Is 1993 Old? (Read Time: 2 min.)

I was in Staples over the weekend and gave the cashier a 20 dollar bill.  She looked to be about 17 years old.  She looked at the bill and said, "Wow!  This is an old bill.  I can't remember the last time I saw a 20 dollar bill that looked like this.  I think I was six or seven."  As she took the 20, she looked on the front and back of it and then nodded, "1993... Yeah, that's old." 

That's probably the first time I actually felt "old."  I'm 34 so 1993, to me, was my sophomore year of high school, the year before I graduated high school as a junior.  I was 16 in 1994 so, to me, 1993 was my teenage years... it wasn't so far way.

But to this young girl, 1993 seems old.  It seems ancient.  Hmm... Am I getting ancient?  I think not.  What I've learned from this experience is the following:
1) "Old" is relative.
2) Teenagers still don't get it.
3) I'm as young as I choose to feel.
4) The next time I get an "old" twenty dollar bill, I'm saving it as a souvenir... or until it's really old enough to be worth something.

What it Takes to Hold the Vision (Read Time: 3 min.)

I got tired of talking about Body Ecology.  Regurgitating what I'm eating to the world seemed, after a while, like a total waste of time... so I'm over it.  I do 75% Body Ecology and 25% Kassandra Bibas Ecology and there you have it.

Lately, I've been re-reading "The Science of Getting Rich" by Wallace D. Wattles.  It is a classic and a MUST READ for anyone who's on the path to creating wealth.  In one of the chapters, Wattles says the following:

"Hold with faith and purpose the vision of yourself in the better environment but act upon your present environment with all your heart, and with all your strength, and with all your mind."

And you know something?  It's not always easy to do that.  If it were easy, everybody would be wealthy and successful.  But there's something more in that passage that is at the heart of what it means to live into your destiny.

Creating a life you love to look at is more than some fantasy or foo-foo affirmation.  It's possible.  Not only that, it's probable and realistic IF you follow Wattles' advice.  Let me break down what he said into three key points:

1. You have to create a vision for the life you want AND keep it (i.e. don't waffle, waiver, or shift gears when the going gets tough).
2. You have know this vision well enough to shift your focus to it in a moment's notice, in a tough moment, when you feel like giving up so that you can experience the thrill and joy of the vision even though it hasn't tangibly shown up yet.  In this, you've got to practice visualizing your dream so it becomes as natural to you as breathing.
3. At the same time that you can see your future and bask in your dream, you've got to put whole mind into present action and give ALL that you have to ALL that you do.  You've got to be focused on what you can do right now, in this moment, to make that dream come true.  It isn't enough to visualize and prayerize.  With the vision firmly in your mind, you've got to take the actions but do so with FULL faith and a WHOLE heart, giving your all to everything you do. 

Notice that these three steps are moment-by-moment choices that you've got to make from now until your dream comes to pass... and even after that. 

Is it easy?  No.

Is it worth it?  Yes.

Body Ecology Day 1 (Read Time: 2 min.)

So I'm back on Body Ecology... modified.  I've kept a few of my favorites: hot chocolate, turkey bacon, and white potatoes (namely tator tots for big breakfast on Saturday and Sunday).  I feel good on Day 1. 

It's been the usual: I woke up, had 32 oz water, warm lemon water, my vitality supergreens drink (w/ cocoa biotic and potent proteins), had my 1 probiotic pill (filled with live cultures) and my regular vitamins. 

An hour or so later, I had 4 egg whites, 2 slices of turkey bacon, 10  baby carrots, and hot chocolate with marshmallows.

A few hours after that, I had 4 ounces of chickren breast.

An hour before dinner, I had hot chocolate again plus 6 ounces of ground turkey.  Dinner was quinoa and broccoli. 

Total calories: 1,653
41% Carbs, 30% Protein, 29% Fat

Not bad.  I'd like to see 1,400 calories tomorrow... But I feel full :)

Body Ecology Days 4 & 5 (Read Time: 3 min.)

So I'm combining Days 4 & 5 because they were basically a bust.  Yesterday didn't work because I hadn't done groceries and today didn't work because tomorrow's my birthday and I gave myself permission to have cake, real cake... so needless to say I'm at my maintenance calories today.

So what's next?

Well, tomorrow's my 34th birthday and the best way I can enter tomorrow is to be on Body Ecology- 98% Body Ecology - meaning no gluten free cookies or snacks, no hot chocolate (though I adore it) just apples or blueberries for fruit, and my splurge factor of turkey bacon and peppermint tea sweetened with stevia. 

It's time crunch time now.  I have 23 days left of nutrition (21 days left of workout time) and I've got 78,000 more calories to burn.  I don't have even one day to play with so I'm going to use every moment to its full advantage. 

In the meantime, in celebration of my birthday today, I thoroughly enjoyed pizza, cake, and gummi lifesavers:)  Yum!

So tomorrow I'll start with Body Ecology Day 1 as the post title.  One thing about me: I don't give up. 

Tomorrow is another day:)

Body Ecology Day 3... But Not Really (Read Time: 3 min.)

So today was a total bust.  I woke up to the realization that I was all out of Body Ecology groceries and didn't have time to go grocery shopping (until tomorrow) and, so, in a nutshell, with no lemons, no non-gluten free/wheat free/dairy free things, I chose to eat non-Body Ecology.  I could've fasted by why bother?  I took the easy route... and that's okay. 

So, today's menu was:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, 10 baby carrots, 3 slices turkey bacon, hot chocolate (with 1/2 cup whole milk, 1 cup marshmallows and 1 packet cocoa mix)

Lunch: whole wheat penne pasta with sauce, parmesan cheese, 1 slice toast with butter on it

Dinner: Snickers bar, 4 barbecued chicken wings, french fries, 5 swedish meatballs, and crystal light

Oh I took it there today for a total of 2,241 calories, 43% Fat, 37% Carbs, 20% Protein... Oooh, way too much fat today... 

So what have I learned?

A- That I need to grocery shop and plan in advance so I have what I need to do Body Ecology

B- That being too full no longer feels as good as it once did; I'm liking the Body Ecology 80/20 rule (eat until your 80% full, make sure 80% of your plate are ocean veggies) more and more every day

C- I have the power to get off of Body Ecology one day and right back on it the next.  In previous encounters, if I missed a day from an eating regimen, I'd panic, thinking that I'd fallen off the bandwagon.  I've demolished the bandwagon.  Today was today.  Tomorrow I know exactly what to do: enjoy my life, buy groceries, eat Body Ecology, in that order.

I'm learning folks... I'm learning...

Day 2 Body Ecology (Read Time: 2 min.)

I'm starting to see why the Body Ecology Diet takes so much willpower.  It's a strict diet.  I stuck to the diet (with the exception of my turkey bacon) all the way until 3:30 pm and, at that point, I needed something with sugar in it.  So I had 1/2 a cup of almond milk, 1/2 packet of cocoa, and 1 cup of marshmallows... and that did the trick!  I was back on Body Ecology after that. 

So what I'm learning so far is this:

• Stage 1 (super strict) is not really for me
• There's a way to get the best of both worlds (Body Ecology and enjoyable food)
• I'm still feeling really good (tummy doesn't hurt, energy levels are high, and I don't feel bloated AT ALL)

So, here's what I did today in terms of nutrition:

• 1,011 calories, 22% Fat, 31% Carbs, 47% Protein

Ideally, I like to be at least 40% Protein so being able to have hot chocolate with marshmallows and still be at 47% protein was pretty awesome.

After starting my day with lemon water and a vitality supergreens shake, I had my usual breakfast (2 eggs, 2 slices turkey bacon, carrots, 3 ounces of chicken breast), had lunch later in the day with 4 ounces of chicken breast and Birds Eye veggies with hot chocolate) and then had dinner around 8:45 pm (right after work) of 4 oz tilapia and Birds Eye veggies and now I'm getting ready for bed.  I don't feel full and I'm not really that hungry.  So, is this working?  We'll see...

I'm all about experimentation.  On to Day 3!

Day 1 Body Ecology (Read Time: 2 min.)

I woke up pretty sick this morning... and there came my 'Aha' moment.  Something had to change.  I'd been postponing getting back on Body Ecology and here was the moment.  As I lay on the couch doubled over in pain, I knew exactly what I had to do so I hobbled upstairs to the kitchen, warmed up some water, squeezed half a lemon into the cup, guzzled it, and went back to bed.  There began Body Ecology Day #1.

I've scoured the internet for blogs on those who've done Body Ecology and what I've found isn't thrilling.  People say they're doing Body Ecology but they don't get much further than that.  So, for all of you considering Body Ecology, I'm going to get down to the details so you know what to expect.

On Day #1:

• I've consumed approximately 1,200 calories (30% Fat, 20% Carbs, 50% Protein). 
• I've modified Stage I of Body Ecology to include apples (instead of the more expensive berries which are ridiculously priced here in Utah at this time of the year) and I've added in turkey bacon (which contains some traces of sugar).  Other than that, it's strictly Body Ecology
• I had my lemon water, vitality supergreens drink (vitality supergreens + potent proteins + cocoa biotic) followed by an apple an hour later
• Breakfast happened an hour later around 11:30 am and I had 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 10 baby carrots and 2 slices of turkey bacon
• Lunch happened around 4:30 pm where I had 6 oz chicken breast (with skin on it) and 2 cups of Birds Eye veggies (cauliflower, carrots, broccoli)
• Dinner happened at 8 pm and I had 8 oz tilapia (sauteed with olive oil & seasoning), 2 cups Birds Eye veggies
• and I'm rounding the night drinking peppermint tea with 2 packets of Stevia

There's Day #1.  My tummy's rumbling a bit but I'll get used to it soon enough.  At least there's no pain.

Things Work Out (Read Time: 2 min.)

It's so easy to get caught up in drama, to over-invest in a sense that the 'now' circumstance is going to last forever.  Few things do.  What causes insecurity in life is walking through experiences thinking, 'It all comes down to this..."  It's that now or never mentality that gets people stuck.

No matter how badly you want to win or have things go your way, keep in mind one simple truth:

Things work out.

They just do.  Even the obstacles turn into opportunities.  The roadblocks become pathways.  Enemies shine a light on friendship.  Whatever you're facing, no matter how grizzly it may appear, know that the unfoldment of it will be as beautiful as you choose to see it. 

Perception, attitude, and faith are everything in life.  If you take a different view, you'll live a different life... and it is as easy as it sounds.  Truth be told, some of us love misery far more than we'd care to admit.  We like the earth-shattering dramatic feeling that comes along with believing that every decision is final. 

When you get off of that adrenaline rush, you figure out that the peaceful sense of life flowing in positive directions is a much better high that lasts a lifetime.  Again, things work out.

Only When I'm Tired Do I Miss Coffee (Read Time: 2 min.)

Today I'm sleep deprived.  William (my 7 year old) spent most of last night awake with the usual tough transition from staying up late over Christmas break to 'back to the 9:30 pm bedtime routine' and I got the special pleasure of waking up every half an hour to say "Will, go to sleep... Will, it's time for bed."  Add to that the fact that I woke up at 4:45 am to take TJ to swim practice and go run 2.75 miles at a semi-packed gym and you have one tired woman... and here's where I miss coffee.

There are lots of things I love about coffee: the smell, the taste, the fake dose of energy you get from it for a limited amount of time, the ability to carry around that Starbucks cup like a symbol to the world (Yes, I'm a coffee drinker here in Utah) but I only miss coffee like this when I'm so sleep deprived and feel so tired that any dose of energy feels like a boost in self esteem.

I don't like feeling tired.  I don't like feeling like I'm not energetically equipped to do everything I set out to do for the day and when days like this arrive (and with small children they do), I battle within myself between the dictator part of me that says "Do it all NO MATTER WHAT" and the kinder, more compassionate fairy godmother part of me that quietly says, "Do your best and get some rest." 

Which part do I listen to?

Well, I'm on my second cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows, I'm hoping to record two videos tonight, and I'm planning on an early bedtime.  We'll see who's voice I listen to in about 8 hours...

What Keeps You From Changing Your Life? (Read Time: 3 min.)

What's keeping you from changing your life?

Sometimes we think that change is what we need to feel better about our lives.  But what if complaining and whining about our lives is exactly what feeds if?  What if, at the end of

the day, when the rubber hits the road, what we want most is the ability to throw a pity party and have many people attend?

Being disempowered has its advantages.  When you're disempowered, you don't have to work hard.  You don't have to live your life to the max.  You don't have to take risks and you don't have to pay the price for living your dream life.  You get to play the victim, the martyr, and the indentured servant.  You get to tell the story that starts with "Whoa is me."  When people offer you advice, you get to interject, "Yeah, but..."

However, there are many things you don't get to do when you deny the power of your own choices. 

Living the disempowered life makes sense for those who are too afraid to take chances, too focused on being "right" rather than being happy.  Disempowered works for those who feel that people wouldn't stick around if they got empowered.  We all see vulnerability as the key to relationship success (whether we admit it or not) but vulnerability does not have to translate to weakness.

"You get to have whatever you choose to think."

- Louise L. Hay

Louise wasn't lying when she said that.  You can be empowered but it comes at a price. 

When you choose to stand in your power, you'll have to:
1. Refuse to buy into your own excuses.
2. Do things you don't "feel" like doing.
3. Consciously choose your thoughts.
4. Let the past go minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day.
5. Believe the best in ALL situations, even when things go to hell in a handbasket.
6. Own when you're sabotaging yourself and make a different choice
7. Keep your dreams visually in front of you and make time to visualize, actualize and prayerize.
8. Be patient with the process even when it takes years.
9. Celebrate successes so you keep your momentum going.
10. Work through challenges with compassion and grace, rather than a pout, a yell and a closed fist.

These are just 10 prices you'll have to pay to live the empowered life.  Are you tired just reading them?  Try living them...

At the end of the day, know one thing: the empowered life was meant for you.  You can skirt the issue, pretend that you're okay playing it safe, live life at 70% but something in your soul is bound to wake you up.  You cannot hide from your own potential.