Sharpening the Saw

There is an old Irish legend, a story of two lumberjacks.  Both men were skilled woodsmen although the first was much bigger, welding a powerful axe.  He was so strong that he didn’t have to be as accurate for he still produced due to his sheer size.  He was known far and wide for his ability to produce great quantities of raw material. Many hired him just because he was bigger.  After all, his customers reasoned, everyone knows that bigger is always better!! 

In spite of his size, the second woodsman’s fame was spreading for his skill was in his accuracy.  There was very little waste in his efforts so his customers ended up with a better product for their money. Soon the word spread that his work was even better than his larger competition! 

Upon hearing this, the larger man became concerned.  He wondered, “How could this be? I am so much bigger that I MUST be better!” He proposed that the two compete with a full day of chopping trees to see who was more productive.  The winner would be declared “The Greatest Lumberjack in all the land.” The smaller man agreed and the date for the bout was set.

The townspeople began talking.  They placed their bets.  The larger woodsman was the favorite to win with a 20 to 1 advantage.  After all, bigger is better!  The evening before the bout, both men sharpened their blades.  The smaller woodsman strategized to win the bout.  He knew he would never win because of his size. He needed a competitive advantage. Each man went to bed confident that he would be declared the winner. 

Morning broke with the entire town showing up to cheer on the lumberjacks.  The competition started with a the judge’s shout, “GO!” The first woodman, strong and broad, leaped into action.  He sawed vigorously and continuously without stopping knowing that every tree he felled brought him closer to his coveted title. 

The second woodsman, wasting no time and jumped into action as well, attacking his trees with every intention of winning the distinguished title.  But unlike his larger competitor, this man stopped every hour to sharpen his blade. 

This worried the townspeople greatly.  They murmured among themselves.  Surely, he could never win if he didn’t work longer and harder than his competitor.  His friends pleaded with him to increase his speed, to work harder but to no avail.  This pattern continued until the end of the day when both men heard the judge yell “TIME!”, signaling the end of the match. 

The larger man stood, winded and exhausted but proudly by his pile of trees knowing he had given his best.  Surely, he was the winner! The smaller woodsman also stood by his pile of trees though, unlike his competitor, the smaller man was still fresh, ready to continue if necessary.  He also stood confident of his efforts having toiled mightily for the prize.

When all the trees were counted, it was announced that the second woodsman had indeed felled more trees and had won the title of “The Greatest Lumberjack in all the Land!”  He happily shook the judge’s hand gripping the new blade that signified the win. The larger man, and most of the townspeople, stood in stunned silence at the announcement for he was, after all, stronger with the larger axe!

But the smaller woodsman, well, he was not surprised.  For he knew all along that in order to win especially against a larger competitor, his instrument had to be continually sharpened.  His axe was smaller and therefore each swing must be more accurate in order to produce the better product. By stopping the sharpen his instrument, he had proven, once and for all, that he was the better man for the job.

Sharpening the Saw

In his book, "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," Stephen Covey talks about sharpening the saw. He says: 

"It means exercising all four dimensions of our nature, regularly and consistently in a wise and balanced way. To do this we have to be proactive." 

The "dimensions of our nature" that he is referring to are the following: Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, and Physical. Keeping balance between these four areas in our life brings greater peace, happiness, and purpose. You define what it is in your life that you are committed to. 

I'll admit, my situation is and has been very similar to where it was when I started THR over a year ago!  I've been up and down in dress sizes, and have not focused on my health the way that I should have. I have found myself going over old posts to motivate myself again and put ME back into the spotlight. Yet, most of the time I feel like I am spinning my wheels. 

Now, I as stare at the mountain of laundry ahead of me (a side effect from moving,) I realize that I am getting back to where I can focus on myself and my family.  Although it was really nice to be living with my parents and spending quality time with them, I have to admit, I am ready to be just us again. My life is still crazy busy! "High School Musical" doesn't open for another month, I am recruiting for a children's music education program that I am teaching from my home called Let's Play Music, and I still teach voice lessons.  Top this off with the HUGE garden that I have planted and I don't really have down time. Alas, I find myself sitting at my computer trying to organize my life into something bearable. My life FEELS overwhelming, and I am letting it affect me! Therefore, today, I have decided to "sharpen my saw." It's time to sit down, prioritize, and make room for the important things in my life. I find that if I am put together, the rest sort of puts itself together. Anyone else notice that? 

Give it a shot! Take some time to re-set goals.  I mean REALLY set them, like, write those suckers down! Start with ONE goal for each dimension in your life: Spiritually, Mentally, Emotionally, and Physically. Come up with a game plan for each goal, and focus on those things for a week. I'll add my weekly goals at the end of my posts for awhile to help me stay on track.  Let me know how it went for you! 

My Goals

Spiritually: Take time to have REAL, heart-felt, prayer. Too often, I end up spouting off the "go-to list." That needs to change. I need time to have a one-on-one with God.

Mentally: Put some time into studying and preparing for rehearsals, voice lessons, and Let's Play Music recruiting. The "work" aspect of my life seems to be "treading water." I attend to it when they call, but then I'm only half as good as I could be because of lack of preparation. 

Emotionally: FAMILY TIME!  My life is so busy that I need to PLAN family time. I want to have at least ONE night a week where we GO OUT and DO something as a family.  Golf, Mini-Golf, Hiking, Bikes, Lagoon, whatever.  We need it.  I have about 10 other goals for this category, but those will come when I get a handle on this one.

Physically: Here it is! Time to pay attention to my body again! My goal is to pay attention to my hunger scale. I KNOW that I am eating past the time when I am no longer hungry. There seems to be this small line where you aren't hungry anymore, but you aren't full.  THIS is when I need to stop eating.  I just have to slow down and NOTICE it!

Ways to Sharpen the Saw

Physically
Organize a space dedicated to yourself
Play
Meditate
Go to the Spa
Read

Mentally
Stretch
Have quality conversation
Complete a "bucket list" item
Listen to music
Learn something new

Spiritually
Read Scriptures
Enjoy Nature
Write in a journal
Pray
Smile

Emotionally
Laugh
Hold Hands with Someone
Apologize
Forgive
Date night!

If you'd like, go ahead and share your goals with me! Having someone to account to really does help!  I'm not even sure that people read this, but it certainly helps me! Don't forget to check out our Facebook Page! 

365 Days

I have been both excited for and dreading this post.  365 days ago, I wrote my very first post for T.H.R.  I don't want to say 1 year, because that just feels like I am "skimming" over the whole journey thus far. In reality, it has been a day-by-day journey.... 365 days. 365 days of trial and error. 365 days of ups and downs. 365 days of negative and positive thinking and motivation. 365 days of joy, frustration, learning, exercising, laziness, old, new, happy and sad. My personal road to a healthier, happier, life has been one with A LOT of hills, and many more MOUNTAINS! Much like a lot of you have probably experienced.

365 days ago, my ultimate goal was to "take a year off" from dieting.  I was sick of being told how many calories I "should" have, and how long I "should" exercise. I wanted to be both HEALTHY and HAPPY.  And, at that point, I just wasn't.  I don't know that anyone can really be happy if they spend their days counting and deducting calories, waking up at the crack of dawn to exercise, then eat nothing but brown rice, grilled chicken, and broccoli. I DO know that I just couldn't try that anymore.  The more that I tried to exercise, count calories, portion sizes, and eat specific foods, the more I hated myself.  Why?  Because I was FAILING at it.  I couldn't LIVE that way.  365 days ago, I realized that I was missing the point.  I needed to LIVE.

"Learning to eat was about learning to LIVE, and DECIDING to live! And, it's one of the most radical things that I have ever done!" - Anne Lamott

The term "healthy lifestyle" is thrown around a lot in the dieting community.  I had always thought that once I BECAME healthy, I would LIVE healthy.  Isn't that just a ridiculous thing to think?  Yet, how many other people out there feel the same way?

I had plenty of excuses! In fact, I think I started my first post with naming all of those excuses. We ALL have excuses!  365 days ago, I realized that MY excuses just didn't matter. I realized that I COULD be both happy and healthy and STILL have the issues that I had. I sat down at my computer, came up with a plan of exercise and diet (based off of my knowledge at the time,) and put the plan into motion.  365 days later, that plan has changed a few times. As I continued to learn and adapt a lifestyle that felt good and made sense to me, I adapted my "plan" accordingly.   Now, I look back and see how much I have learned, how much I have grown, and how much happier and healthier I am.

Day 1 to Day 365
I like this the most. You can see a consistent difference.
Slowly but surely! Never to go back! 

Day 1 to Day 365
Not a HUGE difference... 6 months is the best.
Guess those push-ups were working.... should get back on those.

Day 1 to Day 365
Dramatic Difference at 6 months- Just a little at 1 year

WHAT DID I LEARN?
Over the past 365 days, I grew to understand the following:

1. I do best when I listen to my body. I have adapted the "Intuitive Eating" policy of eating what your body wants to eat, when it's hungry, and stopping when it's not hungry anymore.  I refer to my body as "it" instead of "me" because I consider "me" to be my MIND.  If I listen to my MIND, I over eat because my mind tells me that I WANT more food. "It tastes so good." "I won't have another chance to eat this again for a long time." "I spent a lot of money on this meal."

When I listen to my BODY, I stop at the right time. I ignore the messages from the 35 years of brain training, and outside triggers, and I just DO. 

I have adapted the same idea when it comes to exercise. I leave myself an hour of activity time each day. What I do during that time depends on how I FEEL.   I will admit, this is my weakest spot since I DO tend to listen to my brain more on this one. I give in too easily when the time comes and I am "too tired" or "too busy" to take a walk, go for a jog, swim, bike ride, hike, or anything else that requires physical effort.

I still need work. It's good to still be WORK-ING on it though. I haven't given up.  I don't WANT to give up. WHOA!  I. DON'T. WANT. TO. GIVE. UP! Keep listening to your body. It will tell you what it needs.


2. Losing weight comes naturally. I don't really like to refer to losing fat as "losing weight."  I haven't weighed myself in 6 months or so. (Since I decided THAT NUMBER didn't define me.) My clothes got loose. I went down 3 dress sizes.... went up when times were stressful, and then went down again.

Although I might not be as "small" as I had hoped I would be after a year, I AM small-er! The crazy thing is that I am not just smaller around my waist (my BIG problem spot,) my FEET are smaller (a whole shoe size!) My FINGERS are smaller! I can FINALLY put on my wedding ring! (Although it still looks pretty tight- at least it goes ON!) My NOSE is smaller. My glasses keep sliding off!

Don't stop living a healthy lifestyle because you aren't getting the results that you WANT.  Be grateful for the results that you HAVE. Notice them. The rest will come. 

3. There is no such thing as a "quick fix."  Changing a lifestyle doesn't happen over a period of 30, 60, or 90 days! Sure, you can do a 90 day program that kicks your trash and, if you are overweight and not used to that lifestyle, you will hate every minute of it. Once the 90 days are over, you will be happy with the results, try to keep going with it, try to maintain the diet, and soon.... give up. 90 days later, you are back where you started.  How do I know this? Because I have been there more times than I care to count.

A true lifestyle change comes from within. It starts with a firm knowledge and acceptance of what is right. Then, it builds from there... block by block. Sometimes, you have to tear down a part of a wall and re-build, re-train your mind and body. Other times, you destroy a wall because you stopped making it a priority. Then, it takes extra care when you come back. Overall, changing your LIFE should take more care than 90 days. I am 365 days into it and just on my way. But I can honestly say that I will NEVER be back to where I was when I started.  I have CHANGED too much. 

4. Nothing is off limits! One cookie is not the end of the world... 12 cookies are not the end of the world (although your tummy might disagree....) I am in control of my own destiny.  I am not perfect. But, I am ALSO in charge of my own destiny.  I CHOOSE whether I take myself closer to my goal or further away from it. Sometimes, the pastry is JUST what I needed.... most of the time, I can pass.

The more restrictive and complicated I make things, the MORE I don't give a crap. (Not the word that came into my head, but nicer, for sure.) Isn't it funny how that works? Tell me that I CAN'T do something, and all I want, IS to do that very thing! It's just better if I CHOOSE not to eat certain things, or live a certain way.

5. Fit is NOT the same as thin. My WHOLE LIFE, I have wanted perfect legs, skinny waist, and delicate arms. Now, I don't care about that.  I HONESTLY don't care WHAT I look like, I care about how I FEEL. I don't LOOK like it, but I could probably lift more than a lot of those "bird leg" gals. I am stronger. I can jog longer than I could a year ago. I CAN DO A FULL BODY PLANK FOR 60 SECONDS!!!  That might not seem like a lot to YOU, but for someone that could only do 10 seconds before, that. is. HUGE! I am getting stronger ever day. The only reason that I wish my OUTSIDE showed a little more of my efforts, is so that people would LISTEN to me when I tell them that what I am DOING is actually WORKING.

I am getting more and more FIT on the outside AND on the inside! 

6. Little efforts still bring big results... they just take more time. Small changes are easier than big ones. Walking for 10 minutes a day starts the ball rolling toward 20 min, 30 min, 60 min, JOGGING! Sometimes, your motivation will be strong and you will jump head first into your day. Other times, your motivation will be just a spark, a thought, and you might not care enough to do anything. Whether big or small, ANY effort is good.

A spark can cause the same forest fire that a flame thrower can, it just takes a little more time to build. That isn't a bad thing. 

7. Enjoying the day makes all the difference.  Finding happiness in sunshine or rain is important.  Discouragement happens. There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. Maybe it's how you ate for the day, maybe it's how active you were, or maybe, it's just that you showered! Just be happy. Enjoy your day.

Happiness fights more than just negativity.  It creates energy, fights off cortisol, and is a fat buster! Who knew!

8. Water is Good. I know that this isn't news to any of you. But, really, I am surprised at how much better I feel when I drink my water! And I am LOVING my new citrus water! Somehow, water makes me WANT to eat healthier foods, exercise, and be happy.

Water is the ONLY "nectar of the Gods!"  (And I used to think it was Coke! I hope this doesn't cause a war!) 

9. How I feel AFTER I eat or exercise is MORE important than WHAT I eat or HOW I exercise. I no longer like Chinese food. Why? Because I don't FEEL good after I eat it.  I LOVE how it tastes. I just don't like the outcome.  I don't like cake anymore because it leaves a weird feeling on the roof of my mouth. Soda BURNS when it goes down. Too much salad gives me the runs! (TMI?) Clean foods give me energy (if I don't over eat.) Limes make me happy! A little cheese is perfect, too much cheese causes digestive problems. (better?) Greasy foods leave a weird coating in my mouth AND make me nauseous. Mexican food is wonderful and amazing, and I almost ALWAYS over eat, so I need to be VERY careful.

Although nothing is off limits, I choose to eat healthier foods more than other foods. I still eat everything else too, just not as often and not as much. 

10. I can't do this alone. I just can't.  I need my family, friends, their family and friends, anyone who might care even a little bit!  I NEED YOU! I've tried doing it alone.  I suck. That is all there is to it! Who doesn't need a little bit of cheering on their behalf? But just as much as I need others, I also need to be that cheer leader right back 'atcha!

Nothing brings happiness, hope, and motivation more than sharing an experience TOGETHER, with other people.  People that understand when fall and cheer when you succeed because they are right there with you! 

I have grown each day throughout this journey. The past 365 days have brought me to the life that I want to live. Now, I can't wait to see what the next 365 days bring and I would LOVE for YOU to be there with me. Let's do the next 365 together! Invite your friends and family! I'll be here. Will you?

I'm MARRIED!!! Again... still...

After almost TWO years of not wearing my wedding ring, it FINALLY FITS AGAIN!!!

This is so awesome!  I just HAD to share with you all! It still LOOKS a little tight, but doesn't really FEEL tight.  So... do I keep wearing it, or wait a little longer until it REALLY fits?

Before- Aug. 2013

Now- Apr. 2014

Cast your votes here or on the Facebook Page!

Detox Water- Truth or Myth?

So, about two weeks ago, I came across this little concoction. It was advertised as "Weight Loss Water."  The idea is that it is supposed to suppress hunger, flush out toxins, and get in all of your water.  The ingredients are all foods that are known for their health benefits in one way or another.  I thought that I would give it a shot and see what I thought of it.

How It's Made

The ingredients for 1/2 gallon pitcher are:
3 lemon slices- Health benefits include:

• Regulating blood pressure (special for high blood pressure)
• Fight against cancer 
• Maintain bone strength 
• Provides high hygiene and health of the oral cavity 
• Helps to reduce weight 
• Prevents overgrowth of parasites and intestinal worms (tapeworms) in the digestive system 
• Protects against fungal bacterial infections 
• Strong anti-depressive effect 
• Anti-Anxiety aid
• Cleansing effect on body
• Helps with cystitis and tumors 
• Decrease the cholesterol levels in the body which results in maintaining good health of our hearts. This is due to the presence of polyphenol flavonoids

5 cucumber slices (partially peeled to remove the bitter taste)- Benefits include:

• Immunity Booster
• Vitamin B
• Weight Loss Aid
• Digestive Aid
• Fights bad breath
• Helps to control Diabetes
• Joint Care-

3 slices of lime- Benefits include:

• Weight loss Aid
• Skin Care
• Eye Care
• Cure for Scurvy
• Constipation relief
• Digestive Aid

3 slices of orange (I used clementine)- Health Benefits Include:

• Helps to prevent cancer
• Emotional Stimulant
• Kidney Health
• Liver Health
• Boosts immune system

4 leaves of mint (or 3 large leaves.)-Health Benefits Include

• Digestive Aid
• Nausea and Headache
• Respiratory Disorders (Asthma, coughs, etc.)
• Anti- Depressant
• Energy Booster
• Boosts Memory
• Weight Loss Aid
• Fertility Aid
• Reduced Allergies and Hay Fever
• Fights against bad breath

**Remember to use ORGANIC ingredients to avoid ingesting pesticides.

Put all ingredients into the pitcher and fill up with filtered water.

You can pour some immediately, but make sure to keep the pitcher FULL at all times.  Otherwise, the water gets pretty strong. This last for about 2-3 days before you need to make some more.

Does it Work?

In short, the answer is YES!  After one day of drinking this, I really was feeling the detoxing.  I'll spare you the details, but a minor headache and the need to be near a restroom were both experienced.  After a full week of drinking it, I have noticed my clothes starting to get loose again (something that I have been struggling with for months- a story for another day.) Finally, I felt energized, experienced an increase in happiness, and got in all of my water for the day.  I don't have a SUPER hard time getting my water in anyway, so I know that these results didn't just come from the water itself.  

The best part is that I made some for my parents, and both of them have felt the exact same way!  A word of caution though: if you don't like the taste of lemon water, you won't like this.  (DUH) But, it would be a good liquid to add to your morning smoothies! 

There you have it folks!  Huh!  Who knew! Have you tried this for yourself?  What were your thoughts?