Things I’m Enjoying

July 23, 2014 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

I thought that I would once again share a few things that I am really enjoying at the moment. I like to see what other bloggers are doing and enjoying with their daily lives, so if you’re like me enjoy this post!

Hazelnuts

To be more specific, roasted hazelnuts. I know that this isn’t anything revolutionary or groundbreaking, I mean just look at the hullabaloo around Nutella. But I have really been liking the taste of dry roasted hazelnuts lately. I buy them raw in bulk at Whole Foods and then roast them when I get home. It’s really simple too. Just set your oven to 400, then line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silpat. Place the hazelnuts on the baking sheet in a single layer and put in the oven for about 10 minutes, watching to make sure they don’t burn. Then remove from the oven and let cool, once they are cool place them in a dish towel and rub to remove the skins. Store the nuts in an airtight container in the fridge so they don’t turn rancid. I’ve been putting them on my breakfast bowls, salads, and just eating a few as a snack. Not only are they tasty, they are loaded with good for you vitamins and minerals like magnesium and vitamin E. Eat up!

Coconut Milk and Coffee

This is amazing! I had a little bit of coconut milk leftover from dinner the night before and so I decided to add it to my coffee the next morning. Holy creamy goodness Batman! I usually only drink coffee on the weekends and I drink it black. The coconut milk just added a nice rich flavor to my coffee and I will definitely be doing it again! I use full fat coconut milk because you don’t need to fear fat! Plus the light coconut milk is just glorified water anyway. So if you want to treat yourself to a delicious, creamy, and healthy drink, try adding a little coconut milk to your coffee!

Walks Along the Lake

I am super lucky to be able to live so close to the lake. As my sister pointed out this weekend, it’s pretty much my backyard. I have been running along Lake Shore Drive each morning and end my run right on the lake. I also have been walking around my neighborhood everyday and some of my favorite walks are those that go right along the lakefront. It’s just so beautiful and peaceful along the water and it makes me happy. Plus how can you beat views like this?

Farmer’s Markets

This has been the summer of farmer’s markets for me. Chicago has a ton of markets all over the place and I have been thoroughly enjoying visiting as many of them as possible. I have to say though that my favorite market so far is the Green City Market. It is right across from the Lincoln Park Zoo and it is always big and full of people and delicious things. Not only does it have the normal fruits and vegetables but you can also find tamales, crepes, cheese, homemade pickles and jams, smoothies, pizza, paninis, and so much more. There is live music and a doughnut van. Kids running around with their dogs, and a balloon guy making balloons for anyone and everyone. The other neat thing that this market does is on each stand they tell you how many miles each vendor traveled to come to the market. This way you can choose where you would like to buy your products, whether you prefer more local or don’t mind those who come from afar. This market has great vendors, great crowds and it is a great time! Go explore your own city’s markets and see what they have to offer.

These are the things that have been holding my attention for the past few weeks. This summer has been one of discovery and learning. Living in a new city and seeing everything that it has to offer has been really fun. I am loving my neighborhood more and more and I can’t wait to see what else it has in store for us! I hope you have a great Wednesday and I’ll see you on Friday!

Acknowledge Yourself

June 30, 2014 / ktbuchs87

Time for a personal story that led to a pretty good life lesson. Don’t you love when those happen? This weekend my husband, Adam, and I headed to my parents house to help them clean out their garage. After the day was done and my dad was taking us back to the train station to head home, we stopped to drop off some garbage and my dad introduced us to one of his clients. As we were talking the conversation turned to health and my dad started telling his client all the things that I had accomplished health wise over the past few years. At first I kind of just brushed it off, my dad loves talking to anyone about his kids and he is always telling them how great we are. I think that is a job requirement when you become a dad, you love to brag about your children. But as we were headed home I started to think about all the things he said about me. The list seemed pretty impressive. I had forgotten how far I had come when I first started, and that I was too quick to shrug off my accomplishments.

How many times do we do that? We get so wrapped up in the day to day and fail to see all the miles we have traveled. I feel this is especially true when it comes to our health. For the first time yesterday, I realized that over the course of 5 or 6 years I have lost a total of about 60 pounds. That is kind of a huge thing but I always downplay it. Yeah I lost 60 pounds but it’s over a long period of time. Earth to Katie, 60 pounds is no drop in the bucket. I went from never running ever, and hating it as well, to wanting to run every single day and truly enjoying long 10 mile runs. I went from barely being able to touch my toes to easily finding balance in some difficult yoga poses. I feel at ease in the kitchen and enjoy spending time coming up with healthy ways to prepare delicious food. I’ve started a health blog and have shared my story with the internet, something that I would never have thought I would do 5 years ago. I have really done a lot and I need to give myself props for doing all of that stuff!

Many of us feel uncomfortable patting ourselves on the back when we do something awesome. We’re quick to turn down compliments and say oh it was nothing. We forget how hard it was to start being healthier and how much work it took to get to the place we are today. That needs to stop. I’m not saying you should go out and brag to every person you meet about all your accomplishments. You do need to work on accepting compliments and recognizing all the hard work you’ve put in. Even if you just started, give yourself a hand for taking that first step. That’s not an easy decision to make and you deserve to be proud of that choice.

It’s difficult to take the healthy route. It’s easy to fail at better choices. It’s more comfortable to just stick with what you know and never step outside of your comfort zone. So when you do decide to do all of those things, take the time to give yourself a round of applause. It doesn’t have to be shouted on the rooftops to the world below, a quiet moment will do. Taking pride in all you have done will help keep you motivated and keep you on road to better health. And when you see someone who might be struggling with their own journey, take a moment to remind them of all the great things they have accomplished so far!

Picture Perfect

June 23, 2014 / ktbuchs87

One slip up and everything I’ve worked for is ruined.

How many of us have that mentality, especially when it comes to health? I know for a lot of people that it is all or nothing when it comes to eating better or exercising more. If you fall off the wagon just one time, the whole cart tips over. Ate a candy bar when you meant to eat an apple? Oh well, the whole day is ruined and you might as well continue with your downward, junk-eating spiral. You’ll have to start all over again next week. Missed one workout? Now you’ll have to sit on the couch and binge watch Netflix all weekend and start fresh on Monday.

Or maybe you’re like me and you’re so terrified of failing with your health and not being absolutely perfect that you essentially stop living life.

When I made the decision to start eating better, I knew that I would have to be super strict at first. I love food and I have the habit of eating even when I’m not hungry. I’m a bored eater and will put food in my mouth if it’s in front of me. Because of this, I had to relearn what real hunger felt like. I also had to retrain my tastebuds to eat real food instead of the processed food-like products I normally ate. This was all good and fine at first. By switching to a whole foods diet and tuning into the signals my body was giving me, I was able to finally see a lasting change in my health. But one vice got switched for another and soon I was striving for a food perfection that is nearly impossible to maintain.

I was so worried that if I slipped up with good eating habits, even just a little bit, all my hard work and progress would come crashing down. So I tried to keep myself in this tiny box where I could only eat the best foods possible. This inevitably cut me off from normal life because NO ONE eats like that day in and day out. Life is not perfect and you are not expected to be perfect. You are expected to live as healthfully as possible for you. You need to define what that means, because your healthy is different from everyone else’s. That’s a good thing and a balance you should strive for.

Deciding to be healthier is a major step. It’s important to actually take charge and make that commitment. It’s hard too, so don’t make it even harder on yourself by chasing perfection and closing yourself off from others. I’m learning each day to live as healthfully as possible, but to not be bogged down by worries of spiraling out of control. I’ve been eating well and exercising regularly for the past five years, and I haven’t suddenly gained all my weight back. Be conscious of your decisions, but don’t let one little slip-up determine the rest of your day, week, or month. Don’t let it totally derail your efforts. Use that slip up as a learning moment and move onto the next thing.

By taking your health one day at a time and not focusing on absolute perfection, you have a much better chance of sustaining your healthy journey.

Unique Opportunity

June 16, 2014 / ktbuchs87

Have you ever felt lost? I’m not talking, “I turned down the wrong street and now I have no idea where I am”, lost. Lost in life, wandering without a clue or perhaps a purpose. I’m sure we have all felt a little lost at some point in our lives. It’s totally normal to not know what to do or where to go at some juncture in your life.

I have been having that lost feeling since about my sophomore year of college. Sure, there have been periods of time within that span that I have thought I knew exactly where I was headed and what I was going to do. For the majority of that time though, I would have to say that I had no clue. I started college so sure that I was destined to be a band director. I loved music, I was good at it, I had always thrived in a band setting, and my own directors were amazing and influential figures in my life. I wanted to give what they gave to me to other kids and share that passion with them. I quickly realized that I was not totally cut out to be a band director. I am not good at leading large groups of people or having all eyes on me. After a short mini crisis/breakdown/cry on the phone to my parents, I decided to pursue music therapy. My college didn’t offer that degree specifically, but I “customized” my own by getting a BA in music and a minor in psychology. My intention was to then get a masters in music therapy. That never happened.

Once I graduated, I got engaged, then married. Adam went right from undergrad to graduate school and we decided it would be best for only one of to be in school at a time. As the years went by, my passion and desire to become a music therapist dwindled. I couldn’t see myself doing that day in and day out for the rest of my life. I also REALLY enjoyed not being in school and out in the “real” world.

During this period, I really started to focus on my health. I started a blog, not this one, which eventually turned into those one. I got my hands on any and everything health related and started to learn as much as I possibly could. I began to develop a passion for this and could begin to see a path for me to make this a career.

I’ve shared my goals with making health my job before on the blog, and those are still true. So fast forward to today. Adam is about to start his new job and we have moved to Chicago. We both agreed that while Adam worked we would start saving up money for me to become a health coach and start my own business. In the meantime, I would try to find a part time job to bring in a little extra cash. I figured I could do some freelance writing to bring in some money, and even got accepted into a writing “bootcamp” program that would help me learn the ins and outs as well as get published. This turned out to be an eye opener for me and caused me to panic (because I never overreact to anything….). I wasn’t cut out for deadlines, strict writing rules, and limited freedom. I started to feel lost again and like I was a failure like before with both music ed and music therapy.

Then Adam came to the rescue (I sure do love that man). When I told him my frustrations and concerns, he said that I had a really unique opportunity here that not many people get. I have the blessing of having someone who can support us financially (and mentally) while I pursue whatever I want. He help me realize that I needed to use this time to my advantage. That is exactly what I am going to do.

I am going to take this time to grow and expand this blog. Once Adam gave me his little pep talk, I immediately had ideas on how I wanted to spend my time. I got excited to take steps forward and really work towards my goals. I want to quick let you know about a few changes that will be happening here. First, and probably biggest, will be a new name and look to this page. I want to make this place inviting and user friendly, so a change is due. There will be better pictures, more posts, advice/tutorials to help my readers, and more of a presence online. Expect these changes to be rolling out soon, with an official “relaunch” of my blog coming this Friday. I can’t wait!

I know what it’s like to wander around aimlessly, wondering what it is you should be doing with your life. I have cried tears of failure, lack of purpose, and frustration. I have watched others who seem to have it all together and felt like I was doomed to be a bum with no calling. You might be going through that now, whether it’s with your health, life or something entirely different. I know that isn’t fun. Let me give you the courage and support Adam gave me. Find your unique opportunity and use it to your advantage. Take steps, even if they’re baby ones, towards your ultimate goals. Search for your passion and ignite it. Trust me, you will find your way and it will be all worth it.

How To Drive A Runner Crazy

June 9, 2014 / ktbuchs87

The number one way that you can drive a runner crazy is to tell them they can’t run. Then just sit back and watch the madness ensue. For the past month or so, I have not been able to run because of a knee injury. I thought that I should share this experience with you because I know that some of you may have dealt with this yourself. Or, although I really hope not, you might have to deal with it in the future. This has been a tough month, but I do think some good has come from me having to deal with this injury.

Towards the end of April, Adam and I were doing a workout together that included some running along with squats and pushups. During the running parts, I noticed a little twinge on the outside of my knee, but didn’t pay much attention to it because it wasn’t bothering or hindering me in any way. That changed near the end of the workout when I could barely run/walk because of the pain in my knee. I thought that I had just over worked myself that week and just needed a little rest/ice and my knee would be good to go. I have been extremely lucky in my time as a runner that I have had practically no serious injuries. So I rested all the next day and iced my knee and by Monday morning it felt better, so out I went for my run. About 3 minutes in, the pain was back full force and I had to hobble my way back home.

Thus began my time of not running. This was the first time in my whole running “career” that I had to stop running for longer than a few days. I immediately went into panic mode and jumped to the worst possible conclusions and thought, “What if I can never run again?” Yes, I can tend to be a little overdramatic. The first few days of not running, I was pretty miserable. To make matters worse, running was the ONLY thing that irritated my knee. I would do yoga, my crossfit like workouts, walk, ride my bike, and anything else you can think of and my knee would be fine. But start to put one foot in front of the other in a running motion, and I was down for the count. This was also right around the time that all the stress of our future move started to really pile up. All I wanted to do was go for a run but I couldn’t. I knew that I needed an outlet for all that pent up frustration, so I started to bike in the mornings.

I do not like biking. I still do not like biking. In fact I probably dislike it more now than I did before my injury. Biking just is not my thing. I like the idea of biking and I respect and appreciate all the people out there who love to bike. My husband is a biker, and I love to encourage him to bike more and do what he loves. But put me on two wheels and tell me to go, and I will make a face like a kid being told to eat a worm. You’re probably wondering two things at this point, 1. Why did she replace running with biking if she hates it and 2. Has she ever eaten a worm and is that why she used that analogy? To answer the second question, no I have never eaten a worm, don’t worry. To answer the second, it’s a little complicated.

The simple, quick answer is because I thought I had to ride my bike if I wasn’t running. The more complicated, and more honest answer, is I was afraid. Running has become my therapy. It was one of the catalysts for finally taking charge of my health and changing and I have fallen in love with it. Running had always been there and it had always helped me, even if I didn’t think I needed help. Now it was gone and I was afraid of what would happen to me. I was afraid that I would lose ground in my overall health and fitness. I was afraid that if I stopped running I would never run again. I was afraid that I would somehow turn into the old me before I decided to change my life and become healthier. I didn’t want to wake up one morning and look in the mirror and see the unhealthy girl that was never totally confident about herself staring back at me. I thought that without running I would immediately lose all I had gained as well as gain all that I had lost.

As this month has gone by, I can tell you that none of my fears have come true. Once I stopped pouting about not being able to run and came to terms with that fact that if I wanted to get totally better I had to stop running, I realized that I could do this. Being a runner isn’t the only thing that makes me me. Running isn’t the only thing that has made me healthier these past few years. It’s funny, but once I took away running, I was able to see all of the other areas of my life that I am really good at and that promote my overall health. I am pretty decent at yoga, and poses that I always thought were out of my reach actually come quite naturally when I focus and concentrate on my form. I am strong. I can do squats for days, and I am almost to being able to crank out a good number of full pushups, something I have struggled with for a long time. I am fairly good at coming up with creative ways to use the foods I eat on a regular basis. I am getting better at using the ingredients I have on hand to make delicious and healthy meals. While to a certain extent I have always been confident in the kitchen, I have become even more so and I am also more confident in doing my own thing and not always following a recipe to the T.

Without running, I would never have discovered or paid much attention to these other areas of my life and I would have missed out on the other great things that make me, me. But it’s time to bring running back. I miss it a lot. I miss the feel of the ground beneath my feet as I finally hit my stride. I miss the smell of the trees and grass as summer is making it’s way to the midwest. I miss the feeling of accomplishment and invincibility that follows a ten mile run. I even miss the it hurts so good sessions of foam rolling my IT band. This week I am going to start to slowly add running back to my life. I am still a little nervous that the pain will come back in the first few minutes of my run. I still have the irrational fear of never being able to run again. But I also have the newfound knowledge that just because I define myself as a runner, that isn’t the only thing that defines me.