The 3 P's PLANNING, PREPARING and PATIENCE

Hello all!!! As you know this Blog will contain various postings to inspire, motivate and muster up excitement about LIFE! As I promised- I will post videos and pics from all my contests with results (no matter how poor......or great!), words of wisdom that I have learned through my years of trying to live a healthy lifestyle as well as some of my favorite recipes that carry me through the week. Today- I want to talk about Planning, Preparing and Patience.....as essential components to a healthy lifestyle.

One thing I stress to all- is being healthy and fit is a LIFESTYLE. That means COMMITMENT and LONGEVITY. In order to be successful in any life long achievement- one MUST PLAN and PREPARE and have PATIENCE with yourself. Without these three things- your life long commitment to yourself will be very difficult to achieve. Where do these components come into play? Every DAY.

Planning and Preparing by example.......

Each week on Sunday- I wake up about 1 hour before my husband. It is at that time, I drink my tea, sit back relax, enjoy the silence of the Sunday morning and begin my planning for the week. I take a look at my calendar for the week ahead and take note as to how busy I will actually be. Where do I have to go on what days. After that- I then plan my workout schedule....I figure out on which days I will study martial arts, on which days I will lift weights and when I will achieve cardio. Next- I think of food. With my schedule in place- I now know how much time I will have to dedicate to cooking, and I have a good idea of how I will feel both physically and mentally each day. I then sit in the kitchen with a paper and pen- and actually write down- what I will eat all week.....Breakfast M,T,W,TH,F....snack....lunch....and so on. I factor in fruit, veggies, lean proteins and I plan which days I will eat a meal that has been prepared ahead of time on Sunday and frozen. Now that my meal plan is all worked out- on the other side of the paper- I make my GROCERY LIST. Now I am ready for the week. I have planned, and I am ready to prepare the meals I have planned out. I am also ready to conquer the supermarket with a purpose. When I get there- there will be no needless browsing or purchasing. I will go to the market somewhere in the day on Sunday. In this shopping trip- I will buy ALL the food I need for the week- to avoid unnecessary marketing traps of the SUPERMARKET and needless trips!

Then Sunday evening while getting myself ready for the week I begin to cook the food I plan on eating for the week! By Monday I have my food planned and prepared and am ready for action! I have a little lunch box and I am all set. I am also able to resist temptation while I am out on appointments as my food is packed and ready to go! Without PLANNING AND PREPARATION- in this modern day world- we will not survive!!!!

Now for the last P in the equation.....PATIENCE. This is essential- as no matter how much you plan and prepare- things always go off track without notice. This could be due to family, work, stress - whatever. Maybe you just don't feel like eating string beans again! OK- so you lose your mind and go to Carvell. Well- in my book that is no big deal- if these slip falls are few and far in between. One day of eating bad will not kill you - just like one day of eating well will not make you healthy! So- have patience with yourself....make changes in your life one at a time! Give yourself time to adjust and formally change your habits SLOWLY to ensure LONGEVITY.

So here is one of my favorite recipes that I make all of the time on SUNDAYS!!! Enjoy! (Next time I make it- I will take a pic....and put it up!)

Yummy Cole Slaw Salad!!

1/2 bag Dole traditional Cole Slaw salad mix
1 Low Fat Stony Field Farms Vanilla Yogurt
1 Fuji Apple cored and chopped into small bite size pieces
1/2 Cup Nut/Raisin mix
1 TBS Ground Cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and YUMMY! You are eating cabbage!!! make two of these salads in a week and do you know how much cabbage you have consumed???

Each week I will post a new recipe- eventually I will get them all together and publish my cookbook!!! Talk to you all next week! I have my first figure competition of the season! I will post pics, videos and results!!!

Remember- I am here if you want to talk! Send me an email!

Stay Focused Until the Miracle Happens!
To your Success and Health
Becky