Trust and Foodie Penpal Reveal Day

September 30, 2013 / ktbuchs87 / 2 Comments

Today you get a double post! Aren’t you just the luckiest! Since it is the end of the month, that means that it is Foodie Penpal reveal day. Foodie Penpal was started by Lindsay over at the Lean Green Bean and is a fun way to try new and delicious things with others across the country. If you would like to participate or just want some more info, you can head over to Lindsay’s blog and check out all the official guidelines. This month my pen pal was Lauren and she did a fabulous job with my box! Included was:

1. Spicy Moroccan Sauce- GREAT in soups and stews, which I am now making more of with the cooler weather

2. Rosemary and Black Pepper almonds- My husband really enjoys these as a tasty snack

3. Four Fruit Spread- I haven’t had a chance to try this yet but I am sure it will be fantastic

4. Almond Butter- I love any and all nut butters, so this of course was a favorite

5. Gluten-free Cinnamon Raisin Bread- This was made and devoured immediately!

6. Various spices- I love my herbs and spices and these new ones have been fun to try out!

Thanks again Lauren, this was a great box!

On one of my daily blog readings, I came across a piece of advice that struck me. I don’t remember which blog it was or even the main point of that particular post (I read a LOT of blogs). The author stated, “Trust your body, it knows exactly what it needs and it will let you know too”. When I first read it, I really didn’t pay much attention. I have heard this advice many times before. In fact, I often tell you to listen to your own body and to pay attention to the signals it sends you. But as the day went on, I really started thinking about that advice and the word that really got me was trust. Trust your body. I realized that I don’t know if I fully trust my own body, at least not yet.

Let me explain. It is one thing to listen to your body, your stomach growls, you know you’re hungry, you put food into your body. That is fairly simple. But do you trust your body to choose the right food? Do you trust your body to eat the right amount of food? Do you ultimately trust that your own body is telling you that it needs? I have had a very tug-of-war like relationship with my own body and food over the years. Many times I would just eat anything at anytime because I was bored or just wanted the taste of food. This whole cycle of overindulging and eating food that wasn’t good for me created a very strained relationship between me and my body. When I decided to finally start eating better and improve my health, I honestly did not trust myself or my body to make smart decisions food wise. I literally had to throw out all the processed junk food in my pantry and refrigerator because I knew that I would not be able to trust myself around those things.

It has gotten easier over time to say no to the food that does nothing to keep me healthy. I avoid certain aisles in the grocery store, I don’t make certain foods, and if I go out to eat, I don’t even look at certain parts of the menu. Sure, that sounds like I trust my body, but in reality, I’m still a little nervous that I will go back to my unhealthy days if I fully trusted in my body to tell me what it needed. What if I misinterpret the signals? What if I think my body is telling me it needs something that I don’t want to eat? This may sound confusing and silly, but because of my past, I have a hard time with these things. But I’m also starting to realize that my body is smarter than I give it credit for. Because I have been feeding it the best possible food and treating it as healthfully as possible, my body knows that it doesn’t need nor want any of the food that I used to crave in the past. I’ve also learned so much these past few years when it comes to nutrition and health, which also contributes to continuing to eat well and live healthfully.

I’m learning more and more to really trust in my body to tell me what it needs. Some days are better/easier than others, but it is all a part of the process. Being healthy isn’t a sprint to the finish, it is a longer and slower journey, one that you have to make mistakes and learn from them. Will I ever be perfect? No! Obviously that is impossible and not expected of anyone. But I will get better and continue to be as healthy as possible. If you’re going through the same trust issue I am, just remember: be patient with yourself, give yourself time, and don’t be too hard on yourself. You will get there, I promise!

Have a fantastic Monday and a great rest of the week!

My cousin got married this weekend. The family cleans up pretty well!

Buchanan cousins and the new Mrs. Wills!

What I Learned from My Dad

June 17, 2013 / ktbuchs87

This past weekend was Father’s Day and today is my dad’s 50th birthday, so I thought in honor of all the dad awesome-ness I would write a post on some important things that he has taught me over the years.

I can really only attribute my passion and curiosity for health and nutrition to my dad. I’ve mentioned before that he is a kinesiotherapist, and he also knows a plethora of information on the way the body works as a whole. He is always eager and willing to share that knowledge with me and I have grown to love everything about the way the body works and how we can help it to perform at its optimum levels. I honestly don’t think that I would have started this blog or begun my pursuit of my own health goals without his help and guidance.

I think that one of the most important lessons that my dad has taught me is this; no matter how many times life knocks you down, you can ALWAYS get back up and rebuild. While this can and does apply to so many aspects of life, I got to thinking how it can directly apply to your health. I know for me personally, there have been so many times that I have failed when it comes to my health. I struggled for years to try and lose weight or establish a consistent exercise program or eat better. How true is that for so many of us? It seems like falling off the health wagon is so much easier than finding something that works for us.

But it is so important to keep trying. Your health is vital, and good health makes your life so much more enjoyable and easier. If I had given up after the first time I faltered, I would never be where I am today. Yes, finding a healthy lifestyle that works for you will take time and you will most likely fail or struggle at some point, but you are strong enough to pick yourself back up and try again. I have been blessed enough to have a father who instilled that in me and has always been there to encourage me to get back up and fight for what is important. So if you are struggling right now, or have given up, know that I believe in you and I know that you can dust yourself off and jump back into the game!

And to my dad, thank you so much for everything that you have taught me, I am a much better person because of it. Happy Birthday D!

Yup, that’s his kilt in Buchanan plaid!

How do I look?

June 10, 2013 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

I am not perfect. Thank you Captain Obvious, right? Of course I’m not perfect, no human is perfect. I think that people who have health or fitness blogs sometimes get put on this pedestal as totally in sync with all things nutrition and exercise. This could not be farther from the truth, at least for me. Yes, I have figured some things out and I have better health than I ever did before, but I still struggle daily and have a lot of learning and growing to do when it comes to my health. That is what I love about health, it’s a journey that we all have to go through and evolve as our health evolves.

That being said, I wanted to share a personal post with you today. I have gone back and forth about whether or not to talk about this, but I have decided that in order for me to move forward I have to get this out in the open. No one likes to admit that they struggle or have issues, but we all have them so there should be nothing to be ashamed of if you have to say, “Hey, I’m dealing with this right now.” It’s a part of the process of working through that struggle.

I have shared my story with weight loss/gain and my issues with self-image before. I have come leaps and bounds from the girl I was back then to who I am now. That is why it has troubled me that some self-image issues have started to pop back into my life. I have noticed lately that I am becoming very focused on the way my body looks. I spend more time looking in the mirror, zeroing in on what I believe to be my imperfections. I find my thoughts turning to things like “How do I look in this outfit?” or “Are people staring at my stomach?” Because of my past with these struggles, I know that this is a dark and unhealthy road to start down.

It’s tough in a society that places a very high value on looks to NOT think about your appearance, but I do not want to place all the blame on other people or the world. Yes, they contribute to the problem, but they aren’t the only factor. For me, I seem to have this distorted and unrealistic view of what I should look like. This is partly due to constantly looking at airbrushed models when I was younger and believing that woman truly looked like that. Luckily over the years I have gotten wiser and know that there is no possible way that any woman can have the body that is portrayed in so many magazines and other media. So why am I having a problem now, knowing all that I know and going through all that I have gone through?

The simple answer is, I’m not totally sure. I think though that I will always have to battle my self-image demons and the little voice that whispers to me that I should look a certain way. I have fought that little voice before, so I know that I can do it again. How am I going to try and work through this? I want to shift my thoughts from what I look like to what I can physically do. I was thinking about that this week and I was shocked at all the things my body can do that I never thought was possible before.

I can run over 6 miles in less than 50 minutes. When I first started running, I could barely get through one mile without dying. I can touch my toes (and some days even the floor) and hold difficult yoga poses, like the wheel, for a significant period of time. I could barely do downward dog when I first began yoga. I can hold a plank, and do some advanced variations, for 5 consecutive minutes. I used to collapse after a minute of planks (if you could call barely raising my body off the floor a plank). I can do a headstand and barely need to use a wall for support any more. A month ago I struggled to even get my feet off the floor, let alone above my head. These are just a few of the things I thought of that I can do. When I look at all the things I have accomplished in the last few years, it doesn’t seem so important to have washboard abs or buns of steel. Not to toot my own horn, but I can do some pretty amazing things that have NOTHING to do with the way I look.

I used to struggle just to get my feet in the air, now I barely need the wall

Furthermore, I have so much more knowledge about how to live a healthy lifestyle. I can move through a kitchen with ease and create a delicious and nutritious meal. I can give others advice and help on how to live a healthier life. I started a blog that, hopefully, motivates and inspires my readers to change for the better. None of these things are dependant on the way I look.

The wheel. It’s not perfect yet, but I never thought I would be able to even lift my leg off the floor when I first attempted this pose

I know that there are some of you reading this right now who are going through self-image problems. You look in the mirror and don’t like what you see staring back at you. You hate the thought of other people looking at you, believing they are constantly judging the way you look. You wish there was some way you could look like someone else and finally be happy. Trust me, I’ve been there, and done that, and am still there sometimes. I encourage you to look at other things in your life that have nothing to do with your looks. Find all the accomplishments and amazing things that you can do that don’t hinge on your reflection in the mirror. For me, those accomplishments have made me feel empowered and I think that your achievements can give you a strength that you might not have realized you had. Don’t stop there either. Once you have listed your awesomeness, make new goals. That way you can work towards something and feel super proud of yourself when you have another item to add to your awesome list. Me? I am going to turn that headstand into a handstand and not use the wall for support. I am going to work towards running 10 miles and then a half-marathon. I am going to continue to expand my knowledge of health and nutrition and share it with as many people as I can. I am going to work on not judging the way I look and start focusing on all that I can do. Because I am so much more than just a reflection in the mirror.

My Story

May 13, 2013 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

I think it is about time that you all hear my story. I have shared a few insights into my health journey in some of my posts but I haven’t given you the full spiel. It was brought to my attention that readers might not relate to me because I seem to have it all together health-wise (trust me I’m still learning and growing on that front) and I want you to realize I have been in some of the same situations that you might find yourselves. My story probably starts a lot like yours….

I was a pretty normal kid (I use normal very loosely here, I am a bit quirky!). I didn’t have any major health problems and I was the same as most kids in my class. I had no issues with my appearance and I had no reason to have any issues. I was your average American kid.

Yes normal children sing for their Grandma in their bathing suit…

Then I entered fifth grade and puberty hit, which is totally normal, but I started puberty before all of my friends. That is when a lot of my issues started. I couldn’t understand why suddenly I was developing hips and boobs and my thighs were getting bigger and hair was sprouting places, yet my friends were still skinny and flat-chested and seemingly hair-less. I’m a naturally shy person and all these changes made me feel awkward and ugly and made me retreat even more from public situations. I didn’t want anyone seeing me or focusing any type of attention on me. This is also when I started to hate my body and when I started to go on diets to try and look like what I thought was normal. The diets would work for a little while, I would lose weight, feel good about myself, go off the diet and, you guessed it, gain the weight back.

Pretty sure this is fifth grade, I’m the one with the glasses flexing a non-existent muscle

Quite the attractive face, I think I was going for “I’m cool” ? Either way it didn’t work

High school wasn’t much different than junior high. I came from a small parochial school, so public school was a bit of a shock for me. I had never been around so many kids at once. My graduating 8th grade class was 21 kids and suddenly I was in a class of over 500. This made shy Katie nervous and panicky. Luckily, I got involved in the marching band and made amazing friends and had amazing experiences. I excelled in band and was a squad leader by my sophomore year and a section leader my junior and senior year. As cheesy and nerdy as it may sound, I really believe that marching band saved me during my high school years.

I believe this was my senior year? I wasn’t a big fan of pictures

But, high school was also a really hard time for my body, especially my self-image. Now that I was in high school I had more freedom over my food choices, and not knowing anything helpful about nutrition, I made HORRIBLE food choices. Our cafeteria was full of fat and calorie laden food, and I was drawn to those choices. I would eat bread bowls full of cream of broccoli soup, drink tons of soda (diet is fine right?), get candy as a snack from the vending machine, munch on bacon potato skin chips dipped in cream cheese (yes, it is as gross as it sounds). Of course I would also make sure I got “healthy” food like bottled smoothies (fruit is good for you, even when it is in liquid sugar form, right?), and baked potato chips.

Told you I was quirky

Needless to say I gained weight. While I might never have been considered obese, I was definitely overweight. The added weight did nothing to help my self-image, which I already struggled with, and I started to crash diet, in the most unhealthy way possible. I would skip meals and at one point even tried weight loss pills, anything to try and make myself skinny and pretty. Of course, none of these things worked and I was miserable. I hated my body and felt that I was so ugly that no one else could ever love me. It was a very difficult time for me. But things did look up my junior year when I got my first boyfriend. I was elated that someone of the opposite sex actually thought I was worthy enough to date Trust me, I know how sad and pathetic that sounds, but when you have such a low opinion of yourself, you look for anything to validate your worth, even a boy.

Freshman year of college

By the time that I got to college, I had had a few boyfriends. Sadly, having a boyfriend made me feel like I was worth something. I felt that if someone else other than my friends and family thought I was good enough, then I really was good enough. I entered college feeling both petrified and excited. Petrified because I was leaving home and my comfort zone and stepping into a world that I knew nothing about. Excited because I was finally going to become a little more independent and adult like. I decided one of my new major goals in college was to become healthier and finally lose weight for good and be happy with the way I looked. Great goals, but I still went about them in the wrong way. For the first year or so of college I was a vegetarian, partly because my boyfriend at the time was and partly because I thought it would help me lose weight. But you can still eat junk food while being a vegetarian (hello mac n’ cheese!) and having a prepaid meal plan where you can get all the food you want can be dangerous. But I was determined not to gain the freshmen 15, and in fact I actually lost weight. This was because I started to work out on a regular basis. I had free access to the Rec center at my college and made working out a part of my routine. While I had never been totally sedentary before and had worked out in spurts in junior high and high school, I had never had an established routine. Being able to go to the Rec center for free was great because it got me started on a great habit.

But I still ate some not-so-great foods and I still had self-esteem problems. I had hoped that once I lost weight I would magically be transformed into this happy, self assured person. At the time I didn’t realize that I needed to work on more than just my body, I needed to work on my mind and my relationship with myself. I never gave myself the chance to do that though because I was always relying on other people to make me feel better about myself, mainly my boyfriends.

And then something happened that really changed everything for me. The summer before my last year of college, I worked as a trainer with my dad. My dad is a kinesiotherapist (specialized area of medicine in which exercise and movement are used as the primary form of rehabilitation), and we would work with all different kinds of people, from athletes to the elderly, to make them stronger or faster or better in whatever they did. I got to create exercise programs for people and then work with them one on one to help them improve. That summer my dad also had another intern working with him, also my age and a friend I had known for awhile. It was a great summer, I got to step outside of my box and do something I didn’t think I was good at and I actually did fairly well. I also got to interact with my dad and become better friends with his other intern. It was that friendship that really turned things around for me. And the one thing that he did that pretty much changed everything for me? Encouraged me to sign up for a 5k race through our church. Yup, that was my big epiphany moment. At the time, I hated running. I thought it was pointless and stupid and I dreaded the thought of running. But my friend convinced me to give it a shot and we even trained a little together at work. I’ll admit, it wasn’t very fun and I was just doing this to make him happy. I figured I would get through this one race and never have to run again. Boy, was I wrong. The day of the race arrived, and I was a nervous wreck. There was no way I was going to be able to run 3.1 miles and I was about to make a huge fool of myself. But I didn’t, I ran really well. I never stopped or gave up and I didn’t die. I crossed that finish line and I felt amazing. Finishing that race made me realize I could do things that I never thought I could do. I was a stronger person than I thought possible.

Running became my therapy. Each time I laced up and went for my run, I proved to myself how strong and amazing my body was no matter what it looked like. I could do things that I was always too shy or scared to try. I started to love myself on my runs and started the long process of healing years of self-hatred. Yes, this all sounds spiritual and hippie-dippie, but running really changed my life and opened so many doors for me. Before running, I would never go up and talk to a person I barely knew. After running, I finally got the nerve to actually talk to a boy without him approaching me first. Good thing too or else I would have never met my husband. Before running, I would never have picked up nutrition books or health books or researched about eating right. After running, I completely overhauled the way I ate and learned as much as possible about being the healthiest me I could be. And you know what? I finally found that happy person I longed for ever since fifth grade. Yes, I lost weight along the way (about 45 lbs over a course of 7 years), but for the first time in a long time I didn’t care about the weight. I cared about how I felt on the inside. I cared about treating my body with exercise and good, wholesome food. I finally believed myself that I was worthy enough.

I’ve been in dark places in my past health-wise. Please believe me when I say I know how you feel. While I might not have the EXACT same story as you, I know what it’s like to go through rough times. Do I have my whole life together now and never struggle? Heck no. I still have my moments. I still struggle with self-image and self-esteem and have to work on it daily. I will probably have to work on it daily for the rest of my life, but I am in a MUCH better place than before. Life is so much more than how much you weigh or what you look like and sadly we (me included) get so wrapped up in trying to meet other people’s standards. But we can change that. Let’s work on setting our own standards and move towards a healthy life. Realize that getting to your happy place may look very different than how I reach my happy place. Not everyone is going to run a race and change their life. You do have to go out there and WORK at what will change your life for the better.

I hope that my story gave some of you inspiration. It is hard to share some of these personal moments with the whole world as well as make sure that I am sending a message of hope and encouragement as well. Remember, I’m here to help you find your way to a healthier life. Because I know how hard it can be along the way and how amazing it is once you see the light at the end of the tunnel! Have a fabulous week everyone!

Happy!

Friday Funday!

September 28, 2012 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

I thought today would be a good time to do a different, fun post. One of the blogs I read, Live and Love to Eat, does a post every Monday called Miscellaneous Monday. Well, I thought that I would try something along those lines for this Friday and give you 24 (my age) facts about me. I figure that you guys know a little about me, but not much other than the little tid bits I slip into my posts. Plus, it’s fun to do a random post! Now, I won’t be doing this every Friday, this is a health and nutrition blog, not the “let’s know everything about Katie” blog, but for today I’m playing it fast and loose with the rules. Ok, not really but enjoy! So without further adieu…

24 Random Facts about Me

1. I have a Bachelors Degree in Music from Northern Illinois University. While I love music and it will always be a part of my life, I probably would not choose this as a career path if I had to do that all over again

2. I am about a month away from marrying this guy. This is my fiancé, Adam and he is pretty much the bees knees! Can’t wait to be his Mrs!

3. I am obsessed with the fall season. I literally love everything about it! The scents, the weather, the clothes, the trees, apples, pumpkins… I could go on and on I may or may not have a decent sized pumpkin collection….

4. For my 23rd birthday Adam got me a cat, Dot. She promptly settled into our home and fell in love with Adam. She tolerates me, but truly adores him. Oh well, it gives me a good excuse to pester Adam for a dog so I can have a pet that loves me!

5. I am a big Doctor Who fan. If you have no clue what that is, it’s pretty much just wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff. No, but seriously it’s a sci-fi show on BBC and it is awesome. Start watching now and thank me later.

6. I know I have mentioned this before but I really LOVE to cook. Being in the kitchen making something delicious gives me great joy and I don’t care if that makes me sound like a 50’s housewife. Get over it or I won’t let you have any of my homemade apple pie…

7. My favorite color is purple and I would wear it everyday if my sister (who has a far better fashion sense than me) would let me get away with it!

8. I have the dream of one day living in a super awesome cabin in the mountains of Colorado. It is so beautiful there and how awesome would it be to wake up to mountains everyday?

9. I love reading. Like really love reading. So much that when I was younger my parents would punish me by taking away the book I was currently reading. Yup I’m a dork.

10. While on the subject of dork, I was in marching band all through high school and for a few years in college. I loved every second and would gladly do it all again. Some of my best memories, and friends, are from band and I wouldn’t trade those for the world.

11. If I could eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be sweet potatoes. I can not get enough of this tasty tuner. Ask Adam what food I have threatened him with bodily harm if he tries to take it from me. Sweet potatoes.

12. At least once (or five) times a day I will make a Friends reference. It is literally one of the best shows ever made and thanks to Adam’s Christmas gift to me last year I can watch it whenever I want. Which is a lot. Ok every night. Don’t judge me!

13. I have one younger sister, Jodie, and she is pretty much awesome. She is a senior at Valpo, and while I don’t get to see her as often as I would like, I know I can text her some random movie quote and she will come right back with the next line. Like I said, pretty much awesome.

14. The farthest out of the U.S. I have ever been is Canada. I know, crazy word traveler right? Long plane rides are just not my thing, but someday I would like to visit Spain, Italy, and Greece. That would be neat.

15. I am lucky to have two of the best parents ever. They support me in everything and have shaped me into the person I am today. Plus, I had to get my good looks and witty charm from someone (mom)!

15. On that same wavelength I am also uber blessed to be getting some of the best in-laws a gal could ask for! After hearing horror stories about my mom and granny, I was so glad when Adam’s mom turned out to be amazing! She already treats me like a daughter and I can’t wait to make it official! And Alan, you gave me pumpkins, what more could I ask for?

17. I think I may be one of the last people on earth who does not have a smart phone. The 1year old I nanny for has an iPhone. I kid you not. Good thing he likes to share….

18. Maybe this is because I like cooking so much, but I love to grocery shop. It has become our Saturday ritual (along with the pancakes) and I know my weekend would be wonky without it. I just love picking out the foods I will turn into yummy and healthy meals!

19. I may or may not have gone to a Barry Manilow concert for my 17th birthday and totally loved every second. Ok I so did this and judge all you want Barry is one heck of a performer!

20. I have been growing my hair out for the past two years, and while long hair is nice I can not wait to chop it off after the wedding. I plan to donate to locks of love and rock a super cute pixie….

21. It is really hard to think of 24 random facts about myself. What does that say about me?

22. I am TERRIFIED of squirrels. Laugh all you want, those evil buggers are plotting our demise. So don’t come crying to me when it happens. I warned you.

23. I still sleep with my childhood blanket. It’s well loved and I plan to love it until it distengrates.

24. My favorite place to be on a Friday night? Curled up on the couch, next to Adam with a bowl of popcorn and a glass of wine, watching a movie. I’m a homebody and would choose that over any club or bar. Yup, I’m a 60 year old in a 24 year old’s body

There you go. 24 (very) random things about me. I won’t do this often but thought it would be a good time to share some things about me with you! Monday it will be back to business with a post on another one of the senses and it’s relation to eating. Until then have a great weekend!