Veggie Bee

I’m sorry to be a little late in my new year wishes, I’ve just been moseying into the new year rather than hitting it head on, peeking around the corner to make sure it’s January. So now I’ve decided to come out of hiding, clear away the cobwebs, and get the year going full steam ahead. My first move, implementing "new month" resolutions, rather than the grand New Year’s resolutions that gets everyone fired up ever so briefly only to die a lonely death sometime in February. Maybe month by month we can stay on track together.

So, to get the party started, a complete list of January’s resolutions!

• Writing ~ my goal is to get more consistent with posting to the blog, which clearly is off to a lumbering start! I do have lots of great ideas and now it’s just a matter of putting "pen to paper" or more accurately, fingers to keys! I plan to post 2 or 3 times a week and will include some food pictures and recipes as well.
• Food ~ I am definitely continuing on my vegan journey. Although I know that not everyone will go vegan along with me, I am definitely using it as a way to inspire you to be more conscious of what you eat and how it affects you and the world around you. No matter what else you’re eating, the more fruits and veggies you learn to eat, the better you will feel, especially if they’re local and organic. I say "learn” to eat intentionally, because "knowing" is not "doing" and part of the learning process is developing new skills around incorporating them into your diet.
• Fitness ~ I struggled with this a little bit because initially I was going to make it a goal to join a running club to train for a marathon. However, I think I have some other fitness goals I want to reach first. One of those is finding a plan to follow for strength training. I am a cardio junkie and right now I will focus on developing strength. I’m starting the P90X plan next week and David and I are planning to do it together first thing in the morning. By first thing, I mean 5:30 a.m. Anyone who knows me, knows this will require divine intervention and daily miracles, but it can be done!
• Health ~ Although I am healthy and have no underlying health issues, I regularly have my blood work checked just to make sure that there is nothing out of the ordinary. Since I know my weight is within a healthy range, I’m looking especially for healthy numbers in cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose and blood pressure. The new year is a good time to do a reality check on your weight and to have your blood work checked out by your doctor.

So, there you have it, I’m focused on January and I’ll revisit my "resolutions" in February and revise as needed. I’ll also be reviewing some recipe books soon, I promise!

What are your resolutions this year or this month??  Anyone doing a "reality" check on weight or blood work??

Think about your car for a moment… when you pull up to a gas station, what kind of fuel do you put into it? Do you expect your car to run properly after filling it up? What if you pulled into the gas station and found a sign that stated that the fuel had sand and dirt and chemicals in it that would damage the systems in your car, cause your car to slowly deteriorate and become sluggish and eventually cause your car to stop running altogether? But they would sell it to you for 10 cents a gallon. Would you rationalize putting it into your car? Or would you value your car enough to make a habit of going to another gas station, always giving it the best fuel you could afford to keep it running properly for as long as you could?

Think about your body for a moment… what kind of fuel are you giving it on a daily basis? Are you expecting it to run like a sports car, but fueling it like a go-cart? Are you putting polluted fuel into it and wondering why you feel sluggish and tired? Do you value yourself and your health enough to make the effort to put the best fuel possible into your body? Do you know how to find the proper fuel for your body and that it will help you feel more energetic?

Start living a healthy life today. Today, buy fruits, vegetables and lean proteins and learn how to prepare them so that you will enjoy them in a low-fat manner. Feed your body so that you will feel brilliant and fabulous and energetic.

5 steps to take today for your health:

• Eat more fruits and veggies ~ eat a variety of fruits and veggies every day. Organic and locally grown is best, but if you’re worried about cost, at least buy organic when you eat “The Dirty Dozen”. You can download the list of 12 fruits and veggies you should always buy organic at Environmental Working Group’s web site.
• Get at least 10 minutes of exercise today ~ something is better than nothing when it comes to exercise. You’re never going to find an hour to go for that walk until you find 10 minutes and that takes away our time excuses. Start building exercise momentum today!
• Drink water ~ replace some of your drinks for today with water. That includes sodas, both diet and regular, juices, coffee drinks or alcohol. Although there’s some some debate about the 8×8 rule - drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day -  it doesn’t hurt for one day to make sure you’re getting in that amount to combat dehydration which can lead to water retention and drained energy.
• Eat lean protein ~ it’s easy in the world in which we live to get plenty of protein in our daily diets. Yet, it’s not always a good, lean source of protein. Today, make sure you have access to lean proteins like fish, shellfish, beans, legumes and tofu. You don’t have to become a vegetarian to eat like one for a day, so include some beans and legumes in your diet for protein.
• Meditate ~ meditation is focusing on the present moment so that you’re not a prisoner of regret about the past and anxiety about the future. Take 2 minutes today and simply try focusing on your breathing, even while you’re walking or doing dishes. Learn about meditation techniques and commit yourself to trying something new.

Have a fabulously healthy day!!

Do you have a bad habit you need to break? Take a look at Margarita’s Breakup Letter to her bad habit…  and then write your own!

Phit-N-Phat asks What Motivates You to Be Healthy and Fit? There’s a nice quote on getting to your goals: “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” - Jim Ryun.

Need even more to help you get motivated? Read the article Get Motivated (pdf) from Body + Soul magazine and then take Tamara Lowe’s Motivational DNA test.

Need a workout you can do in 7 minutes?! Check out Lean & Fit in 7 Minutes at Women’s Health Magazine. You can even download it to your iPod!

This weekend, I’m planning to try some version of Shape Magazine’s Eggplant-Ricotta Rolls with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. I’m not sure I’ll use ricotta cheese, but I like the idea of the rolls.  Let me know if you try it and any changes you might make to it.

Win FREE Reebok SmoothFit SelectRide Shoes at Active.com. Ends March 31, 09.

• Go to the Active.com Reebok Crosstraining page.
• Click on one of the links to enter the giveaway.
• While you’re there, take a look at the Free Cross-training plans that are available.
• Five winners will be selected after the giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on March 31, 09.

Enter to Win daily prizes at Fitness Magazine’s Daily Sweepstakes!

• Today’s prize is a pair of women’s ASICS GEL-Nimbus 10 running shoes.
• Tomorrow’s prize is a women’s RRS 3-layer jacket.
• Enter to win daily at Fitness Magazine online!