Fit, Fabulous 40's Friday!

Today, I thought I would share a little about what I eat, 

and the journey I have been on and continue to be on, regarding nutrition.

I am NOT a nutritionist. 

I am an encourager, your personal cheer-leader and coach, 

and I'm just sharing what has worked for me, 

hoping that it will give you some sort of comfort knowing that most fit people 

really work at it.

I look at becoming "fit"similar to working towards a degree, or certification.

It is a process of consistently taking baby steps.

Remember "What About Bob?"

Bill Murray was great in this movie portraying someone with a ton of issues- 

he's neurotic.

I loved this movie because ALL of us have some issues

and 

we can empathize with Bob.

( I do have a few....hundred)

I think most of us really want to work on

"our stuff",

sometimes we just aren't sure how.

You must work towards becoming fit or healthy.

 Little by little, chipping away day by day, week by week, year by year.
It came slowly for me,
as I shared here,
but it came!

I had to start looking at how I was using food.

Not just for nourishment,

but for friendship, when I was feeling lonely or bored,

for comfort, when I was nervous,

and for protection, when I was fearful.

I also ate whatever I wanted, when I wanted,

and let's face it,

bad carbs taste the best!

The cool thing about my relationship w/ Jesus,

is that instead of going to food for comfort,

I can go to God.

2 Corinthians 1:3

 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort"

Baby Steps:

Let's start with three Simple Things

1. Correct Portions

How much?

2. BETTER choices.

3. Eat a portion of PROTEIN and a portion of CARBS at every meal/snack.

Eat ever 2-3 hours.

Start today-

I already wrote about your food journal here,

BE AWARE of what you are eating,

BE ACCOUNTABLE to yourself,

and

BE AWESOME!!!

Are you a pretty good eater?

What are some ways you want to improve your nutrition this year?

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Yesterday would have been Dad's 80th Birthday.

Oh, you don't know Moe?

Moe was my dad who passed away almost 3 years ago.

If you go back to read the link, it was my very first experience blogging.

Pretty raw and emotional.

I hesitated to write about Dad yesterday, being MLK Day, and all.

But, it was his birthday, and we always celebrated it.

Happy Birthday, Dad - miss you. 

A lot.

Funny story:

When I was a 5th Grader at Montebello Intermediate School, 

I actually competed in the Annual Speech Contest and won. 

I said Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.  

Seriously!

Pretty funny, if you think about it.

Ten year old, chubby Japanese girl saying that speech.

I won.

Imagine that.

Makes me laugh when I think about it.

I hated public speaking, though. 

I wonder WHY I competed.

In fact, I had a lot of trophies and medals from competing in a lot of things.

Spelling Contests, Speech Contests, Handwriting Contests, Basketball Tournaments,

you name it, I competed in it. 

And I usually came out with some treasure.

I had to prove I was successful, I had to prove my worth.

The RESULT was more valuable than the PROCESS.

Dad passed 3 years ago.

I said a MLK speech 37ish years ago.

Have I changed? 

If change were miles, then I have gone around the world 2 or 3 times.

(at least- and really, really slowly)

In my "old age" I have learned that the PROCESS is more valuable than the RESULT.

"When you embrace, engage and enjoy in the PROCESS your results will be magnificent!"

(Janet Hertogh)

I believe that this holds true in parenting, relationships, anything creative, fitness, 

and life in general.

Kind of a scattered post- just my thoughts on this beautiful morning.

Feeling very blessed to have had my dad, still have my mom and crazy family.

How have you changed in the last 3 years, in the last 37? 

(if you are even that old!)

What are you feeling blessed for today?

Do everything you do today,
with LOVE!

Fit, Fabulous 4O's Friday!

Becoming Emotionally Fit:

        

This has been a struggle for me,
feeling beautiful,
that is.

Growing up, I never looked like the girls on TV or in the magazines, 

and the ones on TV or in the magazines all had blonde or light brown hair 

and they were all thin and had long legs.

I always wanted blonde hair.
Somehow, an asian with blonde hair was just so wrong in so many ways!

It has taken me a long, long time to really "get" that I am unique,
one-of-a-kind,
masterpiece.

How about you?

If I were to ask you right now "Are you beautiful/handsome?" what would you say?

Rather, what would your inner voice say?

Well, she/he is a liar!

I know what your voice is saying because mine says the same thing,
(NO!)

even though I actually DO think I am unique, one-of-a-kind and special gal.

What is it with us?
(women, especially)

Why is is so darn difficult to embrace our beauty?

In the Asian culture,
when growing up, my parents just wanted us to fit in.

We would never want to "stand out" in a crowd for any reason.
And beauty showed itself by being more of a timid and shy young lady-

I tried for a long time to embody this picture...

but I'm really more like this.
Seriously!

For many years I wondered what was wrong with me.

I never felt like I fit into my family.

Having a Sanguine personality in a Choleric culture did not rock.

Growing up,
I was never the "Smart One" like my big brother
or
the "Strong One" like my younger sister-
I was the "Loud One". 

No one told me this: 

Not only that, my mother never liked the bright colors I liked to wear,
how I would yell out the window if I thought I saw a friend walking down the street,
and she never approved of the RED Miata convertible I bought.

"It's soooooo red", she would say in disapproval.

I had some confidence in school because I was popular and outgoing,
and  I always had a boyfriend,
so
my confidence came from those things.

I went to college, got a teaching job and then my confidence came from my work.

I got married, then my confidence came from my husband.

I had my first child and left my job, my income, and most of my friends,
and
 what I thought my main purpose was-
consequently,
I lost the bulk of the confidence that I had.....

then I met Jesus.

HE gave me REAL CONFIDENCE.

Confidence in knowing I am loved...no matter how I look, how much I weigh,
 how much money I make, what kind of car I drive,

I. am. Loved.

And,
so. are. YOU.

Jesus-
He is not about whether you go to church or not,
He is not about what your background is or was,
He is not about where you live,
what you drive
what size or shape you are
or
how you look.

He is about LOVE.
He is LOVE.

As I opened my heart to feel His love,
and allowed it in,

I grew in confidence.
I grew in a lot of other areas, too.

I love being fit and healthy
but I'm fabulous
because I have confidence in a Savior,
the one true God.
Jesus.

"Your confidence is in Christ and Christ alone!"
Philippians 3:3


How is your confidence?

Have a wonderful weekend!