Ah, soy milk. How I used to love it…until I found out that it could conceivably do more harm to our bodies than its growers and sellers (“Big Soy”) want us to know about. (See yesterday’s article and definitely do your own Google search, as well, to learn more.)
One of the things about the dangers of soy that upsets me the most is that it also poses dangers to young children. I’d been giving vanilla soy milk to my young daughter (now four-years-old) for quite some time, not because she needed it but because she just loved how it tasted (she called it “noy milt” — never did quite get down the pronunciation of it). Needless to say, I no longer buy it and, thankfully, she seems to have mostly forgotten about it.
If you’re a drinker of soy milk, I highly encourage you to try something else. There are several alternatives available, so if you don’t like one, do try another until you find one that’s a good fit for you and your family.
Probably the most obvious alternative to soy milk would be cow’s milk. Look for an organic brand to (hopefully) avoid the hormones and antibiotics often fed to dairy cows. It’s likely, however, that you chose soy to get away from having to drink cow’s milk for one reason or another, so let’s move on.
(Note: Each item below contains a link to purchase it online, or you may simply check your local health food store. Many large grocery stores also carry these types of “milk.”)
 Raw Coconut
1. Coconut Milk I’ve been hearing some great things about coconut milk (and coconut oil). If you’re not watching your weight and plan to drink a lot of it, then bottoms up! Thick coconut milk — not to be confused with “thin” coconut milk, also known as coconut water — has a whopping 552 calories per 240 gram serving (about 8 ounces), and 479 of those calories are from fat. On the other hand, it’s a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids (Omega 6, to be exact). Coconut milk contains lauric acid, which aids in brain development and helps to preserve bone health. The lauric acid in coconut milk has also been used to heal skin infections when the milk is applied directly to the affected area.
 Rice 2. Rice Milk is typically made from cooked brown or other short-grain rice, water, and flavorings. I actually used to drink rice milk fairly regularly (almond, too), until I found soy. Now that I’m wise to soy, I’ll probably go back to rice or almond milk (see below), which is very good, too. So what’s so great about rice milk? Well, nothing spectacular really, except that it’s a good substitute for skim cow’s milk, to which it’s similar in texture. Rice milk has higher carbs than skim milk, if that’s important to you, and is often fortified with vitamins A and D to make it comparable to skim milk.
 Raw Almonds
3. Almond Milk is another good alternative to dairy and soy. It has a nice texture, and the vanilla variety is especially good (I haven’t really noticed a difference between brands). Almond milk is high in Vitamin E, which is good for the skin, along with Vitamins D and A, which benefit your bone and eye health. It’s also low in calories at just 60 calories or so per 8 ounce serving, so you can drink it a little more often than the coconut milk mentioned above. Make your own almond milk using Dr. Ben Kim’s recipe found here.
 Hemp Seeds 4. Hemp Milk Yes…that hemp. I really hemmed and hawed about adding this one, but the fact is that it’s a viable and genuine milk — and soy milk — substitute. A major concern people have when it comes to hemp milk is that is that it might contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the chemical found in marijuana (cannabis). I understand from my research that it does not contain THC, and even comes in different flavors, like plain, vanilla, and chocolate. Hemp has no cholesterol, no trans fats, is low in sodium and carbs, and has only around 60-ish calories per serving, based on 240 grams (compare that to the same amount of coconut milk, above — yowza). And as one web site said, it’s legal (that made me laugh). BUT…I still don’t know if I want to try it. You first.
©2010 Sally Dinius
=================================================
Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and come join the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook page by clicking here.
I came across this post from last Christmas and decided it was definitely worth a reposting. Enjoy! – Ed.
Does this ever happen to you?
The holidays go by in a crinkly blur, and you’re left standing in the middle of wadded-up wrapping paper and worn-out decorations, scratching your head and asking:
 “What in the heck just happened?”
Most of us, I think, go into the holiday season that way — we just let it happen. I’ve found, though, that the holidays I’ve enjoyed the most have been the ones I’ve taken time to plan. When I write down my Thanksgiving menu and the ingredients I need, meal prep is easier and the day is more enjoyable. Sending out Christmas cards isn’t so difficult if I make a list beforehand of who we’ll be sending them to. Having the cards, envelopes, pictures and stamps together in one box or basket that I can carry around with me (to fill them out wherever and whenever the mood strikes) is helpful, too.
Another wise practice is to keep all of your Christmas decorations in one place. My family and I broke that cardinal rule this year. I found two plastic totes in our utility room full of Christmas things (mostly my snowman collection), and various other things were in what I call our “Christmas Trunk.” It’s an old steamer trunk at the foot of our bed. Most years, it’s no big deal getting into the trunk: just flip the latches and lift the lid. But earlier this year, it was forced into double duty as a TV stand. The TV is an older one that is too heavy for me to lift on my own, so my sons helped with that.
After the totes and trunk had been gone through, along with a cupboard in our laundry/utility room, I found out why being unorganized can bite you in the rear: Our Advent wreath is missing. And because Sunday was the first Sunday of the Advent season, we weren’t able to begin our celebration, which includes candle lighting, the singing of carols or hymns, and reading Bible verses and a Christmas story or two.
The search for the wreath will continue tomorrow. Hopefully it won’t culminate with me buying a new one, because that’s when I’ll find the one that’s missing (it always works that way). And then I’ll have two.
If you’re like me and tend to let the holidays happen to you rather than the other way around, here are a few links to help you reign in some otherwise crazy days:
1. If you’re hosting a Christmas party or family get-together, Party411‘s Christmas Party Planning Guide will give you lots of ideas and help you feel at least a little bit sane. It’s a fun site to go through, so be ready to print out ideas you like — or at least have a notepad ready to write them down.
2. The interior decorating channel at About.com has a fantastic, short and simple article on how to plan for Christmas. I’m not going to recommend any other “get organized” list to you. This one’s pretty much perfect. Why? It’s the KISS principle: Keep it Simple, Sweetheart (or as I learned it years ago: Keep it Simple, Stupid…which isn’t very nice). This article tells you a few great ways to simplify without getting too complicated. I don’t know about you, but if I have too many things on my list, my brain shuts down and I start playing games on my computer. Yes, I did just admit that.
3. Once you’ve decided what you need to plan for, write it down. There are many ways to keep track of your list (or lists) electronically (such as in a note to yourself on your iPhone, et al), but I really like the good, old-fashioned write-it-down method, and I prefer to do that in a planner. The Busy Body Book is my all-time favorite planner. Each week is broken into five columns, which gives you five boxes to write in for each day. These columns can be used for anything: different family members (good for seeing what each child has going on that week at one glance), or use them to organize household tasks, work-related activities, or even…yes…the holidays. It’s very inexpensive and I think you’ll love it as much as I do.
So, if you haven’t already figured it out, the best holiday stress-reliever is…planning. Delegating follows at a very close second — please don’t think you have to do it all yourself.
Do you plan or delegate to lessen the stress of the holidays? I’d love to hear your strategies!
©2009 Sally Dinius
=================================================
Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and come join the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook page by clicking here.
 Have you ever “blessed” your family?
Dictionary.com gives several definitions for bless, but this one fits what I’m talking about best: “To confer prosperity or happiness upon.”
Frankly, at this point in time for our family, I cannot “confer prosperity” upon anyone. But I can make an effort to make someone else happy…and oftentimes, that’s easier to do than we think.
I desperately want to be a “glass half-full” kind of person. I try; I really do. But when I am confronted by stress, anxiety, and one disappointment after another, sometimes that glass just looks empty and no one can tell me otherwise.
For a good few weeks — at least — I was in a funk…a really bad, bad mood. I was filled with worry and a host of other joy-draining emotions, and everything I looked at was seen through that drab veil.
I finally shook myself out of my fog a couple of weeks ago (though it keeps threatening to come back, I’ll admit). My 15 year-old daughter has been going through a very difficult time lately, and while listening to her pain, I realized with a start that I’d been focusing on all the things that don’t matter, and neglecting the people who do: my family.
So I stepped away from my online work for about a week (except for “checking in” here and there when I had free moments), and decided to “confer some happiness” upon my family.
How? For starters, I cleared out some clutter. Clutter is a huge stress-magnifier, and sometimes a stress-causer. We’re a family of six living in about 2,100 square feet…clutter happens. But it’s still possible to get things picked up and put in order.
I also gave some of our furniture pieces an extreme makeover with a couple cans of glossy black paint. In a day and a half, I tackled a bookcase for my four-year-old, our huge kitchen table that must weight a ton, the benches that go with it, our living room coffee table, and a small antique chest of drawers. I know that sounds like a lot of black, but trust me — it looks good. Better yet, it looks new. It’s amazing how updating and improving your surroundings can also improve your mood. It worked for us!
Besides straightening up, clearing out, and painting, I also decided to bless my family in other ways. I haven’t felt like decorating for Christmas, but did it, anyway. (Actually, my daughter started it.) We’ve been making an effort to spend time together, watching a few Christmas movies here and there, and sharing quite a few cups of hot chocolate.
Blessing your family — doing what you can to lift their mood — can mean some real work on your part, even if it’s as small as grabbing the hair on the top of your head and pulling yourself out of the pit you’re in.
If things are tough for you…as they are right now for us…don’t let the season go by in a miserable blur. The joy of this season isn’t about what you have, it’s about who you’ve got. And if you don’t have anyone to spend the holidays with, get out there and bless someone else who’s lonely and feeling down (there’s no end to the supply of lonely people).
Make an effort. Find fun activities to enjoy with your family…many are free to the public. Or stay home and play a board game while having hot chocolate (or apple cider, perhaps) and snacks.
One important thing we do to foster family togetherness during this season is to celebrate Advent. There’s just something about the tradition of it that pulls up together — the kids expect it each year…even my older ones. Because our schedules don’t always mesh, we don’t get to it every night (and when we do, not everyone is home to do it), but we do celebrate it as often as possible. My four-year-old, in fact, is very upset when we don’t!
It’s less than two weeks until Christmas. That may not seem like much time…and I guess it isn’t…but it’s plenty of time to make a few memories.
Now go on — you’ve got a family to bless. 
©2010 Sally Dinius
=================================================
Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and come join the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook page by clicking here.
 I wrote this article a couple of years ago for my article site, Dedicated PLR. It’s one of my favorite articles — probably because it’s about Santa — and I wanted to share it with you today. I usually sell it in a pack with other articles, but am posting it today for free as my Christmas gift to you. Grab a hot cup of tea or cocoa and enjoy! Your kids might even have fun hearing about the jolly old elf’s earlier days.  You can also click here to send this page to a friend. – Ed.
Most children the world over have heard of Santa Claus, or a variation of him. In America, he’s imagined to be an immortal old man who lives at the North Pole and makes toys to give to children each Christmas Eve. We see him in books and movies as a rotund, jolly old soul, his white beard flowing over a red suit trimmed with fur and gold buttons. And, of course, always chortling that merry greeting: “Ho! Ho! Ho!”
You may be surprised to learn that Santa Claus hasn’t always been Santa Claus. He has quite a history, beginning in present-day Turkey. But first, let’s start in the New World.
The legend of “Sinterklaas” (sounds a lot like “Santa Claus,” doesn’t it?) was brought to New York by Dutch settlers in the 1600s. The Dutch first called him “Sint Nicolaas,” which eventually evolved into Sinterklaas.
Sinterklaas had a sidekick (companion) named Black Peter. Tall and lanky with dark hair and skin, he was the physical opposite of Sinterklaas in looks and was believed to give punishments to Dutch children who’d misbehaved. He also sported a large sack that many children were afraid of, believing he carried naughty little ones away in it. He was also said to hand out coal, which birthed the tradition of mischievous children finding coal in their stockings on Christmas morning. In a way, Sinterklaas and Black Peter were the “good cop/bad cop” of their time.
The Feast of Sinterklaas is celebrated in most Roman Catholic countries on December 6 and is primarily a celebration for young children. The Eve of the Feast of Sinterklaas, on December 5, is celebrated in lowland countries – such as The Netherlands – by all ages, including the religious and non-religious. People give gifts, poke fun at each other, and generally just have a good time on this day.
Saint Nicholas, the man from whom the legend grew, began life simply as Nicholas in AD 271 on the southern coast of what is now Turkey (at the time, the land belonged to Greece). The son of wealthy parents who raised him to be a devout Christian, he found himself orphaned at a young age when they died in an epidemic. He became a  priest and dedicated his life to using his wealth to help those less fortunate.
One popular story tells how Nicholas saved three sisters from being sold into slavery. Their father couldn’t afford dowries for them, and without a dowry it was almost impossible to find a husband. It’s said that Nicholas, who was fond of throwing gifts through open windows, threw a bag of gold into their house on three separate occasions, landing in either the girls’ stockings or shoes. This kind and selfless act saved three sisters from the auction block, and also began the tradition of children putting out stockings for Saint Nicholas to fill.
Nicholas the priest eventually became the Archbishop of Myra (now Demre, Turkey, near Anatolia), making him the youngest archbishop of his day. He lived during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who began persecuting and locking up the clergy while robbers and murderers ran free. Nicholas was imprisoned for a time, but eventually released.
After his time in prison, he attended the famed Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died on December 6, 342 or 343 in Myra, but his remains were taken to Bari, Italy in AD 1087 after the region fell to Islamic forces. The day of his death was decreed by Rome to be his “name day,” on which the Feast of Saint Nicholas is celebrated.
Popular American author Washington Irving was the first to write about the Dutch version of Saint Nicholas in 1809 under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker. He wrote of Saint Nicholas arriving on horseback every Christmas Eve, but not accompanied by Black Peter as in the Dutch story.
The combined Dutch/American Saint Nicholas was “fleshed out” by Clement C. Moore in his classic poem, “The Night Before Christmas,” also known as “A Visit from Saint Nicholas.” From Moore’s poem we were given the names of Saint Nick’s reindeer (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, and Blitzen), how he laughed, and even how he looked when he laughed. He was referred to as a “lively old elf” that entered and exited houses through the chimneys.
A famous American illustrator named Thomas Nast is the man we have to thank for the larger version of Saint Nick. Nast drew Santa for Harper’s magazine from the 1860s to the 1880s, and showed him to be rather round and filled out. His imaginative contributions of Santa working at a North Pole workshop and carrying lists of who was “naughty” and who was “nice” became staples of modern Santa lore. Santa’s girth grew again in the 1930s when ads for Coca Cola depicted him as a full-sized human rather than an elf.
But what about Rudolph? He hasn’t always been around, either. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created by an advertising writer for Montgomery Ward in 1939.
Find more articles like this to share with your readers at DedicatedPLR.com.
=================================================
Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and come join the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook page by clicking here.
 Thanksgiving really snuck up on me this year. It seems we’ve had so many things going on that I haven’t been able to keep track of them all and I’ve been forgetting things. (Kind of like my child on Halloween, swinging her candy bucket…something invariable falls out. My head’s like that.)
In fact, my family can be thankful this week for my iPhone. I used the alert function in the built-in calendar to remind me to take the turkey out the freezer to thaw on Monday. There’s no way I would have remembered that on my own. That phone is practically my personal assistant.
So, our turkey is thawing and I am in planning mode for what will make up the rest of our Thursday’s dinner. Here’s our very basic menu:
Turkey
Garlic mashed potatoes (a combo of russet and red)
Rosemary-sourdough stuffing (I might post that recipe, too)
Sweet potato casserole
Sauteed green beans
Cranberry sauce
Dinner rolls
Pumpkin pie
Annnnnd…I’m pretty sure I’m forgetting something.
Of course, I will do what I can to make each dish as healthy as possible. One thing I’ll be doing is substituting a healthier dish for an old, fattening, sodium-filled favorite. The old dish: Green bean casserole. The new: Sauteed green beans.
If you’d like to give my “new” dish a try, it’s very simple to throw together. Steam one package of thinly sliced green beans (the package may read “Italian cut,” “French cut,” or “French style”). In a skillet or similar pan, pour a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Let that heat for a few minutes, and add a quarter of a chopped white onion, a handful of sunflower seeds or pine nuts (sunflower seeds are cheaper), and a sprinkle of bacon bits (optional). When the onion is translucent, add the beans. Sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper, and dried garlic (or minced fresh garlic). Sautee for a few minutes longer until beans are heated through and everything is thoroughly mixed. Delicious!
Do you have plans to make your Thanksgiving dinner healthier this year? Do share!
©2010 Sally Dinius
=================================================
 Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and come join the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook page by clicking here.
 How are you doing this holiday season? Are you looking forward to it? Chomping at the bit to get out and buy those gifts and have family over? Or are you dreading the stress and strain?
U.S. home foreclosures for the third quarter of 2010 were 1 in 139 – a huge figure – so I think I can be pretty sure that a large number of people reading this are struggling financially in some way. I’m going to be very transparent in this post. We all have struggles, and I’m not going to pretend our family is any different at this present time. After all, we all need to know we’re not alone.
I’ve been feeling for a while now that my husband and I have been involuntarily enrolled in what I call “God’s school.” We’ve been hit by this trial and that trial over the last several years, and I know for a fact that we’re supposed to be learning something from it all and not just sitting and wallowing while waiting for the sky to finish falling.
The other day, my oldest son (18) asked me what my least favorite month was. His was November because, here in the Pacific Northwest, everything outdoors is blah…gray skies, a lot of rain, and temps that still aren’t cold enough to snow. When he asked me for my response, I said, “December.” His jaw dropped as if to say, “That’s almost inhuman!” I explained that I just didn’t enjoy that month anymore because of all the stress. In fact, I dreaded it.
Now, what kind of impact did that make on my son? Sure, he’s 18, but still impressionable and still looking to me and his dad for examples in how to live. I wish I’d clapped my hand over my mouth or just fumbled through and said, “I like all the months.” Seriously – there’s nothing wrong with December or Christmas. The problem is with me and my way of looking at it.
When your kids are grown, and they look back on their lives, what will their memories be of the holidays you spent together? They may or may not remember that your family struggled financially, or the things they had to do without. If you make a big deal about it, sure…they might remember. It depends on what your focus is, how big a deal you make of it, and what you talk about. What’s your attitude? What emotions about your situation do you let your children see? Do you want them to look back and remember you as a nervous wreck, someone who was constantly depressed and despairing, or someone who tried to make the best of every situation?
Is your sadness evident on your face, or do you cheer them with a smile? (How easily we adults forget what it’s like to be a child. They feel stress, anxiety, and despair just like we do, and they feel it deeply.)
Life, after all, is full of hills and valleys. It’s like we’re each in our own car, travelling through. We don’t stay in the valleys forever…though some people tend to stop their cars and stay in the valleys longer than they should (that’s called giving up and wallowing). Life is up and down. When you’re down, have faith that the “up” will be coming soon. Start your “car” and get moving.
What you display about your situation is what your children will remember. Whether they look back and remember stress or happiness is up to you – it’s under your control. You don’t have to have a beautiful home and the ability to give them everything they ask for…you simply need to make sure that you’ve decided to be content no matter what your situation is. That is what they’ll remember.
Happy memories can be made from anything. I never lived in a grand home as a child, and it didn’t matter to me. What I do remember are the situations that made an impression on me…and the memories my parents made for me, whether they were good or bad.
I often fall into the trap of thinking that if I can’t do such-and-such with and/or for my kids, it’s not worth doing at all, and many times I find myself sulking about it deeply before I know what’s hit me. That’s just stinkin’ thinkin’ and it’s a bad habit of mine. I am determined to do things differently this year:
I’m going to cheerfully give to others out of what I have – however much it is – and teach my kids to do the same.
I’m going to stare in wonder with my four-year-old at the first snowflake of the season and not let other worries overshadow that little bit of joy.
I’m going to smile whether I feel like it or not.
When I feel like panicking over holiday stress, whatever its cause, I’m going to eat chocolate (just thought I’d throw that in there).
When a negative thought looms on the horizon, I’m going to “flip it” and repeat the opposite (positive) version, instead. If that isn’t possible, I’ll replace that thought with a positive thought of some kind.
I’m going to remember my priorities this holiday season: God, husband, children, others. I’m not going to let drama caused by others disrupt my spiritual peace or the good memories I plan on creating with my hubby and kids. And isn’t the holiday season the time when drama rises up? Why is that? The holidays are happier when we don’t pay attention to it or let it steal our joy.
Finally, I’m going to fill my mind with good things. We may be in different places spiritually, and that’s okay. For me, one way I fill my mind with “good things” is by reading the Bible (I’ve heard it described as the best success book around…and that’s true – it’s full of great principles).
Another way I like to fill my mind with good things is by listening to podcasts that are encouraging. Most are free on iTunes, and some you can even listen to online. I love Zig Ziglar, et al., and my new favorite is a business trainer named Dani Johnson (you don’t have to have a business to listen to her – you’ll be encouraged and inspired all the same). Listening to my favorite music is another way…talking with someone who’s positive and encouraging can help, too.
I’m going to go out of my way to make special memories with my kids: visiting Santa, making cookies, taking walks in the snow (we’re supposed to have more of the white stuff this winter…unusual for Seattle). I’m going to take my kids to Starbucks at least once this holiday season. I’m going to watch sappy, romantic Christmas movies with my husband. I’m going to drink apple cider with whipped cream and not worry about the calories.
I don’t know about you, but I feel better already. I would really love to hear about the memories you’re deciding to make this season, so please share!
And stayed tuned in the coming days — I’ll be sharing with you more ways to make the holidays bright, not just for yourself and your family, but for the less fortunate (because there’s always someone less fortunate than ourselves). Focusing on others is the perfect way to get your joy back.
©2010 Sally Dinius
=================================================
 Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and come join the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook page by clicking here.
=================================================
You may be interested in:
 Grooming the Next Generation for Success by Dani Johnson. I am currently reading this very motivational and encouraging book and am having a hard time putting it down. I strongly believe it’s a must-read for EVERY parent!
It was a dark and cloudy night….
Well, actually…it was a cloudy and rainy morning last June (Father’s Day, to be exact), and I had just dropped off my daughter at her Sunday school class at our church. The class is in an outside portable, and between the portable and a covered walkway were a couple of outdoor rugs. One of my feet caught on the rugs (actually, it felt like both feet, since I couldn’t move either to try to right myself), and down I went like a rock.
 You know how, when you’re going through something that’s even just mildly traumatic, it seems to happen in slow motion? That’s how it happened for me, and I remember every detail: a) My feet caught, b) I tried to right myself but couldn’t, then c) I made some very hard contact with the ground. My right knee took the brunt of it, followed by my right hip, right elbow, right shoulder, then both hands. The only good thing was that my head didn’t hit the pavement, too.
I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with my knees, dealing with cartilage issues and various pains, and had been working over the last year to strengthen the muscles that support them, so that made this fall especially disappointing. Because of the fall, I’ve had a constant ache where my knee hit the ground. I’ve been taking it easy and giving it time to heal, but think I may be headed for an MRI, as my doctor suggested. Ugh….
The big bummer is, thanks to my knee injury, my aspirations of running in a 5K (and on up) have had to be put on hold. I haven’t even tried running again — I’m scared to, to be honest. But I can walk (though I haven’t tried very long distances yet), and I can do other things to stay in shape. If you’re dealing with a knee injury, follow the tips below for staying in shape in spite of it. (Assuming, of course, that you’ve gotten your doctor’s approval to do so, as I have.)
1. Try walking. If you can do that without pain, or at least with only minimal pain, you may be able to try other gentle forms of exercise. Walk only short distances first, gradually increasing that as time goes on.
2. Try Pilates. If you want a gentle yet effective workout, Pilates is the way to go. If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know I’m a huge fan of Exercise TV. I find it on my local cable network (check your listings to see if you do, too), and do the workouts when I want to. I recommend the Pilates workouts by Nicole Stewart or Tandy Gutierrez.
3. Modify Your Favorite Workouts. I love Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred workout, but until my knee is completely healed, I’m laying off the lunges. Depending on your pain level, either forgo the lunges or just don’t lunge as far. This applies to squats, as well. Only go as low as is comfortable for your knee.
4. Swim. I’m not a swimmer, but if you are, go for it. Swimming is a great way to get in a low-impact workout. Water aerobics is another option — check with your local hospital, swimming pool, or YMCA for details.
Finally, it’s probably a good idea to get off of your knee (as soon as you can) for a while post-workout. Put it up, and use ice if it’s bothering you. Remember not to overdo your workouts! Baby that knee and it’ll take you far (yeah…pun intended).
©2010 Sally Dinius
=================================================
Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and come join the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook page by clicking here.
 I always love hearing about family members and friends who’ve made the decision to change their lives for the better. But every now and then, someone will give up on their journey and go back to their old way of living…the way of living that got them in the mess they wanted so badly to get out of in the first place. They get discouraged again and again and convince themselves that becoming healthy is just “too hard.”
Why does this happen? Simple: They were expecting big changes right away and weren’t celebrating the small victories.
Folks, real life isn’t like “The Biggest Loser” (not putting down the show — any show that encourages and motivates milllions of people to change their lives and bodies is all right by me). Real change in your body, especially if you have a lot to lose, takes time. And sometimes it takes a lot longer than the three months allotted to contestants on TBL.
For normal people (i.e., people who don’t have access to a gym, or dieticians and trainers telling them what to eat and how to exercise on a daily basis), it can take quite a while to lose those extra pounds. Even if you’re almost to your goal, discouragement can be your constant companion: the last five pounds can be tough to get rid of, the cellulite on your thighs can seem as permanent as the spackle on your walls, and your craving for carbs can easily overwhelm your willpower — especially on a bad day.
Don’t give these things (or whatever is defeating you at the moment) more power in your life than they deserve. The only thing they should be able to do to you is remind you that life is full of choices, and that next time you’ll know to make the right choice.
No matter how you think you’ve failed in your quest to get healthy — or to get your family healthy — there are also small victories that you should be celebrating. If you’ve been focusing on the negative, you may have to actively search for the positive. Here are a few of the small victories I’ve been celebrating lately:
- My husband, who’s never been a label reader, will come home from the store now and proudly point out that this item has no MSG, this one has no high fructose corn syrup, that one is low-fat, etc. I don’t lord it over him at all — I’m just so glad to see him making good choices at the grocery store!
- At a recent visit to the doctor last month, the nurse told me I was seven pounds lighter than when they saw me last (seven months earlier). I shot my fist up and said, “Woo hoo!” I’m almost to my goal weight and that’s good news, especially since I’ve been under a lot of stress and haven’t gotten to workout as much as I’d like to.
- All three of my teens exercise on their own without me telling them to. They’re building good habits that will last a lifetime, and that’s awesome. I like to think I’ve been somewhat of a good example.
You know something? I feel better just remembering that little list of victories. Give it a try yourself. The next time you feel down about your progress being slow (or even if you’ve backslid and fell back into some bad health habits), remember the small victories and give yourself a pat on the back.
So what are your little victories? Maybe you just ran your first mile without stopping (heck, maybe you even just walked your first mile without stopping). Perhaps you lost two pounds this week. Or maybe you made it through your first tough workout on Exercise TV. Could be you’re seeing definition in your arms and shoulders…for the first time in your life. These are all terrific achievements and you should be proud!
Getting healthy is a journey with twists, turns, and setbacks, yes, but also victories big and small. Remind yourself — on a daily basis, if necessary — that at this time next month, and even this time next year, you’re going to be a whole lot healthier and way more fit than you are now. Don’t give up!
©2010 Sally Dinius
=================================================
Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and become a member of the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook fan page by clicking here.
I spent some much needed time yesterday “attacking” my home office. I’ve been spending hours putting together — and getting the word out about — a new online endeavor, and my work space was looking pretty ragged. Papers were piling up on top of the printer, and odds and ends were feeling a little too at-home on the edge of my desk. I even had a lunch plate or two perched precariously on top of my filing cart. Scary.
Well, enough was enough, so I cleared out and cleaned up! There’s really only one way to do that — remove everything, wipe down all surfaces (it’s amazing how much dust accumulates), then put things back one by one. The most important rule for making your home office a place you love: If it isn’t useful or beautiful, it just doesn’t belong anywhere near where you’re working. If our eyes see clutter, our thinking becomes cluttered, too. If you take the time to organize and beautify your work space, you’ll quickly see what I mean.
 My “office” happens to be a corner of my bedroom. Thankfully, even though our house is a 1968 rambler, our bedroom is fairly large. The desk and cupboards above are built-ins, and while they bugged me at first, I’m thankful for them now. Our bedroom is decorated in Country French decor — which I love — so of course I continued that theme in my work area.
I’d love to show you the details of what makes my home office one of my favorite places to be:
A printer is a must for any home entrepreneur. Mine, as you can see, sits atop an old breakfast tray. The side pocket holds my address book and planners, and the generous space underneath leaves room for a chunky basket from IKEA. The basket holds the things I use often: stapler, three-hole punch, photo paper, my camera, various cables…you get the idea.
My rolling filing cart is compact, in easy reach…and leaves no excuses for not doing my filing NOW. I love it because it’s black, so it goes with any decor, and has style, though I know that’s hard to see in the picture. I even purchased red hanging file folders to match the room. (Eventually all of the files will be red.) Someday in the future, when I’m feeling industrious, I might sew a cover for the cart…or pay someone else to do it!
 
I don’t remember where I got this old picnic basket, but it’s perfect. As you can see, not only is it attractive, but does double duty holding files for projects I’m currently working on. Baskets like this can be found at thrift stores, craft stores, or garage sales.
Unless you prefer to put your legs there, the underside of your desk can be used for extra storage, which is what I do. In my case, a Battenburg curtain panel, doubled over a tension rod, covers a multitude of sins. Cafe curtains from your local home store would work just as well, or hit the antique store to look for vintage linens, which is exactly where I found this treasure.
I’m sure the top of my desk will look cluttered to some. If you think it does, all I can say is, you should have seen it before! The things that are there now were carefully chosen because they’re items I love. When I’m working and deep in thought, my eyes tend to wander. I’d rather have my gaze fall on things that make me say “ahh” and not “ugh.” And I’ve found that surrounding myself with things that evoke a happy mood can have a profound effect on how much work I get done…and how well I do it!
Keeping with the theme of using things you love in your work area, try “repurposing” items intended for other rooms. On my desk, a fancy Fenton bon bon dish holds M&Ms (they, uh, help me think), and a vintage soap dish holds paper clips and push pins. Look around your home and see what you can add to your desk to infuse a little fun! Can’t find anything? Scour antique shops, thrift stores, even dollar stores. You never know what you’ll come across.
 
Besides two corkboard squares on the wall between my desktop and the cupboards, I have nowhere else in this small space to tack things up. But thanks to a roll of tape, the glass in the cupboard doors became my message center. It may look unsightly to some, but to me, it’s beautiful. Those doors are where I put quotes and reminders that motivate me and keep me going. I have Bible verses, quotes from other internet marketers (like this favorite from Carrie Wilkerson, The Barefoot Executive: “I can either be fearful and broke, or afraid and well paid!”), and one by Jillian Michaels that really resonated with me when I read it in this months’ issue of Success Magazine: “If you are not taking responsibility for the state of your life, you are a victim.” The quote below it, “‘Cause you strong!” is from her 30-Day Shred DVD.
  
Inside the cupboards I have keepsakes like special things my kids have given me and my bear from when I was little. The cupboards also hold my business library…something I strongly recommend every home entrepreneur have.
Last, but certainly not least, you’ve got to have a great chair. If you want an office chair that leans back and rolls around, that’s what you should have. If you want a straight-backed parson’s chair, get one. My chair is a vintage, carved-back dining chair. I placed a cover on it, then topped that with an old dresser scarf secured with a fancy pin. The seat cushion is an old pillow, and it’s cover is one I found at the dollar store, of all places.
 
Thanks for sticking with me through this long post! I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into my home office. If you’ve got a blog of your own, upload pictures of your workspace, too. Send me the link and I’ll share it here.
Above all, remember: Just because you “work” in your home office, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy being there. How your surroundings make you feel — anywhere from contented and happy to irritable and depressed — really can affect the quality of your work and the level of success you achieve. Surround yourself with things you love…you’re worth it!
©2010 Sally Dinius
=================================================
Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and become a member of the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook fan page by clicking here.
 If you’re reading this blog, chances are good it’s because the title, “CrazyBusy Mama,” resonates with you. Chances are also good that your crazybusy life may not let you keep up with CrazyBusy Mama as often as you’d like. I have a few solutions for you; today I’ll fill you in on the first one.
It’s Facebook.com: I highly recommend it. Social media is an excellent tool for staying in touch. One of the reasons I really love Facebook is because most of the updates are short (unless someone posts a note). Users are pretty much forced to leave posts that are only 140 characters or less. When you’re busy, that’s a much easier way to stay up-to-date with your friends or favorite businesses than having to find their blogs and read through long, drawn-out posts just to find out what they’ve been up to recently.
Facebook, to me, is like a social dashboard. Everything’s there: my family, my friends, my church, favorite causes and businesses, and fan pages of people and events that I want to know more about. I use Twitter — I’m definitely on there — but I find that unless I really utilize the new “lists” feature, I’m completely lost as far as keeping up on the updates of the people I want to hear from the most. I’m following over 2,000 people (and vice versa)…so the list feature works for me much better than just hopping on there and hoping I see the posts of someone I know (which is a little like playing Russian Roulette). But…at least for now, I’m a Facebook kind of girl.
And that leads me to the first way to connect with CrazyBusy Mama: on Facebook. Did you know that this blog has it’s own fan page? (Oops, my bad…Facebook got rid of the “fanpage” — you now have to “like” the page. Don’t even get me started on that.)
The fanpage (can’t seem to stop calling using that term — old habits die hard) is really a great invention. I love being able to share beneficial, fun, interesting, and news-worthy things that I find with you all, but don’t always have the time to sit here and write a blog post about it. On the fanpage, it’s easy to paste in the link and say, “Here you go, friends — check it out!” (And, yes — 90% of the time, the links I share are health and fitness related. I just love finding fresh information and new workouts for you!)
So stop by this link: http://facebook.com/crazybusymamablog and say hello. I’ll see you there!
Coming up tomorrow…a couple more ways to stay in the loop almost effortlessly about the top-notch health, fitness, and lifestyle info you’ll find here at CBM.
©2010 Sally Dinius
=================================================
Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and become a member of the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook fan page by clicking here.
|
Don’t Miss a Thing at CrazyBusy Mama! Now You Can Read CrazyBusy Mama on Your Kindle Wherever you go, you won't miss a single post with an easy, monthly subscription to the CrazyBusy Mama blog on your Kindle.
CrazyBusy Mama Quick Guides for Your Kindle or Kindle App … Just .99!
|
