Happy Monday, friends! 😀
How the heck are you?! It’s been a while since we last talked, and while I’d like to say it’s because I was busy doing all sorts of wild and crazy stuff, the truth of the matter is that I simply needed a little break from the blog world. As much as I enjoy blogging, there are definitely time where I start to feel overwhelmed by it. Writing. Photographing. Editing. E-mailing. Reading. Commenting… It may not sound like much, but it definitely adds up. And while I’m not swamped with so many other things that I can’t find a few spare moments in my day to sit down and blog, sometimes I want to devote those spare moments to other things, like…
Holding a Friday night marathon for one of my favorite shows…
Shopping…
Rosewater spray and Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava soap and roll-on perfume.
Almost died of cuteness overload when I saw this bunny ninja hoodie. And the best part? It’s got little ears on the hood!
Mac and cheese <3
Putting way too much cinnamon on my cappuccino, accidentally inhaling it when I go to take a drink, and subsequently almost choking to death…
Fixing my holey sock problem…
Starting on yet another puzzle…
Baking…
Chocolate chip banana bread… I’ll share the recipe tomorrow!
So that was my weekend in a nutshell, save a few dinners, a trip to the grocery store, a bit of WoW playing, and the Oscars… Nothing exceptionally exciting, but it was marvelous all the same because I was able to spend some time away from the computer and enjoy the “real” world for a while…
Sometimes I feel as though I live in two separate worlds. On the one hand we have the healthy living blog world, where everyone eats clean, comes up with all sorts of interesting meal ideas, puts nut butter on everything, and exercises pretty much every day. On the other hand, we have the world “out there,” which is pretty much the polar opposite.
Truth be told, I can’t really say that I fully belong in either world… My meals are pretty simple, and while I eat clean enough, I’m definitely not opposed to enjoying a healthy amount of “dirty” food when the mood strikes…
I do my best to be active every day, but I don’t follow a formal workout schedule, clock in high mileage, or do any sort of heavy lifting…
I’m not saying that one world is better than the other, but I am saying that I need a good balance of both worlds to feel my best. Spending too much time immersed in HLBs can make me forget that not everyone is running marathons and following a Paleo diet, but completely abandoning HLBs makes me miss being around people who have an interest in health and fitness. As with everything else in life, I need that balance. I need to remember that the blog world is not the be-all, end-all when it comes to setting a standard for what’s normal/healthy, and that there’s nothing wrong with going against what I see on the Internet. It’s getting a lot easier to do that as I become more confident in figuring out what works for me, but there are still those occasions where a stray “Oh, maybe I should give that a try…” thought pops into my head, and that’s when I know I need to take a quick step back. I’ve been down that road before, and I’d rather not take the trip again… being inspired is one thing, but being guilted into something is completely different.
And speaking of guilt… it’s time to tackle my Reader and inbox 😯 Happy Monday!
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Do you ever find yourself getting so caught up by what you see on blogs that you begin to redefine what normal is?
I was gone all weekend so I spent a good amount of time catching up on blogs..and yes, it’s overwhelming. I find that I sometimes catch myself belittling myself for not being fast like these other runners, but then I remember, I’m out there running and doing things and living a relatively healthy lifestyle, and that’s more than a lot of people can say that they’re doing. On the other hand, I find that healthy living blogs (especially writing one) helps hold me accountable to what I’m fueling my body with.
Sounds like a great weekend!
Oh my goodness, I am SWOONING over that mac and cheese shirt. I love it so much. Also along the same lines, my boyfriend and I just started a cheese puzzle. Pretty pumped. 🙂
its a dilemma i used to face a lot when i was in college when i was being exposed to healthy eating and working out..but now i think overtime, I have become more confident in choosing what is right and works for me. Its a crazy world out there defining a perfect example of beauty, healthy, skinny, whatever whatever but we all are different and our needs are def. not the same. therefore, as much as I try to stick to the world of perfect, I personalize things in order to make me feel comfortable and positive about things- not the EASIEST thing. I am so glad you mentioned this because def. balance is MUST because I know that trying to do extreme does not work very well with me. I need spinach salad along with some dark chocolate 🙂
Ohhhhhhhh yes. Especially when I first started and/or I get really tired and stressed. I see someone (or more than one) showing off some new diet or workout, practically screaming about how great it makes them feel, and I start to wonder if I should do that too. If what they’re doing will make me feel better. The second I catch those thoughts, however, I know it’s time to take a day off/quit reading for a bit and focus on something that makes me happy, like reading a book or texting someone I love. I’m glad you took the time off, love. Looks like it was very well spent 🙂
This is my first time visiting your blog, but your blog name is so awesome I thought I should probably check it out! 😉
I definitely feel you on the two different worlds thing…I live in Nebraska! One of the least healthy places (in the world??)! While I don’t eat like the people around me, or like all the HLB clean-eating, marathon running fanatics…I have my own balance, and it looks like you do too! And that’s awesome because no one likes a follower! 😉
Glad I stopped by and look forward to more of your posts! 🙂
Awwr! Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to say hi, Amanda! (awesome name, btw 😉 )
I understand exactly what you’re saying… At times, I find myself trying to think of what I’ve seen others eat and I immediately change my mindset. It gets you into a deeper hole of finding what it means to eat “intuitively” – as if I didn’t have enough trouble with this already. Also, I know I don’t think to photography all of the things I randomly eat throughout the day, so I know others don’t as well. This is where those who are struggling with EDs don’t benefit from blogging unless they can realize this is the case… They’ll end up eating about 1000 calories a day because they saw someone else only “eat that much”.
I have rotten bananas and I THINK i’m making banana bread today – unless I get lazy – so we have the same love for many things <3
I LOVE THAT MAC N CHEESE SHIRT!
I really think taking a step away from the blog world every once in awhile can be a great thing, especially for our sanity sometimes! I have a hard time totally unplugging from the HLB world–even if I don’t post or comment some days, I’m most likely still reading along, etc. My biggest struggle though comes from checking out Instagram. I love looking at cool photos of the outdoors, outfits and food but it becomes a problem when I start comparing my meals, my workouts, my body with other IG users. It feels impossible to measure up but that’s when I need to take a break and reevaluate my life and my priorities and realize that thinking about clean food and exercise 24/7 ISN’T normal. I’m not saying I need to start slacking on my workouts and eating junk food because that truly isn’t what I want, but just taking a break from the obsessive comparison can really help refocus my thoughts.
Oh, Amanda. AMEN!
This is incredibly timely for me — in the psst 6 months I had an epiphany — and I think there are many more like myself.
I found HLBs coming out of an eating disorder and I was like WOW! These woman eat! They eat oatmeal (carbs!) and they enjoy it..etc.
So I think there is an appeal there…plus everything is healthy and not “scary” so one might relate to their style of eating and –coming out of an eating disorder — that may not be the best thing to do.
I began to “see” the people in my day to day as “abnormal” … like… “Who eats Fried food? WHO DOES THAT?” or watch people in the office chomp away on mini-chocolate bars and donuts…etc.
“Who eats white bread?”
I saw THEM as abnormal when in actuality: they are the normal ones.
Because…who eats white bread? Well….who REALLY cares?
Then I kind of reflected on the meals on some of these blogs and like…yeah, eating crazy protein cake concoctions, mixing avocado with cocoa powder for a pudding, snacking on protein bars out of your purse rather then eating Baby Shower food…Not normal.
In fact, disturbingly not normal.
Some may say….disordered. And whilst most do not have clinical levels of eating dis-order there is certainly something troublesome.
I am glad the bloggers I read have that balance (like yourself),.,. they may make protein pancakes but sometimes Cinnamon Toast Crunch or PopTarts happen (AND they never justify it in their writing like “I’m SO bad..”).
Sorry for the TL: DNR (0:
I just wanted to comment that I’m so happy you had this epiphany! I encourage you to share the part with the bloggers you read about how you like their relateability. I think some HLBs feel like their posts need to be 100% uber healthy…when really we want the whole picture. Show me the poptarts! 😉
amen!!
I went through exactly the same thing when I started recovering from my ED, Missy. I saw all these fit and happy women eating what I figured was real food and I wanted to copy them because I had reached a point where I honestly couldn’t remember how to eat normally. The trouble was that what I was emulating wasn’t normal at all… There’s definitely nothing wrong with enjoying protein pancakes, but there’s definitely something wrong if you’re only making them because you’re afraid to have the real thing and trying to satisfy the craving with some fake franken-version. You just reminded me that I used to freakin’ love PopTarts. I’ll have to pick some up to see if I still like them as much as I used to.
Yes, when we go under the netherworld of disordered eating we completely forget ….
I agree 100% about emulating (innocently) at first.
Pop Tarts came out with some pretty insane flavors I’ve seen…Red Velvet Cake!
We don’t usually get the crazy flavors up here in Canadaland 🙁 The best ones I’ve seen so far have been cookie dough and cookies and cream.
Taking some time out seems like such a good idea, it can definitely become overwhelming and spending time in reality is good! I find that working with my health coaching clients and talking to my friends and family really keeps me grounded, on the whole they aren’t part of this healthy living blogging community we have, so talking to them about health and fitness in the real world keeps me routed in reality!
I totally hear you! It is amazing how much time I can spend in a day just on writing, blogging, reading, and commenting. I didn’t visit a single blog on Saturday and it was actually quite refreshing. I think we all need a break from the blogging world now and then.
LOVE that mac & cheese t-shirt. Seriously, how cute is that??
I am definitely looking forward to that bread recipe!!
I’m really glad you’re so honest and try to find that healthy balance in everything, Amanda! That’s how it should be and when ANYTHING IN LIFE becomes something obsessive and makes us feel like, “ohhh I should get this and this done” when there’s no obligation to do it (unlike a job/school), then it miiiight just mean that we need to step back and “fast” from it. 🙂 It definitely IS easy to start thinking that things we see on the net are normal!
Trust me I had a dole whip(sugar processed delight) this weekend and took a picture and plastered it on Facebook and got a few phone calls of why I was eating something processed…hello I am human! So happy you shared your McDonalds run :-). Thank you for being real! Hope you have the best week ever! Love + shine Courtstar
Wow, I couldn’t summarize my feelings about blogging better than you did in this post; I feel like the words were taken straight from my mouth. I love the support and inspiration gleaned from the HLB community; it’s become an integral part of my life that I miss if I go too long without it. However, I’m also aware that the *healthy* ideas, thoughts and behaviors that are, for lack of a better word, worshiped in this community, can become *unhealthy* when practiced in excess. And I’m not just talking about over-exercising and eating clean, but reading, writing and photographing. Occasionally I feel as though I’m living my life through a “blog lens”–I want to document everything so that I can share it later, but by doing that, I miss out on REAL living. This is the reason I’m taking a full 10 day break. I have a busy week, and want to truly enjoy each moment without worrying about uploading photos, or writing about it later that night. Sure, I’ll be doing a recap of my time away later, but right now I’m loving that there’s no pressure to think about new blog topics, catching up on others’ blogs, etc. 😀 Oh, and I’ve already done some “dirty” eating, too. French fries and cupcakes happened over the weekend, and with a wedding on the horizon, I have a feeling that there will be plenty more to come. 😉
Happy Monday, Amanda! xoxo <3
i get stressed out trying to keep up with the whole blogging/commenting/replying cycle (which for the record you are amazing at and i am in awe of you) and it’s nice to be reminded sometimes that the real world is out there too. that hoodie is super adorable and i want that mac and cheese shirt now. or rather i want some mac and cheese. either would be fine with me 🙂
Amazing? Oh girl don’t be fooled… it stresses me out like crazy too, which is why I’m trimming the Reader. And don’t even get me started on how noobsauce I am when it comes to other social media outlets like Twitter and Instagram… I honestly have no idea how people keep up with those!
I think it’s very easy to compare myself to other bloggers. She ran 10 miles yesterday and I only did 3?!? But comparing myself to others only leads to unhealthy habits like you said. I don’t like posting every workout I do or every single thing I eat because no one needs to know it. I feel like I try to post what works for me. If that includes a carb and sugar filled weekend, when other bloggers are eating apples, then that’s fine with me.
I love that show!!! 🙂
No worries my dear, inspiration is definitely > guilt.
I totally understand about the two world’s thing. I feel like the only way I belong in the health blogging world is because of running and my love for exercise. I don’t actually care for cooking and don’t always eat the cleaniest and best foods. That being said, it doesn’t bother me much either it’s just how it is for me at least.
gah you put it perfectly. sure I think blogging totally blows out of proportion what we should and shouldn’t do health wise. it makes you think you are a tad crazy. on the flip side, I do miss the community that gets this point of communication and outlet. it is a tough balance and I think you are finding your way in it a lot better than others do. you are still yourself and that is what matters. you don’t copy you don’t imitate, you are genuine. that is why I dig you. and why I know that no matter what I do with my blog, you will always be a friend who sticks around
Yep! I know where you live… so there’s no getting rid of me 😉
It is so easy to get caught up in the HLB world, and I completely understand needing that break now and then. It’s why I don’t blog at all on weekends, I just can’t. Time-wise I could, but I don’t want to. I want to spend time on my other hobbies (reading, baking/cooking, DVR-ing, spending time with family and friends). It works for me! I don’t know how bloggers are able to write every. single. day. I’d go a little crazy I think!
It definitely leads to the crazy. What I can’t figure out is how people post multiple times a day… I played around with the idea myself for a while, but I think that I’d never leave my computer if I tried to do that, which isn’t really the way I want to pass all my time!
I think that blogs can be both a beneficial and harmful tool.
I love reading HLB and write on mine but only about once a week. It’s great to be able to talk to people who have similiar interests as me. It’s great to be able to get new ideas for workouts, food, etc. However, they can be a trap! (lol) In the beginning, I found myself constantly comparing myself to other bloggers. Then I had tons of thoughts such as: Am I not blogging enough? Am I not eating well enough? Why don’t I run as much as they do? etc. etc. I had to step back and realize that while we all have a common interest we are not all the same person. My situation/story is much different from any body elses so I don’t need to compare myself to others.
So glad you pointed out that the honest majority of the world is not into all these superfoods and perfect workouts!
When I get too sucked into the HLB world, I remind myself that for most of these women it is their JOB and career to be fit, healthy and motivate others to do the same. That is not my job at all because I am a full time student; my job is to learn as much as possible and get good grades. This semester I am making sure that my studies come before my workouts and my diet, never the other way around.
🙂
Hell yes GoT…the boy and I are going to watch through season 2 again next month in preparation for the 31st. 😀
It’s true how different the ‘real’ world and the blogger worlds are…compared to a lot of bloggers, my diet is full of crap (what, chocolate daily (that isn’t always dark) and processed foods? CRAZINESS) but compared to most people I know, I eat a very healthy, balanced diet. It’s interesting how HLBs have the ability to skew what is really normal when it comes to food and exercise.
I’ve determined that I refuse to let myself fall into the comparison trap anymore. It’s stupid and pointless and leads to me feeling guilty over wanting a palmful of gummy bears after a meal. I’ve been stepping back from the blog world a little more often lately (and shrunk my reader) and I think it’s had nothing but positive effects on my well being.
I’m in the process of trimming down my Reader as well. There’s just no way for me to keep up with all the blogs out there, especially when they post about things that I don’t necessarily agree with. Time for me to just cling to the blogs I love… like Sprinkles <3
<3 <3
Okay, you just put into words what I’ve been mulling about once again. Seriously, are you a mind reader ;)?!
Especially since starting my own blog I’ve noticed how easily I get caught up in the blog world. As you said it has a fantastic side of getting to know many sweet people and finding alike minds which I don’t want to miss. But there are also those influences and not-so-healthy role models I know I should avoid at the moment. It can be hard for me, too, to tell whether a certain belief like needing to eat less carbs is just a blog trend or has actually become an overall recommendation in the “real” world, too.
What has helped me lately was spending more time at my parents’ again. Working in the health care sector both of them live a “normal” healthy life. Exercising when time allows and they’re in the mood for it, yes to whole grains but not when in comes to pasta (my mum’s pretty hilarious in this point :D) and balancing micronutrients is unheard of. And yes, they both are perfectly healthy and at normal weights. That’s the mindset I want to get (back to).
You’re definitely entitled to a break! I’ve come to terms with those days when I don’t really have anything to share or am too busy to throw something together – saves me time and other peoples time from reading my rambles 😛 I’ll save them for my family and friends…
P.S. I’ve never heard of The Game of Thrones – should I admit that haha?!
Admit it? Yes! That’s the first step towards getting help 😛
Awesome skin and beauty products. That brand smells amazing.
This is how I get ALL THE TIME. I am trying desperately to lose weight and I have come to the not-so-quick realization that what works for certain individuals is not what works for me. So it’s back to doing what I KNOW works for me.
I do love getting good workout inspiriation and ideas from HLBs. But I want to start to devote more time into my own blog rather than reading them. I only blog about once a week and my goal in March is to get more regular 🙂
That ninja hoodie is just too cute! I have experienced the whole redefining what I think normal is thing due to reading blogs – especially in feeling like I “should” be able to do certain things (like run for several miles), when I know I’m just not able to right now, or that it’s something that just doesn’t work for me. It can be hard to separate the worlds!
It can definitely be hard, but don’t feel too bad… There are lots of people out there who aren’t runners (*cough*me). We just have to find what works for us 🙂
Balance balance balance..it’s my favorite word for a reason!! YES to eating those dirty foods. I eat Red Robin at LEAST once a month..I hope that counts. HAHA. I just close my eyes and pray that the bun doesn’t have an dairy in it!! Sometimes I just need that night out! I love your shopping loot, that hoodies is so you. I may have choked on cinnamon once of twice in my day haha.
Love this post! Just what I needed to hear too! It’s definitely overwhelming to see posts of everyone eating healthy 24/7. I vowed to give that up a long time ago right along with the feelings of guilt associated with not so healthy choices but it’s not easy if you fall into that comparison trap with the HLB world. This post definitely got me thinking so thank you 🙂
That mac & cheese top is so ridiculously cute!!!! Love it! I’ve also done that many a time with cinnamon on a cappuccino; it’s normally right in the middle of Starbucks and I end up sneezing and pulling a ridiculous face!
Such a great topic to post about as well; I posted something slightly similar today about food choices etc; in the “blogging world” my diet is relatively normal; but when compared to that of all my class mates its definitely not!
I love this post! I find it hard to balance the two worlds sometimes. Yesterday, I felt like it was the first time I really “got it”. I didn’t spend the whole day out with friends obsessively reading blogs on my phone. I read a few when I had a chance and then I read the rest at night. That’s the way it should be. I’m glad you enjoy some of the “dirty” foods deemed by the HLBs. I do too and it is really hard sometimes being like “Oh I can’t eat that- it isn’t healthy”. Okay, I don’t actually say that but the thoughts cross my mind because it would be accepted in the HLB world. I do what works for me- exercising (almost) daily and eating (mostly) healthy.
Balance is absolutely key! When I first started reading HLBs, I took their word as the be all end all to what works in terms of food and exercise. However, the joke was on me because what I’ve learned over the past few years is that I have to determine what works for me. So while it’s great to try healthy recipes and weird food creations, it’s also ok to eat a chocolate chip cookie skillet topped with ice cream (so good!) every now and then. Balance. Same goes with exercise. My body is unlike anyone else’s and I should treat it that way. Great post as usual, Amanda! You always give me something to think about.
I definitely have to remind myself that HLBs display the lives of some of the most active and healthy people out there! Most people don’t live like that! I also have to remind myself that most people post their highs, and not their lows. Nobody wants to post pictures of the entire plate of mozzarella sticks they consumed after a night of drinking too much beer. Instead, they post pics of their green juices the next morning. Hmmm..
Ack, right!? I wish more people would post their fubs and just be more real… it would be so much easier to relate to them that way!
Great post!! Oh and that banana bread! I am looking forward to the recipe. I had a comparing issue when I started blogging but soon found out what I ‘can’ read without feeling guilty or minor. Today i feel pretty comfortable with reading all kind of posts. I limit my blogging time every day to a certain amount of time. I mean really, there are so many bloggers, HLB or not you could spen 24h a day reading, commenting and editing/writing your own. I realized that the world is not falling apart when I am off for a few days. Besides that I have too much things i enjoy in the ‘real’ world so I need to leave the blogger world once in a while to be present there. But i must admit i am beyond happy to hear from you again today, I missed you!!! 🙂
I missed being able to check in with you, too! BUT! I did have your chocolate to keep me company 😉 Although my supply is scarily starting to dwindle. Eep!
I can absolutely relate to this. It’s funny how blogging can make you feel so great and encouraged, but can sometimes have somewhat of the opposite effect. I think the key for me was finding and following the right blogs. Not to say that any are wrong, but more, that certain blogs inspire me and others can make me feel a little bit down on myself. It’s funny how balance seems to be the key to all things in life 🙂
This post couldn’t be more timely, Amanda! Especially after stepping away for a week from the blog world, it really was quite eye-opening! Don’t get me wrong- I love blogging but I need a breather every so often. To some extent, HLBs do give us a warped sense of what’s “normal” and what’s not. Contrary to what some would expect, I don’t think it’s healthy or normal to eat “clean” 24/7, replace flour with protein powder in baking, refuse to eat out because of being suspicious about ingredients, or feeling guilty about going a few days without exercise.
It’s funny because since I started blogging, the blogs I read have changed tremendously in that the ones I read now truly do live a healthy, and more importantly, BALANCED life…which means a cookie one day, an apple the next! And just for the record, that’s exactly why your blog is one of my favorites :)!
I love this. Ditto.
I love this too. Ditto x2?
Great post. I just wrote about limiting my social media time and finding a balance with HLBs and fitspo instagrams!
http://breathedeeplyandsmile.blogspot.com/2013/02/unplugging.html
I try not to get too caught up in blog stuff, and just go with what I need for my own body (and actually, I’ve been in quite an exercise rut between the cold weather, having stomach issues, and just a general lack of motivation). But I don’t think I feel bad because I read healthy living blogs; it’s most because I feel blah.
I also have stepped away from reading tons of healthy living blogs. At some point I realized that I was eating too many strange concoctions based on things I saw online, and took a step back. I’m really into local and organic food, farming and homesteading, and that kind of thing, so now I try to read more blogs on those topics instead of just “healthy living blog”. It seems like a much better fit, and would recommend people seek out other niches they love and do the same.
I’m going to have to try out Game of Thrones! I’ve heard good things about that show, but still have yet to watch it!
I totally understand what you’re saying. Sometimes I get too caught up on the “blog world” and miss out on real life activities until I step back and realize what I’m doing. I’d much rather be out hanging with good friends then right a blog post. This I know for sure.
And yah, I’m with you. I don’t follow a workout schedule, meal plan, or anything of the sorts and sometimes I feel outcasted from the blog world in that way, but hey, it’s what works for me right now.
Also seeing all the heavy lifting, paleo meals, I sometimes get tempted to try it out but then remember just how much I hate heavy weights and how I feel when I miss out on carbs, not pretty;)
Things get pretty ugly around these parts when I miss out on my carbs too, but thankfully it doesn’t happen all that often. And I definitely recommend jumping on the GoT bandwagon! The books are absolutely amazing if you enjoy long, epic novels, but the show is a good place to start too 🙂