BlogHer - Share your plans for living healthier in 2008 for a chance to win a trip to BlogHer '08! - Comments

2008: The Year of Living Delightfully

Barbara Uechi — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:51:58 -0600

On Ground Hog Day (2/2), I committed to just two healthy practices. One, maintain a daily practice of a set sequence of yoga poses. Two, eat nutrient dense, fresh fruits and vegetables by day, cooked foods for dinner.

Already two weeks into my personal challenge, I can see the physical benefits (defined muscles in my shoulders) and feel truly self-disciplined. But then I’m also beginning to notice things that I want to improve, in order for me to successfully maintain my two health practices for the year.

As a massage therapist and owner of a yoga studio, my daily schedule is as subject to change as the weather. I love what I do so I’ve allowed it all to flow free form and retired my former list making, calendar driven self. I’m now thinking that it’s time to retrieve parts of the old me to help manage the new me. If I want to eat fresh and basically raw foods during the day, I need to grocery shop with a plan (I used to make weekly menus back in my manic-mommy days), pack my meals for work, etc. My practice needs to be priority number one when I’m scheduling my day, and not left to standby for any available time slot.

I think the real challenge will be to organize and redesign my world to support my healthy goals. Even the side effects promise good things.

More on: http://uechi.typepad.com/konayogacom/2008-the-year-of-living-d.html

Treating Myself Right Reaps Endless Rewards

sweetmunky — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:46:37 -0600

A constant goal I always have is to treat myself, including body and soul, well. My body and mind are my most precious resource. I do my best to eat well, exercise moderately, and take breaks from the everyday grind. Doing all of these for myself has a trickle-down effect for those around me including my family and yes, the world. How is this possible? Simple really. You eat healthy foods that are minimally processed and the physical health benefit is obvious. Family and friends benefit from the example set and seeing the results of a healthier and happier person who eats well. Your world, our world, benefits from minimally processed foods as this is beneficial to the environment and does not degrade valuable resources. Happy Person, Happy Family, Happy World.
Heidi
http://blog.sweetmunkies.com

Feeling great in 2008

jsongbird4 — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:11:03 -0600

2008 has brought a new resolve to slim down and tone up:

http://fromtheplanetofjanet.blogspot.com/2008/01/blog-post.html

Nothing like a deadline (and

laura capello — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 13:06:47 -0600

Nothing like a deadline (and new medical problems) to get my submission completed. You can read it here:

http://noappropriatebehavior.blogspot.com/2008/02/smell-of-hospitals-in-...

Best,
Laura

Vegetarians Rock

schnoodle — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:19:58 -0600

I've been a vegetarian for over a decade. I made the choice because of my deep love for animals. That love extends to a house full of cats and a couple of dogs all of which were abandoned (and managed somehow to “find me”)

When I made the choice, I worried I’d crave meat but that never happened. In fact the opposite occurred. About a year after making the change, I was eating out with some friends and they’d ordered nachos. Having been told they were vegetarian I took a bite and tasted something rancid. It was then that I realized it was hamburger!

I’ve never lobbied anyone yet I’m often asked why I am a vegetarian. This often progresses to a conversation where I’m able to talk about great substitute options like Boca smoked sausage, breakfast links and patties. Products many carnivores aren’t exist at their local grocery store. They’re equally shocked to hear that I don’t miss meat and haven’t found it difficult to follow. It’s all a matter of deciding your boundaries. For me that means I eat eggs but only from free-range, vegetarian fed hens.

After I divorced, I took in a roommate to help with the pets when I travel. Just by example, I watched his diet slowly evolve time. Recently, I had a change in roommates. It’s been a month and again and her diet is

Interested? Try a chili recipe: http://bocaburger.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&re...

My Entry

WonderSpot — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:13:04 -0600

http://wonderspot.net/?p=109

Non-Resolutions
A.K.A. Why WonderSpot should get to go to BlogHer.

I may not do New Years Resolutions, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have goals for this upcoming year. I’m always looking for ways to improve myself and the world around me, and 2008 is no different.

This year I want to get off the anti-depressants I’ve been on since the rape.

I want to meditate a few times a week.

I want to eat more organic food and less processed crap.

I want to teach Tonks how to jog with me (as opposed now, when she bites the back of my legs).

I want to finish my MFA and have a decent collection of stories to submit to publishers.

I want to be more buy more Fair Trade products.

I want to encourage people to vote, unless they’re voting for McCain, in which case I’ll tell them that the election is in December (just kidding…sorta).

I want to let go of some of the bitterness I have towards the church.

I want to be more socially active; maybe I’ll join the Peace Protest on the corner by Jimbo’s.

I want to get outside and enjoy nature more, take more pictures.

Vegetarians Rock

schnoodle — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 11:28:41 -0600

I've been a vegetarian for over a decade now but vow this year to make sure I'm getting a more balanced diet. It's so easy to get more than enough carbs but protein, well I need to focus on that better.

Vegetarians Rock

schnoodle — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 11:28:41 -0600

Feeling Great in 2008

Izzy76 — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 10:22:58 -0600

I have two goals for this year to improve my health. The first is to get MORE sleep. Going on 4-5 hours a night for the past two years cannot possibly be a good thing so my plan is to back down my bedtime every night by 15 minutes until I'm used to going to bed at a decent hour. Easier said than done!

My second goal is to reduce the amount of meat I eat. For nearly 7 years I was a vegetarian but back then, there were very few options for veggies who didn't really know how to cook or even WANT to eat vegetables. Nowdays, there are so many meat alternatives in the grocery store (and I've finally learned to cook vegetables...sort of) that reducing my meat intake, both for my health and the health of the planet, is a whole lot easier than it used to be so I really have no excuse, do I?

Here's to success and feeling great in 2008!

Here's My Entry

LizasEyeview — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 10:11:11 -0600

Here's My entry and I hope I win because I really really want to attend the Blogher Conference!:

http://lizas-eyeview.blogspot.com/2008/02/plan-to-be-healthier.html

My plan

judyannemt — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 06:29:01 -0600

My little brother died on Monday, we buried him on Friday.
He did not always take care of himself. Our whole family is heartbroken, but
we have all vowed to get as healthy as possible. We don't want to attend another funeral for a long, long time.
Our tribute to my baby brother, Steve, is to live the healthiest lives we can, until we see him again.

Taking a Break from Babies for awhile...

kylinsmom — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 22:10:29 -0600

After having 3 babies via c-section the last 4 years, I am plumb tuckered out! I miss my old sense of energy, the ability had to tap dance for hours, and the way my backside looked in a pair of yoga pants. While it would be easy to say that my husband deserves a woman that can keep up with the kids and still have the stamina for giving him more loving attention, it has come down to ME wanting to change. That is something that has been long overdue.

I have been starting slow, keeping in mind that if I'm not having fun while moving and grooving, my new passion for exercise and positive thinking won't last long. Whether I'm doing an hour of the video dance mat with the kids, hauling firewood from the pickup with my hubby, or just taking a few minutes to stretch after a hot shower, I'm going to do this for me! Day by day, little by little, I'm becoming the woman I've wanted to be - and I'm feeling more like a girl along the way.

Don't be surprised to see me singing, laughing, or skipping these days. That sparkle in my eye is just a small piece of the passion that I held as a healthier woman. My progress will not be marked by a tape measure or a food journal. It will be reflected in the joy my family experiences as I start to live life as an active participant.

First Triahtlon in 2008

A Elliot — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:22:20 -0600

Last May I was very impressed by two of my friends who had begun meeting with personal trainers. I decided to bite the bullet and go ahead and sign up. It helped that the Y was running a special. Let's just say I was glad that I had bought a package deal of 5 sessions because seriously it was thought of how much pain I would be in if I didn't workout between the meetings that got me to the Y. Since I was putting all this effort into exercising, I started not wanting to eat out as much and also really watching what I bought at the grocery store.

I was a competitive swimmer throughout college and I’ve always wanted to do a triathlon some day. I realized there was no reason why it couldn’t be a reality this spring. In order to be able to train for it and be a SAHM of a 4 year old and a 1 year old who until recently was still napping twice a day, I realized that I needed to get up early in the morning: 4:50 am to be exact. I have been a night owl my whole life. Here's the part that I never thought I would say: I actually like it better. Training for one triathlon has turned into training for two since one is the stepping stone for the other. I love it, I feel great and I’ve lost over 30 pounds.

Alex Elliot, Formula Fed and Flexible Parenting

My Three Awesome Health Resolutions for 2008!

Crabby McSlacker — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:34:48 -0600

What a great idea! I can't wait to inspire others with my resolutions.

1. I'm going to run my very first MARATHON! Hooray for me!
1. Oh wait... my knees are pretty trashed. But I'm gonna do lots of healthy stretching and strengthening, and work up to running 5-7 miles five times a week!
1. Err, strike that. How about three to four miles, five times a week? That's still pretty darn healthy!
1. Ouch. Ow ow ow.
1. Sigh. I'll go running ONCE a week and return to dorky race-walking and elliptical like before.

2. I'm going to eat nothing but fresh organic produce, lean protein, whole grains, nuts and seeds and olive oil and I'll never touch another evil cupcake or eat another plate of nachos ever again!
2. Plus maybe a little dark chocolate and red wine, too. Those are good for you.
2. Okay, only ONE cupcake a week, as a treat.
2. Oops. Well maybe some weeks two cupcakes... But definitely only one order of nachos a quarter. Err, per month... Okay, per week.
2. Um, so lets say I resolve to eat pretty healthy MOST of the time, like I was doing already.

3. I'm going to resolve to keep improving my physical and mental well-being in every way possible every single day!
3. Um... most of the time, anyway.
3. Oh dear. Well, maybe I'll just try my best to be as healthy as I can. Life's too short for perfection!

Thanks, Blogher, that was fun!
Crabby
www.crankyfitness.com

More Couple Time

Dr. Coach Love — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:47:43 -0600

Way to go! More couple time is a great way to improve your Health. For more healthy relationship coaching tips, check out my brand new blog www.FamilyandRelationshipCoachBlog.com. Thanks!

See you there,

Dr. Coach Love
www.FamilyandRelationshipCoachBlog.com

Share your plans for living healthier in 2008 for a chance to win a trip to BlogHer '08!

Boca Foods — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:57:38 -0600

Congratulations, Mrs. Flinger!

Fling that laptop into the modified diaper-bag-carry-all case and leave the kids with Dad. You'll be heading out to San Francisco in July for our annual BlogHer Conference.

Thanks for all of the contest entries. We can't wait to see everyone this summer!

**Contest Update**

Resolutions schmesolutions!

How are you REALLY making a difference to your health this year? It doesn’t matter whether you’ve promised to compete in an Iron Woman competition, or cut back on carbs; the point is that you do something.

In the spirit of working toward healthier minds and bodies, we teamed up with Boca Burger to provide you with a chance to support the community. Tell us how YOU are living healthier in 2008—in any fashion. Your entry may just win you an all-expenses paid trip* to BlogHer ’08, July 18-20, 2008, in San Francisco.

New to BlogHer? Join us and participate in our Special Offers today!

Entries will be collected through February 17. A winners will be selected and announced on this page and in BlogHer’s General and Free Stuff Newsletters on Monday, February 25 2008**.

*Up to $1,000 value

**Announcement made in newsletters will occur on the regular posting schedule, on or after Feb 25.

Judging Criteria:

Entries will be judged by a committee comprised of BlogHer's community managers and selected health and wellness bloggers. Among the criteria members will judge by:
• Results: Have your changes had a positive effect on you, or those around you?
• Informational and inspirational quality: does your entry give the community something they can take away and follow?
• Content quality: What can we say? We’re bloggers! We like things that are well-written and proof-edited.
• Buzziness: Does your entry inspire others to respond or link to your entry?

Rules:

• Entries should be no more than 250 words in length.
• Entries must be placed below in the comments section of this page, or a URL link to your entry on your own blog must be posted to the comments section of this page, to qualify.
• Entries must be written and posted before 11:59pm PST on Feb 17.
• Entries must comply with BlogHer editorial policy for appropriateness.
• Click here for complete Official Rules.

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