Resolutions // Are you still in it?

Ahh, March. Spring...I mean, summer...is in the air, in SoCal anyway. It's so warm here during the day. We've had some crisp, bright spring air days too though. When the sun is shining the day is always bright! If you don't have sun where you are, I hope we can share a little light with you right here. On these bright days, our LO goes on walks with one or both of us and is totally obsessed with flowers right now, giving both of us a chance to remember how to stand in awe of the littlest beauties around us. Like the little green cup full of dandelions and daisies from our walks this week.

This quote reminds me of the inspiration post I shared starting off this new 2014 in light of the many resolutions we all probably set on January 1.  We revisited resolutions nearing the start of February while tackling one of our own resolutions, eating healthier, with a weeks worth of posts about our Healthy Start 7 food journey (I suggest you start at the beginning here). Well, here is March and my mind is on resolutions again. This next one I'll be sharing is about food too, well sort of ...you'll see... but really it's about health.

When we make food resolutions we really want to talk about our health, don't we? But what do we really know about our health? If you've set a food goal this year with the intent of eating healthier, being healthier, or anything with the word healthy in it, I want to challenge you with my next resolution journey to dig a little deeper than the food.

Are you losing the resolution battle right now, or are you still going? Share your successes or struggles here if you're willing. Let's talk about them. I feel led to continue to revisit resolutions for those out there who struggle to keep them. Whether you read this blog today with me now, or some day when you discover it, I hope it inspires you and helps you live the life you really want to Enjoy!

Read about the resolutions I set this year #1, #2, #3 (part 1), #3 (part 2). 

Healthy Start 7 // Day 7

We did it! We completed a whole week of healthy eating of the Healthy Start 7 meal plan. It was an adventure, and at times trying to our old eating habits (especially wanting to just do something easy and order take out!). But we made it through the week and cleansed ourselves of same icky eating for seven whole days. It felt amazing to dedicate our bodies to God during this time and submit to eating nutrient rich whole foods and eliminating the things we may enjoy but also know provide little to no nourishment to our bodies. When we nourish our bodies with good food our bodies can perform, grow, heal and thrive the way they are intended (all good things our Father wants to bless us with) and are at less risk for disease, sickness and complications.

While this whole eating healthy journey this week was part of a resolution (my resolution #3 and 1/2, this year), but it wasn't just that. It was a chance to make a true change and renew our minds about food. When you do something intense like this with dedication and live it out successfully, even in a short spurt, something good is going to stick. That's the point! Put in the short-term, hard effort and take out a major, long-term benefit. I say that's a great deal.

So what did we take out of this? 

1. Well, as I've mentioned - it may seem trivial to those who already enjoy it but quinoa has found a major place in my pantry. I always just saw it as an occasional alternative when I got tired of eating rice (my husband's favorite as I mentioned). I learned how versatile it really is and new ways to cook it and I really enjoy it now.
2. Sugar and junk just really take a back seat in my daily eating routine now. I learned how much I don't need them (or want them) when I'm feeding myself good, whole foods. Do I still eat sugar? Yes, I still know how to have fun! Am I obnoxiously avoiding white sugar and trying to eat healthier sugars where I can at every opportunity? Yes. 
3. I've found a new level of "no shame to my game" when it comes to avoiding things I don't want to eat, because at the end of the day it's about the body God gave -me- to maintain. Have you ever had those thoughts in your head about food like, "But my mom made this special for me," or "Everyone else is really enjoying this," or "It's just one slice..." Yeah, yeah...you've heard all those sugar-craving mantras before, have you? Well, here's a replacement for all of that. I only get one body, it is mine to maintain, so I will decide what goes in it. Period. No shame. No hurting anyone's feelings. Seriously, they'll get over it. However, depending what you're eating...you might not.

If you have a resolution to eat well this year or if you just want to take your eating habits to another level, check out Healthy Start 7 over at Total Life Pursuit blog.  And if you don't know what Total Life Pursuit is:  read all about it here.

New Year's Resolution #3: Healthy Living // TLP Style (Part 2)

Yesterday I posted my New Year's Resolution #3 (Part 1) and today is the day for the final wrap up of my goals (decisions) for 2014. You can read about the first two decisions here and here. As I mentioned, I'm in a season of focusing on the physical area of my life and living in Total Life Pursuit in that area. Yesterday was about working out and today is all about food.

Arugula Salad with Strawberry Rhubarb Vinaigrette

Eating healthy:

Getting to the next level of physical fitness in my body for me is not just about the burn, but also about the fuel. What goes in my mouth! Okay, in my honest opinion, this is the real reason why people make the diet/workout resolutions every year. Even if you don't work out, this is where your physical health really starts. What we put into our bodies is so important, not just for our weight but for our overall total health, for lack of disease, for vitality, for old age to feel good. Who wants old age to feel bad? Who wants to spend the last good years of their life unable to do the things they love, have energy, or even just get out of bed without pain. Some of that starts with moving and grooving and working out like I said in Part 1. But seriously, food is the complete other half of this! 

Little known secret about me, if I weren't a communications specialist I would totally be some kind of nutritionist. I love food. But recently in life (since being pregnant, growing a human life, and feeding a baby), I've developed a serious passion for learning how to make food healthier for my family. So where does TLP come into this and getting to the next level of healthy eating? 

To start 2014 with a healthy eating bang, as most intend to do, our pastor put us to the TLP challenge. A Healthy Start 7 challenge to be exact.  This healthy start was mainly focused around food, but not just physical food. It also included spiritual food, physical challenges and more to bring your physical life in line with your spirit. Lining up the areas of your life is the TLP way after all. So eating healthy in this challenge wasn't just to look better, feel better or choose better food for our bodies. It was all of these things, but at the core, the focus was to have our eating and the food we chose for our bodies for an entire week be dedicated completely to God. 

The meal plan our pastor and his amazing daughter-in-law (a knowledgeable and experienced nutritionist - you can read her amazing blog Health + Happy for all things health, nutrition, beauty, and amazingness!) put together was based on the Daniel Plan. There are various versions of the plan out there; this one included fasting from all breads, meats, dairy, sugar/junk food, and alcohol. You can see the Healthy Start 7 meal plan here. 

This meal plan was a true challenge. What would I feed my husband? Would he stick to it with me? Could we really eat that much quinoa?! Forget the living without sweets for a week...big deal, I don't have a huge sweet tooth anyway, although this was still tough. For me the struggles were:  How could I go without my normal proteins, my after-workout whey protein that I love, and salty foods like the occasional potato chip? And would it be enough food? What would we eat?!

It turned out it wasn't hard to get plenty of food (and, yes, my wonderful husband stuck to this with me with flying colors - proud wifey!). This 7 day challenge opened my eyes to a whole new way of eating and nutrition. I learned new ways to combine foods and think about what I should or shouldn't eat at any given meal. I realized you really can have an amazing and filling dinner plate of purely vegetables. I brought more "dinner" foods onto my breakfast plate. I found new, fun ways to utilize leftovers without incorporating a bad carbohydrate in some way. I discovered I don't really miss meat anywhere close to how much I thought I would... wow!

Best of all, I learned a new level of discipline about eating. Eating to live a vital life is so different than eating to merely sustain life. Dedicating my eating to God brought me to a new level of just how amazing and wonderfully he designed our bodies. If you feed your body well, it will function well. No brainer, right? We all know sugar and other unhealthy foods make us lethargic and have countless ailments, yet we think, "Oh, just this once..." or whatever we tell ourselves. Before this fast, I definitely snacked when I knew I shouldn't have and would often eat late in the evening because I didn't get enough good food during the day.  If you struggle with these types of eating habits, I would greatly encourage you to try Healthy Start 7. Fasting from the things we struggle with is an amazing way to give the struggle over to God. He will cleanse it from you and give you a fresh start!

So what is Part 2 of my New Year's Resolution #3?

Resolution #3? (Part deux): I've decided to continue to grow in my journey of learning healthier ingredients, eating habits, and cooking techniques. I am going to eat to live, rather than live to eat. I want to enjoy good food that is good for me. And if I really enjoy a food that isn't good for me I at least want to attempt at finding a healthier alternative (or seriously limit my intake of the not so healthy choice!). I want to feed my family healthy, nutritious yet deliciously homemade foods that nourish their life in more ways than one! 

Annnddd, the fun part for all of you about this final resolution? I plan to blog my healthy discoveries, alternatives and successes with food here on the ahomebeautiful blog. Food is such a core of our home. I feel like I'm always in the kitchen since I make most of our meals and I find myself saying "I should blog that" a lot. So, this year I intend to do just that, starting with all of our adventures with Healthy Start 7 starting tomorrow. Stay tuned and enjoy!

Follow my other healthy recipes found under Good Eats. 

Check out resolutions #1, #2, and #3 (part 1).

New Year's Resolution #3: Healthy Living // TLP Style (Part 1)

If you've been following along, earlier this week I shared my New Year's Resolutions #1 & #2. Today I'm sharing the last but not least, Resolution #3. I hope you enjoy!

First, what is Total Life Pursuit?  "Total Life Pursuit is all about pursuing life totally!" TLP, as it's known for short, is a lifestyle.  (It is also a book.)  TLP is living in excellence and prospering in every area of life. It teaches you how to get to the next level in each of area of life (spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, relational, and financial) and to recognize that true change and a new way of living is totally possible.

Since I've had the pleasure of coming alongside and partnering in TLP with our Pastor (you can read all about that in Resolution #1), I've also had the opportunity to learn and practice this lifestyle. I am currently in a season of focusing on the physical area of life. I don't believe you can change all areas of your life at once, nor does TLP prescribe you do this either. That would be way too hard, and true change takes attention and dedication.

So my main focus right now is on two things: working out and eating healthy. Typical resolutions, right? They would be if it meant intending to go to the gym more and wishing I ate healthier. But since I'm practicing them TLP style, these are things I'm actually doing and achieving, and you can too!

View from the top of Mammoth mountain (no filter)

Working out:

Since our Pastor is a CPT, I've started doing his TLP workouts. Wow! These are amazing. I've been training once a week for just under three months now and I have seen tremendous results. As in, I actually have visible abs in my stomach. I'm a naturally thin girl (thank you Lord for skinny g.e.n.e.s!), but I have had a little one and I'm not in high school anymore...or my 20s either (so it's been way long since I've seen abs, okay). I'm a proud thirty and a hot wife and mama! However, after a little one, turning thirty, and let's face it, taking care of your home, husband, baby, etc... finding time to take care of your body? Not always easy! I had definitely dwindled in my motivation in the physical area of life. I had settled for what TLP defines as mediocre - which for me was relying on my skinny genes, hoping my under arm flab wouldn't get too saggy or noticeable while going to an occasional gym class or running/walking the dog/baby a few times a week. That's not much of a workout routine and hoping/wishing to be physically fit (...someday again...) does nothing for you!

What I've discovered about my workout motivation is that having a regular workout date with a trainer or class is a must for me! I did this while I was pregnant and it kept me in amazing shape, kept me at a healthy weight gain and I believe helped shed the pounds after the baby not to mention the strength it gave me during labor. (But more about that another day...). If you can't afford a personal trainer, join a gym and take classes. If you can't afford the gym, join a local community class or other local meet up groups - there are sooo many if you look for them. If you can't afford that and you have the internet (you at least have access to it, because you're reading this!) there are lots of sites that offer daily workouts and communities online that can encourage you to stay committed and accountable to your fitness routine. (One I personally like is The Daily Hiit. Their high interval workouts are intense, a quick 12 minutes, and quite effective). 

So why do I want to work out? 1) To feel good. And not just about myself and physical looks, that's nice and all, but to physically feel g o o d for my life. My whole life. I want to get out of bed when I'm 80 and not be afraid of falling, cracking, or not even be able to walk. I plan to live a long, long life so I want to live it vitally. I want to keep up with my kid(s) as they grow. I want to participate in the active part of life. I want to travel and ski with my husband in the years we actually have more money to afford skiing! I want to look out over God's creation and beautiful landscapes from the mountaintop well into old age!

What's my third resolution of 2014?

Resolution #3 (Part 1): I have changed my mind that working out is and will be a regular way of life for me. This currently means keeping up with TLP training, attending 2-3 regular classes a week at the gym, walking or jogging my baby on my other non-rest days of the week, and doing 1 interval training on my own, either at the gym or at home. This last one is because I want to encourage myself that working out is truly my new way of life and I don't always need to depend on training or a class to do it. 

Stay tuned tomorrow for Part 2!

What is your workout motivation? Share what works for you or what keeps you going in the comments. Thank you beautiful followers for your motivation.

Check out resolutions #1, #2 and #3 (part 2).

New Year's Resolution #2: Sweet Honesty

Okay, so it's time to get really honest. I can be a shy person. Most of my friends probably wouldn't describe me that way. I'm closer to the extrovert side of the scale than introvert (although since marrying a classic introvert I've gained some more introverted tendencies over the years, which I'm totally fine with and actually like). But back to why my friends find me outgoing...like a lot of people, when I know you, I'm all there. I'm present, I'll say what I think and be my silly/deep/talkative/ and transparent self.  I'm the person that will make friends anywhere I go and have no concerns talking to strangers. I am still in touch with a friend I made in the restroom at a concert in Pasadena three years ago! So yeah, I'm outgoing. (Detour:: plug for her amazing new product - ringcozy! I have one. Go get one! Put a ring cozy on it.)

However, there's this piece of me that hesitates in certain areas. Let's call it what it is was:  insecurity. And I emphasize was, because I have resolved to rid myself of insecurity this year. It's funny, because just until recently I wouldn't have even described myself as an insecure person. I don't think even my husband (who knows me better than anyone) has ever described me that way, because we do acknowledge each others struggles in an iron-sharpening-iron sort of way. It actually took a series of things for me to come to a place just the other day where I actually wrote it down and called this thing - this hesitation I've allowed in my life for so long - by it's real name:  i n s e c u r i t y.

And I'm excited about that! When you can acknowledge something for what it is, things that you need to rid yourself of in your life, then you can truly deal with them. So this isn't even a "resolution" as most would define it, it's a decision.

First, how did I come to name this thing in the first place?  In a recent sermon, our pastor asked everyone to physically write down something (or things) we wanted to get rid of in our lives and then nail these pieces of paper to the cross. The reason is to put into action something you are choosing for your life spiritually. It's a very powerful thing to physically hand over a struggle to Christ. He takes on our struggles on the cross. He asks us to do this in his Word. So when you align with that, things change!

I know this because I've done this spiritual exercise before (which I'll share with you another time soon, now that I'm banishing insecurity from my life and all...but that's for another day!).

This time around, I found myself shocked at what I wrote down. Among other things I knew I needed to give up, when I wrote down the word insecurity it surprised me because, as I mentioned, I wouldn't have defined myself that way. And I'm not now. I'm calling out this thing, the thing that held me back in some ways - whether with people I knew or didn't know, with choices I made, with choices I didn't make, with fear of judgement, concern of what this or that makes me look like or seem like or...you get it. I'm someone who has a deep sense of privacy. That has always been my excuse. I am a private person, and that's fine. I remain to be, in ways. But that doesn't have to hinder my outgoing side that is real and good either.

What's my second resolution of 2014? 

Resolution #2:  I decide to be my sweet and honest self. You might not like it, but that's for you to choose. And I'm okay with that! I have a God who loves me, who will rid my mind and heart of insecurity because insecurity is a lie designed to make us feel bad and hold us back - from people, from choices, from life.

So here I am putting insecurity aside. Writing this post. Blogging this blog.  If you happen to read it, I pray it inspires you. And I hope you, as always, Enjoy!

What are you getting rid of this year? What have you decided? 

Check out resolutions #1, #3 (part 1) and #3 (part 2).

New Year's Resolution #1: Total Life Pursuit

Yesterday I shared fourteen inspirations from my 2013 to help inspire your 2014. Today I want to share with you the first of many resolutions I've made this year that I will be sharing here on the blog. Go!

So in 2013, I left my freelance career because I felt led by God to pursue wife-hood and mama-hood full-time. And it's been one of the best decisions of my life! I also put faith in God that, despite not working in a traditional sense, he would provide a place for me to use the talents he's given. And he did just that!

Over the last year, I have become increasingly involved with a vision our pastor had been dreaming. He was led to become a Certified Personal Trainer and create a lifestyle program. This lifestyle vision is called Total Life Pursuit  (or TLP as most call it for short).  It's all about pursuing life to the next level in all 6 areas of life (spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, relational and financial). I started off helping with a the logo, a business card...then editing a few things. The more I read the more excited about it I got and the more involved I got in the project. Long story short, by the time I left my job I was fully editing the TLP book and designing the cover to go with it. 

It has been an amazing journey and an honor to work alongside a truly inspired man of God on this vision. Personally, as an editor I have never been so inspired nor as excited as I am to say this book is here and ready to be a part of your life!  I say a part of your life, because this is not one of those books you read just once. It is one of those books that you read, and reread, and go to as a reference, and come back and refresh on a certain area you want to focus on. It's a manual for life. (Actually the TLP Life Manual is yet to be published, but we're working on it!)

Before I go any further, seriously, go buy his book - Total Life Pursuit: Living Remarkably in the Six Major Areas of Life. Or get it on Kindle. It will change your life! Besides, who doesn't want to live a remarkable life? 

So what's my first resolution of 2014?

Resolution #1:  I am continuing to partner with our talented pastor to put my God-given talents to use with his God-given vision for Total Life Pursuit. And to motivate as many people as possible to join this lifestyle revolution!

Check out resolutions #2, #3 (part 1) and #3 (part 2).

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Total Life Pursuit: Living Remarkably in the Six Major Areas of Life
Synopsis: Somewhere we have accepted mediocre, or less, as tolerable in different areas of life, especially if we excel in one or two areas.  We can excel in every area.  We have what it takes.  Total Life Pursuit will take you through the six major areas of life and help you grasp what you need to begin your assent, one step at a time, to the life that you have dreamed of living.

Total Life Pursuit is written to call people to a higher level of living and to equip, encourage and build the hope needed to achieve success.

Stay tuned to the TLP blog for life changing motivation, healthy goals, spiritual food, workout tips and more!