Week #3: 52 Weeks to a Healthier and Happier You

Posted on September 30, 2015 by jmcoyan@gmail.com

52_Small_Changes_-_CoverLR

Welcome!! I am spending the next year working my way through 52 Small Changes:One year to a Happier, Healthier You by Brett Blumenthal. I am so grateful you have joined me! I have neglected my health long enough, it is time to really make it my focus for the next year. I owe it to myself and my family.

Week #3 – I am focusing on my health and seeing small changes. I can hardly wait to see where we are at come week 52 – You with me???

This Week’s Change: Apart from Exercise, incorporate regular and routine activity into your lifestyle.

Blumenthal shares that, “according to the World Health Organization, a sedentary lifestyle is a major underlying case of death, disease and disability. Approximately two million deaths every year are attributed to physical inactivity.” Yikes….this is preventable, my friends. Let’s get moving!

My Current Habit: My lifestyle is very sedentary. I commute 30 minutes to and from work each day. Then I sit at a desk for 8 to 9 hours most days. I struggle a great deal to even fit in exercise with my busy work and home schedule. I do try to park at the far end of the parking lot at the office to increase my steps.

Some changes I would like to make is to take the stairs instead of the elevator each day to the 3rd floor. My work also offers a Yoga class once a week on Thursday. They are in the middle of a session, but I plan on stopping by tomorrow to see if I can join mid session. Some mid day moving once a week at work will be very helpful!

Join me in finding ways to add more activity to our lives!

Last Week’s Change: Get 7 to 8 Hours of Sleep.

How did you do last week?? I have been working on getting up earlier in the morning, which has caused me to start going to bed earlier. Most nights, I did get to 7 hours of sleep, but I still feel like I need 8 as I struggle to get up each morning.

What Worked for me: I added a notification to my phone that alerted me to get ready for bed. I have a problem with always wanting to do just one more thing. This habit makes me leave work later than I should and go to bed later than I should. The alert helped to get me thinking about wrapping up my activity and head to bed. I did suffer from at least two nights in which I woke up at 3:00 am and found it difficult to fall back to sleep.

What worked for you? Were you able to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night?

Stop by next Wednesday for the next change and to share your progress. Now, Let’s Get Moving!

Happy Moving!

Previous Changes:

1. Hydrate with water.

2. Get 7 – 8 Hours of Sleep

Week #2: 52 Weeks to a Healthier and Happier You

Posted on September 23, 2015 by jmcoyan@gmail.com

Welcome Back – We are spending the next year together working our way through 52 Small Changes:One year to a Happier, Healthier You by Brett Blumenthal. I am so grateful you have joined me! I have neglected my health long enough, it is time to really make it my focus for the next year. I owe it to myself and my family.

Week #2 and I am still with you hoping to be healthier this upcoming year! Let’s keep each other motivated.

This Week’s Change: Get seven to eight hours of sleep every night. (Week #2)

Blumenthal shares that “The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill off Alaska, the Challenger space Shuttle disaster, and the Chernobyl nuclear accident have all been attributed to human errors in which sleep deprivation played a role??” It is so important for our health and well-being that we get enough sleep.

My Current Habit: I have been doing pretty well this one recently. I tend to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. This wasn’t the norm previously, but I have been working on getting up earlier in the morning. I consistently am up around 6:00, but want to work up to getting up at 5:30 so I have some free time in the AM to work on a project. Getting up early sure motivates me to get to bed at a decent time.

Last Week’s Change: Hydrate with water! “Drink an adequate amount of water each day to maintain a healthy level of hydration”

How did you do last week?? I think I drank the recommended amount of water 3 times, so definitely need to work on that. I drank way more than I normally do, which had me running to the bathroom more often. Since it has been cold in our office, I have been drinking more herbal tea, but I am still counting that towards my ounces for the day. The problem I am finding is that I am able to drink water frequently at the office, but on the weekend at home we are on the run so much, I barely drink anything. How do you stay hydrated when you are on the run??

What Worked for me: If I scheduled my drinks of water, I did well and if I was at the office, I did well. If I was left to my own devices, I would not have even my first drink until about noon when I had lunch. I worked on having a cup of water as soon as I work up. I have to keep a water bottle with me at all times, or I would not drink any water.

What worked for you? Were you already drinking adequate amount of water?

Stop by next Wednesday for the next change and to share your progress. Now, GO GET SOME SLEEP!

Happy Resting!

Previous Changes:

1. Drink 1/2 your weight in Water (increase water intake)

Menu Plan Monday: September 19th

Posted on September 19, 2015 by jmcoyan@gmail.com

September 5th – September 20th

Grocery Weekend once again. I was hoping to make it 3 weeks before I shopped, but that didn’t work out. To align with health goals for the year, you can see I added a few more Gluten Free Recipes. I really wasn’t enjoying the Emeals Menus,especially the Gluten Free. I was excited about the meals. I have received Emeals for years! My subscription there ends in November so I decided to try a new menu service! I became a member at Fresh 20, link at the end of menu. I like this is all fresh ingredients, which is what I want to be feeding my family. I was excited about the new menu options! I have learned that a gluten free diet does not fuel my young soccer player, so I add some items to the meal for him such as dinner rolls, extra servings of the protein. So I will be doubling the recipes, which works well for me taking my lunch to work.

I have been following a new diet, it is the 21-day Tummy Diet. The research suggests some foods can cause a lot of trouble with your digestion and some foods are soothing to your digestion. I am know to have a lot of digestion trouble. I am on the last day of Phase 1. Phase two starts tomorrow, this will be Days 5-15 of the diet. I can now add oat bran and quinoa to my diet, which has mostly been lean protein, good tummy vegetables and fruits. As you can see from the menu below there are days when I am not eating what the family is. But most of the gluten free recipes I can eat!

Saturday, 19th – (Lakeshore Players) Chicken with Stuffing and Corn

Sunday, 20th-( AWAY Game 3:30) Beef Roast, Roasted Carrots and Potatoes, Dinner Rolls (Amy bringing Salad and dessert)

Monday, 21st- (Practice 6:00) – BLT Cobb Salad (triple recipe for our family)

Tuesday, 22nd –(Practice 7:45) – Steve’s Birthday Choice: Corn & Ham Chowder/Baguette / Salad ( Biggest Book of Soup and Stews pg 30)

Wednesday, 23rd(FPU) CHILI made with ground pork, (Fresh 20 GF September 18, 2015 )

Thursday, 24th (Practice 5:45) – SALISBURY TURKEY ,POTATOES & BROCCOLI (Fresh 20 GF September 18, 2015 ) Add Rolls

Friday, 25th – Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Saturday, 26th – Country Meatloaf,– Loaded Twice Baked – Pot Casserole – Carrots – Taste Sept/Oct – 15 –p39

Sunday, 27th (AWAY Game 2:00) – Baked Teriyaki Chicken,

Monday, 28th – (Practice 6:00) – (Pancakes, Eggs & Oven Bacon)

Tuesday, 29th- (Practice 5:45) – GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN Smashed Spinach Potatoes Green Bean Feta Salad (Fresh 20 GF September 4, 2015 )

Wednesday 30th – (FPU) Taco Salad (Crockpot) (end of Phase 2)

Thursday, October 1st(Practice 5:45) – Beef STEAK – Mushroom Potato Hash (Fresh 20 GF September 18, 2015 ) Add Vegetable

Friday, October 2nd – Gourmet Italian Club Sandwich & Caesar Salad (Emeals A – 551)

Saturday, October 3rd -CRAB STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS with Brown Rice (Fresh 20 GF September 11, 2015 ) Add Vegetable

Sunday, October 4th – HONEY DIJON CHICKEN Butternut “Risotto” & Snap Peas (Fresh 20 GF September 11, 2015 )

The Fresh 20 is a 5 day meal plan. They offer the following menus: Gluten Free, Dairy Free,
Classic, Vegetarian, For One, Kosher and Lunch

For more Menu Planning inspiration stop by and visit Laura at Organizing Junkie and participate in Menu Plan Monday. Need help getting started menu planning – Emeals is a great solution. Many meal plans to choose from at a very affordable price. In an attempt to eat healthier, I signed up for Fresh 20. Another great website for menu ideas is “Mommy’s Kitchen”.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!!!

Happy Cooking!!

Week #1: 52 Weeks to a Healthier and Happier You

Posted on September 16, 2015 by jmcoyan@gmail.com

I bought this book by Brett Blumenthal 2 years ago. I have attempted to make it through all 52 weeks twice. I never seem to make it very far. This year will be different as I hope you will join me on this journey. 52 small changes??We can do that!!

What I love about Brett’s approach is that by, “Easing into change helps make it seem less overwhelming and more manageable.” I can so related to this!! I go all crazy determined to eat healthier and lose weight….a week later?? Back on the couch reading my book! I think this easing into things will be beneficial for me!

Of course there are many changes we all could make in our life, but Blumenthal selected the changes that he felt would have the largest impact on our happiness and health.

Blumenthal describes 7 Benefits of a Happier and Healthier Lifestyle:

1. A Fuller, More Rewarding Life

2. Improved Outlook

3. Gracefully Aging

4. Self-Esteem

5. Natural Prevention

6. Increased Control in our Life.

7. Raised Awareness.

Sounds great, right??? So take a moment to purchase or borrow this book, 52 Small Changes:One year to a Happier, Healthier You by Brett Blumenthal. You can also take the baseline assessment, there is info on the Sheer Balance website on how to access this assessment.

WEEK #1 – “Drink an adequate amount of water each day to maintain a healthy level of hydration”

Blumenthal shares a lot of great information on the importance of maintaining a healthy level of hydration. Make sure you read the info on Week #1. Blumenthal, answer the question on how much water you should drink – “Drink the amount of water in ounces that is equals your weight in pounds divided by two”.

My Current Habit: Definitely not drinking enough. I gave up soda about 6 months ago. Instead I started drinking carbonated water, but found other health problems with that choice for me. As of today, my beverages are water, herbal tea and one cappuccino a day. I know I do not drink half my weight in liquid.

Stop by next Wednesday for the next change and to share your progress. Now, GO DRINK SOME WATER!

Happy Drinking! (water)

Happy New Year…..

Posted on September 14, 2015 by jmcoyan@gmail.com

Doesn’t September feel like a start to a new year?? It always does to me! The cool breeze is in the year, the kiddos are back in school. We are living in an environment of growth, physically and mentally as our son starts his last year in Middle School. I love that feeling of growth and want to continue to experience it myself. Otherwise, my life feels stagnant. I set goals every year to help myself to continue to grow.

This time of year I always reflect on my goals for the current year and what I hope to accomplish in the upcoming year. I am not a New Years Resolution sort of gal, my new year starts in September. Just seems logical as we get back into the routine of school. And worst yet, when I reflect on my goals in September it gets me in gear to finish them by the end of the year.

2015’s Focus – SIMPLIFY

I try to keep my goals to a minimum, I only have 3 goals in 2015. My goals for 2015 are as follows:

1. Simplify My Life – to me this meant decreasing my commitments that kept me out of the house and focus on the activities that matter to me. I was just feeling stretch too thin and wasn’t enjoying it. After many years, I took a break from my book club. Spending more time at home, having Sunday dinner with our children each week. Doing things that really makes me happy. The simple everyday things have more impact then we realize on our own happiness. We also simplified our life by decreasing the amount of stuff we own. This is an on-going project, but we have made a lot of progress. We have no desire to keep up with the Jones’. We are becoming more selective as to what is allowed to come into our home. Our desire is to be DEBT FREE!!!

2. Park in the Garage – this winter we will park at least one of our four cars in the garage! We took time off in May and really made a big dent in cleaning the garage. This weekend I had four boxes left to go through, which are done. The garage is almost done, I just need to organize a bit and get rid of all the empty bins!!

3. Organize my photos – this one I haven’t made much progress on at all. By cleaning out the garage and around the house, I believe all photos all photos are all in one place. I want to get at least one photo book made by the end of the year, so this will be my project I will be spending the rest of fall with.

2016’s Focus – HEALTH

While most of my goals in 2015 focused on simplifying our life. I hope in 2016 to focus on my health. My goals for 2016 are as follows:

1. Healthier & Happier – I bought the book 52 Small Changes One Year to a Happier,Healthier You by Brett Blumenthal 2 years ago. Each year I start the book and only make it through the few changes and then lose momentum. This year I will make it through all 52 weeks. By blogging about my experience each week, I hope I will get some of you to follow along with me and keep me accountable. Plus this will get me blogging more than just my menu each week.

2. Writing Project – Complete a writing project I would like to do. This is a crazy idea I got one morning in the shower, which is by the way, the location my best ideas come from!! I am going to give it a try….I blog, that is writing, right??

3. Continue to Simplify……

What are your New Year Goals this September??? Join me in getting Healthier and Happier in 2016. Look for a blog post each Wednesday discussing the new change we can make that week to aide us in being healthier and happier!

Happy New Year!!

Menu Plan Monday: September 5th

Posted on September 5, 2015 by jmcoyan@gmail.com

September 5th – September 20th

Saturday, Sept 5th – Skillet Chicken Lasagna Roll-Ups (uses Rotis Chicken) (pg38 – Food and Family Summer 2015) – Green Beans (50 Minutes)

Sunday, 6th – All in on BBQ Pork Chops – (crockpot 5 hours)

Monday, 7th – (LABOR DAY) BBQ ribs, Potato Salad, Marinated Vegetable Salad (S&B Blue pg 170) and Melons

Tuesday, 8th – (soccer practice 5:45) Beef Enchiladas – Mexican Rice

Wednesday, 9th – (LEADER TRAINING) Chicken Salad Sandwiches – Chips

Thursday, 10th – (soccer prac – 5:45) (Pancakes, Eggs & Oven Bacon)

Friday, 11th – Hawaiian Ham and Swiss Sliders

Saturday, 12th – Chili made with ground pork

Sunday, 13th – (soccer –3:45) – Baked Teriyaki Chicken, Mac and Cheese and Corn

Monday, 14th – (soccer –6:00) – Beef Tortellini Skillet – TasteSept/Oct -15 pg 22

Tuesday, 15th – Beef and Bean Tacos

Wednesday, 16th – (opening night of Confirmation)-Turkey Reuben Sandwiches, Veggies and Hummus (Emeals A – 553)

Thursday, 17th – (soccer –5:45) – Biscuits and Gravy

Friday, 18th – (midnighter) Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Saturday, 19th – (Lakeshore Players) Chicken with Stuffing and Corn

Sunday, 20th – Country Meatloaf,– Loaded Twice Baked – Pot Casserole – Carrots – Taste Sept/Oct – 15 -p39

For more Menu Planning inspiration stop by and visit Laura at Organizing Junkie and participate in Menu Plan Monday. Need help getting started menu planning – Emeals is a great solution. Many meal plans to choose from at a very affordable price. We have switched to the 30 Minute Meal plan and find it so easy to plan our menu! Another great website for menu ideas is “Mommy’s Kitchen”.