People in my world ask me about healthy eating all the time. All.The.Time. It makes me feel pretty good that people feel like they can come to me. Recently my sister-in-law asked me what I know about doing a cleanse. After talking to her for a bit, I decided this would also make a good blog post topic! Here we go:
I am in NO way an expert and all of this comes from my Google education and life experiences. This is in now way, shape or form medical advice. Everybody is different. That being said, here is my opinion:
A cleanse is a good way to sorta reset your metabolism. It is NOT a long term solution for you weight loss plans, but its a good place to start. A good time for a cleanse is probably when you have been off the healthy eating wagon for a while and want to get back on or if you have consumed way more adult beverages than you should lately and need to detox all that crap out of your system. SIL's reason is the former, mine is the latter...
Anyway! I told her I'd come up with a menu or guideline of some kind. Some of the really important things about a cleanse are to drink PLENTY of water and eat until you are full. No need to starve yourself. The point is to keep everything moving through your body, not make it shut down and go into starvation mode. Eat whole foods, nothing processed (or at least very little processed stuff, you may see some exceptions in my plan), no meat and no dairy. Basically eat yourself stupid on all the fruit and veg you want!
Smoothies are a GREAT way to get a ton of nutrition on the go and the fruit is already blended and easy for your body to absorb. I don't generally wake up early enough to sit down and eat breakfast, but it doesn't take long to throw a smoothie together. I like smoothies all the time, not just for a cleanse. My normal smoothie would have about a cup of frozen or fresh fruit, a banana, 1/2 a cup of yogurt, about a tablespoon of chia seeds and enough water to blend it to consistency. For a cleanse, I'll opt for no yogurt. I like to add spinach because it's a good source of iron and it's a mild flavor usually covered up by all the fruit. I've read where others use kale or other greens, but spinach is good for beginners because of the mild flavor. For this cleanse I'll have a smoothie for breakfast everyday, maybe for a snack if I'm feeling it.
Snack on fresh fruit and veg. Apples are in season, not my favorite fruit, but I might eat a few. I like oranges, love bananas. Frozen cherries are delicious. Be sure your fruit is without sugar. Just picked and flash frozen, nothing added. Dinner will probably include squash because the fall squash is in season and that is one of the few things I like about this time of year. You see pumpkin-flavored everything this time of year, but squash is where it's at. Don't get me wrong, I'm consuming my fair share of the pumpkin, but I like the squash best. Maybe I'll work some squash or pumpkin into dessert, too. We'll see.
I'm working on a full menu plan and shopping list. I should have it posted by the weekend, so stay tuned friends! If you have questions or information you want to add leave it in the comments!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Update: Project 333
Update on Project 333: Fail. Thirty-three items for three months is really hard, but these are some things I learned: Practical can be fashionable. A few high-quality, well-fitting clothes is better than a closet full of clothes I don't wear. Five inch heels are to high.
Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." - Matthew 19:21
We should all spend more time following Jesus than chasing after 'stuff'. As I've unpacked more items from the boxes I've also moved more stuff to the donation box. I definitely want to live with less stuff. Less clutter in my closet will probably lead to less clutter in my life. My khaki pants were in terrible shape and never really fit well. I've replaced them, all is well with Thursday again. My super fabulous, nude, peep-toe pumps are to high. I will replace them with lower heels soon. I'm not in a huge rush because it's warm enough to wear sandals for now. When fall really sets in I'll have to replace a couple pair of pumps and a pair of boots. When I do, I'll donate more of the shoes in the boxes. I have so much stuff that has barely been worn, someone should use it so I'll donate it. Sometimes less really is more.
Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." - Matthew 19:21
We should all spend more time following Jesus than chasing after 'stuff'. As I've unpacked more items from the boxes I've also moved more stuff to the donation box. I definitely want to live with less stuff. Less clutter in my closet will probably lead to less clutter in my life. My khaki pants were in terrible shape and never really fit well. I've replaced them, all is well with Thursday again. My super fabulous, nude, peep-toe pumps are to high. I will replace them with lower heels soon. I'm not in a huge rush because it's warm enough to wear sandals for now. When fall really sets in I'll have to replace a couple pair of pumps and a pair of boots. When I do, I'll donate more of the shoes in the boxes. I have so much stuff that has barely been worn, someone should use it so I'll donate it. Sometimes less really is more.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
How I paired down my wardrobe to 33 items
Step 1: Make sure the laundry is finished. You can't very well pick your top 33 without having everything clean, right?
Step 2: What season is it? I live in an area with 4 seasons (in one day...). You know the old joke about Oklahoma weather, right? It's September so it's hot right now, but I'm also planning for October and November, it will probably get cool, but not downright cold. I'll work a jacket into this mix and probably work with mostly long pants. Good thing I work in an office...
Is 5 pair of shoes and 3 necklaces a waste of my choices? I guess we'll see.
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| Empty laundry basket |
Step 3: Do you have a signature? What kinds of things are you unwilling to part with for this experiment? I'm going to have to have sunglasses. Luckily I only have one pair so that choice was easy. I usually wear silver hoop earrings. I have several pair, but mostly the same thing. I just have to pick one pair.
Step 4: Casual wear. It's football season. In my house that is important so my casual wear will mostly be t-shirts for the local school and my husband's favorite college team.
Step 5: Panic. Thirty-three items isn't as many as pieces as I thought it might be...
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The final cut:
1. sunglasses
2. silver hoop earrings
3. blue jeans
4. blue jean capri pants
5. brown fat-pant slacks
6.grey fat-pant slacks (after minor mending)
7. black slacks
8. black short sleeve t-shirt
9. grey cardigan
10. purple short sleeve t-shirt
11. black pencil skirt
12. brown v-neck t-shirt
13. green dress
14. black 3/4 sleeve cardigan
15. green short sleeve t-shirt
16. OU football t-shirt
17. black long sleeve t-shirt
18. local high school t-shirt
19. other OU t-shirt
20. other local high school t-shirt
21. grey short sleeve sweater w belt
22. Morticia Addams blouse
23. faux leather jacket
24. comfy black pumps
25. silver ballet flats
26. shiny white Bobs
27.black sandles
28. nude pumps
29. fabulous scarf
30. black and silver long necklace
31. over-sized cross necklace
32. tiny diamond cross necklace
33. pink v-neck t-shirt
What pieces can you not live without?
Monday, September 2, 2013
Living with Less
I've spent a lot of time in recent months thinking about all the STUFF in my life. There are areas in my house that would make one think that I'm a hoarder. All this stuff in my home is probably a visual reflection of the clutter in my own mind, so I'm ready to do something drastic.
This week I found Project 333. The gist: 33 wardrobe items to work with for 3 months. Sleep clothes, workout clothes (as long as you only wear them to work out), underwear, and sentimental jewelry (like your wedding ring) don't count. Everything else does. My strategy: start with the pants, clean out the items that don't actually fit, pick very few shoes.
I'm about 15 lbs heavier than my usual weight so there are several items that don't really fit right now. This will be a good excuse for me to box those items up while I get my weight under control. I'm recently re-committed to getting into shape because my family is doing a Biggest Loser style competition with a cash prize at the end. I'll need the cash to restock my 33 items when NOTHING fits! I've been working out 5 mornings per week, eating breakfast, and packing sensible lunches for the last couple weeks. I've lost 6 lbs, but that is just a tip of the iceberg. By the time I switch into my second 3 months worth of clothes, I should to be able to donate the first 3 months worth because they should be to big, right?
I'll post pics of the items that make the final cut. Wish me luck!
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| Exhibit A |
I'm about 15 lbs heavier than my usual weight so there are several items that don't really fit right now. This will be a good excuse for me to box those items up while I get my weight under control. I'm recently re-committed to getting into shape because my family is doing a Biggest Loser style competition with a cash prize at the end. I'll need the cash to restock my 33 items when NOTHING fits! I've been working out 5 mornings per week, eating breakfast, and packing sensible lunches for the last couple weeks. I've lost 6 lbs, but that is just a tip of the iceberg. By the time I switch into my second 3 months worth of clothes, I should to be able to donate the first 3 months worth because they should be to big, right?
I'll post pics of the items that make the final cut. Wish me luck!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Gourmet from Scraps
Last night I planned to eat watermelon for dinner. Cut one up before church, ate until I was full, went to church. When church let out I had to pee, then I was hungry. Dango watermelon! It didn't last long. Decided pretty late that I was hungry, but remembered I have extremely limited groceries in the house. Searched the cabinets and the fridge and the freezer, this is what I came up with:
From the pantry: Green spaghetti (made with spinach) and lots of garlic
From the fridge: kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, last of the pesto, pine nuts
From the freezer: salmon fillet
Boom! Gourmet dinner in less than 20 minutes made from either staple ingredients or things leftover from other recipes. Be creative in the kitchen. That is one of my most favorite places to be creative. I like crafty stuff but I'd rather be cooking any day.
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| Please ignore the ring on the counter... |
Greek-style Green pasta with spinach
From the fridge: kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, last of the pesto, pine nuts
From the freezer: salmon fillet
Boom! Gourmet dinner in less than 20 minutes made from either staple ingredients or things leftover from other recipes. Be creative in the kitchen. That is one of my most favorite places to be creative. I like crafty stuff but I'd rather be cooking any day.
What are your favorite kitchen creations lately?
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Fiesta Rice and Beans
April's Fiesta Rice and Beans
1 cup brown rice
2 bell peppers (I had a red and a green)
1 jalapeno
1 onion (I had a vidalia, use what you have)
2 cans kidney beans (I had a dark red and a light red)
2 cloves of garlic
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 8oz can tomato sauce
fat pinch of chili powder
fat pinch of cumin
fat pinch of salt-n-pep
Saute diced peppers, garlic and onion in a little olive oil. Add rice and 2 cups water. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the rice is tender, stir it once in a while so it doesn't stick to the pan. When water is absorbed, add kidney beans, spices, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Eat.
Boom. One pot meal, easy clean up, super healthy. Squeeze on a little lime juice, top with cilantro from the garden (I would have had to drive to mom's garden across town to get the cilantro so I skipped it this time). I have an avocado in the kitchen that is going to go bad if I don't eat it soon, but forgot it was there until I had already got to work this morning. Had enough left over to take for lunch today and eat for dinner tonight. This is how I cook. If only my family saw this as a whole meal, too! Hubs would want to know what kind of meat I was serving with this side dish and Princess would pick all the onions out. Not sure when she got so picky, but I don't like it.
What are you having for lunch today?
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
God Loves the Man in Sweatpants and Loafers
I had a revelation today: Blanket prayers probably aren't what God is interested in. Hear me out.
Like with diet and exercise, sometimes we get this all or nothing mentality. When we don't succeed with the all, we get down on ourselves and eat an entire pizza. What's the point in trying, I'm just going to fail, right? Maybe you eat cake or peanut M&Ms, whatever, but I bet you know what I'm talking about. Why would we think our prayer life and Christian walk would be any different. Let me use one that I know I'm guilty of: 'God please help me to see when I'm being judgmental and help me to stop being judgmental. Judging isn't my job, you will do a much better job than I ever could. Besides, who am I to cast a stone?' Then I'm gung hoe... until the next time I see someone doing something I'm not sure they should do and the judgment kicks in, then the guilt, then the shame, then I give up because I failed. Sound familiar? What if, just like a healthy lifestyle, we take it in steps. Maybe start with 'God, I know it's not my place to judge, You instruct us to love, not to judge. Please help me to stop trying to judge people for the way they dress (or the way the speak, or the way they handle situations, etc). Help me to love people for who they are, even if they are wearing their ragged jeans to Sunday morning service. Help me to lovingly guide them to You though my testimony.'
Start with the thing I know I'm doing right now that He doesn't approve of , work on one thing at a time. Eventually I'll be closer to living the life Jesus would want me to be living, right? One step at a time. One day at a time. I know our days are numbered and we don't know the day or the hour when Jesus will return for us or when our time on this Earth will end. If we spend what time we have trying to build a better relationship with God and loving His people, it will all be for the good and not wasted. God loves His people and since he knew each of us while we were in our mother's wombs and even before, we are ALL His people.
Sin is sin is sin and God hates it all. He doesn't hate the sinner, but he does hate the sin. He says that over and over in the Bible. It doesn't matter if it's murder, adultery, a lie, a lustful thought, judgement, hatefulness, or any other sin out there (trust me, we are all guilty of many every.single.day). Each sin is equal in God's eyes and He hates them all equally. We will never be perfect, but thankfully, we don't have to be. God's Love and God's Mercy are good. We are forgiven because Jesus died for us and we are washed clean. We only have to ask forgiveness and it is given. This is Good News! We Christians should be sharing this with everyone we meet! It is selfish of us to not share. I know we are probably concerned about what people will think about us, we will be those crazy Jesus Freaks. What we should be concerned about is what does God think?! He is the one we should live for. Any souls we win for God are just that, for His glory We need to tell them the Truth. What they do with it is up to them, but we HAVE to share it.
I'm writing this for myself more than anyone. God has been trying to talk to me for a while. I answer with 'God, please tell me what it is I need to know' followed by 'Oh, I better get to that thing I am supposed to do'. I rarely stop and just be still and wait for an answer. Always to busy doing the next thing I need to get done and never leaving time for God. I am going to dedicate the next couple weeks of my life to getting closer to God. I cut off the satellite television in my house (husband isn't crazy about that one). Husband and Princess will both be gone during the week and I'll have quite time to just reflect and sit quietly with God. I don't post as much in this blog as I should anyway, but don't be surprised if I'm M.I.A. for a little while or if I post more of my revelations with you. This could go either way, be patient with me. Maybe God will tell me something you need to hear too...
Like with diet and exercise, sometimes we get this all or nothing mentality. When we don't succeed with the all, we get down on ourselves and eat an entire pizza. What's the point in trying, I'm just going to fail, right? Maybe you eat cake or peanut M&Ms, whatever, but I bet you know what I'm talking about. Why would we think our prayer life and Christian walk would be any different. Let me use one that I know I'm guilty of: 'God please help me to see when I'm being judgmental and help me to stop being judgmental. Judging isn't my job, you will do a much better job than I ever could. Besides, who am I to cast a stone?' Then I'm gung hoe... until the next time I see someone doing something I'm not sure they should do and the judgment kicks in, then the guilt, then the shame, then I give up because I failed. Sound familiar? What if, just like a healthy lifestyle, we take it in steps. Maybe start with 'God, I know it's not my place to judge, You instruct us to love, not to judge. Please help me to stop trying to judge people for the way they dress (or the way the speak, or the way they handle situations, etc). Help me to love people for who they are, even if they are wearing their ragged jeans to Sunday morning service. Help me to lovingly guide them to You though my testimony.'
Start with the thing I know I'm doing right now that He doesn't approve of , work on one thing at a time. Eventually I'll be closer to living the life Jesus would want me to be living, right? One step at a time. One day at a time. I know our days are numbered and we don't know the day or the hour when Jesus will return for us or when our time on this Earth will end. If we spend what time we have trying to build a better relationship with God and loving His people, it will all be for the good and not wasted. God loves His people and since he knew each of us while we were in our mother's wombs and even before, we are ALL His people.
Sin is sin is sin and God hates it all. He doesn't hate the sinner, but he does hate the sin. He says that over and over in the Bible. It doesn't matter if it's murder, adultery, a lie, a lustful thought, judgement, hatefulness, or any other sin out there (trust me, we are all guilty of many every.single.day). Each sin is equal in God's eyes and He hates them all equally. We will never be perfect, but thankfully, we don't have to be. God's Love and God's Mercy are good. We are forgiven because Jesus died for us and we are washed clean. We only have to ask forgiveness and it is given. This is Good News! We Christians should be sharing this with everyone we meet! It is selfish of us to not share. I know we are probably concerned about what people will think about us, we will be those crazy Jesus Freaks. What we should be concerned about is what does God think?! He is the one we should live for. Any souls we win for God are just that, for His glory We need to tell them the Truth. What they do with it is up to them, but we HAVE to share it.
I'm writing this for myself more than anyone. God has been trying to talk to me for a while. I answer with 'God, please tell me what it is I need to know' followed by 'Oh, I better get to that thing I am supposed to do'. I rarely stop and just be still and wait for an answer. Always to busy doing the next thing I need to get done and never leaving time for God. I am going to dedicate the next couple weeks of my life to getting closer to God. I cut off the satellite television in my house (husband isn't crazy about that one). Husband and Princess will both be gone during the week and I'll have quite time to just reflect and sit quietly with God. I don't post as much in this blog as I should anyway, but don't be surprised if I'm M.I.A. for a little while or if I post more of my revelations with you. This could go either way, be patient with me. Maybe God will tell me something you need to hear too...
Inspirational advice I heard recently: If you don't know what God wants from you, go back and do the last thing He told you to do.
What has God done in your life lately?
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