Handling Stress

How do I handle stress?

Saturday....Ah!  A day of relaxation, right?  Well, here is a recap of my Saturday so far....

Woke up to my 4-year old's sweet voice, "Momma, is it a school day? Why are you still sleeping; the sun's up. I want pancakes. I think the dogs want to go outside. Wake up, Momma! I'm going to put my butt in your face until you wake up!" Oh, the joys of parenthood.

So, I finallly stumble out of bed, after having butt in my face, with dogs jumping on me, and I get to the kitchen to ask Elias what kind of cereal he wanted (pancakes were not an option at this point anymore). After asking Elias 472 times, he finally decided on a cereal to eat. I pour the bowl full of cereal, open the fridge, and guess what? No milk! Well, pick something else, Elias. After a cereal bar and some chips (upon his request), I got us both dressed to go to the gym, walking in the gym a minute before Zumba began (which is not good for my Type A personality). Zumba was awesome, as always, and immediately my Zumba instructor acknowledged  the fact that I was "slimming down" and pushed through the class to give me a big hug! That certainly changed my mood for the day. However, once Zumba was over, I picked up my kid, went grocery shopping, made homemade gluten free stromboli to take to my sister with Celiac Disease and niece with Autism, drove an hour to my family's house, picked up a new-to-me couch set, drove back another hour, moved furniture in the house, dropped off old ones to charity, gave the kid his antibiotics, dropped the kid off to his Mimi, returned moving equipment, and all the while I AM STRESSED OUT BECAUSE I WAS RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO GO GET MY BOWL AND WRITE MY BLOG ABOUT STRESS!!!  Yes, I was stressed because I had no time to write about my stress!!! Well, when I got to GG, I was welcomed by my wonderful staff who was all very happy to see me (at 9:00), because they were very worried I was going to skip (they know better). At that point, I pulled out my iPad, ordered a glass of One Hope cabernet, and began working on this blog as I waited on my food to cook.

Here's the deal. I have never, ever, been good at handling stress, but as I'm getting older, I have formed better ways of coping with it. When I was in college, I stayed stressed out. I was an overachiever, straight A student, dean's list every semester, but I really worked well under pressure. After college, when I used my degree to be a professional mixologist (AKA Bartender), I handled stress in really unhealthy ways. I drank, a lot, no moderation here.  I used drinking as a way to self-medicate. I had been diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder in high school, and have always really struggled with these disorders. After Elias came into the picture, the drinking stopped, but I was exposed to a whole new world of stressors - being a new mother, in graduate school, moving, and working two jobs. I could not medicate through drinking, so I began seeing a mental health therapist for individual counseling and also began talking both anti-depressant and anxiety medications. 

When I made a vow earlier this year, I promised myself that I would learn to be healthy again in all ways: mentally, physically, and emotionally. I took myself off the medication, changed my diet (as my weight gain had added even more stress), and joined the gym on my 32nd birthday in January.  I have gone to the gym consistently since I joined. It has been really rewarding, and I am seeing the results in my physical and mental health, as it is very meditative. Another thing that I did this year that has helped me regulate my stress, is I began playing my flute again.  A long, long, time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I was a music major, studying classical flute performance.  While being a music major was stressful (for five years of college), when I play for myself, it has always been very meditative as well. When I am in my zone, and playing my flute, nothing else exists outside of my music. Finally, doing something fun with my little boy always helps me to forget about the stress.  I was blessed with a Type B child, and he keeps his Type A momma in check.  Sometimes you just have to stop to smell the roses, and forget about the 15 kids you have to write psychological reports on before the end of next week.  Last year, I also took my job home with me a lot, and being a school psychologist is a highly stressful field of work.  That stopped immediately, because I brought my stress from work home and my family suffered from it, or were completely ignored by me.

So, am I stressed that I am competing with 120 other people with a chance to win $10,000? Nah! Now, I'm not saying that I don't want to win. Who wouldn't want/need $10K?  But I'm not letting that stress me out at all.  As far as I am concerned, I am already a winner, a broke winner, but still a winner.  I have won 60 free meals, a bunch of cool GG swag, and I have won new friendships both with my GG staff and with my fellow khantestants.  I am going to get this weight off, and I have made very positive changes that will stay with me for life, and THAT makes me a winner.  I used to always get stressed about having enough time in my day, but now, I know that you just have to make the time in your schedule.  Life is too short to be stressed.

And now, I am less stressed since I finished my homework, finally.

I'll leave you with a quote from a hometown hero, you probably know...

Sometimes when people are under stress, they hate to think, and it's the time when they most need to think.
William J. Clinton

Wine Not?

In case you all didn't know, February is Heart Healthy month. So for this blog I am writing about the benefits of drinking red wine (in moderation of course!). Wine drinking has been a staple in the human culture across time, and has actually been traced back to as early as 6000 B.C. in Mesopotamia! Holy Moly! That's a whole lot of wine drinking ;)

So why has wine been so popular in human culture for so long? I know what you're thinking...for the buzz, right? Absolutely! You're probably right about that one. However, in recent years of drinking that sweet, sweet nectar, we humans have discovered that there are actually some pretty awesome health benefits to drinking wine, especially the red varieties of wine. So, from the research that I have gathered from credible and non-credible internet sources, I have compiled a list of the top 5 benefits of red wine.

1. Red wine contains antioxidants, specifically a particular antioxidant called Resveratol. Studies have shown that Resveratol helps to reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL (good cholesterol) in your bloodstream. What that means is that keeping these levels at an equilibrium decreases your chance for blood clots and protects against artery damage and blockages.

2. Red wine also contains other important antioxidants, such as polyphenols that have been shown to help protect the lining of the blood vessels in your heart (Mayo Clinic, 2014).

3. Red wines, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, and Merlot, help trigger the production of melatonin in your brain, which of course triggers sleep. Adequate sleep and consistency in sleep cycle patterns have been linked to less stress throughout the daytime, which in turn places less stress on the heart.

4. Research has shown that the skin from red grapes may help regulate blood sugar levels, which is especially important for the prevention and maintenance of diabetes. Once glass of wine per day also helps to decrease systolic blood pressure and helps regulate glucose levels in your bloodstream.

5. My favorite - being a psychology person - drinking one glass of red wine per day may help to boost brain functioning by increasing the amount of bloodflow and preventing deterioration of arteries and plaques within the brain, which is the root cause of Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia.

With all this said....Why not drink up (in moderation) for your heart? Thanks for reading my blog. I would like to give a shout out to One Hope Wine for providing me with a gift card to purchase one of their delicious wines. If you are interested in trying a new wine, give them a try. Not only are you helping your heart, but 50% from each purchase of One Hope Wine is given to a specific charitable organization, to help fund research for Autism, Cancer, AIDS, and numerous other illnesses and disabilities. For those wine snobs out there (such as myself), you will also be interested to know that the One Hope winery is owned and operated by Rob Mondavi, Jr. (son of the famous Robert Mondavi who is known for his very popular Kendall-Jackson wines).

Cheers!!!!

Lori

                              One Hope Wine paired with a heart healthy bowl from Genghis Grill

Buy your bottle at www.onehopewine.com.

Setting My Goals

Day #13 of my Kwest:

I am writing this blog today to tell you the top 3 goals that I wish to achieve through my Health Kwest journey....

1. Of course, everyone's number one will probably be to lose X-amount of weight. Yes, I really hope I lose at least 50 lbs. Spoiler alert -- I am already down 10 lbs from my initial weigh-in. It's really embarrassing that prior to this competition, I weighed more than I did right after I gave birth to Elias. That's ridiculous! I had gained a total of about 70 lbs during my pregnancy four years ago, and most of that stuck with me :( Here is a picture of me from about 5 years ago, before becoming pregnant with E. I remember when the picture was taken, I thought, "OMG! I look so fat in this picture!" It's funny how perspectives can change over time. Ok, here I am, playing kickball with the Little Rock Kickball Association....

Holy Moly! If I can look close to that by the end of the competition, I'll be just fine! This may be a far stretch, but I also have a goal to wear a 2 piece bathing suit this summer and rock my belly ring once again!

2. I want to get my lung strength back through consistent cardiovascular exercise. I'll admit, I used to be a smoker. That hasn't helped my lungs at all. But what has been even worse on my breathing is the fact that I am very highly allergic to all environmental allergens (all grasses, trees, molds, animal dander, etc.), and as a result, I have developed severe asthma as an adult. So, what does that mean? After I quit smoking (which usually puts on weight), I began taking a ton of steroid asthma medicine (which also makes you gain weight). I gained 37 lbs in a year because of my medications. I have been to the doctor, thinking it was my thyroid or something serious, and I am in fact, perfectly healthy. I just need to get this weight off :( I know taking it off is going to be harder than putting it on, so I am working diligently through healthy eating and daily exercise. I have recently started taking Zumba classes and WOW! That stuff is intense! I also plan to increase my lung capacity through doing something that I love, that I lost a long time ago. I am playing flute with the North Little Rock Community Concert Band. I used to have incredible lung strength. I was a music major in college for five years (only having about 13 hours left of the degree) before I quit and never touched it again (with the exception of one wedding). I hope that someday, I can get my lung power back and get off the meds once and for all!

                                                       "This one time at band camp...."

3. Through competing in this competition, I am not just changing my lifestyle for 60 days, but I am changing my lifestyle forever. I take my sweet son Elias to the gym with me everyday (and he loves it because there is a huge Kid Zone). I can already tell that he is learning the importance early on of being active, and that it's ok to sacrifice an hour of your time each day to go exercise. I will admit, our routine used to involve coming home after a long stressful day of work, and putting on a movie for him to watch while I played on Facebook or did chores around the house. I have learned that chores are always going to be there, and that there are more important things in life. As a Type A personality, I don't usually take the time to "stop and smell the roses", but I have learned to slow down my pace and to take a little time just for me. It's easy to lose yourself and to neglect doing things for yourself when you are a working mom. We are making lifestyle changes now that will carry on throughout our lives. Plus, I'm also teaching Elias the importance of healthy eating. He walks through the line at Genghis Grill several times per week, and I explain to him what all the different foods are and why they are good for us. Elias is a Genghis Grill fan for life!

Hope you've enjoyed my blog! Happy Saturday!  Here's to healthy eating and happy living :)

I have a dream.....(Genghis Grill Style)

I  have a dream....that one day, people will not be judged by the size of their waistlines, but on the content of their character....

I have a dream....that someday, I will fit into my pre-pregnancy skinny jeans....

I have a dream....that all people, will enjoy veggies of all different colors....

I have a dream.....that eventually, my one-hour Zumba classes will not make me want to pass out from exhaustion....

I have a dream.....that I will complete all my Health Kwest activities fully and to the best of my ability....

I have a dream....that I will lose at least 50 lbs during my Health Kwest journey.....

I have a dream....that through daily exercise, my lungs will get stronger, and I won't have to use my steroid asthma inhalers anymore (which have made me put on pounds).....

I have a dream.....that I will be walking away from this competition healthier, thinner, happier, and hopefully, richer.....

I have a dream.....that my son will learn the importance of eating healthy and exercising as part of your daily activities in life, and that no matter how busy your life may seem, fast food is not good food.....

I have a dream.....that I will be the 2014 Health Kwest champion.....



<3 Lots of Love,

      Lorianne

Valentine's Day is for Lovers

My bowl is red....

Dragon bowl is blue....

Spending time with my Valentines

At Genghis Grill, Woooohooo :)

And here are the top 5 reasons why I love Genghis Grill:

1. Free Birthday Bowls! I am seriously a regular in more restaurants than I would like to admit here in Little Rock, but where do I ALWAYS spend my birthday? Yep. You guessed it. Genghis Grill. No one gives me free food for my birthday. What a special treat on my special day each year!

2. Wonderful service by the best staff in town. Here's Mark...

Working so hard on this busy night. And of course all these guys too...

3. Veggies! I can NEVER get enough veggies when I go out somewhere. It's the first thing I eat off my plate, so why wouldn't I love a place that I can make a bowl like this:

Boom! That is delish! Mmmmmm, mm!

4. Obviously, that Genghis Grill has chosen me to participate in the Health Kwest. I am ready for a transformation and am honered that Genghis is confident in my ability as well.

5. Lastly, PEANUT BUTTER EXPLOSION!!! I know, I know, I'm on a diet. But O.M.G!!! It's my husband's favorite dessert in town. In fact, he has gone to GG just to appease his sweet tooth! Don't worry. I'll refrain while on my Kwest.

Thanks for reading my blog! Love ya and Happy Valentine's Day!