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Health Starts Here Graduation

Good Morning and Happy Friday!!

I took my Series 6 test last night and PASSED!!!! I really thought I failed… I barely breathed the 5 minutes leading up to getting my score.  My face was hot and I was so stressed out, I was just certain I had failed.  Then I saw a whopping PASS grade and freaked out!  I’m so thankful that test is behind me so now I can celebrate this weekend and then next week start studying for the test that comes immediately after, the 63! yay!

I’ll be heading to Florida with Nick to help his brother move, so we’ll be enjoying Florida weather and Disney World, much like we did for the Fourth of July!  I love road trips with Nick, so I can’t wait to get out of work tomorrow and get started!  What a celebration it will be!

HEALTH STARTS HERE GRADUATION

I’ve been looking forward to this post all week.  Monday night was absolutely wonderful and I’m so thankful for the Health Starts Here Challenge and what it has done for me in just a month!  We arrived on Monday night for a graduation dinner.  Mary Lindsey cooked Pad Thai, Pineapple Lettuce Wraps, and Hummingbird Cake.  Nick was probably really annoyed with my texts because all I wanted to do was tell him how AMAZING this meal was and I couldn’t wait to make it for him so he could try it.

pad-thai

spices-and-seasonings

The Pad Thai was absolutely amazing!  There were so many extra additives on the side so you could create your own flavor.  I loved the red pepper flakes and fresh squeezed time on mine!  I enjoyed 2 servings!  Mary Lindsey was so sweet because she almost put shrimp in it, but remembered that I’m a vegetarian and opted not too!  I’m so thankful she did (although I probably would have tried it anyways) because it was delicious and I’m definitely making this soon!

pineapple-lettuce-wraps

The Pineapple Lettuce Wraps were so refreshing!  I added some nuts to mine and the flavor was outstanding!  This was practically gone when I went for seconds so I didn’t worry about it.  I can’t wait to make this dish too.  It’s so simple and perfect for this Southern heat.

hummingbird-cake

The picture of this Hummingbird Cake does not do it justice!  I’m pretty sure I’ve found my favorite dessert!  We had a Vanilla Cashew Icing to put on top and I most definitely served myself up two servings of this.  The texture was awesome, the flavor was awesome, it was all awesome!  There was even some left over when I was getting ready to leave and Mary Lindsey let me take it home.  I’m not too ashamed to say that it was my breakfast because it still fell within the Health Starts Here parameters.  Again… cannot wait to make my own!

That was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time and it gave me so much hope for our community and healthy eating.  Healthy eating does not have to be dull and flavorless… it does not have to be salad and cardboard… it can be delicious Pad Thai that feels like it should be unhealthy, but truly isn’t, it can be flavorful lettuce wraps that create a unique spin on a regular salad, and it can be a decadent dessert that doesn’t lack in sweetness but doesn’t expand your waist line either!  Although I’m still learning and I haven’t been as creative in the kitchen as I would like, this meal gave me hope that we’re heading in the right direction and we have the necessary resources to enjoy what we eat and enjoy how what we eat makes us feel.

graduation-dinner

While we finished up dinner, we shared some of the things that we learned throughout the challenge or the improvements we saw in our own body.  I shared about my mental clarity and how my work life in July and my work life in August were completely opposite in my opinion!  That brought up a good point about healthy eating not only affecting how we look physically or how we feel physically, but it’s also tied to our mental health.  Another lady mentioned how she dropped 12 pounds and reduced her bad cholesterol by something crazy like 50 points!  She was planning on doing another 28 days to keep up the good streak!  Another girl shared about the influence she had on co-workers and she noticed that one of her co-workers usually eats cookies & sweets, but she brought celery sticks and carrots one day instead based on seeing her eat healthy throughout the work week.  So many success stories!

Another thing I gained throughout the challenge were new friendships!  I adored getting to know Mary Lindsey throughout the whole process and that’s no surprise because I have constantly raved about her from the beginning.  I also found someone who wants to run together and do a 5k training together.  She also encouraged me to join her for a Wednesday morning run with free coffee afterwards.  Everyone I met throughout the challenge was so sweet, so inviting and I really hope I get to stay in touch with them in some way!

graduation-certificate

The next Healthy Eating Challenge will be around February and I’m already excited about doing it again!  Maybe next time I can stay 100% committed for the 28 days!  Hopefully our participation won’t drop near the end and people will stay encouraged to not give up even if they have a bad day (or weekend, like myself!)  The great thing is, it’s only for 28 days and Whole Foods provides you with the support you need and knowledge to succeed without feeling like you’re missing out on nutrients.  I’m proud of myself for sticking with it and participating in everything they offered.  It was definitely a challenge, but it was entirely worth it!

I hope you’ll consider the Health Starts Here Challenge at your local Whole Foods so you can see the amazing benefits of a plant-strong diet without the added oils, sugars, and dairy!  What I love about being an advocate for a healthy lifestyle that involves healthy eating and exercise is that it’s not some miracle pill or quick fix wrap, it’s not just a temporary fix… it’s THE fix!  If you’re taking care of your body, then your body will take care of you!

Hope y’all have a great Labor Day Weekend, I probably won’t be back to the blog until Tuesday with all of my traveling and I’m in need of a new light weight laptop.  I’m tired of lugging mine around, so it’s not going with me this time!  Everyone be safe!

Veggie Chili & Whole Wheat Cornbread Muffins

Hey y’all!

How has your Tuesday been?  Mine was good.  I woke up and watched Big Brother while I ate breakfast.  I was extremely pleased with how it ended and I’m excited about tomorrow night’s episode!  I went to work and had a fairly productive, but nicely paced day.  I got about 2 hours of Series 6 studying in, so that was exciting!  After work, I went to my favorite class, HIIT!  We had a sub, but I’ve taken Cheryl’s classes before and absolutely love her!  Today was no different and I had a great time.  I decided to stick around for Abs afterwards and I’m fairly certain my abs are thanking me because they got a killer workout!

I’m on my last week of my 28 day challenge and I decided to make Quick & Easy Veggie Chili with some of my all-time favorite Whole Wheat Cornbread Muffins!  This will be my first time trying the chili, but as it’s simmering it looks pretty dang good!  I’ve had the cornbread muffins before and they’re wonderful!  I can eat 3-4 at a time and I can eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus snacks in between!

Here is the final product of my dinner:

veggie-chilli-cornbread

I don’t think the weather is fitting for chili, but for some reason I decided to make it this week.  I think between the simplicity and the leftovers, it become an easy choice.  I could eat chili year round though!

Now, completely off topic… seriously, I have no good transition.

I’ve been having a hard time finding my work/fitness/health/blogging balance.  I know I’m not the only one.  I have a long list of goals and although I’m doing great at work right now and I’m about to get a new certification, I feel like work consumes all of my day because I’m there from 7:30-4:30 without taking many lunches during the week (which is entirely my own fault, I’m not forced to not take a lunch).  With my new healthy eating (thanks to the 28 day challenge) I know my mind is clearer than every before and I could tackle a lot more in a day if I learn how to do so.  As I continue to stick to this healthy eating (at least most of the time) then my desire is to start working on this long list of goals that I have for my life outside of my normal work day.

GOAL 1: Blog 2 times a day.

I started blogging with the idea that blogging once a day was awesome, and seriously… it still is!  The best advice I’ve heard though is to take notes from the blogger you want to be.  That doesn’t mean that you copy someone else or you become a person that you truly are not, but you see what works for the bloggers that you enjoy reading day in and day out.  For me, I absolutely love Julie from Peanut Butter Fingers.  I would love for my blog to reach the level that hers is at.  She blogs about 2 times a day, so to find my success, I want to follow in her footsteps.  I also want meaningful content that matters to ME!  I feel that blogging twice a day will help get me in the habit and allow me to improve my writing.

GOAL 2: Create a blogger event for Mississippi.

I’m not sure what this is going to be yet.  I’d love to do a conference or a quarterly meet-up.  I want to get brands & local business involved with our blogging community.  I have a whole list of goals that fall under this one umbrella.

GOAL 3: Be active daily.

I don’t need a strict workout daily, but I want to live an active lifestyle.  If I don’t have a workout planned for the day, I want to go on a walk, go a leisurely bike ride, take my dog out to the park.  I want to be active!  I do want 5-6 days a week for serious workouts at the gym.  Heck, I’m paying for the membership, so I want to get my money’s worth!  I’m not a strict gym-goer though.  If it’s beautiful outside, I’m definitely going to be outside!

GOAL 4: Eat Healthy.

Thanks to Whole Foods and their 28 day challenge, I’m learning new ways to incorporate eating healthy into my every day life.  It can be time consuming though which is why I feel it’s another goal I need to improve upon and balance in my life.  It’s getting easier, but I still have a ways to go.  I don’t want to cut out everything that I am in the 28 day challenge though, I just want to eat it in moderation.  I will probably cut back heavily on my dairy because I think the benefits are amazing for me personally.  I have a serious sweet-tooth, so I’ll continue baking & enjoying sweet treats, but again… in moderation and I’ll be more selective about what I choose to make!

I’m looking forward to what the rest of the year holds and all the things I’m able to accomplish by then!  My mind feels sharp, I’m motivated, and I have my goals!  I’ve been talking about these for a while now, but I finally feel like I’m at a place where I can work towards them!

  • What goals do you have for a work/health/blog balance?
  • What blogger do you most look up to?

Digital Dementia

Good morning!

This week has flown by!  It’s been nice though because I’ll be heading to Starkville right after work and I’m excited to spend some quality time with Nick!  We haven’t done that since July 4th weekend because we’ve both been out of town the past couple of weekends.  It’s tax free weekend in Mississippi, so I know we’ll do a little shopping.  It’s time to get some new workout clothes because I’ve been working out a lot and washing my clothes is becoming quite the chore.  Also, I basically have a few pairs of running shorts to workout in and I need some more flexible items.  I’m also getting to the point where I’m wanting to look cuter at the gym.  Is that lame?  I want the adorable tank tops and sports bras, I want the cute little sayings and bows.  Well, we’ll see what I end up with over the weekend!

I really like these tops from livfit!  Except, not in yellow because that would wash me out.  Really cute look though.

Super cute workout clothes from LivFit....cheaper than lululemon! Based out of utah!!!!

(source)

Last night, I was in for a rude awakening when I arrived to the gym.  I thought I was running late for ab class & cardio blast.  I got there and was a tad confused because it did not look like people were getting ready for ab class and it did not look like the class was starting at 5:30.  I quickly realized I was in some other class, but heck, I was already there and I needed a workout for the day, so I stuck around.  True story: If I had known what I just signed up for, I would have left.  This was the hardest, sweatiest, most exhausting class of my life!  We did a hundred jumping jacks, probably thousands of burpees and squats, I learned that what I’ve known my entire life as a burpee is truly a half-burpee (WHAT?!) and there’s a such thing as a full burpee… that, believe it or not, sucks even more than a half-burpee.

There was a girl in there who was super encouraging and would come talk to me during “mini-breaks” to pump me back up because I’m pretty sure I had the look of death on my face.  Every time I talked, I just shook my head and glared.  Yeah, I’m super expressive.  Not very good at hiding my feelings from my face.  Before I left, she said, “Promise me, you’ll come back!” and I actually laughed in her face… but begrudgingly promised her that I’d be back next week.  What was I thinking?! – I guess I thought that I actually got a decent workout from it and it’d be good for my behind to be back there next Thursday at 5:45.

DIGITAL DEMENTIA

I recently learned this term, but it’s not a new idea to me.  I was reading a magazine that is published through my company.  It was talking about technology and the effect it has on children.  It was eye-opening!   I don’t have kids, but I’ve always been against the amount of technology that surrounds our society today.  Yes, I use technology myself [heck, I’m a blogger!] but I don’t believe 2 year olds need to be exposed to technology day in and day out!  I have been around kids that can’t have a proper conversation with you because they’re glued to an ipad.  Well, sure enough, it’s not just building a habit of being rude – it’s affecting what we most appreciate in kids – IMAGINATION.  Because of the significant use in technology, our right brain hemisphere is failing us.  The right hemisphere is responsible for imagination and rhythm. 

It was sad to read, honestly.  Children are rude, unresponsive, and unimaginative.  I realize I have no children, so I don’t know what it’s like to keep them entertained, but I do know that we have previously lived in a society where it was possible to entertain without technology from all around us.  I personally hate having lunch with people who are glued to their phones the whole time.  One time, I was sitting at a restaurant where I saw a couple not engaging in conversation, but looking through their iphone – for more than a few minutes.  To me, that’s not a satisfying relationship.  Nick and I make it a point to not look at our phones during dinner together unless we come up on a subject that we want to research more (or if I need a blog pic haha).  We’re not mindlessly scrolling through instagram or facebook.  We’re not responding to other people’s texts and phone calls.  We’re engaging in conversation with each other.

I don’t plan on buying my child an ipad or iphone at an early age.  That topic will not even be up for discussion in my house.  I want my children to grow up respecting others, learning how to have adult conversations, living an active & healthy lifestyle.  They will be able to use technology, but their use will be restricted and monitored.  More than anything, I feel sad for the children who are “priveledged” to have an ipad before they can talk.  I don’t consider it to be a blessing, I consider it be a curse.  It’s unnecesary and it’s feeding into this “Digital Dementia”. 

This has apparently been a big study in South Korea and they’ve even established “Internet Addiction Camps!”  Crazy!

I’m no expert or researcher, but I encourage parents to limit their children’s technology use.  I encourage non-parents to have a plan before you have kids on how to monitor the use of technology.  Turn the tv off during dinner.  Encourage conversation between your family.  The results will be positive – better sleep, better focus in school, a lower risk in obesity – there is no reason to allow your child endless hours of technology.  You don’t need technology to teach either.  I knew how to read & do math way before I started kindergarten.  I read books, my dad wrote out easy math problems for me to work – this was my entertainment.

Am I thankful for technology?  Yes.  Do I use it everyday?  Yes.  But I appreciate that I didn’t “grow-up” on technology.  I hope to instill that same developement in my children one day.

  • What are your thoughts on technology & children?  I’d love to hear from parents & non-parents!
  • Do you appreciate growing up without technology 24/7 or do you feel that you missed out?
  • Do you believe in the negative affects that technology is having on our society today?

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The views and statements expressed on No Bologna are my own. You are reading No Bologna at your own risk and I am not providing any type of professional advice. Unless otherwise noted, all material on No Bologna may not be used, reprinted, or published without my consent. I do occasionally have affiliated links on my blog - this does not raise the price of the product, I simply get a very small commission from the regular retail price if something is purchased using an affiliated link on my site. I appreciate any support by you in regards to affiliated links.