Our Food

November 3, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I came across this post about a woman from Nigeria coming to the United States for school and trying to learn how to eat well. I found it fascinating because it really shows how different our food system is compared to the rest of the world. While the whole post is really good, there were a few points that stuck out that I wanted to address here on my blog.

The first was how she learned to view food in Nigeria. In her house, they called junk food simply junk because that is exactly what it was. This is a simple idea but I feel like it is really substantial. Food is meant to nourish our bodies and give us fuel. It provides necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that allow us to function properly. Therefore anything that doesn’t meet those standards shouldn’t even be called food. Just what are we teaching young kids when we call candy, chips, soda, or any packaged product food when we qualify it as junk? We are telling them that it is in some way allowing our bodies to work the way they should and that isn’t what happens with Pop-Tarts and Oreos. It should be no surprise that we are confused about what food is healthy when we teach them that packaged and processed food can be part of a “balanced” diet.

We are spending more money on eating out than cooking at home.

The other reason that so many of us have a hard time eating well is that we are constantly sold on food advertising. We love our buzzwords like ‘all natural’ ‘organic’ ‘gluten-free’ and ‘locally sourced’. These words mean virtually nothing when it comes to whether we should eat something or not. Yes, organic and gluten-free are regulated terms but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. Organic candy is still candy. In the article, the author writes about being confused by all these words stating, “Wasn’t food by definition healthy? If the food wasn’t healthy, then why call it food?” Great question! It’s so simple, yet we have complicated it so much by relying on convenience foods. We need a package to tell us what is healthy to eat instead of just eating food that needs no advertising. You don’t have to wonder if a bunch of broccoli or a bushel of apples is good for you. Real food will always trump processed food.

When she came to the United States, the author was in good health. She never worried about her weight and had no other complaints. After awhile, she started to experience so many of the complications that come with a Western diet, even though she was trying to eat as close to what she grew up with as she could. After going to her doctor and doing some searching they realized all the pesticides and chemicals used to treat the food we normally eat, was causing her ailments. Her doctor stated that it was really common for immigrants to experience these problems when they come here. This made me realize two things. One, we really need to work on growing food that doesn’t need to be treated so much just to reach our tables. I won’t claim to have the answer to that problem, but I do think it starts with us as the consumer. Our money talks and by placing our money in food systems that are sustainably and thoughtfully grown, we can start to change the tides. I know that this won’t happen overnight and that it is tough to buy all organic all the time (I don’t have the money to do that either), but we have to start somewhere. The second thing it made me realize is that we shouldn’t all eat the exact same diet. I am a firm believer in what works for me might not work for you when it comes to eating. The microbes that digest our food are all different. Hence, an immigrant from Nigeria is going to have a hard time digesting the food we eat here just like I would probably have a difficult time digesting the food they regularly eat in Nigeria. It’s ok to not have a cookie cutter diet and eat what “everyone else is eating”. You need to find what works for you and stick with that no matter what your neighbor is eating. Respect your body and it will serve you well.

There are a lot of great talking/thinking points in this article, like the fact that in most other countries packaged food is way more expensive than regular food and only the really wealthy can afford to purchase it. Yet it is the exact opposite here. Packaged food is cheap and easily accessible while it costs a fortune to buy organic food. While it is still possible to eat well on a budget, it is a little more difficult. I also really like the authors simple rules to eating well here in the states. Buy food that you know where it came from, avoid packaged food as much as possible, and cook your own food. We don’t have to make being healthy a complicated process, simple steps such as these can make a huge difference in your health.

Try changing some things in your diet and see how much better you can feel. Check out some of my other posts on eating well or making small changes, and start making a difference today. You can do it!

How To Keep Moving Forward

October 30, 2014 / ktbuchs87

Since we have moved to Chicago and Adam started working at Aon, I haven’t had a “real” job. It was a conscious decision on both our parts and it is working well for the moment. I knew with all this new found free time, I would need to make sure that I had things to keep me occupied and moving forward on my goals and dreams. It could have been so easy to just waste the day away and not do much at all, but I didn’t want to be complacent.

I think that the idea of moving forward and reaching goals can be applied to pretty much any area of life. Whether it be losing weight, completing a home project, getting a promotion at work, or getting into the college of your choice. I don’t have all the answers on how to achieve those goals but I do have a few tips on how to keep moving towards those goals. These are some things that I have used to help from keeping me sitting on the couch all day eating bon bons. Does anyone actually eat bon-bons all day?

Create a vision board

Have you ever heard of Pinterest? If you haven’t, it’s like a giant cork board on the internet You can save all the recipes, workouts, outfits, etc you find on the internet in one place. You can create different boards to sort all your pins. Having a visual representation is a great way to keep your goals at the front of your mind. You don’t have to use Pinterest (even though it’s awesome) you can just use a regular pinboard. Find images that embody your goal and hang them where you can see them everyday. You can add or subtract as you reach your goals or they change.

Tell someone

Share your goals with another person, preferably someone that you trust. It’s really helpful to have another person know exactly what you want to accomplish. That way you have someone that can support you and keep you accountable. Ask them to check in with you every once and awhile to see your progress. While you might think you’re really independent and can do everything on your own, it’s really important to have someone there to support your dreams. You will be much more likely to reach those goals with that little extra oomph.

Do something everyday

It doesn’t have to be a huge or monumental task but do something everyday to propel you towards your goal. If you want to lose weight, try keeping a food journal each day to see where you can make changes. If you want to write a book, try writing a chapter or paragraph everyday. Little steps like this will get you closer to your goal and before you know it you’ll be there. Also little steps can lead to bigger steps and you can reach your goal even faster. This is also another great way to keep yourself from stalling. If you actually do something you’ll feel more motivated to keep working hard.

Be kind to yourself

This one is tough for me. I often get down on myself for not reaching my goals sooner or I keep beating myself up for not doing more. Don’t worry if you aren’t going at the rate you think you should be. You will reach your goals at your own pace. Don’t compare yourself to others or give up because it isn’t happening as soon as you want. As long as you are continually working towards something, you don’t need to beat yourself up. Be kind and keep going.

Like I said, I don’t have all the answers and maybe these tips will not help you in any way at all, but give them a try. They might be a good starting point if you are at the beginning of your journey. No matter what you decide to do, start making decisions and steps to accomplish your dreams.

Just A Thought

October 27, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I had a great weekend spending time with my in-laws, watching marching bands, and celebrating my upcoming birthday. It was nice to relax with my family and spend time together.

With all of my relaxing this weekend (there may have been a few glasses of wine), I don’t have a very long post for you today but I do have a thought. I have noticed that with all the social media out there, we have become people who are constantly comparing. I didn’t realize how much it was affecting me until I would find myself looking at pictures on Instagram and comparing my life to them. I didn’t just compare my health or body or food but my clothes, my apartment, essentially my life. Somehow there was always someone who had something bigger or better or seemingly more perfect. My life just didn’t seem to meet their standards and it was making me grumpy. I took a step back and realized how silly it is to want my life to meet OTHER people’s standards.

How often do you try and compare yourself to others, fall short, and then feel inadequate? Probably more than you know. It’s impossible to totally isolate yourself from social media, but even if you could there are still opportunities to compare. There will always be other people who seem to have everything in life and you wish you could be just like them, but that will never make you happy. You will end up always reaching for things and never have time to enjoy all the great things you already have. I stopped caring what my life looked like next to the person standing next to me and what do you know, I’m a lot happier. My life is amazing and it’s my life so the only person that needs to set the standard is me. It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing, as long as I’m achieving my goals and satisfied with things, it’s all good. Take one day to stop comparing and see how much better your life and all the things you do really are. Because you are a very awesome person.

Have a great Monday!

How To Start

October 23, 2014 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

You’ve decided to be healthier, now what? Obviously you need to totally overhaul your life and daily routine, because what you have been doing isn’t working. But changing everything seems like a huge and daunting task and you’re feeling overwhelmed. Maybe you’ll start next week… Sound familiar? This is a really common problem. People want to be healthier but they get stuck on the getting started part. It feels like their whole life has to change and that is a lot of hard work. So how do you get started? Small. Yup. Start really, really small. That might seem counterintuitive to being healthier, but it is actually a lot more successful than you might think. When you change small things in your life over a longer period of time you have a higher chance of actually sticking with those changes. What are some small changes you can make to be healthier? I’m glad you asked! Here is a list of ideas on little changes you can make to your eating, exercising, and daily life that will help you on the road to being healthier!

Food/Drink

Eat out less. Do eat out more than three times a week? Are you always getting fast food for your lunch? Try cutting back just a little. If you eat out four times a week, cut down to three. If you are always buying your lunch, try making and bringing your own just a few days a week. By making just a small change you will be saving not only calories, but money as well. Plus you will be able to control exactly what you eat when you make it.
Eat slower. Many of us are really busy and tend to eat either really fast or on the go. This tends to make us eat more because our body isn’t really registering that we’re eating a meal. Try and slow down when you’re eating. Really taste the food, take small bites, and enjoy the meal. The slower you eat the chances are greater that you will feel fuller sooner. This little trick can help you stop eating more food than you need.
Eat less. Try eating a smaller portion of food. If you normally make and eat a big pot of spaghetti, try eating half and saving the other half for lunch the next day. You don’t have to do this for every meal, just start with one and then keep adding more meals. You’ll eat less and be able to have leftovers for lunches and dinners during the week
Make one healthy swap. If you normally eat white rice, try brown rice or quinoa. If you usually eat white bread, try whole grain. If you usually eat flavored yogurt, try plain greek yogurt with cut up fruit. Try a lettuce wrap instead of sandwich bread or adding an extra serving of vegetables. Little food swaps like this can save you calories and get you used to eating better quality food. Again, you don’t have to change everything you eat. Start slowly and over time change more and more things.
Add a glass of water. Try drinking one more glass of water than you normally do each day. Switch one of your sodas/juices/lattes with a glass of water. Water is super important and most of us could be better at drinking more.
Keep a food journal for one day. You don’t have to obsessively write down everything you eat every single day, but pick a day and write what goes in your mouth that day. At the end of the day, see what you’ve eaten. Having it all in front of you can help you see where you need to improve your eating habits. Maybe you snack way too much in the afternoon because you don’t have enough to eat for lunch.

Exercise

Walk. If you have never exercised or haven’t exercised in a very long time, walking is a great place to start. Add just 10 minutes of walking to your day and work your way up from there. Once you’re able to walk for a good distance, start adding other exercises. Maybe jog for a few minutes or do some crunches. Keep building from there and soon you will have a pretty decent workout routine.
Move more in general. Little things can really add up throughout the day. Park your car farther away from the building. Take the stairs instead of the escalator. Walk over and talk to your co-workers instead of sending them an email. Maybe you can’t fit in a 30 minute workout everyday, but you can move more and every little thing helps
Enlist a buddy. Find a friend to take walks with you or try a new class together. Having someone else to keep you accountable makes working out more of a priority and can make it more fun.

Daily Changes

Get enough sleep. Sleep is really important for good health. It is when your body is able to shut down and recover from the day. Muscles are repaired during sleep along with other tissues and brain functions. Try going to sleep a little bit earlier at night, even just fifteen minutes can make a big difference.
Stop negative talk. Talking bad about yourself will get you nowhere fast. Putting yourself down won’t make you healthier, it will just beat you down. Try saying one good thing about yourself everyday. Yes, you might feel silly at first but it can really have a positive effect on your mind and attitude.
Limit TV time. If you normally spend your entire evening in front of the boob tube, try and cut down. Instead of four hours of TV a night, try two and go read a book, exercise, mediate, take a bath, anything but sitting on the couch. I get that watching TV is a relaxing and brainless activity many people enjoy after a long day, but there are better more productive things you can do that will help you unwind even better.

All these things might seem like insignificant ideas that won’t amount to much. But doing a lot of little things like this will add up over time. As you start to get used to each new habit, add in another and then another. Soon you will realize that you have changed all of your unhealthy habits for healthier ones and that it seemed like you did so without much effort. You can’t just magically get healthier overnight, it takes time and dedication. Start small, go slow, and you will get there before you know it!

Friday Favorites

October 17, 2014 / ktbuchs87

Hello everyone! I thought it would be a good day to update you on some of my favorite things lately, mostly because I don’t have a new recipe for you this Friday. But don’t you worry, I have plenty of new and delicious fall meals coming your way! Now onto things that I’m enjoying because I know you’re all dying to find out.

Fall-Flavored Tea

Yes, this is the season of Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Everyone goes gaga over them this time of year, and while I do enjoy a good pumpkin drink just like the rest of the country, I also like the tea that comes out this time of year. The change of seasons from warm to cold is generally also the time to change from cold drinks to warm drinks and I love sipping tea on chilly drizzly fall days. Right now my two teas of choice are Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Rooibos and Teekanne’s Cinnamon Apple Spice tea. Both have that fall spice blend going on and they make me think of crunchy leaves and other fall things. Plus the pumpkin tea comes in this awesome tin that will forever smell like pumpkin spice and what could be better than that?

All the Squash

I mentioned in my post on Wednesday that a great way to enjoy fall was to eat squash. Obviously that means I’m gorging myself on all the squash. I think that my two favorites are butternut and delicata, but I am no squash snob and I will gladly eat any squash put in front of me. The best way to eat them in my humble opinion is to roast them. Preheat your oven to 425, peel, deseed, and dice whatever squash you choose, then toss with some oil (I like to use coconut oil), sprinkle with your favorite seasoning (I like to go savory with garlic and chili powder or smoked paprika) and spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Cook for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the squash starts to get golden on the edges. Then eat as is, put on top of salads, or puree for soup or a mashed potato substitute.

Fitness Blender

While running will always be my first fitness love, I do also like to lift weights. It’s important to cross-train to prevent injuries and to add some variety to your workout routine. For the past few months I have been doing the workouts provided by the couple behind Fitness Blender. There are a ton of different workouts to choose from, whether you want to tone, strengthen, do cardio or HIIT. They have yoga and pilates and tabata style workouts. Pretty much anything your heart desires fitness wise, they provide. Their videos are simple to follow and they make sure to teach you how to properly do each exercise so you don’t hurt yourself. Plus they’re workouts are free! What could be better than free fitness? Go check them out at fitnessblender.com and do one of their videos. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Pretending to be a Model

I don’t look awkward at all….

So, I’m pretty much a professional model now don’t ya know? A few weeks back, I was asked if I wanted to start writing a health column for a local magazine. I said, uhhhh YES and I am really excited to be contributing and reaching a bigger audience. The first issue that I’ll be writing in is their Nov/Dec issue, and along with the article I included two holiday recipes. They also had me come out so they could get a headshot for the magazine and thus I am now a professional model. But not really because I had to have my sister help me pick out my clothes and do my makeup since I really have no fashion sense at all. Good thing I have her around so I don’t look like a two year old playing dress up!

Those are the things captivating my attention these days. Sometimes it’s really the simple things in life that make me happy, like tea and squash. I hope you all are having a fabulous Friday and that your weekend is awesome! I’ll see you back here on Monday!