Where Do You Need to Love Yourself More?

Valentine's Day has always seemed to be about loving someone other than yourself.  Why not change the focus of this day to setting a plan and promise to Choose Self Love to care for yourself all year long?

Just as with everything in life we are stronger in one area of Self Love than the others.  So where do you need to love yourself more? Take the free Self Love Pulse Check and find out! Discover where you're weak & strong in Self Love.

This free Self Love Quiz helps you to:

• Discover where you are strong at loving yourself and where you are weak in self-love, based on the “5 Gates of Self-Love.” 
• Uncover how you can practically and tangibly love yourself better by focusing on the areas of self-love that most need your attention.
• Break self-love down to manageable and specific parts so you can see more clearly where you would be best served to focus on making shifts.
• Receive a full Self Love Pulse Check Report that reveals your scoring for ALL 5 Gates of Self-Love, the five foundations for deep, unwavering and strong self-love so you can feel great about the ways you do love yourself, and support yourself to grow in the ways you could be better to yourself. 

The quiz takes under 7 minutes to complete. Take an act of self-love and give yourself the space to take it.

I took the quiz the other day and here are my results:  

Living My Heart & Soul Desires - 23/35

Taking Care of Myself  - 25/35

Having Loving & Respectful Relationships - 27/35

Being Compassionate with Myself - 28/35

Loving My Body - 32/35

The first step for me to work on living my heart and soul desires is this promise to myself:

I promise to never settle for less than my heart and soul desires.

I must be vigilant and watch myself to make sure I stay on the path.  When I recognize that I'm slipping I must remind myself of this promise, repeating it like a mantra.  Yes, it will be hard, but I'll take it with small steps, just like I did when losing weight.

Won't you join me on this journey to love yourself more?

Linking up with Fitness Cheerleader, Running Rachel, and Run Mommy Run for #MOTIVATEME.

I'm Loving Hemp

THURSDAY I did P90X3 Dynamix.  I went to the doctor's office for the CT scan of my sinuses/maxillofacial area.  I think it was the quickest scan I've ever had; I didn't even have to pay for parking!  The ENT is going on vacation for about 2.5 weeks so I won't know his interpretation until the end of the month.

FRIDAY I did Triometrics.  I read Chapter 9 - Dietary Guidelines, learning about how to calculate the calories from each macronutrient.

After work we took the car back to the mechanic to "fix" the overheating problem.  They had it all weekend.  Benny got his tobacco (he rolls his own cigarettes) for what he said is probably the last time.  They also aren't honoring the coupons he'd use any more so another motivational factor in his smoking cessation!

SATURDAY I did Eccentric Upper.  The Manitoba Harvest hemp heart bars arrived for me to review, although the postal system damaged the chocolate bar packaging.  Apparently I'm not the only one though, as others have reported the same...

A photo posted by Cassandra Schmigotzki (@longandwindingroadtowellness) on Feb 6, 2016 at 3:38pm PST

Manitoba Harvest is having a photo contest.  Share a picture of your Manitoba Harvest stash or something you've made with their hemp hearts (tagging +Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods #hempheartbar #fuelledbyhemp #sweatpink +Fit Approach, LLC)  and you could win a box of your favorite flavor hemp heart bar.

Apple Cinnamon & Chocolate = 8 WW SP

Vanilla = 9 WW SP

Manitoba Harvest has given us a discount code to save readers 15% of a box of the hemp heart bars through the end of March.  Visit their website, select your flavor, and enter the code hhbarlauch1015 at checkout.  I really wish that I could distinguish between the flavors but with my nose and taste buds jacked up all three taste the same to me!  For some reason I have a strong desire to add peanut butter to a bar and try it that way...

MONDAY began week 12 and I did MMX.  I read Chapter 10 - Weight Management.

I pulled up the radiology report in my EMR for the CT scan.  IMHO reading the report the only problem is my mildly deviated septum with a small bony spur.  None of this report tells me why I can't smell or taste much any more!  So much is "unremarkable."

When I got home I found out the nurse had called to talk about the scan results.  Now to call her back...

TUESDAY I did Decelerator.  I read Chapter 11 - Eating Disorders.  I made a dent on the scale with a .2 lb loss at Weight Watchers.  Hopefully it'll be better for March.

TODAY I did Triometrics again.  I called the nurse back since I forgot to yesterday.  The doctor had seen the scan Friday before he left for vacation so he'd left the notes for her to call me.  Nothing wrong with the sinuses.  She didn't mention the spur, only the deviated septum and reducing the turbinates.  The doctor only does the surgeries on Tuesday in Carmel so I've temporarily scheduled it for September 27th.

I'd just started making my sandwich for lunch when the nurse at Austin's school called saying he was sick and he'd felt that way since eating his lunch.  In case he got sick on the way home they didn't want him riding the bus.  The ex is at work and they don't have another car for his forever fiancée (I don't know if they'll ever get married) to pick up Austin.  Benny wouldn't be ready in time to get him either.  So I had to freeze my way down there and back.  I've yet to warm back up....

Linking up with

Jill for Fitness Health & Happiness

Jebbica for Food & Fitness Friday

MississippiPiddlin & HoHo Runs

7 Workplace Health Hacks

For those of us who work outside the home a significant amount of our day is spent in the workplace.  These hours can have a profound effect on our health.  So how can we make the day better?  Here are 7 Workplace Health Hacks for you to incorporate into your day.

Dump the Soda

This was the first thing I did on my journey - quitting soda cold turkey.  I would rather EAT my calories than drink them.  If this is something you struggle with, instead of going cold turkey like I did, reduce the amount you drink.  Perhaps only having the soda with your lunch and drinking water or tea the rest of the day will work better for you.

Pay Attention to Portion Sizes

Just because you're at work doesn't mean it's time to stuff your face to help you deal with that annoying customer, coworker, or meeting.  If you eat out or there's a cafeteria on-site you still need to watch how much you're eating, just like when you eat out with your family.

Prepare a Healthy Lunch

If you bring your lunch it's easier to stay healthy at work.  You've already portioned out your leftovers so you're eating how much fits into your goals today.  Or, you can enjoy a nice, healthy salad with or without a light dressing.  I often eat a sandwich (on whole wheat sandwich slims) with Weight Watchers chips.  Be sure to have fruits and/or veggies with/on your sandwich!

Stay Hydrated

Keep a bottle of water on your desk.  Mark it by ounces or time of day so you can track how much you've had.  It's also helpful if your workplace has bottled water service so that you can have fresh, clean water to entice you to drink more frequently.  If you need flavor because the water tastes like paper (often my problem) try infusing it with some fruit.

Take a Walk

Get up from your desk and take periodic walks throughout your day.  You can start out with just the extra walking to refill your water bottle and then add on walking to talk to your coworker instead of sending them an email.  At lunch walk around the building (inside or outside depending upon the weather).  Who knows, a coworker or two may join in!

Keep Healthy Snacks Handy

I keep my snacks in one of the drawers to a filing cabinet in my office.  Whenever I need a quick pick-me-up between lunch and heading home I grab a little something to satisfy me.  This can be a piece of fruit, a cheese stick, nuts, popcorn....anything that's already been portioned out for or by me.  Currently I'm enjoying Manitoba Harvest's hemp heart bars for my snack time.  Visit nuts.com for more healthy snack ideas.

Take the Stairs

Just like at home (if you have them) or when you're out shopping or going to appointments choose to take the stairs over the elevator whenever you can.  (I say whenever you can because, as an example, I've never found the stairs at my doctor's office in the hospital.)  This is an easy way to sneak in a little bit of extra physical activity during your work day.

These are just a few examples of how you and I can stay healthy while at work.  What would you add?

Scaling Wednesday

I didn't go to Weight Watchers last night as I'm having car issues and Benny wanted to check it out.  So I have no official weigh in for February yet.  I guess I have one more week to get in line then LOL

THURSDAY I did P90X3 Pilates X.  I read chapter 5 - Human Anatomy.  Now, I don't know about you but this part is hard for me.  I've never had to memorize bones or muscles.  I wonder how much of the Group Exercise Certification exam will be on this topic...I hope it's not a lot.  I asked fellow Sweat Pink Ambassadors what they used to help memorize bones and muscles.  They recommended anatomy coloring books, flash cards, and two sites - Get Body Smart and Anatomy Arcade.  I've printed off some of the images to try to help remember.

I also read chapter 6 - Applied Kinesiology & Biomechanics.  This was a little reprieve from anatomy.

FRIDAY I did Decelerator in what felt like slow mo...not sure why.  I read chapter 7 - Exercise Physiology.  This is another hard one for me.  I took an online course on Coursera for this but it wasn't sticking then, and still isn't.

We dropped the car off at the mechanic for them to take a look at the oil pan since it was leaking on the garage floor (never notice a wet spot at work).

SATURDAY I did CVX.  The mechanic called and told us the damage.  We went over there in the afternoon so Benny could see what they were talking about before giving them the go ahead to make the repairs.  We ran around the rest of the afternoon and stopped at Burger King to bring home dinner.  I went with the chicken burger but didn't enjoy it at all.

MONDAY I did Decelerator again.  No studying this day because I had my follow up appointment with the ENT.  The nasal rinse and Flonase combo he had me on hasn't made a difference.  (I have a deviated septum and enlarged turbinates.)  The doctor checked and he doesn't see a hole (was my concern because the rinse goes through so quickly).  We're trying to schedule a CT scan but insurance is saying it isn't medically necessary.  UM HELLO my nose is stuffed almost 24-7 and I can hardly taste or smell anything anymore!

We picked up the car but now it's being weird.  While driving the temperature gradually increases to the hot zone, staying there for up to a minute, then drops down to the middle.  Not sure what's going on.

YESTERDAY I fought it out with MMX.  I reviewed chapters 1-7 (a lot of good that did LOL).

TODAY was leg day with Eccentric Lower.  I will be reading chapter 8 - Essential Nutrients for Health & Performance.  Hopefully this will be an easy lesson.

actual measurements from this morning

I received the EatSmart Precision Body Check Bathroom Scale for free in exchange for my honest review.  I've never had a scale that measured anything other than weight before so it's been interesting to see these numbers jump around at different times of the day.

You have to be barefoot for the scale to get the measurements other than the weight.  Somehow that metal strip can read your body to get those measurements.  (The instruction book gives the details on how it does this.)  The only drawback I've found with this scale is the numbers rotate too quickly for me to record the measurements.  They are displayed twice but I sometimes miss one as I'm writing so I have to step off and go through it again.  I think it's definitely worth the price as others I've seen are listed much higher.

To get your own EatSmart Precision Body Check Bathroom Scale hop on over to Amazon.

Linking up with

Jill for Fitness Health & Happiness

Jebbica for Food & Fitness Friday

 

MississippiPiddlin & HoHo Runs

Blouse Review on This Weigh in Wednesday

I received a Custom Made Long Sleeve Belted Blouse from Suuchi for free in exchange for my honest review.  The hardest part of the ordering process was deciding which pattern to go with!  There are about 60 designs to choose from.  I ended up going with a solid blue so, besides being my favorite color, it'd go with anything I have.

When I got the blouse I felt so lost.  The belt is super long so I couldn't figure out how to make it work around my waist.  So from the beginning I had mixed feelings about this blouse.

A photo posted by Cassandra Schmigotzki (@longandwindingroadtowellness) on Dec 24, 2015 at 11:35am PST



I asked the Suuchi reps about the belt and their response was

 the belt is extra long to allow you to double tie it. Just fold it in 2 and wrap it around your waist.

That was one of the ways I tied the belt but I still didn't like how it looked on me.  Perhaps it has something to do with the aversion I've had to bows since...I can't remember when.

Because I was going to be busy in the kitchen on Christmas day I wore the Suuchi blouse to stay cooler making Benny's roulade and wrapping presents.  I only got chilly a couple of times but for the most part my sweater stayed off.  This blouse helped keep me at a comfortable temperature.

I wore the blouse for the first time outside the house yesterday.  Since it's cold outside (and I freeze at work even wearing a sweater and having my space heater going) I wore a turtleneck underneath.  My coworkers teased me about the blouse.

The first one wrapped the belt around me like something out of Star Wars.  The second one tied it on my side.  The third one said that I looked like I was a nurse.  The fourth one said it looked like I was getting ready to practice some sort of martial arts.  All women with different reactions to this blouse....

The Long Sleeve Belted Blouse looks pretty badass but I guess it's not really for me.  I will keep it in my closet and probably wear again in the summer when I need something to keep me cooler.



Holidays Past

 

THURSDAY I did P90X3 X3 Yoga.

FRIDAY I kept getting lightheaded and had crazy legs during Triometrics.

SATURDAY I tried the final Green Blender smoothie.  It wasn't that bad.

A photo posted by Cassandra Schmigotzki (@longandwindingroadtowellness) on Jan 23, 2016 at 6:53am PST

I did Eccentric Upper afterwards.  This workout had way too many pushups! LOL

MONDAY I did MMX.  I started reading the Group Exercise (GX) Certification study material during lunch.  Read the first two chapters during lunch - The Role of the Fitness Professional and Relationship Building & Communication Skills.

How to Win Friends and Influence People

After roughly a year Benny FINALLY decided on a new vacuum so now he can start cleaning regularly again.  He finds it therapeutic to vacuum.

Yesterday I did Decelerator.  I read chapter 3 - Behavior Modification & Motivation.

Today I did Triometrics.  Chapter 4, Introduction to Wellness Coaching, is skipped for GX but since that's where I'm going next I'll go ahead and read this one.

Are you studying anything new lately?

Linking up with Jill for Fitness Health & Happiness.

She's Got Legs

After writing out all the workouts for the week for this post it looks like a leg week instead of a leg day to me!  Wrapping up the recovery week and starting the final phase of P90X3 I guess it just fell that way.  Have you ever realized that you ended up with a leg week before?

THURSDAY I did Pilates X.

FRIDAY I did Agility X.  I ordered the Group Exercise Certification study materials with delivery to work.  Right now I still see no way to convince Benny that this is right and good, not a fad and my imagination.

SATURDAY I did Yoga X.  Smoothie wasn't bad tasting...

A photo posted by Cassandra Schmigotzki (@longandwindingroadtowellness) on Jan 16, 2016 at 10:34am PST

But Sunday's was completely gross.

A photo posted by Cassandra Schmigotzki (@longandwindingroadtowellness) on Jan 17, 2016 at 7:58am PST

Saturday I purchased a couple of outfits for my workouts at the Kroger Marketplace.  It still feels so weird to say that I'm buying non-food stuff at Kroger.

MONDAY I did Decelerator.

TUESDAY I did MMX.  I was excited when I was handed the Group Exercise Certification study materials at work, delivered by UPS.  I can't wait to start on this next week!

A photo posted by Cassandra Schmigotzki (@longandwindingroadtowellness) on Jan 19, 2016 at 10:03am PST

TODAY I did Eccentric Lower.  Leg day + slow snow traffic = great!  Seriously my legs didn't cramp up with all the stop and go traffic.

Linking up with Jill for Fitness Health & Happiness.

BOOK REVIEW: What Teens Want You to Know

We don't understand a lot of what goes through Austin's head. I'm not sure he does either.  So when I saw this book I signed up to review it.  I haven't had the opportunity to devote time to reading this book like I wanted to but there's a lot of information to absorb.  I received What Teens Want You to Know for free in exchange for my honest review.

What Teens Want You to Know (but won't tell you) is full of anecdotes from teens, parents, ministers, and educators, including actual dialogs.  To protect the doctor-patient confidentiality the names and other identifiable data have been modified.  There are practical suggestions, questions to reflect upon, prayers, and Bible verses pertaining to the topics of each chapter.

Oops, forgot YOU!

Some things I've learned from reading What Teens Want You to Know:

• No matter what they do or say your teen DOES want to have a relationship with you.
• If you invest the time to LISTEN to your teen you'll earn the right to be heard by him.
• Your teen's foundation for healthy self-love and respect starts with the way WE perceive them.
• There are four types of resistance - intellectual (i.e. different POV), emotional (from a previous experience of disappointment), physical (i.e. touching, creating, destroying), and spiritual (sin).
• Resistance occurs between you AND your teen, not your teen alone.
• Being right is a need of the ego.
• The questions your teen asks aren't always what they're wanting answered as there's often a deeper question they have.
• Teens are disillusioned on several levels - society, parents, peers, themselves, and God.  They are feeling the disenchantment not apathy, as we perceive.

Each person that reads this book will have different takeaways.  If you don't have a Christian background you may have difficulties reading this book with all the scriptural references.  If you're not Catholic (I was raised Southern Baptist) there are other parts that may go over your head.  Overall there's a lot of potential to learn about both yourself and your teen from reading What Teens Want You to Know.

To pick up your own copy to see if this book will help the relationship between you and your teen hop on over to Amazon.

What can we offer teens that they cannot Google?