You Are So Beautiful... To Me...

Can't you see?

Something really, really nice happens when you set a goal.

Tiny little things inside of you start to adapt to your new idea – your goal.

Eventually you do one of two things. Either you give up and chase a new goal, or you move in the direction of your original goal.

When it comes to pursuing health and fitness, and, honestly, the pursuit of beauty, I can say I will never give up. I believe in the validity of such pursuits.

I will not lie and tell you that beauty isn't about what you look like on the outside, and it's “all about inner strength, intelligence, personality, etc. blah-blah-blah...” Tell that to some little girl who dreams of being a princess in the pink dress! We cannot dismiss the value of outer beauty, simply because we are angry about the distortion of it in society. The basic foundation of beauty comes from within, it's true; but the fruit of that beauty can be evident on the outside, with a bit of effort. Beauty comes in many, many packages, and non-traditional faces and shapes are just as beautiful as ones we immediately recognize via media images.

Beauty, I believe, is each person being the best they can be. We can achieve this in one area, in a handful of areas, or in many areas. Some people achieve it physically, but lack in other areas (like personality or intelligent actions, for instance.) I choose to believe that these persons have inner beauty, although under-developed. A lot of times, there is so much pain and insecurity driving this person to be shallow or mean, that I can believe the depth and sweetness is hidden, instead of assuming it is non-existent.

On an extreme flip, someone who is kind and generous, but lacking what we deem as “physical beauty,” I have to believe has this physical beauty as well. It's just hidden underneath pain and insecurity – just like the inner-beauty of the carbon-copy-person.

With this belief, I choose to notice amazing qualities about myself and others, both physical and internal. I will notice a delicate nose and gorgeous eyes. I will disregard heavy legs or unflattering hair. I will embrace a person's energy to accomplish tasks in an orderly fashion, and disregard the little bites which that same person may take (sinking teeth into the hearts of others.)

The search for beauty is the search for balance. The search for balance is the search for beauty. We begin searching for either, and if we do it correctly, the outcome is both.

I have been working on this, believe it or not, for quite some time. I just began blogging about my newly ignited journey on November 14^th, 2010. My initial deadline was March 14^th, 2011, the day I will turn thirty-nine. In this time, I have written useful things right alongside silliness, proving my ability to be distracted is incredible. I want to prove my ability to re-focus is also tremendous.

I have, in the last week, begun a yoga program. I bought a DVD, actually, for $9, and a yoga mat for $9. I began trying to do it, intrigued by the calm instructor, Ashley Turner (who is from my dream-city, Los Angeles). I've found the program extremely challenging, very fulfilling, an amazing workout, and overall a healing endeavor. I will continue to do this. I, in fact, think I may have discovered a way for someone like myself to love working out even when it isn't feasible to get outside. See, when the weather is gorgeous and semi-warm, I can be found walking three, five or seven miles on any given day. I love the outdoors, and I covet my alone time with nature. It clears my head. I am a nicer mother and a better woman when I do this for myself. The power and discipline I exert over my own body when I workout is not matchable by any other high. I promise you this.

I have a high-maintenance figure. I will not lie to you. I have never been traditional “skinny.” God gave me some curves, people. I have had to work through the psychology of hating my body, being angry at my mother for my full thighs and short waist, being angry at my grandmother for my large breasts (I always wanted little “athletic” ones...) and being angry at myself for not joining track my senior year of high school after my boyfriend broke up with me and I fell into my first giant depression. (I trace my initial gain of ten pounds to this month of my life...) So, in forgiving my gene-pool and my life experiences (and even that first boyfriend), I've realized that my curves are pretty, and softness is feminine, and feminine is powerful, and I am beautiful.

How am I beautiful? Why am I beautiful? No, not because I am somehow text-book beautiful. Not at all. I think if you have been following my blog, you should realize that I don't care that much about maintaining thigh/bikini/armpit hairless-ness, and I certainly don't judge people who don't take as much care in grooming their legs and armpits as I do lately. (I laugh out loud.) However, I am truly enjoying my groomed look, and will probably keep it up. It is part of a discipline for me right now, propelling me toward a feeling of being fit and in charge.

I otherwise have long, usually unkempt hair, my make-up is half of the time “the natural look,” and the other half of the time, for the sake of performances as a musician “totally glamorous.” I appreciate both looks. My wardrobe is also mixed – either a hippie, a formal dress for performance, or a teacher-y woman – you know, slacks/skirt, blouse, sweater...

So it isn't that. It's none of that.

The beauty that I am feeling is this inner bubble of hope and peace. I don't always feel it as readily as I feel it this week, but it's there. It propels me to smile and be kind. It propels me to laugh and enjoy the moment. It gives me just enough energy to take a shower sometimes (fight the depression, people; some of you know what I mean...). This bubble is just enough to remind me that my children and their friends will see me today, so tuck in my tummy, wear some hipster jeans and a little jacket, brush my hair, and for heavens' sake put on some lipstick... (Sometimes, it's really important to be as cute as possible because it makes our children feel good. Often, even, that's the best reason.)

You know – I don't think this is shallow. When I feel good about myself because my kids are excited that I look pretty, everything about the way I conduct the rest of the day improves.

We shouldn't fight beauty. We should embrace it. We're all capable of achieving it, focusing our energy on balance and good body alignment. That is where it starts. When we are balanced, we make choices which draw us toward our best version of ourselves. I hope I have written that clearly.

This, by the way, I knew long before I started doing yoga. In fact none of what I wrote today came from the yoga program I am currently doing. I just feel inspired to cough out some things to you I was already mulling around, and they seem to be in alignment with the things being reiterated by the yoga instructor.

Setting that goal, sticking to it... sometimes the two concepts don't happen in the same week, month, or even year. Here I am, raw and open before you, letting you know that I am now finally serious about working out through these cold days. I'm embracing beauty – which, for me, includes absolutely any technique that interests me about discipline, strength, skin, and balance – and I am embracing me, good and bad. Beautifully flawed.

Until next time...

Laura Lee

Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong...

“Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong... where the eagles fly on a mountain high...”

I have decided that Brussell has an infatuation with me. Brussell is the eagle I keep “getting to see” in these boondocks I call home. (We always name our favorite birds in my family. We have a Great Blue Heron named Eve, as well.) This week's eagle-sighting was while driving westward to my home, ten miles yet from my road. My daughter, Emily, and I saw the large set of wings and the shadow of a magnificent bird gliding low across the field. I noticed, with that quick glimpse I was able to initially get, that the bird's wings were flat outstretched and not flapping. It was either a HUGE hawk, or, or...

I shrieked, unsafely swerving a little as usual, and whispered, “What was that?” Emily, finally now understanding at nearly fifteen years old that I am incredibly geeked about seeing these birds, looked closely.

“White head! White head! White head!” she cried excitedly.

“What? For real? Ohmygosh!” We pulled off the road, thankful that no one was behind us. (The snow and ice is abundant on the roads this week, so this whole ordeal was not my brightest moment on driving safety.) We watched Brussell swoop low in the field right next to us and continue to a spindly tree not far away in which he perched.

“Turn at the road right there!” Emily ordered. I did, and we pulled right up under the tree where our eagle sat.

We barely breathed, hearts beating wildly. I grabbed my daughter's hand and giggled. Brussell looked down at us. He stayed put.

“I have my camera,” Emily mentioned. (I was thinking about the FLIP video camera I'd just taken out of my purse and left on my bed earlier that day. Mental punching of self...)

“Oh! You do?” Hope rising.

“Yeah,” she smiled. She reached back and got it as I rolled our windows down. She climbed out her window and took several shots. Brussell readjusted himself a little, taking note of us. We laughed.

Then two dogs came running out of the farm house in front of which we were parked. They barked at us, yelling at our audacity to be in front of their yard. The little Pitt-Bull came close to the road and yelled the loudest, while the giant Rottweiler stayed back and gave deep-throated woofs. I think maybe he was yelling at the smaller dog to shut the heck up.

Either way, Brussell decided to leap off the tree and fly toward the north. Emily took a couple more pictures of the outstretched wings, and we waited until we couldn't see him anymore before driving the rest of the way home.

Always forever changed.

That's how I feel when I see one – Always forever changed. We saw one on Christmas Day – probably Brussell. Although I wonder if it was Beulah, his wife. Our Christmas eagle looked a little bigger. That sighting was right across the street from my home, pretty much.

All this to say: Eagles can make their bodies go out of joint in order to ride out storms. Yee-haw! I really admire the eagle, and this is just one more reasons to admire him! Or her.

Also, the eagle waits for a gust of air and rides it without struggling. This is why we see them gliding and not flapping their wings.

How smart!

Applying this: I really believe in maintaining flexibility. (We talked about this a few blogs ago.)

I know. That was round-about. (It's my blog; I can tell it my way.)

Today, I have decided to purchase a medicine ball, or whatever they are called, so I can do a free-weight program for the lower body with it. I am also going to incorporate my big exercise ball into this. I think I will do this instead of joining a gym for now, because it helps me economically.

I self-removed most of the hair on my body this last week, by the way. Yes, I do mean that hair. I used a cream hair removal. It was a no-name brand version of Nair, or something. I bought it for $1.50 at Family Dollar. I have not had any negative affects, and I plan to do it again later today to get the stragglers, now that I know my skin can handle it. I left a landing-strip (feel free to stop reading if this is hard for you...Mom...) and trimmed it with scissors.

The bottle said not to let any of the cream get “inside” of me, basically, and that's why I just used it on outside places. I have named this procedure an “extreme bikini wax without the wax.” It is not Brazilian. That will be professionally done, of course, because it's not just the outside and front that gets done... (I told you to stop reading, Mom...) ALL OF THE HAIR in the whole region gets addressed. Hehehehehe.

Anyway – I really, super like the results of this. I could get used to this being part of my regular routine of self-maintenance. And I didn't break out in bumps, probably because I did not use a razor. I lotioned up immediately after I was done, and a few times after that, and never had a problem. Still a week later, my hair isn't growing in, so I've confirmed my initial reaction to cream hair removal as being a better way than razors simply because if done right, it lasts longer.

Lastly, I want to write a short list (according to Laura) of reasons why setting goals is good for your health.

1. Maybe you'll actually get something done, and the happy endorphins will release and cause less stress.
2. Reach for the moon, you'll land in the stars. (I told you that before...) It's true – even if you don't finish each thing on your list in the time you originally gave yourself, let yourself feel good for all that you did manage to accomplish. I think eventually we learn to write better lists so that we can accomplish everything on them.
3. If we never set a goal, we'll reach it every time. (I didn't make that one up, either.) Ouch, right? Healthy people understand that staying busy is essential. Crazy people are too busy, (ahem), but there's a healthy place in between goal-less and super-human. It's called healthy.
4. Read O'Henry's, “The Last Leaf.” It's my favorite short story about a woman who's dying of pneumonia, and she's so weak that there's no fight left in her. She vows to let go and let herself die as soon as the last leaf on the little tree outside her window has fallen. Well, that little leaf hangs on, and hangs on, until one day... (So read the story.) A goal can sometimes be that one thing between success and letting go...
5. Health depends upon our attitude. If we have a good attitude, we are more charged to make choices that are good for us. A goal is a tool. We can set a goal when we have rotten attitudes; we can set it out of necessity or this deeply-rooted sense of doing what we know we should. When we begin disciplining ourselves to make small, baby steps toward that goal, it can be the defining moment toward ultimately changing our lives, and eventually finding health.

Making positive choices is no joke. Health is the only way we can enjoy life on this earth. Plagued with disease and exhaustion, (too much) extra weight, and stresses about things we can't change – nothing will drag us down to death or mere existence faster.

Next blog, obviously an update on the free-weight and exercise ball routine. I will also talk about how my stretching is going, and some choices about food and drink I am making.

And, of course, if I see Brussell again, I'll tell you, and sprinkle in something eagle-ish and inspirational. (Did you know that there are no eagles in Hawaii? None of any kind... It's the only of the fifty states where none are spotted, ever...)

xoxo

Until next time...

Laura Lee

Good Day Sunshine!

"I need to laugh, and when the sun is out
I've got something I can laugh about
I feel good, in a special way
I'm in love and it's a sunny day ..."

It is incredible outside today. I know, I know. It's still midwest winter. But it will be OK. That's going to be my mantra until spring.

Until my butt-thigh makeover deadline, actually.

IT WILL BE OK.

I am starting to feel stronger, like I can take on my many things I love to do and commit to do.

I asked myself this week what I love doing more than anything in the world. It was difficult to answer. I decided that I love writing. I write every day, to some extent. I rarely have no words (take me to a doctor if I run out of words). Thirty-almost-nine-years into this journey here and I have truly never been at a loss...

I love playing piano, singing, sewing, baking, walking, dancing, and talking about holistic health... but nothing quite compares to writing. My daughter looked at me yesterday and said, “You should write all the time, Mom, because it makes you happy. I've never seen you so happy...”

The only reason I am telling you this is because what I love most in the world to do, what I hope to someday turn into a way to make a living for my kids and me (writing, in case you didn't pick up on that,) is also completely counter-productive to staying fit. :(

Sitting on your butt, writing about walking, writing about dancing and climbing and sex, writing about drinking green tea and water (all while sipping super-sized iced coffees), stopping to eat a little piece of holiday fudge or to take a nap... I can see how some people and writing could become a treacherous marriage of delusion. It takes much effort to maintain a healthy body in today's society.

So maybe you are not in love with writing, like I am. It's just an example. I have talked with many people lately about “The Way We Grew Up.” Do you remember winters of our youth? I know I'm not crazy when I tell you that I spent every day outside. Winters we were out making snowmen, sledding, skating, skiing, riding snowmobiles, or simply exploring the woods. We wore our winter garb until it was soaked, and then we went to the “B” winter garb, which often included socks on our hands and plastic bags on our feet with rubber bands around the ankles to hold them up. (I had never heard of American Eagle Outfitters or Aeropostle, so I didn't require name brand winterwear in order to go outside.) By the time the “B” garb was soaked, our “A” garb was dry on the heating vent and we put it back on.

How did we get from there to needing gadgets and special gear before we can even get moving? Little wrist-watch-style trackers that plug into our brain cells and tell us things we think we need to know about our bodies in order to move them; special sports carb gels to replenish bodies (on sale for $1.49 each!!!), and these incredible shoes and boots for every imaginable activity. I understand that tools to help us achieve goals without harming ourselves are good and worthy. I just think we might set ourselves up for quitting before we even really start.

I think teens have something over us on this. Let's extract a little. I do not have cable, there is one computer we all share (and my kids tell me I am really stingy about sharing, so they aren't on very often,) the kids don't have cell phones, and we live on a farm in the middle of nowhere. So I will use my “bored-out-of-their-minds” kids as examples.

Against their wills, they find things to do!

I know I've said some of this before, but I am looking at positive things about being who we are, where we are, how we are.

1.) We put CDs in the DVD-player and dance for forty-five minutes. Maybe we don't dance straight through, but the way I see it, it's better than if we didn't do it at all.

2.) When we go to the store, I park far away. I don't like fighting for a close spot because I have anxiety in crowds anyway. The walking is actually OK. It might not be more than a three-minute-walk, but that's six minutes once we walk back to our car after the shopping is done. It's cold, so we walk fast. That's probably 3/8 of a mile, in reality. Two stores later and we've done a mile. :)

3.) This one might be difficult: My kids have always climbed the doorways. It amazes me. The older they get, they more difficult it is, but my eight-year-old can still climb (like Spiderman) to the top. I don't know how to apply this. I probably shouldn't have mentioned it.  Hmm.

4.) Because we are all creative, it makes us fairly disorganized and forgetful. This isn't the worst thing in the world when it comes to fitness, because it means we have to go back in the house, all the way up the stairs, into the room, down, up, down, and up again looking for socks, coats, shoes, papers, purses, etc. (This was a stretch...)

Implementing little things into each day which increase movement is my goal. I have committed to sitting on my butt a lot with all the writing I am doing. When I'm not writing, I am often playing the piano, which is still sitting. I know I'm not alone in my frustrating realization that I no longer move the way I used to, even if I still think I do.

I still have to decide about joining that gym (even though I feel more powerful and capable of doing it myself than I did the last time I blogged). I feel that my money could be better spent elsewhere. Although, if I don't incorporate activity on a regular basis, I ought to spend the money on a membership, I guess. I, one of the most frugal spenders you will ever meet, would never spend money on a gym membership and then proceed to not use it. There is a point to spending money on something. It makes us value it more, even if we can technically get the same results without spending the money.

To update you, my fabulous followers and friends, I have been eating well this new year. No major indulgences. My skin is looking good, my energy is returning from my crazy, stressful, blue holiday, and my attitude is once again spilling over with optimism. I like me again. I am not going to make any New Year's resolutions or anything, since I already spelled out great ideas at the beginning of this blog. I continue to believe in the challenge. I continue to work toward the goal, ever-slowly at times. Faster now than a couple weeks ago, though.

The one thing I will leave you with today is this: I read a few months ago about a woman who lost a tremendous amount of weight. She regained control of her life and transformed her mind and overall belief in herself. It was really inspirational. The one thing she said that stuck with me was this: Don't own “fat-clothes.” There should be nothing comfortable about gaining weight.

I am really glad I have no fat clothes. I continuously go through my closet and donate clothes I don't wear and ones that are too big for me. It is what saved me over the holidays. I had a week there where my jeans were a little uncomfortable around my waist and I wanted to buy a stretchy velour grandma-suit and a box of donuts (not that I could eat them...), but I didn't. I endured the tight waistline, and changed my consumption of foods and liquids until my jeans felt good again.

Beauty is not defined by the shape of our bodies, no. I do not look at others in a judgmental way regarding that, nor do I believe I am only about physical appearance. I would hate for someone to read about me in this blog and glean this inaccuracy. Beauty is very much about how we perceive ourselves and whether we like who we are, though. And if being fit makes us like ourselves more, then it is a worthy endeavor. I have found that when mama's happy, everyone's happy...

Next blog: Update on hair removal as part of beautifying, update on stretches and activities (including gym or no gym), and a list of reasons why making goals is good for our health.

xoxo

Laura Lee

Blue Christmas

"I'll Have a Blue Christmas Without You..."

I have been battling some pretty serious blue stuff this Christmas season. It's been difficult to keep up with writing when I wasn't even sure I could keep up with breathing. I feel certain some of you know what I mean.

I could be funny and say it had something to do with this or that, but the truth is that life is pretty hard sometimes. Teenage kids break our hearts, over and over again, we mourn lost love, we mourn lost loved ones, and there is sometimes no money for heat and bills, let alone Christmas.

It hurts to be a real live human being with real live human issues.

For me at first (dealing with my version of these realities), I just felt like the old me, the one who would handle stress with food.

Then a different old me, the one who starved herself, took over.

Neither me exercised, or I am sure the stress would have been handled differently.

So, buckets of tears later, many versions of brownies later, a couple pans of (shared) fudge, and several assortments of caloric beverages later, I am attempting to pick up the pieces and forge ahead into the new year.

My pants are pretty loose on me, even though I despise the bathroom scales. And I am soft-muscled and a little bit hairy as I write this.

I think, blog-followers, I have to do something more drastic.

I am going to join a gym for these nasty winter months. And I know just the one...

(This will be fun, I think.)

If left to my own devices, these are the exercises I have regulated in my daily routine:

1. Nail-chewing. This exercise, often considered a bad habit, is less known for its strength-building benefits for the jaw. It also helps the teeth and tongue to zero in on specific targets, therefore allowing the entire mouth area to tear into potentially healthy and raw foods such as leafy-green vegetables and obscure fruits found only at Meijers.
2. Pacing. This seemingly harmless, yet highly annoying exercise has been given a bad rap for being an activity in which people losing their minds may participate. P-shaw! Not only are participants burning unwanted calories with the movements made with their feet, but research shows these same participants are found 80% of the time to be doing an additional annoying habit, burning additional calories. (Chewing gum, smoking cigarettes, talking jibberish, texting on cell phones, and making violent gestures with appendages are just a few of the habits cited.)
3. Foot-tapping. This habit is ridiculous and should be out-lawed, but I have found that I do it all the time. I know you think I'm full of it, but this is one of the honest-to-goodness habits that slim people tend to share. They wiggle and jiggle constantly.
4. Temper-tantrums. When one parks her car really far away and has to walk a bit to get into the store, it has been proven to increase the metabolic rate for hours. These short increases done several times a day can significantly improve overall caloric-burning, allowing the person to enjoy more food, or allowing them to slim down. Temper-tantrums can have the same effect.
5. Just sitting there. (You can't even tell it's working, but in the time your brain does a shut-down, and just before you push its restart button, there is a chance that some of the garbage will be erased permanently. Liken to yoga and meditation, except it's free.)

So... I guess, with this in mind, it's time to seek outside help.

Here I go --  to the gym.

And January will afford me a trip to the salon to have the Brazilian. :)

I will write more frequently now that I don't have to sew all kinds of quilts and wrap tons of odd assorted items in paper. I am pretty pleased that the year is coming to an end, actually.

Until Next Time...

Laura Lee

"Don't be blue."

Every Time You Go Away...

“Everytime you go away, you take a piece of me with you...”

I'm sorry I have been gone so long.

I was on a very important rescue-trip to a little known but highly-plundered region of the North-West territories on the southern tip of the west part of East Jordan Lake... and it was there that I had an epiphany. I realized that fudge and no-bake cookies made with gluten-free oats are completely gluten-free, and ridiculously addictive.
No matter how important this rescue-trip to the NW of the S-tip of the W-part of E Jordan Lake... the food indigenous to this region was counter-productive to my journey of beautifying...

OK. Fine. I was busy with eating bad stuff, ignoring my inner voice which told me that I should give in and get on the scales daily, and that I should still at least talk to you about my miserable choice to drown my sorrows in chocolate.

I have no excuse.

However, as promised, I researched some foods that ARE beneficial for the journey of beautifying. Each of the following super-foods has an amazing quality which benefits either the metabolism or the skin (or, in the case of Almonds, both!!!)

I got so hungry writing, that I almost ate a five-course-meal while typing. I stopped myself. Today has been a good day. (No one needs to fuel up on anything at midnight...)

Another day one for me. Gee whiz! If I can just get through this next holiday without committing a serious crime against my body and the set of scales in my bathroom, I know 2011 will see my determination levels zero in on the prize.

Meanwhile, I plan to focus on eating these magic foods as often as I can get my hands on them. I pretty much already do eat them, so increasing the good ones, and eliminating some bad things from my diet can only be a great choice! Here's the list:

Grapefruit – Rich in fiber, it lowers the insulin levels in your body that trigger your system to store fat and requires the body to burn more calories to break it down.

Green Tea -- Green tea is the main source of epigallocatechin gallate, which is a healthy catechin that speeds up your brain and nervous system, causing your body to burn more calories. (That's just one of the benefits of this miracle leaf, and it's just one miracle leaf.)

Yogurt  -- Yogurt has high levels of protein which requires a lot of energy to be processed in the body. Plus, the pro-biotic cultures found in yogurt help regulate your digestive tract. (It happens to be the only dairy that I can eat without wheezing and sneezing and filling up with fluids in my lungs. :))

Cottage Cheese – The selenium in cottage cheese makes it a good choice for optimum skin health.  Selenium is an essential mineral, and, when coupled with vitamin E, it becomes a powerful free radical-fighting antioxidant. It has been cited as protecting against skin cancer and also fights dandruff.

Almonds – Almonds’ essential fatty acids help raise your body’s metabolism, and they are also great for your complexion. With 150% of your daily need for vitamin E, it’s a great snack choice.  Vitamin E's rich oils keeps skin moistened and its antioxidants protect against skin damage and premature aging.

Coffee – Coffee has caffeine, which does give you a boost. (One site said: “Just ensure that you don’t exceed 2 or 3 cups a day, or you risk a host of side effects, including irritability and jitters.” Ha! I did not overdo it today. Just barely...)

Turkey – Turkey builds lean muscle tissue. For some reason this means your body will burn extra calories. :)

Apples – Apples are low-calorie, high-fiber treats which your body must burn calories to break down. They give me serious indigestion, but I do love the taste and crunch of a good crisp green apple...

Spinach – Spinach speeds up your metabolism, it’s a great source of antioxidants, magnesium, potassium, iron and vitamin C, and it gets you in the “in-club” with Popeye.

Beans – Both a carb and a protein, this low-fat food keeps you full for long durations, and your body must burn extra calories in order to process it as it is so rich in fiber! It's like magic! (Is that from where the poem comes? Beans, beans, the magical fruit...? Oh, wait. I think that is celebrating one of its other qualities...)

Jalepenos – These crazy kids cause your body to burn extra calories for hours after you ingest them, speeding up both your heart rate and metabolism.

Broccoli – Broccoli contains a special dynamic duo of nutrients: calcium and vitamin C. Calcium helps increase metabolic rates, and vitamin C helps your body absorb more calcium.

Oatmeal – Because your body takes a long time to break down the fat-soluble fiber in oatmeal, this healthy food lowers your body’s insulin level and speeds up your metabolism. I have to buy certified gluten-free oats (because oats are usually contaminated with wheat), which I get from the health-food store. I have read that steel-cut oats are a really good variety, as well.

Curry – Curry simply increases the amount of calories your body burns and speeds up your metabolism. (I have noticed that regions of the earth where this spice is generously used to season food also seem to have a lower percentage of obesity. It's just an observation of mine.)

Cinnamon – Cinnamon helps your body metabolize sugars more effectively, maintaining steadier blood sugar levels. Cinnamon can also help lower your cholesterol.

Avocado – This creamy, green fruit is abundant in essential oils and B-complex vitamins that nourish your skin, inside and out. It is one of the most important foods for skin health. It contains Niacin (vitamin B3) in abundance, which acts as an anti-inflammatory, soothing irritated skin. One avocado has 3.8 mg niacin, which is 27% of our daily need.

Mangoes -- One mango has more than 80% of your daily requirements for vitamin A, which is the vitamin that maintains and repairs skin cells. Vitamin A is also and antioxidant which fights free radical damage that can prematurely age the skin. With fewer than 70 calories per serving, this fruit is also easy on the butt and thighs!

Acerola Cherries -- One Acerola Cherry supplies 100% of your daily allowance for vitamin C, which is great news for your skin. (That would make it great for our immune system, too!)  Vitamin C is a big warrior against skin damage and wrinkles, partly by producing collagen, the structural protein in our skin.

Oysters – Oysters fight pimples and boost the production of elastin because they’re rich in zinc. (Vitamin C completes the boost.)

Baked Potatoes -- One baked potato gives us 75% of our daily copper need. This essential mineral works with vitamin C and zinc to produce the elastin fibers that support skin structure. (Too little copper in our diet can reduce our skin’s ability to heal.)

(I think potatoes get such a bad rap. They are not evil – it's just the stuff we put on them that's evil. Plain, with a little bit of salt and pepper, they aren't bad. Or, I like to put salsa on mine, so they aren't so dry. Or low-calorie salad dressing. We don't have to smother them in cheese, butter, sour cream...)

Flaxseed Oil -- It’s no secret that Omega 3s are great for your skin, and flaxseed oil is one of the best sources of this . Tonight, while researching all this amazing food, I cooked up some salmon burgers and dined on them. They are also a good source of Omega 3.


Well, there you have it; My List of Really Cool Foods: Volume I.

And I didn't even mention anything about sex this blog! Wow. (I think I did mean to say something when I was writing about cinnamon...)


Next blog: Creative ways to incorporate exercise.


These will, of course, not be the typical creative ways...


xoxo


Back on Track,


Laura Lee

Eye in the Sky

“I am the eye in the sky, looking at you-ou-ou – I can read your mind... I am the maker of rules... dealing with fools...” You know what? That is a disturbing song. It sounds like a stalker-song. Things a stalker would say: (raspy voice in phone): I am the eye in the sky, looking at you. HEY! I can read your mind...” No! Please! No!

Dear Alan Parsons Project... There are only twelve tones to the scale and you cannot have dibs on a few intervals. The Lady Antebellum song is nothing like your creepy stalker song.

“It's a quarter after one; I'm all alone and I NEED you now...”

These are NOT the same exact intervals.

Dear Blog-Followers: If you don't know what I'm talking about, that's OK. It's just something I read about.

The giant eye in the sky has seen some very naughty things happen at my house this week. Namely, the shirking of my blog-duties. (Actually, not namely, but that's the story I am sticking to for now.)

I am so lackadaisical about this blog this last week. Sorry. I had a bunch of regular stuff happening around here, and it caused me to be in the here and now.

Sidebar:

I used to think that stuff was spelled “stough.” I actually thought that spelling it “stuff” was the equivalent of spelling “enough” as “enuff.” Kind of a Winnie-the-Pooh deviation. I guess I was probably in middle school before I made peace with it.

Back to Main Subject Matter:

Again, I am trying to convince myself to be nice to me. I am trying to accept that if I stay the way I am forever it will be OK. Physically, I mean. Goodness Gracious! I best continue to morph toward the real me internally, or else this blog is pointless. No, I need to keep adjusting the inner-girl. But outer-girl is pretty and shouldn't have to change to please anyone.

That's my way of telling you I was a bad girl and don't want to get on scales or measure or anything this week. I am extending grace to myself. :)

Now, for some useful blah-blah:

Here are some ideas I encountered on how to fight headaches with activities/exercises. My chronic migraines are almost entirely triggered by stress. The ones that aren't triggered by stress are triggered by hormones. Either way, some of these ideas are worth a try.

Take a slice of cucumber or lemon and rub it on the forehead gently, in a circular motion. The aroma from the cucumber or lemon can stimulate relaxation.

Walking can reduce the intensity of headaches when they occur. Frequent walks can reduce the chance of headaches occurring in the first place. The fresh air helps; sometimes the circulated air we breathe in the house or office is contaminated with chemicals and other allergens like dust mites.

Swimming stimulates the production of endorphins in the brain. These are chemicals that reduce pain. Plus, swimming is aerobic, and that's good for the heart!

Cycling might help with headaches because it exposes the body to clean, fresh air. Sometimes just diverting the attention off the headache while doing something physical is enough. Which leads to the next activity...

Sexual activity is also a good way to reduce headaches. Frequent sex reduces tension and stress caused by severe headaches. Really good sex produces endorphins. (Remember, those are the chemicals that reduce pain...) Is that why, after really good sex, people are so willing to overlook... OK. Forget it. It just got me to thinking, is all.

Yoga, which is done in a quiet environment, helps relieve headaches.

Sometimes headaches are caused by back pains that are a result of bad sitting postures. The pain can be reduced by standing up and stretching for a few minutes, or even lying down for a minute. Performing a gentle massage is also very useful for relieving headaches. In my case, the massage must be brutal.

I have been battling these evil demons of pain for a few weeks, and so I am driven (DRIVEN!) to find a good solution for me.



Meanwhile, I resort to methods of self-medicating, de-stressing, and increasing good fluids. Whatever works. I just know that I am sick to death of taking pills that are killing my liver.

My makeover for the holidays is going to consist of maintaining myself.

I ate sherbet, a banana, tortilla chips, chai tea, and a handful of homemade French fries today. Do you understand what kind of a day that is for me? Not the best... Hence my lack of confidence as I come to you and say, “Do as I say, not as I do.”


OH! And I ate one giant brownie.


I'm actually a little mad that the jar of unopened salsa in my cupboard was actually a huge jar of TACO SAUCE!!! Why is it packaged the same as my usual salsa? WHY? And I am a little peeved that it's cold now every day and that means that I burn almost five gallons a day in diesel fuel just to stay warm. And I feel anxious that my gray cat is a lunatic, but she is back in the house because it's too cold out. I keep wondering where she is and if she's going to urinate on stuff... And now my black cat is looking at me like I am her evil enemy because I promised her that she is totally queen of the castle. And I can only find one earring of at least five different pairs of all my favorite earrings. How is that possible? And … this is just the short list. It could go on. It is the stuff from which headaches are made.


So, from now until next blog, I aim to be a girl who moves her butt. I aim to be a girl who de-stresses. I guess my next blog topic should be about...


Interesting food facts.


And I promise to exercise this week...

Love,

Laura Lee

Dream A Little Dream of Me

Isn't that the Mamas and the Papas? I can hear Mama Cass singing that. Eventually this title will tie into what I have to say today. Meanwhile...

“If I can do it, YOU CAN!!!!” People say it all the time. It's a lovely way to build someone up, to have a pep-talk, to pour belief.

Yeah. I just thought about it.

Truthfully, it's just not usually the case, you know? “If I can do it, you can.” Not sure who THAT'S putting down more – me, or the poor soul I'm trying to fix. I will readily admit there are several things I do well, and that not just anybody could do. I don't, by any means, think I am “all that.” I just trained to be good at some things. And if just anyone can do all of the things I can do, then I really want my money back that I spent on college.

My ex-husband used to say that my degree and fifty-cents would buy me a cup of coffee.

(Not the coffee I like to drink...)

(Which, of course, I totally gave up. And my fingers are not crossed.)

My degree – Music Performance (Vocal and Piano) doubled with a Graduate-Bound English Major was meant to be a stepping stone to higher education. Finishing the degree was... well, it was bloody. Picture a maimed critter, limbs dangling, head gashed and bleeding. It was bloody finishing it. I was ridiculous and unforgiving to myself. I somehow decided that I had to continue trying to prove things to the world. This meant finishing this double-majored obstacle course in eight semesters only (my personal goal). I figured if they could finish four-year-degrees in the olden days in FOUR YEARS then I really ought to as well...

I carried twenty-one credits my final (eighth) semester while my fellow ninth-semester classmates were taking their last-minute general studies in the 100-level category, totalling eleven credit hours and stuff, partying on weekends and blowing things off a bit. I counted one-hundred-twenty pages of papers that were due from said twenty-one credits in the week before I walked the length of the fieldhouse to take, in hand, my certificate of completion.

I do not wish that on anyone, by the way.

By the time I graduated, I was too tired to dream anymore about all the cool things that had caused me to take on the crazy challenge of this artistic road to my future in the first place.

And, of course, I was married and dreaming about babies and happily-ever-after already. :)

So, I am mean and all that. I don't believe that simply because I can do something, that means you can.

Here's what I do believe, though: I do believe that anyone who dreams can achieve.

I dreamed of having babies. And wah-lah!! My dream came true. (I have since learned that this dream cannot be undone.) Actually, I'm not serious about this.  I have precious friends who dreamed this and were unable to bear their own children.  They adjusted their dream and have since adopted, and I mean no disrespect or flippant disregarding of the pain they endured by my silly phrase.

I dream of a way to teach people in my circle of influence how to go ahead and grab 'hold of their own dream and chase it. I know how to dream. I know how to fall into a dream and let it fill me with just enough life, just enough strength, just enough of the special glittery magic to reinforce the outline of my spirit and give me just enough juice to travel the next mile of the dusty trail into life. Have my dreams broken my heart?  Yes.  Have I failed at things I thought I should be able to accomplish? Repeatedly.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” I have heard this quoted hundreds of times in my life. I think it's biblical. Whatever it is, it's a truth.

We must dream. We must press forward. I am very sad to see the tired, hopeless faces of persons who let go of their dreams. I am even sadder to see these walking-undeads sucking dreams from the natural-born dreamers: the children.

But ponder this: How can we achieve our dreams if we are slaves to our physical body? If we are unable to move, if we hate ourselves based on our weight, shape, size, texture, color, features, etc., how is it that we can stretch and reach for impossible and daring dreams that we hope will fulfill us?

I am more and more convinced that the journey to a true makeover is ultimately about changing the way we view ourselves. Do we really need to be skinnier, smoother, sleeker and shinier? I read an especially delightful article once about weight and women. The doctor who wrote it (sadly everything escapes me at this time, but I promise I won't reveal anything that only this doctor is privy to, so I won't somehow be liable for not citing him properly) said something about the fact that people are always trying to use scare tactics to get us to be thinner. Women who are obese (which can be, like, not very heavy according to some insurance charts) are increasing their risk of dying from (insert scary way to die...) by 100%. According to my calculations, this means you are twice as likely to die from (insert scary way to die.) When these (scary ways to die) are researched, it can be found that the original risk was something like: “One percent of women will die from such-and-such.” Really? So two percent? Twice as many? A hundred percent more than one percent is, literally, two percent.

So, ladies, if you like to be soft, stay soft!!! If you don't like the way the world makes us think we need to starve and eat less than our children and certainly way less than the men-folk, then don't buy into it! As previously mentioned in one of my blogs, lots of men-folk prefer the curves anyway.

If, however, you do not like yourself because you want to be slimmer, or if you find that the huffing and puffing to bend over and tie your shoe is an issue, or find the inability to go to an amusement park and sit in a ride because the seatbelt won't fit is frustrating or embarrassing, then maybe a makeover isn't for the charts or the men or the doctors or the diseases or the blog.

Maybe it is something just for the person who lives inside of you.

That person is the one who, more than anyone else in the whole wide world, deserves to be indulged. Give that little girl her canvas on which to paint. Give her a stage on which to sing, or pages to write. Give her the cloud to dream... and when you draw her in your dream place in your mind... go ahead and give her the body you know she deserves to have (high-school-tiny, or hairless in the nether-regions if you so wish, or tiny tattos on a beautifully sculpted lower back, or firm muscles in her abdomen – anything you dream and see.)

My inside girl knows she (the collective “we,” actually, which includes my outside girl) deserves to be a certain shape.

It is really cool doing a makeover for me. I am not doing it to impress anyone. Because I'm doing it for me, I don't worry about how great or how horrible it's going. I just want to like myself.

When I like myself, I dream better things for myself.

So... Back to the first thing I said... “If I can do it, you can.”

No.

If YOU can do it, you can.

You just gotta dream it – whatever it is. Then eat that elephant one bite at a time. (Or starve the elephant one bite at a time. LOL.)

Just so you know, this isn't the only dream I currently have. And making the babies wasn't my only dream that came true...

Until Next Blog,

Laura Lee