Will Cook For Work!

STEPHANIE SAMMARTINO: Wife, mother, friend, and holistic health counselor. Follow along and get fit, eat well and live a beautifully balanced life! var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-21077069-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();

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Think about it...

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I'm really excited! My new program arrived and I followed the directions all week.  The nutrition was SO EASY and it included all of the things that I eat already.  The reason it was easy was because I had enough to eat and I had control.  I was allowed to eat what I wanted (basically) when I wanted.  The program just told me how much and gave me little containers so I could figure it out.  The best part was I was able to focus on what I CAN have rather than a whole series of can'ts.  I can't have this, I can't have that, I can't do this, Etc...

The exercise is only 30 minutes per day VS the standard hour plus that goes on in your average gym setting.  AND you don't have to be coordinated to do this program! YAAAAAY!!!!!

Oh and did I say that I lost an INCH in my waist this week?!?!?

I hope your week was a good one! Did you do anything fun?

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"Tricks" of a slim person... For some reason, people at work don't think that I eat.  They ask me how I satay slim and then they answer for me that I mustn't eat.  It make me a bit crazy, to tell the truth.  I feel like I'm CONSTANTLY eating! Then I realized, I don't really know exactly what I eat, so I am going to pay attention for the next 21 days.

Why 21 days and not 30? Because the new program I am starting today is the 21 Day Fix.  I'm anxious to see what happens and what sort of results I get.  *I'm finding that my nutrition isn't changing much - I just have to cut out most of the vino, but not ALL of the wine.  Yes, I get to have WINE!!!  And CHOCOLATE too!!!

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Have you ever just given up? That is what you are seeing here.  This is a picture of someone who worked hard at fitness and harder at developing a career.  A lot of factors have affected me. I got tired and frankly I quit caring.

I am human.  I am dusting myself off and beginning again.  It's all there is to do really.  I fought hard to get my health and mobility back after all of the car crashes and I can't continue to take that for granted.  

So, here I am putting it all out there for everyone to see.  I weigh the same as I always do, but as you can see, I look different.  I have had my eye on a program that will take 30 minutes per day and has a nutrition program that comes with it.  This is what I'm willing to give right now and I'm very excited to begin!  Let's see what happens!!! Re-do's are allowed in life! 

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What does one buy on an early morning grocery excursion? A little of everything.  Since I'm balancing my life, my food choices are also "balanced." A little of this and a little of that.

It is more difficult to buy food and cook for one person, I will admit that.  I don't mind eating the same thing for multiple meals over several days, so that is helpful.  

I try to buy organic when I can.  A lot of my dairy selections aren't organic, because I like specific brands.  I did buy juice and yes I will drink it.  I am guilty of not drinking enough fluid.  I mix my juice with half water and squeeze 1/4 of a lime into it.  And yes, I do have soda.  Notice that they are the short cans.  This six pack should last an entire month if not longer.  The veggies, salsa, half and half and eggs are organic.  I have bananas for my horrible sweet tooth.  I eat 1/2 per day. I have some organic ground turkey in my freezer, I'm going to make my favorite "un-stuffed" peppers http://tmblr.co/ZAxgrxYjU5fi  with the veggies I bought.  Yummy!

What's in your shopping cart? 

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It's Canada Cold here today.... It's -2 F (I think that's almost -18 C?).  I don't want to go outside for more than a minute at a time.  I was up by 6:00 AM this morning, because I have to keep my body clock happy... since I must get up at 4:00 AM for work.  If I sleep too long, it messes me up.  So, what did I do? I got dressed and went to the store to set myself up for a great week!  I had the whole place to myself, because only crazy people go to the store at 7:00 AM in -2 degree weather!

I'm continuing my quest for balance.  What that means is I'm doing the best that I can in every situation and weighing out positives, negatives and priorities.  The idea is to not get too hung up on any one thing, which creates anxiety.  

EXAMPLE: I am aiming to do some sort of activity daily.  The minimum is getting in a little yoga, which loosens me up after hunching over my desk all day.  I'm not  beating myself up over the day that I didn't participate in a formal activity, but I walked a lot at work and shoveled the snow off the driveway and sidewalk.  I had a bad headache yesterday, I didn't force it.  Today I feel great - so I will make a conscious effort to use my time effectively to get in a workout and maybe yoga too.

I really just want to create an atmosphere of calm.  It's important - especially right now, because I'm not sure what's going on with my health.  I'm hoping that I don't have to have a partial or complete hysterectomy and I'm hoping that the abnormality that they're seeing isn't some sort of cancer.  I feel fine.  So, I just have to remain peaceful until I can speak with a specialist.  

How are you doing so far this new year? Have you identified a small change to make? Remember that one small change at a time = BIG results.  If you go bananas and dramatically change your lifestyle all at once, it's more difficult to maintain long term.  Remain conscientious, be diligent and you will succeed! 

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Happy 2014! Are you ready to have a great year? I am! what are YOU going to focus on for the next 365 days of your journey? Don't forget to write it down! 

You can achieve anything you want, you just need to have laser focus.  To find such focus there are few things that you must do:

Be specific and "nail down" what it is that you want.

Begin and end each day with a brief meditation - picture what you want whether it is an object or a situation.

Write it down and read what you have written each day.

Do something that will propel you closer to gaining what you are looking for.

Consult "experts" and discuss what you want on a regular basis

Laser focus keeps the object or situation of your desire at the top of mind.  What this actually does for you is it keeps you hyper aware.  You will be more receptive to opportunities that will help you with this endeavor.

DREAM BIG and feel free to share what you are pursuing.  Telling others about your big goal will help you with accountability.

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What is success to you? My idea of success would be living a comfortable life doing something that I love - that I am passionate about. The things that put a sparkle in my eye are teaching people how to overcome their bad habits or how to reach their goals, nutrition, and I enjoy writing.  There is one more thing that I am passionate about and you will only know this if you have been around my internet stomping rounds for a while, but my first love is anything horsey.

I feel completely free and at home in the stable and have since I was five.  I have put horses out of my mind like a bad memory simply because horses are an expensive hobby/sport - much like fitness competitions...but worse.  The love of all things horse related hasn't gone away though.  Tony and I were in a tack shop (where they sell saddles and such for you non- horse folks) and the smell of the leather brought me back...

Well, I just had an idea that involves horsey stuff and I would like to pursue it.  I met with a career coach just before Christmas and he asked me what my passion is and what I want to do.  When you work in a field that you're passionate about, it never feels like work.

So, what is your passion.  Write it down.  Think about it and take steps to bring more of that into your life.

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Did you over indulge during the holidays? I know I did....In fact, I've been over indulging for a while now.  I've been taking some small steps to correct my foibles.  

I'm not going to go bonkers and correct all of my bad habits at once.  Why am I going about it the slow way? Because that is the way that my new habits will stick.  It is more do-able to create one new habit than to turn your life upside down with strict rules...because rules are simply created to be broken.

I have started off by cutting back on sugar over the past few days.  I haven't cut it out, I'm just paying attention to how many treats I pop in my mouth.  I have been eating a lot of sugar! 

Over the past two days, I have not eaten any meat.  It wasn't a conscious move, I just realized that it was the case as we were finishing up dinner.  I'm sure we will have meat tomorrow. It does feel good to be heavy on the plant based foods though.

On a personal note: My focus has got to be on health, because my body is "telling" me that something isn't right.  I have been in the radiology department of our local hospital once a week for the last three weeks.  They are trying to pinpoint the source of my horrible abdominal pains that I have had twice this year.  There are some sketchy  spots on my uterus.  They are most likely scar tissue from the surgery I had in January, but they want to be sure.  I have my suspicions that the pain is from my kidneys.  The fact of the matter is, I don't drink enough fluids - PERIOD. I'm not thirsty and that makes it difficult.  So my starting point in my healthy habits crusade will be in relation to staying properly hydrated.  I'm focusing on health for me, but if you want to make small changes with me, please do! That's the great thing about this community...we're here for each other.  I'm here for you! Let's stay healthy together again this year! 

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Happy Christmas to all! Cheers!!!!

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Today is Tony's birthday and he is back from flight training! We spent a great weekend together and I have him here at home for almost two weeks! That's the best Christmas present ever!

Are you ready to have a merry Christmas?  Now that Tony is home, I'm just going to focus on enjoying the season.  Are you going away for your holiday? It's kind of a pain that Christmas is falling mid-week, but what are you going to do?!?! It will be just Tony and me again this year.  I don't have any time off, The Mini is working retail, so she doesn't have any time off... So we're all staying put.

This past weekend, we spent cooking healthy meals.  We also painted our entry way and it looks a million times better! It's great doing these projects to get the house (finally!) put together - we'll be starting the new year off right! 

What are your plans for the new year? Are you going to a party? Have you set new goals? Take some time to make a vision board and focus daily on what you want to accomplish.  Great things happen with great focus! 

2014 is going to be a year of travel for us.  Since Tony is back with the airlines, we both get travel benefits, so we are going to take advantage of that and set off on some short adventures! I've also got to get back in the swing of things with my fitness.  I have slacked off somewhat this year, but first I have to find out what's going on with my health.  As soon as I know, I'll let you know! 

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I had the good fortune to have Debbie Ford as a lecturer at my Holistic School.... She was an amazing woman who helped thousands if not millions of people learn to address the parts of themselves that they are ashamed of.  That "shadow" is the part of ourselves that causes so much pain and self sabotage.  Unfortunately, Debbie passed away in February after a long battle with cancer, however; her work lives on through the people that she taught.

I am taking a FREE group course this January through Debbie's foundation called Shadow Talk.  The workshop covers the topics of Money, Your Body, Relationships, Overwhelm, People Pleasing, Your Future, Independence, and Loneliness.  This is a great opportunity for us to get to the crux of the themes in our lives where we constantly see ourselves falling apart or judging ourselves.  I'm using "us," because YOU can sign up for this workshop too.  

If you're interested, just go to www.debbieford.com

There's nothing "in it" for me if you join.  I just wanted to share, because Debbie's programs are so incredible.  Since Debbie is no longer with us, Kelley Koskow will be leading the group.  Kelley was hand picked and trained by Debbie to take over The Ford Foundation.  

The year's end is getting closer.  Have you thought about what you have accomplished this year? What would you like to accomplish next year? Have you made a plan? What have you learned about yourself and the world this year? Think about it...

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Catching up TMI Edition: I've been feeling a little crumby lately.  First the cold that my office mate shared with me and then horrible lower abdominal pain over the past few days.  I've had the pain before, during the summer and my doctor said that if I had it again to go to the urgent care center. So after two days of pain, I went to the urgent care last night.  Well, the PA at the urgent care center sent me to the hospital for a CAT scan.  The picture is of the gunk I had to drink so they could see everything.  If you've ever had this stuff, it's kind of gross. Mine smelled awesome - like tanning lotion...but tropical tanning lotion tastes yucky and the mouth feel of this is funky too.  Luckily I was hungry for dinner and thirsty when I had to knock this stuff back...plus they wouldn't let me eat.

So, the scan showed that my appendix is fine (unless it has some sort of slow toxic leak) and that I don't have kidney stones.  What it did show is that my uterus is angry with either cyst activity or scar tissue from my surgery in January.  The pain is akin to labor pains - not really too much fun.

Plus, I'm feeling a little toxic - like there is an infection somewhere... Actually, there is - borderline sinus and something going on somewhere between my bladder and kidneys (blood and protein in the urine).

Good times! Sorry for being a crappy blog poster! :) But it's hard to post positive vibes and workouts when you feel like garbage and can't work out.  Better days are around the corner for sure!

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Thank you Nelson Mandela...

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It's December 1st!!!! The count down is on...Let's stay on the road to having a sane holiday!

Take a moment to plan out each day

Take baby steps and get a little done each day

Don't be afraid to tell people NO.  Be realistic with yourself and what you are capable of getting done according to the time that you have

Use your slow cooker! There are tons of recipes online and on Pinterest in particular, that don't involve cream of whatever soup.  

Prep your meals and snacks ahead of time.  "Cheat" and buy the pre-cut fruit or carrot sticks.  Sometimes it's worth the extra money.

Get your Z's! Most people need 7+ hours.  

Schedule in your exercise.  Even if you don't get in a full workout, remember that some is better than none.

Me: Tony left for Charlotte today.  He's in flight training for his new airline job.  We're not sure how long he'll be gone.  Rumor has it that he will get to come home right before the holiday; possibly for an entire week.

Today I put up the Charlie Brown tree that I bought and I listened to Christmas music and wrapped a few gifts.  I'm sad that we're apart during this time.  The funny thing is, this used to be the norm! I know for sure that I don 't like it, but it will pass.

Tomorrow I talk to the girl in HR at work about the interview I had.  Who knows what she's going to say.  She'll probably say that I did well, that they like me, but keep trying.  I would like to expect something different, but I honestly don't feel that I'm going to get the job.  If I do, I will be shocked! You know me, I'm all for positive thinking, but I'm not feelin' it.  

To stay busy while Tony is away, I'm going to take to Pinterest and test out some of the recipes, cleaning tricks, and decorating ideas.  I think it will be fun!

I'm also planning to do a metabolic reboot.  We wanted to do a reset/cleanse after France, but we never got to it.  So, I might as well do it now! 

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Check in: We had a great Thanksgiving with friends...What did you do? I can say that I ate too much for sure! I had 3 LBS of extra food in my tummy this morning.  I'm not going to go bananas over it though.  I just picked up where I left off and ate reasonable portion sizes and healthy foods today.

Did you shop? We didn't participate in any madness.  I bought the nieces and nephews their annual ornaments a few weeks ago and I picked up the tins of dark chocolate covered pretzels for the adults on Wednesday after work.  Today I bought myself a bangle from Alex + Ani online - they were giving 15 % off and free shipping, so I bought a bracelet that I have had on my wish list for two years.  We did go out, but not until after dinner.  I bought Tony a DVD to take with him when he goes to flight training and I bought some cute boxes to put the kids' ornaments in and some light up decorative branches.  Nothing major - I don't like the stress of Black Friday - and I had to be at work by 6:00 AM.

I hope your holiday was awesome! 

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Happy Thanksgiving! Don't forget to take some time today to enjoy what life has to offer.   There is time for "eating clean" and fitness during other days - relax a little! This is about balance.  Being a stickler regarding your diet today (unless you have a photo shoot or a contest in the pending weeks) doesn't make us seem admirable - it's a little extreme and truthfully a little weird.  

You don't have to pig out.  Have a taste of everything and if you do pig out - SO WHAT! It's Thanksgiving!!!! Brush yourself off and start again tomorrow, but no working extra hard to "offset" the festivities.  Just pick up as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.  Why? ...Because the panic and making up workouts are thoughts and actions that are out of balance.  The point of all of this is to be healthy and to enjoy life.  Celebrate today! We have so much to be thankful for!