Do You Dream?

How Big Are Your Dreams?

Do you Dream?  I do...all the time...in the night...in the wee hours of the morning right before I'm fully awake...during the day...while painting....while driving...even while shopping!  Yes, I Dream...and sometimes I wonder...Are My Dreams Big Enough?

In my subconscious rendezvous in the middle of the night I have to say...I'm dreaming pretty darn BIG!  I sometimes wake in the morning, almost with a chuckle at the magnitude of what I had just been dreaming.  "Visions of Grandeur" I call them...then quickly dismiss them as frivolous and impossible....but are they?

In my art room minding my own business....utilizing my right-brained creativity to create something colorful and a seemingly non-connected thought crosses my airwaves and if I allow it to enter into my "zone", I'm surprised by it's frankness and purity.  I see myself walking on a beach in a gauzy dress as the wind whips through me and the waves tickle my ankles as my toes sink into the wet sand.  "What was that?", I think or say outloud to myself.  A completely random "dream" has just entered into my space and caused me to stop and ponder the very essence of it.  At this very moment...I have a choice.  I can sweep it under the proverbial rug or I can spend a few more moments realizing this beautiful "reality".   If I looked up and into the mirror that encompasses a whole wall of my art room, I would see, Ha! tis but a dream!  But if I take those moments and allow this "vision" to set, to permeate my being, to see myself truly walking on that beach, to feel that breeze, to smell the salty air, to feel my toes sinking into the wet sand.... I'm more than half way there!

Too many times we scurry quickly away from those Big Dreams...those Impossible Dreams...those Dreams that surely will never happen!  Instead...we should capture them...stick them in a bottle...save them...treasure them...dare to take another look at them!  And we tend to embrace those Little Dreams that seem doable...all the while fooling ourselves into believing we are not worthy to believe the Big Dreams!  Therefore we stop ourselves just short of achieving those Big Dreams...(which is aptly called self-sabbotage!)  

In my Big Dreams, I have unbelievable energy... I can scale mountains, I can play concert piano, I can jog, I have huge houses, I'm a speaker at conferences, My artwork displayed in collectors homes, I have a beautiful body and can wear most anything, I own my own art studio where many come to create, I travel all the time....  and on and on and on!!!

These may seem BIG...but ALL are all obtainable...I believe it so....and so it will be.  I believe in God...and I believe in the Dreams he gives me.  They are so Big sometimes that, like I said earlier, I just chuckle and actually try to suppress them...applying the Big "But" to most of them!  When in actuality, if I would just receive them, embrace them as mine to have, mine to obtain, possible to live... then nothing... NO THING ...can stop me from obtaining and living them out.

My Big Dream focus right now is my weight as it is connected to my health.  Yes, of course, I want to look good and buy clothes that I can tuck in, from the Ladies Dept and not the Women's World department...but my health is being affected by my weight and it is my health that will keep me living so I can enjoy my family, traveling, shopping, LIVING!  Time and time again I have tried to lose weight so I can look better...be cute in my jeans...wear a bathing suit...go to a school reunion (which I have not done ever because of my weight!).  But this time is different... I SEE myself healthy...running...climbing...swimming...and for that reason I have chosen to follow the BFC plan to accomplish this DREAM.  And It's happening!  All the other times I failed because my dream just wasn't BIG ENOUGH to keep my focus!  This time its BIG!!!  REAL BIG!!!  and This time I know it will be reality before I know it!

Some of us follow Rosalie on her blog Healthy Me Doing the Belly Fat Cure... and yesterday she posted about seeing herself in a reflection at the mall and took a double take at what she was seeing...or rather what she no longer saw!  She shocked herself at seeing herself slim for the first time in ages!  She is accomplishing her DREAM...her BIG DREAM!  She's living it right now, as we ALL are, and seeing the results in believing she can do it!  I'm so proud of her!  I'm so proud of YOU... and of ME!  We are ALL accomplishing that which we are setting our minds to do.... and that is BIG DREAMING!  

Keep those dreams alive!  Find a way to capture them!  Put them down on paper, paint them out, cut them out of magazines, find pics to remind you, make a mantra out of it, write a song with it in it and sing it out loud...DAILY!  Don't just write it down or paste it on your refrigerator and never look at it again!  Touch it, Feel it, See it, DO IT!!!  Believe me...if you believe it...you will be it!!!  What you think...You are!

DREAM IT

LIVE IT

BE IT!

"The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake, 

when you don't know the difference between reality and fantasy, 

when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul 

that the dream is reality, and it really happened." 

"The only thing that can stop you from fulfilling your dreams is you!"

  

Laugh It Off!!!

I watched the cutest little video clip last night that made me laugh and laugh!  After it was all over I felt great and sort of euphoric! So I had a little fleeting thought... "I wonder if I had burned any calories laughing?"  Silly thought...I thought...until I Googled it!  (seriously this dictionary needs to recognize the word Google and it's counterparts!)  Anyway, sure enough, you can use an average of 1.3 calories per minute laughing!  Let's see... that would mean you would need to laugh approximately 76.92307 minutes in order to burn off that 100 calorie snack you just ate!  BUT WAIT!!!

Before you go all postal on me and put away your giggle box...you need to know that Laughter truly is the Best Medicine!  Look at all these amazing benefits to having a little chortle every now and then!

Laughter first and foremost helps to relieve emotional stress!  And who doesn't need a little of THAT removed from their everyday lives?  It does so by helping to reduce the level of stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, dopamine, and growth hormones.  It's also responsible for helping to release the health enhancing hormones such as endorphins and neurotransmitters...causing you to feel happier and healthier!
Wow!  Little did I know what all is going on when I laugh!  

In fact, I think we should all test this out right now and watch this little video...all the while using up a few calories and releasing some goodness into our bodies!  I promise you wont regret it!



(disclaimer: No animals have been hurt while filming this video...but my dogs did get a little excited when they heard me laughing out loud while watching it in the middle of the night!)

Great!  How's everyone feeling? Hopefully a bit more cheerful!!! I just loved watching this little cutie trying to get around in those booties and funnel hood!  We just went through having our puppies neutered and watching them having to maneuver with those hoods on was just too much...they didn't stay on for long!  But I digress...

No only does laughing do all kinds of magic with our hormonal system but also to our internal organs!  Yes, it's true!  It helps work out our diaphragm, our abs and even our shoulders if it's a good hearty laugh...leaving all these muscles less tense after a great workout!  


So tell a few jokes with friends and laugh at yourself!  Or rent the funniest movie you've ever seen! (would love to know what that is for you!)  Read the comic strip!  (remember those?)  Go to YouTube and spend some time watching home vids! 


Or...you can just Craft Yourself into Laughter like these ladies did!

So Whatever makes you Laugh... 

Do It...Watch It...See It...Feel It!!!

Go Ahead Do Your Body Good........

Have a Good LAUGH!!!

TODAY!

I love this dog too!  Thanks for reminding me MFE!  Best part is it's in a convenience store parking lot! It so inspires me that I need to be much more spontaneous with my dancing!  LOL

Mini Update

I can't believe I missed posting yesterday!  So here's my mini update!  Let the Celebration Begin!!!   Feeling some lighter today!  Those that have read my previous posts will understand this!  Now, to build on this momentum!  Off to go teach my art class...but will definitely be posting anew this evening!  Have a Blessed Day Ya'll!!!

In The Out....House!

Wow what a week!  Seems like it zipped right past and past me up!  I was thinking...."Wait! It can't be time for my weigh-in yet, I haven't had my (insert bodily function that gets rid of waste here) yet!  Yep, it was true, I didn't want to step on those scales because I knew what they would show...or rather...Not Show!  I knew that they would show the proof of my "excess baggage" that I hadn't been able to get rid of for days!  Yes, DAYS!

In a matter of 7 days I was only "normal" 3x's as of this morning.  Now, all those people who have said, "She's just full of $#!+!" are RIGHT!  I have been miserable, but faithfully sticking to the BFC plan!  Soooo, I made a little shout out to several of the BFC regulars for some help!  I'll share some of their remedies in a second...

First I must answer this question that others may have about the BFC plan.  "Why are people reporting that they get so constipated  (eek I said it!) on this plan?"  The BFC plan encourages you to eat a nice high protein diet which can cause a bit of constipation.  However it also encourages you to up your fiber via your carb swaps...thus the 6 Servings of Carbs that are recommended daily...which should amount to 25 - 30 grams of fiber total for the day.  (I believe I'm guilty for not getting ALL my good high fiber carbs in this past week!)

 To quote Jorge Cruise in his book The Belly Fat Cure:  Part of the problem with belly fat is "not eating enough of the right kinds of carbohydrates, which are a key source of fiber that moves out the hardened waste matter."  "The right kind of carbs can eliminate any "false belly fat" that may come from built-up waste in your intestines and colon." 

It was obvious then that even though I was sticking to the BFC plan...in staying under the 6 servings of carbohydrates rule... I was actually doing myself a disservice by not eating enough fiber I was needing for the day...thus resulting in a backup in the out flow dept.!   LESSON LEARNED!

Here are a few of the suggestions that were either shared with me today, listed in the BFC book or appear on other's blogs.  Hope this helps if anyone else finds them in a similar predicament!

First: Eat 6 Servings of Good High Fiber Carbs a Day!  DO NOT SKIP THIS!  

Second: Make sure you drink LOTS OF WATER!  8 cups of 8oz is all it takes to keep the fiber you are consuming moving in the right direction!    If you have a tough time getting water down... check out my post about WATER - Your Body's BFF

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 If you still need a little help getting things in balance you may want to try adding ONE of these remedies:

DO NOT DO ALL OF THESE IN ONE DAY!!!

Belly Fat Cure Drink:  Page 101 in BFC book   BFC  0/2

• 1 (20oz bottle) of Sobe Lifewater 0   (any PureVia-sweetened flavor)
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. Psyllium husks
• 3 probiotic capsules 

1. Mix the psyllium husks with Sobe Lifewater
2. Take the probiotics with the shake and drink remainder immediately.

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Daily Routine:     Shared by: Rosalie at ...Healthy Me! Doing the Belly Fat Cure... 
                              Rosalie has lost almost 60lbs as of this posting and is a great inspiration and help to me!
                             

Morning:
Take 2 Probiotics capsules
Add 1 tsp of Metamucil Clear Sugar Free Powdered Fiber to your coffee or hot tea or other drink.

Afternoon:
Mix 1 scoop of SUPER SEED in water (or other sugar free drink like Sobe) and drink.
(This stuff tastes GREAT but does have a thick texture!)

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BUG JUICE:  As Amber shares in her captivating and informative article "Don't Mind Me I'm Just Feeding My Bugs" on her blog Me and Jorge.
It's a MUST READ and a MUST TRY RECIPE!!!  (actually her whole blog is AMAZING!)

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GO TO WALMART!!!  Ha! I'm dead serious... I won't reveal who suggested this but I have to say...there are times when this (for whatever reason!) WORKS!    The only thing I can figure is this:  You are out doing something different...perhaps even shopping for a new outfit or craft stuff or building supplies and WHAM! the urge hits you and you have to find the restroom fast!  My theory is that we are 1. Getting some exercise. 2. Relaxing.  YEP!  I think it's the combo of those two factoids that cause your body to say...HEY!  Pay Attention... I want to get rid of some of that baggage you're carrying around! It's worth a try!

( WALMART Here I Come!!!)  =D

I'm sure there are many other safe and healthy remedies out there.... So if you would like to share your ideas in the comments... I'm sure they will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL???

THEN HANG OUT WITH SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE!!!

and that includes successful dieters too!!!

Thanks Rosalie and Amber!!!

An Outhouse I Could Get Used To!