Parenting with Fibromyalgia

One of the most common themes I hear in the Fibromyalgia community is the difficulties of being an active parent in the lives of our children. Because this disease causes overwhelming fatigue and debilitating pain, those who suffer find that being active in the lives of their little ones not only painfully difficult but sometimes impossible. While I too have made similar complaints, I have worked hard to be there for my daughter the best I can and to educate her about my disorder. This has made her into a more understanding and empathetic child.

When I lay on the couch or in my bed after a massive flare or while fighting through a migraine, it is my baby who is my constant caretaker. She gets me towels, fresh ice packs, and keeps my water bottle full. At 5 years old, she is an amazing little caretaker. The past 48 hours though, I have gotten to baby my baby the way that she has taken care of me. After starting Kindergarten on Monday she seems to have gotten a bug and spent the last 12 hours with a fever of 102F. She was born with bad hearing and after constant ear infections when she was younger, she had surgery on both her ears when she was only 18 months. Ever since then, with proper nutrition, exercise, and only the top rated children’s nutritional supplement she hasn’t had any significant health problems. Needless to say, I found it very upsetting to see my little angel in obvious pain and misery. I wanted to cry with her.

Being the parent that I want to be to my overactive kiddo has been a learning curve of trial and error for me. My first words of advice to parents with Fibromyalgia are to talk to your child. While they may not fully understand the disease you may be surprised at what they can comprehend. My daughter can’t tell her friends that I have an invisible disease that has no cure, but she does understand that “Mommy has booboos and she gets tired”. I used to sit and cry because I wanted to run and play with my daughter and I truly believed that I was going to miss my daughter’s life because I was sick. I felt robbed. And then I realized that I needed to change the way I looked at “participating” in her life.

My child understands that I can’t always do everything with her physically that I want to do, but she also knows that I am going to be there to encourage her every step of the way. I play with her when I am feeling well, take her to the museum, play in the park, and splash at the water park – that way when I am struggling and can’t do as much as I would like we can talk about the fun we did have and plan our next adventure! We read together, play games, and learn new skills when I am hurting too much to run and play. I make sure that I am there for her regardless of how I am feeling and she knows this.

I know that it is depressing, devastating, and frustrating to not have the same energy levels or abilities as “other parents” but my encouragement is to not dwell on what you “can’t” do but rather focus on and celebrate what you CAN do. You have a unique gift that will allow you to help your child to recognize that everyone, healthy or not, has something to contribute and should be respected regardless of their lot in life. Yes, my child is growing up understanding the disease and it would be harder for older children to accept right away, but I truly feel that to be open with the young ones is important.

My first contact with an adult with Fibromyalgia was when I was only 12-14 year old and because Fibro was not well known then and we kids weren’t told that my god-mother was fighting a sickness, I remember thinking that she was being whiney and trying to get attention (I am so sorry – I could not have been more wrong). I feel though, that if someone had just tried to explain to me that it wasn’t “just in her head”, that something was making her sick, I would have been more understanding of her situation and might have had a better understanding when I started to experience the same problems I had seen in her. This is also why I think that we as adults should be more open about the disease, and the way it makes us feel, to our children. Explaining the details of brain fog, depression, and muscle spasms might be a bit much, but letting them know that you have a pain in your arms and it makes you sad that that you can’t play all the fun games you want to, seems to be enough for at least young children to start with.

Don’t let your Fibromyalgia take away all the beautiful experiences that life with children has to offer. Find ways to enjoy their favorite activities in a manner that won’t trigger a flare and bear in mind that Moderation is the name of the game with Fibro. Children are a blessing. Let them be your eyes to the simple pleasures of life and revel in your little victories and let trivial matters be. Teach your children to be open-minded and understanding, to see and understand the pain of others, and to be strong in the face of adversity as these are things that they too will encounter as they grow. Our children emulate us. We have a unique gift – use it to make them stronger.

Fabulous Fibro Flare Foods

Happy Thursday Friends!!

It has been a very tough week for me but I am almost back to normal. I had a mild seizure on Sunday morning, still cant figure out what triggered it, but then my Fibromyalgia flared out of control and it has been a real struggle this week and I have found that it is affecting every aspect of my being, not just me physically. The physical stress has only added to the mental stress and the fact that I cant exercise and have been forced to take some of the pain medications I have been able to avoid for month I noticed that my weight has gone up again too – which does nothing for my depression and mental health. Thankfully, I have gotten myself back on track with my diet thanks to my Nutrimeal shakes and the new tasty chocolate snacks that make me feel better without adding to the weight gain issues. I was able to run a very slow 2 miles yesterday, so that gave me a much needed boost of confidence but I know it will be a few more days before I am back to lifting weights and pushing my body to the limits.

But there was one unusual benefit to having to deal with a flare of this magnitude – I remembered some of my super easy, really healthy go-to Fibro Flare recipes and so here I am to share with you! This flare really affected my hands (usually its my legs) and so cooking was a bit difficult. I didn’t want to go to the store and I sure didn’t want to resort back to my old lifestyle of fast food (Fat Food). So I scrounged around the kitchen and here are two super easy recipes that can be made with the things that you probably already have in your cupboard!!

Toasted Gruyere and Apple Sandwiches

* 1 Fresh Baggett – cut into ½” slices

* Sliced Gruyere Cheese (This is a hard yellow cheese with a rich smoky flavor and is really high in         proteins and very low in fats – I know you will   enjoy this!)

* 1 small Apple Sliced (any kind of apple will suffice, I like hard apples though)

* Butter (I like the stuff made from Olive Oil)

Spread a little butter on the outsides of one side of Baggett slice. Place in warm skillet, butter side down. Place Gruyere cheese slices on the bread and then a layer of apple slices (I like to place another layer of cheese on top of the apples since it make the apples stick to the bread). Butter the outside of another slice of bread and put on sandwich, butter side up. Toast until golden brown on one side and then carefully turn and toast the other side.

This is a very light and filling sandwich that won’t completely throw off the weigh loss. Even better, it only take about 5-8 min to make – so when you aren’t feeling well, it takes less time than ordering a pizza! But speaking of pizza….oh yea, I am a pizza fanatic!

Baggett Pizza Rounds

1 Fresh Baggett – Cut into 1” slices

Tomato Pasta Sauce

Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Parmesan Cheese

Pizza toppings

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place each bread round on a baking sheet and brush with Olive Oil. Spread 2-3 Tablespoons of Tomato Sauce on each slice and sprinkle with Mozzarella Cheese. Add your favorite pizza toppings (I like low fat turkey pepperonis) and then top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10-15 min or until the bread is light brown and the cheese melted. Allow to cool for a few minutes and ENJOY!

I know I try to do No Carbs but lets face it, your BRAIN needs carbs to function and while these carbohydrates can come in the forms of grains, veggies, or nuts and seeds, the key is to avoid processed or “enriched” foods because these are modified carbohydrates and tend to cause the gastric bloating and even some of the swelling in our joints and muscles. As with many things, MODERATION is the key. When we are flaring it is sometimes hard to remember that we need to eat clean and healthy to maintain our health and minimize the effects of the Fibromyalgia. Create a list of simple foods that you or your family can make when you are flaring, that way you get your healthy meal without increasing the fatigue factor. I will try to get some of my favorite, super easy crock-pot meals posted so that you have some more Fabulous Fibro Flare Foods.

Be Happy, Be Healthy!

Rachel

Just a happy thought for the Fibro Fighter! 

Eating to Lose Weight

As I promised, another easy recipe to add to your healthy weight loss meal plan! This one appeals to my Italian food addiction and again, there are no carbs, no added fats, and this one is vegetarian! I have been looking for more nutritious and exciting vegetarian recipes and as I find them I will share! I cant believe that vegetarian has such a bad rap.

Eggplant is a fun and pretty plant to cook with and while my first few attempts at cooking with it were epic failures, this recipe was so easy even I couldn’t mess it up! I hope you enjoy this one as much as my family and I did!

Eggplant Parmigiana

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 Large Eggplant
Salt and Pepper
2 Cups of Basic Tomato Sauce (ok, I cheated; I used Prego Tomato and Basil Sauce)
Fresh Basil, finely chopped
Mozzarella Cheese, sliced
½ cup Parmigiana Cheese
¼ cup fresh bread crumbs (I used ½ cup French Fried Onions, crushed – zero carbs remember)

Preheat oven to 450˚ F. Lightly oil baking sheet with EVOO – this keeps the eggplant from sticking. Slice the eggplant into 1 inch slices (about 6 pieces). Lightly season each disk with salt and pepper and place on oiled baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 min until deep brown. Remove from oven.

Lower oven temperature to 350˚ F. In a large baking dish spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on bottom of pan. Place the largest pieces in the dish, spacing evenly. Spread half of the remaining sauce on the disks and then sprinkle with fresh basil. Place 1 slice of Mozzarella cheese on each ring and sprinkle with parmigiano. Place smaller slices of eggplant over each disk and repeat layering tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella, and parmigiano. Sprinkle the top with toasted breadcrumbs (I used French Fried Onions) and bake uncovered until cheese melts and turns light brown, about 20 minutes. (serves 3)

I know, this one isn’t a 10 minute meal, but there is plenty of time between baking to sit down and relax for a few minutes. Serve with a crunchy green salad and you have a meal that would make any Italian foodie proud AND it stays within the healthy eating to lose weight lifestyle!

 

Now after I work out I always need to rehydrate and replenish my electrolytes – especially with it being as hot and humid as it has been in the afternoons these days. But in keeping with my healthy lifestyle changes, Gatorade and Poweraid had too much added sugars which do nothing for keeping the blood sugars stable and the pounds dropping off. So I started to ask around and do some research of my own. Please meet my new rehydrating and electrolyte loaded friend, Coconut Water! Jam-packed with naturally occurring electrolytes, more potassium than a banana (good for warding off those post workout muscle cramps), and only naturally occurring fruit sugars, this drink has quickly become my post-work out go to! Now, I personally think it has a funky aftertaste so I add 1 fresh squeezed lime and 1 tsp of Stevia to my drink which gives it a light and refreshing flavor! I have also mixed this in my Nutrimeal shakes and with my USANA Rev3 Surge packs for a light, lemon tea energy drink super powered by green tea and ginseng (only 14 calories!!)

What we drink is as important to watch as what we eat. Many drinks are sweetened with artificial sugars which research is beginning to show has a significant part in the increase in insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes. Energy drinks are great but a lot of time the energy spike they provide through caffeine and guarana are followed by a severe crash that leaves the body feeling jittery and lethargic. I know that coffee isn’t supposed to good for Fibromyagia sufferers but I will have to get more information on the “Why” before I post anything specific about that. I still have at least one big mug a day…and its not for the energy either…I just love the smell and taste.

I will continue to research and share easy healthy meals so check back for more posts! If you would like, there is a link that allows you subscribe to my blog and you will receive an email notification whenever I post something new! I am always open to suggestions and if you have something you would like to add or contribute, please feel free!

A happy home is a healthy home!

Love Rachel

Healthy Snacks

Ok, Here it is! I am just soooo excited about the new USANA foods that I want YOU to have an opportunity to try them for yourself!! If you would like to try some of the new Low-Glycemic, High Protein, No Gluten, No GMO, Super Healthy Snacks that wont add pounds, Email me your address to rachelpresley@usana.com and I will send you a few snacks to try and a BONUS surprise! No strings attached! I promise!

Many Apologies

Good evening blog friends. I know I promised on Sunday a new post about "Cooking to Lose Weight" and I assure you this will be a good one. I made an amazingly simple and very delicious Eggplant Parmesan and I can't wait to share it with you! Unfortunately, I am battling an extreme migraine tonight and just looking at the computer is being very uncomfortable. I hope to have the recipe, pictures, and an alternative to sugary, unhealthy energy drinks posted by this time tomorrow evening. Until then, I hope you all have a wonderful evening. Be happy, Be Healthy! My icepack and I are going to bed.

Love Rachel

PS - Thank you for your continued dedication, I have reached 700 page views in under two months! My truest desire is to bring awareness about Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, and Weight Loss to the masses by showing that it doesn't not have to be a distant memory to actually be in less pain and functional nor does weight loss have to be a dream for the future. I only hope to inspire others to achieve their goals and to offer my loving support and encouragement along the way!

Thank you www.vampirestat.com for the link to my page, you have brought so many people to my blog and I am grateful for the share.

Support Group Strength

What an amazingly beautiful day in Texas for the middle of August! Usually it is so hot and humid this time of year that the A/C runs non-stop and you avoid the great outdoors like the plague. But today, it is an amazing 79˚F at 1014 and I am enjoying my morning coffee on the porch.

Yesterday I had an interesting adventure and went to visit a local Fibromyalgia Support Group meeting for the first time. As I listened to the stories of the individuals around me, I realized more and more how blessed my life is. Yes I have terrible fibro, and yes I have suffered and many times I have flat out wanted to give up – but I have one thing that many of the people there come just to find – a support group.

With chronic illness we all experience moments (some longer than others) of feeling isolated especially when we are dealing with invisible diseases that even medical professionals argue over the validity of. Having a support group, either like mine comprised of family and friends, or an external group like the meeting I attended yesterday, can be hugely beneficial to making it through the tough moments in our lives that often arise from difficulties from our illnesses. If you choose to join support group meetings, I encourage you to find one that promotes improving your life, progression and coping mechanisms, rather than focusing on the negatives of the disease as this will do more harm than good. You want your support group to help build you up not tear you down further.

Now, I want to introduce you to my support group and hopefully you will be able to see that there are people like this in your life that perhaps you hadn’t noticed before!

My Daughter!

My baby is not only my biggest fan and my constant driving force to improve and keep going but she reminds me on a daily basis to be excited about the simple things life has to offer – a ladybug, a balloon, a walk in the park, or a bird flying by. Seeing the world through the eyes of a child is such a blessing and reminds me that yes there are many hardships that we face daily, but there are also so many beautiful little things to celebrate too.

My Mother!

My mom has to be the STRONGEST person I have ever met and if I can be half the mom she was to me for my daughter I will consider myself a success. Raising 7 children, working, and going to school full time this beautiful soul was diagnosed with MS about 10 years ago and even though I see her struggle with being in a wheelchair and losing her freedom, she has never failed to be the encouragement I need as a mom, a student, and coping with my Fibro. I know that I am truly blessed to have a family that understands invisible diseases and continues to support the three of us who have them but my mom has always been the backbone of our little tribe. I love you Mom!

My best friend!

Yes we fight, we get mad at each other, and we have misunderstandings but my BFF Iwona has stuck with me through some of the most heinous and horrendous times of my life. We met when we were in Pharmacy School in the Army back in 2005 and have been pretty much inseparable ever since. Even when she was deployed in Iraq she would call me to see how I was doing! Now we hang out all the time, she is always reminding me to stop stressing about things I can’t change, we laugh about the most ridiculous things, and I know that she will always be there for me and I do my best to be there for her too.

The Hilliards!

I just love these two with all my heart and soul. SFC Hilliard was my NCO when I was still on active duty and I always had so much respect for him as a leader and professional – this man knew his job and was damn good at it. Over the years I have come to know him and his exquisitely beautiful wife on a deeper level as they not only introduced me to the USANA products as a solution to my weight loss and health needs but now as my friends and mentors as I strive to grow my own business and be the blessing to others that they have been to me. I can say this with the utmost sincerity – these two continued to believe in me even after I stopped believing in myself. A more beautiful couple, inside and out, you will never find, and I am so lucky to call them friend.

My Trainer!

BOOM! Dustin is such an amazing personal trainer and he literally eats and breaths fitness. With his help and encouragement I have gained back a lot of the physical strength that I had lost during my years of being sedentary after I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. With the physical strength, the weight loss, and his constant encouragement to push the boundaries I created for myself in my head I have also gained back my self-confidence! Sure, he makes fun of me (good naturedly) but it also reminds me to laugh at myself (which is hard to do when you are having a fibro flare and a bout of depression). I used to hate it but now I realize that he does it not to belittle me but as a way of getting me to not let myself stop my progress. Look at him train! Yep he pushes himself harder than he pushes me – and is still such an amazing inspiration! I can’t wait to see him in the Octagon! MMA baby!

Whether your support group is comprised of family and friends or of a group of individuals who share the same difficulties you do, make sure that they are a positive influence in your life. Negativity only brings us down when we are already struggling. It may be hard but sometimes it is necessary to cut negative people from your life – if they cannot stand with you and build you up, then you don’t need them. Being healthy is more than physical, it is mental and emotional too. Thank those who stand with you for their understanding and support, and always remember that that support is a two way street – sometimes, you need to be there for them too.

Have a great week! Find your support group and remember, I am here for you too! Check back on Tuesday for some more easy recipes for eating healthy! Be Happy, Be Healthy!

<3 Rachel

Cooking to Lose Weight

I love to cook! Cooking to me is relaxing and fun. Unfortunately, since I love making baked goods like breads, pies, and cookies…it doesn’t really fit in with my desire to eat healthy and lose weight. So I have started looking at my everyday meals and my favorite dishes to determine what I can do to them to make them healthier. Since I like easy and don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen when I have school, many of my recipes require very little prep time and these two easy recipes work really well on a hot summer afternoon!

I personally love Mexican food – all the spices and the tortillas and the cheese – yum! But traditional Mexican food can be very high in fats and carbs and neither are particularly high on my list of Healthy Foods. The first of my recipes is for a

Carb-Free Taco Salad.

1 lbs. of Extra Lean Ground Beef (or Venison)
1 small Zucchini (diced)
1 small Yellow Squash (diced)
1 medium Onion (chopped)
2 medium Roma Tomatoes (diced)
Romaine Lettuce
Sharp Cheddar – Shredded
Salt
Cumin
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
                (OR 1 pkg of Taco Seasoning)
Salsa or Fat Free Catalina Dressing

 Brown meat in medium sauce pan until it is mostly cooked and then throw in the vegetables and sauté until the onions are clear and the squash is soft. Drain any grease that remains after everything is cooked. Season the mixture to taste with salt, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder or substitute for one packet of Taco Seasoning. While the meat and squash is cooking make medium beds of romaine lettuce (I like romaine because it has more vitamins and fiber than iceberg and it is more filling). Add some of the diced tomatoes and sprinkle with a little cheese. Scoop about 1/3 cup of the meat mixture onto the lettuce and use either salsa or Fat Free Catalina for a dressing. Adding avocados adds flavor and provides healthy fats called omga-3s. Even though there are no beans or tortillas, this is a fun and filling salad to serve on a hot summer afternoon!  Serves 4.

Of course when it is a 105 degrees outside, nothing is more refreshing than a cold ice-cream and I have always been a huge fan of Frostys! I love chocolate (it cures everything I swear) but since I have made a concerted effort to replace unhealthy foods for healthy alternatives, I knew I was going to have to replace my ice-cream too. This simple frozen treat isn’t exactly like a Frosty but it’s really close and doesn’t come with a side order of Guilt.

 

Dutch Chocolate Nutrimeal Frosty

¾ Cup Almond Milk

1 tsp Vanilla Extract
½ of a frozen Banana (sliced)
2 Scoops of Dutch Chocolate Nutrimeal
2 tsp of Truvia
2 cups of crushed Ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Serve immediately. Serves 2.

 

Leading a healthy lifestyle can and should allow you to enjoy foods that you love otherwise you will get deflated and feel guilty when you go back to those flavors that have always made you happy. Food should feed the senses as well as the belly. Serve foods seasoned with herbs and spices – these not only create enticing aromas but the smells will tickle the part of the brain that releases the endorphins that make you ENJOY foods! Healthy doesn’t have to mean bland, cardboard flavored, or boring. Just find healthy ways to replace the unhealthy aspects and remember to treat yourself once in a while just to keep yourself heading in the right direction to a Happy Healthy Lifestyle!

Happy Cooking!

 Rachel

Stress and My Fibro

Oh boy! Between the muscle spasms in my legs and hips, the intense feeling of broken bones in my face, and the undeniable brain fog – there is no doubt I am fighting a significant Fibro Flare.

By why? I am still taking my amazing USANA supplements that provide my body the nutrients it needs, I still maintain a clean, healthy diet, and I still exercise every day. What is the one thing over the past week that has changed and dumped my progress on its butt and slowed me down? One word – STRESS!

While ‘stress’ has a negative connotation, stress can be both good AND bad – its all in how we let it get to us that really matters. Stress is typically defined as a body’s response to the environments demands or pressures and can be physical or mental, actual or perceived. With the increase of Cortisol (the stress hormone) our bodies can begin to feel a variety of different symptoms including helplessness or hopelessness, fear or anger, or even cynicism and distrust of those whom you would normally be comfortable around. These symptoms are more associated with bad stress. Good stress is when our bodies receive that burst of energy that gives us clarity of mind and the ability to achieve an everyday task or goal. Working out at the gym is a good stress – as long as you don’t overdue it. This moderate stress on the body allows for the release of endorphins (Happy Hormones) which actually work to eliminate Cortisol from our bodies – lowering the bad stress!

Ok, so why am I stressed? You know, I am the WORST about creating mountains out of mole-hills! I can take something that is really quite simple, or ridiculously stupid, and make it into the biggest scariest under-the-bed monster on the planet! Unfortunately, this time, I don’t think that’s the problem.

I am also a full time student to accompany being a mom, an office manager/bookkeeper, a fibromite, and whatever other hats my life requires me to wear from time to time. I love school and would be a full time student for the rest of my life if I could get paid to that – but school adds a different kind of stress to my already busy life. While it is not physically demanding, sometimes I find the mental demands very hard to deal with. There were even times when I have taken Leave of Absence from my studies BECAUSE my fibromyalgia was so out of control I could not form a coherent thought, much less use my spasmming and painful hands to write a paper. Even though I am so ready to graduate (March isn’t coming fast enough) I know that to increase my schedule from one class at a time to two would be professional suicide – especially since I demand a certain level of excellence from myself. In the past year I have done better about expecting perfect grades from myself because I began to realize that I was doing my body and my daughter a severe injustice by expecting myself to make a perfect grade on every paper – I still strive do my best, but I no longer demand a 100% on every assignment (85% or higher though – what I still have goals?!)

But I finished class on Monday so why am I still feeling the stress? Because there are still stresses at work and in my personal life, and because I allowed my system to get run down at the beginning of the week by mentally fatiguing myself over my school, I am now PHYSICALLY struggling to keep up with the demands that come with being an administrator.

So what do I do for my stress? I cry. Ok, not usually, but sometimes it just happens. Actually, I have been working to turn my bad stress into positive results by taking that pent up energy (and often anger) to the gym. I let my body work it out and sweat it out. The mental clarity that comes from pumping out the bad energy and breathing in the positive usually helps me to make it through the evening whether I am watching a movie, playing a game, or reading a book.

Finding something that you ENJOY doing can make a big difference in your stress levels because when you can focus on something enjoyable, the little things don’t seem quite so big. Plus, when you take a few minutes to focus on something OTHER than whatever it was that is causing the stress – you can usually find a better way of approaching the situation and its not longer “stressful”. This time, my de-stressor, was writing this blog! Now that I have done something I enjoyed and ‘vented’ about what was agitating me, I am confident that I can go back to my work and get it handled efficiently and correctly!

Live Stress Free!  (don’t be hating on my goals)

Rachel P.

                               (Yoga is actually one of my FAVORITE de-stressors and is an excellent way to exercise!)

Fibro, Weight loss, and FOOD!

Welcome to the most exciting time of the month where I get to recap my weight loss activities and post my progress!

This month, from July 2 – Aug 2, I lost an incredible 10lbs and 3.25inches over all! I am so excited! I wanted to break that 190 mark but really, who is going to complain about losing 10lbs! That brings my total weight loss to a total of 43lbs and I am not stopping there! And even better was that I maintained my weight loss through a vacation and an extremely stressful move to a new home. How? By not allowing the stress to throw me off, using my USANA Nutrimeal Shakes to give me the nutrients I needed to function, taking my USANA HealthPak to provide the energy and healing qualities, and continuing to exercise (stretching is exercise) even when I was in pain and tired.

One of the common things that I hear Fibromyalgia sufferers complain about is how hard it is to lose weight. I used to say the same thing because I would allow my pain to keep me immobile without realizing that this did more harm than good. Now, I exercise every day, eat a clean, healthy diet, and have bounced back from the pain and stress of moving in only two days. A year ago, it took me almost two weeks for the excruciating pain to subside after a move. I am not ready to run a 5K yet, but I imagine with gentle workouts (going to do some biking today) and plenty of stretching, I will be back at Body Pump on Saturday.

And did you know that eating out can be part of a clean diet? Sure! I still enjoy a weekly trip to a restaurant with my best friend where we often have a drink and just sit and recap the ups and downs of the past week. This trip is good for both of us because we focus very hard on our studies, jobs, and diets during the week and it’s nice to have one meal where we just enjoy the foods we always enjoyed. The key – moderation!

Crap Friday, as we call it, is the one day a week were we kick back just a little and enjoy a Bacon Ranch Quesadilla and guacamole, or a creamy pasta dish at Olive Garden. These little splurges serve several purposes for us.

** First – When you feel like you have to give up everything you enjoy to lose weight, you have already set yourself up for failure. Planning my meals ahead of time, including our weekly trip out, allows me to lose the weight and still enjoy going to restaurants and not have to order a heaping side of Guilt. Only allowing myself a single drink when we go out has also helped with my alcohol problems (but that’s a story for a later date) and sometimes I don’t even have a drink. I just enjoy my meal and the conversation knowing that I will still be able to reach my goals.

** Secondly – When you follow a strict diet for any length of time your body will acclimate to it and then you will experience a plateau in your weight loss. This plateau is what often drives people to give up on their goals. Our “Crap Friday” meals, which are moderate portions of our favorite foods, give our metabolism a boost which in turn keeps our weight dropping week after week.

** Third – Stress is a significant player in weight gain and when your Cortisol (a stress hormone) levels remain high in the body, weight loss cannot occur (or at least as much as you want). By getting together every week, my best friend and I are able to laugh and discuss the things that caused us stresses throughout the week and talk about ways that we will focus on improving the next week. Having friends that share your goals, or at the very least respect them, will make obtaining your ambitions not only a possibility, but a reality!

Weight loss with Fibromyalgia is possible and it is also possible to be free from the nagging pain and fatigue that accompanies it. Don’t wait to lose the weight. Send me an email at rachelpresley@usana.com and we will take this trip together. Going alone makes for a very long road trip but friends and companions make it enjoyable and productive!

A Healthy Home is a Happy Home!

Rachel P.

In Pain but Happy

Happy Sunday Friends!!

I am sorry that I have been away for a few days, but I have been moving into my new apartment so that my daughter is ready for the new school year. And it has been a real trip. I am soooo grateful for the friends that I have who came and helped me to load everything into my little truck, moving boxes, furniture, and appliances up and down stairs, strapping things to the roof of the truck to make fewer trips and then helping me to arrange and clean everything afterwards. It is so liberating to have my own place again where I am free to have my friends over, my daughter has her own room, and I have a wonderful couch I can sit and do homework and write in my blog!

After three days of moving and cleaning while still going to the gym for my workout and going to work, I have discovered that my Fibromyalgia still has the power to knock me on my butt. Today I can’t walk and my hands feel like they are on fire. What do you do when your hands hurt? I mean we have to have them do almost everything! I am also having an IBS flare-up which has been pleasantly absent in the past few months since I have changed my diet and improved my health overall. I have made sure that I increased my Proflavenol C to boost my immune system and Procosa for my joints so that this pain does not keep me down for long. Being inactive is the worst thing that a Fibromite can do when they are in pain. Right now I get around very slowly with my cane and leg brace, but I am happy to be mobile!

Its days like today when I am in such a terrible pain and fighting to get my body to function just enough to take care of my child, that I am so grateful for people and products who have helped me to improve my life so that I am no longer like this on a continual daily basis. I sat here, tearing up because of the bone crushing pain, and realized how much better my life has been since I have found a method for minimizing the pain associated with Fibromyalgia and it’s not so pleasant side effects. I took one Vicodin tablet to ease the pain (since that’s all it ever did – ease it) but I also made sure to keep my diet clean and take my USANA supplements that help my body to function naturally. I love that I am no longer reliant on prescription drugs and chemicals to mediate my pain. It’s a truly liberating feeling!

I have a good friend from the gym who is has a friend with Fibromyalgia and wants to come talk to me about how she can free herself from the exhausting and crippling pain of Fibro. I am so excited! I truly hope that I am able to help her find a way to become Happier and Healthier too! If you would like to share what you do to minimize your Fibro pain, please feel free! Knowledge is empowering!

I hope you all have a wonderful day, I am so blessed to have you all in my life!

Rachel P.