Wordless Wednesday: Seitan Nachos

Thursday Thoughts: Foundations

Too many times on the road to self-improvement, people don’t take the time to stop and smell the roses. We are pressured into believing that instantly we are a new person, when the reality may be that we are just in the process of becoming.

I’ve been thinking about weight loss, and how it can be like other forms of physical change- putting on makeup, trying new clothes, or getting your hair done. When you get a new haircut, there is almost always that ritualistic take-down of your former self that I have seen happen in weight loss contexts as well. Tearing someone down until they must continue on to feel worthwhile creates a kind of dependancy that can motivate an individual. But, not this individual.

What I’ve found is that knowing and loving yourself can be just as powerful a motivator. Too many people want to tear you down in this world. Signing up for something you hate doing just seems like masochism. Why not choose an activity that fulfills your heart and mind, as well as your body?

While I deeply admire those people who can kick it, I prefer to remember every step, every motion, every minor change. For me to make lasting change, I must enjoy the process. I know this about myself, and working with that energy instead of against it has brought me tangible changes that I can be proud of.

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*For starters, although I ultimately decided not to pursue it, I did speak with a nutritionist. Learning that the most beneficial help was closer than I thought was my takeaway from that experience.

*I made room for exercise in my life by creating a space large enough to exercise in and dusting off my equipment. This was mostly in preparation for winter.

*I dusted off my rollerblades, and while goodness knows, I can’t skate as well as I used to, the fact that I can consider this for the future is a minor miracle.

*I started incorporating high-protein foods such as quinoa, seitan, eggs, and Greek yogurt into my diet. While I haven’t completely eliminated processed foods, I have dramatically decreased my intake. This has helped me with available energy, apparent muscle mass, and physical structure.

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The nice thing about this is that while I haven’t lost any weight, people keep coming up to me, telling me how great I look!

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With fall just around the corner, I am thinking about how to maintain this momentum, which has always been a struggle for me during the colder months. Once I come up with something, I’ll be sure to share, but suggestions and advice are always welcome!

What I Ate {Last} Wednesday

Last Wednesday was all about the comfort food- I regret nothing.  

I’ve been very good about maintaining a comfortable level of physical activity, and with that change has come eating more meals, but smaller ones. Usually my meals are more health-conscious, but I was cataloguing for truth and the experience of it, not really judging myself on what I chose to eat that day.

I still don’t know what I’m going to do about migrating the blog. It’s a ton of work, and I just don’t have the time right now. Just for clarity’s sake, I’m fine with bloggers promoting their other ventures, or partnering, as long as it’s transparent. What I was complaining about were the WordPress ads. But, at the end of the summer, this is the last thing I want to think about.

So, for now, on with the show!

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What I Ate {Last} Wednesday:

1. Blueberry pancake/muffin: If I knew how to make this, I would definitely share. These were amazing and absolutely scrumptious and filling, and I was very grateful for them.

2. At some point, I had a yogurt. Let’s just say I had it here. I didn’t even know that I could eat Greek yogurt. It turns out I can, but frozen yogurt (Greek or otherwise) still gives me allergy troubles. I’m sure there’s a reason for this, but I don’t know it. I really like this particular kind, and so now I’m eating yogurt to help build muscle. And, it’s working. More on that later.

3. I had leftover broccoli and potatoes for my lunch, and it was yummy.

4. Hummus: Some hummus gives me allergy troubles. This kind does not. I also love their black bean flavor. The chips were on sale. Both were getting old and I wanted to use them up.

5. Mac n Cheese: I made the Crockpot Mac and Cheese again, this time following directions and measuring things. It turns out that little note I’d made about improvising the quantities was pretty important, so this batch wasn’t nearly as eyecatching. Last time, I’d gone much lighter on the spices than I realized, so this was a bit on the tangy side. If either happened to you, I’m sorry. Remember, I’m not a professional, just doing the best I can here.

Finally, thanks to Peas and Crayons for hosting WIAW! Check out her blog to join in on the fun!

Thursday Thoughts, or Why the Invisible Dog Ate This Week’s Post

All day yesterday, I catalogued the various foods I ate. I was excited- this was going to be the first week I posted a WIAW! (Hey, it’s the little things )

…And then I signed in this morning, looked at the usual blogs, and there are now WordPress ads littering the web design. I don’t want to hear about ad revenue blahity-blah because I’ve heard it all before. The point is I don’t like them.

I planned to eventually do my own design & all of that fancypants stuff, but this was a nice way to get started. So… I don’t know. I might continue posting because I really don’t have the time right now to start over from scratch. I might be irresponsible and shirk the rest of my life in favor of setting it up sooner rather than later.

But for now, this will be my post for the week, with my apologies.

Have a great weekend!