advice

That’s Not Such A Good Idea

/ ktbuchs87 / 2 Comments

You might think it would be a good idea to eat a bunch of broccoli while you’re feeling nauseated because “Broccoli is good for you, it can only make you feel better.”

That's Not Such A Good Idea | Life Healthfully Lived

I don’t eat broccoli anymore, I just wear it.

You would be wrong.  That’s not such a good idea.

You might think it would be a good idea to workout ONE DAY after laying on the couch the whole day before due to feeling like death.

That's Not Such A Good Idea | Life Healthfully Lived

Totally ready for this workout guys…

You would be wrong.  That’s not such a good idea.

You might think it would be a good idea to try and work at your standing desk right after being knocked out by some stomach virus for a few days.

That's Not Such A Good Idea | Life Healthfully Lived

Bed desk > Standing desk

You would be wrong.  That’s not such a good idea.

You might think it would be a good idea to buy a bunch of vegetables with the hopes of eating it in the next day or two even though you can still barely stomach brown rice cakes and baby carrots.

That's Not Such A Good Idea | Life Healthfully Lived

Immediately regret all the vegetables!

You would be wrong.  That’s not such a good idea.

The moral of the story?  I didn’t have many good ideas in the past few days and I’m still trying to listen to what my body is telling me.  It’s ok if I can’t eat as many green things or exercise as much as I’m used to when my health clearly isn’t at 100%.  I shouldn’t feel bad or like a failure.  When you’re sick you need to forget all your reason and do what feels best because that will get you healthier faster.

And for goodness sake, DON’T take a walk down to the lake just to “get some fresh air” when there isn’t a bathroom in the near vicinity.

That's Not Such A Good Idea | Life Healthfully Lived

At least I got a workout sprinting back to my apartment….

That’s not such a good idea.

Self-Affirmations & Feeling Silly

/ ktbuchs87

We have all probably heard at some point in our life that we should think positively, especially about ourselves.  Browse around on Pinterest and you will see thousands of pins that have sayings like “BeYOUtiful” and “You are your harshest critic” and “Hey, stop being mean to yourself”.  Ok, maybe not the last one but you get the idea.Self Affirmations & Feeling Silly | Life Healthfully Lived

The thing is we know we should be kind to ourselves, we just have a really hard time doing it.  It’s easy to critique our own body’s, habits, and personalities.  We’re used to being kind to others but don’t really know what to do when it comes to us.

That’s why self-affirmations were made.

Ok, that’s also probably not true but someone along the way that in order to be kinder to ourselves we should actually talk positively to ourselves.  Like actually out loud say nice things about us.  Stand in front of the mirror in the bathroom and say things like, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!”  By doing this every day, you’ll learn to love yourself and be kinder to your body.  Those of you rolling your eyes at me right now, don’t worry I’m with you.Self Affirmations & Feeling Silly | Life Healthfully Lived

Or, at least, I was.

Self-affirmations sounded like a load of self-help hogwash.  Something that sounds good on paper and in books but doesn’t really work.  How is standing in front of the mirror every day (something I already don’t like doing) and talking out loud like a lunatic going to really help me like myself more?  But I also thought what have I got to lose?  If it doesn’t work no skin off my nose.  It’s not like I had to make these affirmations out loud in front of a crowd so I started talking nice to myself.Self Affirmations & Feeling Silly | Life Healthfully Lived

I didn’t choose hokey phrases that meant nothing to me, but rather I would look at myself and make a conscious effort to say something I truly liked about my body/life/personality.

“Good morning Katie, your eyes look really green and bright today.  Lots of people would really like to have your green eyes.”

“Hey there Kate, you just squatted more weight than you have before and I can tell your legs are stronger than ever. Nice work!”

“That dinner you made from scratch last night really hit the spot and it’s awesome that you can come up with flavor combinations like that all on your own now.  Keep up the good work!”

Sure, I felt silly at first but then a funny thing started happening.  I started to believe my affirmations.  I was getting stronger, my recipes were coming to me easier, there are certain features of my face and body that are absolutely beautiful.  And these feelings started to flow into other parts of my life.  I felt more confident and believed I could do anything I wanted.  I started complimenting other people because I knew just like me they were awesome.Self Affirmations & Feeling Silly | Life Healthfully Lived

Moral of the story?  Sometimes things that sound silly and hokey can really help you out.  If you’ve never tried self-affirmations, give it a go.  Will it feel awkward and weird?  You bet.  Especially if your husband knocks on the bathroom door and asks if you’re talking to one of the cats and you tell him no, just yourself…. but as time goes on it will fell less and less weird and more natural.  It will start to show that you think highly of yourself and you should always think highly of yourself.

Because you’re good enough, you’re smart enough, and doggone it, people like you!

 

Healthy Fast Food: Is There Such a Thing?

/ ktbuchs87

A few weeks ago, I posted this article over on my Facebook page.  A reporter for Business Insider decided to eat a fast food diet for an entire week.  The catch?  She would only choose the healthy options at each place.

More and more, fast food restaurants are adding things like kale salads, quinoa, and overall healthier items.  Their customers are demanding better food and they’re trying to deliver.  But are they really? Sometimes the healthy option is actually worse than their regular fair.Healthy Fast Food: Is There Really Such A Thing? | Life Healthfully Lived

I totally understand how it sounds complaining about fast food.  Everyone does it.  They are an easy target.  It’s simple to point at McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King and say, “You’re what’s wrong with our health and obesity problem.”  There have been countless documentaries, news stories, articles, and research dedicated to this theory.  I don’t want to add more noise to the crowd with this.

I just want you to really think about your own life and your food choices.Healthy Fast Food: Is There Really Such A Thing?

Is a McDonald’s kale salad really fulfilling your nutrition needs or are you getting it because it’s convenient and you think it’s what you should get?  How often are you getting fast food, healthy options or not?  Does your body feel as good as it possibly could?  Do have energy to get through your day, exercise in some form, and enjoy your hobbies?

These are the thoughts that should go through your mind each time you sit down to a meal and yes, please try to sit down for your meals.  More often than not, I’m going to guess eating anything at a fast food joint isn’t going to leave you feeling as satisfied as a homemade meal.  Like the reporter in the article found, she actually wasn’t eating enough at each meal and she was eating way too much salt.  Fast food isn’t meant to really nourish your body.  It’s meant to be, well, fast. Healthy Fast Food: Is There Really Such A Thing? | Life Healthfully LivedHealthy Fast Food: Is There Really Such A Thing?

If you get the majority of your meals in the form of fast food, I’m not saying you’re a bad person or unhealthy.  I just want you to think about your options.  Could you possibly make some of the things you’re eating in your own home?  Making your own food is always going to be better for you than getting it from somewhere else.  It doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated, just a little meal prep and you could be eating your own kale salad for lunch instead of relying on McDonald’s. Healthy Fast Food: Is There Really Such A Thing?

I get it.  Fast food is easy and cheap.  You don’t have to think too much about it.  But maybe you should.  You might see a big change, not only in your waistline, but your whole well-being.

 

3 Health Rules I Routinely Break & 1 I Always Follow

/ ktbuchs87

3 Health Rules I Routinely Break & 1 I Always Follow | Life Healthfully LivedI’m not a person who usually breaks the rules.  I hate conflict and I’m a huge people-pleaser.  I don’t like anyone to be mad at me and I really hate being called out for doing something wrong.  I was the kid in class who would raise my hand because I knew it was expected but pray the teacher would never call on my because what if I was wrong and everyone would hate me?

Welcome to the life of an introvert.

As I get older I’m getting better with the people-pleasing thing because it is literally impossible to please every person in your life at one time and it’s not my job to make everyone happy.  But there is one area of my life that I’m really good at breaking the “rules”.

My health.

I know, my health seems like the one place I should ALWAYS follow the rules.  Why mess with something as important as my health?  But here’s the thing:  There are so many rules that it can be mind-boggling.  One person says to do this but another says that will actually kill you.  One expert has found the key to success but another says that will literally destroy everything.  So I’ve given up trying to follow all the rules and made up some of my own.

Here the top five rules/advice everyone has heard before and what I actually do.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying these rules are bad.  They just don’t work for me.  And that’s what’s best for your health, finding what works for you.

Rule #1: Eat five to six small meals throughout the day instead of three big meals

I like food so you would think I would love to eat six meals in a day.  But here’s the thing, I like a big plate of food.  I tend to eat with my eyes first and if I see a small plate with a small amount of food, my brain and stomach get sad.  My brain is already telling my stomach that won’t be enough food to feed me and I start plotting what I’m going to eat next to fill that void rather than enjoy what’s in front of me.3 Health Rules I Routinely Break & 1 I Always Follow | Life Healthfully Lived

What works for me: Eating when I’m hungry.  Sometimes that’s three square meals a day and sometimes that’s two really big meals.  Listening to my body allows me to enjoy the food on my plate at that moment instead of worrying about where I’m going to get more food to fill me up.

Rule #2: Don’t eat after 6 or 7 p.m.

If I followed this rule, I would never have dinner.  Adam usually doesn’t get home until after 6 and we usually have dinner between 7:30 and 8.  That’s just what works for us.  Now I get that this “rule” is meant to curb after dinner eating but I think a lot of people take it as somehow calories matter more at a magic time of night.  They don’t.  350 calories at 6 a.m. are the same 350 calories at 6 p.m.  How your body uses them will be different because you’re generally more active in the morning than at night.  But you get what I mean.3 Health Rules I Routinely Break & 1 I Always Follow | Life Healthfully Lived3 Health Rules I Routinely Break & 1 I Always Follow | Life Healthfully Lived

What works for me:  Eating dinner at my normal time and not worrying about closing my kitchen at a certain time.  I also generally don’t snack after dinner because we eat later and I’m just not hungry.

Rule #3: Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day

Let me make this clear: water is good.  You should drink water.  But I have a hard time sucking down all that water every day.  Believe me, I’ve tried.  I feel bloated, uncomfortable, and have to pee every five minutes.  I’ve done all the tricks.  Gotten a water bottle, set timers, added fruit to make it taste better, but at the end of the day, I just don’t stick with the water program.3 Health Rules I Routinely Break & 1 I Always Follow | Life Healthfully Lived

What works for me: I do drink water first thing in the morning because I’m usually thirsty when I wake up and right after I workout, also in the morning.  Then I listen to my body and drink when I’m thirsty not just because I have to.  I also drink a lot of tea and eat a ton of vegetables and your body will get water through those means as well.

The Rule I Always Follow: Portion Control3 Health Rules I Routinely Break & 1 I Always Follow | Life Healthfully Lived

Portions get me every time.  Remember how I said I eat with my eyes?  I tend to fill up my plate and then eat every last bit of that food and sometimes go back for seconds.  So I have to be good with my portions.  Now, that doesn’t mean I get out my measuring cups and spoons and make sure everything is perfectly portioned.  I have switched to smaller plates and bowls because our regular dinner plates could feed a small army.  And on some things (cough peanut butter cough cough) I do measure it out or else I would eat the whole jar in two days.  No joke.

There you have it, how I’ve changed a few of the rules to work for me and not make me feel bad about my decisions.  It’s better to make your health your own rather than following a set of rules that make you feel restricted and guilty.3 Health Rules I Routinely Break & 1 I Always Follow | Life Healthfully Lived

What are some of the health rules that you break?

 

Life Without The Stuff

/ ktbuchs87

Life Without The Stuff | Life Healthfully LivedI know that I’m a little late hopping on the bandwagon of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, but boy did I jump in feet first.

I told you last week that I had finished reading the book and started going through our apartment and deciding what we really needed.  Well, we finished up the process this past weekend and I must say, it feels good.  Our apartment is cleaner, neater, lighter, and more comfortable.  I would say that over the course of the two weekends we spent doing this we got rid of 50% of our stuff and our home doesn’t feel bare.  That’s how much extra stuff we had hanging around. Life Without The Stuff | Life Healthfully Lived

50% of our belongings we didn’t even need.  That seems crazy to me!  Why was I hanging on to things that just sit in the back of a closet never to be used?  Why was I storing random junk items to move from one apartment to the next?  Why did I think these things made me complete when they were just weighing me down?

You might think I’m getting a little too deep about just “spring cleaning” my apartment, but it was so much more than that.  It was going through every single item in my possession and asking myself, “Does this object bring me joy?”  Not do I use it or will I use it or could I possibly use it but does it bring me joy.  At this point in my life, if it doesn’t bring my joy, why do I need to keep it? Life Without The Stuff | Life Healthfully Lived

And this idea transitions so well into other areas of my life.  Why do something if it doesn’t bring me joy?  I want to spend my time and energy doing things that I love and bring happiness into my life.  As cliche as it is, life is too short to waste it on things we don’t like.  I get that in some cases we have to do things that we don’t like, such as taxes or filling a cavity, but that’s even more reason to spend the rest of your time doing things that you like.

I’ve said this before, but if you really don’t like doing something particularly when it comes to your health, don’t do it.  If you really don’t like eating brussels sprouts don’t eat them.  You can find hundreds of other vegetables that are just as good for you and that you like so much better.  If you really don’t like CrossFit or yoga don’t do those forms of exercise.  Again, you can find so many other ways to move your body that you actually like.  Ask yourself, “Does this object/routine/food/person/idea/whatever bring me joy?”  It really might change your perspective on things and help you live a happier and healthier life. Life Without The Stuff | Life Healthfully Lived

Ask yourself, “Does this object/routine/food/person/idea/whatever bring me joy?”  It really might change your perspective on things and help you live a happier and healthier life.

As for all the stuff we recently got rid of, I don’t miss it at all and look forward to keeping only the things that really mean something to me and give me endless joy! Life Without The Stuff | Life Healthfully Lived