Plate and Jug Size

Lots of people have problems with portion control. Actually, its easily identifiable that the problem isnt portion control, but rather self control! Either way, one of the "cheats" that goes around is to use a smaller plate. Some nutritionists and dieticians even say to use a particular type of plate that resembles what I bought for my infant!

Recently I made a vow to myself to drink more water. And what better way to jumpstart myself that with the additional accountability of Lent? While many people were giving up soda and Facebook (gasp!) I decided to add something necessary... Water!!! Although not a Catholic, the idea behind giving something up for Lent is pretty admirable. Do without something you consider a vice, or an idol (something detracted worship from God) for a specified period of time, the 40 days between Passover/ Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.

I decided to add a gallon of water. A gallon is 128 ounces. Multiple sources have said rather than the traditional 8 cups of water (8 x 8 fl oz= 64 oz) that a more accurate equation would be taking your weight (or your ideal weight), change it from lbs to ounces, and cut it in half. For example, someone at 200 lbs, should drink at least 100 oz of water. I am currently at 185, wanting to stay between 190 and 200. So, a gallon being 128 oz is perfect!

I tried with cups and even water bottles. True story, it was easiest to drink the 128 when it came form one container. It was hard doing it in a day with the cups and water bottles, but yesterday I was able to do it in while watching the Oscars when drinking from a gallon jug. Thats's right. It looks like a milk jug. Im drinking straight from the jug (sorry Mom!) and its so much easier!

Next ime someone tells you you cant do something...

Next time someone tell you that you can't do something, think about these people:

Suze Orman was $50,000 in debt.
Steve Jobs was fired from his own company.
Jillian Michaels only returned to personal training because she was fired from as a talent agent.
Mark Zuckerberg was a kid with no friends.
Thomas Edison figured out 999 ways not to make a light bulb.

Martin Luther was excommunicated.

Muhammad Ali was jailed and his boxing license revoked.

Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.

Jim Braddock was in dire poverty.

Deitrich Bonhoeffer was hung just days befor his concentration camp was liberated.

Jim Carrey used to live in his car.

Martha Stewart started by making cookies in her basement. 

Kevin Smith sold his comic book collection and had well over $50,000 in credit card debt to make Clerks.

Oprah was an impoverished child who was sexually abused.

Coco Chanel was an orphan forced to be a seamstress.

Tony Robbins was told time after time that the huge tumor on his pituitary gland was going to kill him.

Danica Patrick dropped out of high school at 15.

Making the Same Mistakes

It is nothing we haven’t ever heard before. The difference between making a mistake and experience is that experience something you have learned from. Quick bible history lesson here, the Jews and even Christians made lots of mistakes. From Adam to Paul, the Bible is filled with people learning the same lesson. We cannot do better than God’s provision. Sadly though, people today are still making the same mistake. When will we start gaining experience?

Adam and Eve’s mistake was not disobeying God; rather it was thinking that they could be on the same level as God. This was a mistake that the Hebrews made over and over again during their exile. They took 40 years to make a trip that should have taken less than a week and a half. They made this mistake several times over. The Spirit of God left Saul because he ignored the counsel of God and used his own and those of worldly advisors. Jesus cautioned against this in each of his parables. Paul reminded us time and time again to warn us not to make this same mistake! He wrote of humility. The humility to realize that we are not equal with the Creator, but are the Creation.

So why, is it then? That in regards to our health, the form of worshipping God by taking care of the temples he has given us (1 Cor 6:19-20), we have decided to fill our temples with food designed to be better than God’s design. Why is it then that our shelves are filled with imitation foods that are sold to us with “more protein than an egg” and “1/3 less fat than natural butter?” Like the Hebrews having to take the “scenic route” of the Arabian peninsula, we are paying for our mistakes, week after week. Not just in the rise in childhood obesity (which is sickening) but also in more variations of cancer and man made diseases than ever before. Treats are made of every imaginable deviation, including the increasingly popular (gulp!) Bacon Shake, which by the way, contains no actual bacon. There is an actual industry where the partakers are known as Flavorists, scientists responsible for fooling us into believing that something tastes a particular way. Bad food is cheap and food that is good for you is considered elitist and not a necessity.

Pray to God that we may learn from our mistakes and start gaining experience. Perhaps we can take preventative measures and pay less for true food than cancer treatments and chemotherapy.  Consider eating right, exercising, and the general welfare of our bodies as praise to God. Thank Him daily for the vessel He has given you. You would not fill a 2012 Porsche Cayman with cheap imitation gas, so why do that with a machine that performs harder and stronger every day? Stop the mistakes and gain experience!

Anatomy of a Playlist

I have a friend who is an avid runner, and she runs with no music! Crazy huh? She runs to the sound of the wind. She has the clarity of mind to work through anything that goes on her mind. She often tells me that during these times is when things press on her and she does the science behind working out the problems of life. Most of us, however, are not like her! we need music, if for no toher reason than to fuel us through our workouts! Sometimes when I run, I get into autopilot mode and am able to blast through my workout in a way I could not do without it. A different friend asked me for suggestions for her playlist, and now you know th motivation behind this post.

My playlist generally consists of eight different types of songs. My playlist can be any from just eight different songs, to I once had one well over 120 songs. In retrospect, that was way too many!

Intro: Like the songs playing in an arena as a wrestler or boxer enters the ring. You need a song that says, "I am not here to play or hang out, but to work." This song can set the tone for the entire workout. I like songs like "Lose Yourself," which as well as great music to keep you going, also has some pretty motivational speak to it.

Motivation: As you build moment you need music that will help you to do the same. I call this the Stronger section, because in my playlist, it is often that I use "Stronger" by Kanye West, Britney Spears, and Kelly Clarkson. Christina Aguilera's "Fighter" is also a favorite of mine in this section.

Random Pop Song: I am not a fan of techno , but pop and techno music have some amazing beats. These songs allow you to lose yourself yourself in the music. If you know the words, even better! Then you are not able to doubt yourself through the last few reps, you are too busy singing your lungs out like a 14 year old girl! My favorites include Christina Aguilera's "Dirrrty" and Britney Spears "Toxic" 

Song You Havent Heard In Forever: Nostalgia can do wonderful things! By now you are probably halfway through your workout, possibly getting tired. Maybe even exhausted by the monotnous routine, but there is something that hearing "Eye of the Tiger" or "Don't Stop Believing" does to you. Puts a little pep in your step!

Guilty Pleasure Song: These are songs that you would never admit to having in your playlist, but for one reason or another they put a smile on your face. They remind you that what you are doing here is fun. You drug yourself out of bed to reach a goal, sometimes its this song, and not the motivation song that reminds you about why you are here!

Abnormal Genre: Most of your playlist is probably the same artists or types of music, so it is good practice to keep it fresh by putting a random song in there. Amidst a lot of rap, Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats," "Quitter," and "Songs Like This" and System of a Down's "Chop Suey" often pop up!

Power Song: Your workout is almost done! This song gets you though the last little quarter. You are tired, your arms want to give out. You have forgotten what your legs feel like. Until this song comes on. For some unknown reason you show more power through this current state of exhaustion than you did at the beginning! Drake's "Forever", Skillet's "Awake and Alive", and Eminem's "Almost Famous" generally top this part of my workout.

Recovery: Congrats! You made it! This is the antithesis of the song you came into the gym with! This song makes you realize that you are a "bad man!" You gave it all, leaving the gym knowing you gave a full effort! I like "Kevin Rudolf's "I Made It!"  or Jay-Z's "Run This Town!"