Paying It Forward

Paying it forward…what exactly is “paying it forward” and what exactly is “it” that you’re paying to others? :D Well to me “it” is every piece of positive and helpful information I obtain that helps me in my journey towards fitness and health and being able and willing to share that information with anyone and everyone who wants it or needs it. Today I had a moment to pay it forward and when I did it felt AMAZING!!!! When I share and encourage others I am not only helping them, but am in fact encouraging and motivating myself.

There is a guy here at work that was recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. (Type 1 is the kind where you do not produce the needed hormones to break down glucose in the blood and depending on several factors you could either end up with too much or too little glucose in your system which both have adverse effects on the body) The diagnosis is very upsetting to him and he has been completely overwhelmed by this immediate life change he is being forced into. He was also very discouraged this morning to find that when he took his blood sugar it was 200+ and after a banana, a low calorie energy drink and his morning exercise it had shot up over 300. We started talking and I shared with him how sometimes synthetic sweeteners, while they have “no sugar” in them, can still increase your blood sugar levels and over time are really detrimental to your health, especially your joints. I shared with him my Aunt Dee’s story about how she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes last summer and in just over a year she has been able to bring her blood glucose levels down to the doctor recommended healthy range and has also lost 60 lbs without taking any medications – all with diet and exercise. (I’m so proud of you Dee!) While Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are very different and require different regimens of treatment, they are both easier to maintain on a low-glycemic diet. I was so happy that I could share information and resources with him to help him on his journey and to offer words of encouragement and hope. While his journey is just beginning and will take a lot of trial and error on his part, the one thing I hope he realizes and what I pray my current and future conversations with him will impart is that there is hope for his situation. It will be difficult, it will take time and there will be days that are really good and days that are really bad, but through it all HE is in control and just because his blood sugar is over 300 today doesn’t mean that it has to stay that way forever. I am the only person who can control my health and wellness. YOU are the only person who can control YOUR health and wellness. While damage that has already been done can’t always be reversed, you can start this very moment and make changes to immediately start improving your health. And if you need some encouragement and help along the way, I’ll here. In my own pursuit of wellness and health - happy to share with you any information that I have that might help you on your journey whatever that journey might be :D

Confessions of a Food addict

Hello, My name is Deborah and I'm an food addict...yes, addict. I love food. I love to cook it, eat it, shop for it, study it, talk about it...pretty much anything and everything about food...I love it. I probably spend more time thinking about food than just about anything else...except Michael :D This weekend was a blur of fast food and I absolutely did not make the best choices I could. Saturday morning was McDonald's for breakfast, Dickey's BBQ for lunch and Chili's for dinner. This morning I made a very yummy and nutritious breakfast of nummy organic wheat banana walnut pancakes with turkey bacon and organic eggs, but then for lunch I landed in a Sonic chicken fried steak toast sandwich with tator tots. Jillian would not approve. For dinner I snacked...snacked on crap. I found myself craving salt and carbs like CRAZY! To the point that I was actually thinking about going to the store to get me some French's French Fried Onion Rings (yes - the preservative filled fried onions that come in a can) and a Coke (mmmmm - nectar of the God's). In the midst of my euphoric sugar/carb haze I had this moment of clarity and thought REALLY?!?!?!? I immediately jumped up and went straight to Whole Foods to buy some fresh fruit and veggies. I can't do it! I can not allow myself to fall back into those bad food choices and habits. I have to be committed and prepared 100% of the time. When I'm not prepared, when I don't eat the proper foods I begin a spiral where I make bad decision after bad food decision. So...it begins immediately (actually it began about 6:30 or so) but from this moment on I promise myself I will be prepared. I will buy groceries and take my lunch to work and pack all my proper snacks. I will cleanse my body of the sugar filled carb-o-rific foods that I have munched on all weekend and begin filling my body with the proper fuel it needs. Wholesome, organic fruits, veggies, grains and proteins. As much as I love food I love myself more and love the progress I have made. I've come too far to turn back now.

I leave for the Biggest Loser Ranch in UT on 11/7. I can't wait!!!! I'm so nervous and so excited all at the same time. I am a little bit nervous about the action-packed schedule that I will have, but more than the nerves I'm looking forward to the challenge. My day will be packed with exercise, exercise and exercise from 6 AM to 6 PM for 7 full days. A 2 1/2 hour hike each day. Pool classes, cardio classes, gym, weights, yoga, lectures and nutrition classes....it's going to be amazing! I worry sometimes that I won't have the endurance to make it. While I've come a long way on my fitness journey I still have a long way to go and weekends like this are only steps backwards on my journey to healthy and skinny. In preparation and for a little motivation I bought my hiking boots yesterday. $135 later I have awesome hiking boots sure to make my feet feel fabulous on any length of hike. Wicking "wool" socks with arch compression and extra cushioning to help keep blisters at bay and amazing new insoles with fantastic arch support. I may not have any clothes to wear when I get to UT, but by golly my feet will look and feel AMAZING! LOL ;D

So...a lot of fun and exciting changes are coming my way. BL trip to UT, the "Where Are They Now?" BL follow up episode scheduled to air the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Michael and I celebrating our first holidays together AND OH YEA...THE WEDDING - WHEW! I'm excitedly overwhelmed just typing it all. :D God is so good...what more can I say. He is good and through Him I can do all things...even overcome silly little set backs like this weekend. ;D