Today's blog question of the day is: WHAT DO YOU EAT???? So in addition to exploring my raw transition experiences, I'm going to share what I eat. I'm going to try to do this daily for a week. Lunch is where I eat the most. My breakfasts and dinners are usually pretty light.
Breakfast- 7:00 a.m. pre-Crossfit Workout
8oz coconut water, 8oz water
2 scoops Sunwarrior Chocolate Protein Powder
1 tspn Maca
1 tspn Greens powder- I use Vitamineral Green
32 oz water throughout the morning
Lunch 11:00 a.m.- post workout
tortilla chips (probably 3 servings), carrots, and cucumber dipped in white bean dip and salsa
2 coconut lime brazil nut cookies
1/4 cup marcona almonds
1 32 oz smoothie consisting of:
8oz coconut water, 8oz almond milk
2.5 frozen bananas
4 fresh mint leaves
2 scoops Chocolate Sunwarrior
1 tbspn raw cacao
Dinner/snack 4:15
2 bananas and a nectarine. I might eat something else later, but I'm not sure, probably fruit or chips and salsa again.
Usually I don't eat after 5 or 6 because I don't sleep well on a full stomach and get heartburn. Right now, since I am weaning myself off of meat, I include a lot of non-raw, vegan and gluten free foods in my diet. I would say right now, I am 60% raw, 40% cooked. Once I get more stable on a vegan diet, then I will up my raw ratios again.
This has to do with my tip of the day: Take it slowly! In my experience so far, I have found that I need to move into things gradually. The first things I gave up were wheat, dairy, and sugar (because I had to!). It has taken a lot of work to get off of meat and dairy and I am still a work in progress on that one. I have been eating vegan for 45 days. I want to make this a permanent lifestyle change, but given my starts and stops in the past, I know when I'm giving up meat, I need lots of foods that are "cheat" foods or else I am falling face first into a burger before I even know what happened. My new cheat foods are so different, and so much healthier than my old cheat foods! Jane 5 years ago would laugh at the fact that a treat food is coconut milk ice cream, chips and salsa, or roasted nuts instead of raw. That Jane's everyday foods were beer, nachos with lots of cheese and sour cream, pizza, and a big bowl of regular old ice cream. No wonder today's Jane feels 100% healthier, fitter, and looks WAY better than Jane 5 years ago!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
My Biggest Mistakes in Going Raw
I have had a lot of inquiries lately about my journey into raw and how to get started. This has inspired me to tell my story and to share in a series of blogs the good, the bad, and the ugly on my ever continuing raw food journey.
The first time I heard about raw veganism was 3 years ago. I have been an on again off again vegetarian or vegan since my early 20's. When I became pregnant with my first daughter, I started eating meat again, then went back to veg, back to meat during another pregnancy, and then wanted to go vegan after my second little bundle of girlie awesome was born. I stumbled on the raw lifestyle when I was researching the healthiest approaches to veganism. The first book I bought was Victoria Boutenko's 12 Steps to Raw Foods. It resonated with me in a way that nothing ever had and I read about diet and I knew I had to adopt this lifestyle. I just didn't know at the time how hard it would be and that it could possibly be a life long undertaking.
Mistake 1 for me: Going all out. (I'm saying "for me" because what is a mistake for me, may not necessarily be a mistake for you.)
I went for it. I was now a raw foodist and I gave "raw" a go. Needless to say, it lasted a hot minute because I had no clue what I was doing. Then I gave up and went back to my old lifestyle, and the book sat on my shelf and collected dust for a couple of months. I did take a few raw ideas and began to incorporate them into my daily food regiment: green smoothies and nut/seed based cookies and desserts.
I understood the basis for the raw food lifestyle and it made perfect sense to me- not only morally, but scientifically, it was constantly on my mind. I knew that it was the right way to eat (for me) but it was very difficult to make these huge dietary changes all at once. I did the only thing a school nerd like me could do: I ordered more books. I started to learn more and incorporate more raw foods. Every raw foodist has their own philosophy and Sarma Melngailis and Ani Phyo promoted moderation and I could really relate to them and their stories. They made raw food glamorous, fun, and reinforced its lifestyle to me. I continued for the next year going raw for a few months, back lashing to meat and dairy, and then back to raw. Each time I went raw it was ALL OUT, 100% raw and I found myself frustrated and feeling like a failure if I did not eat raw.
So here are some things that I've learned in all of my starts, stops, and back lashes:
1. Make gradual changes. This lifestyle is a learning process. It isn't a diet. It involves a complete change in the way you have been eating, even if you are already a vegetarian or vegan. There are superfoods you may have never heard before in your life (maca, goji berries, raw cacao, spirulina, etc.) and you have to do a lot of research and reading about what and how to eat. Each start has lasted longer and each stop has been shorter. I'm getting to the point now where I am spending the majority of my year raw with benders that are coming fewer and further between.
2. Each start and stop had a purpose for me and was part of the learning curve. Each time I went raw for a month or two at a time, I learned new recipes, new raw foods, and easy ways to make a raw lifestyle more attainable for me. The more you learn and more options you have for foods, the easier it is to stick with it.
3. Get a support system in place. I had to get my health minded friends on board to encourage me. Thankfully I have my three best health girls- Lisa, Tara, and Mary. They love to experiment with raw food, are super healthy, and are supportive through my highs and lows. I needed to find new restaurants and ways to get raw food on the run. Thankfully I found Oasis Living Cuisine in Frasier and discovered that Kimberton Whole Foods had a raw section (who knew?)! I was able to ask the owner of Oasis and the employees at Kimberton lots of questions. I also have a very supportive husband and family. At this point they are used to my health antics and just nod and smile if they think I'm crazy.
4. Give yourself cheats. My cheats used to be a steak dinner with my girlfriends. Now my cheats are coconut milk ice cream, tortilla chips, and roasted nuts. Even my cheats are evolving!
5. Know that this is not just a physical journey, it is very, very emotional as well. Being the psych major that I am, I tend to focus on the emotional turmoil that accompanies various challenges. Raw food pushes you to very, very uncomfortable places both physically and psychologically. These issues could be a blog series that could last a decade. Forgive yourself when you make mistakes and know that 30 years of habits may take 30 years to change. Be patient and loving towards yourself during the process.
I'm going to keep plugging away with this blog series while I have the next two weeks off from school. Hope this is helpful to you guys!
The first time I heard about raw veganism was 3 years ago. I have been an on again off again vegetarian or vegan since my early 20's. When I became pregnant with my first daughter, I started eating meat again, then went back to veg, back to meat during another pregnancy, and then wanted to go vegan after my second little bundle of girlie awesome was born. I stumbled on the raw lifestyle when I was researching the healthiest approaches to veganism. The first book I bought was Victoria Boutenko's 12 Steps to Raw Foods. It resonated with me in a way that nothing ever had and I read about diet and I knew I had to adopt this lifestyle. I just didn't know at the time how hard it would be and that it could possibly be a life long undertaking.
Mistake 1 for me: Going all out. (I'm saying "for me" because what is a mistake for me, may not necessarily be a mistake for you.)
I went for it. I was now a raw foodist and I gave "raw" a go. Needless to say, it lasted a hot minute because I had no clue what I was doing. Then I gave up and went back to my old lifestyle, and the book sat on my shelf and collected dust for a couple of months. I did take a few raw ideas and began to incorporate them into my daily food regiment: green smoothies and nut/seed based cookies and desserts.
I understood the basis for the raw food lifestyle and it made perfect sense to me- not only morally, but scientifically, it was constantly on my mind. I knew that it was the right way to eat (for me) but it was very difficult to make these huge dietary changes all at once. I did the only thing a school nerd like me could do: I ordered more books. I started to learn more and incorporate more raw foods. Every raw foodist has their own philosophy and Sarma Melngailis and Ani Phyo promoted moderation and I could really relate to them and their stories. They made raw food glamorous, fun, and reinforced its lifestyle to me. I continued for the next year going raw for a few months, back lashing to meat and dairy, and then back to raw. Each time I went raw it was ALL OUT, 100% raw and I found myself frustrated and feeling like a failure if I did not eat raw.
So here are some things that I've learned in all of my starts, stops, and back lashes:
1. Make gradual changes. This lifestyle is a learning process. It isn't a diet. It involves a complete change in the way you have been eating, even if you are already a vegetarian or vegan. There are superfoods you may have never heard before in your life (maca, goji berries, raw cacao, spirulina, etc.) and you have to do a lot of research and reading about what and how to eat. Each start has lasted longer and each stop has been shorter. I'm getting to the point now where I am spending the majority of my year raw with benders that are coming fewer and further between.
2. Each start and stop had a purpose for me and was part of the learning curve. Each time I went raw for a month or two at a time, I learned new recipes, new raw foods, and easy ways to make a raw lifestyle more attainable for me. The more you learn and more options you have for foods, the easier it is to stick with it.
3. Get a support system in place. I had to get my health minded friends on board to encourage me. Thankfully I have my three best health girls- Lisa, Tara, and Mary. They love to experiment with raw food, are super healthy, and are supportive through my highs and lows. I needed to find new restaurants and ways to get raw food on the run. Thankfully I found Oasis Living Cuisine in Frasier and discovered that Kimberton Whole Foods had a raw section (who knew?)! I was able to ask the owner of Oasis and the employees at Kimberton lots of questions. I also have a very supportive husband and family. At this point they are used to my health antics and just nod and smile if they think I'm crazy.
4. Give yourself cheats. My cheats used to be a steak dinner with my girlfriends. Now my cheats are coconut milk ice cream, tortilla chips, and roasted nuts. Even my cheats are evolving!
5. Know that this is not just a physical journey, it is very, very emotional as well. Being the psych major that I am, I tend to focus on the emotional turmoil that accompanies various challenges. Raw food pushes you to very, very uncomfortable places both physically and psychologically. These issues could be a blog series that could last a decade. Forgive yourself when you make mistakes and know that 30 years of habits may take 30 years to change. Be patient and loving towards yourself during the process.
I'm going to keep plugging away with this blog series while I have the next two weeks off from school. Hope this is helpful to you guys!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The Thrill of Competition
So as many of you have noticed, I have been shamelessly begging for my facebook friends to vote for me in a Smoothie Contest for Sunwarrior. The prize is a good one. It is a year's supply of Sunwarrior products for first place. You bet your sweet ass I want that prize. So please vote. I am competing against vegan chefs with lots of followers and people with really popular blogs, so your votes are crucial so that I can come close to competing.
To vote for me, please "like" the Sunwarrior page, go into the Smoothie Contest photo album, and "like" my pictures. One is of me and my daughters in bathing suits. It's pretty hard to miss (and is apparently very controversial for the conservative family members of other smoothie contest participants LOL). The other one is three pictures above it and is of a green coffee cup.
Okay, onto the blog.
I have many, many complicated smoothie recipes, but my goal in this contest was to help people make simple, nutritious smoothies that did not involve ingredients that you have to search for like the Arc of the Covenant to freaking find. As I learned more and more about raw foods, I started incorporating these bizarre ingredients into my diet and into my pantry. But for people just starting out, it is best to just keep it simple. Sunwarrior is a yummy, fabulous product to use. I order it online at www.sunwarrior.com. You don't have to be raw to use it either. Replace one meal with 2 scoops of Sunwarrior and 8oz of coconut water and 4oz regular water and you have a delicious chocolate milk that is simple and healthy. Substitute that into your life instead of drinking your morning coffee and believe me, you will feel a difference.
Here is my favorite:
8oz water and a frozen banana or 1 young coconut (water and meat)
1 cup frozen cherries
2 scoops of chocolate Sunwarrior
1 tbspn of raw cacao or cocoa powder
(optional- add 1tspn Maca and 1 tspn greens powder)
Blend, pour, enjoy
So delicious and the chocolate can give you the boost you would normally get from coffee. Making changes can be simple and can happen one meal at a time. Thanks for voting for me, supporting me on my health/nutrition journey, and for being my friends!
Love,
J
To vote for me, please "like" the Sunwarrior page, go into the Smoothie Contest photo album, and "like" my pictures. One is of me and my daughters in bathing suits. It's pretty hard to miss (and is apparently very controversial for the conservative family members of other smoothie contest participants LOL). The other one is three pictures above it and is of a green coffee cup.
Okay, onto the blog.
I have many, many complicated smoothie recipes, but my goal in this contest was to help people make simple, nutritious smoothies that did not involve ingredients that you have to search for like the Arc of the Covenant to freaking find. As I learned more and more about raw foods, I started incorporating these bizarre ingredients into my diet and into my pantry. But for people just starting out, it is best to just keep it simple. Sunwarrior is a yummy, fabulous product to use. I order it online at www.sunwarrior.com. You don't have to be raw to use it either. Replace one meal with 2 scoops of Sunwarrior and 8oz of coconut water and 4oz regular water and you have a delicious chocolate milk that is simple and healthy. Substitute that into your life instead of drinking your morning coffee and believe me, you will feel a difference.
Here is my favorite:
8oz water and a frozen banana or 1 young coconut (water and meat)
1 cup frozen cherries
2 scoops of chocolate Sunwarrior
1 tbspn of raw cacao or cocoa powder
(optional- add 1tspn Maca and 1 tspn greens powder)
Blend, pour, enjoy
So delicious and the chocolate can give you the boost you would normally get from coffee. Making changes can be simple and can happen one meal at a time. Thanks for voting for me, supporting me on my health/nutrition journey, and for being my friends!
Love,
J
Sunday, August 7, 2011
I'm a sensitive lady
Last night I was at my friend's birthday BBQ. This is an event I really look forward to and so does the rest of my family. My lovely friend Julia was very concerned about what I could eat and she and her sister so very sweetly came up with the most delicious watermelon salad. Watermelon, lime juice, arugala, red onion, mint, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. I killed the entire bowl it was so delicious. That is when I should have known. If it was too delicious to be true, I probably can't eat it.
No sooner had I put my bowl in the sink than my migraine aura started. I was very, very confused. I DIDN'T EAT ANYTHING WRONG!!!! So on the long ride home from NJ I thought about it in between waves of nausea and pain. Was it the strong onion? Was it something I ate earlier during the day? Nope. I was so confused. But then it hit me: I never use balsamic vinegar.
When I woke up at 4 a.m. migraine free, you bet your sweet ass I hit up the internet to find out about balsamic vinegar. Apparently, the commercial balsamic vinegar sold in supermarkets is typically made with concentrated grape juice mixed with a strong vinegar, which is laced with caramel and sugar. Who knew?
My body is so sensitive to sugar. It sucks finding out the hard way, but it is really cool to see how smart my body is when it comes to giving me signals that something is toxic. Nerd Alert: Our bodies are so cool!!!!
No sooner had I put my bowl in the sink than my migraine aura started. I was very, very confused. I DIDN'T EAT ANYTHING WRONG!!!! So on the long ride home from NJ I thought about it in between waves of nausea and pain. Was it the strong onion? Was it something I ate earlier during the day? Nope. I was so confused. But then it hit me: I never use balsamic vinegar.
When I woke up at 4 a.m. migraine free, you bet your sweet ass I hit up the internet to find out about balsamic vinegar. Apparently, the commercial balsamic vinegar sold in supermarkets is typically made with concentrated grape juice mixed with a strong vinegar, which is laced with caramel and sugar. Who knew?
My body is so sensitive to sugar. It sucks finding out the hard way, but it is really cool to see how smart my body is when it comes to giving me signals that something is toxic. Nerd Alert: Our bodies are so cool!!!!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
See what grows
Planting seeds happen in so many ways. I'm not just talking about planting shit. I'm also talking about the power of our minds. Some people call it manifestation, some call it fate. Whatever you call it, I manifested some amazingly delicious pumpkin banana pudding today.
Today when I was babysitting at the gym, I was feeding a super fabulous toddler some pumpkin banana baby food. Nasty in theory, delicious in reality. As I was feeding her, I kept smelling it and talking about how delicious it looked with one my fellow kid watching cohort. She and I talked about our love of pumpkin pie and I told her a story of my super fail last Thanksgiving when I tried to make a raw pumpkin pie.
On what seems like an unrelated note, when you have a compost pile, sometimes random stuff grows. I have had a mystery veggie growing in the compost all summer and have been waiting to find out exactly what it is. When I got home from the gym, fixed the girls lunch, and had a full compost container, I took the scraps out to the compost pile and GUESS WHAT????
My mystery veggie was sugar pumpkin and there was a perfectly ripe one waiting for me!!! HELL TO THE YES!!!! So I took it inside and decided I was going to rewrite the suckfest recipe from last year. I don't have the exact ratios because I am kind of like a mad scientist in the kitchen, but the result was RAWSOME.
the meat from 1 magically compost grown sugar pumpkin
2 perfectly ripe bananas
1 healthy squeeze of agave nectar
1/2ish c. almond butter (that's what was missing at Thanksgiving)
a Lilah shake of cinnamon and a mama shake of allspice (Lilah shakes are generous and allspice is strong)
The kids loved it, I loved it, and I think it was the universe's way of treating me when I needed a boost and a reminder of the beauty and simplicity of nature. Sometimes it is as easy as putting unconscious energy out there is to get what you truly need from life.
Today when I was babysitting at the gym, I was feeding a super fabulous toddler some pumpkin banana baby food. Nasty in theory, delicious in reality. As I was feeding her, I kept smelling it and talking about how delicious it looked with one my fellow kid watching cohort. She and I talked about our love of pumpkin pie and I told her a story of my super fail last Thanksgiving when I tried to make a raw pumpkin pie.
On what seems like an unrelated note, when you have a compost pile, sometimes random stuff grows. I have had a mystery veggie growing in the compost all summer and have been waiting to find out exactly what it is. When I got home from the gym, fixed the girls lunch, and had a full compost container, I took the scraps out to the compost pile and GUESS WHAT????
My mystery veggie was sugar pumpkin and there was a perfectly ripe one waiting for me!!! HELL TO THE YES!!!! So I took it inside and decided I was going to rewrite the suckfest recipe from last year. I don't have the exact ratios because I am kind of like a mad scientist in the kitchen, but the result was RAWSOME.
the meat from 1 magically compost grown sugar pumpkin
2 perfectly ripe bananas
1 healthy squeeze of agave nectar
1/2ish c. almond butter (that's what was missing at Thanksgiving)
a Lilah shake of cinnamon and a mama shake of allspice (Lilah shakes are generous and allspice is strong)
The kids loved it, I loved it, and I think it was the universe's way of treating me when I needed a boost and a reminder of the beauty and simplicity of nature. Sometimes it is as easy as putting unconscious energy out there is to get what you truly need from life.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Great ideas for Great skin
One of my favorite things I get asked about/complimented on is my skin. My skin "secrets" are so simple and cheap. You do not have to buy La Mer like J-lo to get healthy, amazing skin. So run to your local grocery store and/or Target and be ready to amaze your mirror, your friends, and the bar tender who will once again, check your i.d.
This is redundant as I have blogged about this before, but DO IT. Use oil. I know, it sounds greasy and yucky, but it works. I used to be the biggest fan of coconut oil, but I have changed my tune and have moved on to almond oil. It has a neutral odor and absorbs more quickly into my skin. I use it on my face and my body. My husband uses it too. You can also use it in the bedroom if you catch my drift. Better than hitting your lady/man parts with lubricant that is full of chemicals and yuck (I know I've told you guys that one before too, but just reiterating what I feel is of the utmost life importance).
Dry brushing. Get a body brush made of natural materials (I got mine at Target) and dry brush your skin once a day. I do it before I get in the shower. Dry brushing is a great way to rid yourself of dead skin cells, make your skin smooth, and to scratch any bizarre itches you may have.
Drink water. Lots and lots of water- 1/2 your body weight in ounces every single day. Example: I weight 130 pounds. I drink at least 65 ounces of water a day. Because I am active, it is usually WAY more than that. And if you are boozing it up or drinking coffee, make sure for every ounce of fun you have an ounce of water to counteract the thrills of dehydration.
Diet. Please do not be a fat phob. Eating healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, coconuts, healthy oils (coconut, flax seed, olive, etc.) and cutting out shit works wonders for the skin. Eating sugar is almost as damaging to the skin as that lady in the movie There's Something About Mary with the leather skin who laid out with the tin foil. Moderation my loves, when it comes to the unhealthy crap (booze, sugar, white flour, etc.) Fruits and veggies. Can't toot their horns enough. Full of antioxidants and fiber. How does fiber help skin, you ask??? Fiber moves shit out of your body. Shit has toxins. Toxins make your skin look like shit. Getting rid of shit = healthy, toxin free skin.
Exercise- Another way to move toxins from the body is to move your ass.
Cosmetics- As a former make up artist, I think the worst thing someone with aging skin can do is cake on the make up. In my humble opinion, after age 30, powder is a no-no. It settles into wrinkles and creases and makes women look old. There. I said it. So invest in a nice moisture plus tint or liquid foundation and go easy on it. And yes, I use almond oil on my face and THEN use the moisture plus tint on top of it. To me, there is no such thing as too dewy. I would rather look dewy than like a dried up old leather baseball glove.
Hope that helps and please feel free to comment with any questions or beauty secrets of your own!!!
This is redundant as I have blogged about this before, but DO IT. Use oil. I know, it sounds greasy and yucky, but it works. I used to be the biggest fan of coconut oil, but I have changed my tune and have moved on to almond oil. It has a neutral odor and absorbs more quickly into my skin. I use it on my face and my body. My husband uses it too. You can also use it in the bedroom if you catch my drift. Better than hitting your lady/man parts with lubricant that is full of chemicals and yuck (I know I've told you guys that one before too, but just reiterating what I feel is of the utmost life importance).
Dry brushing. Get a body brush made of natural materials (I got mine at Target) and dry brush your skin once a day. I do it before I get in the shower. Dry brushing is a great way to rid yourself of dead skin cells, make your skin smooth, and to scratch any bizarre itches you may have.
Drink water. Lots and lots of water- 1/2 your body weight in ounces every single day. Example: I weight 130 pounds. I drink at least 65 ounces of water a day. Because I am active, it is usually WAY more than that. And if you are boozing it up or drinking coffee, make sure for every ounce of fun you have an ounce of water to counteract the thrills of dehydration.
Diet. Please do not be a fat phob. Eating healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, coconuts, healthy oils (coconut, flax seed, olive, etc.) and cutting out shit works wonders for the skin. Eating sugar is almost as damaging to the skin as that lady in the movie There's Something About Mary with the leather skin who laid out with the tin foil. Moderation my loves, when it comes to the unhealthy crap (booze, sugar, white flour, etc.) Fruits and veggies. Can't toot their horns enough. Full of antioxidants and fiber. How does fiber help skin, you ask??? Fiber moves shit out of your body. Shit has toxins. Toxins make your skin look like shit. Getting rid of shit = healthy, toxin free skin.
Exercise- Another way to move toxins from the body is to move your ass.
Cosmetics- As a former make up artist, I think the worst thing someone with aging skin can do is cake on the make up. In my humble opinion, after age 30, powder is a no-no. It settles into wrinkles and creases and makes women look old. There. I said it. So invest in a nice moisture plus tint or liquid foundation and go easy on it. And yes, I use almond oil on my face and THEN use the moisture plus tint on top of it. To me, there is no such thing as too dewy. I would rather look dewy than like a dried up old leather baseball glove.
Hope that helps and please feel free to comment with any questions or beauty secrets of your own!!!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Helping me so I can help you
Wow. I wasn't kidding when I said I wouldn't be blogging that much during my internship, was I???
I have been busier than I have even imagined. Between the weekday grind, the weekends packed full of activities and picnics, and keeping up with school work and my fitness regime, it has been insane to say the least. The blog has been totally sacrificed to the busy as shit gods.
One of the most horrific things happened to my group of friends. Two of our friends passed away in a car accident. Mourning myself and attempting to take care of those closest to them has not been an easy feat. Sometimes, throughout the tragedy, I have felt more helpless in helping people than I ever have in my life. Trying to know what to do or the right things to say has felt awkward and nearly impossible at times. One of the therapists from my internship said, "Well, you know the stages of grief, right? Just use them!" Easier said than done when it comes to the people who I love like they are family.
For the first few days after the deaths, I had no appetite, had diarrhea that went on for days (just keepin' it real here people), and just generally felt down and out. Then came the anger which I am still experiencing. Little things are just grating on me. Things that don't normally phase me- the kids not going to bed on time, my husband hitting the snooze button FIVE THOUSAND FUCKING TIMES, patients who are just plain annoying me. I also noticed myself trying to fill voids. For me, the first thing I turn to is food. I noticed that my appetite is still not there, but I am hitting the cartons of coconut milk ice cream like they are going out of style- a pint a day people- I kid you not. And crunchy things have been constantly on the menu- peanuts, raw cereal with buckwheat groats (they give a major crunch for those of you who haven't tried them). Thankfully, my fitness regime didn't go to the wayside during this, but my eating like shit certainly hasn't made me feel good or helped me in my work outs. So what the hell??? If I know this about myself, why do I continue to engage in these patterns that aren't helpful- they are actually hindering me by making me feel like a person on an Activia comercial?
The bottom line is comfort. We revert back to comfortable patterns of behavior during times of struggle and when we just don't know what else to do. Thankfully I have taken inventory of this before I hit that unopened bottle of vodka in my freezer. So what am I going to do now??? Well, life is hard right now. Really freaking hard. So I, in true Jane fashion, am pulling out the "suck it up bitch" mentality and am knocking it off. I need to be strong for the people around me. So here's the plan. Because as you know, I always have a plan.
Hit the gym. Run (I have a new goal that I need to work on- a 7 min mile for the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving). Eat right for the love of God!
By starting out small and taking care of my very basic needs, I can hopefully get out some of my pent up aggression and get my digestive system back to happy land. If I am taking care of myself, I'm a better wife, mother, and friend to those who need me the most.
I have been busier than I have even imagined. Between the weekday grind, the weekends packed full of activities and picnics, and keeping up with school work and my fitness regime, it has been insane to say the least. The blog has been totally sacrificed to the busy as shit gods.
One of the most horrific things happened to my group of friends. Two of our friends passed away in a car accident. Mourning myself and attempting to take care of those closest to them has not been an easy feat. Sometimes, throughout the tragedy, I have felt more helpless in helping people than I ever have in my life. Trying to know what to do or the right things to say has felt awkward and nearly impossible at times. One of the therapists from my internship said, "Well, you know the stages of grief, right? Just use them!" Easier said than done when it comes to the people who I love like they are family.
For the first few days after the deaths, I had no appetite, had diarrhea that went on for days (just keepin' it real here people), and just generally felt down and out. Then came the anger which I am still experiencing. Little things are just grating on me. Things that don't normally phase me- the kids not going to bed on time, my husband hitting the snooze button FIVE THOUSAND FUCKING TIMES, patients who are just plain annoying me. I also noticed myself trying to fill voids. For me, the first thing I turn to is food. I noticed that my appetite is still not there, but I am hitting the cartons of coconut milk ice cream like they are going out of style- a pint a day people- I kid you not. And crunchy things have been constantly on the menu- peanuts, raw cereal with buckwheat groats (they give a major crunch for those of you who haven't tried them). Thankfully, my fitness regime didn't go to the wayside during this, but my eating like shit certainly hasn't made me feel good or helped me in my work outs. So what the hell??? If I know this about myself, why do I continue to engage in these patterns that aren't helpful- they are actually hindering me by making me feel like a person on an Activia comercial?
The bottom line is comfort. We revert back to comfortable patterns of behavior during times of struggle and when we just don't know what else to do. Thankfully I have taken inventory of this before I hit that unopened bottle of vodka in my freezer. So what am I going to do now??? Well, life is hard right now. Really freaking hard. So I, in true Jane fashion, am pulling out the "suck it up bitch" mentality and am knocking it off. I need to be strong for the people around me. So here's the plan. Because as you know, I always have a plan.
Hit the gym. Run (I have a new goal that I need to work on- a 7 min mile for the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving). Eat right for the love of God!
By starting out small and taking care of my very basic needs, I can hopefully get out some of my pent up aggression and get my digestive system back to happy land. If I am taking care of myself, I'm a better wife, mother, and friend to those who need me the most.
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