food, lately

I mentioned in my last post that I've been hitting the gym pretty hard lately, and I'm going to be honest; it's because I put on some weight over the last 6 months. Most of it was due to winter + depression, but I have to take blame for smoking because it deterred me from going to the gym. (I've since stopped for good! I can't even remember the last time I bought a pack, I think it was in January.) Anyway 5-10 lbs later, I felt my clothes hugging my body a little tighter than I like them too, and I decided to make a change. I started working out with a trainer in February, and I've since continued on my own. This combined with a nutrition plan has me back where I need to be.

I changed my diet a lot this year, and it's working for me. Most of my adult life I've suffered from disordered eating. It wasn't until last summer, when I took a nutrition course, that I learned how negatively a low carb diet affects your brain function. I've always limited carbs, and even went gluten free for a very long time, only to push myself at the gym with little to no results because I didn't have the energy to keep a regular routine or the nutrients I needed to build muscle. Not only that, but when you deprive yourself of certain foods, you will eventually binge on them, and it's an endless cycle. Our bodies have evolved since the paleolithic era, so it makes no sense to eat like that.

As of now I'm eating 6 smalls meals a day. (Meals, not to be confused with snacks.) Every time I eat I make sure that I'm getting a healthy carb (whole grain), a healthy fat (nuts, seeds, avocado, coconut oil, etc.), a fruit and/or vegetable, and a lean protein. The downside to this is that eating 6 times a day takes some effort, but since I'm not working right now, I can manage it without having to do a lot of meal preparation. It did feel weird at first to be eating so much. I kept thinking there's no way this is going to help me lose weight, but after just one week, it did. Not only does it boost your metabolism, but when you're working out you need food to fuel your body, or you will end up lacking the energy to get through your workouts/day. The upside is that I enjoy the food I'm eating, and because I've gone without grains/gluten for so long I don't feel like I'm dieting.

It's hard for me to admit that after 30+ years of life I'm still trying to figure shit out. Balance has never, ever been easy for me, but I have to say this has changed my mindset. When I was in Chicago I was walking 10-12 miles a day, and I didn't beat myself up over enjoying a donut, or cookies, or a Chicago dog, but I also didn't continue to treat myself when I got home. I had to go out of town over the weekend, and it's a task to eat healthy when you have to eat out, but I didn't use that as an excuse, and I made it happen.

Anyway, I'm going to start posting food related stuff here every week, because let's get real; my food blog has pretty much gone the way of the dodo. I have a hard enough time keeping this one up! I would love to hear your favorite healthy meal if you feel like sharing. I'm always looking for new ideas!

Here's a little bit of what I've been eating lately:

1 whole wheat English muffin, topped with marinara sauce, and mozzarella//roasted broccoli

homemade pho made with brown rice noodles, bean sprouts, and flank steak

tandoori chicken over brown rice//grilled zucchini & green onion

Special K protein cereal//strawberries//golden flax seed

Toasted whole wheat bagel//chive whipped cream cheese//2 egg whites//sliced tomato//half grapefruit

Barilla protein plus pasta//chopped asparagus//dollop of pesto//apple

monday musings

I saw this in my facebook feed this morning and it made my heart happy.

This song is on constant repeat in my head.

I made these for breakfast last week, and holy yum.

Since I'm not working right now, I can make it to hot yoga. I'm working on this pose. I'm hoping I'll have it down by the end of the month!

I'm obsessed with this face mask. It leaves your skin feeling so, so soft. I've never used anything that compares to it.


Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was boring, for the most part. I've been trying to kick a sickness that has been lingering for way too long, but I did manage to make it to the gym twice, watched a few episodes of House of Cards, and we went out for bbq at my favorite place, so I can't complain! Also, I fixed the video in my last post, it had no sound, so go back and give it a watch. It's worth 10 minutes of your time.

(photo via)

currently

listening to:

The Orwells - This band has a bit of a Misfits meets Ramones vibe. I've been listening to this album while running or when I'm feeling ragey. It makes me feel better instantly.
The Apache Relay - I heard Katie Queen of Tennessee while listening to a station on spotify, and I was hooked. There isn't a song on the album that I don't love, but I'm really digging #7, Forest for the Trees.
Nikki Lane - She's a little bit country and a little bit rock & roll, and a whole lot bad ass. I'm so sad that I can't go see her play tomorrow here in Dallas. (school! ugh!)
Solange - I'm just gonna throw this out there: I like her better than Beyoncé. It's a really good album, and it gives me the feels.


watching:

Louie - Season 4 is on tv now, and I look forward to it every Monday. Usually when I get hooked on a show, I'll record it and watch it later so I don't have to deal with commercials, but I can never wait! (currently writing this during the commercials. ha!) This is going to sound a little dramatic, but Louis CK has gotten me through a really tough month. When I feel like crying I'll watch old episodes of Louie or his stand up, or I'll turn on his stuff on spotify, and I laugh until I feel better.
Orange is the New Black - I binge watched over the weekend. I'm crushing on Taylor Schilling right now. She's so damn pretty.


eating:
Today I spent the whole day cooking. I've been really busy, and to avoid eating every meal out I decided to make some stuff in advance. I made this quinoa bake, which I had for dinner, and it was SO good. I also made a brisket using this recipe. I've never made brisket before, but it turned out really tender and juicy. I'm excited to throw it in a cabbage salad. Also, I'm addicted to hummus deviled eggs lately, I made 1/2 dozen of them today as well.


loving:

Running. I've been taking advantage of the beautiful trails here in my city, and after about 2-3 weeks of forcing myself to go, I'm now addicted. I had the best run tonite. I ran further (farther? too lazy to give a fuck about grammar right now.) than I ever have before without stopping, and when I was done I wanted to cry. I was so happy and proud of myself.


wearing:
my summer uniform has been a pair of cut offs, and one of these tanks, and these shoes. One of these days I'll become a real blogger and do an outfit post. ha!


What are you listening to/watching/eating/loving/wearing lately?