Learning to Balance

Hi friends.

Back at it with the blog posts, and I mean I am really going to try harder this semester to get on here more often and throw some cool recipes and meaningful moments your way! I appreciate all of you who follow me, and for those who have just discovered my blog, welcome!

I’ve been a busy little bee over here once the semester started, and while it can be slightly (HA! slightly…) stressful, I’m learning to love being busy and eating up the empty time I have in-between my classes to study and be a part of more things here on my campus. I’m also starting my training for a half marathon this spring with my run club and I am OVERLY EXCITED FOR THAT (!!!!!!!!!!).

While all seems peachy, I’ve had some struggles this semester once again, and instead of hiding them I’d like to share what I’m experiencing and potentially help others who may be in the same boat as I am.

I touched on this last semester, but I am still struggling to find a happy medium here with food intake and how I respect my body. Unfortunately, I’ve reached some spells of negativity and found myself having a very hard time being in touch with my inner self. Not something I thought I’d be experiencing, as I was so excited to leave for college; but none the less, it is not something you can ignore or hide. It is what it is and this made me decide that my new year’s resolution was to move away from the eating habits I’ve developed and live more fully without dwelling on the past. It’s been a journey so far, and no, it is not easy to break habits I’ve built up…. but I guess I’m working on it.

Why do I bring this up?

I need to learn to balance things in my life better than I have, and I think that is something a lot of people can relate to. We (as in most of us) are constantly stuck in a fixed mindset that tells us right from wrong. In some cases, that’s great! You can’t go stealing things from Whole Foods! But in other cases, it may be apart of our demise. For myself, I know that is completely true, and it was very hard to come to terms with that.

I believe that my fixed mindset is a HUGE factor in why sometimes when the pizza comes out, I eat a lot more than feels okay in my body. I am constantly living in this world where I feel I need to be healthy ALL. THE. TIME. And then when I break that “rule”? Shit. Let’s get all the food down in one bite and go for more!

Let me tell you, that is NOT fun, and is NOT the way I have ever approached food. I love food, and I want to have a healthy relationship with it.

I guess here’s my point for this post: learn to love yourself and learn that every once in awhile it is okay to let go. A lot of times I feel like we get wrapped up in different things that surround us. The media, people who live near us, goals… and it’s hard when we feel like we aren’t perfect… But…. News Flash: we are not perfect. It is time to accept that. It is time we find a good balance. It is time that we love ourselves for even those small things we hate and it is time that we embrace body and mindful peace.

A challenge: break that “fixed mindset” once a day. See how good it feels, and try to incorporate it more. My goal? Leave it in the past for good. But for now, once a day seems reasonable.

Oh, and remember, balance your life, but also your relationship with food. Healthy, and not so healthy.

‘Cause pizza is reallllll good.

 

Surviving Semester One

The end of the semester is coming around the corner *cheers dramatically*.

College, unfortunately, is not some walk in the park and I think we’ve all come to figure that out as we began our journey almost three months ago. The stress levels are killer, you have to unlock the bathroom door every time, and your favorite shower is almost always taken.

Don’t get me wrong, though, although it’s stressful, it’s a blast all in one. The people you meet and the experiences you have are incredible; and I can finally say that I feel like I’m really getting into the swing of things. With studying and buddying, college is a whole whirl wind of things going on. For someone like me who prides as a creature of habit most days, this can be freakin’ overwhelming.

The first month and a half, I struggled hard here at Iowa State. My eating was off, I could barely sleep, and the thing I thought about most was when my family was coming to visit me. I often sat there, eating junk food thinking “I wish I had my kitchen and my two dogs”. My running was depleted and I felt like the joy I had coming to college was smothered by this sadness.

I woke up, then, and realized; I am in the time of my life. Sure, residence halls blow, and hair balls in the bathroom are killer, but I am on my way to becoming what I want to be when I grow up. I am surrounded by people struggling JUST LIKE ME. So why the pity party? At this moment, I felt like I grew up and now I’ve put together an awesome lists of ways YOU can survive your first or second semester too. Because no one deserves to be unhappy; you gotta live and you gotta live NOW!

1. Find your hobby

Whether it be running, drawing, biking, reading, laying in a field; find something you love to do that can distract you when times are getting tough. A major component of overcoming stress and even sadness sometimes, is to spark a little joy by doing a favorite thing.

2. Use that hobby, and find others that do the same

I cannot stress this enough; finding people who are involved in your similar interests can rock your world more than you think. In high school maybe you had clubs or sports you participated in daily and now you feel detached because college is so big and what if I don’t have those great things? Good news, bud. There’s tons of people interested in the same things you are. Get out there, join that club or sport and hang out with cool people that you can connect with on a level other friends may not be able to. For me, I found run club and culinary club. Obsessed with both, and the people bring me MAJOR joy.

3. Make friends with people on your floor or in your building

It is so scary coming into a place you don’t know anyone, and sometimes, you feel alone. The thing is, there are tons of people “feeling alone”- therefore, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. I remember my first night here I went to bed and was like “oh my god I am friendless and no one is here for me help me, MOM COME BACK!”. Then, the next day I went to dinner with my floor and I met some of my greatest friends here on campus. It involved capture the flag and an accidental butt grab; but hey, I have friends now!

All I can say is having people close to you that can share a friendship is something you will need, especially when a homesickness feel hits and you can’t survive without an immediate hug.

4. Hit up Group fitness classes

Every person and their mother is going to tell you to “WORKOUT” because freshman 15 and all that jazz. Sure, weight gain is NOT fun (lol, me! it’s okay- you will probably experience it; it’s a part of life!), but it’s not irreversible and it isn’t some initiation into college. Something to utilize, especially if you aren’t into working out alone, is group fitness. There are SO many classes you can take, ranging from cardio cycling to yoga to belly dance.  I utilize the yoga classes at least twice a week, and it’s great to feel motivated by others to get in some good exercise. Even if you like to work out on your own, like me, these classes are just fun!

5. Journal

Every single day, I start my morning with writing 25 daily gratitudes. I cannot tell you the difference this has made in my life here. In the beginning, I was struggling with binge eating to comfort me (not a good thing to do!), and then I felt sad and terrible more than I would like to. Then, one morning, I decided that this was not something I wanted, and I forced myself to write 25 things I was happy about that day. From that day, I had continued this and I have been BINGE FREE! I’m not some miracle cure, but just someone who needed to remember that there is good in my life, and I shouldn’t throw away the progress I made from my previous eating disorder.

 

Get cute pencils from eathealthydesigns.com !!!

Journaling is the key to opening up when you just can’t speak. I’m almost on journal number two! Another great thing to do is to write down all your fun adventures. You can look back and smile when you think of all the crazy things you’ve done!

6. Seek help

Whether it be from a tutor or a therapist, if you are struggling, do not fear to reach out to someone. As I stated above, I struggled with my eating and I have now found myself with a therapy appointment on Thursday mornings. It was scary at first, but I realized that to better myself, I needed the extra help. This goes for classes, too. If chemistry doesn’t click with you, don’t ride the semester out feeling down and unworthy of a good grade; ask for help! There are so many tutors available, as well as review sessions for tests!

7. Be you

This is cheesy, but just be yourself. No one can be cool as the real you, and the great thing about college is that there are so many people just like you that have the same interests and even the same humor. Don’t change who you are.

 

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I hope this post on semester one survival tips was helpful because these were some things that really helped me ride out this semester. I still have a few weeks to go, but I’m ending this semester feeling like Emily again, and I only wish to bring that to other people that may be roughing it their first months of this newness. Let me know if you ever need anything, or have more tips on how to survive!

STUDY FOR YOUR FINALS!

New Challenges, A New Perspective.

Boy, do I wish I could be posting some killer cooked recipe that I made while at home. Unfortunately, that is VERY unrealistic here in the lovely residence halls of Iowa State! And s unfortunate as it is and though the amount I am missing my kitchen is quite incredible, I am currently LOVING college. Yes, it is kicking my butt; but I am truly enjoying myself each day.

As a new college kid, and someone who has struggled with anxiety and an eating disorder, newness is a freaky situation to me. I am a very routine individual, and because that gets off, it gives me stress like no other. I love being relaxed, yet when your life changes so drastically, it can be very, VERY scary. Especially when social eating is not something I have been used to, as well as not having the beautiful option of cooking all my favorite things at the drop of a hat (I’m looking’ at you crispy sweet potato wedges!!!).

I have been scared here, and I am sure that there are many other individuals feeling the same way I am; trying to balance recovery as well as living a normal young adult life.

Working’ on the social eating!

I spoke a few posts ago about my eating and how it has changed since being here. It’s been a process, but I am beginning to get a better grip on the excessive eating. It’s tricky to explain, but each day I take time to evaluate how I am feeling and what’s going on. I’m not saying it’s perfect- PUH LEASE!- in fact, just the other night I ate a ton, and felt like a pile of crap afterwards, but what I’m saying is that if you are struggling, you can make it, too.

When this all started, I was so afraid. I hated it every second, and it happened more often than not. I found myself seeing others eat things I didn’t even want, yet I felt pressured to succumb and eat what I didn’t have on my plate already. But I’ve realized that this is not making me happy. Following my values is not hard. It is a choice I enjoy, and sometimes, I forget that. I forget that I cannot be everyone else. I should not be embarrassed about being human, about being someone who enjoys broccoli or gets excited about almond milk. I should not be embarrassed to be an Emily.

Emily and Emily for lunch?

I began to open up, and now I am finding happiness quite often.

I believe that everyone has the ability to find this balance in college; and I am excited for the day where I can say I am completely balanced here. For now, I wanted to share my journey, what I’m learning here in Iowa, and how I am getting closer to the real me. For now, remember that you too can embrace change.

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A Girl Uncovered: Revisiting Summer and Now

Week one of college is officially over.

I think I can actually say I’m a college student now, and to me, that’s pretty neat considering I’ve been dreaming of this opportunity for a long time. It’s been a transition for sure, but one I’m really starting to enjoy.

But before I embark on this four year adventure, I wanted to revisit something that’s bothered me over the summer; something I’ve come across here at my campus this first week; and something I plan on working on to better myself once again.

I preach balance, and for months on end, I lived it in the best way possible. Unfortunately this summer, I came across a road of late-night food shoveling and some nasty times of eating way too much; and continuing because I already dabbled in it. I don’t want to label it bingeing, but to some extent I think I am or was. And that concerned me deeply.

Yet I couldn’t change my habits. It was hard and I found myself really feeling bad about what I was doing with my food. I love food, and here I felt as though I had begun to abuse it again, just in a different way than I did two years ago.

My main thoughts that provoked it were probably due to emotional and stress problems leading up to such a big change in my life. At points, I’d think- “this is okay because I had a bad day” or “I’m stressed so… ben and jerry’s?”. These thoughts are far from what I preach, and as the summer had begun to end, I really was upset by how it played out.

I want to make something clear as I continue. I don’t see this as a “oh god I’m going to get fat” problem. As a girl who has learned to respect and love her body, I want to be far away from that type of thinking. It creates a problem, though, when I respect my body so much, yet push my stomach to limits and eat foods that hurt my system because I don’t know how to control it. That’s where my problems arise.

I took a lot of time to evaluate this before I even thought about posting; but I know many young people and older people alike struggle at some points with this. As a kid now going into college, I wanted to offer what I’m doing to help the situation. In no way am I a professional. But I am a human.

I first looked at what’s been going on, and that’s a lot. I’m moving away from home, leaving friends and family, encountering new obstacles with food, fast meals, fast times… yada yada. Then I came up with what I think I need to do.

1. Journal when emotions and stressors come into play. This is HUGE! It gives you a moment to pep talk or to hash out feelings you may throw other places.
2. Evaluate how I’m feeling and why I feel the need to reach for food.
3. Enjoy what I’m eating; and not think about when it will be gone or how I would want more.
4. Start preparing and trying new things. Being in a rut causes your body to have more cravings than normal.
5. Honor my cravings with healthier options, that way when I do reach for a “treat” or a “balanced” type meal, it feels good. Not bad.

I’m hoping I can make it work because I truly love the life of balance and I can’t wait to find it again. Let me know if there’s any questions or concerns you ever need answered and remember…

 

Balance is key.

 

Lollapalooza Recap

Four days checked off my bucket list.

Last year, I went to Lollapalooza for a day. After that day, I made it my goal to spend my last summer moments before college in the same beautiful park, with my friends. Little did I know, I’d also make it my goal ((later on)) to attend all four days of it.

I have been so excited for so many months, weeks, and days counting down to this amazing event. And now that it’s over, I want to share the incredible experience I had the past weekend in one of my favorite cities; filled with music, great food and some of my greatest friends!

 

The center of it all.

Thursday was my first day off and I started at my own house, filling up on my bowl o’ goodness oats that have been a staple this summer. And then I was off to the 9:40 express down to Chitown where I’d spend the day running in between sets with friends (aka The 1975 and The Arcs at the SAME time…ANARCHY!). A rain delay for the front gates, rain in the middle of Bastille, and…. some interesting eats!

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I have to be honest: Not many food choices, and that really made me mad. I was excited for Chowtown as a crazed foodie should be, yet it was filled with a bunch of fries and pizza. Granted, yes, that’s great and all. But I can get that anywhere! I ended up finding Goddess and Grocer all the way at the end with an incredible Thai Tofu wrap that kept me filled for hours (with an afternoon apple!). Tofu tacos from Chipotle (praise these, I ate them three days in a row!) were my dinner.

Friday was the same run of things, except I ended up leaving for awhile to grab some of my favorite stir-fry around from Brightwork Kitchen . Bless, it saved me!

Golden Miso sauce = heaven

While that was great, so were a few of the bands I saw that day. The Struts had a killer performance (one of the best!), not to mention Lewis Del Mar, Alessia Cara, Fouls, and Radiohead for the headliner. The Struts by far had one of the funnest performances I’ve witnessed as a concert goer. BBBBABBBY BBBBABBBBY bBBBAyYYYBAYYYY!

Saturday was my favorite day, and not just for one reason (although, one is more prominent!). One: spent 12 hours with my best friends since kindergarten, two: front row for four bands, three: tacos., four:

I just may have weaseled my way and waited for four hours to be front row for my favorite band in the entire world: Red Hot Chili Peppers.

I don’t have a lot of words to describe that experience for you, but it involved tears and a bundle of absolute joy as I heard words that fueled my recovery from my eating disorder two years again; except I heard them and witnessed them being sang. It was just… it was just so cool.

My view from the front… HOW YOU DOIN’, GRANT PARK?

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All I can say is that I left Grant Park speechless that day. And while they topped the day (and the weekend), Nothing but Thieves and X Ambassadors rocked my Saturday too.

Definitely could have done without the show from Jane’s Addiction. Ew. Did not care for the strippers.

Sunday was just a day of me. Which was awesome. I took a later train, and spent my last time in the city before college exploring the rest of the fest, listened to some music here and there, and grabbed Native Foods for dinner.

Bangkok Curry Bowl with blackened tempeh

I spent the rest of the night in recovery at my lovely home. Each night, I’d come home and fuel my body with some food at crash around 12:30. Safe to say, Sunday I went to bed at 10 with no problems.

 

Here’s what I have to say about Lollapalooza:

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1. Don’t expect to see everyone you want. It’s impossible, and yes it stinks. But, don’t beat yourself up! Take it as an excuse to explore new bands, and try out different things.
2. WATER. I never realized how important it is. I mean, I drink a lot of water anyways, but the amount of camelbaks I went through this weekend could probably fill Lake Michigan.
3. Never take for granted good food. Seriously.
4. Take time to appreciate how wonderful life is every once in awhile. This weekend, I was able to spend time with my favorite people in such a beautiful place. And not only that, but I met so many fabulous human beings that cared about music just as much as I did. People can be different than you, but you may find that there are so many similarities in the smallest of things.

 

My weekend was beautiful. Truly. The food was good, the laughs were endless, and the music blew my mind one too many times. I only hope that this summer, you got to cross something epic off your bucket list, too.

 

Learning How to Juggle

No I don’t mean juggling three balls on a unicycle here. Today, I’m talking about how to juggle being a blogger, being an athlete, and being a human.

Sometimes, and almost always, life is tricky. It is not easy to handle things being thrown at you all the time, especially when you’ve got expectations to fill, places to be, and your head is spinning in 110 different directions all the time. If it was easy to handle, life would be a cake walk. We’d wake up every morning with perfect hair, gleaming teeth and every second of the day would fall into place just the way we like it. Unfortunately, that’s not the way life is.

But, maybe we should embrace that craziness.

For myself, the past few months have been incredibly hectic. As a senior in high school, I’m finishing classes up, ending my track season, trying to see my family and friends, working part time and not to mention trying to take in all I can before I leave for school next fall. Weeks have been fully packed, sometimes not getting home until 7 pm. I’ve been struggling to make a good meal for Instagram, and man does that stink! Sometimes, I’m just not feeling the week at all. I’m tired, lost and bobbing in water way above my head… yet, there’s a magical thing about that because I am living my life.

Here’s the thing: when stress hits, we all want to run and hide. The fear of not having enough time is one of biggest frights most of us have due to the fact that our society tells us on a daily basis we have to be perfect. Well, guess what, I’m here to tell you that perfection isn’t possible, and it’s time to rock that juggling game.

Sure, I may be some crazy chick on a website whose telling you juggling and balancing and running around like a health freak that just found out avocados are on sale (lol, me) is part of life and is natural, but if you ask any old person, they’ll tell you the same. Life cannot be this perfect schedule, as we would miss out on the spontaneity of being who we are. Through the past years, I’ve learned a hell of a lot about the word balance through experience. And by god, I’ve come farther than I ever thought I could. Therefore, I wanted to share some wisdom by writing down some lessons I’ve taken in, as well as tips to get over those damn humps we hit each week.

1. Make time for yourself at least once during the week.
   1. Yes, this may sound crazy, but with a busy schedule, sitting down and breathing in your own space can open up wonders to relaxation. You deserve that moment of breathing, or mediation. And believe you deserve it! You may struggle at first, but try out fifteen minutes on a Sunday to sit in silence.
2.  Meal prep or plan or the weekend
   1. This has helped me so much. If you’ve got a schedule lined up for the week with weird hours, and rushed meals, try on Saturday or Sunday to get some grocery shopping in and prep meals for the week. Even if it’s just a few to get through some days, work that out! Time can fly by and when you come home hangry, it’s nice to have something there and ready!
3.  Find enjoyment in exercise.
   1. You probably thought I was just going to say, GET YOUR BODY MOVING. But to me, that doesn’t really make sense. If you’re hating what you’re doing, you aren’t benefiting from it, no matter what anyone else says. Find something that makes you move, and smile at the same time. For myself, I love to run so I’m not dreading getting in those miles. Other people, not so much. Try out new workouts (even if it’s just walking) and find your thaaaaang!
4. Sleep. Yes, sleep.
   1. We all know this one, but it’s the most important of all. Shoot for a solid 7-8 hours of sleep a night, and really try to! We all say we need more sleep, but then why not do it? Make rest important because it is! Sleeping is the best way to recover your body from workouts, and even just the hectic rushing of the day.
5. Eat well. Eat balanced.
   1. Greens and veggies are so good for you, yet so many people hate them. Which is understandable. When you’re young, no one looks at broccoli as an afternoon snack, so why would you at any age? So maybe find a way to dress that broccoli up! Healthy eating does not have to be boring. There are so many ways to embrace a healthy lifestyle without giving up eating tasty, nutritious foods. And here’s another thing: Everyone is telling you ALL the time to get those healthy foods in, and sometimes, it’s excessive. Learn to treat yourself once in awhile. Embrace fancy dinners out with friends, don’t stress over that scoop of ice cream! Life is easier when you don’t hound yourself all the time.

There are so many other things you can do to take on that juggling life, but the one thing you’ve got to remember is to believe you can do it! Yeah, it’s cheesy, but it’s true. Believe you can do it, make goals, create a healthy mindset and rock on.

You’ve got this!

Let me know what you do to help you juggle.

The Veg Week

Monday. Oh, Monday here we go AGAIN!

A lot of people hate on Mondays, and I feel like that is such a sad way to look at a fresh start. I’m not saying that Mondays are my favorite days, but I think it’s time we start looking at beginnings as more of a positive than a negative! Especially when you’ve got an entire week ahead.

Starting with a positive mind set is definitely something I try to practice as often as possible. And so this week, I’m trying to be optimistic about a certain lifestyle I’m taking on!

This year, I am in a class called AP Environmental Science; a class where we study the specific trends and factors that play into the way our environment works, and our world as a whole. As a class project revolved around food production and wellness, we’ve all signed a pledge to go vegetarian for the week. At first, I was really weary on the whole idea because it had led to unhealthy habits in the past.

But ever since I started blogging and really investing my time into a healthy lifestyle, I realized that I’m excited to take this challenge. It’s another way to kind of dive into a lifestyle I don’t normally partake in; and it’s an opportunity to test out different foods for the week, as well.

Since this is the first day of the challenge, I’m going to update you on what I prepped for this “veggie week”, and throughout the week I’ll keep you all up to date on how the week is going!

My Sunday was filled with a run to the store(s). You gotta pick up a bunch of stuff to get ready for a whole week; you feel?

Things I bought:

• Sweet potatoes
• Acorn squash
• Spinach
• Cherry tomatoes
• Cauliflower (Cauliflower steaks!!)
• Berries
• Bananas
• Nuts (Cashews, Sliced Almonds)
• Brown rice cakes
• Almond Milk
• Tempeh
• Tofu
• Chickpeas and Black beans
• Engine-2 wraps (6g of protein, baby!)
• Quinoa

Other things not shown were frozen fruit for smoothies, apples, eggs, edamame… etc.

Obviously this is a lot of stuff for a week, but these are all healthy options for food for days to come even after the whole veggie week is over. I also prepped some easy foods for the week, and once again, days to come.

A huuuuuuge batch of my Cinnamon Nut Granola that is packed with protein! My family loves it and it’s a great topper for smoothies; or even just to snack on.

Another batch of banana muffins. Guys, why don’t I write this recipe down???

I baked two sweet potatoes for quick grabs, and some beets too. I decided to leave the squash so I can try out a recipe or just have it freshly roasted. Same with the other potatoes I bought.

I decided to try out a chickpea salad and it was totally simple! Threw some chickpeas in a blender for literally a second to mash, added avocado, chopped peppers+ red chili flakes, and then swirled in some Fix Sriracha for an extra tang! Perfect protein to spread on an english muffin or throw in a wrap!

The last thing…? No bake bites, baby! Developed a Chocolate coconut recipe… check it out here.

 

Cannot wait to start trying some new meals… I’ll keep you on the loop!

 

Now it’s your turn…

What sort of things do you sub out for meat?

What types of things do you make on Sundays to let the stress of the week subside?

 

 

 

 

 

What I Ate Wednesday: Second Semester Changes

Hey all you people, hey all you people!

Sorry it’s been a little while since I’ve posted. I’ve been taking a slight break from technology to enjoy family and friends for the weekend… but now I’m back! Here to share some eats with you for a lovely little Wednesday.

I’m also going to talk through some healthy changes I feel like starting to make in my life… EXCITING!

Breakfast:

 

 

Had an awesome egg and egg white omelet with zuchinni, spinach, mushrooms, fresh cherry tomatoes and a side of sliced avocado, and of course a homemade banana bread muffin. I keep forgetting to write down my recipe. SERIOUSLY WHAT THE HELL.

Alright so change number 1: OFF THE FREAKING CRUTCHES! YES FOR REAL. I am so ecstatic at this moment.  This means I can use a bike at the gym, start physically therapy and be on my merry way to running again…YIPPEE!

 

Lunch:

SO. This wasn’t technically my lunch, to certain extent! I recreated it for school; but my school pics are… well non existant. So here’s the same roasted veggie, tempeh, squash, beet salad tossed in ACV and diced avocado for dem healthy fats.

Another change or addition: I’m going to start a morning meditation cycle so that I can practice a healthy mindset BEFORE I start my day. I was making time for it later, but I feel like the morning is a great time to awaken yourself to your day, and find peace right off the bat. I’m also going to try some morning yoga before school. Definitely brief, but it may be worth it.

Snack:

Sliced banana, Wild Friends pb, homemade granola (and a spoonful or two more or the pb)

Dinner:

Roasted veggies with chicken, sauteed kale, lentils and avocado

Change #3: Enjoy every moment. This is my last semester of high school, and I want this to be the best yet. I want to focus on me, focus on having fun, and focus on my future. Complaining is for the whimps!

Change #4: In the past, I started this thing of eating when I wasn’t hungry because I thought I constantly needed to nourish my body. This left me feeling sick, and not enjoying the taste of food. Because I lost a little bit of weight, I feel the need to pressure myself into this again- and THAT IS NOT GOOD. I’m going to start evaluating my hunger, and treat my body with the nourishment it needs…. not wants or feels like I need. After dinner, if my body isn’t feeling a huge snack, I’m planning on listening to it.

It’s hard to get your balance when things are so flippy floppy in your life, and since I preach a life of balance, I’m going to work hard to achieve it best I can!

A random What I Ate Wednesday…COMPLETE.

Healthy Habits for 2016

January… ALREADY!

It’s crazy how fast things fly by when you’re having fun.. and eating good food, and lovin’ life every once and awhile. If you’re interested in how my 2015 went, click here.

These past couple months have definitely been different. Living life as a legit runner, taking time off for injury, exploring new interests… yada yada. I think everyone’s life skips around, therefore my experiences have probably brought a moment in the last months of 2015 that strike with something out of the ordinary for you. This is what life is supposed to be; living it up, and trying to stretch the comfort zone you’ve built around yourself.

To maybe open up some pathways, I wanted to create a post sharing some new habits or things I want to try out as we roll into this new year. I suppose that in my eyes, a resolution works, but to make it stick… that’s a whole new story! That’s why I’ve taken the liberty to create some goals I’d like to form into habits; therefore, they stick forever!

Write a list of weekly to-dos

Sure, maybe this is totally plain and boring, but to get things done, you need to take the time to figure out what needs to be done! I always find myself falling behind right at the beginning because I can’t think of what comes next. Instead of having weight bear over me, I’m sticking a post-it note underneath my daily calendar each Sunday, listing off what I want to accomplish.

I’ve also downloaded a goal keeping up until I get the hang of it. It alerts me when I wanted to get things done by, so I don’t have to pile up later. Nothing on my shoulders? Sounds like a plan to me!

Start my day with water, and keep it going

I drink a lot of water. In fact, it maybe one of the only things I drink, aside from a daily tea or coffee, and maybe a Kombucha drink here or there. But, I find myself forgetting to drink that morning glass, leaving me wanting to drink a gallon at a time. Then, I skip it later and the cycle repeats. Water is such an essential nutrient in our body, and I feel like I’m depriving myself of something sooooo wonderful! It does great wonders, and I’m making it my goal to keep my hydration consistent through my day.

Take my blogging and Insta to a new level

So… I’m falling in love with the food blogging community (HEY BGB), and I’m also seriously falling in love with food and capturing pictures of it. I am fully aware that I am NOT a wonderful photographer (yet…), but it is my goal this year to step up my game.

I’m using a new camera, trying to find lighting in my house (HA!), and relying a lot on great posts from my girl, Georgie, over at Initforthelongrun . It’s going to be a trip, that’s for sure, but whenever I have extra time on my hands, I’m going to put a little more effort into really creating these two awesome things in my life. That means, more blog posts, more insta shots, and hopefully new opportunities.

Meditate

I’ve been an infrequent meditator(?) for a little while now, but I’m interested in pursuing it more frequently. I love the charge it gives afterwards; it’s definitely important to be aware of yourself and feel as though you can give all you can for most of your day. Along with this, we’ll be throwing in yoga and stretches to really spice it up!

Whole, Nutritious Foods

Whole foods are so important, and I’m going to strive to make them a majority of my diet. Of course, balance is always key. I don’t plan on going on some paleo, veggie, juice…etc. No, that’s not what I’m speaking of! I’m learning that pure ingredients and foods with all their nutritious sit the best in my body, and allow me to do the things I want. Therefore, why not make them a daily? I’m excited to bring out the new cookbooks, test and experiment with new foods, and truly embrace the foodie!

Of course, I’ve got other goals; but who doesn’t? These are just some of the big things I have coming up in my new year that I wanted to share. If you want to know more, feel free to hit me up!

What goals do you have comin’ your way in 2016?