High Hopes and Healthy Changes

Exercise! We can all use more. So...I have decided a treadmill is in order for me and for the dogs. I am so excited about this. I have lost 40 pounds in the past 16 months, and it just stalled, but I am so determined to keep going. Since I work full time, I don't like going out to a gym - I like to be around my "family" of dogs. This will be great for everyone. Why do this? Well we should all be healthier of course. And I want to keep up with my dogs! Having young vibrant dogs is a great motivator too.

Last spring I went to a fantastic "Hayhouse" conference called "I Can Do I!" The keynote speaker was Dr. Wayne Dyer, who I think is one of the most genuine, loving and positive people on the planet. I love his books. Below is a picture of Dr. Dyer saying hi to the crowd before he spoke. He actually sat on the edge of the stage and chatted, before reappearing for the official presentation. People attended the conference from across Canada and the US, including from Hawaii and a few from Europe. And what is this? More healthy lifestyle plans. Other speakers at the conference talked about diet and lifestyle. It was very motivating. In the same convention centre was a YOGA conference and we all had free passes to check it out. I remember my Mother doing Yoga in the 1970s - she was way ahead of her time! I have done Tai Chi and know it makes you feel very centered and calm. So Yoga and Tai Chi will be added to the winter plans. The dogs already do yoga - haven't you seen how animals stretch themselves? They naturally stay toned this way. By the way, that is my purple yoga mat...yes, I love that colour LOL. Now let's revisit this picture from a few posts ago. I wanted to mention the veggies. These are LOCALLY GROWN veggies that I got from someone I work with. As part of my healthy lifestyle changes, I have dropped meat, dairy and sugar as well as anything white (flour, pasta) following the book The Core Balance Diet. The author, Marcelle Pick, spoke at the conference last spring and the book is amazing. Other books I recommend are Skinny Bitch and The China Study. These will persuade you to live and eat in a more healthy way! On my new "vegetarian" diet I dropped 10 pounds in two weeks. In the Core Balance Diet, it says that your body will be so grateful when you let it detox and give it a break from these foods (dairy, gluten, meat, sugar). And of course, my dogs eat well too (but that is another post).

I am obviously excited, so wanted to share it with everyone! I will be attending another Woman's Retreat in November at Gull Lake being put on by my friend, who also attended the Hayhouse Conference (contact me if you are interested in information).

Now, get off the computer and get moving!

Side note: You might have seen this when you looked at the treadmill picture above. I got this funky orange cabinet for $100 at an antique show. On top, are the urns of my beloved dogs. They came with me to Alberta.
From Right to left, in order of when they passed on, are Hawk - my first tracking dog, with a glove on his urn; Kate the Collie with her purple collar; Robin, my BIS TDX girl, and a couple of her trophies - she lived to be nearly 15; my dear heart-dog Thorn and his favourite kong bone and his collar (in the end, I couldn't put it on Caden); and recently departed Shaman with a collar and toy he won for his herding HIT. These dogs are described more in the sidebar menu. My older dogs are buried at home in Thunder Bay and I have no pictures of their graves, but I carry them in my heart.