My Likes of the Moment

January 27, 2014 / ktbuchs87

Hello from the frozen tundra of Illinois! We are once again in a “polar vortex” with wind chills reaching 30 below zero. Tomorrow is suppose to be even colder. Hooray… Anywho, rather than dwelling on the frigid temps, I thought I would do a fun post today to lift everyone’s spirits! Not every post has to be super serious, sometimes it’s nice to do something a little bit more fun! So without further ado, here are my current likes of the moment!

FOOD-

Goji berries- I know that I am a little late jumping on the goji berry superfood wagon, but better late than never right? My grocery store started selling this in their bulk section so it is a lot less expensive than buying the small 4 oz bag for $7. These berries are more along the lines of cranberries in taste, more tart than sweet. I love the tartness and I have been adding them to my breakfast oatmeal every morning. Plus they are nutritional powerhouses (hence the superfood title) so it’s a win-win situation!
Leafy greens- I have become obsessed with dark leafy greens, mainly collard greens. My favorite way to enjoy them is to rinse them off, chop them up, and saute them with garlic, pepper and lemon juice until they are wilted. So easy, but so good! I have never had a problem with eating my vegetables, but I wanted to start trying new and different kinds. Leafy greens like spinach, collard or turnip greens, and kale are cheap and super healthy. Both of those things are right up my alley!
Any hot tea- With all this cold, I am pretty much living in a mug of tea at all moments. Tea is a great way to warm up quickly and there are so many different kinds! My favorites right now are mountain chai and lemon ginger.
If I could, I would crawl into this mug of tea just to stay warm…

EXERCISE-

Jillian Michaels Yoga Inferno- My husband, Adam, got me some new yoga DVD’s for Christmas and this was one of them. I love it! This is a great workout and by the end of the routine I am literally dripping in sweat. There are two workouts and she gives advanced and beginner versions of each move, so you can build up your strength and endurance. This isn’t your typical yoga flow, so if that is what your looking for read the next bullet point. But if you want a good strength and cardio workout while doing some fun yoga poses, check out this DVD!
Yoga Flow with Shiva Rea- This is the other yoga DVD I got for Christmas. I was getting a little bored of my normal yoga routines so I wanted to try something new. This DVD features seven 20 minute yoga flows as well as a short core flow, forward bends and meditations. It also uses a customizable yoga matrix so you can pick and choose the flows you want to do. It’s great because you can choose the length of the practice you would like as well as the type of flow. There are a bunch of new to me poses that I am going to start working to perfect, so that should keep me busy for awhile!

ENTERTAINMENT-

Once Upon A Time- Yes, I know that once again I’m late to the party on this one. Adam and I started watching this on Netflix and I really like it! It is so fun to see all the different fairy tale characters and find out how their story weaves into the main theme. Plus it’s fun for me because Jennifer Morrison was my high school band director’s daughter, so it’s pretty much like I’m besties with a famous celebrity…. yeah not at all. Oh well, check this show out I promise you’ll have fun!
The Fault in Our Stars- I just finished this book by John Green this weekend. It was a really great book and I had a hard time putting it down. Normally books where the main characters have cancer can be kind of a downer, but Green manages to make them as normal as possible. They laugh, they make jokes, they live life, and yes there are sad and depressing moments, but life isn’t always positive whether you have cancer or not. They are making a movie of this book this year I believe, so I urge you to go out and read this book before that!

HOBBIES-

Cross-stitching- I know. Your 75 year old Nana cross-stitches. Well so does this 26 year old. It is a great way to relax at the end of the day and in the end you get to make some pretty cool things. You can buy patterns to follow or you can make up your own pattern to stitch. Just make sure you don’t go to far with it….
Maybe too far… ?

Those are the things that are filling my time and belly this winter. What are some of the things that are keeping you sane and entertained during this cold weather?

Have a great week everyone!

Winter Blah’s

January 6, 2014 / ktbuchs87

The beginning of the new year often brings a fresh start. Resolutions are made or goals are set and motivation seems to be a little higher. For some. The beginning of the year can also be a tough time because many of us are in the heart of winter. Right now the temperature in Illinois is -13 with wind chills as low as -45 and gusts of wind up to 30 mph. Just a bit chilly. The cold, lack of sun, and holiday food/mood can lead to some serious lack of motivation and willpower. Many days it just seems so much easier, and appealing, to bundle up in sweatpants and eat cookies and drink hot chocolate all day.

While I love winter, there are days that I feel drained. Everything is the same and it’s boring. I don’t want to leave the warmth and comfort of my home. I feel lethargic and would rather do anything than go run or cook a healthy meal. I pretty much want to go into hibernation Bears get to sleep all winter, why can’t I?

Many of you know exactly what I’m talking about and the rest of you probably live in a place that’s warm all year round Lucky you! For those of you who struggle with the winter blah’s, here are a few of my strategies to break through the doldrum of these colder months.

Find the light. During the winter we tend to get less sun which results in less vitamin D. This can cause some of us to feel more blue than usual. Try to take advantage of what little sun is available. If the weather permits, take a short walk outside. Even just sitting in a sunny window for a few minutes can boost your mood and make you feel less like a zombie.

Switch up your exercise routine. Find a new workout to try out during the winter months. Whether it’s a different circuit at the gym, a new workout routine for home, or running a new route, mixing things up can help boost your exercise motivation. Don’t think you have to spend a ton of money on a new routine or class either. You can find a ton of new routines, videos, and workouts online. You can also rent exercise DVD’s from your library. If you do want to try a new class or gym, this time of year there are some pretty great deals, so check it out.

Pull out the slow cooker. You know I’m obsessed with my slow cooker, and for good reason. I can make really big batches of healthy meals and freeze leftovers. That way when I really don’t feel like cooking, I can pull a delicious and nutritious meal out of the freezer. Also try to make a goal of making one new healthy recipe a week or once every other week. This way you can get some variety in your diet and you can expand your cooking arsenal.

Pick up a new hobby. When you’re feeling stuck in a rut, a new activity can shake things up. Maybe you would like to try a new crafty thing like knitting, crocheting, or cross stitching (my new favorite). Try a new class through your park district. Find a new board game to play with friends or family. Read a new series of books or volunteer at a local animal shelter or senior center. There are plenty of things to break up the hum-drum.

Of course there are plenty of other things to do during the winter like sledding, skiing, skating, building snowmen, or snuggling by the fire. The key is to not let yourself slip deep into the coma that winter can bring. Believe me, I know how easy it is to sit on the couch and watch Netflix all day. Some times that is totally alright. Everyone needs a day of laziness. The trouble comes when that one day of lazy turns into a string of lazy and you never want to do anything else. You don’t have to be constantly on the move during the winter, but don’t become a hibernating bear. No matter how enticing that may seem!

Holiday Bliss

December 30, 2013 / ktbuchs87

I’m still in the middle of all my holiday fun and still don’t have a “regular” post for you, but I still wanted to stop in and say hey! I hope that you are all enjoying this time of year and had a great Christmas.

With the new year right around the corner (seriously, where did 2013 go?), I wanted to talk really quickly about resolutions. New Year, new you. That seems to be the theme right around this time of year, and sometimes that is a good thing. Maybe you are resolving to change a bad habit, learn something new, or volunteer more. Many times though, people enter the new year with the idea that they need to completely overhaul their lives and personalities to be the best person they can be. I don’t know about you, but not only does that seem exhausting, it seems a little depressing. Most of us are pretty awesome people already and it seems like a bummer to put yourself down. I have struggled with self hate for a long time. I was never good enough, I always made mistakes, and I needed to do better. I would often vow to change everything about me to become the person I thought I needed to be. Slowly but surely, I have started to see myself in a different light (thanks to my husband and family) and I have started to realize that there are so many things about me that are really great and should be celebrated.

Instead of making resolutions to completely change everything about me, I have started to make goals to improve on the assets I already have. I want to continue to be as healthy as possible as well as help others reach that goal. I want to keep learning how to make more delicious and nutritious meals that can be available to as many people as possible. I want to keep letting the little things go that I have no control over. I urge you to make loving resolutions this year instead of beating yourself up for not being a super human. Do that and I promise you that 2014 will be a great year!

Holiday Update

December 23, 2013 / ktbuchs87

Yes, I’m still here and I haven’t forgotten about you! It’s been busy around our house lately with Christmas this week. This was the scene in my kitchen yesterday:

There are now a ton of tasty Christmas treats to share with our family and friends in the next few days! I am usually the neatest/cleanest person, but when it comes to baking I turn into a tornado in the kitchen. Oh well it’s fun and my reward is delicious treats. I hope that your Holiday celebrations are going well and you are taking the time to really stop and enjoy the season. So many times we get caught up in all the chaos and busy-ness of the year and forget to take a moment to breath and be thankful for all the joy that we have! Merry Christmas everyone!

Not Your Typical Thanksgiving

November 25, 2013 / ktbuchs87

Thanksgiving. Not counting Halloween, this is pretty much the beginning of the holiday season. Soon you will be surrounded by friends, family, and of course food. This is also the time of year that everyone is offering their best “how to avoid holiday weight gain” tips and millions of different ways to make your favorite holiday meals healthy. I thought about writing a post like that, because you don’t have to enter the holiday season throwing all healthy habits to the wind, but I felt like what I had to say would be just repeating a lot of what you already know or will read in the coming days. Honestly, most of you know that eating fifteen pieces of pumpkin pie isn’t doing you or your health any good no matter how delicious it may be.

I know that a lot of you might be anxious about the upcoming smorgasbord that is Thanksgiving, especially if you just started to eat better or adopt healthier habits. Many of you might be worried about undoing all the hard work that you have put into your health journey and you’re thinking of how you are going to navigate your way through the sea of food that is about to come your way. I know exactly how you feel, I’ve been there too. I’ve stressed over how to eat well during the holidays. I’ve fretted about family asking questions about my weight and why I won’t eat this or that. I’ve felt hopeless and alone and not exactly sure how to deal with it all. It has taken me awhile to get to this realization: don’t let food control your life. Food has so much power over many of us so that we let it ruin or dictate our holidays. A time where we should be visiting friends, spending quality time with family, decking the halls and singing fa la la la la, we spend stressing over food.

Yes, food is important. It fuels us, nourishes us, and (sometimes) tastes amazing. Don’t get me wrong, I love food and I truly believe that it is a key factor in a healthy life. But it isn’t everything. I’ve wasted too many holiday gatherings focusing on food and missing out on all the other things that go on. The inside jokes between cousins or finding the best spot to hang my favorite ornament or the quality time that I get to spend with my mom talking about our lives while we make the ever famous pumpkin muffins (blue wrappers have nuts!). I’m sad to say I’ve probably missed some really great moments because I was worrying about what I would eat or that other people were worrying about what I would eat.

Don’t let food take over your life this holiday season. There are other things that are so much better than thinking about how many potatoes you can eat without feeling guilty. It will be difficult for some of you to totally let go of your food worry, me included, but by holding on to all that stress, you’re letting something silly like food take control of your life and happiness. So do me a favor this Thanksgiving. Take a deep breath, release all your anxiety over food, and throw yourself fully into all the other much more fun things about the day. Enjoy the parade, play a game of football in your backyard, give Grandma a big hug, and be thankful for all of the amazing things you have in your life. I promise you, that is a much better way to spend your holiday! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!