Ah, Sugar Sugar

One of my newest adventures is eating healthy. I have done a LOT of research on what you should and should not consume and how it affects you. Two topics I have focused on are processed foods and sugar. 

Processed foods can be traced to 4 of the top 10 chronic diseases: heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer. By cutting out processed foods, not only are we lowering our risk of these four diseases, but we will also gain energy, lose weight, improve regularity, and feel better as a whole. Why wouldn't one want to cut out processed foods?

Don't know what processed foods are? They are foods that have been altered from their natural state such as: white flour, high sodium canned foods, boxed meals, processed meats, sugary breakfast cereals and packaged meals, snacks, and sweets. 

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However, some foods should be processed or are not harmful after being processed. 

For example, milk does not have to be processed, but it should be processed. 

Why? 

If you do not pasteurize your milk, you will not kill the bacteria that it contains causing food-borne illnesses. You also need to homogenize it to keep the fat from separating over time. 

Other items such as frozen berries and veggies are not harmful because freezing them actually helps in preserving their vitamins and minerals. 

100% whole grain breads and oatmeal are a few processed items which are not only okay to consume, but should be consumed. 

You should check out these videos about the aging of processed foods.

Excessive Sugar intake causes weight gain, cravings, binge eating, and heart disease (noticing a pattern yet?). It has also been linked to depression, migraines, poor eyesight and autoimmune diseases. 

According to USDA the average American consumed 152.4 pounds of sugar in 2000! 

That is an increase of 32.8 pounds since 1950-1959. 

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Are you sick to your stomach yet? Well, if not, here is a fun fact from USDA:

"In a sense, sugar is the number one food additive. It turns up in some unlikely places, such as pizza, bread, hot dogs, boxed mixed rice, soup, crackers, spaghetti sauce, lunch meat, canned vegetables, fruit drinks, flavored yogurt, ketchup, salad dressing, mayonnaise, and some peanut butter."

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Hot dogs? Lunch meat? Pizza? These were my favorite lunch time meals as a child. Heck, I still love them. I always knew they weren't the best for you, but sugar?  I don't even want to know what else that little guy is hiding in! 

The American Heart Association recommends that we limit our daily intake of sugar to 7% (100 calories) for women and 9% (150 calories) for men. 

Did you know that ONE can of soda contains 130-150 calories? 

Okay, quick fix. Drink diet soda. 

Wrong. Diet soda contains aspartame, which not only is linked to cancer, but causes you to crave sugar more than real sugar. 

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Could you imagine the improvements we would make to our bodies by changing these two things? Maybe heart disease wouldn't be the leading cause of death...just maybe.

Are are interested in making these changes to your life,but are still struggling on what to pick up?

 Remember:

Look for products of nature  

Shop the outer ring of the store: meats, dairy, fruits, veggies, whole grains etc. 

Read your labels. 

Look for items that have 6 ingredients or less. 

Avoid high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. 

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And this is just the tip of the iceberg. I am not perfect, and I don't want to be. I will still eat processed food and sugary snacks on occasion, but my goal is to control my intake of it, not let it control me. So, I welcome you to join me in my triumphs and downfalls in leading a healthier lifestyle. 

A Better Me

 Do you ever think that there isn't enough time in the day for those things you actually enjoy doing? 

I do, but I have decided that this train of thought isn't acceptable anymore. 

When do you enjoy life the most? When you are working or studying? 

No! 

You need to take action on these thoughts.

I need to take action on these thoughts.

We need to take action on these thoughts. 

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We enjoy our lives the most when we are doing things that we enjoy, so why don't we make time for them? 

Well for me it is a simple answer, ever since I have had a break from traveling for work I am too tired, aka too lazy, after work in the office. Again, I do not accept this train of thought anymore. I love reading, crafting, and exploring new places, among many other things, and I am determined to get back into these habits. 

So, my plan to solve these lazy thoughts? Simple, quit telling myself to be lazy. 

You're probably thinking, easier said than done, right? Wrong. 

I tell myself I am too tired, that I need to sit and do nothing for a little bit. Well, that is okay! But, not when I realize it is now bedtime and I have done nothing productive since work. I have to quit telling myself to be lazy just a little bit longer.

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When we think negatively, our bodies respond that way. So, I am going to start telling myself to get off my tush, to quit watching TV and playing on any piece of  technology I can get my hand onto, and do something productive and fulfilling. 

Daily goals:

Spend a minimum of 1 hour doing something I love-This will not include browsing the internet, stalking social media sites, or watching TV/movies until my brain is fried.

Quit watching TV and playing on my phone when going to bed-This is a time to crawl in bed and enjoy the peace and quite, to clear my head and relax. I always leave my TV on all night and it interferes with my dreams and sleep cycle. If I need help falling asleep, I will pick up a book.

Weekly goals:

Complete a minimum of 2 projects a week-This could be finishing a book, a project around the house, or trying something new. 

Plan and cook meals for the week-My goal is to spend my Sunday's in the kitchen cooking my weekly meals. I often move too slow in the morning to eat breakfast and prepare lunch, so I often eat out for lunch. Yuck.

This is just a start for my goals on A Better Me. I will constantly add to and adjust these goals. I mean, all of these goals will not apply when I am traveling for 6 months at a time! 

How do you keep motivated after work or school?

Change the Limits

If I had to describe 2012 in one word it would be:

Change

My life changed in many ways. I took control of my life again. My relationship status changed. My job title changed, twice: unemployed -event coordinator-account executive. My temporary location changed: no fewer than 65 times. Friendships changed; I gained so many and lost a few as well. My overall outlook on life changed.

While this past year was full of change, my passions and life goals remained the same. These changes have assisted me in getting back on the right track to accomplish these goals and further explore my passions. However, I do not want to lose the progress I have made in re-establishing myself. So, I took advice from a college friend over at, Southern Hospitality, and decided to pre-establish a word for 2013.

Limits

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I am a believer that to grow personally one must push their limits, to remove themselves from their comfort zones. This girl will no longer settle. Okay, when completely necessary I will have to, but my goal is to push my limits even in the slightest.

See, growing up I wanted to live in NYC after college. Then after visiting Australia, I wanted to move out of the country. Well, after college, I was settling in my comfort zone and wanted to move to Charlotte, NC.
(The foreshadowing moment for my 2013 choice word.)

But something wasn't right inside of me. That is when I received the job offer that would forever change my life. The first big change of 2012.  This job offer is what has led me to this very moment, this realization, this personal growth.

See this temporary job led me to my full-time job, where I planned to work out of the Connecticut office. However, I would eventually settle, again, on the thought of calling Charlotte home. While this was never the plan, it just made sense. I would eventually be back on the road and moving up North did not make sense.
(Please, do not get me wrong, I love my job and I LOVE the traveling! But paying rent up north, while rarely living there...NOT smart.)

So to push my limits, I decided to live with my sister, whom I love dearly, but you see, my sister and I have not always gotten along. I mean, what siblings do? See, when we are with our family we fight like cats and dogs. It ain't always pretty.

However, her roommate had recently moved out and I needed a place to live in Charlotte, it was the best option at the time. AND IT WORKS! While we have our little tiffs here and there, we get along 95% of the time (knock on wood!).

I plan to really push my limits this year, but I will have to settle at times, like living in Charlotte. But by settling, I plan to find a small way to push the limits.

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So, over the next year, I invite you to share my adventure of following my dreams, pursuing my passions, and pushing my limits.