Movin with Mickey Update!

Happy Monday, folks; hope you all had a great weekend!

This will be a quick post, but I wanted to update you on my Movin with Mickey progress. I was able to get in quite a few steps on the cruise so it really bumped up my total! Right now, I'm over 390,000 steps.

I did pretty good on my cruise in terms of getting in exercise and eating well. I still had dessert, ice cream, etc but I also kept an eye on the choices I was making. I came home the same weight as I left, which I consider a win!

I will update you more in another post on my other goals and how those are going, but I wanted to get the steps update out right away this morning.

Have a magical day!

Movin with Mickey Monday - Jennifer Mixdorf from Essentially Mixed

For this month's second Movin with Mickey installment, I had a reader get in touch with me and ask if she could share about her family's journey to health with essential oils.

I myself have been using oils for about a year now and really like them. Jennifer from Essentially Mixed (link here) has written up some good information and FAQs regarding essential oils that she'd like to share. Take it away, Jennifer!

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My family discovered essential oils a little over a year ago and have completely fallen in love!  I wish I had learned about them sooner!  As a pharmacist, I was always skeptical of anything not main stream but little did I know how wide spread their use is and how much my family could benefit from them.  I am so happy that I trusted my good friend and became educated on essential oils.  Essential oils fit right in with my family’s goal of a healthier, more natural lifestyle. I truly believe everyone at least should take the time to learn about them!  So why should you consider essential oils for your family?  Here are some great questions I hear that will help you answer that question!

Q:  Aren’t essential oils like voodoo? [Katie's note - I totally thought this when I first started using them.]
A:  I think everyone is leery about something they are uneducated about.  Essential oils have been used throughout history for their health benefits.  There are references of their use throughout the bible (there was a reason they brought Jesus frankincense!).   I love having something natural and safe for our bodies!  You will be shocked at how effective they are!

Q: Can’t I just get essential oils at my local health food store?
A:  You could but I made the personal decision that I want to use the most pure and potent oils available.  The majority of oils you can find at local stores have additives of unknown sources added to them.  They are required to only have 5% be essential oil.  I have chosen to use oils that come from indigenous sources and have rigorous testing done on them to guarantee 100% purity.  I am completely confident of using my chosen brand on my boys without worry.

Q: How would I know what to use and how to use them?
A:  There are so many great resources out there that give you a step by step guide.  I personally have some great reference books I keep on hand.  I have a great facebook group for anyone on my team that is an amazing resource.  You can post any question and get an answer right away!  The only thing you can do wrong is to not use them!

Q: Aren’t essential oils expensive?
A: I am a total advocate for promoting and maintaining good health.   I would rather spend money now than spend a lot more down the road.  That said, they are relatively cheap.  With high quality oils you only need to use 1-2 drops at a time.  That comes down to pennies per dose!  I can use oils for an upset stomach for 25 cents!

Q: Are you sure they are ok to use on my kids?
A: Yes!  I can speak from personal experience that I have never had an issue using essential oils on my boys.  Since children’s skin is more sensitive than adults, you just need to dilute the oils (mix some of the oil with a carrier oil, I use fractionated coconut oil).  I love to have roller bottles of prediluted oils for my kids, they are so convenient!

I would love to share more information with you and how your family can implement natural health solutions!  Email me for more information!


~ Jennifer Mixdorf
njmixdorf@gmail.com
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I love to feature readers and guest writers on the blog, so don't be shy ~ if you would like to be featured on a future Movin with Mickey post, please get in touch at katie@mouseworldtravel.com.

Have a magical day!

Movin' with Mickey Monday - Update + My Healthy Cruising Plan

Hello, everyone! Hope you all had a magnificent weekend! If you followed along on our Facebook page, you saw ALL the great and wonderful news coming out of Anaheim and the D23 event. I'll do a recap later this week, but it's time for a Movin with Mickey progress report so I didn't want to neglect that.

I wanted to give you a general update on how the Movin with Mickey is going - short answer, it's great! In the last 6 weeks I've lost over 9 lbs so that's been great to see. Some of my clothes are starting to get loose, which is always fun!

I am not doing so great on my plan to do yoga a few times a week but am planning on doing that this week. I always feel great after I do it, I just need to make the time.

I also wanted to give an update on how I'm planning on following my eating and exercise plan while on Disney Cruise Line. For those of you who might not know - in early September I am going on a 10 night cruise on the Disney Wonder from Vancouver to Honolulu, Hawaii. I want to enjoy my vacation but not put myself behind fitness and eating wise, so here is my plan:

* Walk around Deck 4 every day for 2-3 miles.

On the Classic ships (the Wonder and the Magic), three times around Deck 4 is a mile.  It's also one of my favorite parts of DCL, such a great place to relax and watch the world go by. I plan on walking every morning or at some point during every day, as both a way to relax and get in some exercise.

* Make sure I get all my fruits and veggies in during the day.

At meals and for snacks, I'll make sure I continue to choose lots of fruits and vegetables like I do at home. One of the great things is not only are there lots of healthy choices available in the dining rooms, you can also get walk-up fruits and veggies as well from the quick service locations on deck.

*ENJOY myself on vacation!

I am not using vacation as an excuse to go wild and throw away the progress I've made - but I also realize that vacations are special, and so I'll enjoy the treats I'll have. Some of my favorite breakfast items on DCL are the Mickey waffles and the Eggs Benedict. I will still enjoy those, but perhaps every other day instead of every morning. I also plan on having a dessert at dinner each night, so perhaps I'll not have the soup or appetizer course each night as well. I'll continue to make good choices while not stressing out about it, because where's the fun in that?

How are you all doing on your fitness and health journeys?

Have a magical day!

Movin with Mickey Monday - Progress Report

Happy Monday ~ Hope you all had a nice weekend!

As part of the Movin with Mickey series, I want to check in with you all once a month on my personal progress and how I'm doing with my own journey to better fitness and health.

First, I'm tracking my steps using a FitBit and for the month of July, I walked a total of 134,435 steps. I'd like to get that closer to 200,000 steps each month (which is an average of 6,600 steps per day) so that is my goal for the month of August.

Weight is also coming off, which as been encouraging to see. I've lost about 6 pounds since July 1st, and have lost a total of 17". If losing weight is part of your fitness goal, make sure you take measurements in addition to your weight. There were a few weeks in July where maybe I'd not lost weight (or lost very little) but when I measured, I'd lose a few inches each week.

I've noticed that my energy level has gone way up this month, which has been awesome to see. I'm really seeing a difference in how I feel now that I'm not eating processed foods or tons of sugar. All very encouraging!

I'm starting to live by the 80/20 rule. That is, eating well 80% of the time and allowing yourself the 20% for treats, special occasions, etc. You have to live and so there will always be birthday parties, weddings, holidays, etc but if you can commit to making good food choices during most of your week, you're in good shape.

My goals for the next month are the following:

 - Walk an average of 6,600 steps per day
 - Start doing yoga again 2-3 times per week. I really enjoy yoga and I always feel good afterwards, so I'm going to add it in a few times a week.
 - Start adding more variety of fruits and veggies to my diet. I am kind of in a blueberry / pepper /  mushroom / lettuce rut with my fruits and veggies, so I want to branch out and add some more this month that are not my "norm."


What are your fitness goals? How'd you do in July? Please comment or share on our social media pages.

Have a magical day!

Movin with Mickey - David Sevcik and Training his Mom for a Marathon

If you'll remember, every other Monday I'll feature a Movin with Micky post, talking about my own fitness and health goals, and also featuring blog readers who are achieving their own goals and/or helping others as well.

Today I want to feature David Sevcik, from Denver Colorado. David is my cousin and I knew he'd be a great person to talk to about health and fitness as he's an avid runner who has participated in many marathons and other distance races (and has placed very highly in many of them. Seriously, he's CRAZY fast. Those genes didn't trickle down to yours truly.)

David helped his mom (my aunt Lisa) train for her first marathon, so I asked him if he'd share about the training and some of his tips. Take it away, David!

* Tell us about your running background and when you started running.

I started running as a sophomore in high school after deciding golf wasn't for me.  I was never a front runner in high school and finished 7th on our team as a senior.  I then started the Iowa State Running Club where I saw a lot more success.  In our best year the club finished as the 2nd best collegiate running club in the nation.  We lost to a team we had beat just 3 weeks prior.  The same year the running club won the Half Marathon Collegiate Club National Championships as well as I won the race individually.  I've become an avid distance runner with my best ever finish being 49th (27th American) at the 2015 Boston Marathon.

* You mentioned that you helped your mom train for her first marathon; what program did you use in her training? Can you give us an idea of the training schedule?

My mom started running in her late 40's and initially just wanted to finish her first marathon under 5 hours.  She had never ran in her life and had trouble making it a mile without walking.  Her first go around she worked on a training plan through a local church group.  Most of these training plans involve running 3-4 days a week with a few very short runs (2-3 miles) and one very long run (15+).  When my mom mentioned she wanted to run Boston I knew I needed to give her more advice.  We started with 3 days a week running anywhere from 20-40 minutes.  We gradually built her weekly training up to 5 days a week with an hour a day.  The goal was to just run for one hour without stopping.  Pace truly didn't matter as long as it was continuous.  We then built up a mid week and weekend long run.  These runs ended up peaking at 2 hours and 2.5 hours.  Once these were going, we also looked at the course she was going to run and designed certain workouts to mimic the course.  Since her goal was the Des Moines marathon I knew that the first 8 miles were hilly and the last 18 were relatively flat.  So one example of a workout would be to run hill repeats and then follow that with a 3-4 mile marathon goal pace run.  At the end of 4 months she was able to finish her marathon in 3 hours 59 minutes and some change to qualify for Boston.

* Do you follow a particular diet or eating plan while you're training?

As I get older I believe diet is more and more important.  I've never followed a strict diet, but I do watch what I eat before a big workout or long run.  If I know I'm running 20 miles in the morning I won't drink a beer, or have ice cream the night before.  It's important to listen to your body and make sure your stomach is comfortable the following day.  I do think Calcium pills, iron supplements, and a multi-vitamin are beneficial.

* What device(s) do you use in your training, if any? (FitBit, Garmin, etc)

I just use a normal $30 watch that tells me time.  I'm a fan of Garmin, however I think it is important to not pay too much attention to all the numbers and let your body tell you what it should be doing and what it should not.  Don't worry about your pace as much as your time and the overall effort.  I do warn people that as beneficial as a Garmin or other GPS device might be they can also be just as harmful when you let the numbers direct your running

* What advice would you have for someone who's thinking about doing their first long-distance run?

Here's a couple things I'd tell someone doing their first race:

1. Your mind will limit your potential more then your body.  Running is very mental and don't talk yourself into believing anything negative or against your goals.

2. You are only going to get out what you put in.  Starting to run is hard for everyone.  It will take 3-4 weeks to create a comfortable habit, but running consistently is the only way to improve.

3. The proper shoes make all the difference.  Go to a running specialist store.  Do not go Dick's, Scheels, or other big box retailer to find the proper running shoes.  Big box retailers will not do a good job period. Also with your running shoes, your focus needs to be on comfort and the correct style.  The best shoes will not be as pretty as the Nike Free's, but you will be less likely to get injured.

4. Having a personalized coach will help you a lot more then finding a random plan on the internet.  If you want to see your best results it is best to have a personalized training plan that focusses on your strengths and weaknesses, as well as can be built and adjusted around your normal schedule.

Thanks again to David, we appreciate you sharing with us!

Have a magical day!

The First Movin with Mickey Monday!

Greetings, friends! I hope you all had an amazing 4th of July weekend that had both relaxation time and fun with family and friends. I took it pretty easy - went to eat with friends, saw Jurassic World, and caught up on some reading I've been wanting to do. Ooh! And my new, fun colors FitBit Flex bands came via Amazon. (Have I said lately how much I love Amazon Prime? We're dating. It's serious.)

So today is the official kick-off for the bi-weekly feature, Movin with Mickey! First, thank you all for the great response about the blog series. I think it'll be fun and a great way for us to motivate each other. Health is not an end-goal thing; I don't think you can ever say, Well, now I'm healthy, I can cool my heels and rest. Nope, not how it works. Especially as you get older. (Can I get an Amen?!)

Once a month, I'll be giving you an update on my personal progress. My friend Chris with On A Roll Designs will update the map each month, so you can see my steps progress. You'll need to hang with me for a while here, because by my calculations, if I walk an average of 10,000 steps per day (which is about 5 miles), it's going to take me over 250 days to finish this walk. So we're in it for the long haul, folks. Get comfy.

For the second monthly entry, I'll be featuring a reader who is on their own personal journey to health and wants to share their tips, ideas, what motivates them, etc. I've already heard from a lot of you who want to be featured and there are still slots open, so if you'd like to be featured, please email me at katie@mouseworldtravel.com.

But to get started, I wanted to give you some baselines about what I'm doing and how I'm tracking my information for the "walk" to Orlando. I'm not planning on sharing the nitty-gritty numbers such as my weight, but I do plan on letting you when I've lost inches and other progress points in my journey.

Here's the basic info and what I'm doing:

 - I know I need to eat better and make better food choices. I am not interested in "diets" - I want to make lifestyle changes that I can follow and sustain through the next (God willing) 40+ years of my life. I'm adopting an eating plan that my sister has been using with great success, which takes out un-natural sugars (candy, cake, etc) and processed food. I will still enjoy a treat every now and again, but my goal is to make good choices 85% of the time, and allow the other 15% for "cheats" (things like birthday cake, an occasional margarita, etc).

 - I've used a FitBit in the past, but the dongle-thing that plugged into my computer and synced my info broke during one of my trips, and so I've been without it for a few months. I ordered a replacement dongle-thing, as well as some fun color bands (because, accessories) and I'm all armed and ready to go. With the FitBit app, you can also see the progress of your Friends and how many steps they're taking per day. (If you'd like to be FitBit Friends with me, send me an email and we'll get linked!)

 - I took Before pictures, measurements and bought a new scale. I am not someone who thinks that weighing yourself every day is healthy (your body weight can fluctuate from day to day that has nothing to do with what you're eating) but I do plan on weighing myself and taking new measurements once a week. I'll take new pictures once a month, as well, so I can see the progress I'm making.

 - Rewards are important - and so I am going to do something fun for myself once a month. I'm thinking things like getting a pedicure, getting a massage, buying myself a new shirt or pair of shorts, etc.

Thank you again for being so great and taking this journey with me - I'd love to hear how you all stay fit and healthy, recipes you'd like to share with the group, exercises and ways to move that you find effective, etc. I say it all the time but this blog is Full Audience Participation. Let's cheer each other on!

And rest assured, the other posts all month long will be the same Disney-esque goodness you've come to know (and hopefully love).

Let's get started Movin with Mickey!

Have a magical day!

Movin with Mickey - It's Officially On the Move!

Can you HANDLE the cuteness of this?! Chris, you are amazing, girl!!

Happy Thursday, Friends! Hope you all have fun and relaxing plans for the 4th of July weekend. I have about zero plans and that suits me just fine. :)

I wanted to show you something I am SO EXCITED ABOUT I could hardly contain myself. Remember back about a month or so, I talked about the Movin with Mickey feature on the blog? Where I was going to be tracking my steps and seeing how long it would take me to "walk" from my home in NE Iowa to Orlando, FL?

Well, Monday officially starts those posts! AND I have a SUPER CUTE graphic, designed by my gal Chris over at On A Roll Designs. Isn't this ADORBS?! I'm obsessed. I love it so much. You can find her Facebook page HERE and her Etsy page HERE - please bookmark / Like those and contact her for your graphic arts needs.

Every two weeks, on Monday I'll be doing a Movin With Mickey Monday feature on the blog, where I update you on my progress. I'm going to keep track of my steps using a FitBit and I'll update you on my progress. I'll also use those posts to share other healthy tips like recipes, exercises and more. If you have tips you'd like to share, or have been moving towards health yourself and would like to be featured on the blog - please get in touch. I'd love to hear from you!

Have a WONDERFUL 4th of July weekend - be looking for Monday's post! Let's get started!

Have a magical day!