"Laugh as much as you breathe, and love as long as you live." ~ Swedish Proverb
Source: motherthyme.com via Alexis on Pinterest
Cauliflower pizza crust? The pizza-lover in me is quite intrigued. Mother Thyme is a gorgeous blog and I was thrilled to stumble upon it via this pin earlier in the week. When I get brave enough to give this a try, you will all be the first to learn about the taste test results. Mike may need some convincing first!
Source: fitsugar.com via Alexis on Pinterest
I could not get up for spin class this morning. Yet, I laid there in bed fretting about missing spin so how much extra sleep did I get this morning? Not much at all. And my mood is worse because of it.
Isn’t it amazing when we can’t listen to our own advice? I’m also constantly surprised by how much going (or not going) to the gym class impacts my mood. It has finally, for the first time in my entire life, become so much more than about how I look. An hour of spinning, lifting or yoga-ing is my mood booster and stress reliever. It’s where I get perspective and realize I can take on anything at work or at home. I need it badly.
But today, I needed the snooze button…and I have to learn to let that be okay too.
Make taking care of yourself, however and whenever you can find the time, a HABIT! Motivation comes and goes…just ask any bride a few months after the big white dress has been worn. But a habit can be followed for life, and you’re worth it.
Get to know your gym teachers, schedule workouts on your calendar, plan ahead for meals and other evening responsibilities, and ask your friends, family and coworkers to encourage and respect the time you are carving out for yourself.
Source: fitsugar.com via Alexis on Pinterest
Maybe it’s because half of my office seems to be on some sort of cleanse right now. Or maybe it’s because I am committed to taking good care of myself during the next few very hectic months. Whatever the reason may be, this blender full of fresh goodness represents, in one picture, how I strive to treat my body so that physically and mentally I am in a wonderful place.
Do you have a favorite pin of the week?
Source: singforyoursupperblog.com via Alexis on Pinterest
Okay mom and dad. Don’t freak out. Mike and I are not becoming vegetarian or vegan.
We have however been talking a lot about health and wellness, and questioning what we can and should be doing as we go into our 30′s (Mike in March followed by me in July) to be in the best health, with even better habits established for the years ahead.
I’ve been fascinated by the “meatless Monday” trends for awhile. However, I’ve done little to act on my intrigue with vegetarian and vegan cuisine. I was raised in a household where an easy, last-minute healthy meal always fell back to BBQ chicken. In & Out calls my name when I land in California. I like my pizza topped with pepperoni. I can’t imagine cutting out meat altogether. I’m picky enough about meat as it is, so the occasional chicken breast, burger or meat sauce just doesn’t seem that bad.
But who says it has to be all or nothing? Well, plenty of people do but we are not plenty of people. A light bulb went off for me when I was talking to a client at lunch last week who is vegan. She said, “there is a way to eat meat responsibly.” I appreciated that sentiment from her, and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. Can Mike and I become more RESPONSIBLE eaters in 2012?
We already get twice monthly shipments from Door to Door Organics–a gift to ourselves in 2011 that we both enjoy. However, on the “off” weeks I almost never buy organic because of the price. But what will that cost us health-wise in 20 years? How will we be leaving the environment for our kids?
Any adoption of a semi-vegetarian/flexitarian lifestyle Mike and I attempt to make in 2012 will be a slow one. We’re both going to be busier than ever so temptation will be high to fall back on what is easy–frozen pizzas, BBQ chicken, turkey sandwiches. I’m going to have to take meal-planning to a whole new level and rely on our freezer to store plenty of healthy, make-ahead frozen dishes…some with meat and some without. I personally am interested in cutting way back on dairy products–not for any ethical reason, but for a “reset” of my system.
It won’t be a surprise to those who know me that I’ve already started to research some new recipes that hopefully won’t cause Mike to run to the nearest Kentucky Fried Chicken. I hope to try one or all of the recipes below:
I also stumbled upon this great About.com resource for freezable, make-ahead vegetarian meals.
Have you cut down on your weekly meat consumption or cut it out entirely? Any advice for a phased adoption of a daily diet that is more focused on fruit and vegetables?
