Happy Friday! At least I hope it is happy and gives you a sense of accomplishment! For the week is almost over! All your efforts and struggles are coming to a close and it’s time to reflect about the week. Maybe see what went well and what didn’t and make a mental or physical notes for that matter to challenge yourself in those areas where you’ve fallen short. That’s where I’m at in my ‘project’.
I made some changes in December. I had to humble myself and realize I am very, very human, and this flesh is so difficult to deal with sometimes. The Apostle Paul said it well “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not what I want, but I do the very thing I hate”, Romans 7:15. I was being so hard on myself, with any kind of failure and I had to keep reminding myself that I will get to my goals one day. Reminding myself to take one day at a time; look what needs to be accomplished also while looking how to stay active in order to reach my long-term goals.
With the ever-changing weather in December, I found it hard to get out and walk. Especially with Avigail in tow, some days were just too cold with lots of wind, manageable for me, but not for a toddler. Along with bearing the cold in my small garage-gym early in the mornings was getting tough too. I needed more options of walking indoors, along with more options for workouts. So, I joined Girlfriends Fitness Center in Lamar. What a change it has made in my life. With it being a 24-hour Fitness Center, I’m able to go whenever I want. I use the treadmill to get my miles in, have even been jogging some as I enjoy that for short bursts, and I love what they call the ‘circuit’. They have several machines that are ran by hydraulics, so you pick the amount of tension, and they work either arms, legs, or abs. They also have many other machines such as elliptical, stair stepper, speed bikes, and a rowing machine (I love rowing machines when I did CrossFit but concerned how the baby will like that so yet to try, lol). Typically, I go in at five a.m., as I am a morning workout person. I have never enjoyed working out at the end of the day, as I have many other Wifely and Motherly duties to take care of and, my lunch hour does not work for me as I’ve usually got errands to run. This might sound silly, but it is a strategy of mine, at 5 a.m., I’m not fully awake yet so as to talk myself out of it! As long as you can get out of bed and get to the gym the rest is in the bag. It starts my day off exactly how I need; getting my body in movement early makes all the difference for the rest of my day. Helps me to have more energy and motivation to tackle the day with a go-getter attitude! I love it! And, the awesome thing is, Girlfriends is everything from beginner to advanced. You can set your workout to as easy or hard as you need or want to! It is for all ages. I see several women I would refer to as a grandma, and I applaud them for continuing with a fitness routine. If you want to see about signing up, I can give you a card and tell them I sent you! You will not be disappointed!
Along with being able to get my miles and even more workouts in, I’ve been incorporating some new recipes and foods to my diet. My family as a whole has taken a new approach with vegetables and trying to eat with the seasons. Meaning what would typically be fresh and grown at that time of year. Our bodies need certain things during each season, so we have been researching how to fuel ourselves properly. Not to mention, I have always eaten A LOT of squash and zucchini in the summer, then come winter I don’t even want to look at it! Plus, there are many health benefits in eating with the seasons. So right now, we have switched over to root vegetables. I was not aware how great turnips, parsnips, and rutabaga are. They are each individually good by themselves, however if you make a mix of them, and can even include carrots, it’s even more beneficial for your health as they are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and health benefits; too many to list, but I would suggest googling to see! We like to make a big pot of mixed root vegetables and that way they last for almost a week. By using the double broiler method, you can warm them up again without over cooking. Another wonderful root vegetable is sweet potatoes, full of amazing vitamins/minerals/and health benefits. I like to boil a pot of them with skins on, and then do what I call smashed potatoes; once tender, remove and smash on plate, add some real butter and Celtic Sea salt, and voila! Delicioso! Or make sweet potato fries in the oven. Cut in wedges, place on baking sheet and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and Celtic Sea salt; another family favorite, however they do take almost an hour in the oven, but so worth it. Your taste buds and belly with thank you, leaving you sated while boosting your immunity and so much more. Making sure to get lots of protein, healthy fats, salads and fruits are other staples of my diet.
And, last, but definitely not least! This little baby growing within!! I had my first OB-GYN appointment! All went wonderfully well. They took blood samples to test for abnormalities and gender. With me being forty years old, there’s always added risks that come with age, and being labeled as geriatric/high risk can tend to make one nervous at times. We got the results a short, but what seemed long, 12 days later and I am happy to announce that everything came back normal and we are adding another sweet baby GIRL to the family!! We could not be more happy, blessed and extremely thankful! We thank the Heavenly Father each, and every day for all the blessings that He has bestowed upon us and entrusted us to.
May this January edition find you and yours well, and looking how to reach and tackle your goals, or finding ways to achieve the desires of your heart. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart,” Psalm 37:4.
Until next time, much love and happiness to you!!
Candice Cox
