This post 30 Days to Healthy Living includes affiliate links for your convenience. For more information please visit my disclosure page.
This post was written several years ago, but is timeless and I hope will encourage you to do your own 30 Days to Healthy Living.
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I used to create a Foodie Friday Roundup for SimpleStepsForLivingLife, but this week I’m going to tell you about how I’m planning to eat healthier this year starting with the 30 Days to Healthy Living challenge. That means cutting down on foods that aren’t good for me. That means not stress eating. That means a bunch of stuff.
But really it’s also about the fact that…
I want to lose weight.
I know I’m not at a healthy weight. There’s only so much pressure a human heart can be under and then it causes problems. I also have back problems; remember my surgery a couple years ago? Plus, I have family members with type 2 diabetes. “Almost 90% of people living with type 2 diabetes are overweight or have obesity. People who are overweight or have obesity have added pressure on their body’s ability to use insulin to properly control blood sugar levels, and are therefore more likely to develop diabetes.”(www.obesity.org/content/weight-diabetes) According to the BMI calculator I’m overweight which means I’m at risk for developing diabetes which is one more disease I just don’t want! Especially if it’s something I can help prevent.
What is the best way to lose weight and keep it off?
Changing my habits.
Remember just two weeks ago when I wrote the post, My 5 Step Plan to Lose Weight? I haven’t done so good following my plan. I have slowly but surely started following steps 1-4. Not too the letter though and not necessarily every day. My problem is not that I don’t want to follow the steps; I lack the willpower, the self-control. I’d rather chug my favorite soda out of a cup the size of my head. I’ve been the person on the left in the image below for the last year and I’m ready to get off that rollercoaster!
So, I’ve be flailing at my goal steps 1-4 the last two weeks. And do you know why? I’ve totally been ignoring Step #5 – Find an accountability partner or audience. And that’s where you come in my sweet readers. By having this blog I will be held accountable by posting my weightloss journey. And by joining February’s 30 Days to Healthy Living by Arbonne, I’ll have specific accountability partners that are going through the same challenge.
May of 2015 was my first time to go through a 30 Days to Healthy Living by Arbonne. A friend of mine from high school contacted me about her Arbonne business and told me all about it. At the time, I was near the heaviest I had been post babies(my youngest was 3-1/2 t the time). I was so depressed about my weight and didn’t know where to turn to jump start making the pounds go away and help me get rid of my bad habits.
This month long challenge changed my life.
For each challenge there is a small Facebook group with encouragement and accountability. It also includes grocery shopping lists for the healthy dinners. Things to think about during the month – like why eliminating potential food allergens is important, how to balance your food choices with good proteins and carbs with a lower glycemic index and more. But really, what I love the best about it is having a group of other people that are going through the 30 Days to Healthy Living together.
With the first challenge, visiting the group facebook page each day helped me be more accountable. I also turned in my beginning weight to the group moderator. Although there was nothing said about it, just knowing that she knew my beginning weight and would eventually know my ending weight motivated me. In the end, I lost around 10-15 pounds in 30 days. But that’s not all. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, it was literally the best I ever felt in my life. The Best!!!
Following the healthy living plan for the month, meant no soy, milk/dairy, caffeine, high glycemic index foods, and no sugar. My mood evened out greatly. I slept better. I felt so great!
For the next year and a half I kept eating healthy and kept the weight off.
And then 2017 happened.
It was a rough year for our family in a lot of ways but good in a lot of ways too. It was probably the 2nd most stressful year of my life(and I had three kids that were 3.5 & younger one year). That meant, left uncheck, 12 months of me growing my unhealthy habit of stress eating. If stress eating were an Olympic event, I’m pretty sure I could have qualified to at least compete. Now I’m back up 7-10 lbs. SIGH!
As an old friend used to throw up her arms and say after a rough time…
WE’RE MOVIN’ ON, PEOPLE!
I’m ready to start this new adventure of healthy living on February 5th. It’s exciting to start this journey again and know that it is obtainable. My self esteem and hopeful outlook is so much better this time because I know that I can make better choices since I’ve gone through it before. This kick start is just what I need. It also prompted me to finally feel like I could have a mommy makeover and get my hernia fixed. I started checking out things like Smartlipo or Lipo 360 fat reduction procedure to see what they offer and plastic surgery to help fix my body from being so jacked up.
Check back each week to see how my week has gone on the 30 Day program. I’ll be listing my *gasp* weight, whether I stayed on track or not, how my energy level felt, my mood, and the pros & cons of the week.
LOOK FOR POST UPDATES ON…
Sneak peak Update: I lost ten pounds!
Check my progress from in the links to the dates above. I’m going to be real & raw, will journal about each day with a couple sentences, and be honest about my struggles and wins during the challenge. I’d love to hear what you think and hope this is motivating for you to reach whatever goals you are taking on whether they are about eating healthier or anything else! Wish me luck my sweet readers!
NOTE: I was back on the eating rollercoaster again this past year and a half. Deaths in the family and stress beyond belief sent me to the fridge every time. I’m thinking I need to get back on this and try it again. It made me feel better about my appearance but made me physically feel better because I was eating better. Here goes another round! 🙂
Ultraviolet wand says
Routine is the BIGGEST factor for me – habits are almost magical (good and bad) how they control us towards or away from success.
Cindy Magee says
Routine is one of the hardest but YES such a good factor in healthy living! Thanks so much for stopping by SimpleStepsForLivingLife. 🙂
Katheryn Kunkle says
You did a fantastic job! This post sound extremely good.
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Cindy Magee says
THANKS!
John says
If you are interested in being healthy prepare meals at home, getting more fruits and vegetables in your family’s diet, and being able to conveniently make pantry staples in your own kitchen…then this post is for you.
Diep Pham says
Very Interesting. I’ll follow these step for a better life, thank you a lot!
Cindy Magee says
Thanks so much for visiting! Hope this helps. 🙂
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Leanna says
Congratulations, keep us updated. You go girl.
Cindy Magee says
Thanks!!! 🙂
Kacey Jones says
I’m excited to watch you on the Healthy Living journey!!!!