I always sign off from my blog post with "be kind to yourself". But it seems like maybe I need to be encouraging people to be "be kind to others" as well!
The other day a man at the gym cussed out my husband for taking "too long" on a machine.
A girl at the gym came up to me with tears in her eyes because some of the other women in the zumba class we took made fun of the way she was dancing.
You know what? The thing that makes you the most beautiful is a smile. When someone makes eye contact with you, really how hard is it to smile? Don't just look away! Your smile could be just the thing that makes that person's heart feel better. It could be the encouragement someone needs. And it's one size fits all! No matter how physically fit you are, a smile should be the first thing you put on in the morning!
And if someone is mean to you, cusses you out 'cause you took too long on a machine, or makes fun of the way you dance, well... something I am teaching my 5 year old is that if someone is mean, they are probably hurting. They are punishing YOU for how bad they feel about themselves. Confident, lovely, happy people don't go off on others, do they? So just walk away from those people. Say a little prayer for them. Put a smile on!
You will never, ever regret being kind. To yourself, or others!
It's been quite awhile since I last posted a blog. The truth is, I've been feeling a bit uninspired. My workouts are the same, my eating hasn't been great, and I've feel an overall ho-humness about fitness in general.
Life gets like that sometimes doesn't it? You work so hard to achieve something, and once you are there, it's like "what's the big deal?"
What shook me out of it was a small, shall we say, discussion, with my husband. See, the town I live in is very, very hilly. And I live almost at the tippy top of town, on a huge hill. So when I do my outside runs, I run mostly downhill, and ask hubby to pick me up at the end of 5 miles. Yes, I am running downhill for the most part. But I AM pushing myself and 5 miles is 5 miles. Well, darling hubby was giving me a hard time about always running downhill and never running back. And I was pissed. I mean PISSED. Because 22 months ago I could barely run 1/4 mile. I was nearly 70 lbs heavier. So I gave him a good old fashioned piece of my mind, letting him know EXACTLY how far I've come, and that I can and will continue to set goals for myself but running straight uphill isn't on my agenda for right now!
It's a shame that it took this spat with my hubby (who is really very supportive and cool about my working out and the healthy food I make him eat) to help me realize how far I've come. I've lost 10 inches from my chest and hips and 3 inches off each thigh. I've lost a lot of weight. I've gone from being considered "obese" to being considered "healthy". I have made and will continue to make changes and challenges to keep me healthy, inside and out. This is something to be proud of, to look at myself and say "good job, girl! Work it out!"
Whatever road you are on, stop once in awhile and look behind you. See how far you've come. Every small step forward is a step in the right direction. Maybe you've become a kinder person. Maybe you've become a more patient mother. Maybe you've taken steps to eat healthier or be more fit. Whatever you've done to make yourself better, I am so proud of you. And you should be proud of yourself as well. Don't let yourself get into a rut where you feel bored with your achievements. There is nothing wrong with giving yourself an ego boost now and again to remind you that YOU ARE AMAZING!! Keep pushing yourself to be your very best. And if you get a little ho hum about life, try not to pick a fight with your hubby! ;)
This recipe has quite a bit of sodium from the seasoning packet, but it's a marinade so most of it doesn't stay on the chicken.
California Chicken Club
boneless skinless chicken breast (enough for your family)
ranch dressing seasoning packet
1/4 cup non fat plain greek yogurt
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
whole wheat Mediterranean flat bread (Trader Joe's) 1 for each person
spinach, tomatoes, avocado and red onion sliced thinly
turkey bacon (1 slice for each person), cooked well and crumbled (OPTIONAL!)
In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt and ranch season. Reserve about 2 tablespoons. Add in the olive oil and lemon juice. Add chicken to bowl, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1/2 half hour, longer if you can.
Grill the chicken on the barbecue. While the chicken is cooking, cook the bacon if using. Slice the tomatoes, avocado and red onion.
put the flat bread directly on the rack in the oven, heated to 350. Heat for about 5 minutes.
Once chicken is cooked through, let it rest for a minute or two and then slice.
Top each flatbread with some of the reserved ranch. Top with chicken, spinach, tomatoes, avocado and red onion.
I usually serve this with a side salad, fruit salad or veggie :)
I really really really love to hear your comments! If you have any ideas for a blog post, let me know! Be kind to yourself!
