Making Changes

If you haven't checked out my previous post about the Six Components of Wellness, head on over there and get yourself caught up.

So you've found an area that you'd like to do better in, and you're asking yourself, "Where should I begin?"  Making the decision to change an aspect of your life can be daunting, time consuming, and down-right difficult.  But when it comes to bettering your fitness and wellness, there can be no greater undertaking.  Taking the steps towards a more balanced lifestyle will lead you to having more energy and seeing the world in a more positive light.  Soon you will be jumping out of bed in the morning ready to take on the world!

Here are some tips and tricks that will be sure to make change stick:

Set Realistic Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

This is an essential part of making change.  What is the overall expected outcome of the changes your want to make (you probably already know this), and what are the smaller steps you are going to take to achieve this larger goal.
      For example)  Long-Term Goal:  I would like to lose 5% body fat.
                           Short-Term Goal:  I will weight-lift three times each week.
                           Short-Term Goal:  I will cut out unneeded munchie-snacks when I am not truly hungry.

Create a Contract

Include your goals, plans for changing your behavior, and have it signed by you and a close friend or relative.  Make sure that person supports your change and will keep you accountable!

Self-Monitoring

This involves analyzing your actions to help determine what unhealthy behaviors and patterns may be modified to help you lead a more healthy life.  If you are looking to lose weight or exercise more, there are many helpful online calorie counters or fitness trackers.  I personally like FitDay.com and the Daily Mile.  The use of a journal can also help you identify harmful triggers that reinforce unhealthy behaviors.

Making Substitutions

Replace an unhealthy behavior with a healthier choice.  Instead of keeping salty, fatty chips in your cupboards for snack time, swap them out for pre-cut veggies or in-season fruits.

Treating Yourself

Develop a system to reward yourself when you meet your goals.  This may be a trip to the mall for a new pair of running shoes, or perhaps a relaxing afternoon at a salon or spa.  Try to avoid using food as a reward!

Making a List and Checking It Twice

Make a list of the positive and negative aspects of the behavior you want to change.  Most likely the positives will outweigh the negatives.  Keep this list for times when motivation is lacking.  A quick peek will remind you of the wonderful things your are doing for yourself.

Preventing Relapse

If you have been self-monitoring, this part should be easy.  Identify triggers that spur on unhealthy behavior.  Develop a plan to counteract or avoid these "high-risk" situations.  For example, you are headed to a friend's house for a party.  There will be sugary cocktails and tons of appetizers.  Have a plan set before you even step inside.  Make sure you eat dinner before you go so you aren't starving by the time you arrive and gobble up all the high-calorie foods. Make your first drink water, and have a set limit for yourself (1 or 2 drinks) to keep inhibition and calories consumed in check.


Go and Do!  You can achieve whatever you put your mind to and your body will most definitely thank you!

What's In My Shopping Cart

Hi everybody!

I hope you had a wonderful, relaxing, and rejuvenating weekend!

I was active, but rather passive.  I did a little lifting at home in these bad boys, logged a few hours of yoga, and went on a short run.

I've decided I really need to up my weight-training --especially my legs.  I've been having some knee issues lately.  My hope is that strengthening those muscles, in conjunction with the knee strap I bought, will help alleviate the nagging pain.

I am really disappointed in myself that I slacked off so much in the lifting department during marathon training.  I'm pretty sure if I had kept up my lifting routine I would not be in this situation.  I was too worried about keeping my legs fresh for long runs, and not concerned enough with warding off injury.  Lesson learned.  But so far, this seems to be doing the trick!

I also made a trip to the grocery store.  I love going to the grocery store.  I could browse for hours and hours, looking at labels, making faces at the ingredients list, rejoicing when I find something new and (hopefully) delicious.  Just talking about it makes me want to go back for more!

So what did I get?  Let's take a peek:

• Cantaloupe
• Organic Spinach, Arugula, and Radicchio Blend
• Pineapple
• A BAG(!!!) of Chopped Kale (Baked Kale Chips anyone?!)
• Baby Carrots
• Bananas
• Grape Tomatoes
• Red Bell Pepper
• 2 Loaves of Wegman's Baked-In-House Bread (Multigrain and Marathon Bread)
• Mango
• Mushrooms
• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Sweet Potatoes
• Organic Strawberries
• Blueberries

• Kashi GoLean Cereal
• Organic Turbinado Sugar
• Crofter's Organic Strawberry Fruit Spread
• Sunbutter
• Chobani Greek Yogurt
• Organic Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil
• So Delicious Coconut Milk
• Goat Cheese Crumbles
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Humbles Baked Hummus Chips
• Newman's Own Organic Spelt Pretzles
• Tempeh Bacon
• Newman's Own Organic Cinnamon Hermit Cookies
• VitaCoco Coconut Water (Pure and Acai and Pomegranate)
• Bob's Red Mill Organic Chia Seeds

I may die of happiness.

Humbles was a new find.  How could you pass up baked hummus chips?! Olive Oil, Lemon and Feta Flavored.  They are delicious, and may or may not be gone already. ;)

These cookies are my absolute favorite.  If you haven't tried them yet, do yourself a favor and go buy some. They are a little pricey, but you can't beat the soft, chewy texture, real ingredients, and most importantly, they contain no trans fat.

BLTs are DEFINITELY in my future.

If you ever hang out with me you will soon discover I will do anything for a little goat cheese.  That includes paying a million extra dollars at a restaurant to substitute boring cheese for creamy, heaven-sent, delicious goat cheese.  Oh, how I love you, dear goat cheese.

Ever since my friend Katie did a presentation on the benefits of Coconut in one of our classes, I have been on a mission to try everything coconut.  I LOVE coconut water.  SO great for re-hydrating after a sweaty workout due to it's natural electrolytes.  You know I am a fan of coconut milk from my post on Coffee Creamers.  I haven't used the coconut oil yet, but I think it will be great substitute in baked goods and a welcome change for the traditional olive oil during the summer months coming up!  I'll let you know how it goes. :)

If I was stranded on a desert island, the three things I would bring with me are Sunbutter, Crofter's Strawberry Fruit Spread and Chobani Yogurt.  They are just that good.

Full refrigerator = Happy Stephanie.

Have a great week!

The Soap Lady Should Clean Up Her Act

I thought I would mosey on down to the Lilac Festival this morning.  It's been almost four years since I first moved to Rochester, and it would be a shame if I never experienced its famous flower festival.

I decided to walk there since it's less than a mile and half away from my home.

I thought maybe I had made a mistake when I saw this.  Slightly ominous, no?

But the forecast said no rain until 1:00!  And thankfully, they were right!

I wandered around the park admiring the blossoms.  

Inhaling the sweet smells.

 Cursing myself for not checking my camera batteries before I left...

Sorry about the low-quality, blackberry shots. But you get the idea, right? Beautiful flowers!

After about an hour, my allergies told me it was time to head over to the food and craft fair across the street.  I had high hopes to score some lilac wine, lotions, homemade jewelery, jams. Maybe even grab a snack.  Unfortunately, the food fair did not live up to my expectations.

There really was not a great selection of vendors.  Perhaps this is due to the extremely wet weather we've been having?  I'll give them the benefit of the doubt...

There were a couple interesting booths, though.

Artichoke French.  Don't know what that is, nor did I see anyone order one, but sounds promising...

SWEET POTATO FRIES. Yummmm. I love me some sweet potato fries, not so sure about smoked turkey legs though...  I've never seen this at a food fair before.  There was another booth selling baked sweet potatoes too! Wild Rochestarians and your sweet potato treats. :)

Lobster and Prime Rib?! What the hell is going on?  I am at a food fair, right?  This booth is definitely trying to class it up. 

I tried this lotion on.  It smelled pretty good.  Very lilac-y.  It just didn't scream homemade, support the local economy to me, so I didn't purchase it.

Lilac soap.  Once again, nice smelling, but BAD experience at this booth.  I was browsing, smelling the soaps, minding my own business, and stopped to take this picture.  The vendor-lady came rushing over and got all up in my face, demanding to know why I was taking a picture of her soaps.  I told her I was just documenting my trip to the Lilac Fest.  She huffed and said, "well as long as you are not a competitor."  Really lady?! As if taking a picture of soap, of all things, will reveal all your secrets on how you get it to smell so good. Ugh.

On that sour note, I decided to head back home.

The verdict?  Check out the beautiful, delicious, fragrant flowers, but skip the craft fair AND the soap lady.