On the Menu – Carrot Cake Oatmeal & a Green Themed Lunch

Posted on by stilllearning2b

Inspired by the recent study that supports dessert for breakfast for weight management, I decided to make carrot cake oatmeal for breakfast this week.  I released the search engine elves on the task and discovered this recipe, which fit what I was looking for.  I tweaked it slightly, adding 3 scoops of vanilla whey protein and 3 tbsp of reduced fat cream cheese.  I topped the final result with walnuts.  It would also be awesome with brown sugar, raisins, dates, or coconut.  It’s the best of both worlds: dessert and a healthy breakfast!

 

 

 

For lunch, I opted for a green and black theme.  The main dish is Black Bean, Zucchini, & Olive Tacos from Appetite For Reduction.  I love the unexpected kick this gets from the kalmata olives and salsa verde.  I serve it with nonfat Greek yogurt for extra protein and raw spinach, because I believe one can never have enough greens.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My lunches are usually veggies with a side of veggies.  For the side, I decided to make one of my favorites: roasted cruciferous veggies.  This recipe is best done in the cooler months due to the heat of the oven and the availability of the produce.  Since we are in the last few cool weeks of the year, I just had to make this dish.

I combined the following in a large bowl:

1 lb brussels sprouts, halved

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1/2 onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

salt and pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

I mixed the ingredients and then baked on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for around 40 minutes, mixing occasionally.  I then topped the veggies with 3 tbsp of shredded parmesan and put back in the oven for an additional 3 minutes.  I love the sweet, garlicy goodness of this so much that I end up snacking on it while I pack it into containers for my lunch!

Finally, I am in the mood for some dessert this week.  Yes, I know.  Carrot cake oatmeal and dessert?  Yup.

I made this chocolate chia pudding to complement the strawberries I found on sale.  I did not add any sweetener, as I prefer to jsut let the sweetness of the fruit stand alone.  A perfect way to end the meal and a way to make me actually look forward to Monday!

Rest Day

Posted on by stilllearning2b

As you can see, my dog has mastered the rest day.  I, on the other hand, am still learning.

I am most familiar with the concept of a rest day as it relates to exercise; don’t work the same muscle group on consecutive days and build in at least one day a week with little to no vigorous activity to let the body rest and heal.  I used to completely ignore this advice.  After all, if 5 days in the gym is good, then 7 is better, right?  My younger body let me get away with that, but it has now decided to not be so forgiving.  If I push too hard for too long without a respite, I get sick.  Injured.  Anxious.  Irritable. Sleepless.  And, the progress in the gym or on the running trails stops or even reverses.  My body simply throws itself on the ground like a three year in the midst of tantrum and says, “I refuse to go any further.”

Without rest, that is.

The mind needs rest too.  It’s protestations can be more subtle than the body’s: general malaise, feeling down, irritability, uncontrolled eating, trouble sleeping.  All of those can be signs that you have been pushing too hard for loo long without a respite.  Even when in crisis mode, it is critical to take a breather every now and again.  Sometimes the most growth occurs when we back off a bit and simply take a rest day.

Why Diets Are Doomed

Posted on by stilllearning2b

low carb

 

One of the RSS feeds I subscribe to is a message board/ virtual support group for those following an extremely low carb diet (many of them are cycling between high and low calorie (<500) days as well).  I initially signed on so that I find some new recipes or hear about new products, as I eat relatively low carb.  What I found was something else entirely.

In reading the posts the last several weeks, a few patterns became immediately apparent.

First, no one seemed to be a long-timer.  Everyone was new to the low carb, calorie restricted world or they talked about how they tried it in the past, regained the weight, and now are back for a second (or third, or fourth…) go-round.  It was obvious that this way of eating could not be sustained for long.  Eventually, their willpower won over and they reverted back to their typical diet (which, in most cases I would assume is the Standard American Diet, often abbreviated S.A.D.). This would lead to the weight being regained in a short time frame, often with additional pounds piling on.

I also noticed how harsh people were on themselves.  It seems this diet is doomed to fail, yet people internalized their failures.  These negative emotions in turn seemed to make them feel like they are not worth a healthy lifestyle or a healthy weight.  Instead of the Up-Day, Down-Day of calories they are trying to follow, it seems as though most cycle through “good” days (not “cheating”) and “bad” days (rampant “cheating”).

Finally, exercise is not only seen as an optional component of the plan, it is often discouraged.  Exercise can make you gain weight.  In the form of muscle.  That’s a good thing, but only if you are looking at a picture larger than the bathroom scale.  I would also assume that it is rather difficult to muster up the energy to move at all, much less vigorously, when you’re subsisting on fewer than 500 calories a day.

When I read comments from people like the above, it makes me sad.  I wish that they would realize their worth and fuel their bodies with real foods in appropriate amounts, rather then alternate between starvation and binging, pride and shame, and self-control and self-hate.

As I have said before, what we choose to eat is a deeply personal matter, but, please, show your body that you care.

 

You Are Not Your Divorce

Posted on by stilllearning2b

Our traumas help to form us, but we do have to let them define us.   You are not what happened to you. You are not your suffering.  The first step in healing is taking ownership of your reactions and choosing to respond in a manner which will help you let go of the past.

You will always see the event as a delineation in your memories; there is a “you” before and a different “you” after that has been changed by the trauma. When you become stuck, you view the repercussions of the event as malevolent and place the responsibility for the changed self on the event.

It happened.  It hurt.  It changed you.  By letting it define you, you simply give it more power.  You have the ability to create beauty out of the pain.

One of the most powerful images I held in my mind during my divorce was that of how I handled a fallen tree in my garden.  I had a large tree come down in an area where I had cultivated a beautiful woodland garden.  Those delicate plants were now exposed to the harsh midday sun and would not survive.  I mourned the loss of the area for a day or so and then I went to work.  I dug up and moved all of the shade-lovers and replanted them in new areas that would still give them the shelter they needed.  I then loaded up my car with sun-loving plants from the nursery (yes, this was the fun part!) that I never had space for before. I was able to create a new, different, but even more beautiful garden where the tree had fallen.

Are you letting your divorce define you? Do you give it (or your ex) the power to control your life now?  This is a choice and you can change your mind.

Consciously Choosing to Move Forward.

8 Lessons From the Campground

Posted on by stilllearning2b

Mere days before Thanksgiving, my partner and I found out we had to move within 30 days because his house had just sold.  We had been planning a camping trip over the break and our initial reaction was to cancel the trip, so that we could focus on the move.  I am so glad that we decided to continue with the trip.  Not only did we have a good time and enjoyed the time together, but it actually made the move less stressful because we had lessons that we took with us from the campground.

1) Teamwork Required

One of the best aspects about camping is that it requires teamwork.  Assembling a large tent is a,most an impossibility single-handedly, but becomes a fun challenge when tackled by two.  We quickly fell into a rhythm, working together, sharing some tasks and dividing others.  He would brave the early morning frost to get the fire started so that we could prepare breakfast.  I faced the frigid waters to clean the dishes of their breakfast remnants.  The dog, well, he just laid there shivering in a sleeping bag looking pitiful. We functioned as a team.

 

 

2) Take Pleasure in the Smallest Things

When camping, you certainly have to do without many of life’s modern conveniences.  However, because your expectations are in line with reality, it is not necessary a bad thing to leave that behind.  You learn to appreciate the smallest achievements, the tiniest bit of warmth, a few steps on level ground.  You don’t know when your next bit of pleasure will arrive, so you celebrate each moment of it that comes your way.  And, just so you know, Starbucks VIA works great at a campsite; that first sip of coffee each brisk morning was heaven.

3) Surroundings Don’t Impact You as Much as You Think

I have always been sensitive to my surroundings; I need things “just so” so that I can work or relax.  This can be a problem when moving, because some amount of chaos and disorder is inevitable.  The campground was organized for functionality.  We certainly had beautiful views, but they were not to be had in our immediate surroundings.  But it was okay.  Happiness is not found in a campground that looks beautiful, but is devoid of soul.  I learned to release some of my obsession with my surroundings; they don’t matter as much as I think.

4)Take Breaks

We spent each day on long hikes up nearby mountains.  We had our goal of reaching the tops, of course, but we planned each day with plenty of time to get there.  As a result, we were able to take breaks whenever and wherever we chose.  These are some of my favorite memories of the trip; the times sitting on the side of a mountain, looking out over the vistas, my boys by my side.  Immense pleasure can be found in those moments between activity.

 

5) Share Burdens

Long day hikes require a decent amount of supplies, especially when your partner insists on bringing survival gear:)  We shared the load, distributing the weight so that no one person had too much to bear.  Even the dog has to carry his part.  There is no reason that any burden has to be carried alone; you can even share the load with your dog if need to.

6)  Uphills are Balanced by Downs

Some of those hikes felt like they were uphill both ways, but any loop or out-and-back will have a net elevation change of zero.  Just like on the trails, we are often more aware of the uphills in life, but remember that they are balanced by the downhills.  Make an effort to notice the times the path is easy.

7) Use Your Resources

This is where my partner really shines.  When we realized that one of the tent stakes had broken when we were assembling the nylon beast, he grabbed some supplies from his pack and some sticks from the woods and quickly fashioned a replacement within minutes.  Before declaring a situation beyond hope, look around you and see what you can utilize to help.

8)  It Takes Effort to Gain Perspective

Our campsite was located at the base of Table Rock Mountain, its visage towering over us in all its granite splendor.  Our first day was spent preparing the campground, we were in our little insular world.  The next afternoon after a long, uphill climb, we reached elevation where we could see our campsite and how it related to the larger landscape.  We tend to live life in its details and forget to look at the big picture.  It takes effort to gain perspective, but a climb to the top gives valuable information.  It’s worth checking out now and then.

We took those lessons with us into the move and we try to carry them with us all of the time.