lifestyle

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?

 

Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup

/ ktbuchs87

Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup | Life Healthfully LivedI have been living off of this soup for the past few weeks, it’s that good.  It’s hearty enough to make a good meal but not so heavy that you feel like taking a nap after you’re done.  I feel like that’s a good judge of a meal.  Do you feel like laying in bed for six hours when you’re done?  Nope?  Then you should eat this meal again or try harder next time.

This winter we haven’t had many days where you just want to wrap your body around a bowl of soup and swim in a giant mug of hot chocolate.  I’m not complaining, but I do enjoy those super cold nights where a warm meal is the only way to feel comfortable.  I’m probably the only weirdo like that.

On the nights that it is frigid out, try this super simple soup.  It’s stuffed full of vegetables and then blended to make it creamy and delicious.  No dairy, no cheese, and yet it’s still smooth and wonderful.  That’s my kind of soup.Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup | Life Healthfully Lived

What do you guys have planned for your weekend?  I’m on my own this Saturday and I’ll probably end up running a few errands and catching up on some work.  I know, wild and crazy over here.  But that also means that I’ll spend a good portion of my day in the kitchen coming up with yummy things for you.  Any suggestions?

My suggestion to you?  Make a big batch of this soup on Sunday night and have lunches or dinners set for the rest of the week.  Your future self will thank me!

Creamy Broccoli Spinach SoupCreamy Broccoli Spinach Soup | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup celery, sliced
  • 2/3 cup onion, diced
  • 3 cups broccoli, cut into florets (you can also use frozen, just make sure it’s completely thawed)
  • 1 cup roasted red or orange bell peppers
  •  4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 to 4 cups spinach, tightly packed (I used a whole 8 oz bag for reference)
  • 4 to 5 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. To roast your bell peppers: Preheat the oven to 400 and cut the tops off of the peppers.  Remove all seeds and place the whole peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Roast for about 30 minutes, turning the peppers over half-way through.  Take the peppers out of the oven and place them on a cutting board and place a large glass bowl over them so the steam will loosen the skins.  After 15 minutes, remove the bowl, slip off the skins, and dice the peppers. FYI: you can do this a few days ahead of time so you don’t have to do it right before you make your soup.
  2. For the soup: Heat a large dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add a little olive oil and add in the carrots, celery, and onion.  Saute them for about 8 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
  3. Add the minced garlic, roasted bell peppers, and broccoli florets.  Stir everything together and sprinkle with a little salt.  Saute for a few minutes.
  4. Pour in the vegetable broth or water.  You want the broth to cover all the vegetables and about 1/2 inch above.  Turn your heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.  Add all of the seasonings and stir to combine.
  5. Once the soup is boiling, add the spinach and cover the pot.  Turn the heat to low and simmer the soup for 15 minutes, stirring once.
  6. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and using an immersion blender, blend everything until it is smooth and creamy.  If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can work  in batches with your regular blender.  Just return everything to the pot when you’re done.Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup | Life Healthfully Lived

The best thing about this soup?  It tastes AMAZING with a healthy dollop (read: massive spoonful) of my cheesy garlic spread. Yum!

DIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge

/ ktbuchs87 / 2 Comments

DIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully LivedDoesn’t the word porridge always conjure up old-timey meals like in Oliver Twist?  Or at the very least make you think of Goldilocks and the only three bears on the planet that prefer a hot breakfast over raw carcass?

Just me?  Cool.

Porridge is actually any type of oatmeal, grain, or cereal that is cooked with boiling water or milk.  Most people go for oatmeal because it’s the most readily available but you can make porridge out of a lot of different things.  But for the most part it’s usually made out of some kind of grain and if you happen to be following the paleo diet, grains are a no-go.  So does that mean you can never enjoy a warm bowl of porridge on a cold winter morning again?DIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully Lived

Of course not!  Not when you’ve got me around.

Not only can you make porridge out of cereals or grains, you can also make it out of meals (as in ground up stuff) and that includes nut meals.  Finely ground nuts make a great base for porridge and it is entirely paleo-approved!  I decided to go with almond meal because it can be made savory or sweet and it’s what I had on hand.  Also, almond meal is fairly easy to find so you won’t have to hunt through a specialty store to make your own paleo porridge.

I have a recipe for a sweet porridge and a savory porridge, both are essentially same, but the seasonings and liquid choices are a bit different.  If you’ve been missing your morning bowl of warm, cozy porridge try this easy grain-free version!

Paleo Porridge- Makes two servings

Sweet PorridgeDIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 2/3 + 2 tbsp almond meal (go for meal instead of flour because you don’t want it too finely ground)
  • 1 cup almond milk or any other non-dairy milk you prefer
  • 1 tbsp honey, maple syrup, or coconut nectar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Savory PorridgeDIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 2/3 + 2 tbsp almond meal
  • 1 cup vegetable broth or water
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • salt to taste
  1. No matter what version you make, the directions are going to be the same.  In a medium saucepan, bring the liquid to a boil.
  2. Whisk in the almond meal and turn the heat to low.  Keep whisking as the almond meal thickens.  This will take about 5 to 8 minutes.
  3. Add in the sweetener (if making the sweet version) and seasonings as you keep whisking.  Once you’re porridge has reached your desired thickness, pour into a bowl and finish it with your favorite toppings.

If you’re porridge is too thin add more almond meal, one tablespoon at a time.  If it’s too thick add more liquid, one tablespoon at a time. As for topping ideas?  How about:

  • any kind of berry
  • raisins
  • bananas or any fruit
  • cacao nibs
  • pumpkin seeds
  • hemp seeds
  • flax or chia seeds
  • chopped nuts
  • nut or seed butter
  • herbs like parsley or cilantro
  • salsa
  • roasted squash
  • poached egg
  • mushrooms
  • heck, you could even add cooked meat or fish to your savory bowl!DIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully Lived

There you have it!  Porridge two ways for all you grain-free people out there!

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

Mini BBQ Pizza’s

/ ktbuchs87

 

Mini BBQ Pizza's | Life Healthfully LivedI’m going to tell you a story about pancakes.  Don’t worry it will make sense in the end.

Hopefully.

I can remember one of the first times that I helped my mom make pancakes.  I was very excited because the whole process looked so magical.  We got our mix together, whisked the crap out of it because it was fun, and then started heating up the skillet.  I poured in the right amount and waited until the all-important flip.  After the instructed three minutes, I put the spatula under the pancake and….

Totally destroyed the first pancake.  It stuck to the pan, wasn’t entirely cooked on the bottom, and was just a big mass of half-cooked batter.  I was devastated.  My hopes of being a pancake wizard were dashed.  I started to get a little teary but my mom stepped in and gave some mom advice.Mini BBQ Pizza's | Life Healthfully Lived

“Don’t worry, the first pancake is always like that.  It’s the test pancake.  It lets you test the pan to see if it’s hot enough.  The rest of your pancakes will be better because that first one was messed up.”

And she was right.  The rest of my pancakes turned out just fine.  Now, before you go thinking this was a beautiful teaching moment between mom and daughter, my mom went on to tell me, “Yeah, you’re just like the test pancake.  You were our first baby and we had no clue what we were doing.  We tested everything out on you so when your sister came along we knew what to do.”

I love my mom.

It was all in good fun and it actually was some good advice when it comes to testing out new recipes or new things.  Just because it doesn’t work the very first time doesn’t mean that everything is a total failure.  So what does that have to do with pizza?  I had a bit of trouble making the crust for these tasty treats and my first one (ok, my first like five) turned out like this:

Mini BBQ Pizza's | Life Healthfully Lived

Sad but brave and valiant test pizza crust paving the way for perfection

But I kept at it and was rewarded with this recipe!  I chose to make it with my BBQ sauce and Not Mozzarella, Mozzarella, but you can customize the toppings with what you had on hand!

Thanks mom for teaching me about test pancakes and test babies because without them I couldn’t give the world Mini Pizza’s and that would be a travesty.  Also, you’re welcome for having like the world’s best test baby 😉

Mini BBQ Pizza’sMini BBQ Pizza's | Life Healthfully Lived

 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and make sure you have your sauce, cheese, and toppings ready.  Line a large baking sheet or two with a Silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Place all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together.  Pour this into a blender and add the water.  Blend until you have a batter.  It should be more on the thinner side.
  3. Heat up a small skillet with a little olive oil, I used my tiny cast iron skillet, and pour about 1/4 cup batter into the skillet.  Let it cook for a few minutes and then flip it over and cook for another minute before putting it on the prepared baking sheet.  Don’t worry if your first one isn’t perfect 🙂
  4. Keep doing this until all the batter is used up.  Place the baking sheets in the oven and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove and crank the heat up to 400.  While the oven is getting hotter, put the sauce, cheese, and toppings on each pizza.  Pop them back into the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown.
  5. Remove and let them cool a few minutes before totally devouring!Mini BBQ Pizza's | Life Healthfully Lived

 

What are your favorite pizza toppings?