Week 1 Column

þÿ<h2>Starting the New Year with Clean Slate</h2> With new years comes clean slates and we all love to start fresh. We see ourselves do this any time we choose to start a new diet, exercise routine or get a handle on our finances. You know the drill; my new way is living will start on Monday but first I am going to have one last fling, a huge meal or a day just being lazy. We dont have to wait till Monday to start! A new way of living is not a punishment that you need a reprieve from. It is making the decision that it is time to be good to your body because this is the only one you have. When we are living in CHAOS (Canít Have Anyone Over Syndrome); we are usually the person that gets left out. We canít take the time to nurture our bodies because there is so much to do and we dont have a clue where to start. Do you ever feel like you are a spinning top? I am going to help you stop this vicious cycle and establish some simple habits that are going to start your new year with that clean slate. Your home did not get messy in a day and it is not going to get cleaned over night. You can do this with the help of a simple tool that you already have in your home. It is a timer. They are on your microwave, the stove and probably in the watch on your arm. The reason you feel like that spinning top is because you are trying to do too many things at once. I want you to set your timer for 15-minutes and stay focused on one thing. It can be shining your kitchen sink, clearing off that piled up coffee table or picking up the clothes on the floor in your bedroom. You are going to be so surprised at just how much you can accomplish in only 15-minutes. The truth is we are not good at multi-tasking. We think we are but our homes are living proof that we do not ever finish anything. We are the best at getting something out and not putting it away when we have finished. Here is the main reason we dont have homes for these items that are lurking in your Hot Spots. Hot Spots are those places you pile things when you walk in the door or sit in your favorite chair. We have clutter taking over the drawers, cabinets and closets and we cant find a place to keep the things we love and use. In order to get rid of the CHAOS in our homes we have to toss out our clutter. This will give us a place to keep things instead of piled on a table or the floor. Those great storage areas have been invaded by items that you do not love and use. It is time to evict them and clear out your Hot Spots. Our Hot Spots make our homes look messy. If we would just take 15-minutes and clear out one Hot Spot; your home will begin to look better. It may not be that immaculate clean that we were forced to do as children by perfectionist parents but it will feel better when you walk in the door. It is so hard to clean around clutter. Here is another fun tool we use to get rid of our clutter. I like to call it the 27 Fling Boogie. Grab a grocery bag and run through the house and pick up 27 items to throw away. Then grab another bag or box and run through the house and gather up 27 items to give away. Here is the rule for doing this. As you are tossing ask yourself these questions. Do you make me smile? Do I have a home for you? Do I have two of you? This will help you get rid of your clutter. Then put it in the trash to throw away or in the car to give away next time you are out. I want for you what I have; peace that came from releasing the clutter and CHAOS and establishing babystep habits that clean my home on automatic pilot. You deserve to live in a home that blesses you! For more help getting rid of your CHAOS; check out her website and join her free mentoring group at <a href="http://www.FlyLady.net">www.FlyLady.net</a> or her book, Sink Reflections published by Bantam. Copyright 2006 Marla Cilley Used by permission in this publication. <h2>Decluttering Food</h2> Trying to declutter your house can be a daunting task. Trying to get your daughter to declutter her room is a major act of God. As we went through her overstuffed and massively cluttered room I volunteered numerous things for the declutter bag. Each time, she plaintively whined, "But I like it!" and I would counter, "But you outgrew this outfit a year ago!" or "We have no room for that furniture anymore." Finally, I took her out for a hot chocolate to defuse the situation and explained to her that even though she likes something, there comes a point when it's time to let it go and move on. The same point can be made with food. Just because you like something doesn't mean it serves a worthy purpose. Take potato chips for examplethe perfect analogy to nutritional clutter. Their purpose isn't to feed your body, but just crunchy entertainment for your mouth. They leave their clutter however, on your hips, well-being and appetite. You want more and you have no room for it. Potato chips (or another equally unworthy junk food) is robbing your body of its peace. When you eat junk, you feel like junk. We need to learn that eating good healthy food is the equivalent of pampering yourself. Like a bubble bath or massage, even. When you feed yourself and your body food that is worthy of your time and effort, you are giving tender loving care to yourself. The good, nutritious food that you need for bodily function (not entertainment) will cause your moods to change for the better, your energy to soar and make your skin glow! Eating healthy can be a delicious experience, I promise! And because I try to live up to my promises as best I can, I have a healthy recipe for you that your entire family will love. A quick note: To cut back on the carbs, you can cut the pasta in half and stir in a 10 ounce bag of baby spinach when you add the chicken mixture at the end of the recipe. The heat from the ingredients will cause the spinach to wilt perfectly. Barbecued Chicken Pasta Serves 6 16 ounces Rigatoni, Mostaccioli or other medium pasta shape -- uncooked 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 4 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast -- cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/4 cup green bell pepper, sliced thin 1/4 cup red onion, sliced thin 1 clove garlic, pressed 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce (your favorite) 1/4 cup hickory-smoked barbecue sauce 1/2 cup grated Provolone cheese 1/2 cup grated Mozzarella 3 green onions-- trimmed and sliced thin 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped Prepare pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and saut?stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic and cook until pepper turns bright green, about 1 minute. Add Marinara sauce and barbecue sauce and heat just to boiling. Remove from heat. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of water and return pasta to the pot. Add chicken mixture and cheese to the pot. Stir over low heat until pasta is coated with sauce. Add enough of reserved cooking liquid, if necessary, to make the sauce lightly coat the pasta. Transfer pasta to serving bowls and top with scallions and cilantro. Per Serving: 464 Calories; 9g Fat (15% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 60g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 44mg Cholesterol; 601mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates. SERVING SUGGESTIONS: A spinach salad would be perfect! VEGETARIANS: Skip the chicken and add a can (15 oz.) of drained white beans. For more help putting dinner on your table check out her website <a href="http://www.SavingDinner.com">www.SavingDinner.com</a> or her Saving Dinner Book series published by Ballentine. Copyright 2006; Leanne Ely Used by permission in this publication. <a href="Javascript:history.back()">Back</a> </blockquote>