There will be no new posts this week as I finish up the surprise coming on the 19th, but feel free to check out previous posts in the categories ofSelf Love 101, Intuitive Eating, Recovery Wins, etc. all located to the right.
See you on March 19th!
THERE ARE NO RE-DOS IN THIS LIFE, BUT IT'S BEEN SAID THAT BY TELLING THEIR STORIES WRITERS TASTE LIFE TWICE. THESE ARE MY STORIES REFLECTING ON ED, RECOVERY, FITNESS, INTUITIVE EATING, AND SELF-LOVE. I KNOW NOT EVERY WORD WILL BE DELICIOUS, AND I CAN NOT GO BACK AND SEASON MY EXPERIENCES DIFFERENTLY. BUT THIS SECOND TIME I TASTE THEM I WILL DO SO WITH A SPOON OF SUGAR IN MY HAND BECAUSE I'VE LEARNED THAT BEING HEALTHY CAN AND SHOULD BE OH SO SWEET. I HOPE I CAN INSPIRE YOU TO TASTE IT FOR YOURSELF.
Mark Your Calendars!
And make sure you you've got your alarm set to ping on Saturday, March 19th, because Healthyezsweet Life will never be the same and I want you to be the first to get in on the action. This has been in the works for over two months and the day to unveil it all is less than a week away!!
There will be no new posts this week as I finish up the surprise coming on the 19th, but feel free to check out previous posts in the categories ofSelf Love 101, Intuitive Eating, Recovery Wins, etc. all located to the right. See you on March 19th!
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Some call it a slump. Others call it a plateau, but when it happened to me I called it: "I just REALLY don't want to exercise right now". Plain and simple. I thought long and hard about how to regain that drive, that UMPH, that endorphin crave of working out, and it finally hit me like an obvious "duh" delivered "Shoulda had a V8" style. If you're someone looking to get back into the body moving groove, this post is for you. No More 6 A.M. Wake Up Calls Gone are the days where my alarm would ring at 6 A.M. (or earlier) and I'd hop out of bed and get in a long, sweaty workout before my full day of school, work, etc. My motto used to be "just do it**" until I realized what I was "just doing" really wasn't doing me a whole lot of good in the long run. Did you notice those little stars at the end of the "just do it"? Well, that's because "just do it" had a hidden addendum attached.**just do it OR you'll feel guilty and lazy and maybe gain weight That is how my exercise addiction started. With 6 A.M. wake up calls. So it should come as no shock that I wasn't keen to return to them after choosing recovery and finding my balance. I didn't want the reminder of the pressure I had felt to burn calories, regardless of whether I wanted to or not. Ya Gotta Want It Why didn't 6 A.M. wake up calls for the gym work for me? Because waking up for them had a stigma attached (just like those little stars). And it said: "You're going to go do THIS exact workout whether you like it or not." And boy did I not like feeling that way. The truth is, the only way to rediscover a motivation to work out regularly is to enjoy the way you're doing it. Whether you have a past of eating disorder struggle / exercise addiction or not, if your motivation to workout is fueled solely by your desire to lose weight or even gain muscle, chances are you won't maintain it for very long. And even if you do by some chance manage to maintain it, it's not making you happy. So what's the point? Exercise is Supposed to Make You Happy Really, it is. And I truly wish there were more advertisements on TV with headlines like "get the workout that will make you smile" than there are "get a six pack in time for summer". I'm not saying that you have to enjoy every chest-to-floor-hoppin' burpee (seriously, damn you burpees!) but your workout should make you feel energized, excited, and strong throughout most of its duration as well as afterwards. Exercising is supposed to make you feel good about yourself, and when you think about it - when you find something that makes you feel confident and happy wouldn't it make sense to want to do it again? ~ How to Fall in Love with Working Out Again~Exercise Intuitively...what does that mean? Much like eating intuitively, exercising intuitively is all about taking cues from your body, and letting it tell you what it needs versus you telling it how to look and feel etc. So if you're not a morning person, carve out 30-60 minutes in the afternoon or evening when you have the most energy. Play around with different times and take note of how you felt before the exercise and afterwards to find your happy medium. If you had a cardio workout planned for the day but feel like lifting weights, go right ahead! I mean it, ditch the workout plans. Ditch the hours detailing each gym day. Wake up, go grind, and do what comes naturally. I promise it will even out. You may not feel like running for a week, so don't. This system may seem wishy-washy, but I promise you it's how you're going to learn to love moving your beautiful body again. And trust me, it evens out. Balance is what we're going for. Balance and sustainability and remember that last thing: Happiness! Exercising for happiness! Tell me, Have you ever gone through a workout slump? How did you get out of it? What is your favorite way to move your beautiful body? This post is linked with Fit, Fashionable Friday & Fitness, Health, and Happiness
Today's eats are primarily the best (read: most affordable and least gluten-y) that UCLA has to offer. Why? Because even though I took time last night to pack food that would last me from 7 A.M. - 6 P.M. at school, it was for nothing. Because I locked my keys in my car and couldn't wait for AAA to save my lunch *sigh* BUT I refused to stress about it. Mainly because I've got something crazy important / exciting planned for today *eeeeek* and I will not let stress induced tummy issues influence my plans. Agh guys, I'm so bad at keeping secrets. I just want to tell you what I'm doing today...but I'll save the surprise and distract myself with the food pics coming right up!
Majorly impressed with myself for NOT snoozing my 6 AM wake up call, but rather took myself downstairs and got that coffee in my system ASAP. The coffee itself was just a kurig pack in a Coffee Bean cup, buut I also added a scoop of Cofee Bean chocolate powder because my dad buys it and bless him. I'm never hungry so early, but I ate a banana as I was driving (read: hardly moving at all damn you 405) to school so that I would have energy for my PIIT (affiliate link) workout before class. Breakfast] Had a very "eh" workout, mainly because I was V irritated that I locked my keys in my car along with my food for the whole day which means I'd be spending big bucks to eat on campus until I could wait for AAA to come after class. Thankfully, I got through the workout without screaming or punching anyone (except the mat) and was able to really enjoy this Chunky Strawberry Peanut Butter bowl at Jamba Juice. I really didn't want to go back after they were so rude about my Celiacs last time, but desperate times..and this time they were much more considerate actually. Happily subbing the granola for chia seeds. Lunch / Snack] Between my morning and afternoon class I was able to stop into the cafeteria and build this combo plate of spicy lemon tofu, black beans, and buttery mashed potatoes. I was V impressed at how much tofu they gave me (almost made me less bitter about paying for food..almost) and the potatoes were so good. I ended up eating a little over half for lunch at noon and the rest around 2 P.M. for a snack. Snacks] A chocolate chip brownie LARA bar (best flavor ever seriously) & my newfound obsession: sweet potato Pop Chips! I wish I knew where I could find them - my mom gave them to me - because they're so sugary and crispy. Perfect combo Dinner] My grandma took my family out to eat at Fornaio and I felt so grateful that Italian food no longer makes me afraid. I ordered this awesome, gluten free pasta made from scratch with chicken, sun dried tomato, & garlic sauce. Also had some of grandma's ceasar salad and a few bites of dad's chicken & potatoes. Dessert] A little bowl of the Sahale Snacks Nut Crisp that I introduced y'all to on Market Haul Monday. I've said it once, and I'll say it again: French. Toast. In. A. Bag. Also, this mix has 140 calories per 1/4 cup. I don't measure, but I know that is pretty calorically dense. That being said, DON'T be afraid of high calorie foods. Nuts are naturally high in calories but have so much nutritional value and won't leave you unsatisfied / hungry like a bag of 100 calorie chips. Just portion yourself so you don't end up with a tummy ache or if you're a skilled intuitive eater, eat til satisfaction :) ~What's Goin' On~ PIIT 28] As I mentioned in last week's "Week in Review", I'm joining Blogilates founder, Cassey Ho, and tons of other popsters in her latest workout challenge: PIIT (affiliate link). PIIT is a combination of cardio moves (think burpees and squat claps) and pilates toning moves (think booty work and core exercises on the mat) and it's structured similarly to HIIT workouts (high intensity interval training). But wait Cay, didn't you say you hate HIIT? I do actually. But there's something about PIIT that doesn't make me want to die and actually energizes rather than drains me. I think because each move is done for 45 seconds, longer than most HIITs, I feel I don't have to go as quickly. BUT each workout day is done super quickly, under 29 minutes actually. That's because you're only doing 7 moves for 45 seconds, 4 times through. If you want to check out and maybe join me in becoming a #PIITprincess, you can get the deets with THIS link, and PS if you do I'll get a little kickback (that's why you see affiliate link next to the spots to click) so thank you all for continuing to support me making moola with stuff I love like Blogilates and now PIIT (affiliate link)! Working on Myself] As some of you may have been keeping up with on Instagram, I've been having a couple of hell-ish weeks. I keep thinking that the last week was the worst and then, BAM, the next hits me with something awful. And it's been affecting me and my stomach like crazy, as in crazy bad. But here's the thing - I need to take responsibility for that. In this life we cannot control what happens to us all the time, and sh** does happen. What we can control is how we react. We can choose not to give the sh** the power to drive us crazy. I'm prone to overreactions and letting my stress get way out of hand, which is why my digestive system goes crazy when I'm stressed. I'm actively making an effort to temper my reactions and keep myself grounded by remembering that this too shall pass and I don't have to let it change me. Preparing to Head Back to Panama] Oh yeahh, it's happening. March 21 - 27 I will be back in the land of humidity and fresh coconut water and amazing fruit. Oh and that dude I love ;) It'll be a short trip, but I can't wait to see my boyfriend AND my now very preggers sister-in-law!! Can't wait to bring y'all tons of Panama eats when the time comes. Yep, another post ended with another snarky meme.
Before you go: Tell me, Have you ever locked your keys in the car or house at a REALLY inconvenient time? Are you a tofu eater or meat all the way? Where's your next vacation planned for? Last week's WIAW really got me thinking. If you read the post, you know I was considering ending my participation in What I Ate Wednesdays, but after hearing how so many of you benefit from seeing a balanced intake and look to them for motivation to help you stop obsessing over food and food rules, I decided to keep posting. And then I thought, why not take it one step further? Why not share MORE of the foods and recovery challenges that you all love? Well, there's only one Wednesday each week so two WIAW posts would just be silly. But....there's also one Monday every week. And I generally get all my grocery market shopping done on Sundays so why not give you a weekly peek into my cabinets and fridge to see how I'm fueling up for the week? And that, my friends, is how Market Haul Monday was born. If you like this concept, I'm happy to post all the foods and goodies I've picked up for the next week or so, and hopefully introduce you to some new items you want to try and I'd love for you to share some of yours with me as well in the comments. So, let's get to it! Fruits & Veggies] My first stop was Costco. It's a mad house on the weekends, but the prices are way worth the parking jam in and out of the store. I picked up my usual suspects:
as well as a new find:
Snacks & Extras] After Costco, I went to Sprouts market for the first time because I got some coupons in the mail for gluten free breads & Vega Sport products. I generally avoid the health food markets because they are so over priced, but I was straight up shocked at how affordable Sprouts was. I got everything pictured here (minus the Sehale Snack mix) + 2 things of Udi's bread + a chicken pot pie for only $35. I will definitely be coming back. Plus there was a major sale on Vega Sport products that allowed me to try them out without shelling out the big bucks to commit to it yet.
Meats & Entrees] Also a mix of Sprouts (the bread items and pot pie) and Costco.
All this writing about my food is making me hungry for breakfast. So I'll leave you with some questions:
1) Do you like the concept of Market Haul Mondays? Do you want to see more? 2) What's something you picked up this week that you're excited to eat? As a semi-recently diagnosed Celiac, I am getting so fed up with the sass from the select few cranky restaurant workers, judgmental distant relatives, rude PHARMACISTS?! And when I say "select few" I mean the majority, sadly. Disclaimer, if you are someone truly trying to understand Celiacs or gluten allergies with your questions out of concern, then go you. For the rest of you, listen up. 1) Despite the way you're acting, this isn't actually happening to you Sometime between going gluten free becoming trendy and doctors misdiagnosing Celiacs / gluten allergies, the unaffected developed a disdain towards anyone who mutters a word about being G-free. I understand that it may be annoying for you to be in the presence of someone who is on what appears to be the latest fad diet, but it's even more annoying for me. Because I'm not on that new fad diet by choice. And I really want that damn doughnut. That damn doughnut that you have the ability to go right out and get as soon as you're done being condescending to me. 2) And what is happening actually really sucks The fact that my body declares war on itself and attacks my vital organs whenever I eat gluten (or just gives me horrible stomach pain or diarrhea which makes the rest of my day actually suck) is not cool. It's definitely not trendy. And it's not something that gives me great pride to announce. So please don't make my sucky situation even suck-ier by being a jerk when I kindly ask you to double check how my food is going to be prepared. 3) When you say "a little bit won't kill you", you actually don't know what you're talking about The severity of gluten allergies varies, and if you're one of the lucky ones who have full blown Celiacs, then eating "just a little bit" of gluten can actually have some potentially life threatening risks. Like cancer. Ever heard of lymphoma? Untreated Celiacs are at high risk for it the second any gluten enters our blood stream and activates that body declaring war on itself and attacking vital organs thing we talked about earlier. So no, "a little bit" of gluten isn't going to kill me (right away) but I'm not risking my life to make yours no different at all. 4) We're not actually afraid to tell you off when you're being ignorant We've had to learn how to be tough. Resisting the Pizza Hut that all your drunk friends just ordered and turning down your favorite family baked good is freaking tough. So if we can do that, we can sure as hell stand up for ourselves when someone gives us lip about our own bodies. Whether you're a lazy server who just wants to go home and not take the two minutes to double check with the chef or a self righteous pharmacist who has been filling this prescription for years and swears nobody has had a reaction, you're going to get told off. And it's going to be good (for me) because I've got this speech down from having to give it so many times. 5) Just like you, we actually wish we'd never heard of the phrase "gluten free" There's nobody that gluten pisses off more than the gluten intolerant. Our lives just got considerably more frustrating through no fault of our own, and we would do anything to change that. But we can't, so we ask for a little bit of compassion and at the very least respect from those around us as we figure it all out.
I've had people ask me why I don't post photos for all my WIAW eats. The simple answer is, I am not obsessed with taking pictures of everything that goes into my mouth anymore. The slightly longer answer is that I'm not obsessed with food in general anymore. I try to photograph the majority of my food on days that I know I'll be using for a WIAW, but if I'm going to pop a mini Resees in my mouth or a dove chocolate (which I literally do on the daily), I'm not going to take a picture of that single chocolate (most of the time). I'll still put it in the WIAW of course, but not everything needs to be documented. I'm toying with the idea of ending my participation in WIAW just because I feel I have more interesting / valuable things to post than every morsel of food I eat in a day. To get the majority of that you can always follow the Insta :) But of course if you guys truly enjoy these for meal inspiration or recovery support, I will continue. Feedback in the comments on whether WIAW should stay or go please! Now onto the foods. Breakfast] Woke up early to do a PIIT (affiliate link) workout before my shift, and ate a banana to fuel my workout. I'm a big believer in NOT working out on an empty stomach. If I'm not hungry enough for a big / normal breakfast before my workout, I usually opt for a banana because it digests quickly and gives me an energy boost without a tummy ache. After my sweat sesh, I whipped up some slightly runny eggs & layered them with a little over 1/2 a mashed avocado and some turkey on GF toast. Behind the plate you can see the snacks I brought to work. Lunch] Seeing as work was SLAMMED, I hardly had time to scarf down the banana I brought to snack on and didn't finish my shift until 2:30 when I sat down to this gorgeous plate. Tuna salad sandwich on toasted, GF bread (how cool is it that my work toasts their GF bread separate so it's totally Celiac safe?!) and some sweet potato fries (the best). I ended up eating half the sandwich and all the fries. Snack] I realize this is not an exciting snack for you, but for me it's HUGE. I bought a single, Greek yogurt at the market earlier this week because I wanted to try adding it into my diet for probably the 17th time in hopes that it wouldn't upset my tummy. And it actually didn't!!!! Obviously I'm not going to eat a whole tub or even a little container every day, but it's nice to know I can tolerate it on occasion. I actually really enjoy flavored Greek yogurts and miss mixing them with goodies. It's also an easy protein source when I'm not feeling the meat. Snack] Later in the evening I snacked on the GF pretzels that I'd initially packed for work while watching the Oscars & reading Gluten is my Bitch on commerical breaks. I actually just finished this book and it's one of my favorites now. It's so witty and hilarious (think Chelsea Handler but Celiac) but also honest and just informative. I've learned a lot and I plan to revisit the pages for sure. Dinner] The other half of my tuna salad sandwich with some carrot sticks & ranch. Dessert]
So here's my question for you guys: Do you like these WIAW posts? Should I continue them? Or is there other topics you'd rather see? Let me know in the comments!
Shout out to Jenn for the link up! |
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