A New Bible Study: The Best Yes

I have tried several online bible studies and have enjoyed all of them for different reasons.  This week I started a new bible study with Proverbs 31 ministries.  We are reading The Best Yes by Lisa Terkeurst.

I am excited about this study because it is about putting boundaries in your life and working on what to hold on to and what to let go of.  Boundaries and balance will always be part of my struggle, so I am excited to keep working on it.

She talks about the "disease to please" in the first couple chapters some, which I know is something I have given into. In chapter two, Lisa talks about seeking unbroken companionship with God.  We spend so much of our lives running around trying to please others and cross off to-do-lists that we forget to stop long enough to listen to God. She talks about how we need to look for his direction in our lives before we ask for instructions.  We get so busy that we ignore his prompting throughout the day.  I know I am guilty of this.  My prayer this week is that I seek more companionship with God.

Being Comfortable with the Uncomfortable

I just got back last night from two days at camp with my students.  It was an exhausting, wonderful, and difficult experience all at one time.  It was wonderful to see my students grow and bond from this unifying experience.  They got to do a series of mental and physical challenges like kayaking, ropes courses, rock climbing walls, archery, fishing, and hiking.

It was difficult because mentally and emotionally I had to face some things about myself. I am a planner and a perfectionist.  I like to always be prepared.  Now as a teacher, I think trying to be as prepared as possible is always a good thing.  One of my goals now that I am back from the camp is to sit down and make a chaperone backpack with a more detailed first aid kit and more detailed procedures.  We only had a few incidents to deal with at camp, but overall for the future I would like to be more prepared.

But I was reminded how uncomfortable I am with uncertainty.  I am a planner and an overachiever.  I rarely leave any detail unplanned for.  I put enough pre-thought into things that I also usually handle the unforeseen very well.  I was also the kid who avoided the things I was not good at because it meant being uncomfortable.  I have never handled failure well.

Last night when I got back from camp, I read this post from Mind Full Collective entitled "Embracing the Breaking."  Have you ever read a post that spoke to you on every level?  God has a way of showing his message in every aspect of your life if you take the time to listen.  In the post, Mandy writes "In order to go deeper, sometimes we have to get comfortable in the very uncomfortable places."  I rarely let myself get uncomfortable.  I bury the uncomfortable emotions. I am not comfortable with uncertainty.  This is the root of my trust issues.  I stand on my own.  I do it all myself.  Trusting means allowing for uncertainty.

Source: Pinterest

God has been giving me the same message for months in different ways. I need to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. I need to let go long enough to break.  If I ever want to work through the difficult moments from my past, I have to be broken. If I allow myself to be broken, then God can meet me at that moment.  But being broken requires surrender and trust.  If I am truly honest with myself, I trust myself more than anyone else...even God.  I leave things at the altar, only to run back and pick them up again.  I don't trust enough to leave them there and walk in faith.  At the root of that lack of trust is fear. I am not sure what that fear is, but I learned over the last two days watching my students that we have to face our fears.  We have to be willing to climb the wall or cross that ropes course and trust that the harness will catch us if we slip.

An Easy Approach to Meal Planning

Well, graduate school starts up again tomorrow and the school year for my students begins on Sep. 2nd.  Back to School is always a crazy and stressful time of year.  My eating and workouts have been less than stellar the last couple weeks.  I just have been running so many errands for work to get my classroom set up, as well as working all day with my summer school kids.

Since tomorrow is a fresh start, it is a great time to get started back up on a regular routine with food and workouts.  Now, I have a love/hate relationship with food.  I love food, and I love to eat.  However, I hate figuring out what to eat.  I tend to get sick of things very quickly.  My husband is simple.  He could eat the same thing every day.

I tend to plan and cook most of our meals. I try to get his input, but he only ever suggests breakfast tacos or chili. So, yeah I never really feel excited about his suggestions.  I threw out the idea of him having to be responsible for dinner a couple nights a week, but he will pick something I won't want.  Then, we are back to where we started.  So, I started thinking about what things would I be content to eat every week.  If I could come up with 2 meal ideas I don't mind eating every week, then it is less for me to plan.

We do usually eat breakfast tacos or some type of eggs at least once a week.  Eggs are so easy, and I have always liked breakfast for dinner.  So I decided one of our easy meals each week will be an egg meal.  I also love pizza.  Dairy doesn't agree with me very well, so if I order pizza it always upsets my stomach.  When I make pizza at home though, it usually does not bother my stomach because I use cheese sparingly.  I also like making pizza because it is easy leftovers to take to work for lunch.

Tips for Easy Meal Planning

1) Choose at least 2 meals you don't mind eating and cooking every week.  If you choose recipes that are very simple to make, this will make your life even easier. Choose something others in your household like to make, and this may even allow you to split up the responsibility.

2) Pick one new recipe each week.  I find by picking one new recipe a week I get to try something new, which satisfies my need for variety, without overwhelming myself.

3) Pick one other recipe that you know off the top of your head that you rotate over the weeks.

4) Make enough to have leftovers so you get some extra dinners or lunches out of it.

5) Try cooking more than one meal at a time.  This means less nights of cooking and cleaning up.  You can just heat things up for leftovers.  I often like to make one recipe on the stove and then another recipe in the oven or the crockpot. 

I usually plan about 4 meals for the week, and then we eat some of them more than once.  I do not like to plan which meals are for which days because this way I can see what I am in the mood for each day. This week we are eating:

• Breakfast for Dinner: Breakfast Tacos with turkey sausage and veggies of choice

• Pizza: Homemade pizza with sausage, bell pepper, red onion, and black olives

• Recipe from the rotation: Picadillo (I like to use Skinny Taste's recipe, but I use tomatoes instead of tomato sauce.  It is good with quinoa, brown rice, as tacos, or on a taco salad.)

• New recipe: Summer vegetables with sausage and potatoes (Another Skinnytaste recipe)

Do you follow any food blogs on Facebook?  This is a great way to get ideas for recipes!  Recipes come across your feed, and you don't even have to go searching for them.  This is how I found Skinnytaste's sausage and veggie skillet this week. 

How do you like to meal plan?  Any easy solutions? 

Why does accountability matter?

I am not sure I would get anything done without accountability.  I make things important when I feel like someone cares and it matters.

The first step is being honest with yourself.  I know I try harder when someone holds me accountable.  I own that, and I am okay with it.

Source: Pinterest

When I first got a personal trainer in 2006, I would show up because I didn't want to lose $50 for not showing up.  I had accountability.

I love to workout with friends because it gives me accountability.  I have a Signature membership at Sunstone Yoga here in Dallas.  It is amazing.   I can bring someone with me for free every time I go.  I think I have taken everyone I know at least once.  I am so much more likely to go if I know someone is waiting for me.

My favorite accountability partner is Nala.  If we don't go on a walk, she looks so sad.  I hate to disappoint her.  So we walk.  Even if I don't get a workout in, I know I will probably walk at least a mile.  At least I'm moving.

Sometimes when you walk, you even have to stop and smell the roses.  Like she did this morning.

If you find an accountability partner, you just might you find it easier to build a healthy habit.  Challenge a friend to workout with you or drink more water with you.

Have you ever found it difficult to get in a regular bible study routine?  I know I did.  I discovered Hello Mornings.

I love it!  Best thing I ever did to get in a bible study routine.  They provide a six week bible study, and there are daily check-ins on Facebook or Instagram. It is amazing how much more motivated I am to do my bible study in the morning just because I get to check-in with someone.

So if there is something you want to change in your life, I encourage you to consider finding an accountability partner. 

Conquering those Cravings on the Drive Home

Have you ever had one of those days where you ate a great breakfast and packed a great lunch, but then caved on the way home? I know I have all too often.

Anyone who knows me well knows I am a complete other person when I get hungry.  I stop functioning.  It is all I can think about.  It shouldn't be that hard to wait 15 minutes to eat until I get home, but it is. It is near impossible.  When I am hungry, I cannot resist the drive through.  

I finally had to accept that the best thing I can do is pack a snack just to eat on the drive home.  This satisfies my hunger and keeps me from caving at the drive through.  It also saves me money!

Easy Snacks to Eat on the Drive Home

1. A piece of fruit

I like to pack a banana, a sliced-up apple, or a sliced up-peach.  I prefer to eat most of my fruit sliced up.  Some fruits are too messy to eat in the car, but apples and bananas are perfect.  My favorite is probably an apple because then I don't have to worry about what to do with the banana peel.

 

2. A granola bar or protein bar

These aren't necessarily all natural, but they are a great solution when you are starving and trying to avoid fried food.  There are so many varieties, you can find something you like.  My favorite bar is the Nugo Dark Chocolate Pretzel bar. 

3. Popcorn, pretzels, or crackers

Pack a sandwich or snack baggie with your favorite popcorn, pretzels, or crackers.  These are all easy to eat in the car and better for you than french fries. 

I actually usually buy healthier crackers than Club crackers, but I did buy some of these the other day because they are just so good. 

4. Sliced veggies

You could pack a snack baggies with some carrots, celery, or bell pepper slices.  This is a snack I usually eat at work more than I do in the car because I prefer to eat raw veggies on salad or have something to dip them in like hummus, ranch, or guacamole.  However, if I pack to popcorn or pretzels than I don't mind alternating a bite of carrots/celery with a bite of pretzels or popcorn. 

5. Crackers and peanut butter or almond butter

You could pre-make some cracker sandwiches with peanut butter, almond butter, or your favorite nut butter. I keep thinking I should do this more because I used to love the pre-packaged peanut butter cracker sandwiches from the vending machine as a kid. 

6. Cheese Slices

I usually try to cut back on dairy, but you could bring string cheese or cheese slices if you eat dairy.  This is great with crackers, veggies, or an apple. 

7. Turkey Jerky or Deli-meat

Trader Joe's has some fabulous Turkey Jerky.  It is a great snack for some extra protein.  You also could pack your favorite deli meat to eat with veggies, cheese, or crackers. 

What is your favorite snack to pack for the drive home?

Tips for How to Drink More Water

You always hear that you should drink more water.  Once you start drinking water regularly, it is easy. You body will crave water.

I don't think anyone will dispute water is good for you.  We all know it is good for you...vital to survival. The issue is wanting to drink other things more than water.  Here is an infographic I found listing some of the benefits of drinking water.

Source: Pinterest

Initially though, it can seem impossible.  I grew up on Dr. Pepper.  That was what I drank.  Period.  Later, it morphed to other sodas.  But I rarely drank much else.  When I graduated college,  I started working with a personal trainer.  She told me I had to drink 80 ounces of water a day.  At first, I thought I would die.

As I learned to drink water regularly, here are some tips I learned along the way.

1. Drink water at room temperature

The first tip she suggested to me that made it easier to drink more water was to drink water  at room temperature. When water is cold, you drink small sips.  When it is room temperature, it is easier to take in more at a time.  At first it may seem strange, but you quickly get used to it.

2. Set goals and deadlines throughout the day of when to have finished a certain amount of water

I also would set deadlines for myself.  I had to drink my first 32 ounces by mid-morning. Then, I would refill my water bottle and drink the second 32 ounces before I left work.  After that, I could drink the last 16 ounces in the evening.

3. Exercise

If you exercise some most days, you will find it easy to drink water. You will need to stay hydrated, and will easily drink down at least 20 ounces.

4. Add lemon slices or cucumber to your water

This is my favorite suggestion.  I just started doing this the last few months.  I drink so much water that sometimes I just want something other than water.  However, adding cucumber, lemon, and/or mint to my water makes it taste like something other than water.  It is so refreshing on a hot day, too and very detoxifying.

5. Infuse your water with fruit

If lemon and cucumber aren't your thing, you can find lots of recipes on Pinterest for other fruit infused waters.  The possibilities are endless.

Source: Pinterest

5. Make water bottles/cups ahead of time and keep them in the fridge ready to go

If you choose to make fruit infused water or lemon water ahead of time, I suggest making some cups ahead of time and put them in the fridge.  Then, you can just grab one and you are ready to go.

5. Add a drop of lemon oil to your water bottle

If you like lemon water but are short on time or out of lemons, you can add a drop of lemon oil to your water bottle.  I like water with lemon slices over ice, but I like adding a drop of lemon oil to my water bottle I carry with me throughout the day.  Lemon oil is a nice addition to your room temperature water bottle and still very detoxifying.

Knockoff Starbucks Passion Shaken Iced Tea Lemonade (Made Healthy)

People always said when I got to college I would learn to love coffee.

I made it through an undergraduate degree and I never liked coffee.

I made it through my Masters and I never liked coffee.

I am working on my PhD and I still don't like coffee.

I do LOVE tea though.  Tea is happy. I love hot tea and iced tea.  I love green tea, herbal tea, black tea, and sweet tea.

When I was 12, I got to go spend about two weeks with my grandparents in West Virginia for the summer. In the evenings, Grandmommy would make a cup of hot tea and we would work on a puzzle. At the time, I had to have milk and sweetener to like black tea.  Tea represents simple pleasures and stolen moments of bliss.

Now, I love a cup (or giant mug) of black tea.

But sometimes it is hot outside...like 100 degrees in Texas.  I spend a lot of time at Starbucks.  I am a graduate student.  Sometimes I can't study at home.  It is just too quiet.  So I go to Starbucks so it is loud and I have something to tune out. I love to get a Starbucks Shaken Passion Iced Tea Lemonade.  It is so refreshing.  I like it sweetened or unsweetened.

Source: Pinterest

The thing is it is Starbucks, so it is expensive. I decided to make my own version of this refreshing goodness at home.

Hence, we have:

 Knockoff Passion Shaken Iced Tea Lemonade

Just brew a kettle of hot water. Use 2 tea bags and let steep. Add to a pitcher.  Add some more water to the pitcher.  Let it cool in the fridge.  Then add lemon slices.  It is tasty as it, but you can add some stevia to sweeten it.

Make up some travel cups ahead of time and grab it on the go before you leave the house.

Working It Wednesday: Getting in a Workout Routine

I keep hoping to get on here and blog more about how I am keeping balance in my life.  School has been out for a couple of weeks.  I have been trying to get in a workout routine.  I am going to link up with Surfin Through Second's Workin It Wednesday.

I am trying to do hot pilates/hot yoga classes about 2-3 mornings a week.  Other days I go to Zumba or Bootcamp classes.  I am inspired by all of these teachers out there like Rachelle at Forblognesssake who are doing great going to the gym and working the equipment on a regular basis.  I admire them...I really do.  I, however, do not successfully workout that way.  I think it is perfectly healthy to be honest with myself and know my limitations.  I have accepted that with work and graduate school, my schedule is crazy.  I like to do fitness classes.  I like to show up, have someone tell me what to do, and go home.  I don't want to have to go to the gym with a plan and decide what to do.

I also love to go to classes with friends.  I have a  membership at Sunstone Yoga here in Dallas, which is awesome.  I can actually take a friend with me for free every time I go.  It has worked out great.  I take friends, my sister-in-law, and even my husband a couple times.  I also like going to Zumba with friends when I can.  I usually text some of my friends at the beginning of the week to see who is available when, check studio and gym schedules, and then schedule my workouts on my Google Calendar.  Then, my workouts show up on my phone calendar and can even be linked to friend's calendars.

I love my instructer at my Bootcamp Fitness class and the women who go.  They are awesome!  My Bootcamp instructor goes to yoga with me too, so she encourages to push myself further in my practice. It gets a bit pricey to do Bootcamp 3 times a week with my yoga studio membership, so I have been doing Bootcamp once a week.  I just went back to bootcamp this last week after almost two months because I had hurt my shoulder about 6 weeks ago, so I took a break from weights.  This was me all sweaty and red-faced after that Bootcamp class on Saturday.  I am thinking about trying some other classes with weights at the gym too since they don't cost me extra.



I have a lot of autoimmune diseases in my family, so I get a lot of inflammation easily (hence, the red face).  I try to listen to my body and make sure I get enough rest and do enough stretching.  I am trying to experiment with more anti-inflammatory eating.  I try to avoid sugar, dairy, and gluten as much as I can.  The last few days I ate all of those things though because we celebrated my husband's birthday and I went to a gender reveal party. This was my husband and I with the brownies my sister-in-law made, which were very yummy.



I have been trying to eat more quinoa and experiment with other gluten-free goodies.  One of my favorite lunches lately is a black bean quinoa salad over spinach.  It is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan.  It is so yummy.



You can't go wrong with black beans, quinoa, onion, corn, bell pepper, and garlic. The time I made in the picture above I also added fresh squash and zucchini.