Food is NOT Your Enemy

I am here to share with you the goodness of healthy living.  It all starts with healthy eating.  Once we have that locked down with room for improvement, we have a greater chance of reaching our life goals.  As I stated, food is NOT your enemy - It is the mind.   We are constantly battling with should I eat this or should I eat that?  When in reality I think most of us know the answer.  But instead we choose what is faster, easier and fulfilling.  Now you are probably thinking, What do I do know?  She's skinny!  Well I am going to share a secret with you.  I am a FAST FOOD JUNKIE!  When I get stressed, tired or my cravings take the best of me I am that girl that has gone to Taco Bell and devoured three bean cheese burritos.  I am that girl that has gone to the drive thru of Mc Donalds and parked my car in the parking lot to secretly eat my french fries.  Now you might be thinking how can she be saying food is  her enemy?  Well it's not.   As I mentioned the mind is my enemy.  It tells me go ahead, you have abs.  You are fit.  You can run this off....Blah blah blah!   What I do know and what has helped me grow and away from being the fast food junkie girl is my body is NOT a trash can.  I work too hard spiritually and physically to let it go to waste.  Not only that I am a mother.  What kind of example am I teaching to Max?  

{Disclaimer:  I am not judging or making anyone feel guilty - simply sharing MY story}. 

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I want to share one of the ways that I set the example - My grocery list.   I have to warn you, in our home we are pretty basic and to some it can be boring.  But it works and have been proven to have effective results both body and mind.  We first start by creating a grocery budget and white envelope for Costco and Trader Joes.  From there I create a grocery list.  We only get things that we don't have in stock. 

Costco

Chicken Breast (Foster Farms)

Asparagus

Spinach Salad

Avocado

Strawberries

Blueberries

Bananas

Water

Uncured Turkey Sandwich meat

Quinoa (The bag will last you awhile)

Brown Rice

Frozen veggies

Sweet potatoes

Eggs

Almond Milk

Almond Butter

Coconut Oil - (The tub will last you awhile)

Trader Joes Favorites

Lavender Plant

Herb Plant

Fresh Flowers

Lemon Hand Soap

Fruit and Vegetable Wash

Lavender Body Scrub

Sleepy Time tea

Green tea

So, as you can see everything listed covers all the basis of a healthy balanced diet (proteins, complex carbs, healthy fats, sugars such as fruit/vegetables) and a few basic household items.  In order to have sustained energy, look and feel good it all comes from feeding the body healthy foods.   Not Taco Bell or Mc Donalds!   

I would encourage you to try our grocery list, don't eat out for 21 days, exercise 30 minutes daily (walking, Pink Ladies Bootcamp, at home workouts) and you'll start to see a HAPPIER you. 

We have been following the meal plan of Beachbody 21 Day Fix.  It explains more in detail how we should be eating.  For more information, please contact me. 

I pray this helps you and guides you on the right path to eating healthy.  Strong and Fearless!

First of Many..

After 3 days of up and down fevers and a developed rash we finally decided to take Maximus in for his first visit to the ER.  As we were driving all I could think of was sending texts to all my prayer warriors because we needed all the prayers we could get.  I had no idea how severe his condition was going to be. I was freaking out.....just as any mom would right.?! Alex just grabbed my hand as we were driving, which wasn't out of the ordinary but that moment really mattered.  I needed his comfort.   

We arrived at Kaiser ER and thankfully we already had favor because the wait wasn't long.  They checked his vitals and Max was not having it.  It broke my heart to see him cry and all I could do is not let him see me cry, hold his hand and sing to him.  Of course it only made his need worst.  What took only a few minutes felt like eternity.  What mother wants to see their beloved child in pain?  At that point I knew I needed to suck it up and be strong for me.  He needed me, Alex needed me and we had to come out strong.   As we waited for our name to be called I just started praying, thanking the Lord for his healing hand and singing!   I could start to feel the fear release from my mind/heart and be filled with joy.  Even Max was feeling my joy because he was smiling and wanting to talk with the patient next to me HAHA!  At that point I knew Max was healed in Jesus name. He was smiling, giving kisses to us and wanted to explore the ER.  Thankfully I had my Sakura Bloom wrap (Side Note:  Every mom should invest in one) because he was close to me, we were able to walk around and he didn't feel alone.

 

At last our name was called and a sign of relief once she said his rash was normal.  The virus that he has was breaking up and rashes are normal.  Then she informed us he had a double ear infection!  Another first of many I am sure.  She was a patience doctor because we had a million questions of who what when where and why!   We were glad to hear that he was going to be just fine, his ear infection was mild and all he needed was extra TLC.  THANK YOU LORD!

My point in sharing our experience with you is that we don't have to live in fear especially when it comes to our children.  I could have easily sat in the ER full of fear and googled every symptom he had.  But instead I put my trust in Him.  I am not being naive but God gave us doctors and I knew they would have answers for us.   The enemy will try to come into our minds and tell us that we are not strong enough, give us the worst case scenario and simply just fill our minds with garbage.   I truly understand that every situation is different one thing remains....FAITH & PRAYER.  That right there is a recipe of HOPE.   As a new mom I am often given extreme stories which is fine and all but for another new mom that is reading this I want to give her a cup of HOPE.   I am not sharing my testimony to gloat or let you think I am perfect.   I have my moments where I fall to my knees and weep.  I have moments where fear comes in.   I have my moments where I ask myself am I really strong for this.    I am simply sharing my testimony to bring light to other moms.  Whether you're a new mom or have many years of experience.   We need to stop belittling each other, need to stop trying to one up, need to stop thinking our children are better because they are breast-fed or whatever the case may be.  Trust me I see it all the time on social media and heck other moms have tried to make me feel less.  As women and mothers we need to start ENCOURAGING and PRAYING for one another.  Instead of giving our two cents why not give a dose of encouragement?  Instead of judging why not be an inspiration.  Motherhood is a tough job as is and to have another mom make you feel less is a horrible feeling.  That is why I am on a mission to END this MOM WAR.   

Let's turn our frowns to smiles.  Our weariness to happiness.  Our scrubbed out look to slapping on mascara.   We deserve to look and feel our best inside and out.  I pray that you join me on this journey. Give a helping hand to another mom.  Pray for the single mom.  Buy a mom coffee.  Be a Blessing!  

Imagine if we all did that how more amazing motherhood would be?  

So, whether you are reading this after your first visit to the ER or you just finished working out know that I am praying for you.  You are not alone my friend. 

Thank you for reading my story.  I pray it inspires and encourages you.