Sugar Free September! Days 2-8

Giant star-shaped cactus flower: Copyright © Phyllis Wheeler, 2015

Heartfelt thanks to all of you who were kind enough to encourage me on my journey to curb my sugar intake and hopefully lose weight too! There have been many temptations but so far my sugar free eating plan is going well. Eight days in, I've stuck to my plan with only two exceptions and I'm one pound closer to a healthy weight.

The two exceptions were 1) a really bland dinner... I just couldn't stand the flavorlessness and had some watered down orange juice with it. About 1 oz juice to 8 oz water. Haven't worked out the sugar grams there but I'm guessing it was over 5. Lesson learned: I'm making sure we have lemon juice on hand now because sprinkling that on would have done the trick without the sugar. 2) I was super thirsty on the way home from a day trip and had already drank my 3 stainless steel bottles of water and I had 3 sips of my husband's fruity drink. That might have been less than 5 grams of sugar but it definitely wasn't part of my plan. The real issue with this is it led to intense sugar cravings for the rest of that day and all night. Lessons learned: I now know those kinds of drinks are not good for me at all and I'm better off waiting until I can get some water (or even better, bringing a fourth bottle on future trips).

Most of the time, though, advance planning made sticking to my sugar free eating plan much easier. Not having junk food easily accessible, having lots of fresh veggie snacks easy to reach in the refrigerator, bringing healthy snacks on road trips and so on. Basically, I'm trying to make it as easy as possible to eat healthfully and as hard as possible to eat junk.

Starting this second week of September I'm feeling good about this journey and thankful to those of you joining and encouraging me! May God bless you!

Related posts:
Sugar free September post 1: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/09/sugar-free-september-day-1.html
Amazing berry banana smoothie: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2011/11/amazing-berry-banana-smoothie-recipe.html
Banana cream health smoothie: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/03/banana-cream-health-smoothie-recipe.html

Ten Terrific Goal-Boosting Books for 2013

Happy New Year everyone! I suppose this is about the last socially acceptable time to wish it for 2013. I promised myself I'd post my book goals for 2013 in January and since it's the last day I can't procrastinate any longer.

Every year I set a goal of reading 50 books and last year was the first year where I named specific books as part of my 50. It worked out so well I've decided to do it again, but this year with ten books. So, I'm publicly committing to read a total of 50 books, ten of which will be the books below. I've selected these particular books to help me in either my main goals for 2013 or my main lifetime goals. Still, I think there's something there for most people. If you're looking to get healthy, organized, happy, decluttered, godly or slim, there's something for you. The books have a decidedly Christian slant (not surprising, given that I love Jesus and am a born again Christian) but there are some secular books and I think two were written by Buddhists. I'm not listing the books in any particular order. If you have read or plan to read any of them, I'd love your opinion.

1. A Praying Life by Paul Miller. This book was recommended to me by my pastor brother and Christian musician, Joshua Otte, as the best book on prayer "ever." So of course I had to add it. It should help me with my goal of growing closer to God and, by being able to discuss it with my brother it should be a relationship builder (godliness and harmonious relationships are among my lifetime goals).
2. The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin. I love her columns in Good Housekeeping magazine so I thought I'd read her first book. I figure this will also contribute to harmonious relationships as my husband seems happier when I am happy.
3. SoulSpace: Creating a Home that is Free of Clutter, Full of Beauty and Inspired by You by Xorin Balbes. I read a book review (maybe in Real Simple magazine?) that made me want to read this book and as getting clutter free is one of my main goals for 2013 I had to add it to my list.
4. ReFocus: Living a Life That Reflects God's Heart by Jim Daly. The desire of my heart is to be a woman after God's heart and I expect that this book will help me grow in that direction.
5. 8 Minute Organizer by Regina Leeds. I started reading this one last year but it was due back before I could finish it but I was intrigued and inspired by the little bit I'd started to read. I suspect the tasks will take me more than 8 minutes each but I like that they're broken down into manageable chunks.
6. Affordable Remodel: How to Get Custom Results on Any Budget by Fernando Pages Ruiz. Years ago I flipped through this book and decided that if I were ever to do a remodel I would want to read this first. Hopefully there is either a move or a remodel in my not so far future so I want to be sure to read this book this year, just in case.
7. Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food by Lysa TerKeurst. I had planned to take this Bible Study last year but God had other plans and I ended up facilitating another one so this year I plan to read this book. It should help me with two goals (eating mindfully and loving God more). 
8. The End of Diabetes: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes by Joel Fuhrman, M.D. I love Dr. Fuhrman and am easing my way into following his eating plan so of course I want to read his latest book on healthy eating. Additionally, I have family members and friends with diabetes so being able to help them is a great bonus. 
9. The Heart of A Woman Who Prays: Drawing Near to the God Who Loves You by Elizabeth George. I love Elizabeth George and many of her books have greatly blessed me so when I found one I hadn't read yet I had to add it to my list.  
10. A Season for Tending: Amish Vines and Orchards, Book 1 by Cindy Woodsmall. My mother sent me this book after she read it and she raved about how great it was so, for the first time, a fiction book has made my list. Not only do I expect to be encouraged in my Christian walk, but the shared reading experience should be a relationship builder with my mom. 

So there's my list for 2013. What are you planning to read this year? May God bless you and keep you!