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.

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!

Lentil Meatloaf

January 17, 2014May 14, 2015 / ktbuchs87

I have gotten a few requests for this recipe and since it is one of my favorite weeknight meals, I thought I would share it here! This recipe is a lot like the meatball recipe I have posted here, but just a little different. I usually do the prep work for this the night before or on the morning of the day I am going to eat it. That way I can just throw it in the oven when I get home from work and not worry about it!

Lentil Meatloaf

1 cup cooked lentils
1/2 cup rolled oats (gluten free if needed)
2 large carrots, shredded
2 tsp basil
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp parsley
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicier)
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
2 tbsp liquid aminos or soy sauce

1. In a food processor combine lentils, oats, carrots, and all herbs and spices. Pulse a few times to combine everything, but don’t turn it into a paste, you still want some texture. Set aside

2. In a medium skillet, heat up some olive oil and saute onions until soft about 7 min. Add in garlic and saute a few more minutes. Add in your lentil mixture and cook until it starts to brown up. About 10 minutes.

3. Pour in your vegetable broth and liquid aminos or soy sauce. Cook for about 10 more minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Take the skillet of the heat and allow it to cool enough to handle it. Pre-heat oven to 425.

4. Grease a loaf pan with a little olive oil and once your lentil mixture is cool transfer it to the loaf pan. Place aluminum foil over the pan and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Once it’s a little crispy on the edges, remove from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Slice it up and enjoy!

This is also a great meal to add in extra vegetables or use up stuff that you have in your fridge. I’ve added green peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and fresh herbs as well. I also sometimes pour leftover soup, salsa, or tomato sauce on the top for extra flavor. Get creative and find the version that you really love!

Healthy Doesn’t Have to be Hard

January 13, 2014 / ktbuchs87

Hopefully all of you made it through the polar vortex and have thawed out just a bit. Thankfully we made it through with minimal damage, only one pipe burst. It was fixed quickly and didn’t cause too much stress, that was good!

This past weekend I was thinking about my “health mission”. What did I want my message to be to the readers of my blog, people who come to me for advice, and eventually people that work with me one on one? I narrowed it down to two main ideas. The first being not everyone will become/stay healthy in the same way. I’ve talked about this before on the blog. We are all unique and our bodies function and work in different ways. What may work for me might not necessarily work for you, and that is ok! This goes for how you eat as well as how you exercise.

The second message I want to share is that healthy does not have to be hard. Many of you reading this right now are thinking otherwise. You have tried to get healthier numerous times, but always end up right where you started. Some of you believe that in order to become healthy you have to follow complicated rules, stick to strict schedules/menus, or buy fancy and expensive equipment. While you can do those things, they are not at all necessary to become healthier.

When I first started out, I also thought I had to get fancy. I figured that following a fad diet and working out with a special routine or equipment was the only way to be the healthy person that I wanted to be. By trial and error, I learned that it was actually much simpler than I first believed.

The biggest thing that you need to become healthier is the desire. You have to be in a place where you truly want to start this journey. Otherwise you will keep failing or quitting or not giving it your all. Once you find that motivation, the rest is fairly simple.

In terms of eating, you don’t need to buy into fancy diets or food systems or companies. Get rid of all processed food products and then start experimenting. Do you do well on a more plant based diet or do you thrive with more meat? Maybe you do better on a high fat diet full of quality, healthy fats. Or you find that more whole grains is your thing. Whatever it is, make sure you feel right and can go about your day without misery or gnawing hunger.

When it comes to exercise, there are so many inexpensive and simple options. The main goal is to move daily in whatever way gives you the most joy. Don’t like running? Then don’t waste hours on the track hating your life. Think yoga is crazy? Then don’t sign up for a hot yoga class. Again, experiment with a bunch of different forms of exercise. Maybe something as simple as walking gives you what you need or perhaps you learn that you love weightlifting because it makes you feel awesome. The most important thing is to figure out which form of activity brings happiness to your life and doesn’t feel like a chore.

When it comes down to it, these are very simple ideas and strategies. Yes, it can seem hard to completely overhaul or change your life. Start small. Focus on changing one meal a day or adding fifteen more minutes of exercise to your day. Once you master those add in more. Realize that this is a process and it can be a very simple one. What makes you feel happy and full of life and energy? Find that and the rest will fall into place!