Quote of the Day

"It's not called kidding--it's called parenting." -- Donna Acosta

As children, we learn many things from the people who raise us. Among the most important things we learn are how we should treat others, and how we can expect to be treated by others. We also learn what to expect from life.

If the people who raise us do a reasonably good job, we learn that we treat others with respect, others should treat us with respect, and life is worth living. Unfortunately, many of us had caregivers who weren't especially skilled in these areas...and now you may be treating yourself, or allowing others to treat you, the same way your caregivers did.

So how are you doing with parenting yourself? Do you treat yourself with respect, or do you neglect or indulge yourself? Do you treat others with respect, or do you neglect or indulge others? What do you expect from life? Are your beliefs about life positive or negative?

You can't go back and recapture your childhood, but you can commit to being an excellent parent now. I'm amping up my positive parenting this week by focusing on praise. Every day, as I use my planner, I praise myself. This morning I noted that I completed 15 of the 19 items in my planner list. In the past, I would have focused on the 4 items I didn't complete. Today, I'm complimenting myself on the 15 I did complete.

What can you do to parent yourself more effectively? Do you need to set limits in a more loving way? Be more consistent? Praise yourself for doing a great job, or just for being you? If you take one small step each day toward more effective parenting, you'll see and feel a significant change. Happy parenting :)!

Weekly Goals for November 2 -- November 8, 2009

I'm shifting focus this week toward weight loss, for several reasons (more on that in a later post). So, here are my goals this week:

1) Drink 3 liters of water 5 days; 2 liters of water 2 days

2) Exercise every day (Monday Wii tennis, Tuesday dance class, Wednesday run, Thursday Wii tennis, Friday - Sunday run or dance video)

3) Get to bed by 10:30 PM -- begin bedtime routine at 10 PM

4) Practice breathing exercises WITH FAMILY before meals

5) Keep up the good work with planner praise :)!

Whew! What are your goals for this week? If you'd like some accountability or support, feel free to share your goals. Don't forget to check back in with us next week, and let us know how it went :).

Recipe of the Week: Slow Cooker Indian Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

If you've taken my online class "Luscious, Low-Fat, Lightning-Quick Meals," I bet you've already dusted off your slow cooker, and you're ready for more easy and delish recipes for it. You're in luck! I had this recipe in the slow cooker when an acquaintance stopped by for a few hours. She couldn't get over how the aroma filled the house as it cooked, and wanted the recipe to take with her. I saw her again this week, and she mentioned it turned out fantastic when she prepared it. If you try it, I'd love to hear what you think of it!

I'll post more tomorrow about how I developed this recipe, and talk about ginger and garam masala. If you happen to have all the ingredients at home, happy cooking!

Slow Cooker Indian Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 (29-ounce) can sweet potatoes, drained
1 (14-ounce) can reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons bottled minced ginger
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
3 dashes ground cayenne
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cups fresh spinach

Directions:

Put sweet potatoes, chicken broth, onion, ginger, garlic, garam masala, peppercorn, and cayenne in slow cooker and stir to combine. Place chicken breasts on top and cook on LOW for 6 - 8 hours, or on HIGH 4 - 6 hours, or until chicken is tender and shreds easily with two forks. Shred chicken. Add spinach and stir to combine. Turn heat to LOW and cook until spinach wilts.

Quote of the Day

"The way we see the problem is the problem." -- Stephen Covey

Do you see your weight as the problem? Or do you see the things you do (or don't do) as the problem?

Just for one month, experiment with letting go of your dress or pants size. Shift your focus from your body's size and shape.

Instead, try focusing on what you're doing that affects your weight. Track what you eat, drink at least 2 liters of plain water a day, increase your activity, get more (or better-quality) sleep, and manage your stress. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it's really not. Your weight is not the problem; it's a symptom of a problem. Focusing on the real problem will automatically correct the symptom -- and result in lasting weight maintenance.

Weekly Goals for October 26 - November 1, 2009

New week, new goal! -- and I'm finally ready to commit to this one. I'm going to praise myself for what I've accomplished every time I check in with my planner for this week.

What are you planning for this week? If you'd like some accountability or support, let us know!