My first source was the book Wheat Belly.

A great read and written by a Milwaukee cardiologist, William Davis MD. He really does a great job explaining what’s happening to wheat before it gets into the food we eat and believe me when you’re looking WHEAT is an ingredient in A LOT of food. It takes a bit of commitment to go gluten/wheat free but what I’m feeling in two weeks it’s been worth the extra effort.  

I’ve been posting pics on facebook of different recipies I’ve been trying and tought I would take a couple blogs to share some with you.

Here is the link to the Chessy Baked Eggplant, I added some chicken on my own. http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Cheesy-Baked-Eggplant-Allrecipes

Would love to hear if you are going gluten/wheat free or if you have and how it’s helped you. Feel free to leave a comment.

Enjoy,
Sandra

This one has had the biggest immediate impact of all for me…
Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar and Raw Honey. I stumbled upon this mixture when researching something all natural for soreness and low energy. I was struggling with low energy and my body being stiff and sore most everyday, I wanted to go the natural route since my body doesn’t respond well to caffeine.

The healing benefits of this mixture is amazing. The mixture I use is about 120z of room temperature water with 2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 teaspoon Raw Honey. I’ve been taking the mixture for about two weeks now three times a day. Within the first three days my energy level was back, I was way less sore and another great benefit is that it keeps your blood sugar stable so craving for sweets goes away, lowers bad cholesterol, blood pressure and tons more you can research it to find out all the great benefits of this mixture and the best part it’s all natural and you can find it in the grocery store the Raw Honey ands even more benefits. Make sure you get the Bragg’s brand organic and RAW honey.

This is something that works for me, only you will know if it works for you, I’m only suggesting these things as a healthy alternative or addition to what you already do.  If you do decide to try it please let me know if you feel any benefits.

Cheers to your health,
Sandra

Today I decided to take my walk at Harrington Sate Park. A place of beauty and solace. The beauty and serenity of that place seems to bring me back to balance and ground me helping me connect with nature and myself more.  

As I looked up at one point I saw this amazing sight.  That light shinning through the tree was a good reminder for me, it reminded me of the light we all have inside us. We can choose to keep that light dim and hidden or we can shine bright and be a beacon. My light’s been a little dim lately and I’ve been a little (to say the least) hard on myself about it. This reminded me that it’s always there either I can beat it down or do my best to let it shine.  

From there I was drawn to the lake. I am not a big water person, little to rigid sometimes for the water but I decided to take my shoes off and give it a go.

I’m so glad I did! It felt wonderful, the water moving and flowing. I started thinking about the water and flowing. When you fight against “it” (whatever “it” is) you only give it more power and in the process exhaust yourself. Much like I’ve been doing with blogging. When you decide to flow to move within what that is it becomes not so big, not so powerful.

I use to think my blog was more for others than for me. I guess today flowing in that water I realize it’s for me and for others. So I hope in some small way my experience today can help you if you are having trouble flowing or it might help you to connect to whatever helps you flow. It certainly helped ME!
Blessing to you,
Sandra

This blog is Gary Schmitz’s story written by him. See Gary has Parkinson’s disease, has for 12 years. This is his story in his words on “fighting back” against Parkinson’s. He’s inspired me and I think he will you too. He’s taken a new approach to fighting this disease…

  ”2012 – Ok so it’s my 12^th anniversary since the symptoms of Parkinson’s set in. Although it has been an experience I would never wish on anyone, this year appears to be a year that has all the makings equal to a fountain of youth for me.

 2011was brutal and left me physically and mentally exhausted. It was the first year I felt that the disease was winning. To start the year, I lost my mentor and friend, Ken Diehm, my minister. I then spent 6 months going through testing and approval to have a gene therapy treatment, only to find out 5 days before the operation, that I couldn’t go through it because some time in the last couple of years, I suffered one, if not several, mild strokes that left scarring in the pathway of my brain where they needed to travel for the operation.  Towards the end of the year, the symptoms of dystonia started to set in on my foot, hand and shoulder/neck area. That will turn into a long painful path for the rest of my life.  I didn’t make a conscious decision to give up, but it was the expected downward drain that Parkinson’s Disease takes on a person, so it wasn’t unexpected. My medication levels doubled through the year as well, and I was up to 13 pills a day. Oh, also another unwanted milestone, I turned 50. The most troubling thing was the number of times food was getting stuck in my throat and choked me. It is the most typical way for Parkinson’s people to die, but short of dying, it is extremely painful.

I had a couple weeks off around Christmas and was thinking I really wanted to spend more of these with my family and I wanted to be in good shape to do so. So maybe that was the spark or maybe it was my stubborn Luxemburg/German upbringing, who knows, but whatever it was caused the drive I needed to be open to look for a way to fight back and realize all that I was doing wasn’t working.

As luck would have it, my sister Jill sent me a video about that time from Dr. Terry Wahls about how she was able to get out a wheelchair she was bound to, from MS, by eating organic foods. There is a lot more to it, it is a paleo diet, or as she calls it a “hunter-gatherer diet.”  You have to eat enough of all the right foods to get the benefits; and after trying it, it did not take long to start feeling the benefits. The only deviation that I take is to go very light on the meats, if I eat any, due to the protein affecting the medication for Parkinson’s. If my start into it was good, full commitment took it to another level. I actually had energy, enough to join fellow people with Parkinson’s at Paulie Ayala’s Boxing Gym.

I had never boxed before but had loved boxing from growing up watching the likes of Mohammed Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and so many more. But having spent the last four years sitting in my recliner made me apprehensive of just jumping into a full blown boxing work out, but figured I could easily have an excuse if I needed it of my Parkinson’s, stroke or the fact that I am 50. Surely no one would push me further than I felt I could go, with all those built in excuses.

Well Paulie, who himself is a ex- two time world champ, could care less about excuses. When you are a boxer you can never quit and never give up. When you train people to fight, you never let them quit or give up. Because it was a theme that was repeated week in and week out, soon I started to obtain the same mentality. The training is not just punching, there is a lot of foot work, core work and any other drills that help with balance, speed, and coordination.  But make no mistake, punching the bag or the mitts brings on a release that is hard to explain. Without going on forever about it, let’s just say I love the whole workout, and often show up early to try to loosen up for the upcoming drills. I may start off slow but once I get going, I seem to lose most of the symptomatic issues from PD.

Starting out, I was amazed at all the coordination I lost, whether it was from the stroke or the Parkinson’s, but after five months, I must say that I have regained a lot of it back. I have even started back playing basketball with the guys I used to, and I actually move better than I had four years ago. 

So what does this all mean? Well, the diet alone has done wonders for my digestive issues, energy and sleeping. I was up four or five nights a week last year, sleeping maybe an hour or two on those nights. This year I sleep on a very consistent level of 6 to 7 hours every night. Add the boxing workouts with it, and I allowed my body to tell me how much medication I needed.  Within the first month, I was down to levels I took three years ago, and now have taken that down to 4 pills a day on most days.  My mood is so much better than it had been and the energy I have and how my body moves is so much more improved from last year. The dystonia has been held at bay for the most part.  I do occasionally still get food stuck while trying to swallow, but it is not the frequency I had last year. I am not cured, there is no cure, but the quality of my life is greatly appreciated.

All I can say is: if I can do this with as many odds stacked against me, imagine what you can do! Don’t wait until facets of your life are being taken away from you. Work now to have a quality of life that you can enjoy for many years to come. If it doesn’t matter to you now, it will later.”

Gary /Boxing, 2012 

Gary lives in Texas with his wife of 22 years he has a nineteen year old daughter, a seventeen year old son and one super size Pug of age 8.  He has been fundraising for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for the last 3+ years and he is  on the board of Directors for the Trial Finder Committee. Gary is also one of the founders of Team Fox North Texas visit the website to donate http://www.teamfoxtexas.org/Home_Page.php. For more information on the Dr. Terry Wahls protocol (and nutritional plan/diet) visit the website http://www.terrywahls.com/.

Gary is an amazing example of what eating healthy and moving your body can do. Thank you Gary for allowing Inspiring Fitness to share your story you certainly are INSPRING FITNESS!!

Sandra

I tell you all this because the transformation in my Dad’s health has been really amazing. Even to the point where his Doctor mentioned it at our last visit, he commended my Dad on how he has worked to bring himself back from a very bad situation. My Dad has congestive heart failure, emphysema and with those two major organs struggling your body has a hard time functioning.

This is a picture of my Dad 5 years ago.

He was in rough shape as you can see. He was on oxygen 24/7, was on a ton of medications for all sorts of alignments. This particular stay he was admitted for staph infection in his leg. With the infection he became over oxygenated and carbon dioxide started building up in his system. He was confused as to where he was and what was going on. Our family really thought this might be the end. When it had gotten as bad as I had ever seen it, I decided to call my sister and see if she would help with the cost to have my Reiki teacher Kim make a house call to the hospital. We decided to do it (not everyone in our family was open to Reiki or even knew about it) but we did it anyway, my sister is a Reiki level II and I knew, she knew, what I knew about how Reiki Energy could help. Kim agreed to work on my Dad. Since that day Kim worked on my Dad with Reiki Energy he is off the oxygen. He only uses it when he gets in a crisis which is few and far between. My sister and I have worked on our Dad on and off ever since. He even asks for it when he’s not feeling well “maybe you should do that stuff on me”. Reiki has really help my Dad!!!

There is also the addition of Young Living Essential oils which my Mom has used going on 3 years now. My Mom is a master with the oils, always researching to see what will work best for his breathing. She’s found the right combination, she diffuses the oils in their bedroom at night right next to my Dad and she also applies the oils on him daily sometimes more than once.

This is my Dad NOW, 5 years later!!!

His transformation has been amazing!! He has since been taken off a blood thinner medication, a heart medication, and has had his insulin medication reduced. Although that stubborn farmer in him won’t give too much credit to Reiki Energy and Young Living Oils, this picture sure shows that his body sure does!

This is what has helped my Dad, it may not work the same for everyone but this combination certianly has helpd him. If you or someone you know would like more info on Young Living Oils and/or Reiki Energy Healing,  give me a call 262-483-7720.

Be Well,                                                                                                                                                                      Sandra

It’s been a year of learning for me to say the least. Sometimes plowing full steam into something the next minute pulling back so hard I feel  my head spining from putting the breaks on.  I’ve learned that’s the way I roll and am getting more comfortable in listening to whatever that is that stops me. I’ve also learned to let go of expectation. It’s a hard one for me but the mastery taught me that things flow and that what you expect doesn’t always happen and that’s okay because everything happens within it’s own time and space.

What I am feeling this week has been intense but today I have a better sense of what that is. It’s gratitude ~ gratitude is so powerful. In these times with all the negative you hear when you stop and are truly grateful, I mean truly for whatever it is you have, be or do when you feel that in the essence of who you are it’s powerful beyond words. It opens up even more to be grateful for. Try it, find one thing right now that you are truly grateful for, say it to yourself and feel that gratitude in the deepest part of yourself, after you say and feel that say thank you three times and feel how wonderful that feels.

I am so grateful to be a Reiki Mater!! In honor of my anniversary I am offering $10 off a regular Reiki session for the remainder of March. If you’ve been wanting to try Reiki to see how it can help you now would be the time. Call 262-483-7720 to schedule your session.

Blessings to all,

Sandra

Here are a couple shots of me roughly about 8 years ago. When I look at these pictures now, so many things run through my head.                                                     

The constant state of struggling I was in, wanting so bad to be ”skinny”, that was my focus then being “skinny”. To me at the time that’s all I really wanted I wasn’t sure what that meant to me internally or how that felt for me.  I’ve always been more on muscular side I’ve struggled with my weight what seems like forever. I use to like to think it was because I was a farm girl, a tomboy and the broad shoulders on my great, great grandmother certainly gave me reason to believe this was my destiny.

So my journey began! I wanted to change my life I wanted to be “skinny” not heavy and bogged down. I started with taking an honest look at my eating, what was I puttin’ in my pie hole. I decided I would track everything that went into my mouth, everything!!  Every mouthful I accounted for, sometimes the honesty was tough but I knew that if I didn’t get honest with myself how could I ever change this cycle I was in. I tracked intake and output, I think this worked for me then because I was so far off on what was going into my body. I had no clue on portion size or how may calories were even in a portion or what a portion really looked like. I also started to take notice of why I was eating, sometimes it wasn’t because I was hungry and it meant dealing with the issues that were driving me to eat. That sometimes was tougher than anything, you don’t realize, I think, that you bury things that you really don’t want to feel. But like the food I knew that if I didn’t do the work I wouldn’t change, I would only find myself back there again like all the other times.  I know that’s not every one’s case but I can tell you that I’ve seen people stop this dead in their tracks and it’s hard to watch because I know what both sides feel like and getting out on the other side of that is very empowering, not always easy, but in the end  so empowering.

So with all the work I was doing I began to see progress and learn things about food that I really didn’t know at the time, like how many calories was in food, that alone was so empowering to me. It really created a momentum for me, but when you’re on that road alone it gets old and hard to stick to your plan. So I called some family members that I knew had been struggling like me, I asked if they wanted to form a group and keep each other accountable. So we did just that, we had meetings once a month and even had shirts made to empower us more. “Women Working Wonders” teamin’ up to transform our lifestyle.

What I watched happen for all of us was just one more step to empowerment. We all had success, in our own little ways we each together and separately were gaining control back on an issue that we all have struggled with from time to time. That is when Inspiring Fitness was born. I was then and still am very passionate about helping people, sometimes to a fault I think but nonetheless my intentions are always good.  

Fast forward 8 years. Lots of lessons learned lots of growing and evolving.

 I can tell you this, things have changed for me since that day I started. I no longer count calories, I instead have simplified to stick with eating whole foods, staying away from processed food as much as I possibly can, being less hard on myself, caring for my spirit, eating every two to three hours, and drinking at least one hundred ounces of water a day most day’s it’s a gallon.  The biggest thing I’ve learned as of right now is this process changes and evolves constantly, you need to flow with the changes and continue to find what works for you. If you can take a little bit of a lot of information and make it your own you have created your own plan. You have to educate yourself on what is going into your body, the things they put in food now is not helping your body, that’s why to me a calorie is not just a calorie, that’s why I had to change my approach if I was going to continue being healthy. The second biggest thing for me is I want to be HEALTHY not skinny,and to me healthy means being strong physically as I age, having energy to propel me through my day, having a spirit that shines. I think sometime we forget about that side of healthy, we keep pushing ourselves to do more and never fill up that spirit inside that needs  positive messages or a massage, or Reiki energy, or acupuncture. That’s where I find the things that recharge my spirit, my plan is to stayed balanced in mind, body and spirit that is when I feel at my absolute healthiest. 

So there you have it, pretty simple really, no secret pill, no magic combination of food, just a simple approach to being healthy. If you feel like any of this fits with what you need or what you’ve been struggling with I would be honored if you allowed me on your journey. You can find out more about Inspiring Fitness on my website. http://inspiringfitness.biz/ give me a call or shoot me an email to set up a free consultation. I would love to hear your comments on maybe the journey you’re on or about to begin.

Love, Light and Health to you on your journey!

Sandra

If this is your goal for the year 2012, to become healthier, I have a few suggestions for you that have helped me.

~ Look at this not so much as “losing weight” but as becoming healthier.
~ Nourish your physical body with foods that will energize you and help you become stronger.
~ Drink plenty of water to hydrate your body so that you function at the most optimal level for you on a daily basis.
~ Work your muscles through some sort of resistance training so that you become stronger and therefore burn more of the excess energy that you have stored on your physical body.
~ Work your heart and lungs with some for of cardio training for at least twenty minutes to start.
~ Get a massage or a Reiki energy session to nourish your spirit.
~ Take your focus off your scale instead tune into your body and how you feel. Do you feel stronger? Do your clothes fit differently? Are you able to do things easier that you use to?
~ And finally surround yourself with people who support you and your mission to become healthier. You’re only as strong as the people you surround yourself with.

I believe 2012 is going to be a year of change and power. The energy for me has been intense these first few days of the New Year. I can feel big things coming!
If this is the year you have decided once and for all you are going to get healthier and feel better Inspiring Fitness can help. If you need some nutritional advice, a workout or two that will get you started, or a Reiki session to nourish your spirit I would love to be part of your journey. Call 262-483-7720 for a free consultation.

Here’s to a healthy 2012
Sandra

I guess what I love is the energy I pull from the moon in all it’s phases. I took a course once that taught you the phases of the moon. If you live your life by these phases in accordance with each phase it’s really incredible how it really does workout that way each month when you are aware of the energy of the moon phases. Below is a brief description each phase.

• New Moon – Beginning - be new, allow the new you, new idea, new project, etc., to become firmly grounded and take root in all possibilities.
• First Quarter Moon – Action – The new you, idea, project, etc., is developing a structure and form, it’s taking shape  becoming more “real”.  Challenges and crises arise which are a perfectly natural part of the process of birthing something new.  Challenge and crisis are “the tension that produces growth”.  The phase is driven by decisiveness, determination and courage to not be deterred by people, situations, circumstances and things (both in the inner and outer world) that might impede continued growth and development.
• Full Moon – Culmination – The potential for the flower (idea, project, etc.) can be clearly seen now.  Either it has been well tended and is healthy, ready to continue toward maturity, to spiral upward and outward to new levels of attainment, or it is not strong and must be strengthened quickly or allowed to die and be born anew in right timing.  This phase is driven by clear-sight and honesty.
• Last Quarter Moon – Contemplation – Whether the flower (idea, project, etc.) is spreading and pollinating, or dying, this is the time for deep inner reflection and self-assessment.  What worked, what didn’t, what does the future hold?  What can be learned, what was awakened in your inner being, what new levels of self-awareness have been attained?  This phase is driven by dedication, purpose and intentto continue shining brightly or strive to grasp that silver lining (“the moral of the story is . . .”).  Thank you Sao!

And it starts again every month. I’ve seen these phases dictate my  life almost every month when I stay aware. I’ve also come to realize why people might be struggling more at certain times in a month according to the phases of the moon, it helps me to be more understanding of others.

My absolute favorite phase is the full moon I guess it’s the “culmination” that I like, the clarity of my “new” coming into focus. The energy of the full moon every month is incredible for me. I have a hard time sleeping its so intense sometimes, it’s that excitement of the new I guess, like a little kid. It’s awesome!!

Enjoy the energy of the moon pay attention to the phases and see what happens for you!!

Happy Full Moon on Tuesday! I LOVE THE MOON!

Sandra

With my seven year anniversary in October I thought it might be a good time to jump back into my blog and put down what I am feeling…..Whew, seven years it’s hard to believe it’s been that long for Inspiring Fitness. When I think back to seven years ago today the one thing that stands out for what I was feeling then is FEAR. I was taking a plunge into something I wasn’t even sure was going to work. Although I knew in the deepest part of my being that it would. I just had a little trouble trusting at first.

This is where I spent most of my time seven years ago and for the better part of eighteen plus years of my adult life (plus the eighteen years before that).

I learned so very much there that has brought me to here. I learned that sometimes you have to do what you have to do to get things done. You gotta suck it up even when it’s hard. You rely on your personal power to pull you through, that even when you think you can’t, you really can!

So I took all that with me starting this…

…and what I’ve learned here from myself and others is:

• Compassion – being understanding of others and myself. To be gentle when  gentleness is needed.
• Strength – physical, mental and emotional. Pulling on all three sometimes separate, sometimes together.
• Resilience -  even when you’re down you can bounce back, when you believe.  
• Perseverance - nothing can stop a strong will. Just plain and simple NOTHING!

The list could go on and on but those are the big ones. I decided on using the saying “If you believe in yourself amazing things happen” for a reason, because I believed that then and I believe that now. Although I have had my times of losing sight of that, I’m human after all, in the core of my being I always come back to that. Believing in yourself even when others may not becomes so strong that nothing can stop that force, it’s so powerful!

I have had the privilege of helping SO many people. Be that a workout, a Reiki session, group training, boot camp, stretching, or just sitting and listening, helping someone maybe see what they are struggling with from a different angle. I am so very grateful that I have this opportunity and that people allow me on their journey with them. Sometimes the journey becomes not the best of who you are. But I know that those times are what bring about the biggest change in someone and allowing me to help them through has been my honor and privilege and will continue to be. Thank you to each and everyone who has been a part of Inspiring Fitness and to all the ones yet to come. You all are truly what make this INSPIRING FITNESS!

Love & Light,

Sandrda