Anyway. Going to have to go in and get some dental work done. Need a couple extractions. meh.
Here are some pictures,
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Hi
Well, I started a new fancy nursing job. No cockroach problems, they provide the uniforms, the nurses are high quality and knowledgeable and competent and they have cookies and fresh coffee by the door every shift. We use a computer system that is really fancy and it is just so great. I like the night shifts because they only do 8 hour ones usually so its not so long.
Anyway. Going to have to go in and get some dental work done. Need a couple extractions. meh.
Here are some pictures,
Anyway. Going to have to go in and get some dental work done. Need a couple extractions. meh.
Here are some pictures,
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Too many thoughts in my head.
I always know when I am going to start getting intense creative outbursts. It's always when I find myself thinking too much. Sometimes I have so many thoughts in my head, good, neutral, and bad, that I feel like I just need to get them out or I will go nuts. I have been putting a lot of thought into THOUGHTS themselves lately. All the voices from different parts of the mind..all the pain we cause ourselves by submitting to the negative voices that have occupied our minds our whole lives. Trying to find ways to defeat them...
So anyway, I am working on being conscious of my day to day thoughts and be careful how I let the old habitual voices effect me. Sometimes the bad thoughts can even cause loss of friendships that could have possibly been one of the greatest relationships of your life if you only minded your thoughts and ejected the tapes of the mind that never want to stop playing doubtful and poisoning messages to your heart and spirit.
If we can think about what we think, we can change the way we feel from moment to moment in life. It is the ultimate "coping skill". In order to have a good life and enjoy living, people just need to stop letting thoughts destroy their lives. Fear, anxiety, depression, hostility, anger, are all just negative thought patterns that get stuck in peoples minds because they go through every day thinking fearful, scary, sad, hostile, self loathing, angry thoughts and never try to do anything about it. It is what they are used to.It is familiar to them. It's sad. We don't have to be that way. I don't have to hate myself. I can easily love myself with loving thoughts instead of hateful ones. I can make myself feel happy and at peace by thinking of things and words that make me feel peaceful and happy.
I think another destructive power of the mind is always thinking people know what we are thinking or people are judging everything we do, or that everyone is always thinking about all the bad things you have done in your life. Chances are, they are actually thinking about why they love you and ways you have brought joy into their lives. There are always burned bridges between people, and sad endings to good friendships, but that doesn't mean you have to define yourself by the way you USED to be.
I choose to let go of gloom and sorrow. I would rather be happy here while I am living so I can be at peace with my unavoidable mortality and enjoy the life I have and the people in it.
I have learned a lot from dark times in my life, but most of all I am learning how to brush dark thoughts away quickly and easily so that the positive, useful thoughts can work their magic on my life.
.jpg)
It is so important to make an effort to completely clear your mind once a day. I cant even tell you how much it has helped me. Here are some good links:
.jpg)
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Raw, healthy, date, carob, and coconut truffles by April
Today I have gone back to my cleansing, raw foods diet. Read this for more info on this diet's benefits to the body/mind/spirit.
I went to Vitamin Cottage and got the ingredients to make yummy natural chocolate like snacks to eat when I am craving sweets, because that is one of my biggest battles right now is really intense cravings for carbs and sweets. I need to have something good to snack on instead of Oreos, or ice cream. So I looked up a few Raw Dessert Recipes..... (this lady's blog is AWESOME) and found a ton of healthy treats that are really low fat and actually good for you. And in my opinion, they taste better than truffles made with butter and milk and other sugary, processed, fatty ingredients.
I was going to follow a recipe I found on a random blog, but once I got home and started mixing things, my creative side took hold and I made something completely different. Plus I altered the ingredients to suit my taste. Interesting fact about coconuts. Wow! Everything from weight loss to shiny hair!!
INGREDIENTS:
PITTED DATES, ABOUT 2 POUNDS
RAW WALNUTS, 1 CUP (OR MORE DEPENDING ON YOUR TASTE)
RAW ALMOND BUTTER, FOURTH CUP
COCONUT FLAKES (LARGE BAG)
COCONUT WATER WITH PULP, HALF CUP OR SO
COCONUT OIL, 1 TABLESPOON
CAROB POWDER 3/4 CUP (OR YOU CAN USE COCOA POWDER IF YOU PREFER REAL CHOCOLATE)
CINNAMON
NUTMEG
PINCH OF SEA SALT
.jpg)
ADD ALMOND BUTTER, COCONUT OIL, AND COCONUT WATER. MIX WELL.
ADD CAROB, CINNAMON, NUTMEG, SEA SALT.
NOW IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS:
.jpg)
.jpg)
COVER SURFACE OF BALLS WITH COCONUT FLAKES ( YOU CAN USE OATS HERE, YOU CAN USE ROUGH COCONUT FLAKES OR FINE GROUND, THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN BE VERY CREATIVE. YOU CAN EVEN ADD BEAT JUICE TO YOUR COCONUT TO GIVE IT A BIT OF COLOR!)
I PUT MINE IN REGULAR CUPCAKE PAPERS AND PLACED THEM IN MY FRUIT DRAWER IN THE FRIDGE SO ANY TIME I NEED A SWEET TREAT, I CAN JUST GRAB A BAG AND ENJOY!!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
I went to Vitamin Cottage and got the ingredients to make yummy natural chocolate like snacks to eat when I am craving sweets, because that is one of my biggest battles right now is really intense cravings for carbs and sweets. I need to have something good to snack on instead of Oreos, or ice cream. So I looked up a few Raw Dessert Recipes..... (this lady's blog is AWESOME) and found a ton of healthy treats that are really low fat and actually good for you. And in my opinion, they taste better than truffles made with butter and milk and other sugary, processed, fatty ingredients.
I was going to follow a recipe I found on a random blog, but once I got home and started mixing things, my creative side took hold and I made something completely different. Plus I altered the ingredients to suit my taste. Interesting fact about coconuts. Wow! Everything from weight loss to shiny hair!!
RAW, HEALTHY, DATE, CAROB, AND COCONUT TRUFFLES BY APRIL
PITTED DATES, ABOUT 2 POUNDS
RAW WALNUTS, 1 CUP (OR MORE DEPENDING ON YOUR TASTE)
RAW ALMOND BUTTER, FOURTH CUP
COCONUT FLAKES (LARGE BAG)
COCONUT WATER WITH PULP, HALF CUP OR SO
COCONUT OIL, 1 TABLESPOON
CAROB POWDER 3/4 CUP (OR YOU CAN USE COCOA POWDER IF YOU PREFER REAL CHOCOLATE)
CINNAMON
NUTMEG
PINCH OF SEA SALT
PROCESS PITTED DATES AND WALNUTS TOGETHER IN A FOOD PROCESSOR OR BLENDER. IF YOU ONLY HAVE A BLENDER, PUT THE COCONUT WATER IN FIRST SO IT WILL BLEND INTO A PASTE
****please make sure your dates are pitted or you will pretty much chip your teeth on pits***
ADD ALMOND BUTTER, COCONUT OIL, AND COCONUT WATER. MIX WELL.
THE CONSISTENCY SHOULD NOW LOOK LIKE THIS:
ADD CAROB, CINNAMON, NUTMEG, SEA SALT.
NOW IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS:
ADD A COUPLE HANDFULS OF COCONUT FLAKES SO YOU CAN ROLL YOUR STICKY CAROB MIXTURE INTO BALLS.
COVER SURFACE OF BALLS WITH COCONUT FLAKES ( YOU CAN USE OATS HERE, YOU CAN USE ROUGH COCONUT FLAKES OR FINE GROUND, THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN BE VERY CREATIVE. YOU CAN EVEN ADD BEAT JUICE TO YOUR COCONUT TO GIVE IT A BIT OF COLOR!)
I PUT MINE IN REGULAR CUPCAKE PAPERS AND PLACED THEM IN MY FRUIT DRAWER IN THE FRIDGE SO ANY TIME I NEED A SWEET TREAT, I CAN JUST GRAB A BAG AND ENJOY!!
BOTH OF MY KIDS LOVED THESE TASTY TREATS AND I DIDN'T FEEL GUILTY LETTING THEM HAVE A GOOD SIZED BALL. THEY ATE THEM UP!
TOMORROW: RAW PAD THAI MINUS THE NOODLES AND CHICKEN.
TOMORROW: RAW PAD THAI MINUS THE NOODLES AND CHICKEN.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Raw diet/ Juice fast Day 3
So about a week ago, I started reading about juice fasting and raw diets and all the many health benefits. The weight loss is tremendous (at least a pound a day), also, it detoxifies you and helps you sleep better, lifts your mood and helps give you energy during the day. All of these things make sense if you think about how hard your body has to work to digest garbage and how little fresh foods the average busy person eats. I have learned about all of this in my nutrition courses over the years, but never was really able to do it with the kids and my busy life. But I started this week easing into a juice cleanse by starting on a raw foods diet. Here is my menu for the first 3 days, going from just a regular diet into the raw foods and then around day 5 I am going to start a 10-15 day long juice only fast. Then I am going to see where I am at and how I am feeling and go from there, probably back to a raw diet for a bit until my wedding. I am going to eat tons of cake on my wedding day. I miss sweets so much already. I almost ate a chocolate chip last night but mustered the strength not to. Just one chocolate chip...
Day 1
6am: 2 bananas
coffee
a handful of raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
9am: Large glass of green tea and a few strawberries
11am: Turkey avocado sandwich and home fry potatoes ((this was my "last meal")) I honestly have not had any bread or meat since this one. This was "day 1", so I wanted to eat one last thing before I jumped off the cliff of fruit and veggie doom. Only reason I even included this in my food diary is because I didn't want to lie here. I am really doing this. I am just easing into it. Now that I am on day 3, you will notice below that I am pretty well on a full on juice fast, with the exception of a few seeds to make my stomach stop hurting and growling and to give me the fiber I need to cleanse my digestive tract..
5pm: 1 large green juice (kale, celery, cucumber, apples, and black grapes)
Large handful of raw almonds
I was pretty hungry on this day. I am not used to eating fresh fruits/veggies. I usually get up and have pancakes, waffles, etc. I am still developing a taste for it. When I had the orange, it was the first time I had eaten one since I was a kid. My taste buds go crazy when I eat fruit. But even only after 3 days, I love oranges and have developed a taste for them. I also drank tons of water through the day. I was a little hungry when I went to bed, but not too bad. I had lunch with a friend and it was a turkey sandwich with avocado and breakfast potatoes ("home fries") but this was the last time I would eat anything like this for the duration of this diet. The nuts really help and I don't feel too bad eating them because I need the fiber anyway and they are unsalted. They really help when my stomach is growling, even if I only eat a handful. I want to get the fiber in me so I can help flush out some toxins and get rid of it, so the seeds and nuts are good for that too.
Day 2
6am: coffee (black)
Large fruit juice (mango, apple, strawberry, lemon)
A couple rasins
12pm: Fresh juiced apples with a little lemon and a few black grapes
6pm: Two large handfulls of raw pumpkin seeds, unsalted
Large green juice
A few baby carrots
1 am: 1/2 a pineapple
Green Tea
Day 2 was a little tough. I was starving to death in the morning, and really wanted carbs, but after I got that juice in me I felt better. It really perks you up. I know I am supposed to give up coffee, but I cant. I don't want to either. I believe it is good for me. I think every raw diet/juice fast is different and should really be tailored to your needs so you don't give up. So yea, it was a tough day. I drank a lot of water to help me feel fuller. I just didn't want much juice. It didn't sound appealing at all. Chris ordered a Philly last night with fries. It is my favorite food to eat and I resisted. My mouth is watering right now just thinking of it.
Day 3
6am : black coffee
Apple, mango, orange juice (large)
Handful of seed mixture
12pm Large green juice, tons of water
3:30pm: Kombutcha (1 bottle) and am going to make a large black grape juice for later.
So this is day 3 so far. I am going to go off the seeds in a few days, but for now I feel like I need them there in those moments when I feel like I am going to loose it and eat a big burrito or something. I have been drinking water all day. I don't like the green juice, so I need to figure that out so I don't deplete my body of nutrients.
I weighed myself 7 days ago and it was 138. This morning at the gym, I weighed in at 131, so that is 7 pounds in a week. I know it is all probably water and bloating from all the meat and fried foods and crap I have been eating. I have just started a workout routine, so I think I shed a little before the diet even started, too.
I feel light on my feet. I have tons of energy. I don't feel sluggish and lethargic like I did before starting this. Today I rode the bike uphill for 10 miles at the gym and then my legs were on fire, so I got on the treadmill and did a brisk 20 minute hike at a 6- 8 incline and a speed of 3.5. I am out of shape obviously. My lungs hurt really bad when I do cardio. Its hard. I didn't do any weights today because the bike killed me. I plan to do abs tonight with the on demand thing I have. I always feel so good after I work out, though. I have an appointment at the Y on Thursday with a personal trainer.
I haven't had any detox symptoms. I feel really good. Just have the mental cravings for real food a lot, but I just remind myself that it is bad for me right now and I need this time to detox. I plan on reading some more on different recipes and stuff tonight. I am just working with the produce I have on hand and using it up so we don't waste it. Chris is making pork chops tonight and I really wish I could eat one. I do not know how people can be vegetarians. They are missing out on orgasmic meat flavor crystals exploding in their mouth. Is it ok if I lick the pork chop? lol. Man I am a big meat eater. That is another thing about this diet. It makes you stare yourself in the face and realize what you have been eating. It makes you "be alone" with yourself because you dont have that little friend (food). It really helps with introspection and learning discipline. The full on juice fast is going to be really tricky and I am now thinking of going down to a 10 day one. We'll see. I feel really strong right now though. I just need to read a little more about some different recipes and variations of juice fasts so I don't find myself tripping up and not having the food I need to finish this thing.
I slept really good last night without taking my pill, too. I am really hopeful that keeps up. And my mood is great. I feel more patient than I was before. I am really trying to turn in and learn some things and gain some tools from this. I like the idea of re training our taste buds to enjoy fruit and veggies and retraining our appetites by deciding when we really need to eat or just want to for fun/comfort.
Day 1
6am: 2 bananas
coffee
a handful of raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
9am: Large glass of green tea and a few strawberries
11am: Turkey avocado sandwich and home fry potatoes ((this was my "last meal")) I honestly have not had any bread or meat since this one. This was "day 1", so I wanted to eat one last thing before I jumped off the cliff of fruit and veggie doom. Only reason I even included this in my food diary is because I didn't want to lie here. I am really doing this. I am just easing into it. Now that I am on day 3, you will notice below that I am pretty well on a full on juice fast, with the exception of a few seeds to make my stomach stop hurting and growling and to give me the fiber I need to cleanse my digestive tract..
5pm: 1 large green juice (kale, celery, cucumber, apples, and black grapes)
Large handful of raw almonds
I was pretty hungry on this day. I am not used to eating fresh fruits/veggies. I usually get up and have pancakes, waffles, etc. I am still developing a taste for it. When I had the orange, it was the first time I had eaten one since I was a kid. My taste buds go crazy when I eat fruit. But even only after 3 days, I love oranges and have developed a taste for them. I also drank tons of water through the day. I was a little hungry when I went to bed, but not too bad. I had lunch with a friend and it was a turkey sandwich with avocado and breakfast potatoes ("home fries") but this was the last time I would eat anything like this for the duration of this diet. The nuts really help and I don't feel too bad eating them because I need the fiber anyway and they are unsalted. They really help when my stomach is growling, even if I only eat a handful. I want to get the fiber in me so I can help flush out some toxins and get rid of it, so the seeds and nuts are good for that too.
Day 2
6am: coffee (black)
Large fruit juice (mango, apple, strawberry, lemon)
A couple rasins
12pm: Fresh juiced apples with a little lemon and a few black grapes
6pm: Two large handfulls of raw pumpkin seeds, unsalted
Large green juice
A few baby carrots
1 am: 1/2 a pineapple
Green Tea
Day 2 was a little tough. I was starving to death in the morning, and really wanted carbs, but after I got that juice in me I felt better. It really perks you up. I know I am supposed to give up coffee, but I cant. I don't want to either. I believe it is good for me. I think every raw diet/juice fast is different and should really be tailored to your needs so you don't give up. So yea, it was a tough day. I drank a lot of water to help me feel fuller. I just didn't want much juice. It didn't sound appealing at all. Chris ordered a Philly last night with fries. It is my favorite food to eat and I resisted. My mouth is watering right now just thinking of it.
Day 3
6am : black coffee
Apple, mango, orange juice (large)
Handful of seed mixture
12pm Large green juice, tons of water
3:30pm: Kombutcha (1 bottle) and am going to make a large black grape juice for later.
So this is day 3 so far. I am going to go off the seeds in a few days, but for now I feel like I need them there in those moments when I feel like I am going to loose it and eat a big burrito or something. I have been drinking water all day. I don't like the green juice, so I need to figure that out so I don't deplete my body of nutrients.
I weighed myself 7 days ago and it was 138. This morning at the gym, I weighed in at 131, so that is 7 pounds in a week. I know it is all probably water and bloating from all the meat and fried foods and crap I have been eating. I have just started a workout routine, so I think I shed a little before the diet even started, too.
I feel light on my feet. I have tons of energy. I don't feel sluggish and lethargic like I did before starting this. Today I rode the bike uphill for 10 miles at the gym and then my legs were on fire, so I got on the treadmill and did a brisk 20 minute hike at a 6- 8 incline and a speed of 3.5. I am out of shape obviously. My lungs hurt really bad when I do cardio. Its hard. I didn't do any weights today because the bike killed me. I plan to do abs tonight with the on demand thing I have. I always feel so good after I work out, though. I have an appointment at the Y on Thursday with a personal trainer.
I haven't had any detox symptoms. I feel really good. Just have the mental cravings for real food a lot, but I just remind myself that it is bad for me right now and I need this time to detox. I plan on reading some more on different recipes and stuff tonight. I am just working with the produce I have on hand and using it up so we don't waste it. Chris is making pork chops tonight and I really wish I could eat one. I do not know how people can be vegetarians. They are missing out on orgasmic meat flavor crystals exploding in their mouth. Is it ok if I lick the pork chop? lol. Man I am a big meat eater. That is another thing about this diet. It makes you stare yourself in the face and realize what you have been eating. It makes you "be alone" with yourself because you dont have that little friend (food). It really helps with introspection and learning discipline. The full on juice fast is going to be really tricky and I am now thinking of going down to a 10 day one. We'll see. I feel really strong right now though. I just need to read a little more about some different recipes and variations of juice fasts so I don't find myself tripping up and not having the food I need to finish this thing.
I slept really good last night without taking my pill, too. I am really hopeful that keeps up. And my mood is great. I feel more patient than I was before. I am really trying to turn in and learn some things and gain some tools from this. I like the idea of re training our taste buds to enjoy fruit and veggies and retraining our appetites by deciding when we really need to eat or just want to for fun/comfort.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
Happy New Year
Lots of stuff going on lately. Work is crazy...with all the politics and shifting going on. It's almost a little scary but at the same time I am pretty good at staying on the sidelines of any drama.
Christmas was good. The kids had a lot of fun. I was a little cranky because I was having my IBS issues and Violet was really clingy and not feeling well, so my Xmas was a little blue. But It was nice.
I violated the sanctity of my bedroom by putting a TV in it. It has always been my rule to keep TV out of the bedroom, but I think Violet needs some 4 am entertainment. Watching movies in bed sounds nice, too...so forget that rule :) We will see how it goes.
I got really behind on all my Christmas gifts because I got in over my head with projects. So most of my fam/friends will probably get a very nice Christmas package sometime in late January lol. Thats ok though.. Gifts are fun to give no matter what "holiday"it is..
Jaren got his DS and he plays it all the time. It has a camera so he is always sneaking shots of everyone. It was fun seeing him in Karate class tonight with his orange belt. I am so proud of my boy :)
Anyway. I am currently waiting for my hair to finish bleaching. It seems to be taking forever, but at least it is not burning like fire this time. I felt like dying my hair. I hop it doesnt look like shit but I bought a box of red so I can just dye it back if I hate it. Fingers crossed I dont end up bald tonight.
Violet is talking a lot. She says so many words! She can pretty much tell you what she needs. Guess it is time to start potty trianing, at least a little here and there. My mom says I was using the pot before I turned 2. She is really smart. She ate 2 bananas and like a whole box of strawberries today. I think she is just about over her cold. Thank goodness.
Anyway. Happy New Year.
Christmas was good. The kids had a lot of fun. I was a little cranky because I was having my IBS issues and Violet was really clingy and not feeling well, so my Xmas was a little blue. But It was nice.
I violated the sanctity of my bedroom by putting a TV in it. It has always been my rule to keep TV out of the bedroom, but I think Violet needs some 4 am entertainment. Watching movies in bed sounds nice, too...so forget that rule :) We will see how it goes.
Jaren got his DS and he plays it all the time. It has a camera so he is always sneaking shots of everyone. It was fun seeing him in Karate class tonight with his orange belt. I am so proud of my boy :)
Anyway. I am currently waiting for my hair to finish bleaching. It seems to be taking forever, but at least it is not burning like fire this time. I felt like dying my hair. I hop it doesnt look like shit but I bought a box of red so I can just dye it back if I hate it. Fingers crossed I dont end up bald tonight.
Violet is talking a lot. She says so many words! She can pretty much tell you what she needs. Guess it is time to start potty trianing, at least a little here and there. My mom says I was using the pot before I turned 2. She is really smart. She ate 2 bananas and like a whole box of strawberries today. I think she is just about over her cold. Thank goodness.
Anyway. Happy New Year.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)