This school year has flown past, and we are already only a month from Christmas break. In the past few months I have gone through weeks of exhaustion, days of excitement, and overall a rejuvenation of my passion for working with youth. I left work the other day and felt love for my life. How wonderful is that? Even though the serenity prayer is repeated multiple times during multiple hours of my day, God has granted an opportunity to do something fantastic with my life. That is an excellent reason to lift my heart in praise during mine and the big man upstair's daily conversations.
My health and my husbands health has been a constant priority for about the past year. I proved to myself that I could maintain a healthy lifestyle while coaching, but I also proved to myself the importance of balance between work and play. At the end of the day, exercise sounded exhausting. My house was a disaster, the papers I brought home to grade weren't grading themselves, and I had nothing left to give. I had no more happy, no more sad, no more excitement, no more NOTHING. I didn't go. I stayed at home the cycle of unbalance began.
Did my health go back to the way I was a year ago? Good grief, no! But it was a regression from the progress I made. Now, I could be down on myself and asking how could I let myself down, but I see a bright side. It is the optimist's blessing, or maybe curse since consequences never seem to carry a whole lot of negative weight. I noticed that since my lifestyle transformation, I recognize regression. I recognize that I can do better. My life is much more than exercise and diet. My life is rich with friends, family, a wonderful career, a cozy home, two fur-babies (dogs:), and it is supported by a healthy lifestyle. My life is full of imperfections. I tend to laugh too soon, my house is rarely "spotless," I am regularly too busy, I get frustrated when something doesn't come easy, and I struggle to balance my time well between me and the rest of the world.
My body craved exercise, just not in the way I was anticipating. I was exhausted. My muscles ached at the end of the day. My stress level was high. It was hard to get out of the bed in the morning. I never turned to cooking or eating unhealthy. An important part of my body's overall health was left in the dust, and I didn't notice that quick enough. When I exercise I feel rejuvenated and refreshed. Getting out of bed may not be easy, but it certainly doesn't feel impossible. After I run and lift my stress level seems bearable and I tend to get more done on my to-do lists. The past few months weren't a let down in my book, they were a necessary reminder. My healthy means not just body healthy, my healthy includes my soul, my mind, and my ability to shine. My shine did dull a little bit, but now I know how to correct that.
It's time. It's time to refocus and feed my health, not just my hunger. Today I am watching Netflix documentaries on Food (TedTalks) and I'm once again reminded about how the food we put in our body is the catalyst for the health in our years to come. It should be medicine, not poison. Examples- A granola bar is closer in ingredients to a snickers bar than it is to oatmeal or granola. Most frozen yogurt is closer to ice cream than it is to yogurt. Eating a hamburger a day, increases your risk of dying from heart disease by 1/3. I am also meal planning for the upcoming week. Gluten free, clean, and well-balanced will be the trick for this chick. Lots of plants, lots of flavor, and meat on the side. I will feed my body the way it needs.
I am now recommitting for a healthy month. It sounds crazy since it will include Thanksgiving and Christmas, but in my experience from years past, if you can have a healthy holiday season, you can have a healthy year. If you have a healthy holiday season, you won't be a food coma, but rather enjoying every second of your friends and family. You may have also read one month and thought that was a short/easy goal. Smart goal setting means being realistic and allowing yourself small successes. Getting through the holiday season will be my small (but quite large) success to really drive me towards another healthy year.
So, I challenge you. Comment below and tell me what your goal is. How can you feed your health and not just your hunger? Remember, health isn't only food and exercise. Health means how you feel about yourself and the life you are building. Are you happy? If not, what can you change? Go on... Find your healthy.
C.
Spicy Bacon Omelette (Today's breakfast!)
2 eggs and 1 egg white beaten with a dash of milk.
3 mushrooms
1/5 red onion
1/4 green pepper
2 strips of bacon
2 tbl of sharp cheddar cheese
siracha
1/4 of avocado
Saute the onion, green pepper, and mushrooms. Set it aside.
Cook your bacon & set it aside.
Pour the egg mixture into a skillet that has been warmed over medium and has the bottom coated lightly in oil. Let the egg cook and push the sides in to allow remaining liquid to touch the hot pan. When most of the egg is cooked, flip the egg carefully.
Put the veggies on one half and crumble 2 pieces of bacon on top. Place the cheese in the omelet, flip, and plate. Once it is on the plate, put the avocado on top and drizzle with as much siracha as you can handle!
P.s., I'm pretty sure I after eating this, my husband may have loved me more. :) It's that good.
