Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Still Chugging Along, My Oola Life Journey Update

It has been 201 days since I started my Oola Life Journey.  It's not always easy to stay on track with eating healthy.  Right now I've been cheating A LOT.  I need to get back on track with my eating.  I have been craving things that aren't good for me and giving in.  So yesterday when I went grocery shopping I got more fruits and veggies.  I am still going to kickboxing twice a week and I still really like it.  But I've been so tired and not much energy.  In a week the kids go back to school and I'm hoping to start training during the day and get over this hump.  I have been stuck at a weight loss of 20 pounds.  By this point I should have lost much more but I have horrible will power and keep giving in to my cravings.  I have however successfully stayed off of coffee and am still drinking tea.  I accidentally had a sip of iced coffee because Dunkin Donuts gave me an iced coffee instead of iced tea.  It was so disgusting I had to spit it out.

This summer has been an OOLA summer.  I've been doing things and making things happen to live my best life.  One of my dreams was to own my own kayak.  That dream came true for my birthday, we have two.  Because you can't go kayaking alone.  Another dream was to go away with my husband Ken, and we did.  Even though it was just for one night it was wonderful.  We stayed in Speculator and took the kayaks with us.  We kayaked on the Kunjamuk Creek.  It was so peaceful.  Just us, the water, the mountains and the ducks.












I have also gotten away from doing my index cards for the week and I need start doing them again as the kids return to school.  I need to stay on top of my goals.  I am ready to get back on top of them.  No dream is too small.  As the Oola Guys say, "Dream Big and Drink Tea."
 #oolalife #liveoola

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

I won't give up, I won't give in

I won't give up, I won't give in, even though I'm really struggling these last 2 weeks with my Oola life journey.  I have been very tired and not eating as good as I was.  I was doing so good and hit 20lbs. In the last 2 weeks I gained 6lbs back.  I'm so disappointed in myself.  I need a boost.  So starting Tuesday after the holiday weekend I am going to do the Lean and Burn program with Oola Teas, https://www.oolatea.com/180 .  I have been on this journey for 104 days.  I haven't gone back to coffee although I have been craving it all week.  I want to cave in but I haven't.  Looking for suggestions on motivation.

Monday, April 30, 2018

A true Hero

Last night I had the opportunity to go see a movie with my daughter called, "The Heart of Nuba."  It is an AMAZING story of a small town boy who grows up to be a HERO.  Dr. Tom Catena grew up in my hometown of Amsterdam, NY.  He is the only doctor at the Mother of Mercy Hospital in Gidel in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan.  He has been the practicing medicine there since 2008.  He did not set out on this path, but changed direction after graduating from Brown University. After he graduated with a bachelors in engineering, he realized his true calling was to study medicine.  In order to afford medical school he joined the Navy.  He attributes his perseverance to his football background and to his Catholic upbringing.  His faith lead him to give up all of his worldly possessions to serve others unconditionally.  He lives in a small hut.  His father said, "he has nothing and yet he has everything."  In a place that is religiously diverse they are amazingly united in they determination to survive the war.  Dr. Tom says that, "every life holds the promise of hope," and believes in the power of human touch.  Every life matters and everyone has a purpose in life and Dr. Tom has found his.  You can find out much more at the website https://theheartofnuba.com/ 

I will leave you with this beautiful song and music video for the movie, "Bloom."
"Life holds a promise.  Love sets it free.  Hope grows when we are blooming where we're meant to be."

Monday, April 9, 2018

Ups and Downs

Ups and Downs of dieting.  Yuck I really don't like that "D" word, dieting.  I am not on a diet.  I have made a lifestyle change and I really do like it.  As they say it looks easier than it is.  It's hard to change your lifestyle, but I know it will be so worth it.  I can't believe I have been doing this for 60 days.  I have lost 15 lbs.  But the last 3-4 lbs keep going on again and off again.  So after a week of being on the run with the family every day I am getting back on track this week.  I have a goal to get more off before my physical next week.  I'm not going to let these ups and downs of dieting bring me down.

Friday, March 16, 2018

My 7F Oola Day

Yesterday I watched Dr. Troy's Facebook Live post, "What's a 7F Day?"
If you don't know about the 7F's check out the Oola website. Oola started with a book called, "Oola- Find Balance in an Unbalanced World."  You can order the book directly from them or from Amazon.  Since I purchased the book 10 months ago I am feeling like a new person.  I'm not a reader, but I really enjoyed reading the book.  I will be honest with you it took me longer than it should have to finish the book.  In reading the book, I grew to love the idea behind Oola and I love the addition of their life experiences.

In case you don't know what they are, here are the 7F's that Oola is based on:

  • Fitness
  • Finance
  • Family
  • Field (Career)
  • Faith
  • Friends
  • Fun
Starting in September when the kids went back to school, I didn't.  I retired from being a substitute teacher and decided to focus on me and my family.  The 2 F's I decided to concentrate on were Fitness and Finance.  In addition to reading the book I follow the Oola Guys on Facebook.  I consciously take time on to watch Dr. Troy's, Money Monday's on Facebook Live.  The fitness part didn't start as easy.  It started and stopped.  That was until my husband ordered the Oola Teas for me.  And then I started and finished the Oola Tea Detox.  He also got the affirmation bands for me.  The universe is starting to balance out for me.  I like exercising, I am eating right, counting my dollars and cents, calories, and blessings every day.  So yesterday after I watched Dr. Troy's Facebook Live video I decided to do the challenge.  Here it is...


My Oola 7F Challenge #oolafinance watched Money Monday, pay bills, diffuse finance oil. Never thought I’d be saying this #oolafitness,#oolafriends,#oolafun Kickboxing. #oolafield I’m a stay at home mom today I did laundry and dishes. #oolafaith Bible journaling Proverbs 19:21. #oolafamily snuggle with Amy. Living Oola every day! #oolalife  NIV Journal the Word BIBLE


Punching Out the Fat & Willpower

For the first time in my life I am loving exercise and have willpower.  The 6 weeks of my Girl Fight Fit class has come to an end.  However due to 2 snow cancellations they have agreed to add another week onto my session. I completed the 14 day Oola Tea Detox. I chose to continue drinking the Detox Tea every morning a 1/2 hour before I eat breakfast and Energy Tea in the afternoon.  I haven't had a cup of coffee since Feb 11th.  I am down 11 lbs. and am feeling so much better.  I don't drink a gallon of water a day anymore.  I needed to stop spending the whole day in the bathroom. I am drinking around 3/4 of a gallon.

I love the idea of punching away the fat.  All of my anger and anxiety has been linked to my weight, my whole life. So while I'm doing my kickboxing classes I imagine that I'm punching the fat away.  I have never liked exercise.  I get anxiety going to the gym and exercising in front of people feeling like they are watching and judging me.  I hate the treadmill, both walking and running. The first day I went to Girl Fight Fit my heart was racing.  But punching and kicking a bag, and doing the circuit of floor exercises, I LOVE.   The first night was really hard, so were the 2nd and 3rd.  After that my anxiety was gone. Looking around the room I saw women of all ages and sizes. I new I was not alone and my anxiety went down every day a little bit the first few times until it was gone.  Last week the instructor complimented, saying that my form has improved and that I'm doing so good, she sees the improvement.  That made me feel great.

I add either a drop of Slique Essence or Grapefruit Vitality essential oil both from Young Living to my water.  It's quite yummy, which helps when you are drinking a lot of water.

I am still eating doing the 80/20 plan.  I eat healthy, counting calories with the my fitness pal app 6 out of 7 days and then I cheat one day a week.  I really haven't kept myself from my cravings, I just examine the choices, serving size and calories before I eat something.

I continue wearing my fitness affirmation bracelet to remind me that "I AM FIT, healthy, disciplined and strong." Loving my pink boxing gloves.


Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Noticing Changes

So, I'm starting week 3 of my transformation.  I have been going to Girl Fight Fitness 2 nights a week.  I have been having my Oola Detox Tea every morning, drinking a gallon of water a day and having an Oola Energy Tea in the afternoon.  I am half way thru my Detox.  I am feeling so much better.  I have less swelling in my ankles.  My hands aren't going tingly as they were before, and I feel less bloated.  I have lost 7 1/2 lbs.  The worst thing about this is that I go to the bathroom all the time.  But I'm ok with that if I'm flushing out all the bad stuff.  I'm thinking of ordering more Oola Detox and Energy Tea and continuing on longer.  I'm so afraid that if I stop and go back to coffee I will gain the weight right back.  I don't want that, I want it to keep coming off.  Today's affirmation from Oola, "I AM mentally ready for physical change."  That's so true.  I am ready.

Friday, February 16, 2018

Making Changes

I'm not sure what it was that finally clicked.  But I have made some long over due changes in my life.  I need to focus on Fitness. That includes, exercise and eating right.

So for fitness, I joined a gym.  It's not the traditional type of gym.  It's called Girl Fight Fitness and it's a kickboxing gym for women.  With the help of a good friend who agreed to join with me I have gone to 3 classes, tonight will be my 4th.  For the first time ever I like exercising.   I am not a small woman.  And I have faced my biggest number and am making a change.  It is very hard for me to say the number but I have said it to 3 people, so I can move forward.  I HATE THE NUMBER.  I have decided that I am going to "punch" the fat out at kickboxing.  I'm not going to lie it's not easy.  But it's not walking on a treadmill, which I totally hate.  Some of the floor exercises are very hard for me and I have to made adjustments.  PUSH-UPS UGH, my arms shake and my knees hurt, but I'm doing them.  At home I have been using an exercise stability ball instead of doing some of the things on the floor, hoping to work up to or down to the floor.  But it's killing my knees.  

Last night I got the ultimate motivation from someone at Girl Fight.  I don't even know her name.  But after we were done she came over to me and told me I was doing awesome and not to give up.  She said she knows how hard it is but to keep doing it. Then she told me that 4 years ago she was 217 pounds heavier.  I hugged her and told her she rocked. It was very emotional for me and I had tears in my eyes.  

For eating right, I'm doing a combination of things. First I stopped eating after 9pm.  That was really hard.  Having oh so good but bad snacks while watching TV is very hard to quit.  I started using the my fitness pal app on my phone, logging everything I eat.  I'm doing an 80/20 plan that gives me a 20% cheat.  That boils down to 4 meals or 1 day of cheating per week.  And this week I added doing a coffee detox with Oola Tea.  Cutting out coffee for 14 days and switching to tea, and drinking a gallon of water every day.  OMG it's a lot of water.  Talk about trips to the bathroom, it seems like right after I go I have to go again.  But it's all good.  I have not had any headaches which I was nervous about getting.  But I have been biting my nails bad, I don't know why.  To help with the cravings I have been putting a drop of grapefruit essential oil by Young Living in my water.  It smells good and tastes good.  Today my new oil came it's called Slique Essence.  It's a blend of Citrus and herbs to help support digestion and weight management.  I'm hoping that it helps with cravings.  You taste the citrus but you smell the mint.  

I'm hoping that I haven't bitten off more than I can chew by trying too many things at once.  We shall see how it goes.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Time for Change - Time for Me

"Taking care of yourself is not selfish, it's selfless.  A better you is more capable to serve others." Live Oola

This is something that is very hard to me to do.  I take care of everyone and everything else before I take care of me.  It's time for a change.  It's time for me.  Sometimes it takes things going on in other peoples lives to put things into perspective for your own life.  That is happening right now.  Someone I know has just been diagnosed with cancer.  If something like that happened to me have I done all that I was supposed to do with my life...Have I lived my purpose?

All I ever wanted to be was a wife and mother, being an art teacher was my back up plan.  So for 19 years I have focused on my children.  They are needing me less and less now that they are 19, 16 and almost 12.  Knowing that and knowing that I want to be there for their children someday and to travel the country with Ken when they are all out of the house, I need to focus on me now and get in shape.  "To be in  your children's memories tomorrow, you need to be in their lives today." Live Oola

I know that what has held me back is being so busy doing things for everyone else that I don't have time for me, and then at the end of the day I'm so tired that I don't want to do anything.  But most of all it's fear.  Fear of being judged by others and fear of failing. About 5 years ago I was exercising with a personal trainer.  I don't like exercising in front of other people, or in front of mirrors.  I feel like I am being judged and I HATE going on the treadmill.  But when I was working out with the personal trainer I felt comfortable.  Until one day he forgot and scheduled an open circuit at my time slot.  That day I had my first anxiety attack.  It was awful.  My heart felt like it was beating out of my chest, I was sweating, crying and couldn't catch my breath.  The way I felt in that moment stopped me from exercising, until now.  For the past year I have been wanting to try something new, a kickboxing class for women, but fear and financial reasons stopped me from joining.  Well last week I did it.  I went to my first class.  OMG it was hard.  It wasn't a kickboxing class, it was a kettle bell class.  I am so grateful to my good friend for coming with me and being my security blanket.  I am looking forward to going trying kickboxing.  I have now gone to 3 classes and have exercised at home twice. 

The other thing that has given me the motivation I need is Oola.  I have been reading "Oola: Find Balance in an Unbalanced World," and following OolaLife on Facebook.  Watching their Facebook live's and getting motivation and direction.  I love the quotes they post on FB and on Pinterest.  Year after year things stay the same and I have become content with that, that's not good.  There is one thing that kept changing and that's a number.  I don't want to say the number out loud or even type it because I don't like it.  But I have come to a point that I have to change it.  I don't want to be afraid any more.  I don't want to stand on the sidelines watching, I want to participate.  This change is not going to be easy, no thing worth it is.  I am finally ready to start.

"Don't fear failure. Fear being in the exact same place next year as you are today." Live Oola

"Stop being afraid of what could go wrong, and start being excited about what could go right." Live Oola


Wednesday, February 14, 2018

My Break Is Over

I had been struggling with somethings personally for about a month.  My break is over and I'm back ready to write.

I was asked "What am I trying to say with my blog?"  Think about what "artsyBE" is and model my blog for it.  From the day I started artsyBE  I have always said it was for me.  It's about my journey to being a better me, it's about my struggles and my accomplishments.  If my writing inspires someone else along the way that's amazing.  Everyone should find their own BE List and revisit it every once in a while or yearly whatever works.  A lot of the things on my BE List have remained the same and some things have changed, because life is ever changing, but the center of it all has remained the same. My BE List is who I want to BE to make me better in life.

My BE List not my Bucket List

Friday, January 12, 2018

In Search of Words of Wisdom


I have all of the books that inspire me with words of wisdom on the counter in the kayos. 
#1 The Bible
#2 My Journal
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Program Guide
Searching for advice 
Searching for answers
Searching
Reading 
Taking Notes
and Searching More

Monday, January 1, 2018

Is Santa real?

Is Santa real? That is the question my youngest asked her older sister.  My older daughter said, "what do you think?"  My youngest said, "I think it's Mom."  This Christmas was hard because we weren't sure if Amy still believed in Santa or not.  Emily wanted to spill the beans and let the cat out of the bag.  I told her no, it has to happen naturally.  She said but it's all a lie and you tell us not to lie so why are you?  All valid comments.  For the past week or so I have had a huge box in my bedroom that Amy kept asking about.  I told her Santa sent it early and that I didn't know what was in it and I couldn't open it.  Honestly I had no place to keep this box it was so big.  I think when it was opened on Christmas is when she really put it all together.  So after reading what other parents did on Pinterest I decided to write the kids my own letter from Ken and I.  Here is the letter I gave them.  When Amy found it on the tree, she brought it to me I told her to read it to Emily but she didn't want to read it out loud.  So I read it to them and about half way thru it I got choked up and started crying.  This whole thing was so unreal.  When I finished I looked up from the paper and Emily was all red in the face and crying too.  Amy had a tear in her eye and said, "see this is why I didn't want to tell you Mom."

Dear Amy, Emily & Alex too,
Is Santa real? Are you Santa? Who is Santa? How did this all get started?  You tell us not to tell a lie, but you lied to us…
I know you have all been asking these questions and wondering. Sorry but, there really isn’t just one answer to your questions.    And the answers don’t come easy, we had to give it careful thought to not destroy your Christmas Spirit.  Christmas isn’t just about presents.  It’s about believing without seeing.  Christmas is the birth of our Savior, Jesus.  We can’t see him, but we know he is real.  We can’t give Jesus material gifts, but we can love one another the way God loves us.  We can believe, and we can share Christmas joy with others.  That is why we give gifts to each other.  Not just the gifts that we write down on a list but thoughtful things that come from the heart.  Sometimes those gifts are homemade, sometimes they are big or small, and some cannot be measured at all.  If you give with all your heart that is the best gift of all. 
I know that doesn’t really answer your questions either so here is more…
No, we are not Santa.  There is no one Santa.  Santa is bigger than any one person.  Think of Yes Virginia, “There is a Santa Claus.  He exists as certainly as love and joy…No Santa Claus!  Thank God, he lives and lives forever.  A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.”  Santa is everywhere.  Whether or not you believe in Santa Claus is in your heart.  Santa’s touch is felt around the world every year.  Every year he seems to become more popular in countries where he wasn’t before.  If he wasn’t real, how could he do that?  Santa is all about believing.  Everything and everyone changes and grows up, that’s what life is all about.  What you believe today might be different that what you believe tomorrow or even next year.  The most important thing is that you believe in yourself and that you keep the spirit of Santa alive in your heart.  Just like you keep the love of special people in your heart.  If you keep a special place for him in your heart he will exist in the most important place of all.
Yes, it’s true, Dad and I are the ones who fill your stockings and wrap your presents, the same way Grandma & Grandpa and Grammy & Grampy did for us and their parents for them.  And hopefully someday you will do for your children.  You will love seeing them run down the stairs on Christmas morning.  Better than any gift that you could give us is watching you open your gifts every year.  The magic that fills the room fills our hearts, and makes memories to last a lifetime.
Keeping the magic alive is a big job, and an important one that needs to last your whole life long.  Santa is also a teacher and we have been his students.  Now you know the secret of how he gets presents all around the world in one night, he has help from all the people whose hearts he has filled with joy.  Now you too must help keep his spirit alive.  With hearts full of love like Daddy and I we help Santa do a job that would otherwise be impossible. 
So, no, Dad and I aren’t Santa.  Santa is love, magic, hope, joy, belief and happiness.  We are on Team Santa and now you are too.  We love you all very much and always will. 
Love, Hugs & Kisses,

Mom & Dad

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