A New Year

I am juice fasting again and yes, that means I can get a bit sentimental, sniff sniff.

Just kidding, but I do like to journal/blog my feelings about what is going on, especially as I remove myself from hours of cooking and feeding myself and my family. It is actually quite freeing to not eat meals. It gives me more time, surprisingly.

So I have made a few New Years Resolutions.

Can I be completely honest. I actually have only done this probably ONCE before. Yes, there I've admitted it.

I have a few areas in my life that need improving besides eating better and exercising more, as that was all I would focus on come New Years in the past.

So a sweet, old college roommate messaged me on Facebook and challenged me, yes, CHALLENGED me cause goals can be very challenging to me, to make up New Years resolutions with specific areas in mind. I thought I'd share because I think it could help someone. Please do not judge me. These are my problem areas, things I need to do better on. I wouldn't think less of you, so please do not think so of me! :)


My Goals for 2013
 
Spirituality:
Read scriptures for 15 minutes in the morning before checking email/facebook/text messages
Write in journal on Sunday about week/thoughts
Attend the temple once a month
Pray in the morning before starting day
 
Knowledge:
Do a lesson from classes every week (2 lessons a week)
Read a new book every month
Continue working on chip recipe and finding co-packers
 
Health:
Wake up at 6:30am and be in bed no later than 10:30pm
Run 2 to 3 miles every other day. On off days do dance video and strength video
Participate in 3 races over the next year
Continue to find healthy recipes that everyone in the family enjoys.
Begin to eliminate processed sugar from kids diet, and eliminate it from mine.
 
Service:
Pray about and take a meal to one random person in the ward a month or invite over for meal
Take a message to sisters that I know haven’t been visit taught in a few months
Be on time to church every week. This is for Jordan
 
Family:
Appreciate the kids ages more and be more calm
Work on time management and spend more time during the day focused on the kids
Control my tone and temper with the kids and Jordan
Limit TV to 1 hour a day for the kids
Do things like laundry when the kids are in bed or napping

MOST IMPORTANTLY after making this list, I made a huge decision that made my husband oh so happy! I deleted the facebook app from off my phone. I have to admit I would spend too much time on there, and believe it or not, I actually think it would make me grumpy. 

The last few days have been glorious without FACEBOOK in my life every hour, or so! Oh my yes, I just admitted that! A bit of  facebook junkie I was, as Jordan called me!


My goal right now with my juice fast is as follows:

Juice for as many days as I can. By Wednesday I will see how I am doing. Wednesday will be day 6, I might even go till Thursday and then break my fast Friday night with a properly combined dinner. I've learned how to trick myself through the day into being full and happy till dinner and also how to make properly combined eating not soooooooo stressful.

Why didn't I include anyone on this fast?
1.) Natalia did a call about how it can be dangerous for people who haven't been juicing for at least a few months to jump into a juice fast. SOOOOO from now on I will only include those that have participated with me in the past/or are juicing every day.

2.) I needed to be selfish on this one. I needed it to be as low on the stress levels as possible. I wanted to really focus on me and my family and what is going on around me and readjust some things. 

3.) Lose 10 to 15 lbs. and jump start my metabolism again.


After my juice fast is over, I am going to really work on combining properly my meals at night, always starting my meal with a huge salad and finishing it before eating any food on my plate, and while properly combining, juicing till mid afternoon, like 2:30pm or 3:00pm.

I will try to post yummy things as I go that might interest some of you.

Lastly, if you've tried juicing and it isn't your bag, please give smoothies a try. I'm not talking about an oreo smoothie but Kimberly Snyder's smoothie. Go here to try her recipe!

WHO doesn't want to have those legs, that shining skin, and glowing hair? ME ME ME! :)

It is filling and gives you a great amount of fiber and tastes good! Just make sure you use the fruit asked and LOTS OF ICE or it will not taste good! ( I love to add pineapple! Do not pay more than $1.50 for a pineapple. You are being taken if you do. Smell the pineapple, if it smells ripe it is a good one. If it smells like it is starting to rot do not buy it. It is ripe when it smells ripe and you can easily pull one of the leaves out of the stem. When you are ready to cut the pineapple, rip off the top and put it upside down in your fridge. This helps the sugars to go from the bottom of the pineapple and be dispersed to the rest of it. Then place on your cutting board and shave off the sides, with it standing up right. Hope that helps your pineapple adventures! This is a great tutorial.)