Happy Saturday! How is your day so far? It's super bright and sunny here in Cali today.
[From the Android]
The gorgeous weather makes me want to go to the beach or hike somewhere high up in the mountains! :D
I appreciate all of your feedback on the "Save the Date" pictures, so please keep them coming! I will be printing them out really soon. Probably by tomorrow, or so I hope.
All I wanted for breakfast this morning was a thick, hearty bowl of oatmeal. After having realized that I am out of nut and seed butters, with only a few speckles of it left in the jar just enough to scrape, I decided OIAJ wins today.
OIAJ: (n.) Oats in a Jar. A delicious concoction of cold raw oats or hot oatmeal poured into a nut butter jar. Preferably, one should have at least some spots left of the nut butter in order to scrape the bottom and sides for maximum pleasure on the taste buds.
Sorry, I just had to explain what OIAJ is to those who have never tried it before! ;) A commenter asked me once, "Whatever compelled you to put oats inside a jar? What's OIAJ?" Hahaha.
In the mix there is pumpkin puree, ground flax seeds, milk, cottage cheese, Coach's Oats, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and mashed banana. Today's toppings featured fresh blueberries, Artisana coconut butter, Biscoff spread, a chunk of La Brea dark chocolate bark, and walnuts! It was delicious and hearty indeed...
Do you eat leftovers well? Or do you just frown at its site and toss it away?
You see, I am quite good at eating leftovers. Actually, I love leftover food more than fresh food sometimes! I know, I find that strange as well.
Remember the turkey chili I made 2 weeks ago? It was sitting in the freezer so I used the last of it on top of a whole grain toast along with cheddar, Greek yogurt, and avocado.
On the side I had about a bowl full of steamed broccoli dipped in a Korean hot sauce/paste.
Korean Gochujang Sauce *Spicy*
- 1/2 C Gochujang (Hot pepper paste from the Korean store)
- 1/2 TBSP vinegar
- 1 TBSP water
- 1 TBSP toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tsp sugar (any kind)
Mix it all up until it becomes diluted. Enjoy with vegetables or other side dishes!
This is seriously a classic in Korean cuisine. It can also be eaten with a bunch of stringy vegetables, rice, and Sashimi thrown together in a bowl.
Today, instead of going to the gym I will be doing a quick workout at home. There will be a little bit of jumping but I will make sure to leap gracefully like a gazelle. Wait, do gazelles leap?
I will be repeating this circuit 3 times. The only drawback of doing this at home is that I just remembered I don't possess 40 lb. weights. I'll make it happen somehow.
If some of you recall several months ago, I mentioned that even when we don't go all out for more than 30 minutes of exercise, even 10 minutes is still something.
As long as we keep our bodies moving, we will grow stronger and healthier. If weight loss is involved in one's fitness goals, then it is a relief to know that the more weight one has to lose, the quicker he or she will see results. :)
I have also something to share with you that I am quite proud of! Not to mention, I feel way more liberated after taking this step to "mental" health.
Thoughts on Image (Warning: Spiritual talk involved)
I have completely 100% stopped weighing myself. At all costs!!! It has been about 2.5 months since the last time I did, unless I'm at the doctor's office. If that's the case, then I just don't let it affect me.
A few months ago when I began to up the challenge on my workouts, I noticed that I was looking healthier than ever. In addition to that, I was actually liking what I saw in the mirror. However...my weight started creeping up like crazy!! (Think 10 lbs. within a month) Don't worry, I checked with the doctor and my health is fine. After giving it some thought, I came to the conclusion that yes, it is possible for women to gain a significant amount of muscle weight.
As you may already know, muscle weighs more than fat. However, although I felt great and I thought I looked pretty fit, the numbers on the scale kept "bugging" me because I thought that maybe somewhere in my deluded mind, the image that I saw in the mirror was not true. It's truly hard when we, as women, are being exposed to subliminal messages that we should be a certain size or weight. I am not only speaking for us females, but also for all the males out there. Believe it or not, men also feel the pressure to be at a certain fitness level. To them, being called skinny is actually a really offensive comment!
I am learning that numbers really do not matter. The way that I feel physically, mentally, and spiritually are far more important than a little machine.
My point is, even the way that I look or feel aren't important in the end! Everything becomes null once my heart is set on something other than Christ Himself.
Okay, I know what you are thinking now..."Why does she have to throw God into everything? Gosh" (In valley girl's voice) :P
The reason I mention all of this is that I do sometimes struggle because I want to look a certain way, maybe even like a VS model! I mean, I certainly wouldn't mind that! And it's not always easy in this department when I know that I will be walking down the aisle in as little as 3.5 months. Then again, even if I look a particular way, is my physical health holding up? Let's dig deeper than that...
Even if I had all of the strength and health in the world, is my heart beautiful and shining with God's love? I believe that if or when I get negative thoughts about my self image, I am actually yearning for something more profound. Something deep inside of my heart that only God can fill. You see, we are beings wired to have all of the 3 components working together: body, soul, and spirit. So let us take care of all of those components! :D
Going back to the topic of working out. Don't get me wrong. I am totally for working out, staying in shape, and feeling great!! And that is the reason I like to share my workouts and [sometimes] healthy cooking with you all. I'm also a firm believer of working out for the enjoyment of it! I truly love the rush I get when I lift heavy weights and feel like Wonder Woman. :P I just hope you understand where I'm coming from, especially when I say that health isn't only for the body, but for our inner spirit.
So let us be free from whatever hurdles that may come into our lives! My prayer is that I will love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and that I will love others as He has loved me. I just want to be honest with God, myself, and everyone I come in contact with. Fly freedom fly.
PS: I hope I'm making sense and that I'm not accidentally contradicting myself! And I sure hope it doesn't come off as "preachy", but more encouraging than anything else.
Do you weigh yourself on the scale? If so, does it affect the way you think?
Is it difficult to love yourself? What causes those difficulties?
-I believe that we all go through this in one way or another
What hurdles have you recently overcome, or are wanting to overcome?
Love,
Ellie <33