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The Great Breakfast Adventure

As part of my, Find Your Joy challenges,  this past winter I decided that, once a month, on the weekends I would seek out lovely breakfast restaurants to have a lovely early morning breakfast.

I love going for breakfast. It's a wonderful way to welcome in a new day. There's something about seeing the night turn into day; watching the sunrise over a hot cup of tea, bacon and eggs while per rousing over a great read (book, magazine, newspaper).

I love to people watch. There's a specific culture of people who do this early morning breakfast;  you'll see them if you go early enough. They are not always with someone else but if they are they're usually quiet both leaning back and reading,  they take their time to eat, I've never seen them on their cells, they stop often to look outside, they know the staff by name, they often leave before the breakfast crowd get there. 

Breakfast meals are relatively inexpensive and you can be health wise if you want by choosing nutritious options like oatmeal or fruit but what I live most is the adventure of finding new places!

A Few of My Favorite's:
🍳 Flips in Brampton
🍳 Angel's Diner in Georgetown
🍳 Cafe Plus in Mississauga
🍳 The Falls Inn Restaurant in Walters Falls
🍳 Emma's Back Door Brunch in Burlington
🍳 The Red Onion in Caledon
🍳 The Old Stone Inn in Niagara Falls

My breakfast pursuit involved finding mum and pop restaurants in neighborhoods, visiting quaint towns,  suburbs,  cities, etc. You know, the small 50 year old diners that they know the name of the patrons, ones with menus on chalkboards on the walls,  not so perfect decor, the greasy spoon, or lovely ones in the country by the water or in busy metropolises,  etc.

On this 21 Day Make Over enJOY your life.

AWAKENING TO REINVENTION AVAILABLE APRIL!

Breakfast at Flips in Brampton! 

Day 7 & 8: Find Your Joy!

Part of this 21 Day Make Over is discovering who you are and, if no one has told ypu lately, you are AMAZING!

Finding your Joy is about doing things that bring personal joy to your life. Let me ask you; what do you like to do? When was the last time you really laughed? What's your favorite music? Movie?

If you're struggling with finding things you enJOY,  don't worry, that just means that you need to start paying attention to YOU! Stress or constant anxiety is said to be responsible for upto 85% of all illnesses. Creating a joy filled life is essential to your 21 Day Make-over because it is a key component to the good health of your body, mind, and spirit!

Take time to think of your favorite things to do and, like the Nike commercial, JUST DO IT!

Each day plan and schedule in JOY. This can be as simple as having your favorite treat, calling a good positive friend, going for a drive (my favorite), sending someone you love a lovely letter or card by mail just because, pay for someone's coffee behind you in the drive thru, etc.

Be intentional about your pursuit of  JOYFULNESS!

AWAKENING TO REINVENTION AVAILABLE  THIS APRIL!

Day 6: Reflection Time

It's time to reflect on your 21 Day Make-over.  What is going well; what needs improvement?  If your goal is to loose weight, with a healthy meal plan and exercise you should have lost 1-3  pounds.

With the extra time you have daily due to limiting your T.V., social media and electronic devices, you should be partway through a book or learning program of your choice.

It's time to recalibrate and make plans for the next 7 days. Remember,  if you don't plan to succeed you plan to fail!

Be Blessed!

Day 5; The Spirit

Today I decided to add  a VLOG to the mix.
We are body, mind and spirit; we are holistic beings.

In this 21 Day Make Over,  take time to focus on your spiritual well-being. 

Day 4: The Body

Choose a healthy meal plan that you will adhere to over the next few weeks. If your intent is to loose weight,  commit to a goal and record your current weight today.

I recommend a Daniel Diet; fruits, vegetables and grains; no dairy, sugar, preservatives,  or caffeine.  You can get the exact diet from the internet. Of course please consult with your doctor first.

According to Transform FX Fitness,
"Green vegetables and fruits are great foods with a wide variety of nutrients, especially nutrient dense dark green fruits and veggies. Green fruits and veggies contain calcium, dietary fiber, antioxidants and a variety of vitamins.

Dark green vegetables like kale, broccoli and spinach are all rich in calcium. Calcium is a vital nutrient for bone development and maintenance.

Dietary Fiber maintains a healthy digestive tract and supports bodily systems. Broccoli, spinach, cucumbers, kiwi, and pears are all dark green sources of dietary fibers."🍏

Over the next 21 days,  be green. Making this choice will significantly improve your health.

When grocery shopping during the 21 Day Make-over;  shop on the outside aisle around the perimeter of the store. Typically these aisles contain your meats, dairy, fruits and vegetables while the interior aisles contain your carbohydrates, non-perishable and preserved foods.

Also, don't forget to eat BEFORE you shop. This will prevent you from binge shopping.

Stay Green!

AWAKENING TO REINVENTION AVAILABLE APRIL!

DAY 3: The Mind

I was very intentional about adding a Mind component in this 21 Day Make-over.  It's so important how and what we think about and since our mind controls our actions, a makeover that does not incorporate this area wouldn't be effective.

During this 21 Day Make Over expand  your mind. Take a course, attend a lecture, read a book about a topic that you are curious about. This can also include audio books, YouTube,  Ted Talks, etc.

I recommend:
1. Who Switched Off My Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf
2. Who Moved My Cheese by  Dr. Spencer Johnson
3. Ted Talk by Helen Fisher'- Love
4. Ted Talk or Book, The Element by Sir Ken Robinson

Take some time away from your regular activities and spend time with you.

Give yourself 21 days to improve your mind.

AWAKENING TO REINVENTION AVAILABLE APRIL!

Day 2: Creating Your New Routine; 21 Day Make-over

On DAY TWO its important to create your NEW routine.  This  will be your new daily schedule for 20 more days. It should include your new wake-up time if your current routine doesn't include morning exercise.

Meditation/ prayer time is also essential in the morning before you go out in your brave new world. This will help you to focus on your mindset for the rest of the day.

Food preparation time should also be considered since you will be preparing different meals at home as well as carrying  healthy snacks to avoid binging outside.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per day; women need an extra 20 minutes on top of that due to the fact that we multi-task daily and our brain requires more rest.

How much  sleep are you getting daily? If you are getting less than that range; you may need to look at adjusting your sleep schedule.  If you can't sleep for that long, consider adding quiet time before you go to bed,  to read,  meditate or an alternate relaxing activity; no TV or phone calls or social media.

Use your calendar to map out your 21 days.

Remember,  if you don't plan to succeed you plan to fail!

AWAKENING TO REINVENTION AVAILABLE APRIL 2016!

21 Day Body, Mind and Spirit Make-over

Okay, Spring is officially here and, if you're like me, you've began to imagine warm summer nights, the smell of rain, long drives,  evenings by the lake and the sound of jazz music floating through the air.

I also began to think that the first quarter of the year is also done, seems like I was just singing Old Lang Syne; what have I accomplished so far? Hmmmm.

Have you ever wanted to make over your life? I mean truly change it. This is more than dropping a few pounds; it's about reinventing yourself;  body, mind and spirit. They say it takes 21 days to create a habit; what habit would you like to create in your life?

Join me on my  21 Day Make Over; Body, Mind  and Spirit starting today,  March 22nd. No worries if you catch this late, you can start your 21 days at any time just go back to the start date of this Blog and follow along daily.

Why body, mind and spirit? Because they're all partners;  they work together. If you decide to lose weight, your body will have to cooperate by not putting the wrong thing in your mouth and your mind and spirit must be in agreement that this would be a good thing for you to do. This is a holistic change.

So here's the plan:
I. First, set a goal for what you commit to achieve in 21 days. There should be an individual goal for each area; body, mind and spirit. Write them down.

II.  Purchase all the items that you need to be successful according to your specific goals in each area. This may include food, books, C D'SOUZA, etc.The more organized you are your potential for success increases.

III.  Create a large calendar to plan, mark off each day as completed, make notes about successes and need to improve areas; place in a visible area such as your fridge. Try to focus on all of the positive accomplishments that you made each day.

BODY:
This commitment is about healthy eating and exercise.  Whether you just make a decision to eat healthy or begin a specific regimen like a Daniel Diet;  be intentional about what goes in your mouth for 21 days. Do the research on good food plans and commit to it for 21 days.

On the physical side; commit to daily exercise. This can be done by walking, joining a club, taking dance lessons, hiring a personal trainer, etc.

MIND:
Commit to intellectual enhancement. Fast from excessive social activities,  television and telecommunications.  With the time you save, invest in an online learning program, book or activity that will imcrease your knowledge in an area of interest.

Make a commitment to positive thinking and activities for 21 days. This may also involve weaning yourself from negative or stressful relationships.

SPIRIT:
Deepen your spiritual life. Commit to meditation,  reading, and praying daily. Read books, listen to music and watch movies with a spiritual content to improve your spiritual well-being.

Check in to this blog daily as we do this 21 Day Make Over to improve our lives together.

Also remember to purchase AWAKENING TO REINVENTION available April 2016.

For more information see:
www.mylifematters.ca.

Be blessed!

Day 1 with my personal trainer Coach Everton McEwan of McEwan's Pro Street Gym. 

Find him on Facebook, 416-629-0883, evertonmcewan@hotmail.com