Category: Fitness & Weight Loss

Anti-Inflammatory Boosters…Tea!

Ok, so you’re eating pretty healthy, drinking plenty of liquids, losing weight, but STILL inflammation seems to plague your body!  Inflammation in the joints as we age can be a BIG reason why we just can’t do the things we use to.  It hurts when we stand at the sink too long doing dishes, or when we bend down to tie our shoes, or pretty much ANY activity that we use to take for granted and now, OMG!  Maybe all we need are some Anti-Inflammatory Boosters…Tea!  Let’s look at the top three (in my opinion) anti-inflammatory teas!

Dandelion Leaf & Root Tea 

The dandelion is more than just a weed!  It’s been used for many home remedies in Europe and Asia for centuries.  Natural anti-inflammatory and antioxdant compounds such as taraxasterol are abundant and help combat inflammation.  I LOVE a cup of hot Dandelion Leaf & Root Tea in the morning!  It’s soooo soothing and relaxing!  Enjoy a cup for an anti-inflammatory boost! 🧡. Watch the video below to see just how EASY it can be! 😃

Ginger Tea 

Ginger is well known for it’s many health benefits.  It’s high in a substance called gingeral which has powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. As a result of the anti-inflammatory effect of ginger, it can reduce muscle pain after intense physical activity and it can even help with joint and stiffness from Osteoarthritis.

Simple Ginger Tea Recipe (Fresh is always the best)

  • Cut up 1″ slice of clean, fresh ginger
  • Boil in 1 cup water for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on desired strength)
  • Remove ginger and pour into cup
  • Add a slice of lemon

Turmeric Tea 

Last, but not least, the turmeric spice is a powerhouse for destroying inflammation!   Studies have shown that it’s substance, curcumin, is responsible in this inflammation fight!  So, pour yourself a nice hot cup of this golden-hued tea.  It’s DELICIOUS either with milk or water.  Here are a couple of recipes you might like to try below:

Turmeric Tea With Milk

  • Heat to almost boil 1 cup nut milk (I like full-fat coconut milk)
  • Stir in 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Pour in cup and sprinkle with black pepper and cinnamon

Turmeric Tea With Water

  • Heat to boil 1 cup water
  • Stir in 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Add a couple squeezes lemon
  • Add a sprinkle of black pepper

As so many of us age into our 50’s, 60’s and beyond, finding an anti-inflammatory booster may be just what we’re looking for!  So, instead of reaching for that cup of coffee in the morning, why not steep up a nice, hot cup of delicious anti-inflammatory tea of your choice?  Try them all out and pick a favorite or just have fun and change them up every week.  After all, variety is the spice of life and can reap BIG benefits in our journey to Subtract the Years!

Give yourself a HIGH-FIVE as you lead by example on your quest to better health and happiness!

Love to all,

Sarah🧡

Feet on a scale

How Often Should I Weigh Myself?

There are lots of differing opinions out there about ‘how often should I weigh myself?’  Some “experts” say that once a week is all you need to keep you on track.  Unfortunately, I don’t agree with that.  I believe that accountability  should be daily.  Every day should be a renewed commitment to your goals.  Life can be soooooo distracting!  That’s why most people never STAY committed! The truth is, only 5% KEEP the weight off after “dieting”.  So, what’s the secret to KEEPING the weight off?  Glad you asked! 😃

(Disclaimer…If you have a history of disordered eating or any body image issues, please do whatever is safe for you.  This is what I have found to be successful for me)

Every Day Should Be a Renewed Commitment!

What does “renewed commitment” look like?  Well, here is my version of “renewed commitment”!  It’s daily tracking. Yep!  It sits on my kitchen table and I wrote every single day for 20 weeks straight what my weight was when I first get up in the morning! (and I’ve started my second 20 weeks)  It charts my daily ups and downs. I have learned to be okay with the down days.  They are just reminders for me to get back on track for the day.  I have weekly weight loss – highlighted in yellow.  Sometimes I’ve slid slightly backward but, I’ve forced myself to look at reality EVERY SINGLE DAY!  By looking at reality, when I’ve slid, I can right the boat again before it gets out of hand and I’m sunk!!! (Yes, pun intended!). 😆

For all you dedicated souls out there who actually want to check out what reality looks like on a daily and weekly basis, I’ve re-written it all out  on an excel spread sheet for easier viewing.  The red numbers are the days where the scale has gone up slightly but, the weekly losses are where it counts!  Every single solitary ounce lost is a WIN!  Reality Works!

Is Daily Weighing Extreme?

NOPE!  It’s been studied pretty thoroughly between “daily weighers”, “semi-weekly weighers”, and “not very often” weighers.  Over a six month study, those people who  were “daily weighers” lost more weight and had more energy than the other two groups.  That alone should motivate all of us to continue or start the habit of weighing daily.  It keeps our goals in the forefront each and everyday that we wake up. It helps motivate us to be the best version of ourself that we can be!

The Focal Point with Daily Weighing

A persons weight is just one way to gauge how our overall health is doing.  It is just one way we can be the best version of ourselves that we can be.  To keep that scale going down to reach our own personal ideal weight for optimum health and vitality, we also need to focus on a healthy eating regime and a healthy exercise regime.  When the numbers on the scale go up in the morning toward an unhealthy number for us, it’s just a loving reminder  to love ourselves TODAY!  That love means we RECOMMIT to taking better care of ourselves TODAY!  Say to yourself, “It’s a new day and it’s going to be a beautiful healthy day!  Because I’m worth the effort!”

WE CAN DO THIS!!! ❤️❤️❤️

 

 

 

Apple CIder Vinegar - For Health and Beauty

Apple Cider Vinegar – For Health and Beauty!

There’s a LOT of hype regarding Apple Cider Vinegar for Health and Beauty.  Is taking a swig of Apple Cider Vinegar in the morning worth it?  In all honesty….I REALLY had to think hard about it.  It’s WORLDS apart from drinking my Starbucks hot chocolate every morning,  but after doing extensive research on the subject, if I’m going to Subtract those Years, I think it’s going to have to be added to my morning routine.

My Morning Apple Cider Vinegar Routine…A little Goes a LONG way!  It’s DEF an Eye Opener!  (No judging my Pj’s!)

What does the research actually show about drinking Bragg’s ACV?

A benefit that caught my eye was that it assists in the processing of vitamins and minerals in your food. How?  The acid in vinegar helps with the absorption of nutrients as well as B6, folate, calcium and iron. All those phytonutrients in my vegetables…I want to utilize them to their full capacity.  Maxing out my new vegetable rich menu is my goal!

Here’s a list of Potential Benefits:

(taken from Cosmopolitan)

1. It reduces bloating.

2. It increases the benefits of the vitamins and minerals in your food

3. It cancels out some of the carbs you eat.

4. It softens your energy crash after eating lots of sugar or carbs.

5. It keeps you full longer.

6. It can help your muscles produce energy more efficiently before a major push.

7. It could lower your blood pressure.

8. It balances your body’s pH levels, which could mean better bone health.  (Gotta love this one too)!

I can’t help feeling that taking a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar first thing in the morning, (before breakfast) will really help maximize the benefits of my healthy eating routine throughout the day.  So…

I’m feeling extra confident that I’m doing all that I can to keep moving toward my goal.

It’s been ONE week since I’ve started and I’m already feeling energized!

Saturday’s post is next! 😃

 

 

Walking for Skin Health – Does it Really Work?

 

Is that true?  Does walking for skin health really work?  Well, I’m going to find out!  Now that I have my morning nutrient-dense breakfast food going, the last thing I want to do is have it pass right on through me and be eliminated as waste!  Sitting all day long at the office or in my car just keeps all those nutrients stagnate in my body.  House cleaning (exercise) won’t cut it!  It just isn’t enough and if I’m serious about Subtracting the Years, (and I DEF am!), those phytonutrients I’m eating for breakfast need to thoroughly circulate throughout my body and be useful.  And since blood carries oxygen and nutrients to working cells throughout the body, (including the skin) off I go to start my…..

Walking for Skin Health Routine!

This first week I’ve started walking for 20 minutes a day.  My schedule is pretty hectic so I don’t go to the gym.  Whose got that kind of time?!?!  Not me!  Since I supervise jobs all day long it works for me to just make it a point to STOP, Get Out Of My Car, set my phone timer on 10 minutes, and start walking.   When my timer Beeps, I turn around and go back to my car.  Voila!  Easy Peezy! 😌  (I’ll make sure to take walking shoes with me, rain boots, and an umbrella.  No excuses!)

It’s AMAZING  how only 20 minutes of easy nonstop walking can stimulate the blood to flow, ease the tension, and pump up the endorphins! Does walking for skin care really work?  Based on this first week, I think the answer will be “YES”!

On the technical side…I read a study that showed, “Blood vessels with high blood flow always showed a HIGHER elastin:collagen ratio in comparison with blood vessels with low blood flow.”  Check it out at….ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

That HIGHER elastin:collagen ratio is what this Journey is ALL ABOUT!  Delivering those nutrients to every part of my body.  It’ll be fun to see the skin slowly but surely rejuvenating every month!

Stay tuned for next Monday’s post!  😃

 

First Healthy Beauty Tip – Morning Beverage Change

Morning Beverage

So, they say…”Beauty starts from within.” Or… “You are what you eat.”  Based on that insight, my  FIRST healthy beauty tip on my journey will start with a Morning Beverage change.  My Daily Starbucks run is now officially over.  🙁  No more hot chocolate with a Bacon Gouda! 😢  YES, I’M CONFESSING!!!  I think it was more of a “routine” thing to do.  And EVERYONE goes to Starbucks or Pete’s for their morning pick-me-up…right?  The answer to that rhetorical question is “NO”.   It was just a guilty little pleasure of mine.

It’s time to make better, improved choices in life.  Choices that will benefit me now and in the long run.  It’s time for some HEALTHY pleasures in life by adding a Morning Beverage Change!

So now, I’m looking forward to a Brighter, Healthier & Happier future! 🤩 I’m replacing my morning hot chocolate with a delicious cup of Lemon Ginger Tea.  Lemon is a definite mood booster (to help me stay motivated on my journey) Not to mention all the amazing benefits that I’ve copied and pasted below from “naturalfoodseries.com”.  You can go to their website and read all the details.  The bullet points that I’ll highlight are:

  1. Good For Your Skin
  2. Improves the Condition of Your Hair
  3. Enhances Cardiovascular Health
  4. Boosts Cognition
  5. Strengthens Immune System
  6. Anti-Inflammatory Agent
  7. Helps with Weight Loss
  8. Good for Mental Health
  9. Regulates Blood Sugar Levels

I love the fact that Lemon Ginger tea has calming effects that can help you counter the stress from your daily life.  Great skin AND less stress…what a great combo!

Feeling GREAT about my morning beverage change!

Stay tuned for my next Healthy Beauty Tip, coming Wednesday!

 

 

An 18-Month Journey back to the Year 2010 and Beyond!

Below are my goals to help achieve my desired results and then….. On to my bucket list!

 

Goal 1 – Weight Loss – 155 lbs. (approx)

(Through nutritious diet – current weight 199.3 pounds)

Goal 2 – Youthful Skin Elasticity while losing weight.

(By building elastin in skin)

Goal 3 – Minimizing Wrinkles

(By building collagen in skin)

Goal 4 – Minimizing or Eliminating Cellulite

(Through proper hydration and food intake)

Goal 5 – Elongating/Stretching muscles

(Through proper exercises)

Goal 6 – Increase Muscle Strength

(Through proper exercises)

Goal 7 – Eliminating “age spots”

(Through natural concoctions)

I want to look my best and feel my best to have the energy, health and confidence to accomplish my dreams.  To finish my life’s bucket list!

An EXTRA 9 or more years would certainly be helpful to do just that!  🤗

For the next 18 months I will post monthly progress photos.  I will try my very best to keep things as real and transparent as I possibly can.  After all……..I  want the TRUTH!

Can someone @ 59 turn the clock back at least 9 years?  I think I can.

Follow me on my 18-month journey.  I will start with nutrition and diet…(Monday’s post)  😃