My blog has moved!

Just a quick update to let you know that I have moved my blog to wordpress.  You can find me at feelingfitwithdana.com

Hope to see you there!

If you Give Madelyn a Pancake....

This is what I found to be true yesterday..

If you read the book If You Give a Pig a Pancake to Madelyn, you will have to take Madelyn to eat pancakes.

Her conversation with Grumpy goes like this:

Mads - Grumpy, look at my new book.
Grumpy - I see that.
Mads - You know what that means?
Grumpy - Ummm, no.
Mads - It means we have to eat them
Grumpy - the pig or the pancake
Mads - Oh Grumpy, you know we don't eat animals

So, off we went to eat pancakes.  If you eat pancakes, you have to go shopping.  If you go shopping, Madelyn does NOT want to ride in the cart, but she WILL get tired of walking and want a special ride.  Not in the cart.

If you are in town, you HAVE to eat ice cream.  Evidently, it is a MUST.  If you eat ice cream in town, you HAVE to go to Orange Leaf, not the Big ice cream place (Andy's)

If you eat too much ice cream after just having pancakes, you WILL get a bellyache and get sleepy.  But, you will be able to stop and suffer through one more store for more shopping.

If you have fun all day long, you WILL be too tired to keep your eyes open and have to go home and take a nap.  I wanted to take her picture in the car with her tired eyes, but she told me that I had enough pictures of her and to just give it up for today!  So I did!

I'm only human, you know!

As you all know or at least I have talked about it - you may not know, I've been dealing with adrenal fatigue.  It is hard to deal with.  Some days I felt like I couldn't get off the couch.  I've taken more than one nap per day on some days and finally I am feeling a bit better.  I have good days and I have some not so good days.

During all this, I've had to change the way I eat, the way I work out and not only did my butt get bigger, but my body fat percentage has gone up.  I'm not happy about either of these things, but I have been given the green light to up my workouts.  I've mostly been doing light workouts, yoga and walking.  So, I'm REALLY ready to move it up a level.  I've tried this in the past and had to go back to the lighter workouts and let me tell you that really sucks the life right out of me!

So, just to keep things fun, I have written all the workouts I have on a piece of paper and put them in a basket.  I'm going to draw out a workout each day and do that one.  Then I don't have to think about it and i will know which workout will be the best for me to begin when I finally get released.  (I've been told that it can take up to one year to fully recover)  I'm doing the Tracey Anderson leg workout every day and need 30 mins of cardio to go along with it.  My poor body is SORE!

I've also been doing the Missouri Fit Club's March Madness challenge and Tuesday's are a doozy!  I feel that one every week.  All I can say is it hurts to move!!  This is a good thing for me, it's been a while since I've felt like that! Saturday is my favorite day of the challenge,  Silly Saturday!  This includes fun games you used to play as a kid, or just fun with the kids and family.  Things such as a good game of HORSE, freeze tag, bike riding, baseball or a good hike.  When we get back to what we consider fun, it doesn’t feel like a workout, but we get the benefit of the exercise!

I remember playing wiffle ball with the kids and one particular time that we were out at a friend’s house playing the kids against the adults.  The boys all thought they had this one in the bag, they were surprised that the mom’s had some game!  However, at my second time at bat, I was running the bases and stepped in a hole and twisted my ankle.  I saw the bottom of my foot and it swelled up instantly and I was just sure that I had broken it.  I was rushed off to the ER, but luckily (or not), it wasn’t broken, just a bad sprain.  I had to wear an air cast and be on crutches for a while, but what fun we had!!  

So, I am trying to get back into the swing of things.  This week is a good eating challenge week as well.  I'm doing green smoothies, salads and green juices, whole foods!  It's how I should eat everyday, but I usually don't!  I"m only human, you know!

App-Happy or Hap-Appy????

Since I've switched over to the iphone, I've found even more apps that I love.  I thought I'd share a few of my favorites with you.

These are the ones I can't live without!  Well, maybe I can, I just don't want to try.  Not being a bit dramatic huh?

Fitbit - Since I upgraded to the Fitbit One, I can sync the fitbit with my phone and see all my stats.  Love having that info at my fingertips, no matter where I am!

aNote HD  - One of the best to-do list keepers of all!  I have made it my own, with what I want to keep track of and it is customizable

Trip Advisor - another good one for reviews of places to eat and stay while traveling.

Urbanspoon - Brian and I travel a lot, so it is nice to be able to find a place to eat no matter where we are!

HappyCow - I have no excuses on finding a healthy place to eat or shop ( This app cost $3.99)

InstaGram - I love taking photos and sharing them on Instagram is just fun!

Facebook/Facebook Pages - I need to stay up to date, on the go and can do that with my personal page as well as my biz pages

RunKeeper  - Great for those walks/runs.  Will post your stats to facebook if you want!  Another good thing, you can add your playlist to your walk or run.  This one will come in handy next month when I do my 5K Color Run!

Good Guide - This one is great when you are out shopping!  You can scan the barcode and it will give you the rating. or Simply type in a product name and click the magnifying glass. Your product will pop up with a number rating:
0-2: Poor, 3-5: Average, 6-7: Above Average, 8-10: Best.
InstaCollage - makes quick collages of your photos for you to share!

Madelyn approved apps:
Toca Hair Salon and Toca Monsters - these are her favorites to play.  She also likes the Disney books ( they cost unless you are lucky to get them on free days!)

It's really a shame that I can hand my phone to Mads and she probably knows more about it than I do.

I'm sure there are many more apps our there for me to discover!  Do you have a favorite app that you can't live without?

Time to Roll!

I have a guest post today and a few words of my own at the end!  Enjoy!

Strap On your Skates, It’s Time to Roll

A pair of roller skates was something you asked for as a tenth birthday present. You and you’re friends whizzed down the steepest local sidewalks then stored your skates in the garage to collect dust until your parents had that yard sale the summer before you went to college. Right?

No way! Roller-skating is relevant for adults too. So dust off the skates (if they were not snatched up at that yard sale and still happen to fit) and strap your feet in or grab a pair here. It is an awesome work out and provides a break from the monotony that can be your gym routine.

Before you say “yeah right,” keep reading. You will not be the only once gliding around with a helmet and elbow pads. (Safety first!) Many cities already have established roller skating areas, and they are not the kind you remember from birthday parties when the lights dim down and you awkwardly look around for a couples-skate song partner.

New York for example has several designated areas in parks around the city. Skate along a trail in Central Park or Hudson River Park. Skaters in Brooklyn can roll through Prospect Park, which has a loop for beginners and a loop for more experienced skaters. Los Angeles also has several outdoor areas that allow roller-skating. Try South Bay Bike Trail to take a nice Oceanside journey. The stretch is quite long so go for as long as you’d like but remember, you still have to turn around and skate back!

Search around to find parks in your local neighborhood. In general, paved bike paths are a good option and typically allow roller-skating, and parks provide a scenic view.

 http://www.rollerskatenation.com/

It has been a LONG time since I've been on roller skates.   Chase had a birthday party when he was 7 or 8.  That was the LAST time I skated.  Of course, the kids still thought I was cool then!  I looked for a photo, I know I have one, but didn't find it quick enough.  If I do find it, I'll be sure to share it. Short, permed hair, red and white striped shirt and red pants.  Yeah!  I was stylin'!!

I do remember going to the skating rink in junior high.  If you were lucky enough to like a guy that could roller skate backwards, then you could be cool during the couples skate.  Of course, the song I associate with the skating rink is Leo Sayer's When I Need You!  Do you remember that one? ~ I'm really showing my age here!  Do you remember doing the Hokey Pokey or the Limbo?  I didn't go enough that I had my own skates, you know the cool ones, white with pom-poms on them.  I just wore those ugly brown ones that most of us were wearing!

Now they wear roller blades of course, I haven't tried those - I think I'd need all kinds of padding everywhere!  I'm going to put that on my bucket list - go rollerblading!

I love being able to use play time as a workout - as long as we are getting our heart rate up and moving all is good!  I don't care WHAT you do as long as you DO it!

So tell me, what is your workout du jour?

Putting things off - No MORE!

It's been a good couple of days.  I perfected the chia pudding - YAY Me!  Madelyn was here to play and hang with us, a family dinner and of course, the New Start class is winding down.

It's been busy, but a good kind of busy!


I've been drinking my green smoothies

Blueberry/kale smoothie

juicing

Carrot, beet and apple juice

eating some Valentine's Day Love

Brian surprised me with these!

and just enjoying Madelyn!

She told me it was good to the last drop!

I had been putting off a lot of things that I don't like to do and decided to just get them done.  I got a little help, which made the job go faster and was more fun!  I haven't been keeping my journal lately and I think it is PAST time to get that bad boy out and get to writing in it!

It helps me to stay on track and more organized!  No more excuses, right?

What do you do to stay on track?  Keep a journal, a to-do list?  I am interested in hearing your successes!

Epic Pudding Fail!

I tried my hand at making chia seed pudding.  The recipe looked good, sounded good and it is healthy for you too.  Why wouldn't I want to make it?

Find the recipe and photos here!  from An Edible Mosaic

So, I whipped up a batch fairly quickly.   I followed the instructions and let it sit and stirred it.  I waited the couple of hours required and still had a soupy mix.  So I stirred and let it sit some more.  Like a few more hours.  Still soupy.  BUT, it tastes great.

So, I decide to add a few more chia seeds and see if it thickens up.  It did thicken a bit, but I'm going to have to claim this as an epic pudding FAIL!

At least it tastes good!!!

I've been trying a few new recipes and I think this is one I'll have to work on!

It's been a busy couple of days.  Haven't even had time for my  words with friends or song pop fun!  BOO!  Gonna have to fix that toot-sweet!!

I've been getting my 15 mins of sun every day (except when it was raining) and I'm hoping I'll be able to do that today before the snowstorm gets here.  This is nothing like Nemo,  this one is just a little guppy storm.  Maybe an inch or two.  But, that is all we need in my opinion.  I'm craving the beach, the sand between my toes, the sun shining brightly and the smell of the ocean!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch.....

It's been a while since I've checked in with you all (again).

We've been plugging along.  The classes are going well, we are educating a lot of people and that makes me happy!

Yesterday was such a beautiful, sunny, warm day here.  It was Wednesday and that of course means that it was a Madelyn day.

I may have mentioned first thing to her that we could go to the park.  That might have been a mistake.  She was like a dog after a bone!

We ran our errands, did a little shopping at Target, and had lunch with Grumpy before we went to the park.  But, we had a BLAST!

As you can tell, Madelyn wasn't really thrilled with having her photo taken.  Little stinker!
After the park, Madelyn decided that ice cream was needed.

If you look closely at the photo, you might notice Brian's fingers.  Yep, he and the band saw didn't get along so well.  He was working in the shop and cut his fingers.  Luckily, he still has them!  He had to get 13 stitches and see the surgeon.  Again, he was lucky in that no surgery is needed for now.  Just another day in the life of Brian P. Moritz!!

Earlier this week, we headed up to KC for a shopping trip and to visit our friends, David and Lisa.   We had a great time and I got to eat at Cafe Gratitude.  That made the whole trip!

Such a cool place, can't wait to go back

Our water bottle was playful!

  I shopped at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Natural Grocer's and Brian got to shop for lumber at Schutte's!  Good day!

Since we've been having such beautiful weather, until today (it's rainy), I've been getting outside to get my sunshine fix - and soak up some vitamin D.  Did you know you only need 15 minutes every day with face and hands exposed to get your daily amount of D?  Super easy.  I took the kindle out and enjoyed it!

I'll try to be more of a presence on here,  just haven't been feeling it lately, but am feeling better!!  Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Soft and Shiny!

I colored my hair last weekend, I usually do it myself and just get something off the shelf.  I don't color frequently, but the gray was getting a little too noticeable for my taste!

One thing I have found is that you really have to moisturize really well after coloring.  I saw a post on facebook about a coconut oil hair treatment.  I got out my fantastic google abilities and started reading about it.  I decided that it wouldn't be hard to do, so why not give it a try.

COCONUT OIL HAIR TREATMENT:

You will need:
a jar of coconut oil ( I used extra virgin, cold pressed)
shower cap
hair clip

How to do it:

Take a handful of coconut oil ( depending on the length of your hair more/less) and work it through your hair, paying special attention to the ends and areas that need more moisture.  Don't worry if your oil has hardened,  it will melt as you work it with your hands.

Once you have your hair saturated, put it up in a clip (if it is long enough to require this) and put on the shower cap.  Yes, you will be stylish, but luckily you don't have to go anywhere for a while!

You have a couple of options at this point.  You can wait 30 minutes or you can use a hair dryer to heat the hair for 15 mins.  Either one will work, just depends on how much time you have.

When your time is up, hop in the shower and wash your hair.  You will have to shampoo twice to be sure to get all the oil out.  Be sure to use a healthy shampoo.  You want to avoid parabens and sodium lauryl sulfate.  Sodium laureth sulfate is ok.  It is a mild detergent, but you do want to avoid the sodium lauryl sulfate.  It will strip the hair and damage the cuticle.

Then you will just style as usual, but your hair will be shiny and super soft!  I wish I had taken a photo of my hair right after.  It looked pretty.

I'm thinking I'll do this treatment a couple of times a month!

If you try it, let me know what you think!

What the pH?

I've been helping to teach a class on health locally.  I am having a blast and learning right along with our students.   The class is called NEW START.  It is God's lifestyle/diet based on Genesis 1:29.

 Each letter of our class name corresponds with what this lifestyle is all about!

N - Nutrition
E - Exercise
W - Water
S - Sunlight
T - Temperance
A - Air
R - Rest
T - Trust in the Divine Power

The class is taught from the Bible's perspective and also from a scientific perspective.  It is very interesting, indeed!

I am teaching about our pH levels and how this affects our body. I've just recently begun testing my own pH levels and just find it so interesting.

Our bodies thrive in an alkaline state.  If you are too acidic ( if you eat the standard American diet then this will most likely apply to you), your body is in a state of disease. Cancer can begin to form if your pH level gets below 5.5.  So, it is important to know about your own pH levels.

Testing it fairly easy, you will need a test kit.  I am using this type of kit and you can get one from amazon or look in your local health food store.

You can test using urine or saliva.

To test yourself -
Urine:
use a 1-2" test strip
test the first void of the morning (after 4 am)
Place the test strip into urine stream, shake off excess fluid, match to color chart immediately.  You should be in the 6.8 - 7.2 range.  5.5 is acid, 7.0 is neutral and 8.0 is alkaline.

Saliva:
use a 1-2" test strip
REMEMBER - anything you put in your mouth (food, water beverages or toothpaste) will affect the outcome.
Drip fresh saliva from under the tongue onto the test strip.  Do not allow the test strip to touch your mouth. Compare to the color chart immediately.  Your results should be the same for the urine testing.

From personal experience, the urine testing is easier.  You would think that it isn't, but it is!
Be sure to keep track of your results in your journal. I was pleased that the first day I tested my results were 6.8.  This morning it was down a little - 6.4.  So I need to work on making sure I eat more alkaline foods!

In order to get your body into a more alkaline state, eat plenty of dark, leafy greens, avocados, drink lemon water ( with no sugar added), most vegetables, sprouted beans, grains and seeds.

You will want to avoid the most acidic foods such as alcohol, artificial sweeteners, cheese, coffee, soft drinks, meats.

FACT:  to neutralize one glass of cola with a pH of 2.8, it would take 32 glasses of alkaline water with a pH of 7.4!  32 glasses of water for 1 soda.......

Here's a GREAT alkalizing Power Smoothie:

1/4 cup raw almonds, soaked over night in 1 cup of water ( or you can use 1/4 slivered almonds)
1 ripe avocado, peeled and seeded
1 scoop of dried greens ( such as barley max, wheat grass or macro greens)
2 limes juiced
2-3 packets of stevia (not truvia, must be regular stevia) or 1 tsp raw honey
6 ice cubes
add extra water until desired consistency is achieved

In a blender process the almonds and soaking water until smooth. Add all other ingredients and blend adding more water as needed.  Enjoy the high pH wonder drink!

I'll be keeping you updated with my results and I would love to hear yours as well if you decide to give this a try.

If you are local and are interested in checking out our class, we are offering a guest day on Sunday Feb 3.  YES, I know it is Super Bowl Sunday, but we will have you home in plenty of time to watch the game!  If you want more details please feel free to contact me!  I'd love to have a packed house on Sunday!

Dreaming and Wishing

Well, since it is January that means it is time for a new vision/dream board!  The past couple of years, I've had friends get together and we've done ours at the same time!  LOTS of fun and I love seeing what everyone puts on their board.  But this year, I did mine by myself!  Don't cry, I was totally fine with it!

I thought I'd give you a look at mine!

I want to focus on my family, my health and get some rest and relaxation, maybe a little vacation time as well this year!

Everyone has different visions for how they want their year to go!  So, your board will probably look completely different from mine!

I keep the actual board in my office right by my desk, then the photo is my screen saver on my computer.  I LOVE that I can see it many times each day and I love being able to see things I've accomplished throughout the year!

If you make one, I'd really enjoy seeing it.  Send me a photo or post it on your facebook page and let me know it is there!

family love

New Year's Day was a laid back day for us.  Just what we needed to start the year off right!

I wasn't feeling great, had a headache all day long and a little bit of a tummy ache too.  So, I took it easy, just enjoyed hanging out with Brian and then we had dinner with the kids!  Perfect day!

Since I didn't post much through Christmas, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite photos.....

We had 3 wonderful Christmases with our family!  I think everyone was more than pleased with their gifts!!

I think that is what I love most about the holidays, getting to spend time with family!

No stinkin' resolutions needed!

Happy New Year!

We had a great time last night with friends!

Dinner was ever so tasty and even more enjoyable with my dear friends.  Then we headed to another friends house for a easy, fun evening!

We were home and sound asleep by the time 2013 made it's appearance!  Not a bad start!!

Every year I make a few resolutions that I stick with for the most part, but this year I am not going to make any resolutions.  I only want to love more, live more, laugh more and just be kind to others.  That is one goal that I think I can stick with!

Last year wasn't the best for us, but we made it through with the love of family and friends.  That is all I need to focus on for now!

So, thank you to each and every one of you for sticking with me through this rough year.  I am looking forward to 2013 and a MUCH better year!

Many blessings to you and yours in the coming year!