Sigh. Blogging. Who has the TIME for it!? hah. I like blogging. And I want to keep doing it. It's just so hard to find the time to do it. Maybe if I start treating it more like homework or something, maybe always do it on the same day each week, I don't know. If I don't set some kind of schedule, it's just not going to happen... And on top of that, I'm always going in ten different directions, sometimes I don't even know where to begin! What should I focus on blogging about? People like food... I could stick to that. But sometimes there are other random things that come up, or other projects I'm working on, so shrug. The past couple days I've felt a nagging feeling to blog, I've been thinking a lot and feel like I should share it somehow. I'm pretty excited though now. I feel like the past week has caused some kind of renewed energy or something.
I had actually been struggling. A lot. I think part of it has to do with the fact that my husband has been gone for five months and now it's time to start thinking about him coming home. And I'm sure I'm not alone, as a woman, when we start thinking about how we want to look fantastic when our husbands see us. I think most people that know me already know that I'm (for the most part) pretty good about what I eat and I try and limit processed foods, sugars, and so on... and I've been working out really hard. And I definitely do feel like I see a difference in my body, as far as getting "tone", but when it comes to that damn stomach.... Oh, damn you, stomach. That six pack I ordered just hasn't shown up on my doorstep still. And I'm beginning to wonder if it ever will. I mean, I've had two kids in the past two and a half years. And I actually weigh less than I did in high school, and hell, maybe even junior high! Hah. But no matter size or shape, it gets frustrating when you feel like you are working to make something happen... and it's just not. While at the gym today, I decided to ask a girl that works up front, about this topic. You can just tell by the way she looks, that she was probably a body builder or something at one point in her life. When I talk about her to my husband, we call her She-ra. So anyways, I'm talking to She-ra and ask her what do I do about this "loose skin" that just won't go away. Her instant answer was "food." Which is exactly what I expected her to answer. I mean, I hear it, read it, all the time, that you could do ab workouts all day long, but it still comes down to diet. Ugh! I was hoping she'd tell me some alternative "super secret." Haha. But no. So we talked for a bit, but she's like "Unless you cut out all sugar, most carbs, all of it, and you're hardcore about it, then sure!" But who wants to do that?!? I LOVE baking... and I already switched out for better sugars and flours, but there's just no way I actually WANT to stop eating bread and muffins and FRUIT! I mean, I went a month, back in February, with only eating 15 grams of sugar a day and that INCLUDED natural sugar, such as fruit. So for you out there, that don't know, an apple can have 15-20 grams alone. So yeah. What's the fun in that. I mean, of course I'm still going to try and eat as clean as possible and watch my caloric intake, but let us not get crazy about it... It DID make me feel better when She-ra said something about having "bodies like ours"... like she was lumping ME in with HER! That just seems so silly to me.
So ANYways... I've just been at war lately with my body and with food. It's trying to consume my day, always thinking about how many calories are in what, and scales, and so on and so on. It was becoming endless! After about a week of this madness, I'd been thinking to myself, ok, something's gotta give! But acceptance is something I've always struggled with...
So the same week that all this is happening, I've also decided that maybe I should try out one of the women's bible studies at the church we've been going to. They go on every week and I've always talked about it, but never mustered up the courage to actually go. I didn't grow up going to church or anything, so it's far from second nature for me. And I know sometimes my parents joke about having gone wrong in not raising us as "spiritual" or anything, but I really hope they don't fret about it too much. I feel like that journey is different for everyone and mine included my husband. And I'd want it no other way. But I digress. I've just been feeling like I need to meet new and different people, and I'd like to meet people that are also on a spiritual path, which is sometimes hard to do in everyday life. So I go and there are six studies going on, but only one that still has space available. The book that is being covered is called "Breaking Free" by Beth Moore. From the sound of it, Beth Moore is a household name for most women with any kind of spiritual background, but for me? I've never heard of her. But as the morning goes on and things are being discussed, I'm discovering that I've stumbled into something that is EXACTLY what I needed. Beth goes on about how we as women let things take over our life and it doesn't matter how much we get of it, it's never enough. An addiction. Whether it be money, men, clothes, religion, or even the way we look. We let it consume us, and it isn't healthy. And she talks about how it doesn't matter who we are, if you're a woman, there is SOMEthing that you are insecure about, it's just in our nature to worry and fret over things in a way that men just don't do. It was so reassuring to sit in a roomful of women and know that they are struggling with the same thoughts and feelings that I was. It never fails that every time I hear a message, it is exactly what I needed to hear in my life. Amazing. And by no means a coincidence.
I know I'm still going to have days where I just feel horrible about everything. But this week has been great, as far as waking up and realizing what's REALLY going to matter as I go through the day. And even if there are things that I'll worry about, I can't let it consume my day in its entirety!
Sigh. Well, this hasn't been much of a blog that will do anyone any good, really, it's more of public diary right now!! I suppose to make it worth your while, I'll post what we had for dinner. More carbs than what we typically have, but again, that's OKAY!! ;-) Haha
My Leek and Potato Chicken Soup and Spelt and Buckwheat biscuits:
In a dutch oven, add a tbsp grapeseed oil and two chicken breasts and cook on medium low, covered. After chicken is cooked, about twenty minutes, shred with fork and add 5 chopped green onions and 3 chopped leeks, allow to sweat for about five minutes. Add two boxes chicken broth (low sodium!) and 5 small potatoes, chopped, along with 3 bay leaves and 1 tsp thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Turn up heat to medium, medium-high, and allow potatoes to cook through. Turn back to low and take about two to three cups of soup, and if possible, try and grab mostly potatoes and leeks, less chicken, and put into a blender. Pulse a few times and stir back into soup. This makes for a thicker, creamier soup.
For the biscuits, combine:
2 cups light spelt flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 heaping tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
cut in 1/4 cup brummel and brown yogurt spread and 1/4 cup butter or margarine
add 1 tbsp raw honey and 1 cup almond milk
Mix together and roll out onto counter, sprinkle with flour and knead 10 or so times. Roll out to about an inch thick and use a round biscuit cutter to cut and lay out on nonstick cookie sheet. Makes about 10 biscuits. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, depending on whether your oven is crappy like mine or not. (And remember, I'm at a high altitude, so the flour amount may differ a little for you!)
Enjoy on a cold snowy day like today!
I had actually been struggling. A lot. I think part of it has to do with the fact that my husband has been gone for five months and now it's time to start thinking about him coming home. And I'm sure I'm not alone, as a woman, when we start thinking about how we want to look fantastic when our husbands see us. I think most people that know me already know that I'm (for the most part) pretty good about what I eat and I try and limit processed foods, sugars, and so on... and I've been working out really hard. And I definitely do feel like I see a difference in my body, as far as getting "tone", but when it comes to that damn stomach.... Oh, damn you, stomach. That six pack I ordered just hasn't shown up on my doorstep still. And I'm beginning to wonder if it ever will. I mean, I've had two kids in the past two and a half years. And I actually weigh less than I did in high school, and hell, maybe even junior high! Hah. But no matter size or shape, it gets frustrating when you feel like you are working to make something happen... and it's just not. While at the gym today, I decided to ask a girl that works up front, about this topic. You can just tell by the way she looks, that she was probably a body builder or something at one point in her life. When I talk about her to my husband, we call her She-ra. So anyways, I'm talking to She-ra and ask her what do I do about this "loose skin" that just won't go away. Her instant answer was "food." Which is exactly what I expected her to answer. I mean, I hear it, read it, all the time, that you could do ab workouts all day long, but it still comes down to diet. Ugh! I was hoping she'd tell me some alternative "super secret." Haha. But no. So we talked for a bit, but she's like "Unless you cut out all sugar, most carbs, all of it, and you're hardcore about it, then sure!" But who wants to do that?!? I LOVE baking... and I already switched out for better sugars and flours, but there's just no way I actually WANT to stop eating bread and muffins and FRUIT! I mean, I went a month, back in February, with only eating 15 grams of sugar a day and that INCLUDED natural sugar, such as fruit. So for you out there, that don't know, an apple can have 15-20 grams alone. So yeah. What's the fun in that. I mean, of course I'm still going to try and eat as clean as possible and watch my caloric intake, but let us not get crazy about it... It DID make me feel better when She-ra said something about having "bodies like ours"... like she was lumping ME in with HER! That just seems so silly to me.
So ANYways... I've just been at war lately with my body and with food. It's trying to consume my day, always thinking about how many calories are in what, and scales, and so on and so on. It was becoming endless! After about a week of this madness, I'd been thinking to myself, ok, something's gotta give! But acceptance is something I've always struggled with...
So the same week that all this is happening, I've also decided that maybe I should try out one of the women's bible studies at the church we've been going to. They go on every week and I've always talked about it, but never mustered up the courage to actually go. I didn't grow up going to church or anything, so it's far from second nature for me. And I know sometimes my parents joke about having gone wrong in not raising us as "spiritual" or anything, but I really hope they don't fret about it too much. I feel like that journey is different for everyone and mine included my husband. And I'd want it no other way. But I digress. I've just been feeling like I need to meet new and different people, and I'd like to meet people that are also on a spiritual path, which is sometimes hard to do in everyday life. So I go and there are six studies going on, but only one that still has space available. The book that is being covered is called "Breaking Free" by Beth Moore. From the sound of it, Beth Moore is a household name for most women with any kind of spiritual background, but for me? I've never heard of her. But as the morning goes on and things are being discussed, I'm discovering that I've stumbled into something that is EXACTLY what I needed. Beth goes on about how we as women let things take over our life and it doesn't matter how much we get of it, it's never enough. An addiction. Whether it be money, men, clothes, religion, or even the way we look. We let it consume us, and it isn't healthy. And she talks about how it doesn't matter who we are, if you're a woman, there is SOMEthing that you are insecure about, it's just in our nature to worry and fret over things in a way that men just don't do. It was so reassuring to sit in a roomful of women and know that they are struggling with the same thoughts and feelings that I was. It never fails that every time I hear a message, it is exactly what I needed to hear in my life. Amazing. And by no means a coincidence.
I know I'm still going to have days where I just feel horrible about everything. But this week has been great, as far as waking up and realizing what's REALLY going to matter as I go through the day. And even if there are things that I'll worry about, I can't let it consume my day in its entirety!
Sigh. Well, this hasn't been much of a blog that will do anyone any good, really, it's more of public diary right now!! I suppose to make it worth your while, I'll post what we had for dinner. More carbs than what we typically have, but again, that's OKAY!! ;-) Haha
My Leek and Potato Chicken Soup and Spelt and Buckwheat biscuits:
In a dutch oven, add a tbsp grapeseed oil and two chicken breasts and cook on medium low, covered. After chicken is cooked, about twenty minutes, shred with fork and add 5 chopped green onions and 3 chopped leeks, allow to sweat for about five minutes. Add two boxes chicken broth (low sodium!) and 5 small potatoes, chopped, along with 3 bay leaves and 1 tsp thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Turn up heat to medium, medium-high, and allow potatoes to cook through. Turn back to low and take about two to three cups of soup, and if possible, try and grab mostly potatoes and leeks, less chicken, and put into a blender. Pulse a few times and stir back into soup. This makes for a thicker, creamier soup.
For the biscuits, combine:
2 cups light spelt flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 heaping tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
cut in 1/4 cup brummel and brown yogurt spread and 1/4 cup butter or margarine
add 1 tbsp raw honey and 1 cup almond milk
Mix together and roll out onto counter, sprinkle with flour and knead 10 or so times. Roll out to about an inch thick and use a round biscuit cutter to cut and lay out on nonstick cookie sheet. Makes about 10 biscuits. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, depending on whether your oven is crappy like mine or not. (And remember, I'm at a high altitude, so the flour amount may differ a little for you!)
Enjoy on a cold snowy day like today!
Oh, Stacy, I feel you! As far as MY stomach, even if I end up with a ripped 6 pack (which, by the way will never happen) I would have so much loose skin it would end up looking worse. Better to have a little fat to fill it up, right? I mean after 5 babies (one topping the scales at 10 pounds 1 ounce!) I am not going to look like my 18 year old self......ever. But I am SO much better than my 18 year old self. I am mother! And while I believe at treating my body right and feeding it healthy food I refuse to be that sugar-Nazi that never enjoys those wondrous things like sweets and breads! You look great, Stacy - perfect! Besides if your husband is like mine, he actually prefers some curves! ;)
ReplyDelete<3 Nic @ www.AFarmhouseFull.com
Thank you Nicci! You are amazing after five children, I can't even imagine! Yeah, luckily I like to work out, but I like to work out just as much as I like sweets! haha. ;-)
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