Nourishing Flourishing

I know…it’s a sickness. I get fixated on things. Beans. Hummus. Doughballs. But in my defense — I think such obsessions really make one exercise some creativity; at first you only think there are so many ways to make hummus. And then you realize that beans and chocolate and peanut butter really do just *work*. And while my doughball flavors might not be the most unique (I haven’t really researched this, but feel it’s a fair assumption in the case of chocolate chip and peanut butter), the fact that they are vegan and gluten-free is. So. Here is one more (I’m not going to say, “one last,” because obviously that would be a lie) doughball variety to add to the growing collection. The best part? I have thrown these together twice in the past two days, and both times it took me about 15 minutes total. As in, mixing, shaping, baking. And at both gatherings, they were a hit!

Do you need further convincing? Let me break it down: chocolate + chocolate + fun shape + super fast + protein = … YES — that’s what it equals! Now go make these and enjoy your Saturday : )

Ingredients
2 C almond flour (you can easily make your own — yay!)
1/4 C cocoa powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt (feel free to use less)
1/3 C agave (or honey)
1/4 C coconut oil
1 1/2 Tb vanilla
1/2 t almond extract
1/4 C (if desired, vegan) dark chocolate (I used chips, but a bar works just as well), finely chopped, or grated

Recipe
1) Mix dry ingredients.
2) Mix wet ingredients.
3) Add wet to dry and stir with fork until thoroughly combined.
4) Shape dough into 12-14 small balls. (You may need to wet your hands, but for the most part I didn’t.)
[Avoid making joke about step 4]
5) Place onto parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350* for about 10-15 minutes. Let cool.

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More persuasion…

I don’t even actually like chocolate much (and never, ever, ever, evvver milk chocolate — sorry folks), but these. These I love. (And even my picky-eating dad hearted them. That is a feat, if I’ve ever seen one!) Speaking of parentals, mine kindly came to celebrate a big, special day with us (before you ask, no, I’m not pregnant), so I am off to soak up all the joy and love and laughter I can before they have to head home.

And maybe even more doughballs.

I hope you are having an equally wonderful, thankful weekend! Cheers friends!

P.S. I showed my out-of-the-technological-and-pop-culture-loop mom and dad one of my favorite youtube videos… We had such fun laughing with them. If you haven’t watched it, and need a smile (or snort), go to the end of this post. : )

What are you doing this weekend?

Not going to lie… I meant to attempt this when I first made my other 3 dessert hummus recipes, but ultimately ran out of time and ingredients. So today, I actually followed through on my conception: something reminiscent of the cinnamon sugar toast I loved in my youth, but packed with nutrition. Dippable, dunkable, spreadable. Snack or dessert. Yum Town. It was definitely worth the wait! When I had the BFF Manfriend taste test it, he said it was like cinnamon frosting. Um…how can that be bad?! We loved it. This is perfect for topping oats (not only a boost of protein, but remember: it tastes like frosting, friends. Frosting.), toast, graham crackers, tortillas, apples, bananas, and pretty much anything that can otherwise be used as a vehicle to your mouth.

Like last time, I want to thank Evan at The Wannabe Chef for the inspiration! After I stumbled upon his dessert hummus, I knew I was in for it. As you can see from that last 3-recipe-post extravaganza — Evan…you’ve ruined me. It’s all hummus, all the time over here now. (Note: I just now saw he has since posted a snickerdoodle hummus, too!)

Ingredients
1 C cooked and well-rinsed white beans (if chickpeas, peel for smoother texture)
2 Tb cashew butter (or any natural nut butter, though flavor may vary)
1/2 C sweet potato puree (or pumpkin puree)
2 t vanilla
3 Tb agave, 100% maple syrup, or honey (I used a natural maple-flavored agave)
2 Tb cinnamon
sprinkle of salt

Recipe
1) Place all but cinnamon into food processor (or blender) and whir it up until everything is smooth.
2) Add cinnamon (start with just 1 Tb at first if you are cinnamon-shy, adding more as you like) and continue to process.
3) Spoon into a bowl and serve. (Feel free to be real classy like me and drizzle just a little agave on top, and dash cinnamon for garnish. The simple things… The simple things.)

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More flavors coming soon…obviously. ; ) And do I need to tell you how healthy this is? Hellooo Protein!  Oh, and hey Fiber — didn’t see you there in all that deliciousness. Yo! Antioxidants! Didn’t know you were coming to the party — so glad you could make it! Cinnamon, you old anti-inflammatory, how you doin’ these days? (….Annnd SCENE.)

But seriously. This is awesome. If you’re wondering about the sweet potato puree, you can either nuke a sweet potato in the microwave (I don’t have one), bake it in the oven, or boil it on the stove. I boiled mine and processed it before adding other ingredients — it ended up being 1 small tater. Easy peasy!

(Part of Slightly Indulgent Tuesday)

What are you doing to celebrate TGIF
(other than wishing ABC would bring the real TGIF back)?

There are occasionally moments when I just verge on falling apart. In our family, we call this The Breaking Point.

We all have different “triggers,” if you will, which set a Breaking Point off. Mine tend to be over-exhaustion, sickness, hunger or eating the wrong foods, and bitter cold. (Oh, and not being in control of everything — that too…) I have gotten so, so, so much better at dealing with this. But ultimately, TBP is just a part of the human experience. Sometimes we lose our cool. Sometimes it really is a perfect storm of unfortunate events. Sometimes, we just need to have a few minutes to process that. And sometimes, processing = a Breaking Point.

In such a case, I used to let myself spiral into a crazyhole of victimization and catastrophizing, but now I see that it gets me absolutely n o w h e r e . I have learned to empathize with the part of myself that wants to have a freakout session whenever my hour/day/life might not go as I desire. I validate my emotions by first acknowledging, “This really is not fun. It’s disappointing. I can be upset — it’s ok to be upset.”

Then after validating myself, I ask: “So. What are you going to do about it?” In a conversation with two people, when Person 1 recognizes and affirms Person 2′s (perhaps unreasonable) emotions, Person 2 usually calms down because their reaction is empathized with. Understanding can go a long way. Person 2 and Person 1 can join (more reasonable) forces to reassess the situation and move forward.

Replace “Person” with “Self.” Do you pick up what I’m throwin’ down?

After I sensed the beginnings of a BP on the trip, I empathized with and validated the part of myself that was feeling guilty about not packing and preparing better for my dietary needs, resentful that I didn’t have more options, exhausted, sick, and stressed. “Yes, this is definitely not ideal, is it Self?” No. It’s not. “Ok. Welp. Shall we keep wallowing or…?”

I opted out of wallowing. It would have been boring. So… I grabbed my day and trip and sanity back. I can make the best of things. I can face challenges. I can be an adventurer. This could be an opportunity, if I have the right attitude. I needed to make my turn-around decision concrete. So. I did.

In case you can’t read my frantic writing, it says,
“I choose to have a good day — regardless of my mistakes
regardless of others’ mistakes
regardless of frustrations
regardless of exhaustion
regardless of health
regardless of how I ‘feel’ –
I choose to have a good day.
Not a perfect or delusional day — but a day with goodness nonetheless.”

I don’t mean to imply that every day is good and it’s simply a matter of our perception, or that we’re supposed to fake it as if we’re having the best day ever. When I lost two of the most important people in my life this year, it wasn’t a good day. But — each day has some little seed of goodness in it, which sprouts through even the darkest dirt. It doesn’t negate the difficulty or pain of a hard day; it simply gives us hope and guides us toward a broader perspective. Goodness is at work, springing flowers from manure… It finds a way to pierce through.

I keep returning to this little note, even now that I’m home. I need to constantly remind myself that I do, indeed, have a choice about how I approach my day, and life; I can make the best of it. Stay tuned for more on that… ; )

Do you ever write yourself notes to turn your thinking around?

How do you find goodness in hard situations?

After I posted about using lentils as an inexpensive, healthier, plant-based protein source, I received a comment asking if I had any recipes using lentils. Umm…no, actually. For some weird reason, despite cooking with lentils every week, I didn’t have a single recipe on here that features them! I needed to amend this quickly — it was embarrassing; my pride was at stake. What kind of non-animal eating recipe-making fool am I? Ok. Overly dramatic. But I have been wanting to make a vegetarian Manwich substitute for months, so this finally gave me the incentive. I had an idea of what my method would be, but I got scurred (<– scared, it’s how we spell it in the ghetto. Just fyi.). So I glanced at these two rockin’ recipes from Mama Pea and Post Punk Kitchen, then got overwhelmed, and finally just did what I always do — dumped in whatever the H I wanted. And you know what? It was awesome.

I know, it looks like a lot of ingredients. But it’s easy, and you can totally handle this. Trust. <3

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 t oregano
1/2 Tb basil
Homemade chili powder mix (recipe below — or use a couple Tb regular chili powder I suppose)
Pinch of cinnamon (literally — a pinch)
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
2 Tb regular mustard
3 Tb agave, honey, or 100% pure maple syrup
1/2 Tb apple cider vinegar
2 Tb (healthy) ketchup (I use Annie’s agave-sweetened)
A few dashes Chipotle Tabasco (or other hot sauce, if desired)
3 C cooked lentils (sprinkle with salt first) — I used French. Because…they were on sale.
salt + pepper to taste

Recipe:
1) Over medium heat, in a tablespoon or so of extra virgin olive oil, saute onion and garlic until onions are translucent and browning. Reduce heat to medium low.
2) Add oregano, basil, and chili powder, stir.
3) Add all remaining wet ingredients and stir. Add in lentils.
4) Let simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking.

Homemade Chili Powder Recipe:
1 Tb paprika
2 t cumin
2 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
cayenne to preference

Mix to combine.

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So. Certainly this can be adapted endlessly to your tastes! For example, you might want to add a splash of barbeque sauce, or add extra lentils for a more “meaty” texture. You can sweeten it more than I did, or add extra mustard like the vinegar-lover in me wanted to. Everyone’s family probably had a different method, so adapt it to your memory’s content : )  Regardless, I strongly urge you to garnish your Sloppy, Vegan, ManGenderneutralwiches with fresh chopped onion. It’s a whole new level, folks. And it’s worth that extra 3 seconds of chop chop chopping. Trust me on this. I think these will become a frequent flyer (to our mouths) in this home. It was pretty stankin’ good, and easy. Oh, and healthy.

As if my very professional-looking photos weren’t convincing enough (and I know they were) [<-- joke], here are some nutrition stats for lentils to make you holla for daal…a. (If you didn’t get that, go here. Study up on your ethnic food, yo!)

- 1 cup = ~18g protein (!!!)
- High fiber
- Lowers cholesterol
- Blood sugar stabilizing (high fiber = no sugar overload)
- Pretty much crazy amazing for your heart all-around
- Excellent source of iron (w/out the cost + fat of red meat)
- Uber cheap (Oh, wait, not nutrition-oriented…nevertheless. Win.)
- Outrageously great percentage of daily molybdenum
- Fantastically folate-rich
- Mucho manganese
- Super awesome amount of phosphorous
- Packed with potassium

(See what happened there? Did you see it?)

And for your pleasure…because you know it’s the first thing you think of when I say Sloppy Joes:

FACT: I wanted to either be, or marry, Chris Farley when I grew up.

Yes. My parents worried about me.

Part of Pennywise Platter.

What’s your favorite no-meat dish?

So, firstly, don’t worry — I plan to break up the Healthy Traveling posts, so it’s not going to be a full week of that. But it’s at the forefront of my brain right now, so I’m going to go ahead and post one today. Here is the foundation:

HAVE A PLAN.

I know; you’re not in the least bit surprised I said this, are you? But it’s simply the root of a successfully healthy trip (or, um…life). As with anything, if you’re not prepared, it is exceedingly difficult and frustrating to try and meet your goal. Take a few minutes to reflect and make a strategy. This takes so much stress out of traveling.

1. Know your area.
A week before our trip I did some research on what the 10 mile radius of our hotel had to offer. I started within our immediate vicinity: does the hotel have a fitness room? Check. A pool? Check. Is it near healthy food options? Can I walk instead of using other transportation? Is it easy to use public transportation if I need to?

–> I looked at a google map to gauge how far health food stores were, if there was a Chipotle nearby for less glamorous, last-minute emergency meals, and also to check on what kinds of sightseeing I could do. Exploring is just fun walking/exercise for me!

2. Know your schedule and situation.
–> If you are going to have back-to-back events, and no time to grab essentials at a market, it might be best to look up restaurants nearby that are easily accessible. Give yourself some time to look at the menus ahead of time via their websites and make sure that each place will be able to accommodate your needs (especially important for those trying to get to/maintain a healthy weight, and those of us who have food allergies and sensitivities.) If you’re uncertain, just send the restaurant an email.

–> If you’re traveling with kids, you already know what I’m about to suggest: bring snacks! Lots and lots and lots of healthy snacks. (More on that later.)

–> If you have an itinerary that’s vague, go ahead and have an emergency pack of food. Always better to be safe than sorry!

3. Know your needs
–> This is fairly self-evident: if you are celiac, make sure you have a plan, a back-up plan, and an emergency pack of food. If you are vegetarian or vegan, same thing. Make sure to assess your needs cautiously; if you are not in the majority of the population for dietary or health reasons, you will surely need to have several safety nets in place. It is never worth getting sick! I wish I would have remembered this when I was running around San Diego desperately searching for a GF restaurant I could trust… (The first time in my life I have wanted a smartphone, for sure.) If you don’t have several back-up plans in place, you might end up eating a handful of plain steamed vegetables for dinner like I did. Not exactly filling…

4. Set a budget
–> Some people will question my sanity here, but one thing I recommend is getting cold, hard cash (reconsider this if traveling internationally, of course). Store it safely, avoid muggers…. and pay close attention to your tangible loss of green. It always helps me stay on track when I see material money leaving my hands – not just some abstract experience of numbers on a screen, a swipe of a card, and a signature. Either way, set a reasonable dollar amount beforehand (price menus and groceries in the area for accuracy), and don’t go over it.

–> If you are strapping down on your spending, be sure to make this workable. You might have to give up some top-notch restaurants or other local experiences; it’s not the end of the world! Find ways to deal with temptation by planning on a less expensive but unique hole-in-the-wall place that you can look forward to. Try visualizing why you’re saving in the first place (trying to buy a house? planning a wedding? paying off medical bills?), and remind yourself that in the grand scheme of things, it’s simply not a crisis – it’s a choice.

Welp, hope at least some of these were good reminders of how we can stay on track even in challenging situations. I know I definitely needed to recall why I’m usually successful at this (rather than epically failing this weekend). ; )

Which of these helps the most for you? Do you find staying healthy while traveling to be difficult?

So, sorry to be out of sorts this past week! Traveling definitely affected my blogging situation more than I anticipated! Particularly the whole “$20/day for internet” thing. I’m home now, and normalcy shall be reinstated; I promise to have some recipes up again soon. And to respond to your lovely comments and emails. And to get caught up on pretty much everything in general. : ) In the meantime, I think I’m going to keep this post short for both our sakes… My thoughts aren’t exactly coherent at this point, as I’ve come down with quite the cold. Whenever I travel I get sick — is that just me? Actually, the Husband has it too…and we literally spent 90% of our day blowing our noses, drinking tea, and watching Hulu shows and Star Trek: The Next Generation on our couch (don’t judge me). I know, a glamorous life I live, people — glamorous.

I just wanted to briefly share that I (re)learned a very important lesson this week. I was pretty frustrated for the first night of our trip, but I’m proud to say that ultimately I still chose to make the best of a tricky situation. (As you’ll see later this week…) Quick Backstory: I don’t mean to brag, but I am usually awesome at planning for trips. I pack coolers (yes, plural), at least 2 full bags, and even some spices and a mini-blender. I know, it sounds crazy – but when you are limited to certain foods (by choice or allergy), and/or when you refuse to eat crap processed junk, you have to be prepared. There’s no other option, except starving (or getting really, really, really sick). I throw all my bags/coolers/food/gadgets on my host’s counters, noisily process things like kale smoothies, and otherwise destroy people’s kitchens and sanity (sorry). Thankfully, everyone is always very accommodating to my high maintenance issues ; ) However. We also usually travel by car. This time, we flew.

When we left the house at 5am, I was running off of literally 3 hours of sleep and adrenaline.  I grabbed the little bit that remained of the LoveGrown granola, poured almond milk straight into the bag, took a spoon, and boogied out the door. I inhaled it while we waited in the dark at the bus stop, and tossed the bag when I was done. (That convinced me I should bring LoveGrown along for camping trips – a definite winner.) The only trick was that there wasn’t a whole lot in the bag, so I didn’t have a huge breakfast like I normally do. Breakfast, while frequently uninteresting, is the most important meal of my day. It’s huge, and there is a 100% correlation between my having an awesome day and eating a good big breakfast. So. Mistake #1. Next time, I’ll have a better breakfast ready to go. (Like a real adult would. Oops.) Oh yeah, and I’ll prepare more food in general. Because I’m actually only sharing this specific tidbit of the trip because it epitomizes my general experience. Planning well is Rule #1 for healthy traveling.

We had enough snacks to tide us over — some doughballs and banana bread, along with almonds, raisins, dates, and apples – and once dinnertime came, we assumed it wouldn’t be too tricky to find some gluten-free and vegetarian grub; I mean, it’s California. Rule #2: Never assume anything. Which is why Rule #1 is so important. Normally, if I knew I had no other choice for a meal but to eat out, I would meticulously research a restaurant. But in this case, I neglected my better sensibilities. I ended up eating about a cup of steamed vegetables and maybe 1/4 cup of brown rice for dinner.

Healthy, but not in such a small portion… This isn’t meant as a knock to San Diego or the area I was staying in at all (I am sure there were other places, I just didn’t have the ability or time to get there) it’s really just a statement about being realistic. Which I wasn’t.

Duly noted, Life. Duly noted.

Next time, I’ll be ready. I’ll have a back up. I’ll have more than just a few apples and almonds on me. And, I already wrote up a couple posts with some tips on how to do this (better than I did this go ’round), because obviously I need to remind myself, and I might as well share these ideas with others. Hopefully they will come in handy for some when summer vacations roll around!

Have you had an epic fail experience with traveling and eating (un)healthily?

And if you don’t celebrate Easter… Have a happy day anyway! Much love to all of you <3

Friends, permit me one very self-indulgent post: today marks the day two of the greatest blessings in my life entered the world (albeit before I myself came into it).

Husband, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Period. I am so proud of you, and so grateful for all the ways you help the world become a better place, and me become a better me. Your life is a statement of your character and purpose: to love, to serve, to give without restraint. To some, you’re a big, sexy, muscle covered brain, changing the world with your thinking. But to me, you are the heartbeat in my day. I know you’ll be embarrassed that I even said this much, because you are hopelessly, wonderfully, sincerely humble… (That’s why I fell in love with you in the first place.) So. Let’s leave it at: You already know everything I could say. I love, love, love you.

Annnd: Brotherman! Andy (Don’t kill me for writing that — but I’m never calling you Andrew.) You are my joker, fellow loud laugher, and friend. We confide in one another, we understand each other, and we know how to give the other a reality check. We also share our very unique humor. I am so thankful for our siblingship. I would call it a “Twinship”, especially since we used to be confused for twins all the time, but I know I’m already creeping you out enough. (Insert [obnoxious] laughter here.) You know what you mean to me. And I love you. Hearts. Hugs. Unicorns and double rainbows.

So, to my special men….here’s a little serenade from my good friends, who happen to be in a band:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOYS!!! Muah!

I am so glad you all enjoyed Erin’s guest post! She is a wonderful person. <3

I have been learning a lot this trip. I cannot wait to share everything with you! Oh, and p.s…. I miss and love you! Seriously. I hate not having internet, because it means I can’t converse with you in the comments : (  And that is my favorite. Fo riz. In the meantime, though, I wanted to backtrack a little to the post from earlier this week. A commenter (read her story in the post) asked for a sample menu, and I wanted to dedicate a whole post to one of the easiest, fastest, healthiest, and most delicious methods I use for creating nutritious meals on the fly. I am sure many of you already do something similar, so if have extra tips, please leave them in the comments!

These are the basic steps I follow at least once a week for my 10-minute meals:
1. Take vegetables (make sure some are green) and chop them.
2. Saute them in a large pan with a couple tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, until just cooked, retaining a little crunch.
3. Add a healthy sauce.
4. Serve over brown rice, whole grain pasta, gluten-free pasta, quinoa, millet, or sweet potato.

Stir-frying was a skill I learned from my Dad: if you only have 5 minutes to throw together a meal, make a stir-fry. All the flavor, none of the time. It was one of the most comforting meals for me as a child, and still is. Dad keeps bags of frozen mixed vegetables in the freezer, while I tend to have more fresh produce on hand, as that’s cheaper for me here. It takes about 5 minutes to chop my veggies and 5 minutes to cook them. Bam. Dinner is served.

There is no perfect method, but here are some pointers:

- Be open to what you have on hand. If you think carrots, spinach, and tomato seems like a strange combo, just trust that you might be surprised. Be welcoming of challenges, and try to find something that will bring it together in a harmony you’ll enjoy. Which leads to…

- Break some rules. Not gonna lie, I am really, really good at this. My husband will attest to it; I like to be bad-a. For better or for worse. I skip “necessary” steps, I add too much spicing,  I put sweet with savory, I cut things in my hand instead of on a cutting board (don’t use me as a model, folks…). It makes cooking fun, and has nurtured a lot of creativity and kitchen success. It also used to totally confound my husband. He has since reformed deviated as well. And he has never cooked as well as he does now!

The first rule of Stir Fry Club: Do not talk about Stir Fry Club.

Just kidding. Talk about it. A lot.

- One rule to break with stir-fries? Change your sauce. Mix it up — you don’t have to be all about soy sauce or tamari, or even stick to an Asian flavor base. Get a little crazy and use homemade salad dressing instead. Or a healthy, jarred marinara. Or healthy curry sauce. Or pesto. Or salsa. Or toss some avocado or guacamole in (just be careful about amount if you’re trying to lose weigh). Or hummus. Or mustard (I think HEAB does this often too! My mustard homegirl. <3).

- Another rule-breaker: ditch the meat. It will save time, and can be a lot healthier. Use a can of rinsed and drained black beans or lentils instead! (Or cook your own – DIY coming soon.) I love to add peas for protein (betcha didn’t think I’d throw that in there, right? But believe it or not, they have a fair amount). My husband likes eggs scrambled into his (just break the eggs directly into the pan once the veggies are cooked). With these options, you will still get protein, and won’t have to hassle with cutting it, cleaning it, cooking it, and disinfecting afterwards. Plus, it’s cheaper : )

- Yet another rule-breaker: You don’t have to serve it over rice! (If you do, opt for brown rice.) Explore quicker-cooking and healthier options like quinoa, which is a complete protein, and ready in about 15 minutes. Other ideas are millet, barley (not GF, obviously), (gluten-free) pastas, even plain cooked oats! If you have a microwave (I don’t), just nuke a sweet potato and use that. There are so many options! Explore! Express yaself!

I hope this offers some ideas to those struggling with balancing their busy schedules, tight budgets, and healthy eating. If not, don’t worry…I have more things up my sleeve (I almost wrote “apron”, but realized that might be misconstrued as an advance…awkward).

What is the weirdest combination you have tried, that totally, magically worked? What rules do you break?

Miss you! Can’t wait to talk more soon! xoxo

Thanks for all your well-wishes for our trip : ) Unfortunately, it’s been kind of a rough go of it so far, but no worries — tomorrow is a new day, and I’m going to try and change my attitude from Debbie Downer Frustrated Hungry to –> Whatevs. I’ll get there. Also, sorry for being behind on comments! Our internet situation has been in.sane. I will get to them tomorrow ASAP! In the meantime, here is my fabulous bloggie friend, Erin, with a guest post for the Think This, Not That series! That will definitely turn my frown upside down. Thanks Erin! xoxo

Hi Nourishing Flourishers! I’m Erin and I write a health blog called Big Girl Feats. When Katie began writing Think This, Not That, it was as if she stole the words right out of my mouth – and put them to hilarious photoshopped pictures of Will Farrell as Mugatu. Genius? I think so.

I really connected to TTNT (it’s the new TGIF) because I, like many others, have struggled with negative self-talk, negative body image and negative thoughts for many years. I was an active child but puberty really screwed with my head, and thus, my body. I spent many years after that sedentary, sad and surly. “Why couldn’t I just be like “everyone else?” Why do I suck? Why couldn’t I be skinny? Why am I going to be like this forever??”

It wasn’t until college that I changed my eating and exercise habits, something I discussed recently on my blog. Honestly, losing 40 pounds and learning to love exercise was much easier than changing my brain. Shocker, I know. I’ve spent the last 5 years figuring out how I can remove the body bashing and negative thoughts and replace them with a positive perspective. In late 2010, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had even more reason to practice these strategies. I truly believe what you think is just as (if not MORE) important than what you eat, drink and how you move your body. Learning this has been my greatest feat. (See what I did there?).

Being the practical person that I am, I want “tips” or ways to begin to change your mind. And not Martha Stewart (love you, girl) type tips where you have to quit your job and go to beekeeping school in order to create the perfect centerpiece. These are things that I do or have done that I found extremely helpful in changing my brain to Think This, Not That. As always, do what works best for you.

1. Reading and Learning.
I started out reading books specific to my issues with food and emotional eating – people like Geneen Roth (Breaking Free From Emotional Eating) and Evelyn Tribole (Intuitive Eating). After discovering the issues were deeper, I started reading about mindfulness through Tara Brach (Radical Acceptance), Pema Chodron (Start Where You Are) And this year, Brene Brown, who talks about shame and authenticity and perfectionism, Kris Carr, Deepak Chopra and more. Hearing from experts or professionals really helped me to learn I wasn’t the only one who struggled with these things, and gave me resources for a new way of thinking. I’m also lucky to have a fabuuulous book club. We read non-fiction, professional development sort of books. Sounds lame, but it’s amazing for personal growth. I’ve found that I can pull out tidbits from so many books that relate to emotional healing and positive perspectives.

1a. I’m cheating here, but my book club made me think about something super important: Support! If we’re trying to change our minds, it’s so important to connect with others who are doing the same. That might be in person, but it can also be on a website, forum, or blog (so convenient, right?).

2. Name Her (Or Him).
I can’t recall where I read or learned this, but when you start to recognize that negative voice – name it. Literally, name the voice. By naming the voice, you recognize that it’s not actually the real you. It’s the judgemental self, the scared self, the self that’s trying to keep you from achieving your goals. Over time, you will recognize when that voice starts to pipe up.

My negative voice is named Scarlett O’Hara. That’s right.

Sometimes she’s a serious whiner. I step in front of the mirror, and Scarlett pips up. “Your thighs look HUGE! Look at those zits? Ugh! And your hair? Blech. You are definitely not ready for that presentation. And you’re not that smart anyway, so why even bother?”

I catch Scarlett and stop. I pause. I smile into the mirror. I recognize her and say “Thanks, Scarlett. But I don’t need your opinions and input right now. I’m ready. I look great. I’m smart. Love you, goodbye.” Scarlett needs to know I’m in charge and that she can’t talk to me like that. Generally I do this in my head, but if she’s REALLY persistent that day, I do it out loud. (I try to do it in the bathroom or my car; not a public location where people might wonder why I’m talking to a 1930′s fictional movie character.)

3. Snap Out Of It.
Along with naming your negative voice, I also learned a technique (from my Dad when we were trying to stop biting our nails!) that helps to recognize the voice when you start doing it. Often, we want to make changes, but we don’t even know what or when we start the negative chatter because it’s such an ingrained behavior. Wear a rubber band (or hair tie) around your wrist and snap the band when you notice you’re starting to begin negative self-talk. I’m not talking about leaving red welts on your arms that alert people you need professional help - just a little snap. This causes your mind to realize “Woah, I started doing it again. Snap. Okay. Pause.” Once you’ve recognized you were talking negatively or harshly, you can insert something positive or an affirmation in that space.

4. Identify Your Triggers.
For me, many of my triggers are food. Specifically, sugar and sweets. (Katie just posted an article about sugar in her Mix Tape [Post] of Awesomeness that is so interesting!) Ironic, because these things are foods that I gravitate towards to make myself feel better. Are we starting to see the pattern here?? I feel bad, I eat the food, I feel worse, and Scarlett O’Hara comes flying out of left field in her ginormous petticoats and Southern drawl. Over the years, I have noticed that when I eat too much sugar (not just one cookie) I literally morph right in front of my eyes. My brain changes. I become The Hulk. I’m angry, snap at people, throw the dishes into the dishwasher, and stomp around. No wonder I spent 15 years of my life, sedentary, sad and surly!?

After a few minutes, it’s gone – but it’s an incredible example as to what the sugar does to my body – and my brain. I try to avoid it as much as possible. If I overindulge, I try to do better the next meal or the next day. If you haven’t started to do so, try noticing how you feel after specific foods you eat. Or things you do (clothes shopping, comparing yourself to others, talking to a specific person). Keep a journal or note it on your blog. Pretty soon you’ll notice a pattern and those things might convince you to make some changes.

5. Breathe.
This is a big one – perhaps the biggest thing I’ve learned. My negativity, anxiety and stress forms a ball in the middle of my chest. I can bring about it’s existence with just a few negative thoughts or feelings – or, you know, a visit to the radiologist while undergoing cancer treatments. Those feelings and thoughts snowball, and pretty soon I have convinced myself I’m never going to succeed, never going to survive, and will always be (x, y or z). I have learned, through yoga, meditation, and counseling, that if I breathe into that space, I can figure out what the cause of that stress ball is. I sit and close my eyes and breathe. The initial negativity always leads me to a deeper cause; the root of why I’m really feeling that way. Plus, my body gets a boost of energy, life and renewal that it needs to keep going. Breathing never fails to change my body and my mind.

If you begin to notice, you can begin to change. Get rid of the idea of perfectionism – it doesn’t exist. Baby steps. Maybe you go from one day of no nasty self-talk to two, to three and so on. Maybe you can’t go 5 minutes yet – be patient. You will get there. I hope some of these tips are helpful in getting you to Think This, Not That. It’s worth it, and so are you!

I do declare.