Happy #thinkingoutloud Thursday! No idea what I’m going on about? Click here!
1. We’re officially one week in to 2016! Which I hope means that all the #resolution and #cleaneating talk will start to die down a little bit. It’s not that I [really] have an issue with either — I just can’t handle the massive influx of posts/articles/etc. focusing on those topics around this time of the year. I get it — I really do — and I love the clean slate/fresh start/boost of motivation feeling that comes with a new calendar too, but there’s something about the whole thing that I find a little unsettling as well. And when I check my Bloglovin feed on Monday morning only to find it saturated with nothing but green smoothies, salads, and chicken… I can’t help but shrivel up and die a little inside.
2. … especially since I’m over here posting brownie recipes (albeit healthier ones) and polishing off leftover birthday cake. Just keeping it real ?
3. BUT! that doesn’t mean I’m not getting in plenty of healthy, wholesome, and nutritious foods as well — that’s still what the majority of my diet is made up of and I love it that way. I’m not someone who operates well under restriction, and I find that it tends to have negative long-term effects for most people as well — effects that can honestly take years to recover from, especially mentally. Putting food on a pedestal, creating unhealthy “good” food vs. “bad” food dichotomies, yo-yo dieting, shot metabolisms, weight gain, obsessions, binges, benders, GUILT… do any of those sound good to you? Me neither. The best “diet” isn’t a diet at all — it’s a lifestyle. That means that it doesn’t have an end date and has to be sustainable/enjoyable enough to maintain for the long haul. I wouldn’t be as jazzed about healthy living if it meant that I couldn’t satisfy my sweet tooth on a regular basis, or that I could only have “x” amount of carbs a day. That doesn’t work for me — I need the freedom. And “freedom” doesn’t mean eating/doing whatever we want (because how ‘free’ do you feel when you’re suffering from the physical/mental repercussions of a bender/binge or when you feel lazy and lethargic from not being active enough??), but eating/doing things that make us feel our best… which for me means a diet that revolves around [healthy] carbs, with treats on the regular.
4. On that note, I’ve got a treat that you can include in your regular coming at ya tomorrow. And you definitely don’t want to miss this one because it might just take the place of my favourite blog recipe ?
5. AND! I’ve got another exciting little venture to introduce to you the day after that, but you’ll have to wait until Saturday to hear more about it!
6. In other [sort-of] food related news, I had a mini panic attack at the grocery store the other day when one of my contacts almost fell out. My fellow contact wearers know what I’m talking about — when you blink and your eyelid catches on the edge of your lens, pulling it down so that only the lower half is actually stuck to your eyeball while the upper half is bent off at a 90º angle and flailing about in the breeze? Yeah… that happened. And apologies for the slightly graphic mental image, but it’s not actually painful or anything — it’s just suuuuper awkward and anxiety-provoking when you don’t have a mirror to run to and the chances of it popping out completely and dropping onto a dirty public floor seem extremely high. I wish someone was there to snap a picture of me, because I must have looked all sorts of crazy blindly digging around in my purse [for my compact] with my face pointed towards the ceiling, trying not to blink and making all sorts of contorted facial expressions. It was a blasty blast.
7. I blame the dry winter air.
8. And speaking of the dry winter air… I’ve been spending a lot more time outside in it because of this little lady right here…
On a little bit more of a serious/sad note… my dog is getting old ? She’ll be 13 this year, and while she still seems in pretty good shape, there are definitely times where I can see the years in her and it freaks the hell out of me. We lost our last dog almost 9 years ago, and I’d be lying if I said I’m fully over it (i.e. I still get a little emotional whenever I see a dog that looks like her). So, I’ve been trying to spend more time with Ky and doing my best to keep the mortality thoughts at bay. Easier said than done.
9. And talk about a downer of a topic to end things on, eh?!? Eesh. But I’m okay, Ky is okay, and I hope that YOU are having a fabulous day. I’ll see your lovely faces tomorrow with the food I promised! ?
No questions… just tell me whatever comes to your mind! 😀
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oh poor poochie. Hoping things are improving!
Can we go on a diet? A chicken diet please!
I’d find it hard to go on a restricted diet when being on a 5 weeks vacation in Cali and Sydney. Definitely not going to happen. Actually, traveling alwys puts me to peace with my food and body, cause I am off any kind of plan and just eat when it seems fittiing and my body signals hunger. That is definitely the way I am going to continue my ‘diet’.
LOL! The visual of you at the grocery store digging for you compact is quite funny. My husband wears contacts and I’ve seen that crazy look before. 🙂
I totally agree with you about the NYs diet craze. It goes hand in hand with not being able to find a parking spot at the gym for the next few weeks. So frustrating!
And I totally get the whole worried about your fur baby getting older/never getting over the loss of a fur friend thing. We lost our beautiful 13 1/2 year old lab 14 months ago and my little chihuahua mix is ten. Well, you know what I’m talking about. Sigh.
I took a totally different approach to resolutions this year after watching a guy on the Today show say, “Give me just 30 days”. I can’t remember what he was talking about, but I liked the idea of turning inward for 30 days and not making one big commitment, but rather looking for the little ways in which I could make my year (and my life as a whole) better. I guess I was just tired of the resolutions that are either mega excessive (I’m going to run a marathon, workout every day, climb Mt. Everest) or super restrictive (I will never eat sugar again).
I’m a HUGE believer in the idea that small things add up to make big differences, so I think that’s an awesome idea! It’s also why I chose two words for this year instead of specific goals — just to direct my thoughts/actions towards the kind of person I want to be.
#3…PREACH from the mountaintops. Thank you for that reminder. And yes, as a fellow contacts wearer, I feel the struggle. One time I absolutely HAD to take out one of my contacts because I could barely open my eye without it irritating me. I also had to drive home that night…in the rain. I made it back alive, thankfully (obvs).
I’ve never been a pet owner (except for fish), but I know from my friends and family how important dogs are to the family. I’ll be praying for sweet Koda and your family ♥︎
Confession: I’ve totally cried over fish before. That’s why I can’t keep them — they just don’t live long enough!
I’m right there with you on the dieting trends. They make me cray-cray. Bitch slapping people cray-cray although that could be the hormones too.
Now I’m going to tell you something which is totally going to freak you out. Back in my contact wearing days (go get LASIK, best money ever spent), when one of my contacts would fall out, I would pop them in my mouth for a sec to soften them and then stick them back in my eye, mirror free. Desperate times and all that.
Also, I can totally relate to what you’re going through with Ky. I’ve lost lots of kitties over the years and it never gets easier, although I will say despite the pain, my life has always been enriched by my pets and I wouldn’t have it any other way. You know what they say. Better to have loved and lost…
I actually have friends who pop their contacts in their mouths as well, and it makes MY eyes hurt whenever they do. I’ve thought about LASIK, but I have astigmatism and I’ve heard that that it’s not as effective for people who do. That was a few years back, though, so maybe things have changed by now.
Ah, the contact story! I was smiling reading it. Not because I was laughing at you but because I’ve been there. So not cool.
Sorry to hear about your dog!
I totally wouldn’t have blamed you for laughing -at- me. Bringing a little bit of laughter to someone’s day is never a bad thing 😉
Losing a pet is like losing a member of the family. So hard. But she’s still here with you now so just focus on that and all the good times you still have left together! Also, I am a fan of ALL THINGS sweet n savory….so if it’s a link up, I am super pumped!!!
Maaaaaybe it is 😉
Oh girl, I totally know what you mean with contacts- the struggle is real! I love what you have to say on health and food- the best “diet” is different for every one. Freedom and balance with food are what I strive for!
Best thing, imho. Hope you’re having a great Friday, Sarah!
Food!!! Just eat it. And that stupid whole 30 thing. Don’t even tell me i can’t eat oatmeal or bagels!!! That’s just crazy talk. I’m with you. However I did cook this week which is basically EPIC news in my household. Been there with the contacts! The dry winter air is killing them! I’m trying to keep a bottle of drops everywhere…lol poor pup 🙁 she’s beautiful!
Mmm. I know different things work for different people, but I -do- have to raise my eyebrows when a diet tells me I can’t eat things like oats and quinoa. But I guess that’s the beauty of experimenting to see what works!
I’m not so bothered by other people’s bandwagon resolutions, I’ve probably been guilty of them too. I just don’t love vague and cliche ones like “be healthier” and “drink more water.” Those people need a life coach. You can’t make progress without concrete goals. And of course goals can be concocted any day of the year. I also think that thinking too much about NOT eating food is worse than a lot of “bad” foods I could think of.
I got a new puppy this summer unexpectedly, he’s only 5 months old and I still can’t help but think every few days about how attached I’m getting to him and how cruel it is that they’re with us for such a short time. I just do my best to give them the best day to day. Ky is a lucky girl, and looks great!
I’ve totally been guilty of making vague goals a well, mostly because I’m not so great at setting the SMART ones. And that’s so awesome that you got a new puppy! It’s been so long since I’ve had a tiny puppy — I can’t even remember what it’s like.
yes…I agree! It can be annoying seeing all of the same posts on the new years resolutions! I need my treats every now and again too!! 🙂
It makes life that much more bearable, eh? 😀
I am so happy that you are going against the norm and posting yummy chocolatey goodness instead of the usual new years fitness stuff. Don’t get me wrong I think it’s a good thing that people want to get fit. I just wish that it was an all year thing instead of a spur in the moment and the same new years resolution like every single year! Ky is beautiful! I am so glad that you are getting your time with her, I wish I got to spend more time with my Shelby before she passed last winter. It still brings tears to my eyes every time I see pictures of her. I hope you have an amazing weekend!
XO
I definitely wish it was an all-year thing too. But I read somewhere that 8% of people DO end up sticking with it, so at least that’s 8% more than we had the year before 🙂
We have the same food philosophy. I know what foods make me feel good and what foods don’t, but the second even a tiny piece of me thinks of eating as restriction, it’s all downhill from there. I let myself eat whatever I want because I find that that’s when I end up eating the healthiest and most balanced anyways. Life’s too short to skimp on the dessert 😉
Right!? It’s like just telling myself that I can’t have something makes me want it even more, but when it’s a regular part of my diet? I don’t even care for it that much.
Ugh, it’s so hard to think about losing a puppy. I’m definitely not looking forward to the day when my dog starts slowing down. Hopefully yours has lots of years left in him!
I hope so too 😀
You’re so right about diets and detoxes. Our bodies are far more trustworthy and capable than we give them credit for, and those things do nothing for us in the long haul!
Truth! We have a liver and a couple of kidneys for a reason. We just need to give our bodies what they need to have the energy to heal.
https://westayfearless.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/thinking-out-loud-running-with-spoons/
I’ve been reading these for a while and even read some that others have posted. They are fantastic!! So sorry about your dog 🙁
People’s random thoughts are my favourite way to get to know them! I’m glad you enjoy them as well, Kairos 🙂
As usual I am drooling over all your food pics! Ky is so precious!
She says thank you 😀
I agree 100% about all of the diet this and that everyone is posting right now (confession: I have been marking a lot of them as read without actually reading them).
Watching our fur-kids age is especially hard I think. When I look at Disney and see that she isn’t the kitten she used to be it sometimes breaks my heart. And you don’t ever get over the loss of a beloved fur-friend- we lost my childhood dog when I was 13 and I still get wistful when I see a Samoyed.
PS I am now craving chocolate cake… that looks amazing!
I may or may not have been skimming over those posts 😳 But I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets a little wistful. And Samoyeds are such gorgeous dogs. We actually almost got one for our first!
Your pup is so adorable! I’m sorry to hear that she is nearing her end, but know that with you as her owner, she has lived a fulfilled and content life. <3
I can only hope to squeeze a few more years out of her <3
I hate thinking that one day my dogs won’t be here. Hate hate hate. It gives me major anxiety. And thinking about our family dog who passed away a few years ago I still get really sad. It’s so hard.
I posted a resolution (not food/diet/fitness related) but I have to agree. I started seeing them and nothing else on my Bloglovin. And before that it was only 2015 recaps. I had to start marking those as read because while it may be fun to look back, it’s too much to look at recaps of 12 people’s years in one day.
I think it’s the sheer amount of those kind of posts that put me off them the most. Because, you’re right — it totally gets a little repetitive when you start seeing a tonne of them 😕
I love this “The best “diet” isn’t a diet at all — it’s a lifestyle” and couldn’t agree more and that’s why I have cake on my blog! It maybe a slightly healthier cake – but hey – it’s cake – and breakfast cake at that!!!
Amanda, Ky is gorgeous – glad you are enjoying her company as she does yours – my older dog is 10 and definitely showing her age too – she refuses to run with me these days so only long walks for her!
BTW – I have stopped receiving your post notification emails 🙁 I guess I need to re-subscribe…
I was having an issue with MailChimp for a few days there, but I think everything should be sorted now and you’ll start getting them again tomorrow. Sorry, Shashi! And cake on the blog is always a good way to start off the year. I’ll just pretend it’s birthday breakfast cake [for me] 😉
Your dog is beautiful. I lost my pup this summer at the age of 16. It so hard when they start to get older.
It really is 🙁 Especially when they start to get sick and really act old. Ugh. Not thinking about it 😳
I have never worn contacts and that image of you struggling is probably one of the reasons I have never tried them. ?
😆 That’s definitely fair. I need them because it’s impossible to go snowboarding in glasses. Actually, now that I think about it, I got contacts almost around the same time I started snowboarding. Maybe that was why…
Ohhh I so know how you feel about your pup. I was that way with my childhood pets, and even my parents’ dog now. And I still call my cat by my childhood cat’s name sometimes, I don’t think our pets ever really leave our hearts or minds! On a happier note, super excited to see what’s coming on Saturday….!
I don’t think they do either… which isn’t a horrible thing. It just means they were an important and meaningful part of our lives.
My Rudy passed away almost 10 years ago and I still get teary eyed talking about him. Pets leave on mark on your heart forever!
They certainly do! Glad to know I’m not the only one who has issues letting go…
Those brownies look absolutely to die for! I’ll have to make them sometime soon.
Also, can we talk about how amazingly fluffy your dog is? I just want to snuggle it forever.
She’s quite the fluffster 😀 And I totally recommend the brownies! Completely obsessed over here.
The best “diet” isn’t a diet at all — it’s a lifestyle. – This!! YES!!!
Also, your pup is adorable. Happy belated birthday!!
Ky says thank you! And thanks for the birthday wishes 🙂
I’m with ya on healthy lifestyle vs dieting. I LOVE eating for vitality (with some treats here and there for good measure and when I actually want to eat them). When you’re used to eating (and living) healthfully, your tolerance for garbage drastically decreases. Crappy food, crappy people, or anything that doesn’t make you feel GOOD.
“Crappy food, crappy people, or anything that doesn’t make you feel GOOD.”
Ain’t that the truth!
YES! I have a huge sweet tooth, but I definitely can’t handle the same kind of sweets as I could when I was a kid… or in the same quantities. When you eat real food for a while, the fake stuff just isn’t as appealing anymore.
Better than protein granola bars? I have a hard time believing that. Actually, I’m eating one for breakfast right now. : )
I know all about the contact lens thing. It always happens at times when there are a ton of people around, and they look at me like, “what’s wrong with her and isn’t she old enough to know how her contact lenses work.” fail
Better if you like bananas, anyways 😉
I am so sick of all of the diet talk. And the gyms being SUPER crowded. So annoying! happy belated birthday and happy thursday!
I can’t speak to the gyms being super crowded since I don’t belong to one, but I’d probably become super antisocial and only go at really weird times of the day.
That brownie looks AMAZING!!!
Would you believe me if I said it tastes even better than it looks? 😉
True story – my contact has popped out several times playing soccer. Must be all those knocks to the head 😉 Most of the time I can catch it before I lose it [my mom always carried saline with her because of this!] so I would just rinse it real quick and toss it back in. I don’t need a mirror – Im a pro like that! 😉 But once I totally lost it and ended up having to kick a PK to win the game with only one contact. I literally covered the eye without the contact and kicked it. Most hilarious thing ever, but we won, so its all good!!
And don’t even TALK about dog’s getting old. I literally break out in hives whenever I think of Opie passing away. I didn’t share this on the blog but about a month ago she snuck out and ran for me across the street as I was getting into a car. She literally was .2 seconds from getting ran over. Thankfully the car slammed on its breaks just in time. I literally have never cried so much in my life!! Unfortunetly as much as dogs impact our lives, they just aren’t meant to live out our entire lives with us 🙁
That’s the kind of story they’d make a movie out of 😉 And that’s seriously terrifying about Opie 🙁 It’s one thing to have them pass from old age or sickness, but accidents and stuff? Ugh. No 😥
Blogs are definitely saturated with goal stuff right now and I’m guilty of it too but I enjoy reading other peoples goals. I think it’s unrealistic to change your life overnight and you know I’m right with you on the topics of restriction and balance but I like the fresh start of January and excitement around a healthy lifestyle.
I’m totally with you on loving the fresh start feeling that comes with January. And I really, really want to give people the benefit of the doubt 🙂 I love seeing people get excited about healthy, but then I hate seeing them beat themselves up when they don’t reach a goal that was unrealistic to begin with 🙁
I am totally with you on the diet thing. I mean I try to eat more veggies again after the holiday season – though when I think about it it hasn’t been very low in veggies this year – but that’s not a temporary diet thing but a going back to what feels good for me! But I also want my desserts! The first recipe I posted this year was actually a full fat Tiramisu. My kind of balance!
P.S. These bars look incredible 🙂
The best kind of balance there is 😀 And ugh — tiramisu makes me weak in the knees. But I haven’t been able to find the GOOD kind here in Canada – the best is in Europe!