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This is what I Know:

Amy — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:20:05 +0000

Christine will graduate from high school in May. We moved back to the United States 7 years ago in June 03 when Christine was 11 and Sofi was 6. In the past years we renovated a 100 year old house, I attended and graduated from nursing school. My speaking career has been reborn, I’ve written a book.I’ve quit smoking, gained and lost numerous pounds, and had a variety of haircolors. We’ve had about 104 sleepovers, overall serving about 156 giggling girls, 93 pizzas and 162 bags of doritos. I’ve survived one set of teenage years and will soon begin my second and last set with Sofi.

Here’s some stuff I know:

My favorite tool was once my eyelash curler but it is now my tweezer. Financial debt, like weight, will seldom be just right and more often be up than down…so don’t lose sleep over either of them. Forgiveness is difficult but necessary and even babysteps are important. More often than not, it will be the small, everyday choices that contribute to or delete from your success. People all want two things 1. to know their life mattered 2. to know that at least one person has seen their uniqueness loved them completely. Seeing the tiny everyday miracles and developing an ongoing gratitude for them will make your life happier. Friends are really important. The Universe is abundant. You have to start someplace and at sometime in order to get anywhere. I learn more when I listen. God loves everyone. Don’t limit the limitless God.

Other things I know: your car’s rearview mirror in natural sunlight is the best place to tweeze, wrinkles can be really sexy if you wear them with confidence, and a camera pointed at a middle aged women will add 32 pounds and 7.6 years in a photograph.

Making Memories

Amy — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:13:13 +0000

Every December my girls and I pile into the car, get hot chocolate, and drive around town looking at Christmas lights. We chat, laugh, comment, say silly things and when we get home we all comment on how nice it was to be together.

This Thanksgiving my daughters and I spent alone, without extended family. We ate a traditional meal. Focused the majority of our eating on dessert with three types of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, a cheesecake, and a chocolate torte. We laughed and groaned about eating too much. Played a new card game and went to a great movie. It was a terrifically wonderful day.

My daughter turned eighteen a few weeks ago. We drove to a bigger town and ate at her favorite restaurant where I gave her a special ring with three sapphires…symbolizing our little family. Upon arriving home we pulled their mattresses into the family room, made popcorn and had a slumber party. It was a great night.

One of my best friends is Diane. Diane is a brilliant counselor, my dearest friend, and a mother of four grown children. Whenever we talk on the phone in the evening, before we say goodbye Diane tells me to go ” hug those girls, they’ll be gone before you know it”. She told me this for years and she is right.

My oldest daughter is a senior. This week we put a deposit on her college dorm room. Everything we do now, we think about how life will be next year without living with us. My youngest is in 7th grade. She is taller than me and just got braces.

Life passes so quickly doesn’t it? It was over six years ago when we returned from Norway to set up life here. My daughters were eleven and six. I’d divorced their father and life started completely over for the three of us. I look at pictures of them and it seems like an eye blink ago.

Years ago I subbed for a middle school English class. This was a class for all the naughty kids who’d been thrown out of regular class. They were experts at eye rolling, spit balls throwing, and lewd comments at the ripe old age of thirteen.

Their assignment was to write an speech about their favorite gift or experience. It was around Thanksgiving time and there was a frenzy of advertisments for Christmas ”stuff”. I was curious to hear what they’d write about.

A long haired, goth looking boy stood up and talked about his dad taking him fishing. Next a girl with heavy eyeliner, and multiple piercings talked about a family reunion in a city park and how her family along with uncles, aunts and cousins all played a fun game of softball.

As the speeches continued a clear and consistant message evolved. ..i.e. it isn’t about the “stuff”. Not one kid talked about the electronic game he’d received or great clothes she’d scored. Not one.

Each and every child’s favorite memory was about a special time their family spent together.

So this Christmas, as you eyeball the “stuff’ in the store remember that it will be in the garbage long before the memory of those priceless moments are forgotton.

We have no control over the days passing quickly, and this year the economy may tighten our Christmas wallet…but we can still create memories that last and bring smiles for a lifetime.

Proactive ideas for dealing with stressful times

Amy — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:33:05 +0000

Sometimes life seems to hit me right between the eyes. My feet hurt, my daughter is sick and we can’t seem to find out the source of her ailment. The economy has affected the speaking industry just like every other industry. Our newest pet, at one year old, is pooping on my new carpet. If it isn’t one thing, it’s another.

Sometimes, gals, I just want to slap on a fake moustache, call myself Larry and run away. Just run away from all the responsibilities, all the bills, all the stress. But I can’t. I’d look lousy in a moustache, and my name isn’t Larry.

So, what to do?

The Soldanelle is a remarkable flower that grows right in the middle of the snow and ice in the Alpine valley. Imagine, a flower blooming through a crust of ice! It pushes its way through the spring snow and ice because it prepared for blooming during the past summer.

During the summer months the Soldanelle spreads it leaves wide and flat on the ground to soak up the summer sun. That sun energy is then stored in the flowers roots, throughout the winter months.

When spring hits, snow and ice still cover the ground the tiny flower begins growing. The energy stored in its roots makes enough warmth to thaw out a tiny dome in the snow. This air pocket dome grows above the head of the bloom as the plant becomes taller and taller. Finally, when the bloom is safely formed in the ice dome…the dome breaks away and out comes a beautiful flower right in the middle of the snow covered ground. Neat!

Just as the Soldanelle prepares for the rough winter we need to prepare ourselves for challenging times. We can do this by having a good back up list of activities that relax and bring you pleasure such as:a hot bath, a long walk, a night out at the movies, a talk with a friend, a few hours of window shopping, listening to music, playing music, a great mystery novel, a long drive to no where.

Make a physical list of activities you enjoy and keep it in a handy spot. When you feel stressed check through the list and find something pleasurable to do.

Storing positive activities on a list is a pro-active way to prepare the icy stress that comes with some of life’s challenges. Taking a hot bath won’t keep my puppy from pooping the carpet but the relaxing soak may re-energize me for another round of puppy training.

Low Calorie Cabbage Salad

Amy — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:41:47 +0000

I haul this salad everywhere!

Dressing:

1 seasoning packet from chicken flavored ramen noodles

3 tablespoon splenda

3 white wine vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup canola oil

Mix these ingredients together. I usually triple the recipe so I have alot on hand. It is so good!

Chop up a head or half a head of cabbage. Or buy the coleslaw blend. I chop up a head of cabbage and keep it in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for easy, quick salad.

Pop some cabbage into a bowl, shake the dressing and pour..then top it off with sliced almonds. This is a great, quick salad. I like it because it has crunch and sometimes I eat this when my kids are eating chips and dip. It really is delicious!

Either buy coleslaw mix or chopped a head of cabbage.

Great Northern Bean Soup

Amy — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:32:30 +0000

I love this soup. It is full of protein, fiber, and most importantly TASTE! Make a big batch and freeze it for a quick, filling meal.

1 chopped onion

1-2 cloves chopped garlic

1-2 stalks chopped celery

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon thyme (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon rosemary (or to taste)

1 teaspoon basil

Cook above ingredients in oil until softened ( about 15 minutes). Add four cups of chicken broth and three cans of drained, washed northern beans. Throw in some frozen or chopped fresh spinach. Scoop at least half of the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Add blended mixture to the initial soup.

I play with this recipe alot. I shove as many beans in as I can for a thicker soup. I add lots more spice. It is delicious, low calorie and perfect for a meal or grab a cup for an inbetween meal snack.

See you on the slim side!

Amy

Prevention Power to Lose Weight

Amy — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:52:59 +0000

When I lived in Norway we almost never ate fast food. When we moved back to the U.S I was thrilled to discover the dollar menu at fast food restaurants. Fast, cheap, and easy! I ordered the chicken sandwich for the girls and for me…we were good to go.

One year later my weight was up by 15 lbs. During a nutrition class I discovered that my healthy chicken sandwich contained 376 calories. I am not proud to say I could eat one is about three bites.

I realized that I most often made poor eating choices because I wasn’t prepared. When I was hungry I‘d eat whatever was quick and cheap and there is an abundance of fast, unhealthy and cheap food around. One quick run through a drive through can ruin a day of healthy eating. Our moods can also cause us to make poor eating choices. How often have found comfort in food when you’ve been stressed, frustrated, or bored.

So here is it. The best way to avoid bad eating is having good, healthy food at your fingertips. In other words, be prepared.

Keep high protein bars in your car but be sure to check the labels. Some protein bars are just candy bars in disguise. Look for high protein about 10 grams, and high fiber about 4 to 5 grams for around 200 calories. Keep apples and carrots at work. Make them easy and ready to grab at home, at work, and in the car.

Count to ten, eat an apple and sip some water before you get into the fast food line. It is easy to mistake thirst for hunger. All of this gives you a moment to slow down and think. We don’t think as well when we are hungry or thirsty.

Eating something every two to three hours during the day has to benefit. First, you never get really hungry. Second, eating frequently keeps your metabolism charged up.

Ok, even with the best made plans there will be times you have to eat out or eat fast food. But here it comes again….be prepared. Get familiarize yourself with the menus at fast food places so the best choices are at the tip of your tongue. When eating in a restaurant get the grilled meat option. Ask for a sweet potato over a baked potato (hold the butter and brown sugar), ask for low calorie salad dressing …on the side. Clear soups over cream soups, don’t let the waitress leave the bread basket. Choose fish as often as you can.

If you’ve armed yourself with healthy options before hunger hits you’ll most likely make better choices when you stomach starts growling!

Use the power of preparedness to keep your day of eating healthy. A pound of prevention is worth an ounce of cure.

I’ll meet you on the slim side!

Amy!

Easy, Tasty, Diet Tips Anyone Can Use

Amy — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:09:45 +0000

The Truth: In order to lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit. This is achieved either by consuming fewer calories or exercising to wear off more calories or a combination of both. Let’s keep it simple…every bite counts. I’ve added these additional tweaks to my eating plan and have lost about 13 pounds in the past few months. Woo Hoo!

Eat one apple before every meal to your meal consumption by about 30%. How easy is that! Now is a great time to get a good variety of delicious apples to eat before meals and as a snack in between meals. Crunching an apple will give you time to think about what you will eat. You won’t be famished and charging in to the kitchen to devour anything in your path. They are only about 80 calories with 5 grams of fiber making apples a delicious, smart snack for someone wanting to lose weight.

Stock up on healthy frozen meals. When choosing a frozen meal aim for the highest fiber and protein content and the lowest calories. Fiber fills you up and protein keeps you full. Frozen meals are quick and easy to throw into the microwave or take along for a work lunch.

Or make your own healthy frozen meals. Invest in one portion size freezer dishes. Cook up family size amounts, divide into appropriate portions and freeze them. The trick is to have good food choices available when you need them. The key to weight loss success is being prepared! (see article on preparedness)

Drink, Drink, Drink decaffeinated green tea or water throughout the day. I write about keeping hydrated because so often we don’t drink enough especially when we get busy. I can’t stand hot green tea so instead I make a big pot of tea, pour it into a pitcher and keep it cold in the refrigerator. Green tea increases your metabolism. If tea isn’t your cup of tea (groan)…drink water. Water is crucial to weight loss and optimal health.

Make canned beans your friends. Bean contain fiber and protein, canned beans are easily stored and last forever (or almost). Beans are a terrific aid to weight loss. Familiarize yourself with the great variety of beans. Dry beans are great…put most need a presoak so I tend to use more canned beans. My most recent favorite bean is the great northern bean. I have a soup recipe that is delicious and very healthy. The secret is to blend at least half the soup because the soup becomes creamy without the fat and calorie

Eat seven types of fruit of vegetable a day. I know five serving are recommended but YOU want to lose weight so tuck into seven. Eating fruits and vegetables is a no brainer for weight loss. Make healthy choices when thinking about what you choose. A yam has more fiber than a plain old baked potato. Educate yourself about the benefits of particular veggies to get the most bang for your calorie buck.

To keep track of your veggie/fruit consumption wear seven hair ties (or bangles) on your left arm. Move one hair ties to your right arm with every fruit or vegetable you eat. Make it easy to make the right choice. Stock your refrigerator with pre washed lettuce ( remember the darker the leaf the healthier) , and baby carrots. Keep lots of healthy fruits and vegetables around and make them user friendly.

Start today! Give yourself a break and prepare your refrigerator and kitchen for success. These easy to follow tips will make losing weight a breeze…

I will see you on the slim side!

Amy — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:40:53 +0000

Words of Wisdom

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go for

that. Because what the world needs is people whohave come alive.”

Harold Whitman Thurman

Portion Distortion:5 SimpleTips to Portion Control and Healthier Eating

Amy — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:51:06 +0000

Portion Distortion: 5 simple Tips to Portion Control and healthier eating

I sensed the waitress groan as she set the loaded oversized dinner plate in front of me. My plate was piled high with at least four adult servings of pasta. We’d already eaten salad and breadsticks. Noticing all the other overweight customers surrounding me, the truth..hit me between the eyes.

I am overweight because I eat too much. T ‘ain’t my metabolism or my sluggish thyroid. The nasty fat fairy didn’t cast a spell on me while I slept. Pure and simple, I eat too much. The great power of recognizing my responsibility in a problem is the realization that I have the power to change or fix it.

I didn’t create the oversized portions so it isn’t my fault, but it is my problem.

Here’s the point… Size does matter!

1. Dinner plates today are bigger than in the 1950’s and 1960’s. I now use a luncheon or salad plate to get a better size proportion.

2. When eating out: Restaurant portions are almost always oversized. I often order off the child’s menu, or I split an entrée with friend, or I ask the server to bring a to-go box with my meal, then divide the portion in half, and tuck it away before I begin eating.

3. Take a mental picture of everyday items to get an idea of proper food portions.

A small baked potato is about the size of the inside of my palm

A waffle or pancake portion is about the size of a cd

½ a medium bagel is about the size of a hockey puck

A small muffin is about the size of a tennis ball

One serving size of cheese is the size of four dice

3 oz of meat (one serving size) is about the size of a deck of cards

1 portion of cooked rice is about the size of a full cupcake wrapper

1 serving of fruit or veggies is about the size of a tennis ball

4. Decide: One diet doesn’t fit all. Eating more protein may work well for some people while eating more fiber may be best someone else. We need to try a variety of eating styles to find one that best suits our individual needs and lifestyles. Because I work from home, I like to eat many small balanced snacks ( 100-200 calories) every few hours throughout the day. Take time to research an eating program that works best for you.

5. Positive Choices: We eat too much sugar, salt, unhealthy fat, and processed foods. We need to read labels and choose foods with ingredients we recognize (and can pronounce). Whole grains, organic food, natural ingredients are better for us and better to us.

We can eat less, eat healthy, and live better with every meal choice we make. I am losing weight and I feel more energized just by making these small, consistant diet changes.

Life just doesn’t have to be that complicated.

Five Quick and Easy Weight Loss Tips

Amy — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:25:11 +0000

Five Quick and Easy Weight Loss Tips:

With thousand of weight loss tips and secrets hitting the web daily, you’d think we’d all be thin as rails. Not so, according to continuing reports that obesity is on the rise in the United States. My bookshelves contain 23 diet books, including: Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, Fat Flush, The Rice Diet, to name a few. But nutrition classes and nursing school reinforced this basic fact 3,500 calories make up a pound and losing weight requires a balance between food intake and exercise. These are five healthy, practical, and easy tips to losing weight. They may not be flashy but I promise you that they will work!

1. Keep a Food Diary: Food accountability is critical to weight loss. If you bite it write it. Studies have shown that dieters keeping a food diary lose twice as much weight as those dieters who don’t. A food diary causes dieters to think twice before overeating or making a poor food choice. A food diary will give you an idea of when you have your most challenging time of day and help you discover your trigger foods. A food diary makes you accountable for the food and calories you consume.

2. Wear a pedometer. Exercise is critical to weight loss and a pedometer makes you accountable for the amount you are moving daily. Aim for 10,000 steps a day (about 5 miles) and increase as you can and when you can. You will soon find yourself parking further away in the parking lot just to get those extra steps into your pedometer. Every move counts!

3. Portion control. Food portions have increased over the years causing portion distortion. It may not be your fault but it is your problem. Learn proper food portions. (see tag : 5 Tips on Portion Control).Don’t count on restaurants, or hostesses to portion out food properly, this is your responsibility. Learning to adhere to proper portions will led to successful weight loss.

4. Drink Green Tea …Green tea contains polyphenols and antioxidents that help in fight a variety of disease and illnesses. Studies have shown that green tea contains thermogenic properties that increase metabolism and help burns more calories.Drink it hot or cold. Drink 3 or more cups a day to get best results.

5. Drink 8 eight ounce glasses of water daily: The majority of your body (over 70%) takes place in water. When you do not drink enough water, your body systems slow down and one of the systems that slows is your metabolism. Water flushes the by product of fat loss. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger so drinking water can reduce the amount you eat. Although it takes about 10% fluid loss to be considered dehydrated, as little as a 2% loss of fluid can cause headaches, dull critical thinking, and affect athletic performance. Drinking water is a critical weight loss tool.