ACV!

Hey everyone,

Apple cider vinegar! I was reading  all of the posts for this week, and decided I would talk about ACV for a minute. I first started reading into the benefits of taking ACV everyday when a friend of mine told me that they hadn't caught a cold since they began drinking it every morning. It wasnt difficult to find endless amounts of information backing up the numerous benefits of incorporating this fermented beverage into your everyday routine. From improving digestion, regulating blood sugar, increased energy, normalizing intestinal bacteria, to bringing your unrelenting hiccups to an instant halt! Which it totally does btw, I have tested this a few times.

I am going to dive into the benefits that seem the most applicable in response to Kyle and Patrick's posts. First being to simply strengthen your immune system. It has become known to me that plenty, if not nearly all of our health issues begin with, or are somehow connected with our digestive tract. That is why it has been my sole mission to try and do whatever i can to begin the healing there! ACV will help improve the conditions for friendly bacteria in your gut, and therefore help improve your overall immunity. The malic acid in ACV is a strong antiviral, and is also said to help your bodies lymphatic system by aiding in the break up mucous in the body. All of this contributing to many people saying they experience far less colds/allergies when drinking it. The other potential benefit I wanted to talk about is weight loss. The acetic acid in ACV has shown in studies to suppress the accumulation of body fat and liver lipids. It is said that if you try drinking ACV before a meal, it improves digestion of the food and suppresses your hunger levels helping with portion sizes.

If any anyone does start drinking this, its imperative that you are drinking raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized (not heated) ACV. Braggs is generally the go to brand, and it isn't pricey at all.

There are seriously endless amounts of articles stemming from a variety of sources explaining the benefits of drinking this everyday. I hope some of you will read more about it, who haven't already. It could be just another healthy habit, worthy of being in your everyday routine!

Day 8 for Kyle

Mondays are, well.... Mondays. Inevitably something is weird about them. I had a strange kind of headache a lot of the day and felt hungrier than I have in a while for most of the day. In the morning I didn't have much time so I mixed some protein with almond milk and had a nature valley granola bar at work. I ate some mixed pistachios and almonds as a snack. For lunch, I had a turkey sandwich on wheat sandwich thin with yogurt, carrots and hummus. For dinner, Kim made this awesome African Peanut Stew (here is the recipe: Stew, it's even vegan) with some homemade wheat breadsticks. Kim's Dad had resurrected the failed attempt at lemon meringue pie that we endured over the weekend and so we had to try that as well.

All in all, it was a good day. I felt like I ate fairly balanced and well throughout the day. The portions were a little smaller than usual and my calorie intake was about 600 lower than what the myfitnesspal app says it should be, so maybe that contributed to the off feeling.

Until next time.

Gandhi

“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”
- Mahatma Gandhi

Days 5,6,7, & 8 of Quitting Smoking

Good Morning Everyone!

I apologize for being late and not posting yesterday. I was slammed at work and then I also got a head cold again and got home and passed out all night. I am not sure what is going on but I have never been sick this much in a month period and it is starting to really frustrate me. I am not sure what else I can do I am working out 5-6 times a week,  I take all my vitamins daily, I am  eating healthy and balanced, I am drinking lots of water, and I am even taking an extra vitamin c in the morning to try and feel 100% again. So any advice at all I would really appreciate it!

Honestly I am not sure how I was feeling each day but I do know how many I smoked.
Day 5-11
Day 6-10
Day 7-12
Day 8- 7

So Day 6 which was Jax mans Birthday was easier because we had a lot going on and I spent a good part of my day around him.

Day 8 or yesterday it was so easy for me because I didn't feel well and slept all night.

This morning I am still not feeling very good so I have only smoked 1 time and I am thinking right now I might go home at lunch and sleep the rest of the day. Still my biggest issue is driving or not having much to do. Obviously when I am busy or around Jax Madi or Harper I don't smoke or want to smoke as much.

This week I am shooting for 10-11 a day and see how that goes but really right now more then anything I want to get over being off and on sick.

Thank you again for all the support and feedback it really does help!

Patrick
AKA Uncle Pat

"Cuz I said so"

I know that this may sound redundant and or preachy according to some but I really would love it if everyone would take the time to watch on Netflix 'Fat Sick and Nearly Dead 2'. I loved it! It is very real! 

I truly can testify to the changes I have made in my life in feeling soooo much better and an added bonus of losing weight, simply by making daily choices to better myself and my choice is choosing sustainable and organic good food! Juicing was one of the vehicles I used to jump start myself but as you all know I probably didn't do it perfect myself and have some reservations but I'm overall happy about how things are going and am continuing to make choices to improve myself and my health. Including still juicing. 

So if you won't do it (watch the video that is) because of my example or of your own free will and choice...do it cuz I said so! And I love you and you love me and those around you but mostly because you love you!!! 

P.S. Promise you'll enjoy it

A Legend in the Making

Hi Everyone,
  I guess it is time for me to publish my first blog post not only in 'The Path to Healthy Habits' but ever. It only seems fitting that the title for this inaugural post is completely over the top and full of self confidence with a hint of arrogance.

I have really enjoyed following the family's updates as we all try to improve our lives one decision and one day at a time. The support has been outstanding and I hope this thing keeps rolling.

I have quite a few goals I am always working toward. They range from physical to intellectual to financial and they drive most the decisions I make in life.

As P. Diddy Day "Uncle Pat" eluded to, one goal I have had for many years which I have continually let fall by the way side is reading more. When speaking to people, even if it is the first time speaking to them, you can always tell if they are well read as they are articulate, intelligent, well spoken and have a vocabulary that rarely consists of all the three, four, and five letter words that require censorship around children. I WAN'T TO BE THAT PERSON

Over the past few years "Reading More" has continually been a New Year's Resolution of mine where I start out strong and fade away over a month or two.This year I decided to try something different in order to not to fall into Einstein's definition of Insanity:

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

I began my New Year's Resolution on December 23rd, 2014. It was a Tuesday. I set a goal to start, read and finish a book in parallel with my 8-week long indoor soccer seasons. My reward, I get to continue playing soccer the next season. I think you can all see where this is going, the punishment for failing, NO SOCCER. Crazy right?

So far, I am 6 weeks into my 8 week season and I am on track to finish my first book over the next 14 days. 

I am currently reading 'Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies.' Written by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras. 

Once I have finished the book, my plan is to write a summary blog post on what the book was about, what I learned, and how I feel I can apply the principles. 

If you have any recommendations for my next book I would love to hear them. So far I have really only been interested in books I can learn something from such as business/finance books, psychology books and others like that.

Well that about wraps up my first blog post. I feel like I should have some signature sign off or something like that. I will take suggestions for that as well. For now I will leave it with have a great evening and GO RSL. 

Day 5-7 for Kyle

Here is a quick run down of the weekends eating activities:

Friday:
Breakfast - Blueberry frosted mini wheats with almond milk
Snack - Nature valley granola bar
Lunch - 2 rolls of sushi (shrimp tempura and unagi/avocado/cucumber)
Dinner - Sack lunch from the parents for the game. Included: Sub sandwich, orange, granola bar, gatorade, and cookie.

Saturday:
Breakfast - Smoothie with flax seed, almond milk, almond butter, banana, blueberries, mixed greens
Snack - nutrigrain snack bar
Lunch - food at Jaxon's party: sandwich, chips and dip, veggies, fruit, 1 cupcake
Dinner - Chinese chicken salad (shredded chicken, almonds, greens, wonton strips), crab rangoons, pork potstickers, pork wontons, chow mein, sticky rice, orange chicken, lemon meringue pie. And a Diet Coke (more on this later).

Sunday:
Breakfast - Apple
Lunch - Crab rangoon, pork wontons, sweet chili sauce
Dinner - Mushroom/Beef tacos, guacamole, pita chips, mom's "healthy" no-bakes, 1/2 slices of lemon meringue and banana cream pie.

So the damage was a 2 lb loss from last week to this week, now weighing in at 334. I ended up having the one diet coke, which was stupid because diet coke is awful tasting and was a wasted intake of carbonation and caffeine. I drank a lot of water and spent a lot of time walking to and from a bathroom. I certainly felt better last week and this week is off to a good start. I am not overly concerned with the weight numbers at this time when I am so busy and working out hasn't been incorporated yet, but with that being said I am happy with the loss that occurred despite having a weekend that wasn't the best for food.

Thanks for the support so far, I appreciate the more you give for both Patrick and I.

Until next time -