, my hair is doing pretty well today and my face isn't dripping in oil!

I know I am not making a detox diet sound very fun right now, but look at the bright side - just a little discomfort and inconvenience will lead to major changes in a positive direction for my health.

After talking to Healthy Jasmine I have decided it may be best to continue my detox diet another week.  All I know is I need to get creative because I'm getting sick of steamed vegetables!  I've been eating raw vegetables for the last few meals to kind of change things up a little!

How can I put a price or even a convenience level on health?  Can you?

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Posted in detox , detox diet

Wordless Wednesday - Can We Please Take A Picture With A Normal Face!

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Posted in family , pics , Wordless Wednesday

Detox Diet - Coffee During a Detox Diet?

Source

Most people are confused when I say I am on a detox diet but yet I'm sipping on my morning coffee.  The majority of people do not view the health benefits of coffee.

Now this is not a license to drink coffee all day!  I have my morning cup and then stop myself (keep in mind my morning cup is a 20 oz cup!).  I also drink my coffee black.  I don't add any of the creamers, etc. to it.  I think those nasty additives take away from the true taste of coffee.

Coffee is a natural detoxifier and has great health benefits for the liver and kidneys - the two most vital organs in the body's natural detoxification process.

Even further support for coffee's liver benefits - according to the Mayo Clinic, newer research shows that coffee (in moderation) can help ward off Parkinson's Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and even liver cancer! Coffee is full of antioxidants! (source)

So, if you are a coffee lover, then keep enjoying it BUT in moderation.  Try to enjoy it without the calorie adding creams/sugars!

How do you drink your morning cup of joe?

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Posted in coffee , detox , detox diet , health benefits of coffee

Mamavation Monday - Detox Diet Day 1

I am sure you will notice I used the four letter "D" word in my title.  Let me clarify something. I am not a fan of "diets."  To me, a diet is a LIFESTYLE. Not just a temporary measure to get temporary results.  With that being said, it may sound strange that I am going on a 1-3 week Detox Diet.  I say 1-3 weeks because I am doing this for a week minimum, and if I feel I need more, I will go up to three weeks!

What is a detox diet and why am I doing one? A detox diet is where one eats only certain foods or a certain way to cleanse the body.  It allows the body to get rid of any toxins that have built up from poor eating habits, environmental exposures, etc.

I am doing a detox diet because  my eating has been less than stellar for quiet a while now.  I need something to give me an extra jump start back into eating properly for optimal health.  Between the poor eating and the environment in general, I have plenty of toxins that need to go! This is not a weight loss diet!  I will more than likely lose some inches and pounds, but they will more than likely come back! (small disclaimer there!)

How do I detox?  I do a diet of fruits, vegetables, and 1 whole grain serving a day.  I do not agree with the detoxes that involve only liquids or certain "shakes."  I prefer real food.  You can find the detox diet I follow here. I plan to revamp it some and when I am finally finished with it, I will post the new one.

Also - this week I am going to get myself into the habit of tracking my food intake with my fitness pal.  This is something I have always wanted to get into the habit of, so this week I am focusing on making it a habit!

Have you ever done a detox diet?  What were your results? What diet did you follow?

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Posted in detox , detox diet , mamavation , mamavation monday

Mamavation Monday 7/29 - Lack of Energy Mystery Solved!

My schedule is back to its normal state!  VBS week at church was amazing, but I am glad to be back into my normal work and home routine.

So, the title of this post is my lack of energy mystery solved.  Why?  Well, I couldn't figure out why last week I was still feeling so drained, then it dawned on me yesterday - I was forgetting my daily vitamins and greens! GAH! I know my eating wasn't fabulous and that's a small factor, but no matter how poorly I eat, my vitamins/greens help!

Another thing I REALLY need to get into the habit of is logging my stats into myfitnesspal.  I need to see that my work is paying off in a MEASURABLE way.

I was able to squeeze in a quick workout each day last week as well.  I'm also back on my morning smoothie routine and it has helped a lot as well.

I went to Whole Foods and Trader Joes yesterday to do some shopping for healthy snacks in my plight to get back on track with my eating.  These stores are about 45 minutes away, so they are not frequent stores for me sadly.  Yesterday was the first day I had been to Trader Joe's since it came to our area and it didn't have the variety that Whole Foods has to be honest.  I am hoping that as it is in the area longer, it will grow.

This week's focus:

1. Habit Change #1
2. Daily Yoga Workout
3. Daily Vitamins and Greens!
4. Logging stats into myfitness pal (workouts, weight, inches, etc)

I must mention that I am SO excited about this week's topic on Mamavation TV - Detoxing our household cleaning supplies!  Household Cleaners can be VERY dangerous especially if used in a poorly ventilated area or mixed (this includes vapors too!).

In my household, we have used homemade/alternative cleaners for years.  I'm amazed at how many individuals are not aware of the dangers of household cleaners.  FEMA actually offers a free course on Household Hazardous Materials.  This course is full of information and alternatives!

Do you use any "alternative" household cleaners?

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Posted in household toxins , It works , It Works Global , it works greens , mamavation , mamavation monday

Mamavation Monday - 7/22 - Almost Back to Normalcy

Last week was shutdown at work.  What does this  mean?  The company where my company is a contractor shuts down twice a year and this results in INSANE amounts of work for my company.  Employees of the manufacturer get a 10 day vacation and employees in my company get overtime.

We survived shutdown and it's over.  I survived.

This week is Vacation Bible School at church. My schedule is almost back to its normal state.  I at least have time and energy now that shutdown is over to squeeze in a quick workout.

During shutdown week, I did no less than 16K steps.  The 16K steps were on days I would grab a ride with someone on our golf cart type things or sit down a little more than usual.  My feet hurt the entire week and even a few days after.

My son's friend had a birthday party on Saturday at the local skating rink.  They had a pair of adult inline skates and OMG I skated for an hour.  It was amazing and as crazy as it sounds, I think I may invest in a pair.  I used to rollerblade a lot when I was younger and LOVED it!

I didn't workout at all last week (unless you count the hour of skating) nor did I really pay attention to what I was eating.  I was honestly just trying to stay awake and functioning during our high volume work time.  This week it's a little different.  I am working out - even if it's just an half hour or hour of yoga in the evening.

I'm also eating better this week.  I've got meals planned, etc. While I'm not staying hyper focused on what I'm eating, I can guarantee it will be better than last week.  Last week I was having trouble eating due to being in a hot environment all week.

In a few weeks I am planning to do my detox diet.  It's one of my favorite diets to do because it involves eating REAL food unlike the commercial detox diets that involve drinks, etc.

This week's focal points are going to be simple to help me get back into routine. It's amazing how a simple week can mess with my routine!

1. Habit Change #1
2. Daily workout (whatever I choose)

Have a great week!

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Posted in mamavation , mamavation monday