I don't have much to say today. I'm not sure I can sustain this daily entry thing I've started. There may be days you just don't hear from me. Other days you may hear from me more than once.
What's really on my mind today is food. I think it's the cool weather or being stuck at home all day. I don't know but I just love food. I ate a good lunch but as soon as I got the kids in bed for naps, I found myself scrounging around the kitchen. I ate some pumpkin bread. I don't feel too badly about that because it was an extra healthy recipe (from Simply in Season.) The more I am at home, the more I want to eat. Evenings are the absolute worst. Around 9pm, I just crave some sort of snack. Sure, I reach for a healthy snack sometimes but it just doesn't always cut it. I'm envious of my friends with such self-control. One girlfriend just doesn't eat after 7 pm and says if she does, she makes sure it's a protein of some sort. I'm sure a lot of you out there are self-disciplined and stay out of the kitchen after dinner. How do you do it?? Seriously...
Perhaps there's a greater issue here... habit, boredom, who knows. And maybe it's not really a big deal (although dessert night after night at 9pm is a big deal to me.) I do want to be healthy and model that to my family. But I want to have fun too and enjoy life. Any wise words out there?
About Me
- Kris
- I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. But first I'm a woman and I'm committed to taking care of myself so that I can have good relationships with others. This is not always easy. Okay, some days it's just plain impossible but I'm working at it! For almost 3 1/2 years I have been home raising children. Though quite difficult at first, I feel very content with my lifestyle choice. I am grateful that I have this "choice" and that it was mine to make. In college, I spent three months living in Costa Rica, Central America, for a Study Service Term. While there, I became familiar with the term Pura Vida. My interpretation of the phrase is "life is good." Sure, I have complaints and I am full of flaws. Many times things don't go my way. But hey, who has the perfect life (and wouldn't that be boring)?! My life is good!!
3 comments:
I try (with aiming for this most of the time) to allow myself either a portion of Edy's Grand Light after the kids are in bed, or to brush my teeth while I put the kids to bed. I find that the times the kids are sleeping (naps and night) are the times that I am most likely to eat too much unhealthy food....it really does take discipline and it's hard. I think food has become such an issue because it's so readily available. It's not like we have to spend hours a day gathering what we will serve. (Although we may spend hours preparing what we serve...)
I started this habit right after college... every time I eat, whether it is before a meal or snack I ask myself "Are you really hungry?" If the answer is yes, then I eat without guilt and I eat whatever I am hungry for (chocolate, chips, fruit, nuts, whatever) and enough to satisfy the hunger or craving, if the answer is "No, I'm not hungry, I just feel like eating" then I tell myself to wait, not that I can't have the food I'm craving, but just to wait until I am truly hungry for it. It doesn't feel so much a like a punishment then and I find that when I am truly hungry for something I enjoy it so much more. That's become kind of a basic tenant of my life.
The things I have done since having children are these:
-I keep a trail mix handy that I make from lightly salted mixed nuts, golden raisins, cherry flavored craisins, chocolate/peanutbutter chips, white chololate chips. The nuts and dried fruit are good for me and filling and the chips give just a bit of sweet to help with sugar craving. I find that a handful when I'm hungry for a naptime or after bedtime snack really satisfies, gives me energy and very little guilt.
- I also joined a gym with childcare and attempt to work out without my children 4 times a week (2 times for 30 minutes and 2 times for 1 hour) it's the best thing I've done for my physical, and mental health and the best thing I've done for the health of my family- I'm noticeably more patient since I've started this routine! When I've had a good workout, I'm MUCH less likely to have or give into food cravings.
Those are the things I do. I am sure that each person needs to find the unique things that provide balance for their own body. Good luck!
(Sarah, I love your teeth brushing suggestion, that would probably work for me to.)
Christina
Both of you have great suggestions. Thanks for sharing. I think I'll make myself that trail mix tomorrow.
Post a Comment