You’re a Bully

February 17, 2014February 17, 2014 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Battle the bulge. Fight flab. Annihilate your arms. Crush your core. These are all fairly common phrases when looking at articles and websites on how to lose weight or exercise your body. You’ve heard or read these numerous times whether you realized it or not. You probably don’t pay much attention to them, but could they be affecting you anyway?

In the past few weeks and months, I have been working hard on learning to love my body. I have shared before some of my insecurities and past issues with my self image. It’s tough to try to retrain your brain to actually see what’s in the mirror and not what you think you see. It has taken me a lot of practice to be proud of what my body can do, rather than trying to change my body into what I think it needs to look like. Amongst all this working on my self image, I have come across a lot of tips, articles, workouts, and diets that use words and phrases like those above. At first, I really didn’t think much of it. As I kept seeing these things and kept working on my own issues, I felt like maybe these things were affecting me more than I realized. I have a tendency to be very harsh and critical of my body. I know that many other people struggle with this as well. We all think that we can be better, we can do more, and we believe, for whatever reason, we aren’t good enough or think we look the way we should. To be blunt, we’re bullies. We’re bullies to our own bodies.

That may sound kind of ridiculous. I mean, you aren’t knocking your own books out of your hand and demanding lunch money from yourself. But think about your inner monologue when it comes to your body. Would you say those words out loud to someone else? Would you want to hear those things coming from your friends or family members? Is what you’re telling yourself helping you achieve anything positive? For me, I can tell you it wasn’t true.

Wednesday’s I have my long run day. Lately, I have been getting in a little over 10 miles, which is really exciting for me because I have never run in the double digits before. A few weeks ago, I had just finished my run and was about to get in the shower and I started to do my normal nitpicking of all the body parts and areas that I didn’t like. Is my lower stomach as flat as I think it should be, is my butt a little too big from all my kettlebell work, are my arms as defined as they were two weeks ago…. then I stopped mid-thought. My body, the one I was bashing with negative thoughts, had just finished carrying me over TEN MILES. It had just done a 7 minute plank workout. It had popped up into a headstand with ease (and might I boast a little grace) and held it for over a minute. And here I was beating it up and telling it that it wasn’t good enough. It dawned on me how crazy I was acting. As weird as it may sound, I apologized (out loud) and thanked my body for all it had done just that morning. That day was my a-ha moment, and it really helped me turn a corner in truly appreciating my body and all that it does for me.

Do I think that the people who use phrases and words like “battle the bulge” or “fight flab” are deliberately trying to be mean? Not at all. They want to motivate their audience and give you the power to change your health and your life. I am all for motivating everyone to make the healthiest decisions possible, but I am also for being kind to our bodies. How much better and easier would getting healthier be if we all loved ourselves just a little bit more? Instead of fighting our bodies, let’s work with them and listen to what they need to live healthier. When you really start to think about all the things you ask your body to do day in and day out, it’s amazing. As cheesy or silly as it may seem, I’m going to ask you to talk to your body just a little bit nicer than normal. Thank your body for carrying you through this life and give yourself props for making choices and taking steps to be healthier each and every day. That little extra kindness can stretch a long way and give you the tools to see how truly awesome you really are!

Fear

February 3, 2014 / ktbuchs87

On my new Jillian Michaels yoga DVD, she gives a little pep talk at the end of the work out while you’re lying there in a pool of your own sweat. She is pretty much just motivating you and telling you that you can do this. Most of the time I am not really listening, I know I can do it, I just finished the workout didn’t I? There is one thing she says though that always catches my attention. She says, “I never expect you to be fearless, but I do expect you to live without regret as much as possible.”

The first part of that line got me thinking about fear. I’m of two minds on this one. On one hand, I totally agree with Jillian. It isn’t realistic to never have any fear. In fact, sometimes fear is a good thing. It can motivate you or keep you safe. On the other hand, we know that fear can be debilitating. It can keep us from being great and doing amazing things. It can also keep us from being healthy.

When it comes to health, the good side of fear can be motivation. Maybe you are afraid of disease or illness that can come with bad health, so your fear motivates you to fight that outcome. But the fear of bad health can be a double-edged sword and can even cause you to be unhealthy despite your best efforts. This is the kind of fear I want to talk about today because it is the kind of fear I have.

I am scared that everything I have worked so hard to accomplish health wise will somehow go away. I know that this is an unrealistic fear because I won’t just suddenly gain all of my weight back overnight. I know that barring an injury, I won’t be able to run 10 miles anymore or be unable to do a forearm stand. Those things typically just don’t go away instantly, but I have this fear nagging in the back of my mind that they will. This fear doesn’t motivate me to do my best like it used to, but rather feels like it is keeping me back from being truly great. I tend to over analyze decisions when it comes to my health, because what if this one choice will be the undoing to my good health? That is no way to live a healthy or happy life.

I don’t expect all of you to totally understand this fear, but I know that for some of you this is an all too real scenario. You live in this constant fear of being your former unhealthy self. It doesn’t seem that long ago that you were eating cheetos on the couch instead of doing a new challenging workout or making a delicious healthy meal. What if that former self starts clawing it’s way back into your life? What if you can’t fight it this time? Will you always have to struggle? Will it always have to feel this hard?

No, you won’t always have to struggle. I have decided that I won’t let this fear rule my life or choices any longer. I am going to start trusting myself. I have maintained a healthy lifestyle for over three years now. I have made such amazing strides in my physical abilities. I have done things that I never thought I would do. I have made goals that I will never be able to reach if I keep living in fear of failing and going back to my former self. You can make that decision too. Fear does not have to rule your life or make you miserable. Whether you are just starting out on your healthy journey, in the middle, or have been at this for a long time don’t let your fear sideline you. Believe in yourself and your abilities. I know that you can do this and I bet that deep down inside you know it too. Like Jillian says, I don’t expect you to be fearless. It’s ok to have a little fear, but don’t let that fear consume you. Instead take control of that fear and show it that you mean business and you can overcome what ever may come your way.

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!

Once you pop…

January 24, 2014 / ktbuchs87

No, this isn’t a post about Pringles. Sorry! But it is about popcorn, which happens to be one of my favorite snack foods. I’m not a huge snacker anymore, but Friday and Saturday nights beg to have a big bowl of popcorn in your lap while you watch a movie. I don’t have a recipe for you this Friday per say, but I do have a few ways that you can enjoy popcorn as a healthy (yes, healthy) and delicious snack.

First, let me be clear and say when I talk about popcorn I am NOT talking about movie theater popcorn covered in “butter” and salt nor am I talking about microwave popcorn that is also covered in “butter”. I am talking about buying the actual kernels of corn and popping them yourself. Before you stop reading and move on to other things because making popcorn yourself takes way too much time and energy, let me assure you it really doesn’t. Making your own popcorn is a fairly simple and easy process. The easiest way to make healthy and totally customizable popcorn is to pop it using an air popper and then add your own toppings. This is how I make my popcorn and it is as easy as measuring out your popcorn, pouring it into the machine, and turning it on. That’s it. No extra oils or additives just delicious popcorn. Most air poppers are fairly inexpensive and will last you a long time too.

Popcorn made in my air popper. Yum!

Another way to make popcorn is on the stovetop. In a large pot, heat a little oil (coconut oil is really good for this) and add in your kernels. Shake the kernels occasionally and as the oil heats up your kernels will start to pop. I’ve done this a few times and I recommend you make sure you keep an eye on the popcorn because once the kernels start to pop, it can get a little crazy. If you’re not watching you might have a kitchen full of popcorn, which might not be a bad thing…..

For those of you who like to just put a bag of popcorn in the microwave and hit go, you can still do that too. Place your popcorn into a paper bag and roll it closed. Use the popcorn setting on your microwave and you’re good to go. No added chemicals or preservatives, just popcorn!

Now that you know how easy it is to make popcorn on your own, how about some topping ideas? You can add pretty much anything your little heart desires and that is what makes popcorn such a great snack. You can customize it to whatever craving you have at that time! For toppings try:

Salt and pepper. A classic flavor and really yummy
Garlic powder and Italian seasonings. A very savory treat
Nutritional yeast. A healthy way to add a cheesy flavor and one of my favorite toppings
Cinnamon and nutmeg. A nice and light sweet flavor
Pumpkin Pie spice. Who doesn’t like all things pumpkin?
Dark chocolate or cocoa nibs. Chocolate is a great popcorn topping. Melt it first and drizzle it or add chips while your popcorn is hot and make melty clusters.
Cajun seasoning. Like spicy? Then try some cajun or creole seasonings
Honey and peanuts. Ok, this might sound weird but this combo tastes an awful lot like cracker jacks. Add in some warm honey and peanuts to your popcorn and stir to combine everything

There are seriously endless ideas when it comes to popcorn toppings. Popcorn is a great snack that is light, fills you up, and satisfies the need to munch on something while relaxing at home. So give homemade popcorn a try and see why I absolutely LOVE a nice big bowl of popcorn on the weekends!

Kitchen Nightmares

January 20, 2014 / ktbuchs87

Life doesn’t always go according to your plan. In fact, it likes to do it’s own thing regardless of what you would like to happen. This concept has always been a source of struggle and stress for me. I am a person that likes to plan and organize and know exactly what is going to happen. I tend to get a little anxious (ok, make that a lot anxious) when things do not go according to my plan. This is something that I have been working on and one of my goals this year is to be able to go with the flow more. Well, life heard that and decided to throw me a curve ball this week.

Last Sunday my oven broke. I know this might not seem like a huge problem to some, but I rely heavily on my oven. Not only do I use it for dinner every night, on Sunday I usually do a lot of my meal prep for the week so that I have easy access to healthy food no matter what. I was a little stressed last Sunday when I realized AFTER I had made a bunch of things to put in the oven that it wasn’t getting hot. I was even more stressed when the repair guy came on Monday but wouldn’t be able to actually fix the oven until Tuesday. And I might have had a small meltdown Tuesday night in the middle of cooking dinner when I realized that the oven was no longer regulating the temperature and my food was burning to a crisp, error codes on the oven were shouting at me, and all the smoke detectors were going off at once.

Luckily, my oven did not catch on fire… yet

Yes, it has been a little bit difficult here in the Dawson kitchen this week. My oven is still broken, but after my panic attack on Tuesday, I took a deep breath and realized everything was going to be just fine. I could still eat and eat well, I would just have to get a little creative. This is where having a well stocked pantry and freezer come in handy as well as having some know-how in the kitchen have really saved the day. I wanted to share some of the tips and foods I had on hand so in case you have a kitchen nightmare, you can also have a back up plan and won’t have to worry about eating well.

Leftovers, leftovers, leftovers. This was a big help to me this past week. I usually make bigger dinners and use the leftovers for lunches or sides for other meals. Having those extra servings of food helped to round out some of the meals I made this week so that my husband and I had full meals even without the food I usually prep on Sunday. I also have a freezer full of soups, stews, and chilis that I have made in my slow cooker. Again, it was really helpful to be able to pull a healthy meal out of the freezer and heat it up. I’ve said it many times, leftovers are your friends and they have certainly saved my butt this week.

Beans, grains, and legumes, oh my! Having a good stock of dried/canned beans, grains, and legumes like lentils on hand is another great way to make filling healthy meals. You don’t have to use an oven to make these and they fill you up with tons of healthy fiber. Plus they are easy to throw into any meal, and you can season them to your liking. I usually always have black beans, chickpeas, white beans, and lentils on hand and throw them into anything from frittatas to lettuce wraps. If you don’t have time to use dried beans, canned works well too. Just make sure you read the label and rinse the beans before you use them.

Be flexible on cooking methods. I learned this week that there are actually a lot of ways to cook things the way I like without using the oven. For instance, I usually roast sweet potatoes in the oven but found out they taste just as delicious cooked in a cast iron skillet on the stove top. Sauteing vegetables in a little EVOO tastes just as good, if not better, than roasting them in the oven. I had to step out of my comfort zone and go to other methods of cooking this week and it has worked out pretty well. Friday night I came up with a really yummy collard green wrap that I cooked on the stove top with a homemade sweet and sour sauce. I would have never thought of that if I had my oven working. Don’t be afraid to experiment in the kitchen and broaden your cooking skills. You never know when you might have to switch things up. Plus, it’s fun to eat your regular foods in a different way!

While I am really hoping that my oven will get back to normal this week, I have learned that I can survive (for a little while) without it. I didn’t have to totally derail my healthy eating or go hungry just because my normal method of cooking wasn’t an option. The same goes for you Just because something may come up in your day to day healthy eating plan doesn’t mean you have to throw your hands in the air and resort to McDonald’s. Take a second to assess what you have, be a little creative and flexible, and come up with a new eating plan for the time being. If life were always easy, we would never learn that we have it in us to rise above the problems thrown at us. Pretty neat lesson to learn from a broken oven, huh?

Have a great Monday everyone!