Think About It Thursday

I'm a big fan of Michael Hyatt, well-known speaker and author of the NY Times best-selling book "Platform".  He recently had an excellent article about minimizing your to-do list.  What?!?!?  My sacred, hold it tightly, mile-long security blanket to-do list?????  I broke out in a cold sweat just thinking about it... especially since the wedding is only 9 days away!!!  I recommend you read it for yourself - here's the link:

http://michaelhyatt.com/

He shared a book that he felt really addressed the concept well:  "Essentialism:  The Disciplined Pursuit of Less" by Greg McKeown.  I've highlighted it as our book of the month for June - Kindle version (much more frugal).  Click on the title to purchase now.  Talk about a great summer read - and if you're a book person, here's the link to get it hard copy:  ESSENTIALISM

However, the point is that today I want you to think about how you can declutter and minimalize some things on your to-do list, in your closet, in your home, and in your life.  Just as you regularly clean your home, it's always a good habit to clean your routine/habits and "stuff".  I'm always amazed at how good I feel when I get rid of things - I feel lighter, less mentally and internally cluttered.  It's great and doesn't cost a THING.

So today, take a few moments to exercise your inner minimalist and clear out, cross off, toss out and declutter some little area of your life - take 15 minutes and pick one area, maybe even a hard look at that ominous to-do list that will take you until 2020 to complete (if it looks anything like mine, and I'm sure it does).  You'll be so glad you did.  Let's hear a big, collective "Ahhhhhhh...."  Yeah... that's better!

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Tasty Tuesday

Photo Credit:  www.smashedpeasandcarrots.com

Good morning wild women!  Today I’m sharing a recipe (and link) for “No-Bake Energy Bites” – from Maggie of www.smashedpeasandcarrots.com.  It’s a quick and easy snack that you can vary with many products to accommodate your palate, dietary restrictions and taste!  It’s also pretty healthy to boot.  What a find, yes? 

And, if you really want to ramp it up and have it explode with nutrition and flavor, you can add a scoop of Shakeology® – talk about terrific!  Remember, you can go to my link by clicking on the this photo at:

www.shakeology.com/coachlindabush

for more info and to start making this truly amazing shake a part of your success path to optimal health.  I just love it and can’t stop telling people how GREAT I feel now that it’s part of my daily health/wellness and nutrition plan. I went for the challenge, and I am so glad I did!

So enjoy your quick bites, stay healthy, shake it up with Shakeology®, and choose to exercise your option to have an amazing day!

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Money-$aving Monday

If you’ve been wondering whatever happened to Coach Linda, I’ve been exercising my right to go insane lately as I plan for my wedding, which is only a scant 12 days away!  It’s been a flurry of activities, juggled between career, ministry, college and life… whew!  I apologize for my irregular posts as of late!  June may be a spotty month for posts, but stick with me!  I will try to post as often as possible, and hope to be back on a regular routine by July, once the wedding dust settles.  In the meantime I covet your prayers as my darling fiancée and I prepare to join our hearts and lives on June 21^st.

Okay, all that being said… here’s today’s post!

More than ever, I am on a mission to simplify my life as much as possible, including becoming a fabulous frugalista.  One of my favorite websites/blogs is www.moneysavingmom.com, written by author and speaker Crystal Paine.  She is also a voracious reader, and has inspired me to find new ways to find time and finances to read.  In my pursuits, I have come across the following websites where you can either trade books, or get them for free.

www.ereadergirl.com – find free and discounted Kindle books

www.paperbackswap.com – here you swap out your books and get “new” used ones

Your local library – the old tried and true!  However, I confess over the years I have wound up spending money with overdue fees, so I tend not to borrow.  However, my beloved is an avid library visitor, so I may revisit this option.  Additionally, many libraries offer inter-library loans, some free e-books, DVDs, CDs… so it is s definitely a terrific choice!

www.freebooks.com – offers you e-books online

www.gutenberg.org – has over 45,000 free e-books.

www.amazon.com – Trade-In Program, where you can trade in your gently used books, textbooks, music, etc., for an Amazon Gift Card.

And, oh yes, Crystal has a guest blog posting where she has 15 tips for finding more time to read at http://moneysavingmom.com/2013/02/15-ways-to-fit-more-reading-into-your-day.html

This should get us started reading frugally, yes?  And don’t forget to read Crystal’s website to read about living frugally, along with subscribing to my daily posts.  Go exercise your eyes but not your pocket and have a good read… for free!

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Makeover in Minutes Monday

It is a picture perfect Monday following a picture perfect weekend here in New Jersey.  I just took a very brief walk and held up face up to the sun to let it warm me, listened to the birds sing and let myself breath in the moment... ahhh... a micro vacation.  Beautiful!

In between the tornado of activities that is my life lately, I am battling to become more mindful, more intentional and more successful in completing tasks towards my goals.  It really is a fight sometimes, isn't it? 

Even as a personal trainer and health/wellness coach, I struggle to fit in exercise when so many of my activities cram in to fill the gaps.  I know how hard it is and I empathize with you, my wild woman sisters.  When?  When can I fit in an hour of exercise????!??  

Well, sometimes you have to plant seeds of exercise throughout your day.  After a bathroom break I will do 25 pushups against the sink.  Keep weights by your desk, or a kettlebell, and do some lifts on a break, or swings.  Get up and walk around the building/house.  Run in place for five minutes.  Naturally you want to schedule in serious workouts on your calendar and keep those appointments with yourself sacred and untouchable.  But let's face it - there will be times when kids demand your schedule, work requires overtime, or you simply cannot get up early on a given morning.  It happens.  So while I'm not saying design loopholes for excuses not to exercise, I am saying plant those little seeds of of success so you can still exercise in spite of obstacles that come your way.  

Today I found on Pinterest I found a very good quick AB series that you can do in 10 minutes.  You can do ANYTHING for 10 minutes (okay... maybe not hold your breath or stand on hot coals...but seriously) and here's a sweet little series of moves to get that core tight.  

As always, check with your doctor first before starting ANY exercise program and do at your own risk.  The only one I don't personally recommend on this routine is the 20 leg raises, as that can put undue stress on your lower back and the way they show it there is no support for your neck - refrain from this exercise!  I would also put my hands behind me to stabilize myself on the flutter kicks.  Additionally, on the crunches, keep your elbows behind your line of peripheral vision and look straight up at the ceilNever do any exercise that causes you pain.  If you can't do all of these in one set, then do one here, one there during the course of your day.  Use common sense, do what you can, slowly, when you can - no competition.  

Start your week off right - be mindful, be intentional... plant those seeds and before long your body will blossom with health!  And speaking of daily things to do for your health, I am LOVIN' my shakes by Shakeology and HIGHLY recommend them for the best "meal" of your day.  For more info go to: www.shakeology.com/coachlindabush.  Lose weight, feel great, and delish to boot!   

Blessings,

Coach Linda Bush

Mindfully Make the Most of It Monday

Have you ever spent time around someone who wore cloud gray-colored glasses (the opposite of rose-colored glasses)?  You could be in a perfectly content and happy mood, and their constant negative comments begin to drain you until you are completely exhausted.  Or… have you been guilty of being that person that is draining those around you?

Trust me, I can be the queen diva of critical crabbiness.  I know when I’m being that way because I get sick of hearing myself talk and whine and complain.  I don’t even want to be around me.  Not all that long ago my dear best friend called me out on this (God bless her courageous loving heart that kicks my butt when I need it) – alerting me to the fact that I seemed to always have something negative to say.  I was really surprised, because I think of myself as generally being a bit south of sickening sweet positive Pollyanna.  Boy, was I wrong.  I had chosen to allow myself to put on the blinders to all that which was good and see only the "yuck" of things in my life.  So I’m not pointing fingers and judging here.  And I'm not talking about the occasion moods or down moments, either -- we all have those occasionally.  Nor am I addressing the seriousness of depression.  What I’m trying to highlight today is our need to be careful – mindfully weeding out the words and attitudes that drag you and those around you down like quicksand. 

Negatively litters your world (and everyone else’s, too).  Instead of looking at the beauty of the spring wisteria blooming alongside the road, you complain about a pothole or the driving of the person in front of you.  You grump about what you don’t have instead of everything around you (including people) that you do have in your life.  You get so self-focused on “all” that may be going wrong in your life that you forget to see the blessings and gifts you are surrounded by at every corner.  You spread your wet blanket over others and become the Eeyore that people will begin avoiding because your words and attitude are unintentionally pushing them away.  It’s unhealthy for you... and for those you love and love you.

I want you to take a moment to look around the room you are in, and notice everything red.  That’s right, take minute and intentionally focus on the red.  Now close your eyes.  Think about everything in the room that is… GREEN!  Yup, green.  Very simple lesson – what you focus on, give your time and attention and thought life and energy to… is what you remember and what affects you and what you see.  So stop your whining and complaining and grousing… and begin focusing on all you are and have and can be.  Stop driving away the people and beautiful moments in life and begin embracing all the many wonderful and positive things. Make it a practice each morning to think of three things for which you are grateful, and before you go to bed at night write down three blessings that happened in your life today, from the big things to a butterfly you may have seen to the fact that you have clean drinking water and a flushing toilet and eyes to read this blog posting!

The pity party is over my friend… close and lock the door on it, toss away the key, and begin celebrating your life... which is too short to spend it any other way!

Blessings,

Coach Linda  

Tickle Me Tuesday

Because some days you just need one little thing to make you laugh so hard your stomach hurts (which, in turn, works your core muscles)!!!

Exercise your core and enjoy!

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Motivation Monday

I'd like to take this Motivation Monday to announce that I am now an official independent Beachbody® coach!  In addition, I am psyched up to switch up my workout routine by adding the P90x to my routine, along with my "Linda's Lollapalooza Wedding Workout" that I'm training myself for... since the big day is only six weeks and four days away - that's right, in 46 days I have a beautiful wedding dress to fit into as I walk down the aisle to that man o'mine!  Yikes!  Is there any woman that doesn't freak out a bit about her body when faced with this?!?!?!  I love a workout motivational phrase I read recently:  "The harder you work out, the weaker his knees will be!"  LOL!

So, I am adding P90x to my repertoire of Pilates mat, Pilates Reformer, Body & Soul group fitness, kettlebells, TRX and stretching.  Yeah, I get bored easy!  

In addition, I am adding a delicious and nutritious health option to my clean and healthy eating habits - the Shakeology® shakes.  I have known about them for awhile and curious, so after research and then taste tasting them, I was sold!  Talk about yum-eeeeee!  Lovin' it - I feel like I'm cheating when I have this mouth-watering, creamy, icy cold and oh-so-satisfying shake.  What's better than that?!?!?

If you'd like to join me in kicking up your own workout, here are my links:

Shakeology:  www.shakeology.com/coachlindabush

Beachbody P90x:  http://www.beachbody.com/coachlindabush

And while I'm taking a brief sabbatical from life coaching until after the wedding dust settles, mark it on your calendar that I'll be back coaching in person, via email, phone or Facetime/Skype in July!  In the meantime, keep following me here, and join me as I coach myself into the best physical shape of my life.

Blessings for your optimal 360 health,

Coach Linda

Wild Woman Wednesday

Wild Women are courageous!

Recently I shared with you information on a speaker/author that I found very powerful - Margie Warrell.  In fact, I'm featuring her book as our book of the month in May.  Well, here's a fun yet revealing quiz that Margie has on her site - it's the "Courage Quiz", and will help you discover your "Courage Quotient."

I think these kind of quizzes can be very helping in discovering your strengths as well as areas where you might like to work on to improve.  It will only take a few minutes to answer, and I hope you will have new insights into your courage levels.  You may be surprised!

So exercise your courage and take the quiz today!

http://margiewarrell.com/couragequiz/

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Wild Woman Wednesday

Wild Women Take Risks!

That's both a statement, and a directive!  Are there dreams in your life that you've not achieved because you are afraid?  Do you tend to think, "Well, if I do this, then THAT could happen, and then it might turn out to go THERE....", etc., etc., etc., until you have created a picture that completely defeats any chance of you every going there?  Yeah... me, too.  I come from a long line of women who, as I call it, "project" -- worrying about what could happen 5, 10, 20 years from now if you make this decision today.  And unfortunately, while it's important to positively project long range goals (and count the cost), we are talking about negative projection here -- all the many reasons why something won't come to fruition, or all the bad things that might transpire.  It's deflating, to say the least, and can completely derail you in minutes.

Instead... think of all the positives as to why you should move forward - what great things could happen?  What will your life look like 5, 10, 20 years from now when you have achieved that goal?  

This month I am highlighting Margie Warrell's book "Stop Playing Safe" as our book of the month.  I'm in the process of reading it, and it's a real butt-kicker in the best sense of the term!  (Hmmm... isn't it amazing how certain things can have both a positive and negative side?)  I am reading/listening to it via audible.com, a wonderful way to "read" when you can't actually sit there with a book.  I can conquer the victim mentality of being stuck in traffic because I'm doing something productive with my time - reading!  (A total side note here - did you know that the average person commutes between 1,200-2,400 hours a year?  Which equates to approximately 1-2 university semesters?  Which means you could turn your car into your own personal education center on wheels!)  But I digress...

Ms. Warrell writes a column for Forbes Magazine, and here is the article about being too tentative and taking risks that got me to thinking about today's blog topic.  It's a must read (and I recommend subscribing to her column, and read her blog and get her email by going to her website at http://margiewarrell.com/)!!!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2014/04/22/too-cautious-for-your-own-good/

So today, wild women, exercise by pulling up your boot straps, gathering up your courage and get moving in the direction of your dreams!  And remember I'm here to help coach you along - never more than a phone call or Skype/FaceTime away!  Get out there and do it, Wild Women - IMAGINE how AMAZING your life COULD BE 5, 10, 20 years from now - ROCK IT AND GO GET YOUR DREAMS TODAY!

Blessings,

Coach Linda Bush

Try, Try Again, and Keep Trying Thursday

Thanks, www.moneysavingmom.com!

Today's message is simple - keep trying!  Don't give up on your goals and dreams.  As a life coach, and as a health & wellness coach, I often see my clients hitting a roadblock, an obstacle or a plateau.  Those are the rough spots that will always challenge you to give up.  But hang in there and think about all the blood, sweat, tears, energy and possibly financial investment that you have already put forth.  This isn't wasted effort - each step is another brick on the golden path of your life... so keep traveling it, one step at a time.

One of my favorite web/blog sites is www.moneysavingmom.com, and in her email today Crystal Paine wrote about refusing to give up.  It was inspirational and a real "shot in the arm" (as Grandmom used to say) because I, too, get tired sometimes of the pursuit of my own goals and dreams.  Here's the link:

http://moneysavingmom.com/2014/04/1-reason-people-fail.html

So today, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and as the old song says, start all over again.  Remember - a coach comes alongside you to help you put feet to those dreams and craft a plan of action to get you there and encourage you along the way.  I'm here, and would love to partner with you.  Just visit my website, give me a call and let's get you started or renew your passion and let 2014 be the year you achieve your heart's desires!!!

Blessings for a wonderful day!

Coach Linda
www.coachlindabush.com
linda@coachlindabush.com
609-331-9833

Wild Woman Wednesday

My favorite - Spectrum Organic Virgin Coconut Oil!

Wild Women try new things!

In the last several months I have been discovering the benefits of coconut oil.  It is now my go-to product for skin cleanser/moisturizer, the base oil for sugar scrubs, oil pulling for dental/oral hygiene (click HERE for details and yes, it has made my teeth whiter), hair conditioner (itsy bit for me on the ends only), leg shaving oil, some cleansing around the house and all kinds of odd things!  Plus, it’s thrifty as well!  It is a solid oil than becomes a liquid when warmed, even by the heat of your skin.  Rather than list all the wonders of this natural oil, let me direct you to a few websites that will give you more ideas on the umpteen uses of coconut oil:

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/blog/natural-health-tips/using-coconut-oil

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/18/coconut-oil-uses.aspx

http://www.sunwarrior.com/news/50-of-the-best-uses-for-coconut-oil/

http://www.lewrockwell.com/2013/09/no_author/160-uses-for-coconut-oil/

Note that there may be duplication of suggestions, and ALWAYS ALWAYS take or use any of these ideas at your OWN RISK!  Because coconut oil does contain a substantial amount of saturated fatty acids (fats), which are known to raise low density (bad) cholesterol, I don’t use it much internally, although I have also read that it can have positive effects on increasing HDL (good) cholesterol and lowering triglycerides.  CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST BEFORE USING IT!!!! 

I would love to hear how you use coconut oil as well and your results!  Please email me at linda@coachlindabush.com or add your comments here.

By the way, the photo I used is the actual brand of organic coconut oil I use by Spectrum.  You can buy it in a glass or plastic jar.  I prefer the plastic jar, as it can get oily and I’m a bit of a klutz sometimes.  (I’m not a paid promoter, by the way, I just like the stuff!)  Also, when I smooth it on after my shower before toweling dry, I let it soften up by sitting it at the bottom of the tub and letting the heat of the water soften it up – not something I’d recommend doing with a glass jar!  I’ve listed it as my “product of the month” for April! 

Go wild (or should I say nutty) with your coconut oil, ladies!

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Thrifty Tuesday

Well, the sunshine left with Monday and now it’s gray, muggy and pouring rain.  But… April showers bring May flowers, or so they say, which makes me think of gardening.  Now while my Grandmom instilled in me a passion for all things related to gardening, my pocketbook usually doesn’t have anywhere near enough in its dusty little corners to afford all I’d love to do with the garden, be it veggies, herb or flowers!  So what’s a girl to do?

One thing is to begin with seeds.  But even that can be an expensive endeavor, so here’s a few ideas I’ve come up with to help ease the financial burden and increase the pleasure of growing something with my own hands from seed!  Thanks to many articles and Pinterest posts that have helped me get creative!

• To make little mini-seed starters, cut up paper towel and toilet paper cardboard rolls, fill them with dirt and plant your seeds in them.  They transplant easily into the ground as well – EZPZ!
• Wash out your cans from canned goods and use them as planters.  Fill with dirt, seed ‘em up and go!  Be sure to poke some holes in the bottom for drainage (hammer and awl or screwdriver to make the holes).
• Start making cuttings now – got any herb plants in your kitchen that you’d like to grow outside, like basil?  Cut them, put them in a jar of water, let them grow roots, and plant them.  This can be done with many herbs, and carrot tops, too!
• Do you get take out or bring home food from a restaurant?  Instead of tossing it, wash it out, poke some holes in the bottom, fill it with dirt and start your seeds in it.
• Rinse out those eggshells, gently fill them with dirt and put your seeds in them – again, easily transportable into your garden!  You can also use the egg cartons as individual pots – be sure to purchase paper crates so you can plant them directly into the ground.

Here’s a great blog posting by www.gardenbetty.com on how to make paper pots from recycled newspaper:
http://www.gardenbetty.com/2011/03/how-to-make-recycled-newspaper-pots-for-seed-starting/

She’s also got a great post on how to start seeds indoors:
http://www.gardenbetty.com/2011/03/the-no-brainer-guide-to-starting-seeds-indoors/

And if you prefer watching a video, here’s a link on making newspaper starting pots:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW4t_6dTAvA

If you are an origami fan, make a box-shaped newspaper seed starter at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dlGQP81yfo

• Get together with friends and exchange plants.  Spring is a good time to thin out the gardens, so have a plant exchange!  And, if you are so inclined, put your baby plants/seedlings in a handmade pretty paper pot by using either the comics and following the above-mentioned square seed box video, or some pretty scrapbook or thicker tissue paper!
• Once the season has begun, check out your local garden centers (like Lowes, Home Depot, etc.) for clearance plants.  They make look a bit droopy, dry and wilted, but you’d be surprised by how just a little TLC and water can perk them right up again!
• Generally, I try to buy perennials when I do cough up cash for plants to get the most long-lasting season-after-season bang for my hard-earned buck!  Then keep a glass jar and will it with spare change for the occasional “I need annuals for color splash!” splurges! 

For more ideas go to my pinterest page on “How Does Your Garden Grow?” at

http://www.pinterest.com/kre8tv4him/how-does-your-garden-grow/

Also at Pinterest, be sure to visit this site: 

http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=thrifty%20gardening

And let’s not forget that gardening is WONDERFUL exercise not only for your spirit but your body as well!

Here’s to starting your own bit of paradise in your backyard – how will your garden grow?

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Mindful Monday

Happy Monday, all!  It was just beautiful weather here in NJ over the weekend.  I just love watching all the spring flowers stretching and reaching for the sun, opening their blooms to the warmth.  Mondays are a great time to revisit your goals and take a step closer to your achievement of them. 

One thing I am trying to learn how to do more effectively is to eat slower.  I tend to “wolf my food down” (as my Grandma used to say) – not exactly mindful eating patterns!  Before I know it, I’ve eaten too fast, too much and enjoyed it too little.  Since it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to register “I’m full” to your brain, it is especially helpful to eat more slowly, plus it gives your body a little more time to digest what you’re eating!

So… as I work on my long-term goal of optimal health for my lifetime, I will begin practicing more mindful eating, taking smaller bites, chewing a little bit longer, putting down my utensils between bites, and savoring each mouthful.  

This will also work towards my goal of being more aware and thankful for all the blessings in my day.  Food – something that is so easily taken for granted, is truly a blessing!

Exercise your goal-seeking muscles today and start the week off well!

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Wild Woman Wednesday

Step away from the sugar - the sequelL

Last week’s Wild Woman Wednesday blog post was about sugar.  Click HERE to see it.

Well, it is so important that I want to create a part two this week, especially since I found a posting on Rodale News entitled “7 Surprising Reasons to Give Up Sugar.”  Let me tell you, it gives some VERY COMPELLING REASONS to step away from this toxic ingredient!  Here's the link:

http://www.rodalenews.com/sugar-health-effects?cm_mmc=ETNTNL-_-1655970-_-04102014-_-7SurprisingReasonstoGiveUpSugar-hed

Not only does it provide insight into how sugar negatively impacts our bodies in a variety of ways, but it also reveals areas where it surprisingly infiltrates foods that we eat (salad dressings, breads, tomato sauces, for example).  And if you are worried about looking older as you age, check out the fact that sugar accelerates the aging process.  Oh baby, that’s enough for me right there!  About the only sugar I would recommend at this point is a sugar scrub!

So, sweeties, read it and judge for yourself, wild woman, but do consider stepping away from that sugar bowl.

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Mix It Up, Manage It and Make It Happen Monday

Found on theberry.com and posted on Pinterest

It’s Monday.  I’m tired.  I can’t afford a gym membership.  It’s rainy.  I don’t have the time.  I don’t have equipment at home.  It’s too hard and complicated.  Groan.  Whimper. Drone on.

Okay,  are we done of the excuses?  Any more reasons you'd like to argue for staying out of shape and unhealthy and unhappy?  I didn't think so.

Get off your justifications/defenses and go sweat.  NOW!!!  You can find SOMETHING in one of these fantastic workout diagrams that I found on buzzfeed: 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/fitness-diagrams-that-make-g?sub=2278573_1234125

It’s time to quit complaining and moaning and groaning and make excuses – take that time and energy and turn it into something positive that you can be proud of when you look in the mirror a month from now and when you begin to feel more energy and healthier than you have in a long time.

Remember – you are a wild woman, and wild women get it done. 

It’s that simple… and that hard…

Blessings,

Coach Linda Bush

Found on Pinterest - via backonpointe.tumbler.com

Wild Woman Wednesday

Step aaaaaawwwaaaayyyyyy from the sugar bowl!!!!!

Wild women are the sweetest women in the world - but... they need to be aware of their sugar intake!

Think those night sweats are the onset of menopause?  Blaming your mood swings on hormones?  Before you assume your body is going through “the change” (cue the music – DAH DU DAHHHHH!), check out how much sugar you are consuming. 

I have the worst sweet tooth in the world, but I know that if I consume sugars and artificial sweeteners like Spenda (generic name – sucralose – POISON STAY AWAY FROM IT) I will get an emotional drop and depression quicker than a junkie coming off a fix.

I want to share a blog posting that I found VERY informative on sugar and depression.  It’s from www.psychcentral.com, and it’s entitled “Why Sugar is Dangerous to Depression”, written by Therese J. Borchard, Associate Editor.  Click HERE to link over to it.  There is some great info and several links to other resources, including Kathleen DesMaisons’ book “Potatoes Not Prozac.”  Sugar sensitivity could be affecting your moods.  For example, last night I was making some chocolate-covered pretzels for an upcoming event.  I have been fairly careful about eating any candies, chocolate and sweets as I try to eat as clean and healthy as possible.  I popped about 4-5 dark chocolate Hershey’s kisses during the preparation process, justifying it as “quality control” (yeah… right).  Well, gals, lemme tellya what – I am certainly feeling the after-effects now with a sugar hangover mood lower than a whale’s belly.  I have a wicked bad case of the blue meanies, the funk, whatever is your pet name for feeling crummy.  Tired, blue, irritable… and for no reason.  Otherwise, I’m logically feeling especially blessed.  And boy, do I hate this feeling.  So I’m drinking lots of water to try and flush my system, and am sticking to a veggies and protein food intake to cleanse and replenish myself.  I don’t like this yucky feeling at all!

I hope you will glean some good info from Borchard’s blog entry and begin to consider eliminating sugar from your system. 

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Think About It Tuesday

Guess the size of your spaghetti!!!!!

Food for thought, thought for food… if you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I am a HUGE proponent for mindful eating.  Any healthy eating plan requires that you think about what you put in your mouth (and subsequently in your body).  That’s one of the reasons why those who keep a food journal have a higher rate of weight loss success – they are keeping track of every morsel that sneaks past those lips!  Otherwise, it is ever so easy to come down with a wicked case of “food amnesia” that can prove terminal to the best laid eating plans out there.  “Oh yeah, I forgot that I ate those three cookies at 10am, or that half a brownie that was sitting there in the break room at 3pm… and I was so sleepy I just HAD to eat it to keep my blood sugar high!”  C’mon now, you know we’ve justified ourselves into the next size up too many times, am I right?  And the truth is, it truly IS easy to forget what we eat sometimes, especially if you’re racing around and you “pop something” just to stave off a mean case of the hungries.

But today I’m thinking about a different take on food for thought, thought for food that makes me shake my head and laugh.  Just this morning I saw an ad for “pot-sized spaghetti”.  Yes… this company is branding a whole new “breed” of spaghetti engineered specifically to fit in your pot.  Ummm… guys, our mom, grandmothers, great-grandmothers and beyond have solved that earth-shattering dilemma for centuries now… JUST BREAK THE SPAGHETTI IN HALF!!!!!!  Can I get a collective DUH??? From our wild women readers???!?!?!  Seriously?  Shorter spaghetti to fit in the pot?  And let me guess, I’ll bet this new “innovative and creative design” will cost more money as well, won’t it?!?!

I can’t help but think about the old story of a young bride making her first roast for the visiting family’s Sunday dinner.  She cuts off the end of the roast before putting it in the pan.  Her hubs asks why she did that, and she says that’s because her Mom always did it.  Well, when Mom shows up for dinner, her daughter asks her why she cut off the end of her roast before going into the oven, and Mom says, “Well, honey, that’s because my Mom did it that way.”  They go to the phone and call Grandmom to find out what the secret is to cutting off the end of a roast.  Flavor?  Letting the juices escape?  What? What?  As they wait with anticipation as they ask the question to Grandmom, she reveals the family secret.  “Well, dears, my pot was small and the roast never fit, so I just cut off the end to get it in the pan and into the oven!”

Like I said, thought for food… be mindful and intention about what you eat, and WHY you are preparing it, and WHY you need to spend extra money to get spaghetti that is shorter when you can just break it in half.  Things of puzzlement…..  

Exercise your brain cells today!

Blessings,

Coach Linda Bush

Mindful Money Monday

From the time I was knee-high to my Grandmom's apron I've been a craft-a-holic.  I love all the latest ideas and colors and possibilities.  It's come in quite handy over the years when money was tight and I needed to provide gifts and additional income here and there.  It's also fun to be able to repurpose and recycle items into other functional items.

That being said, today is just a little fun way to save a bit of money and craft a common item into something new... the good old cereal box!  While a few of the ideas may be a bit far fetched, there are some that I found quite cute and useable (the mini-notebooks and mail organizers were my favorites, along with the ages-old idea of using a cereal box as a magazine storage bin).  A bonus is that you can do most of these crafts with your kids... always a good thing! You can make a mini-notebook as a food journal or weight/inches loss booklet since tomorrow is April 1st -- the beginning of a new month and new quarter!

So grab a few empty cereal boxes, grab some inexpensive contact paper, stickers and wrapping paper from your local dollar store, and join in the fun as you exercise your crafting muscles!  Here's the link, and thanks to Pippa Armbrester at www.buzzfeed.com  for this crafty and money-saving article!

Thirty-One Things You Can Make Out of Cereal Boxes:  http://www.buzzfeed.com/pippa/cereal-box-diys-5ocb

Blessings,

Coach Linda Bush

Fun Frugal Friday

Ahhhh… it’s almost the weekend, and you and your family/friends have been working hard all week.  Time to relax, kick back and enjoy your life a bit.  So on this first weekend of Spring (after an excruciatingly looonggg winter), what can you do that doesn’t involve a screen or a lot of money? 

How about planning a weekend picnic?  Gather family or just meet up with friends and do a pot-luck picnic in the park.  Nothing elaborate, just some sandwiches and salad – toss around a football or baseball or Frisbee, go for a walk/hike, bring the dog.  If you are blessed to own a grill and have a deck or patio or yard, grill up a yummy meal to start off the season – oh won’t it smell just grand?!?!? 

Start to look around your favorite home store like Lowes for spring flowers, bulbs, herbs.  You don’t have to buy anything – just think about what you’d like to put in a garden or flower bed and begin planning it out.  Maybe get one small little pot of daffodils or herbs to brighten up your kitchen.

Check out local activities in the newspaper or online.  Libraries, museums, zoos, nearby places of interest.  Any Spring festivals going on? 

Have an impromptu night with the girls.  Choose someone’s home, pot-luck the food, maybe do a vision board together (check out my posting on vision boards – click HERE).  You could even do it as a family, or with the hubs.  It could be a lot of fun.

If you are blessed to have a fireplace, snuggle up and make s’mores and put on some background music and just… gasp… talk!  Imagine that!

Do an old-fashioned game night with family, friends, neighbors - cards, board games, etc.  When was the last time you played Monopoly or Scrabble or gin rummy?

Make plans for lunch with friends after worship service – or invite a single person/student over to your place.  Reach out and get to know someone new and find ways to bless them this weekend.

Take your journal, a devotional book/Bible/inspirational reading, and go spend time outdoors in the local park and just “BE”!  Write down all your blessings, your hopes, dreams, prayers, goals.  Write down what you see around you – birds chirping, the flowers peeking out from their winter slumbers, new buds on the trees… be mindful and intentional of the sights, sounds, scents around you. 

Take a drive “down the shore” as we say here in New Jersey.  Walk along the boardwalk and enjoy the ocean.  I love walking along the ocean when it’s still cold, with a big cup of tea in my hand.  Ahhhh…. Let those negative ions sooth away your tension.

Whatever you choose, make it a point to be outside and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation this weekend, and spend time with those you love.  Spring is a time of rebirth, renewal and restoration.  Celebrate this season of new beginnings this weekend by loving on yourself and those around you.

Be blessed and be healthy,

Coach Linda Bush

Grateful

Recently I was honored to be recognized by URS Corporation in Princeton, NJ, along with some amazing and wonderful colleagues, during the International Women's Day Week celebrations.  It's very humbling and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to bring health and wellness awareness into the everyday work environment!

Twist It Thursday

Woo-hooo we made it through the winter!!!!!!  What a reason to celebrate!!!!  IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING!!!!!

And you know what that means, don't you?!?!?!

SPRING TRAINING!

That's right, wild women, shorts and sleeveless tops and tanks and bathing suits are right around the corner, so let's get out there, stretch from a winter of gray cold dreary hibernation.  Breathe deep, face to the sun, and start movin' that body!!!

Here's a quick but powerful little Pilates move that you can do anywhere, anytime!  It's called the Standing Twist, and is demonstrated in this video clip by Brooke Siler, Pilates expert and author of Women's Health Big Book of Pilates.  As she says, it helps release and rotate the spine while challenging your core, back, inner thigh muscles and balance!

Here's the link: http://bcove.me/tyyyom2j

So start movin' and groovin and GET YOUR SPRING ON!

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Wild Woman Wednesday

Of course it doesn't grow on trees - it magically comes out of ATMs!!!!

Wild women DO NOT purposely financially handicap their kids!

When's the last time you created a long-term action plan on teaching your children how to deal with money?  Been awhile?  Ever? Still trying to figure it out for yourself?  This article in Forbes Magazine was quite informative and provided a lot of great ideas on how to teach your children well the value of the dollar!

Here's the link: 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashin/2013/10/15/the-5-most-important-money-lessons-to-teach-your-kids/

It is crucial to educate your children from toddler on up about how to manage money.  There are soooooo many kids out there that have no bloody clue about how much it takes to earn a dollar, thanks to parents who have abdicated their role as parents and instead become friends who placate/reward/spoil rotten their kids with expensive toys, clothes, gifts and whatever instead of teaching them to save, or get off their sweet little dupahs and earn the money with chores, babysitting, a part-time job, etc.  You are doing SUCH a disservice to your children - you are handicapping them for life!  If they have everything handed to them, they will never feel the satisfaction/personal accomplishment of working hard for their paycheck. They will instead have a sense of entitlement to whatever tickles their fancy and all too often will expect you to provide it for them.  Or they'll just charge it (either on Mommy or Daddy's card or their own) and not realize the consequences that can mount up over that bad choice!

I want this... I want that...  Well guess what?  We ALL want things, but we ALL have to learn to wait until we have the money for it - and not join the bandwagon of all those folks who are now in debt over their heads because they racked up horrific credit card debt for instant (and not long-lasting) gratification.  Do you really want to teach THAT skill to your kids?  I think not!

So read this article from Forbes, and put it into practice - you will help your child, yourself, and the economy over the long run!  Raise financially responsible and frugal children - and be the first and foremost example to them as well!

Blessings,

Coach Linda