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JOYFULJUDYLYNN's Recent Blog Entries
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Saturday, January 14, 2012
So, I've been noticing several conversations on message boards and blogs about the COST of a healthy diet. I *may* have a suggestion or two that could help. See.... I'm a couponer. One of the crazy people you see at the store with their ad packs and a fist full of coupons. In fact, a friend and I even run a facebook page for our couponing followers.
Now, I realize that this wacky hobby isn't for everyone. I started a year ago, and the savings quickly made me a believer. But as my stockpile of food of household items grew, I stopped chasing every freebie deal and just looked at saving consistently on the items that my family uses. As my family turns more and more to healthy food options and portions, I've been focusing my couponing eye onto healthy foods.
So here are a few tips to help you purchase HEALTHY, FRESH options for a fraction of the cost.
1) Buy larger quantities while it's on sale. This is the holy grail of couponing. You don't need to have some crazy stockpile like the shoppers on "Extreme couponing" (Although I'm extremely proud of the one I have in my garage). Make some room for your food stores so that you can buy 2-3 months of an item when it's super cheap.
2) Ad-Match! This is the quickest and easiest way to save on items like meat and produce. Each Wednesday, I get the ads for each of the major food retailers in town. My walmart price matches. So I sit down with my ads, and make a list of the items that are a great price. Coupons for produce and meat are rare, but if you can save .30/lb on bananas by price matching a different price, that ads up!
3) After you made a list of sale items from all your stores, head on over to the database at hotcouponworld.com, and see if there are any available coupons for those items as well. MANY of them are printable and will make huge savings.
4) Don't assume that healthy items can't be saved one! Just this past week, I was able to price match kiwi, avocado, oranges, onion, fiber one bars, progresso soups, milk, yogurt, and nutri-grain bars!
5) Have fun! Couponing can be a lot of work, but saving should be fun! There are plenty of couponing sites that are perfect forums to ask questions and seek support.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Did you see the recent movie, "Courageous"? If not, I can not recommend it enough (it comes out on DVD 1/17!!!). In it, a man is hit with the realities and griefs that life can throw your way, and decides he's not living up to his potential. He decides that in order to live the life that God designed for him, he must be courageous. He must dare to love harder, work harder, and trust more. In the movie, his teenage son has been trying to get his father to run with him. But he's always busy. Not interested enough. As he goes through his changes, there is a scene with him running with his son. In it he says,
"I didn't start out strong. I want to end strong".
This is my goal. I am resolving to seek God's will and design for my life... including taking better care of this physical body.
I will be courageous and fight my inner battles, lack of motivation, and worries that I can not do this.
I will be courageous when I go to the gym each day, giving my worries about other's thoughts about me to God.
I will be courageous when I deal with emotions as they come, rather than turning to food for comfort.
I will be courageous is being honest with myself and others about my struggles and victories.
I will be courageous in handing this struggle over to God.
Will you be courageous with me?
Friday, January 13, 2012
This morning, I stepped up the pace on the elliptical and hit 2 miles during my 30 minute cardio session! I had the machine set to interval setting, putting 1/2 my work out in the resistance 8 level. This is a victory for me!
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm as far from athletic as you can get. I don't like to sweat. I dislike being dirty. I'm uncoordinated and FAR from graceful. I was always picked last for team sports. And somewhere along the way, I adopted an attitude of "I CAN'T be active".
Today I confronted that self-held belief.
I'm an active person! I may not ENJOY being active, but I know it's healthy for me, and I'm able to push myself and do it.
I don't need to check the scale for weight loss today. I think I'll just savor this victory a bit. :)
Thursday, January 12, 2012
That's what I said to my trainer tonight near the end of a tough work out. I'd put in 31 minutes on the elliptical, only to meet with my trainer for 30 minutes of gravity machine strength training. And she kicked my butt!
In 9 days, I've lost 9 pounds. Mostly water, I am sure, since stopping my 1/2 case of diet pepsi per day habit. But I take pride in it. I have been working my hind end off! Of those 9 days, I have worked out 8 of them. I have been under my calorie range each day. I'm making good choices. And I'm proud of myself.
Amazingly, I remember just a short time ago, sitting here with a self-loathing tape playing over and over in my head. No more! I hate my weight. I NO LONGER HATE ME! My weight is what my frame carries. I am a mother, wife, daughter, social worker, friend, gym member who is doing what it takes. What is there to loathe about that?
Hello, self pride. It's nice to see you again.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Today was probably the toughest workout for me thus far (8 days!). I had a stressful day, sore back muscles, and a general case of the "Don't wanna's". But I went, checked my daughter into the kid's zone, and hit the elliptical.
I wanted to quit. But I didn't.
My feet hurt. I kept peddling.
I wanted to leave. I left proud after completing my full 30 minutes.
And I realized something. My body doesn't care about my mood while I exercise. It's a simple equation of what goes in vs what is burned. My sweat today did the same amount of good as yesterday when I was having an "up" day. The work out is the workout.
Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully today's lesson will carry over!
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Member Comments About This Blog Post:
job! Congrats on your victory over self!
on a job well done, keep up the good work. Sandy