It's finally happened - Inherit the Sun is moving to a new home! Please find all future writing on my shiny new WordPress site.
I'd been considering the switch to a new blog platform for a long time (years, actually!) but kept holding off for one reason or another. Inspiration struck last night and behold, a new blog is born! (Well, actually the same blog, with some extensive cosmetic changes.) I'm loving the crisp new layout, but I do wish there was a way to not have my "author photo" pop up all over the page when you click directly on a specific post. Oh well, maybe I'll take a foray into the guts of the website and manage to figure out how to make some changes without causing the site to explode... What? Anything's possible, right? :)
From now on, all blogging will happen over at inheritthesunblog.wordpress.com, but I haven't yet decided whether to migrate all my old posts or just keep them here. If any of you have opinions or advice about that, I'm all ears!
Thank you for reading (especially those of you who have been here for the long haul!), and I hope you'll continue to find my thoughts just as ridiculous, relatable, and enjoyable as ever. ♥
All my love and best wishes for an excellent September,
K xoxoxo
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
As Summer Slips Away
As summer slips away, the days stay bright, but bittersweet with the knowledge that often accompanies goodbyes. An ending is about to take place, just on the doorstep, drawing ever nearer with each passing day, but with it also the possibility of renewal and change. So turn the seasons, so turn we all in the rhythms and undulations of life.
This summer in particular has felt like a gift, for which I am utterly grateful. There's always a temptation, isn't there, to want to slow down the best moments of our lives? To prolong the harmony, to just sustain it just a little longer and then just a little more, basking in beauty and unwilling to let go? But this is not how time works, and we all know it. And rather than chafing against its inexorable progression, I am trying to do two things in these moments: to give thanks for all these evidences of grace, and to recognize, in their passing, that they are opportunities to look ahead to a time of unending harmony and beauty that will never fade.
In the meantime, may I savour this season's final, fleeting days. For every ending is a new beginning and in the right light, bittersweet is beautiful, too.
P.S. I know
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Book Review: The Hiding Place
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten BoomMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
It's probably been almost 20 years since I first read this gem, and it remains one of the most powerful accounts of transformative, gospel-centred love I have ever encountered. Corrie's life is a testament to how the light of Christ really can and does penetrate even the deepest darkness. The wisdom found here has been formative in my own life and walk with God. One of my "desert island" books, so I give this beautiful memoir my highest recommendation. 5 shining stars!
View all my reviews
Favourite Quotes:
“We commented to Corrie about the practicalness of the things she recalled, how her memories seemed to throw a spotlight on problems and decisions we faced here and now. 'But,' she said, 'this is what the past is for! Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for a future that only He can see.'” -p.12 (Preface)
"And so seated next to my father in the train compartment, I suddenly asked, 'Father, what is sexsin?' He turned to look at me, as he always did when answering a question, but to my surprise he said nothing. At last he stood up, lifted his traveling case from the rack over our heads, and set it on the floor. 'Will you carry it off the train, Corrie?' he said. I stood up and tugged at it. It was crammed with the watches and spare parts he had purchased that morning. 'It's too heavy,' I said. 'Yes,' he said. 'And it would be a pretty poor father who would ask his little girl to carry such a load. It's the same way, Corrie, with knowledge. Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger, you can bear it. For now you must trust me to carry it for you.' And I was satisfied. More than satisfied -- wonderfully at peace. There were answers to this and all my hard questions -- for now I was content to leave them in my father's keeping." -p.42
“Whenever we cannot love in the old, human way, Corrie, God can give us the perfect way.” -p.60
“Mama's love had always been the kind that acted itself out with soup pot and sewing basket. But now that these things were taken away, the love seemed as whole as before. She sat in her chair at the window and loved us. She loved the people she saw in the street-- and beyond: her love took in the city, the land of Holland, the world. And so I learned that love is larger than the walls which shut it in. ” -p.64
“There are no 'if's' in God's world. And no places that are safer than other places. The center of His will is our only safety - Oh Corrie, let us pray that we may always know it!” -p.84
“My job was simply to follow His leading one step at a time, holding every decision up to Him in prayer.” -p.99“And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world's healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.” -p.248
Book Review: 13 Hours
It turns out you can't access full reviews on Goodreads unless you make an account, so as of today I'll be sharing mine here as well! One of my goals this month was to read a new book from the library (yay, Overdrive!) and this was the one I chose. I've been on a bit of an autobiography/biography/memoir kick lately, so this fits neatly into that category as well.
13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
The story is compelling and the main characters (who are actual people, so "characters" might not be the best designation...) are real-life heroes who are at once easy to relate to and elite combat experts. This *should* make for a gripping, edge-of-your-seat, can't put down-able read, but I did not find the story-TELLING here to be particularly captivating. During the first few chapters I chalked this up to the necessity of quickly introducing a sizable quantity of history, key people, and geopolitical facts to set the scene, which is a legitimate writing challenge. I expected the pace to pick up and the intensity to heighten as I kept reading, though, and in this way the book definitely fell short of my expectations. I applaud the authors for wanting to keep this account completely factual, non-embellished, and as accurate as humanly possible (an expressly stated goal with which they bookend the account), but unfortunately that ended up making this read more like a textbook than a modern tale of heroism and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. My first thought after finishing this title was, "I'm pretty sure the movie was better." (Although I'm equally sure the movie would be way too violent and intense for me to watch.) 2.5 stars.
View all my reviews
13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi by Mitchell ZuckoffMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
The story is compelling and the main characters (who are actual people, so "characters" might not be the best designation...) are real-life heroes who are at once easy to relate to and elite combat experts. This *should* make for a gripping, edge-of-your-seat, can't put down-able read, but I did not find the story-TELLING here to be particularly captivating. During the first few chapters I chalked this up to the necessity of quickly introducing a sizable quantity of history, key people, and geopolitical facts to set the scene, which is a legitimate writing challenge. I expected the pace to pick up and the intensity to heighten as I kept reading, though, and in this way the book definitely fell short of my expectations. I applaud the authors for wanting to keep this account completely factual, non-embellished, and as accurate as humanly possible (an expressly stated goal with which they bookend the account), but unfortunately that ended up making this read more like a textbook than a modern tale of heroism and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. My first thought after finishing this title was, "I'm pretty sure the movie was better." (Although I'm equally sure the movie would be way too violent and intense for me to watch.) 2.5 stars.
View all my reviews
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Photo Update: Vacation Days 11-21
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| BBQ on the patio (July 11) |
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| Quality time with out of town friends! (July 11) |
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| Nothing says summer like being wrapped up in a blanket on the couch watching Netflix, LOL! (July 12) |
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| Homemade iced lemon mint courtesy of the lovely L (July 13) |
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| The perfect low-key hangout day: swimming, movie night, nachos (July 13) |
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| Summer treats - cooling off with an iced capp (July 15) |
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| The requisite feet by the pool shot (July 15) |
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| Friend dates ftw! Ending the best day ever with bubble tea! (July 16) |
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| Because 48 goals didn't seem like enough, I added 2 more "official" goals and 8 "bonus" items, LOL! (July 18) |
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| Milk and cookies :D (July 19) |
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| Glorious late night sunsets (July 19) |
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| Summer in a bowl (July 20) |
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| Grow little buddy, grow! (July 21) |
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| That light, those clouds (take 1)! (July 21) |
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| That light, those clouds (take 2)! (July 21) |
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Thankfulness Project 3.0 + Yes, Another Pool Photo
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| Dramatic clouds about an hour before sunset |
Sitting by (or, more often, but less photogenically, swimming in) the rooftop pool with condo towers rising to one side and church spires to the other as the final rays of sunlight transform the sky into a glowing backdrop, I have more than once this summer been powerfully reminded of how very much I have been given. God has provided this amazing place for us to live, and I still remember walking in the first day and thinking, "This apartment is amazing; I must never stop thanking God for it." That was over 8 years ago, and by God's grace I have been able to keep that promise. His provision has at times been miraculous and other times seemingly mundane, and through it all, I remain very aware of the privilege we have to live here. To have a comfortable home where we can extend hospitality to others (current record = 16 people in the living room), where we can sprawl out on the couch to unwind with Netflix (her) or the Food Network (him), where we can have a cool place to sleep in the summer so I don't end up with heat stroke (actually) - these are amazing comforts and gifts for which I am profoundly grateful.
Perhaps, as an introverted homebody who usually prefers a night in to, well, pretty much anything else, it's easy for me to be thankful for these "comforts of home." Yet how easy it is for me to take so many other blessings for granted, be they little or big. The "Thankfulness Project" originally started as my answer to the celebrated concept of the "Life List." (Not that there's anything inherently wrong with a Life List, for the record!) I can't think of any better time to revive it than during my vacation month when I have been afforded so many quiet moments to remember that I have indeed been blessed beyond measure by the Giver of all good gifts.
xo,
K
P.S. The night I took this photo there was another resident enjoying the view from the terrace while I was swimming. He walked the entire perimeter of the pool deck, taking in the full panoramic vista from all sides, and after circling back to his starting point he could no longer contain his enthusiasm and joyfully exclaimed, "I think this is the nicest rooftop pool and patio in the whole of downtown! It's as if the entire city was built around us - and that view!" (Later on he came back with another gentleman, explaining to me that he just couldn't keep this view to himself and had to share it with his friend!)
Thursday, July 14, 2016
On Beauty
It probably makes no sense to use hashtags in a blog (captions for my previous photo update notwithstanding), but for this week's #tbt I thought it would be fitting to share a piece I wrote for a student blog about a year and a half ago. This post still has a lot of personal resonance for me as I have continued to reflect on and sometimes wrestle with considerations of beauty and body image and what it means to be a Fat Person living in a skinny-obsessed society (but that's really a post for another day).
I remember feeling a sense of release when I first committed these thoughts to paper, but there have admittedly been many times since then when I have not felt that same freedom from a worldly preoccupation with my physical appearance and the (self) criticism of "not ____ enough." While I still have work to do here, I hope the following words are an encouragement to you! And if you'd like to read something written by someone much wiser than I am, I recommend this great article.
Much love to you all,
K xx
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On Beauty
There are a lot of competing messages out there about beauty.
Pass by any magazine rack at a checkout counter and they will be there,
splashed across the glossy pages in all their
designed-to-make-you-feel-inadequate, unrealistically-air-brushed glory. The media has no shortage
of opportunities to remind us that if you're not young and sexy with flawless
skin, voluminous lashes, and whatever bust-waist-hip ratio is currently
considered desirable, life is barely worth living. Haven't we all internalized
at least some aspects of this worldview? The Bible teaches us that “beauty is
fleeting” (Prov. 31:30), but that doesn’t stop us from vainly struggling
against that inevitability with special anti-aging serums, face creams, hair
dye, and, in more extreme cases, elective plastic surgeries.
Doesn’t the world’s obsession with outer beauty feed our inner
“comparison dragon” so that we get caught up from time to time (or maybe all
the time?) in comparing ourselves to other women, usually those with a
particular attribute we dislike in ourselves and covet in someone else? I can’t
speak for you, but I know that is certainly true for me. Of course this
blatantly flies in the face of godly wisdom which instructs us a) not to covet
(Exodus 20:17), and b) that our beauty should come from our “inner sel[ves],
the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit" (1 Peter 3:3-4). But I
guess Vogue and MTV didn't get the memo on that and I must have missed that
lesson in Sunday School...
On the other hand, in the #bodypositive/we are all beautiful/anti-airbrushing
camp, a different segment of society preaches that we deserve to feel
beautiful and that we should focus on loving ourselves. On the surface such
messages about loving your body no matter whether or not it conforms to
society’s current (fickle) standards of beauty sounds like a much-needed
antidote. However, to be blunt, this message is simply not true either. The
Bible has a lot to say about what we all deserve and, sorry ladies, it's not to
feel and be treated like goddesses. Check out Romans 1:18-32, Romans 2:5-11, Ephesians2:3, and Matthew 13:40-42 if you don't believe me. And there's a word for what
happens when you make self-love your highest aim; it starts (appropriately
enough) with "I" and ends with "dolatry."
By the way, in case any of this makes it sounds like I have all
this body image/self-esteem stuff worked out and don't have any insecurities of
my own, let me just say this: I am a fat woman living at a time when the
"obesity epidemic" is currently considered the scourge of North
America. I have plenty of baggage when it comes to body image. Girl, you don't
have to tell me that times are tough! But I am here to tell you that it doesn't
have to be these two extremes.
We don't have to choose between self-love and self-loathing.
Christ has provided us with a better way, a narrow path, and it leads directly
to Himself. We need to get our eyes off the scale and fix our eyes on the One
who died for us. If we are covered in His blood it has removed our weight of
sin, which is the only weight that really matters. We have to stop staring at
ourselves in the mirror and cataloguing our so-called flaws and spend more time
fixing or eyes on the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth.
Psalm 139 tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful, did you hear that? The way God designed you is wonderful. Don't you go denigrating His creation by despising your body! Then, as if to
reinforce this point, David repeats himself and immediately says, "your
[God’s] works are wonderful, I know that full well." Like, "in case
you missed it the first time, ladies, I want to be clear that the proper
description for the way God made you is WONDERFUL, not 'needs airbrushing' or
‘could stand to lose a few pounds’."
Do you want to know why you really are beautiful? It's because you were personally designed (or "knit together") by a beautiful God, and He made you in His image.
That's
it, right there. It's actually not about you at all, it's about the One who
created you, who ordered your DNA, who made you wonderfully unique in order to
image and reflect Himself. And not only that - it gets better! When that
beautiful image was marred by the ugliness of sin, as it is for all of us since
Adam's rebellion, God still regarded you as so precious that He sent His own
Son to die for you so that you could be made beautiful again by the
righteousness of Christ (Romans 5:6-11, Ephesians 1:4-8).
So the next time you catch a glimpse of yourself or are
struggling with feeling less than beautiful, I hope you can remember what really makes you beautiful. The world's
definition of beauty is ever-changing, but God is the same yesterday, today,
and forever, and His fingerprints are all over your beautiful self if you only
have the eyes to see them. Less of us, more of Him. Less of me, oh Lord, and
more of You. That’s where true beauty lies.
Sunday, July 10, 2016
13,000 Words
If a picture is worth a thousand words, do these thirteen pictures from the first ten days of my vacation make up for seventeen months' worth of non-existent posts? I'm pretty sure that's how this whole blogging thing works, right? (Nailing it!)
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| #poolsideproblems #toorelaxed (July 1) |
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| #chanfamjam (July 2) |
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| #vacationgoals (July 3) |
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| #thatombresky (July 3) |
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| #IKEAdates #favefroyo (July 4) |
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| #FindingDory #fishface #duckface (July 5) |
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| #clutterfreecubbies (at last!) (July 5) |
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| #solitarysunsetswims (July 5) |
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| #glamorousvaccinationgoals (July 7) |
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| #specialdelivery #TraderJoe's (July 8) |
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| #cottoncandyclouds (July 8) |
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| #afternoontea (July 9) |
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| #introverting (July 10) |
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Day One Down
Happy New Year, long-lost but never forgotten readers!
I didn't quite manage to squeak in under the wire and get this post written on New Year's Day itself, but isn't that just a pretty accurate metaphor for my life as a writer? When it comes to blogging I seem to live in a world of half-formed aspirations and idling idea(l)s that sink to the bottom of my to-do list and quietly slip away into the night, only to return, ever more faintly, the next day. And repeat, ad infinitum. But that's ok - I have come to embrace the Law of Undulation in my life, moods, hobbies, and interests as much as is possible for a fickle, creative type like myself. (Which is to say, sometimes it bothers me and other times it does not.)
Today was a Good Day, for which I am extra thankful as it's always nice to get a little boost to start the year off right. Wilson and I balanced productivity (hanging a couple pictures, laundry, cleaning, making soup stock) with leisure (sleeping in, watching some Food Network, double movie date with friends) and by some happy coincidence it felt like just the right combination of relaxing and getting stuff done. I daresay even our diet followed the old "everything in moderation" adage with a kale salad for lunch and shared nachos/popcorn at the movie. One can only hope that this pattern will hold and 2015 will be a year where we get this whole "balance" concept down cold. Cheers to that, and to you! Here's to another 365 filled with God's good gifts, and each day a step closer to heaven, where the balancing act will be over! xoxo
I didn't quite manage to squeak in under the wire and get this post written on New Year's Day itself, but isn't that just a pretty accurate metaphor for my life as a writer? When it comes to blogging I seem to live in a world of half-formed aspirations and idling idea(l)s that sink to the bottom of my to-do list and quietly slip away into the night, only to return, ever more faintly, the next day. And repeat, ad infinitum. But that's ok - I have come to embrace the Law of Undulation in my life, moods, hobbies, and interests as much as is possible for a fickle, creative type like myself. (Which is to say, sometimes it bothers me and other times it does not.)
Today was a Good Day, for which I am extra thankful as it's always nice to get a little boost to start the year off right. Wilson and I balanced productivity (hanging a couple pictures, laundry, cleaning, making soup stock) with leisure (sleeping in, watching some Food Network, double movie date with friends) and by some happy coincidence it felt like just the right combination of relaxing and getting stuff done. I daresay even our diet followed the old "everything in moderation" adage with a kale salad for lunch and shared nachos/popcorn at the movie. One can only hope that this pattern will hold and 2015 will be a year where we get this whole "balance" concept down cold. Cheers to that, and to you! Here's to another 365 filled with God's good gifts, and each day a step closer to heaven, where the balancing act will be over! xoxo
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Starting Over
There is something irresistible and alluring about the
promise of a Fresh Start, the dawning of a New Day, the turning over of a New
Leaf. Is it because we crave perfection or possibility? Or perhaps a little of
both…
In any case, and without any further philosophising, today
will be my Fresh Start for blogging! After yet another abysmally long hiatus, I
am back. And, as always, it may be for a day, a week, or a year – who can say?
All I know is it’s nice to feel the flow of words and creative juices once
more. It’s been too long.
For the past few (ahem, more like six) months, I’ve
spent a lot of time being sick. There’s no need to list all the types of flu (stomach
and influenza, in case you were wondering) and other ailments that took me down
but suffice it to say, it has been a fairly long and bumpy road. In fact, even
as I write this I am once again getting over a cold, trying to make strategic
decisions about exactly how much housework I can do without setting back my
recovery by another day/week. I find it ridiculous how doing laundry and
chopping vegetables suddenly become Major Life Decisions after one has faced
many weeks of back-to-back illnesses. “Shall I sally forth into the wilds of my
tiny urban kitchen to do battle with tomatoes and onions, or shall I resign
myself to a sadder but more restful fate of eating take-out on the couch, once
again?” – said no one, ever. (Until now.)
One of the positives of this unplanned pilgrimage into the
Land of Disease and Contagion is that I have been forced several times over to
re-evaluate my schedule and my priorities. This is no fun at the time, and
generally results in minor panic attacks, tearful hysteria, temporary mental
and emotional breakdowns, and phone calls to my Life Coach (read: father) with
conversations that last for hours and get repeated multiple times over until I
finally come to a Point of Acceptance. Cue another bout of sickness (which of
course seems exponentially harder than the one which preceded it) and repeat,
with similar results. One would think this process could be streamlined into something
more along the lines of:
Me: “Oh no, I’m sick!”
[Cry of anguish]
[Sob of despair]
[Wringing hands]
[to Father:] “Help, what do I do? I feel overwhelmed!”
Father: “Do not despair – you will get better soon. Perhaps you should reduce your commitments in the meantime…”
Me: “ Ok, good idea. I feel better now.”
Alas, it has not been so, and countless hours (literally, they were numerous and I did not count them) have been spent mentally tossing and turning as I pondered the meaning of life. (You may think I jest, but I’m actually serious. When you’ve been sick for a while and are facing the possibility of having to reduce your involvement in things you love and think are important, it does make you wonder what the point of your existence is.)
But (remember I said there was a positive here?) thanks to this time of (forced) reflection, I have been reminded of some basic principles in the midst of all this angsty self-examination (such as, I need to stop defining myself by what I do!). I hope to explore those in more detail here, over time. (No promises, though, because see my track record of posting? Yeeeep.)
For now, though, I’m trying to create a fresh start and be
wise about my daily decisions. I’m striving to let go of the things I can’t
control (really, I’m not in control of anything, although we all like to think
we are and I’m no different in that regard) and just make the best use of my
time that I can. I’m realizing that I will not stumble onto a Magic
Formula/Schedule/Way to Do Life that transforms my life from bumpy and often
disorganized to smooth and perfectly ordered. (I believe that is called Heaven…)
And I’m trying to shift from a mindset of “let me make a better schedule to
change my life” to “let me stick to a few top priorities, and make sure those
are in the right order.”
Sometimes it feels like I am the only almost-28-year-old who
is trying to figure these things out, but in my saner moments I suspect that is
not the case. I’m sure there’s at least one 30-year-old guy out there in the world who doesn’t
have it all together, either. (That guy is totally my hero. Keep going, 30-something non-collected dude who is still figuring out life!)
It might be a crazy ride, but I hope you’ll stick around to
hear about it and help me figure things out.
xoxo,
K
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Happy October!
Am I the only one scratching my head as to how it's suddenly October 2013? I swear every year the days whiz by faster than the last...
Since I'm spending more time than I would like on the couch this week, recovering from late summer/early autumn cold #2, I thought the first of October (historically, my favourite month of the year!) would be a good time to bring you this delicious inspiration:
'Tis the season for all things pumpkin-y, and I have a feeling this simple yet scrumptious-sounding (and looking!) recipe will be making it into the breakfast rotation next week. If I can even hold out that long. Happy October, friends!
xo,
Kate
P.S. Looking for more festive fall flavour ideas? Previous pumpkin-obsessed posts here and here.
Since I'm spending more time than I would like on the couch this week, recovering from late summer/early autumn cold #2, I thought the first of October (historically, my favourite month of the year!) would be a good time to bring you this delicious inspiration:
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| Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal from: Budget Bytes |
'Tis the season for all things pumpkin-y, and I have a feeling this simple yet scrumptious-sounding (and looking!) recipe will be making it into the breakfast rotation next week. If I can even hold out that long. Happy October, friends!
xo,
Kate
P.S. Looking for more festive fall flavour ideas? Previous pumpkin-obsessed posts here and here.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
These Busy Days
For the past couple weeks, I've happily been in the position where I wake up looking forward to each day (well, more or less - can't say I'm really looking forward to the day I get my cavity filled later this week!) and looking back on the week with a sense of satisfaction. It's a nice place to be and I'm so thankful for it! As I mentioned before, I was starting to get kind of antsy by the summer months, so having a more regular routine and a lot more responsibilities outside of myself (ie. for other people) has made a huge difference.
Of course, I now have those overflowing days where I end up eating lunch around 6 pm and am more or less running from one thing to another, but I'm trying to avoid that as much as possible. I do hate rushing. Passionately! I'm sure it's unhealthy because it sends my stress levels through the roof, and when I'm over-scheduled, I also find it hard to be focused on what I'm doing at the present moment and give my full attention to it. Blegch, the high-powered rushing from one meeting to another lifestyle is clearly not for me!
Thankfully, though, I have a lot of control over my schedule these days. The trick is just learning to say no, graciously, when I realize that the day or week is already fully booked and that adding anything more in starts to follow the law of diminishing returns. (This is a trick I have not yet mastered. Someone teach me, please?)
I do have a few tricks that are working well, though. To wit, I've actually taken to blocking out sections of my agenda to make sure I include enough time to recharge from the more hectic moments of the week. I'm also ridiculously strict about keeping Monday entirely as a day off - absolutely no meetings or social obligations allowed! It usually doesn't end up being much of a day "off" since I'm generally cleaning the house, getting caught up on emails, and organizing the week ahead, but as an introvert, I look forward to that time all week because I know I can stay cocooned alone at home, and no one is allowed to enter my hamster ball!* Really, time off doesn't have to mean not doing anything productive, it just has to mean no human interaction is required. Knowing that alone time is coming gets me through the weekend, when I have to be "on" most of the time.
There's still a lot of room for improvement (especially in continuing regular workouts), but I feel much more relaxed overall, confident that I'm moving in the right direction and being smarter about how to use my time and fit my schedule to my strengths and goals, and not the other way around. I just hope these happy feelings are around to stay!
*(Skip the intro and scroll to middle of page for the cartoon strip.)
Of course, I now have those overflowing days where I end up eating lunch around 6 pm and am more or less running from one thing to another, but I'm trying to avoid that as much as possible. I do hate rushing. Passionately! I'm sure it's unhealthy because it sends my stress levels through the roof, and when I'm over-scheduled, I also find it hard to be focused on what I'm doing at the present moment and give my full attention to it. Blegch, the high-powered rushing from one meeting to another lifestyle is clearly not for me!
Thankfully, though, I have a lot of control over my schedule these days. The trick is just learning to say no, graciously, when I realize that the day or week is already fully booked and that adding anything more in starts to follow the law of diminishing returns. (This is a trick I have not yet mastered. Someone teach me, please?)
I do have a few tricks that are working well, though. To wit, I've actually taken to blocking out sections of my agenda to make sure I include enough time to recharge from the more hectic moments of the week. I'm also ridiculously strict about keeping Monday entirely as a day off - absolutely no meetings or social obligations allowed! It usually doesn't end up being much of a day "off" since I'm generally cleaning the house, getting caught up on emails, and organizing the week ahead, but as an introvert, I look forward to that time all week because I know I can stay cocooned alone at home, and no one is allowed to enter my hamster ball!* Really, time off doesn't have to mean not doing anything productive, it just has to mean no human interaction is required. Knowing that alone time is coming gets me through the weekend, when I have to be "on" most of the time.
There's still a lot of room for improvement (especially in continuing regular workouts), but I feel much more relaxed overall, confident that I'm moving in the right direction and being smarter about how to use my time and fit my schedule to my strengths and goals, and not the other way around. I just hope these happy feelings are around to stay!
*(Skip the intro and scroll to middle of page for the cartoon strip.)
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Sleep in the Balance
Benefits of Waking Up Before 6:30 am :
1. More hours in the day to get stuff done.
2. Watching the sky brighten.
3. Balancing off the almost 12 hours of sleep you got yesterday. (Is this really a benefit? Law of Undulation, maybe?)
4. Not feeling rushed to accomplish today’s tasks.
5. Having enough time to make a leisurely breakfast (and then opting to spend about 90 seconds making a smoothie… FAIL.)
6. Strange motivation to rearrange furniture, clean, and organize everything.
7. More time for blogging!
Drawback of Waking Up Before 6:30 am :
1. Fewer hours of sleep.
2. Loss of sleep.
3. Only slept for five hours.
4. Missing your only day to sleep in.
5. I want to sleeeeeeep!
6. Zzzzzzzzzz… (by 2 pm)
7. Sleep, I miss you. :(
1. More hours in the day to get stuff done.
2. Watching the sky brighten.
3. Balancing off the almost 12 hours of sleep you got yesterday. (Is this really a benefit? Law of Undulation, maybe?)
4. Not feeling rushed to accomplish today’s tasks.
5. Having enough time to make a leisurely breakfast (and then opting to spend about 90 seconds making a smoothie… FAIL.)
6. Strange motivation to rearrange furniture, clean, and organize everything.
7. More time for blogging!
Drawback of Waking Up Before 6:30 am :
1. Fewer hours of sleep.
2. Loss of sleep.
3. Only slept for five hours.
4. Missing your only day to sleep in.
5. I want to sleeeeeeep!
6. Zzzzzzzzzz… (by 2 pm)
7. Sleep, I miss you. :(
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Boomerang Effect
The thought may have crossed your mind that I finally threw in the towel and abandoned
blogging for good, seeing as how sporadic my posting has been throughout this
year. (If so, I wouldn’t blame you!) Over the past several months, I have wondered
if I should just give up, too. I haven't posted in months, and I haven't posted consistently in years! But, like a boomerang, and ever full of surprises and optimism, I’m back!
In my absence, I have begun writing approximately 70
bajillion new posts (in my head), spotted more random shoes than I can remember
(but not as many as previous years, yay!), travelled to Orlando (for The Gospel
Coalition 2013 conference), gone on and off a carb-cycling diet, started
learning how to play from chords on the piano (up ‘til now my training has been
exclusively how to read music), visited Starbucks more times than I care to
admit, not killed grown a tomato plant indoors on our window sill (the
first tomato is still ripening – so excited to eat it!), taken a family
vacation to New England (Boston and Maine), enjoyed barbequing on the outdoor
patio, reconnected with an old friend, slept in as much as humanly possible,
visited friends in Belleville and Port Colborne, gone to the dentist after an
embarrassingly long time, and resumed my ministry involvement at church (primarily:
working with university and college students).
It was a good “sabbatical year” that I had, but I was
growing very restless towards the end (ie. over the spring and summer,
especially June and July) and it is good to be busy again. I was technically “busy”
taking care of myself during my break from serving at church, but ironically
enough the lack of structure was making it tough to stick to a regular routine.
I am really hopeful that I can do better at that now… but I guess that remains to
be seen! Regular workouts resume next week (last week I had a cold, we were on
retreat with our church over the long weekend, and this week was my time of the
month to be crampy and incapacitated), as does meal-planning and (hopefully)
getting into a healthy sleep routine. Nothing like the beginning of a new school
year to put the wind in your sails when it comes to such matters!
I hope all is well with you, and I hope to spend more time
writing during what is left of 2013. (Gulp! We’re not going to go there, but
HOW IS IT SEPTEMBER ALREADY?!?!) What is on your horizon for the fall?
xo,
Kate
Kate
P.S. This probably shouldn’t be written as an afterthought,
but I figure I should record it here anyways (for posterity?). Wilson and I
have been attending some natural family planning classes, and we’re hoping for
a 2014 baby! We will see what the Lord has in store for us (hopefully
parenthood!), but I’m pretty excited that after much waiting, we’re finally
confident that this is the right time to start trying to expand our family. J
P.P.S. Yes, even though I'm not yet pregnant we more or less have our baby names picked out already. This is a surprise to no one, right?!
Monday, March 25, 2013
One Step at a Time
There's a poster my parents have always had up in their basement (both at Old Home and in their current place) which says, "The way to get anywhere is to start from where you are." (Or, words to that effect.) It might sound trite, but I believe those are truly words to live by, especially when it comes to tackling a daunting task like overhauling one's eating habits and improving one's fitness level.
I've been thinking that much like our new eating plan, which I suspect has been effective largely because it is a structured program that gives clear guidelines on how to achieve a specific goal (losing weight), my workout plan could use a bit of a shake-up. I have been lax in my gym time over the past few weeks, and while I'm trying (and succeeding, for the most part) to be more active overall by walking more and sitting less (etc.), lack of cardio does not a more fit person make. Plus, the lovely Lindsay has been totally inspiring me with a ton of great exercise resources, goal-setting tools, and encouraging updates about her own progress getting in shape. All that inspiration has to result in something, right?
So today, when my workout buddy came over for our usual Monday afternoon gym session, I brought my tablet down and we let Jillian Michaels kick our butts with her "30 Day Shred" workout. 20 minutes and one "level one" workout later I couldn't walk properly on my jello-legs, but I comfort myself with the knowledge that my friend was also exhausted afterwards, and she is much fitter than I am! (I hope I can remember that when I'm unable to roll out of bed tomorrow and have to limp along to work on my trembly legs and burning thighs. It WILL be worth it!!!)
Things I Learned from Today's Workout:
1. I need to wear tighter clothes for this particular program, as my pants kept falling down. (Way to make me feel even MORE self-conscious while doing jumping jacks!)
2. You can call it "jumping jacks," "jump rope," "butt kicks" or whatever else you want - it is ALL THE SAME and pretty much made me want to die by the end of the workout. I'm on to you, Ms. Michaels...
3. Any form of jumping is SERIOUS BUSINESS, people. Serious cardio business - no messing around, here!
4. Arm weights that seemed dinky at the beginning of the workout can suddenly become much heavier by the end. (Actually, I already knew this. It's just that now I know it, know it, if you know what I mean.)
5. I need at least two sets of arm weights to get a really good arm workout in, because for some of the exercises I couldn't even handle my measly 2.5 pounders by the final few reps, but for others (I'm looking at you, butterfly press) I could have at least doubled what I was lifting.
6. Dynamic stretching (ie. stretching through movement) is the best way to warm up your muscles, while static stretching (ie. the typical "holding a position" stretches most of us are familiar with) should be left for the cool-down period.
7. The correct way to perform a quad stretch is with the opposite hand grasping the foot. (I've been doing this wrong for so long, no wonder I used to find this stretch kind of painful!!)
8. 20 minutes is shorter than you think - I wanted to quit around what I thought was the halfway mark, but it turned out that we were less than 5 minutes away from being completely finished! Mind you, that was quite possibly the longest 5 minutes of my life... o.O
9. This workout will not, in fact, kill me. No one is more shocked than I am! ;)
My plan is to do this 20 minute workout at least 5 times a week for the next two weeks (ie. until my trip to Florida!)* and then see where things stand when I get back from the conference I'm attending. Tomorrow I would love to keep up my momentum, but I'm working an 8 hour shift (on my feet the whole time, I might add) and then have to scoot off to a guitar lesson uptown, so there's no way I will have the energy for a workout. But Wednesday, it will happen!!
*I have an exciting announcement about this later! But that's all for now... I know, I'm such a tease! ;)
I've been thinking that much like our new eating plan, which I suspect has been effective largely because it is a structured program that gives clear guidelines on how to achieve a specific goal (losing weight), my workout plan could use a bit of a shake-up. I have been lax in my gym time over the past few weeks, and while I'm trying (and succeeding, for the most part) to be more active overall by walking more and sitting less (etc.), lack of cardio does not a more fit person make. Plus, the lovely Lindsay has been totally inspiring me with a ton of great exercise resources, goal-setting tools, and encouraging updates about her own progress getting in shape. All that inspiration has to result in something, right?
So today, when my workout buddy came over for our usual Monday afternoon gym session, I brought my tablet down and we let Jillian Michaels kick our butts with her "30 Day Shred" workout. 20 minutes and one "level one" workout later I couldn't walk properly on my jello-legs, but I comfort myself with the knowledge that my friend was also exhausted afterwards, and she is much fitter than I am! (I hope I can remember that when I'm unable to roll out of bed tomorrow and have to limp along to work on my trembly legs and burning thighs. It WILL be worth it!!!)
Things I Learned from Today's Workout:
1. I need to wear tighter clothes for this particular program, as my pants kept falling down. (Way to make me feel even MORE self-conscious while doing jumping jacks!)
2. You can call it "jumping jacks," "jump rope," "butt kicks" or whatever else you want - it is ALL THE SAME and pretty much made me want to die by the end of the workout. I'm on to you, Ms. Michaels...
3. Any form of jumping is SERIOUS BUSINESS, people. Serious cardio business - no messing around, here!
4. Arm weights that seemed dinky at the beginning of the workout can suddenly become much heavier by the end. (Actually, I already knew this. It's just that now I know it, know it, if you know what I mean.)
5. I need at least two sets of arm weights to get a really good arm workout in, because for some of the exercises I couldn't even handle my measly 2.5 pounders by the final few reps, but for others (I'm looking at you, butterfly press) I could have at least doubled what I was lifting.
6. Dynamic stretching (ie. stretching through movement) is the best way to warm up your muscles, while static stretching (ie. the typical "holding a position" stretches most of us are familiar with) should be left for the cool-down period.
7. The correct way to perform a quad stretch is with the opposite hand grasping the foot. (I've been doing this wrong for so long, no wonder I used to find this stretch kind of painful!!)
8. 20 minutes is shorter than you think - I wanted to quit around what I thought was the halfway mark, but it turned out that we were less than 5 minutes away from being completely finished! Mind you, that was quite possibly the longest 5 minutes of my life... o.O
9. This workout will not, in fact, kill me. No one is more shocked than I am! ;)
My plan is to do this 20 minute workout at least 5 times a week for the next two weeks (ie. until my trip to Florida!)* and then see where things stand when I get back from the conference I'm attending. Tomorrow I would love to keep up my momentum, but I'm working an 8 hour shift (on my feet the whole time, I might add) and then have to scoot off to a guitar lesson uptown, so there's no way I will have the energy for a workout. But Wednesday, it will happen!!
*I have an exciting announcement about this later! But that's all for now... I know, I'm such a tease! ;)
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Happy Things + Thankfulness Project 2.0
Last week was a doozie - just a lousy, lousy week that I would like to forget for so many reasons. However, in the spirit of being thankful for the many undeserved blessings God has given me, this week I will be posting about things that make me happy. (Sort of along the same lines as the Thankfulness Project posts I wrote a while back, which you long-time readers might remember.)
Tuesday's Happy Things:
1. Winning another free coffee from Tim Horton's. (So far I'm up to three free coffees and a donut!)
2. The stupendous lentil stew we made for dinner tonight! (It deserves its own post, which will be coming later this week.)
3. The high I get from a successful day's tutoring session. (It never gets old.)
Actually, speaking of the Thankfulness Project, I think it would be good to get back into the habit of publicly giving thanks for what I have been given. (I totally did not expect this post to take that direction when I started writing. But hey, why not?!) Let's do it!
As a reminder, here's my "mission statement" from a few years ago when I first set out to document on a regular basis the things for which I was thankful.
Tuesday's Happy Things:
1. Winning another free coffee from Tim Horton's. (So far I'm up to three free coffees and a donut!)
2. The stupendous lentil stew we made for dinner tonight! (It deserves its own post, which will be coming later this week.)
3. The high I get from a successful day's tutoring session. (It never gets old.)
Actually, speaking of the Thankfulness Project, I think it would be good to get back into the habit of publicly giving thanks for what I have been given. (I totally did not expect this post to take that direction when I started writing. But hey, why not?!) Let's do it!
As a reminder, here's my "mission statement" from a few years ago when I first set out to document on a regular basis the things for which I was thankful.
The Thankfulness Project
Normally, I am really big on the psychological boost of “fresh starts,” like the beginning of a week, month, year, new school term, etc. These dates somehow hold special promise for me, and can motivate me to success in all kinds of ways. On a “fresh start” day I have the confidence and the drive to develop better habits, work toward a specific goal, or just generally get it together. There’s just something inspirational about “the first day of” that brings balance to my life and speaks to my soul. Or something less cheesy and pop-psychological-sounding.
All that to say that when I was originally planning to start The Thankfulness Project on my blog, I fully intended to begin on July 4th (my first official day of vacation) and continue from there. But I didn’t, and tonight I decided to throw up my hands and forget about being tied down to a “fresh start day.” It is Wednesday night, and I am bringing you The Thankfulness Project. So there, psyche.
What it is
The Thankfulness Project is one way I’m trying to develop an attitude of gratitude. It’s my way of dwelling on the blessings in my life and giving thanks for all the good things, both small and ginormous, that God has given me.
What it is not
The Thankfulness Project is in no way grandiose or pretentious. I have always admired the ability of children to delight in the smallest things (an old cardboard box, a sticker that isn’t sticky anymore, a jangly set of keys) and I certainly hope that is a skill I have held on to. While the Thankfulness Project is certainly meant seriously on my part, that is not to say that every post is going to be deeply moving and profound. Some might be. I will certainly be giving thanks for some really major blessings. But I’ll also be thanking God for the little things that bring joy into my life.
When it will happen
Since I can only go against my personality so much, and we’re already starting in the middle of the week, toward the end of my vacation, and on a pretty random day in July, I must at least maintain some semblance of balance and symmetry by turning this into a weekly series. So you can expect a Thankfulness Project post on the blog every Wednesday.
The back-story
Many of the personal blogs I frequent are great proponents of the “Life List” or “30 Before I’m 30” or “Top 63 Things I Want to Do Before I Die.” Basically these are lists of a person’s personal goals and desires, ranging from small & relatively insignificant items (ex. learn how to make chocolate cherry ice cream) to larger goals (ex. complete the Boston Marathon). Many of the lists I’ve read include practical entries, like “learn how to change a car tire” or “start buying only local produce,” and lots of people have very laudable and self-giving goals, too, such as “write a thank-you letter to my most influential teacher.”
The thing about these lists is that whatever lovely and noble goals the writer may have, everything invariably centres around me. What do I want to do/learn/create/experience/give? Don’t get me wrong, I have such a list as well. I want to learn CPR and basic first aid and rudimentary sewing and ancient Greek; I want to make weekly trips to the farmers’ market and bake my own bread and walk everyday and read a book-a-week next year; I want to make dinner for friends and make all my Christmas gifts from scratch and learn to live on less and tame my temper. But for all of those great desires, there’s still a lot of me me me floating around in those goals.
Thus, my answer to the “life list” was born. I don’t want to make a list of things to do before I die. Not that there’s anything inherently problematic with such a list. But to me, it puts the focus in the wrong place. Sure, it would be great to travel to Paris while I can still remember some French, and it would be lovely to have a house with a garden where I could grow my own veggies, but those things don’t really matter.
And so I’ll dream a little dream, and try to use my time and resources as best I can, and meanwhile, I will choose to give thanks for everything I have already been blessed with, so far above what I deserve. I hope my list of thanksgiving will uplift and encourage you.
All that to say that when I was originally planning to start The Thankfulness Project on my blog, I fully intended to begin on July 4th (my first official day of vacation) and continue from there. But I didn’t, and tonight I decided to throw up my hands and forget about being tied down to a “fresh start day.” It is Wednesday night, and I am bringing you The Thankfulness Project. So there, psyche.
What it is
The Thankfulness Project is one way I’m trying to develop an attitude of gratitude. It’s my way of dwelling on the blessings in my life and giving thanks for all the good things, both small and ginormous, that God has given me.
What it is not
The Thankfulness Project is in no way grandiose or pretentious. I have always admired the ability of children to delight in the smallest things (an old cardboard box, a sticker that isn’t sticky anymore, a jangly set of keys) and I certainly hope that is a skill I have held on to. While the Thankfulness Project is certainly meant seriously on my part, that is not to say that every post is going to be deeply moving and profound. Some might be. I will certainly be giving thanks for some really major blessings. But I’ll also be thanking God for the little things that bring joy into my life.
When it will happen
Since I can only go against my personality so much, and we’re already starting in the middle of the week, toward the end of my vacation, and on a pretty random day in July, I must at least maintain some semblance of balance and symmetry by turning this into a weekly series. So you can expect a Thankfulness Project post on the blog every Wednesday.
The back-story
Many of the personal blogs I frequent are great proponents of the “Life List” or “30 Before I’m 30” or “Top 63 Things I Want to Do Before I Die.” Basically these are lists of a person’s personal goals and desires, ranging from small & relatively insignificant items (ex. learn how to make chocolate cherry ice cream) to larger goals (ex. complete the Boston Marathon). Many of the lists I’ve read include practical entries, like “learn how to change a car tire” or “start buying only local produce,” and lots of people have very laudable and self-giving goals, too, such as “write a thank-you letter to my most influential teacher.”
The thing about these lists is that whatever lovely and noble goals the writer may have, everything invariably centres around me. What do I want to do/learn/create/experience/give? Don’t get me wrong, I have such a list as well. I want to learn CPR and basic first aid and rudimentary sewing and ancient Greek; I want to make weekly trips to the farmers’ market and bake my own bread and walk everyday and read a book-a-week next year; I want to make dinner for friends and make all my Christmas gifts from scratch and learn to live on less and tame my temper. But for all of those great desires, there’s still a lot of me me me floating around in those goals.
Thus, my answer to the “life list” was born. I don’t want to make a list of things to do before I die. Not that there’s anything inherently problematic with such a list. But to me, it puts the focus in the wrong place. Sure, it would be great to travel to Paris while I can still remember some French, and it would be lovely to have a house with a garden where I could grow my own veggies, but those things don’t really matter.
And so I’ll dream a little dream, and try to use my time and resources as best I can, and meanwhile, I will choose to give thanks for everything I have already been blessed with, so far above what I deserve. I hope my list of thanksgiving will uplift and encourage you.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Food Blog Update
Just a quick note to update the url for my visual food log. You can still follow my progress here, on my spiffy new blog (I actually just gave the old one a facelift and new name). And to all of you who have written or made comments in person, thanks for all the love! xx
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Mon passeport
I am SO impressed with Passport Canada! Not only did it take a mere 30 minutes (on a Friday afternoon, no less!) to submit my passport renewal application, but less than a week later what should I find waiting for me when I got home from work but my spiffy new passport, unsigned, sealed, and delivered? Talk about great service!
And to top it all off, I also received a lovely note from Erin in the post* this afternoon. Pretty much a fantastic afternoon all-around. Hope your day finished well! xx
*I felt so in touch with my British roots just typing that!
And to top it all off, I also received a lovely note from Erin in the post* this afternoon. Pretty much a fantastic afternoon all-around. Hope your day finished well! xx
*I felt so in touch with my British roots just typing that!
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Progress makes Perfect?
Sometimes when I reflect on some of my main goals (like eating well), I can't help but feel overwhelmed by how far I still want to go. Healthy eating in particular seems a daunting task in today's frenzied fast-food culture, with sugar lurking behind practically every label (bread! yogurt! pasta sauce!), different opinions on what constitutes a healthy fat (to wit, the butter vs. margarine debate), and the cold hard reality that buying local and/or organic produce costs at least double the price of your average grocery store option. (I'm sorry, but I get really fed up with all the people who say that eating healthier foods does not cost more. It does! Do the math, people!!)
While I'm doing my best to navigate the sheer bombardment of food choices we are faced with on a daily basis (a blessing or a curse - you decide), there are inevitably days where I get to the dinner-making hour and just run out of steam. And in those moments, I would dearly love to drop a packet of ramen noodle into some boiling water, toss in a handful of veggies, and call it dinner. (Or better yet, just order a pizza.) Fatigue just makes everything seem bleak, I find. Making a dinner that at 2:30 pm seemed like a wonderfully balanced and not too time consuming option suddenly becomes The Impossible Dream right around five o'clock.
It doesn't help that I seem to be prone to severe bouts of sleepiness anytime between 4:30 pm to about 7 pm or so, and have been every since I was a child. (My mother used to have to force me to keep moving/do something active in the late afternoon/early evening when I was little, because otherwise I would fall asleep and then end up awake for the entire night.) This natural (genetic?) state of fatigue does NOT help matters when one is trying to pump out healthy dinners night after night (all those veggies won't chop themselves, you know!) and resist the urge to be lazy and just eat something convenient (read: unhealthy).
Last night, as I attempted to ward off sleep by plugging away in the kitchen (and calling my parents for a pep talk ♥), I was feeling kind of discouraged. (Along the lines of, why does something so basic (ie. feeding oneself) have to be so ridiculously complicated? What if after all this work I'm still not able to make any progress? etc.) And then it hit me, that just because my eating may not be perfect*, just because every goal I've made has not yet been reached, does not mean there has been no progress!
Thus, I decided it would be a good self-encouragement tool to document some of the lasting changes I have already made that are fine evidence of how I am working towards my goal of improving my diet and health.
In no particular order:
-Cutting out all soft drinks (Not that I used to drink a lot of soda, but I would often order a diet coke when we went out for lunch or dinner. No more!)
-Increasing vegetable intake (There used to be days where I wouldn't eat anything green. No more!)
-Eating more kale (Or other dark leafy greens. I read or heard somewhere that you should have at least one serving of dark leafies (as I like to call them) and one serving of bright orange veggies per day, and I try to hit this as many times a week as I can.)
-Replacing simple ("white") carbs with complex (whole grain) carbs (Except on Sundays, we get all our carbs from whole grains, fruits, and veggies. This is a HUGE change from my old white flour, white rice-eating ways!)
-Vastly reducing our sugar consumption (Not only have I greatly reduced how much refined sugar I'm eating straight up (to almost none), I'm also much more aware of sugar in foods like bread and yogurt, and have changed what I buy accordingly.)
-Replacing vanilla yogurt in my smoothies with plain (unsweetened) yogurt (Just one concrete example of how I'm eating less sugar.)
-Eating less meat (I used to scoff at the palm-sized portion idea, but now I try to follow that pretty carefully.)
-Eating more fish (Aside from the last couple weeks, where fish has not made an appearance on our plates, we usually eat salmon or some type of white fish about 1-2 times per week.)
-Reading package labels (I was REALLY good at this for a few years, and then I just became lazy or stopped caring. No more! I am now super scrupulous about reading every food label on the products I buy. Of course, it's best if most of what you buy doesn't come with a label, but some healthy stuff like oatmeal is still packaged, and I want to make sure I'm getting what I think I'm getting, with no added sugar or ingredients that can't be pronounced by normal human beings.)
-Cutting out juice (I used to only drink 100% fruit juices (none of that sugary "cocktail" stuff, please!) but now, except for the rare occasion we have orange juice, it's pretty much just milk, soy milk every so often, and lots of water.)
-Not letting sickness be an excuse (So, confession time: I used to be awful at eating well when I was under the weather. I figured that I was feeling lousy anyways, so I might as well eat whatever the heck I wanted (both to feel better and I guess because I thought it didn't matter since I was already sick?). Well, no more! I now have a mental list of Sore Throat Foods, for example, and am overall SO MUCH BETTER at sticking with healthy options even when I'm not feeling well. Of course, there are exceptions to this, but not nearly as many exceptions as there used to be. I call that a win!)
-Controlling portion sizes (I'm not sure I'm entirely hitting the mark on this one, but short of measuring everything (which I have done before, what a pain!!) I'm doing my best to eyeball using the hand-sizing method. At any rate, I'm doing better than I was before, although I'm sure there's still room for improvement...)
-Keeping track of what I eat (Another thing I used to sort of brush aside, but now I'm a believer! I think this is such a helpful tool in sticking with any kind of eating goal that goes against the mainstream.)
*And by the way, who defines what a perfect diet looks like? Scientists, doctors, dieticians, governments, and everyone else do not seem to be able to come to a consensus, though for the record, I think Michael Pollen's take is pretty spot-on.
P.S. A longer article about why butter IS better! ;)
P.P.S. In case you're wondering, Sore Throat Foods are foods that are cool, soothing, and not in the least bit acidic (ouch!). They should also not be deep fried (or too fatty), sugary, or contain much dairy, as these can also irritate the throat when it's at its most tender. Examples of my favourite Sore Throat Foods include watermelon, cucumbers, bananas, frozen blueberries, and steamed green leafies. Watermelon is one of the best because it is also super hydrating, which helps the body flush out toxins and recover faster. Plus, who doesn't love watermelon? :)
While I'm doing my best to navigate the sheer bombardment of food choices we are faced with on a daily basis (a blessing or a curse - you decide), there are inevitably days where I get to the dinner-making hour and just run out of steam. And in those moments, I would dearly love to drop a packet of ramen noodle into some boiling water, toss in a handful of veggies, and call it dinner. (Or better yet, just order a pizza.) Fatigue just makes everything seem bleak, I find. Making a dinner that at 2:30 pm seemed like a wonderfully balanced and not too time consuming option suddenly becomes The Impossible Dream right around five o'clock.
It doesn't help that I seem to be prone to severe bouts of sleepiness anytime between 4:30 pm to about 7 pm or so, and have been every since I was a child. (My mother used to have to force me to keep moving/do something active in the late afternoon/early evening when I was little, because otherwise I would fall asleep and then end up awake for the entire night.) This natural (genetic?) state of fatigue does NOT help matters when one is trying to pump out healthy dinners night after night (all those veggies won't chop themselves, you know!) and resist the urge to be lazy and just eat something convenient (read: unhealthy).
Last night, as I attempted to ward off sleep by plugging away in the kitchen (and calling my parents for a pep talk ♥), I was feeling kind of discouraged. (Along the lines of, why does something so basic (ie. feeding oneself) have to be so ridiculously complicated? What if after all this work I'm still not able to make any progress? etc.) And then it hit me, that just because my eating may not be perfect*, just because every goal I've made has not yet been reached, does not mean there has been no progress!
Thus, I decided it would be a good self-encouragement tool to document some of the lasting changes I have already made that are fine evidence of how I am working towards my goal of improving my diet and health.
In no particular order:
-Cutting out all soft drinks (Not that I used to drink a lot of soda, but I would often order a diet coke when we went out for lunch or dinner. No more!)
-Increasing vegetable intake (There used to be days where I wouldn't eat anything green. No more!)
-Eating more kale (Or other dark leafy greens. I read or heard somewhere that you should have at least one serving of dark leafies (as I like to call them) and one serving of bright orange veggies per day, and I try to hit this as many times a week as I can.)
-Replacing simple ("white") carbs with complex (whole grain) carbs (Except on Sundays, we get all our carbs from whole grains, fruits, and veggies. This is a HUGE change from my old white flour, white rice-eating ways!)
-Vastly reducing our sugar consumption (Not only have I greatly reduced how much refined sugar I'm eating straight up (to almost none), I'm also much more aware of sugar in foods like bread and yogurt, and have changed what I buy accordingly.)
-Replacing vanilla yogurt in my smoothies with plain (unsweetened) yogurt (Just one concrete example of how I'm eating less sugar.)
-Eating less meat (I used to scoff at the palm-sized portion idea, but now I try to follow that pretty carefully.)
-Eating more fish (Aside from the last couple weeks, where fish has not made an appearance on our plates, we usually eat salmon or some type of white fish about 1-2 times per week.)
-Reading package labels (I was REALLY good at this for a few years, and then I just became lazy or stopped caring. No more! I am now super scrupulous about reading every food label on the products I buy. Of course, it's best if most of what you buy doesn't come with a label, but some healthy stuff like oatmeal is still packaged, and I want to make sure I'm getting what I think I'm getting, with no added sugar or ingredients that can't be pronounced by normal human beings.)
-Cutting out juice (I used to only drink 100% fruit juices (none of that sugary "cocktail" stuff, please!) but now, except for the rare occasion we have orange juice, it's pretty much just milk, soy milk every so often, and lots of water.)
-Not letting sickness be an excuse (So, confession time: I used to be awful at eating well when I was under the weather. I figured that I was feeling lousy anyways, so I might as well eat whatever the heck I wanted (both to feel better and I guess because I thought it didn't matter since I was already sick?). Well, no more! I now have a mental list of Sore Throat Foods, for example, and am overall SO MUCH BETTER at sticking with healthy options even when I'm not feeling well. Of course, there are exceptions to this, but not nearly as many exceptions as there used to be. I call that a win!)
-Controlling portion sizes (I'm not sure I'm entirely hitting the mark on this one, but short of measuring everything (which I have done before, what a pain!!) I'm doing my best to eyeball using the hand-sizing method. At any rate, I'm doing better than I was before, although I'm sure there's still room for improvement...)
-Keeping track of what I eat (Another thing I used to sort of brush aside, but now I'm a believer! I think this is such a helpful tool in sticking with any kind of eating goal that goes against the mainstream.)
*And by the way, who defines what a perfect diet looks like? Scientists, doctors, dieticians, governments, and everyone else do not seem to be able to come to a consensus, though for the record, I think Michael Pollen's take is pretty spot-on.
P.S. A longer article about why butter IS better! ;)
P.P.S. In case you're wondering, Sore Throat Foods are foods that are cool, soothing, and not in the least bit acidic (ouch!). They should also not be deep fried (or too fatty), sugary, or contain much dairy, as these can also irritate the throat when it's at its most tender. Examples of my favourite Sore Throat Foods include watermelon, cucumbers, bananas, frozen blueberries, and steamed green leafies. Watermelon is one of the best because it is also super hydrating, which helps the body flush out toxins and recover faster. Plus, who doesn't love watermelon? :)
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