Friday, November 29, 2013

Happy Post Thanksgiving!


Thanksgiving is meant to be full of festivities, instead people are starting to dis-guard the holiday in order to start their shopping for Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love deals and specials. I mean, why pay full price for an item that you can get for 50% off right? But discounts aren't the problem here. The problem is that people are being forced to work ON Thanksgiving day or are abandoning their family or loved ones in a way to save a spot in line in the freezing cold so that they can be sure to score some pretty sweet deals on new toys. The fact that stores open on midnight Friday, forces people to rush through the traditional festivities. Its a literal drive-by in terms of eating.
 
I feel that everyone is forgetting to be Thank-FULL on this special holiday. This is the only holiday that forces us to spend time with family without expecting gifts or any other type of monetary or physical payment. It also forces us to focus on being FULL. As in full of love, life, happiness, and lets be honest--stuffed to the brim of yummy food.
 
Even though there has been talk about boycotting Black Friday, it would be very difficult to establish. Many people don't believe in the traditional thanksgiving tradition so they don't care about spending the evening out in the cold waiting for a good deal. Also, many people are greedy with their money. Good deals are hard to come by. This is the day where the stores want to make the most money. But don't you think they will be able to do so if they open the doors at 8 or 9am instead of 12? Wouldn't the margin of profit be the same. Only, the employees won't feel the drag of waking up in the wee hours of the morning for something that isn't even going to benefit them.
I bet people who shop on Black Friday actually end up spending more than they originally intended because of the deals they see (of stuff they don't need) and end up regretting the purchase.
 
 
To all, I really hope you have a blessed day and hope you enjoy this guilt free day. Enjoy it with the ones who matter most in your life, enjoy the memories and traditions. Keep them alive and try to be happy. Lets try not to focus on materialistic items and be happy.
 
Eat! Enjoy! Live! Love! Laugh!!!
 
Went for a run on thanksgiving day 

said hi to the ducks 


ate some really yummy food

had like three plates of dessert
Went to bed like a happy camper 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Spaghetti Squash Pancakes!

Do you ever feel like you only eat fruits at breakfast and not enough veggies. I mean, I can down veggies at every meal but breakfast is always the hardest. So I decided to experiment with the leftover spaghetti squash that I had in the fridge. Since it was PANCAKE SATURDAY I decided it was the perfect time to test it out. 

First I mixed my normal oatmeal pancake mixture 

Then I added the squash 

The batter was really thick, which was perfect for the recipe 

They turned out great, slightly sweet 

And made perfect with applesauce and fruit on top
(does anyone else wait for their pears to turn yellow and spotty to eat or just me?)

nosh away 

Spaghetti Squash Pancakes: 
1 cup of oats (1/2 cup made into oat flour)
1/4 cup of wheat bran 
1 tbs flaxseed (to made flax egg)
1 mashed banana
1/2 cup of applesauce 
3 tbs of agave 
1/4 cup of whole wheat flour 
pinch of cinnamon 
1/2 tbs baking powder 
1/2 tbs vanilla extract
1-2 cups of cooked spaghetti squash 
about 1 cup of milk 

directions: mash the banana. Proceed to mix with the applesauce and spices. Make the flax egg and add it to the mixture along with the sugar. When mixed well add the rest of the ingredients one at a time, make sure the squash is last. 

Proceed to make like pancakes. You need to flatten the mixture so that it cooks well. Let them cook about 5 minutes on each side. 

Meeting new people!


Ever feel like this?

So I just started working which may explain the lack of blogging as of late. However, I would like to say that I have met some of the coolest people at work. Its interesting how some people who share the same life experiences were placed on your life path and serve as an emotional support. You learn that you really can't judge a book by its cover and that each individual is different and experiences shape the way we are today.

I have always been searching for that "ultimate" friend. The one who would never judge me or who will always be there for me no matter what. It sounds corny and all but its true. Sometimes a girl just needs someone other than their mom to talk to. Sure, I have best friends but they aren't the "ultimate friend" I am looking for. I feel like my best friend (who is a guy) is very versatile, but there is some things that I know for a fact he wont understand. Its just that female bond that I crave. I also have a female best friend, well not "best" just the one whom I talk to more. When we are together, we have such a great time but when we are apart, we don't really make the effort to stay connected as much as we should.

I have always envied people who have found their friend early on in life and grow up together so they know virtually everything about each other. But I suppose it wasn't my time and I will eventually get there. Hopefully, now that I am meeting new and interesting people I will get that chance. I can feel something different coming! Something great!

BTW. Running is not affected by my work schedule. I just have to wake up a wee bit earlier at times so I can still take care of my sisters and such. But its a sacrifice I am willing to make!
Christmas comes early at my house

I've been eating these applesauce/chocolate chip muffins all week!

Squash and corn muffins!

The lovely park 

Oatmeal with applesauce and peanut butter! 

pancakes


Thursday, November 21, 2013

Healthy Body Image

I ran through the park today, it was nice and peaceful. I even saw quiet a few ducks at the pond. It was nice to have a different route to continue on. That way I wasn't stressing over using the same route and getting board the entire time. Even though I was running in circles, it was a refreshing experience and saw something new at each loop. 

The day started out like this, yet it was prefect for running. 


Healthy Body Image

I don't know if you are like 99% of females and males out there who are completely obsessed with their bodies and body type but you are about to listen to my rant.

Why it is that female are judged more easily them males in out society?
Maybe it’s the fact that men don't judge what their fellow peers do. They simply exist and never really consider checking out their fellow "bros". Or perhaps its simply because men don't care. As long as they are having fun, there isn't a need to pay attention if your jeans are too tight, if your "bingo wings" wave when playing pool, or if your stomach looks bloated in that shirt. I have never heard guys complain about their weight unless if they had a serious medical condition due to it. But for the most part, men are happy to exist, to be part of this environment regardless of what they look like. They are having fun experiencing life.
*A cue to take from men is to be carefree. Not to stress out of the small fluctuations on a day to day basis. The happier you are in life, the more positive you are and secure in your person. Then you will cause yourself less stress.
    The less stress you have in your life, the less cortisol you develop which will mean that your appetite will be suppressed.
    The less stress you experience the less you feel negative and the more you concentrate on what you put in    your mouth.
    Less visceral fat will be stored in your midsection due to stress. (the reason why we crave carbs when stressed-always opt for slow releasing carbohydrates during those moments)

This information is insane. The average women out there are curvy and thick in the literal term. Women are not meant to be stick skinny. They are meant to bear children, work hard, cook and clean, lift heavy items (groceries and children), and carry out all the same task that a man is expected to do (not trying to sound sexist). But women need energy and if they spend all day daydreaming about having visible abs or being the slimmest person in the room. It’s not an excuse to be overweight, however it is an explanation that females shouldn't look like the rail thin supermodels in the magazines. It also gives you a view of what you see, at 5' 10" the average supermodel's BMI is 17.2 which is underweight or unhealthy. At 5'3" the averages women is around 29 which means that they are somewhat overweight. We are not comparing the two because other factors such as muscle affect BMI however it’s just an insight to explain that the huge difference between the weight of supermodels and the average female. The average women were not designed to look like a supermodel. Technically, those women use extreme diets and exercise regimes to look that way. THEY ARE PAID to be thin. The average women have to work and look after her family, "ain't nobody got time for that" in term of stressing out.
*Note to take away: Your focus should not be on what you look like. You should take your health and analyze it. Are you clinically overweight? If yes, find out what is at the root of the problem and learn how to modify it to meet your daily needs. Find simple modifications that get you HEALTHY. Skinny does not mean someone is healthy; a person can be suffering from IBS, chronic fatigue, anxiety, anemia, malnourished, etc. because they are skinny. Because they spend so much time obsessing about being a certain size that they sacrifice everything to be that shape. If someone forces their body to do something that it wasn't inclined to do such as survive off of low calorie diets or exercising 2+ hours a day without proper fuel. Their body will revolt on them and begin to shut down. Concentrate on having the ability and vitality to do what you want in life.

We need to get out of the "perfect body" mentality 


Only two percent of women globally consider themselves beautiful
This is one of the sadist statistics that I have ever seen. If only two percent of women consider themselves beautiful, we need to do something about this. There is either a flaw in how we create these beauty standards or there is a flaw in how we treat women. Consider your personal life, when is the last time you told someone they are beautiful or cute or pretty. Heck, when is the last time that you gave someone a compliment? To be honest, I can't remember the last time I told my mom she was beautiful. I can't remember the last time I told my sisters they looked nice. We say we live in a society of constructive criticism. But can it be that we always leave out the constructive part and only dedicate our time to criticism. Think about it, on magazines and tabloids we love to catch up on the gossip behind fashions "best dressed" articles. But deep down we are eager to see the "who wore it best" "worse dressed" "nips and slips" "what was she thinking" etc. type of articles. It is a hideous love we have to shaming women and taking out the joy of day to day living.

Researchers have found that "fat talk"—phenomena in which a person makes negative claims about their weight to others—is an expected norm among women and a way for them to appear more modest.
What is considered “fat talk”? Because the “fat talk” that I hear around me has nothing to do with being modest. Its all pure criticism and rude people talking about nonsense. They start to nit-pick at points on their body and later on they believe all the self criticism. I seem it countless of times where adolescent girls grab the inch of skin on their triceps, claiming that the loose skin is baggy or consider it “bingo wings” then they are hating their arms and always seen in long sleeve shirts because they don’t want to expose their flaws. These girls are filling their mind with superstition so that they begin to see and develop the image of the person whom they think they look like and see it in the mirror daily.
While concentrating on other people’s flaws they are also leading a life full of disapproval and make that part of their daily struggle. They start to critique others which then lead to comparisons. When people start comparing themselves, that’s when the trouble starts. No two people can look exactly the same, genetics, physical activity; lifestyle and even geographical location have an impact on the body type of a person.
*Note: There is no way that fat talk makes you appear modest. Fat talk makes you appear insecure and spiteful. People use it as a way to beg for compliments or to disrupt the daily behavior of others.

Weight gain does happen after marriage, because you have kids, a job, life, and stress building up on you. You can't have a perfect figure forever! 
Nor should you try to be perfect, just healthy! 
No thigh gap here

but I am happy as this cute little monkey. I wonder if they make these in adult sizes as well......




Tuesday, November 12, 2013

What I ate Tuesday!

Hey guys, I haven't been posting in a while because I finally got a job! Yes, I am no longer bumming out on the couch....not saying that that has every happened before. But I actually started job training. It was so cool, to be out of the house and actually doing something. Don't get me wrong, it was a little intimidating because I had to talk to different people and training is such a pain. However, so far I am super happy with whats going on. Oh, btw. My grandparents had also stopped by for a quick visit! They hardly ever come down since they live about 700 miles away. But it was refreshing to have them hear so we can all hang out and talk.

Okay, so lets get this show on the road.
I woke up and did a nice 6.5 mile run then off for breakfast! 

Breakfast was a nice little bowl of leftover pancakes (3 mini) with a cup of soy yogurt and chopped apples and pears to top it off. 

Then I went to work!!!
Sorry I am kinda excited because it's kinda a big deal. 
On my way home (I walk to work....eco friendly)
I ate a bag of steamed soy beans 
Then I was ready for lunch
Green smoothie 

Left over tofu nuggets, ketchup, hummus, and veggies
I had a small snack of a homemade pumpkin muffin and an apple
For some reason, I was starving this day, perhaps it was all the extra walking and I has a snackert (snack+dessert)


Banana +pb+chocolate chips
YUM! 
BTW, we did some shopping and we say what the inside of a boot looks like:

Dinner couldn't have come any sooner as 
Couscous, lentil curry, nutritional yeast, roasted broccoli, and a piece of homemade cornbread 

Now on to dessert: 
Bananas with cocoa powder+soy-milk 

almonds with chocolate chips. 

I am pretty sure I also had an apple added somewhere in there.  
Especially because I was chopping all of these for some homemade applesauce. 

Oh by the way, I fell down while running and I hit the ground hard. 
You know those fall that you have where you don't scrape yourself yet you cause much more inner damage? It was one of those fall. I couldn't walk properly the next day and my arm was super sore from the impact, a basic reach would cause pain. I felt like a lifeless zombie throwing my arms around. It was quiet pitiful if you ask me. 

But I should assumed something bad was going to happen judging from the looks of the sky. 

I hope everyone has a pain free day today! 





Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Get Off My Internet

Does anyone know about this horrid website? I mean, sure lots of bloggers have opinions that others may not want to hear, but that does not mean that it is unnecessary for them to post, because those people simply do not have to read it.

I recently discovered that one of my pictures were featured on this website, my picture was taken without my permission.
"the worst part is she made this for a friend on his birthday…. "
"Are you friggin kidding me?! I'd be so pissed puke"
"This pisses me off. Vegan cake can be full of sugar and fat and just as delicious as regular cake. It's these bitches that are putting fucking green shit all over it that give it a bad name. There's "healthy cake" and vegan cakes and they don't have to be one and the same!!!!!!!!"

These were the comments that were posted from that cake picture. If no one recalls, I had made that cake for my friend on their birthday. Lets review the second comment. Who in reality is going to be pissed for having someone think of you on your birthday? I mean, come on these people are probably sitting behind their computer screen all day without anything to do so they poke fun of people because they have no lives besides the internet. Second of all, I would be more pissed if someone FORGOT my birthday. Wait, I think I know the answer, they probably don't even have friends which is why they don't have anyone to give them ANYTHING on their birthday. It makes sense now. 
Shall we visit the third comment. Yes, cake can be full of fat and sugar. No one said it didn't have to be, but obviously some people care about their health and want to enjoy their lives. That "green shit" is actually food coloring which I have never known to insult anyone ever. The cake is a cake, the only difference is that it has fruit on top. Big deal. 

I am not going to let this post or website upset me because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I don't like a lot of things that are going on in the internet, but unlike those who lack manners and such, I just don't visit those sites. I also am brave enough to post snip-its of my life for all to see. Now those people who are writing those comments are COWARDS because they are HIDING behind their little screen names so that people don't know who they are. They are scared to create a blog and make themselves vulnerable for the whole world to see. So who should have the pity party?Me or them? I vote them, I have a life, friends, family, and a passion for what I am doing. So if they don't have any of that which is the cause of their bum+chair+internet addiction. I feel sorry for them. 

Monday, November 4, 2013

Saturday Long Run

Classy title eh? 
13.28 miles, 2 hrs, 9:06
Just the stats! 

Coming home to pancakes with gobs of pumpkin sauce. Priceless 
Does anybody feel that they can eat so much fruit that it literally does not fill them up ever? I often find myself snacking on fruit even when I am not hungry. Does anyone else find themselves doing that?

Anyways, Saturday's run was awesome. I felt great the whole time and was going to go for another mile but I decided against it. I didn't want to be super sore the next day. So I ran my butt home and decided to relax. 

We walked to the park and I went on the swings for a while. 

Then I just sat and watched these munchkins run around. 

Have you ever had those thought about what you are going to do with your life and feel a little unprepared? Like if life is just passing you by and you are unaware of it? Well, that was me today. I have been thinking so much about going back to school. And we were watching the Matrix, and I said to myself, Why not? I should go educate myself for my sake. Even if I don't make money off of it, I will be benefiting from it in the future because its my life that I am applying the general knowledge to. 
Plus, I do need to feed boredom someway right?


Sunday, November 3, 2013

The morning after +Cookie Ice cream

Just an FYI, I never wear make up or "do my hair". To get me getting all fancy, is to straighten my hair and put a little bow in it. But we all know I like to keep things simple so its okay. 
This is how I woke up the day after Halloween. My eyes are still slightly tired looking. 
 Remember this is what I had looked like on Halloween. 
After
Apparently someone was having a hard time accepting that Halloween was over and decided to wear their costume again. Boy they were disappointed when no one was throwing free candy anymore. 

So I decided to be a nice big sister and make them some banana/cookie/chocolate chip ice cream 


ohhlala! It lights up.  

Ingredients:
6 Frozen bananas
2 sheets of graham crackers
4 squares of chocolate (I used 1 piece of baking chocolate and turned out well)
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 tbs of vanilla extract
1 tbs of agave

Blend all the bananas and milk in the Vitamix.
Then the chocolate.
Turn off the blender and break the pieces of crackers using the vita-stick. Stir and place in fancy cups