Healthy Mind, Body, and Soul: Losing Weight the Old Fashioned Way

Hello Dear Friends,

This post is about a topic that is really important to me right now. I've been spending a lot of time lately honoring a commitment I made to myself to take better care of me and bring my mind, body, and soul to optimal performance levels. As far as the physical work is concerned, this meant taking a long hard look at myself and pledging to treat my body like the temple it is. I wanted to share this very personal part of my life story because I know there are so many other people who are going through the same thing and wondering if and how they will ever take control of their bodies and bring themselves into the flourishing healthy condition they desire. There won't be any before and after pictures, no countdowns, weigh-ins, or body fat measurements; it's not about that. (Plus I'm super-duper shy :) But what I will be sharing is my formula and techniques that are working for me, and I hope you will share some of your ideas if you are on the same path. 

 

First, I started on this path about two months ago, after realizing that I had abandoned my formerly healthy lifestyle for far too long. I decided one night that if I truly loved myself I would be eating right, exercising, getting rest, and taking the vitamins and supplements that I know support my body's health. I never felt better about myself than when I was in great shape, full of energy, courage, and determination. Getting fit for me is not just about looking good or even feeling good physically, but it sharpens my focus and becomes a living metaphor for the determination that I need to achieve other important goals in life.

 

 

Second, I listened to a lengthy program by Napolean Hill on Youtube about the power of thought. In it he made a simple, but powerful statement that resonated with me and remained in my head for some time. He said that a successful person must be temperate in all things. Temperance is not a trait that is often valued in our "extreme" society, but temperance is important to being happy and well. I thought of the areas in my life in which I was not demonstrating temperance and decided to correct them, mainly in my eating and sleep habits, and my level of physical activity.

 

 

Third, I made a very basic exercise and diet plan for myself (just one page total) and posted it to the side of my pc so I'd have to look at it every day. I also wrote an affirmation for myself which I repeat daily. The diet plan has been tweaked often, because it was too severe and I found myself losing energy after the first couple of weeks. Below I'll share my basic diet plan that I'm currently using. But the affirmation is exactly the same as when I was first inspired. It says:

 

I am beautiful. I am temperate in all things. I am in the best shape and health of my life. I am in total control of my life. I am eating and living healthy.

 

 

The diet and exercise plan are equally basic. I'll share the exercise plan in a future post.

 

Mon-Sat

Breakfast: 1 or 2 pieces of fruit with low fat cottage cheese

                                    or

                  4 ounces of uncooked oats soaked overnight in filtered water with dried cranberries or    

                   raisins

 

Lunch:      Salad with tuna, sardines, or grilled salmon

                                     or

                  Taboule served with raw veggies, sprinkled with lemon juice and turmeric

 

Dinner:     Salad with avocado and/or grilled skinless chicken breast

                                      or

                 Rice and beans cooked without added oil, seasoned with a little hot sauce

                                      or

                 Grilled skinless chicken breast with chickpeas, seasoned with chili powder and lime 

                                      or

                 Cabbage soup with rice noodles served with sweet chili sauce or oyster sauce

 

Sunday:  Anything goes.

 

For snacks I eat a handful of sunflower seeds or a spoonful of sunflower butter, low fat yogurt, some dried cranberries, fresh fruit (raw tomatoes are a fave), tofu marinated in oyster sauce, and steamed or sautéed veggies. If I'm desperate for a sugar fix, which does happen sometimes because I'm still learning and tweaking my diet so I can avoid hunger while systematically lowering my caloric intake, I just grab whatever happens to be sweet. It might be a banana, a spoonful of carob powder, or some dry instant pudding mix right out the box. Not ideal, but it satisfies the craving that would otherwise sabotage my plan. And that's one of the safety nets I built into my plan, so that there is always flexibility without guilt. Eating healthy is a lifelong commitment, and if I don't manage to keep up with my plan on one or two days, that won't change my overall progress. It's okay to be human. 

 

I'd love to hear from others what you're eating to support your healthy lifestyle. And please don't be shy to share your recipes!

 

Next time I'll post my simple exercise plan. Hope this info is helpful and encouraging to someone.

 

Your Friend,

Rose







More Adventures in Swirling Cold Process Soap

Hello Dear Friends,

 

This post shows the latest cold process swirl soap I finished. It's called Ginger Mint, and is made from an original palm oil free recipe scented with peppermint essential oil and ginger essential oil. The combination actually smells divine, there's just a hint of the ginger to give a funky spicy kick to the mint. I think the swirling came out far better than the last batch (Strawberry Champagne CP.) What made a huge difference was tweaking the recipe so it traced more slowly. That gave me more time to pour in the layers and achieve the swirl effect. I'm going to share my recipe in a later post, cuz it's really nice and bubbly. I developed my own recipe because I couldn't find a palm free recipe that had the attributes I like and also traced slowly enough for me to practice my swirling technique. I'm thinking about working on a lavender blend for the next one.

 

 

 

 

Ginger Mint soap in a 1 pound micro batch

 

Ginger Mint Soap after 7 week cure and cut and ready for use

I'll be sure to post pics of the next batch. And if I can figure out how to set up my camera and tripod while I'm actually soaping, I'll post a tutorial to go along with the recipe.

Best Wishes!
Rose

Happy Mother's Day

Dear Friends,
Mother's Day is a very special holiday to most families, including mine. It's a chance to honor the person who did so much for us, whether she is our biological mother or a mother figure. My own mother has been not only my best friend, but a heroic figure who showed up in my life over and over again when I needed her most. My late grandmothers have also remained very critical parts of my life, as their spirits live on to encourage, support, and love me no matter what happens. I am honoring them today with a prayer and a white candle, and some personal reflection on all the priceless gifts they have given me. Whether you're a mother or not, I wish you a Happy Mother's Day for you, your family, and all the special moms in your life!

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoy this special day with someone you love.

 

 

Best Wishes,

Rose



The Story of Three Flowers

Dear Friends,
A beautiful thing happened to me this Easter Sunday. I thought I'd share it with you. I hope it will inspire you as much as it did me.

The Story of Three Flowers

During the annual Easter service at my church, a member of the clergy walked out among the parishioners, his arms encircling a wicker basket filled with flowers. He handed a flower to each of us. When he drew near me he chose a beautiful lush bloom and handed it to me with a smile.

The flower I first received

 

 

As the service proceeded, we were all enjoying the beautiful music and touching words that were offered for the occasion. I was deep in prayer when a young girl sitting in front of me turned toward me and whispered, "Can I have your flower?"

"Pardon me?" I asked, not sure I understood her.

She held her flower up and replied, "I don't like these. They're not as nice as yours. Can you give me your flower?" The girl had been given a slim stem containing three small yellow daisies.

One of the other parishioners gently reminded her that she should be grateful for the flowers she had received, but the girl just shook her head. "I want that one," she insisted, pointing to my flower.

After a moment of thought, I handed her my flower. "I'll trade you," I offered.

Her face glowing with delight, the young girl eagerly handed me her small daisies and took my larger flower instead. "Thank you!" she smiled and turned back around to enjoy the rest of the service.

The flowers the girl gave me

As the parishioners continued to sing and take Communion, I thought how much I had liked my beautiful flower. I had intended to take it home and place it in a vase. I didn't get flowers often, and they were, in fact, a luxury for me. I looked down at the humble little daisies and thought that they would not add much beauty to my home. I wanted my flower back.

Then I thought of how happy the young girl had looked when I gave her the flower. I told myself that I was fortunate and blessed to be able to give service to someone. I remembered the pastor's words, that flowers are a gift of angels and one of the purest offerings we can give to others. So I changed the feeling in my heart and silently blessed the girl, praying that the flower would continue to give her much joy and peace. I thanked her in my heart for giving me the opportunity to be of service.

When the program was finished, I exited the main room of the church and saw a magnificent giant bouquet of snowy white flowers on a table in the hall. I was just passing by when one of the elders called out, "Anybody want to take these home?"

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Sure," she replied. "I don't want to take these back with me. I've already got enough. You can take these home." She gave me the entire bouquet and the vase it was sitting in.

When I walked outside, several of the parishioners admired my stunning bouquet of flowers, and I invited each of them to take as many flowers as they wanted. On the way home, I realized that I had shared many flowers that day, and I still had a beautiful and bountiful gift from Heaven for myself. It seemed that when I gave a little, the Universe gave me back a lot.

The large bouquet I was given

 

This is a true story and these are the flowers I was given, except that the flower in the first picture was given to me later on Easter Day. It is similar, though, to the one I gave the young girl. And the bouquet was so large I had to split it into two vases at home, so the picture shows only half of the original bouquet.

Please feel free to share this story. It is, after all, a gift from Heaven that was meant to be shared.

Best Wishes,
Rose

The Best of Etsy April 2014: ThermalHairCare

Hi Friends!
I'm so excited to share another awesome Etsy shop with you. It's called ThermalHaircare, and their Hot Head heating caps look amazing. As someone who spends a lot of time working with hair, I fell in love with this shop as soon as I saw it. Their flagship product is a reversible cordless microwavable heating cap. The Hot Head caps seem to be the perfect solution to deep conditioning and hot oil treatments without sitting under a dryer and wasting time. How many times have you skipped the heat treatment you know you need just because you are too busy to sit around under the bonnet? I haven't tried the Hot Head cap yet, but it's on my wish list and will be one of my next self-gifts. This is a really great item to try.




Beautiful batik print

 

 

 

Hot pink, my fave!

 

 

 

Perfect spring green

One of the great things about the Etsy community is that you can learn so much about the story behind the brand of each shop. Check out the touching and inspiring story behind ThermalHairCare on their Etsy About Page. I hope you enjoy your visit to this lovely shop as much as I did. And I'll update this post to review the cap when I get mine.

Until Next Time,
Rose

Poetryspa.com is Now Open!

Hi Friends,
We're so happy that our website is finally up and running. We love being on Etsy, of course, but the flexibility and design freedom of a standalone site are very exciting. Please visit us at PoetrySpa and let us know what you think of the new design.

Poetry Spa Website

 

 

 

Indie Nail Polish by Poetry Spa

 

Fabulous natural body butters and oils by Poetry Spa

Over the next few weeks I'll be working very intensely on the design and photography for the site. Check back sometimes to watch as the site grows and comes together artistically and thematically.

Love to All!
Rose