Piece of Mind...Peace of Mind

Hello healthy people: I'm back to talk stress management because I can't stress enough...how much staying organized can change your life for the better! -create yourself a to-do list for the week. Stay on task. Feel accomplished. Get things done! And with less stress and anxiety! Stress kills, so in a way.... your to-do list could be a legit weekly life saver! Create a vision board, hang up a calendar or use old fashioned pen and paper to create a list of things you want to complete each week. Add a few practical and achievable dates and then watch the magic happen.

You'll become a doer. An accomplished individual, In control, Calm N steady. Not much of a list maker? No worries, neither was I... until I saw the benefits of keeping a list of plans for the week/month. Then viola! I'm a list maker...also less stressed and more organized.

For helpful tips on how to become more organized in your own personal life, revisit my blog titled: "Tis the season to set new goals".

https://mywellnesswithin.blogspot.com/2019/01/tis-season-to-set-new-goals.html?m=1

Take Control... Live Better

It's no secret that negative thinking can get you down, making it hard to get back up! I'd like to encourage you to try a healthier way of thinking to help fight depression and negative thoughts. I've personally battled with depression and these self care tips are practical and life changing. I've shared them with my own clients and I'm sharing them with you all now! Take care, recover and maintain!!
STOP: See The Opportunities Present.
Eat well, rest and get enough physical activity to manage stress.
Think hopeful/positive thoughts to help you stay motivated during challenging times.
If you're struggling, find a counselor or health coach to help you get on track. 😊
I hope someone found this to be helpful. I'm sending good vibes and well wishes your way. And as always...Be Well.💜

Wellness within...Wellness...Wellnes within....Wellnes

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

If you're sitting at home and want something rich and sweet to hit the spot, I encourage you to try making fun and healthy snacks straight from your kitchen! The snack featured here is homemade fruit salsa with fresh kiwi, strawberries and cinnamon chips! The warm sweet chips match perfectly with the sweet and tangy fruit any day of the week. Try it out and come back to let me know what you think! 

If you want take an even healthier approach, feel fee to use whole wheat tortillas, however in this case, I did not. Simply, get a stack of 3-4 tortillas and with a pizza cutter, cut into 4 triangles, top with spray butter or pour over butter, then sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon blend. Bake for 5-8 mins (flipping chips halfway through cooking), then let set for a moment.

While the chips are baking, grab your fruit (strawberry and kiwi), chop finely and chill in the refrigerator until your chips are done! I used a vegetable chopper for my fruit😊

Serve fruit salsa chilled with warm cinnamon chips and enjoy!

Southern-Style Pan Fried Catfish and Green Beans...

My friend came to visit a few weeks ago and brought over some Catfish for us to cook up. I don't usually deep fry my foods so I asked if she wouldn't mind doing a spin on the typical deep fried Catfish meal. She agreed and this was the outcome!

Check out the videos above to see how I made this delicious catfish!! I made my very own bread crumbs out of whole wheat crackers that I seasoned and pan fried the fish with just a few tablespoons of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)! You can't have Catfish without southern green beans -so we've got that covered as well; right along with some quinoa for extra protein and fiber. 😊

I love finding balance in my favorite comfort foods! It gives me a feeling of nostalgia and accomplishment when I can blend favorite foods and still meet my healthy eating goals. #winning

***Try it...come back and tell me what you think***

Inner Peace and Mindful Meditation

Along with feeling physically strong and grounded...Yoga and mindful mediation subtly helps me with Love, Compassion, Forgiveness, Creativity, Peace, Wisdom, Balance, Wholeness and Connectivity.
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How do you find peace in this chaotic world?

You've Got This!!

When it comes to my diet,  I've always tried to have a good balance. I encourage people to make their diets personal. Do what works for you! Since being in quarantine, I found myself doing a lot of munching on EMPTY CALORIE snacks; specifically honey buns, chips and soda!

Thanks to my snack choices, I've put on a few extra pounds and decided it was time to scale back. I set a goal to reduce soda to weekends only and cut out chips and honey buns altogether!

After a week of eating healthier and making better choices, in walks a pair of juicy "cheese & jalapeno stuffed sausages". My first thought was "No" I can't eat this because pork sausage doesn't align with healthy eating... right?! - Wrong!

If your goals are specific and you're still within your boundaries, it's okay to be a little outside the box.
Don't be too hard on yourself. You're still a winner! Sausage and all...I would just simply encourage everyone to add some nutrition like a small salad or a side of fresh fruit with water to keep away extra salt, sugar or fat. (see pics)

Healthy eating doesn't have to be boring, bland or a bust! Have fun and incorporate the foods you love along with some other healthy choices.

Don't let negative thoughts ruin your progress! You're doing great!
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Keep it up!
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Live it up!
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Be healthy! Be happy! Be well! 💜💙💚💛🧡❤🖤

Say it with me: woo-sahh

Wellness... like stress management practices comes in many forms. Deep breathing, mindful meditation, stretching and yoga are just a few but are also some of the most practical ways to engage in weekly wellness. 2020 was crazy enough for me before Corona Virus forced us all inside our homes but getting outside to do some yoga or stretching inside a few minutes just a few days a week really gives me the much needed break to unwind and clear my head. Take a break to remind yourself of what's going well in your personal life or focus on an opportunity to set new or updated goals.

-Even better if you did nothing at all! 😉
#justbreathe 😌

Stress management and coping skills are important during times of change, especially like times we're facing today, now seems like a great time to practice your own wellnes techniques.

Share what you're doing to manage stress in the comments below!😊

Road To Recovery: Regaining Strength

From time to time, you have to challenge yourself. Last year (2019) was one of my most challenging years yet! There were many life changing events that took place. From buying a new home, moving to a new city, settling into a new lifestyle and the loss of a pet. I was so busy and stressed from just adjusting; I was beginning to feel wiped out. Life's obstacles kept coming and life kept happening and I needed to keep up. "What am I going to do to get outta this funk?" I asked myself daily. Every week I worked out less and ate poorly. And every week my mind and body felt weaker and weaker. Even though I knew what would help regain my strength, I still continued to rebel. I didn't want to exercise, I was tired. I didn't want to cook healthy meals, I needed a break and domino's was up the street! I was sad, overwhelmed and too tired to even try to be healthy. Even though I knew it would make me feel better, knowing what to do didn't matter. I was stuck. I was stuck in a mood, accepting defeat...my poor food choices and lack of activity was catching up to me. I continued to feel tired, weak and too blah to pull myself up. "One day at a time". That's what people say when there's a lot of work to be done, right...? So, that's what I did. I started with one cup of tea. I prepared one large healthy meal so I could have nutritious foods to fuel my brain and body; I had leftovers for a day or two which made it easy to stick to my healthy eating goals. Feeling well and physical activity have been proven to go hand in hand. Getting outside and having fresh air is as important for mental wellness N vitality; so if you can get outdoors, do! Since my dog Tobie passed away, getting outside for daily play has pretty much been on pause. Understanding how important exercise is, I decided to start small with a few minutes of yoga, stretching and high intensity exercises to elevate my heart rate as well as my mood. It worked, of course. After a few days passed, I began to feel more stable in my mood and had more energy for my usual daily activities. Though my energy was coming back, I still felt too weak to perform like I knew I could. I grew tired much faster then I ever remembered before. I was out of breath, my muscles were weak, leaving my arms and legs shaking. I felt defeated, again. Here I was working out to feel better and I was beginning to feel weaker and defeated by my own exercise goals. I decided to stick to the goal to rebuild my strength, one day at a time.
Today, I challenged myself again: to get outdoors and push myself with no expectations. It didn't matter how much stronger I was 6 months ago and the unknown didn't matter either. The goal was to challenge myself, to at least get outside, have fun, break a sweat and push myself! Recovery to regain my strength. It was everything I expected. I showed up and the universe did everything else. Birds were singing, trees were whistling and the sun was shining. I left feeling energized, motivated and confident. That's all it takes to get momentum. Note to self: don't u ever quit on yourself, you'll never sleep again. 

Fruit Punch Koolaid: sugar-free drink mix w/ real fruit

You're stuck in quarantine...
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 The kids want something sweet to drink...
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You can't keep them hopped up on sugar all day...
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Make a koolaid drink, with no added sugar and fresh fruit! . . Be adventurous! Choose fun and exotic fruit that your kids may be interested in. Make a project of it... pick a region, select a fruit, make your drink and enjoy!

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep: Banana Pancakes

At first glance, this banana may look too bruised and beaten to eat but guess again! Before u toss out old fruit, like my banana here... I'd like to encourage you to find ways to use it in everyday snacks and meals like smoothies or exhibit A.... yummy banana pancakes. You can stretch out your batter and sneak in tasty fruit, like banana, into your family's breakfast  for added health and nutrition! Check out this quick video demonstration to see how u can transform a tired piece of fruit into a tasty and satisfying addition to your breakfast!

RaNdOs -Random Healthy Meal Options...

                Open Faced Breakfast Sandwich w/ Turkey Egg and Fresh Spring mix and Cherries

                     Grilled Cornish Hen w/ Green Beans and Veggie Rice w/ Edamame

                  Breakfast Sandwich w/ Fried Egg, Turkey Breast and spring mix on 45 Calorie Toast

                                          Grilled Chicken, Roasted Potatoes w/ Fiesta Corn

                   Turkey Burger w/ Spring Mix N Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Fries

               Banana Pancakes, Turkey Sausage Patties w/ Egg and Spinach scramble w/ Cherries

 Breakfast Sandwich on Whole Grain Waffle w/ Turkey Sausage patty, fried egg N low fat cheese

                                  Cabbage and Chorizo Soup w/ Whole Wheat Italian Loaf

                        Grilled Tilapia w/ Yellow Rice & Black Beans with Corn Tortillas

                  Cinnamon Toast and Oatmeal w/ Turkey Sausage Patties and Scrambled eggs

                                                Vegetarian Quesadillas with Black Beans

       Whole Grain Waffles with Turkey Sausage Patty, Egg N Spinach scramble and Oatmeal

       Rotisserie Chicken with Mixed Vegetables and Roasted Potatoes w/ Pepper and Onion

                                      Ramen and Asian Stir Fry w/ Grilled Chicken Breast

                                 Non Gourmet Fish Fillet w/ Baked Sweet Potato Waffle Fries

             Turkey Burger on Whole Wheat English Muffin with low fat cheese and spring mix

                  Whole Wheat English Muffin with Egg N Spinach Scramble and Fresh Fruit

           Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt w/ Blueberry/Strawberries and Vanilla Oat Belvita crackers

 Turkey Burger on Whole Wheat English muffin w/ Sweet Potato Waffle Fries and Strawberries

        Rotisserie Chicken, Baked Sweet Potato, Steamed Broccoli w/ Whole Wheat Italian Loaf

                                                 3 Bean Vegetarian Chili w/ Brown Rice

                              Old Fashioned Oatmeal with Mixed Nuts and Watermelon

                                     Chicken Quesadilla with Green Beans and Black Beans

            Grilled Fajita Steak and Brown Rice on Spring Mix with Corn and Black/Pinto Beans

 Breakfast Casserole: Eggs, Bread, Veggies, Meat (optional) and cheese -all of your choice

                                             Baked Breakfast Casserole with Cantaloupe

                                          Chopped Chicken and Broccoli on Russet Potato

                                        Chopped Steak with Bell Peppers over Spring Mix

                      Taco Seasoned Beef w/ Bell Peppers and Scrambled Eggs w/ Fresh Oranges

 Breakfast Pizza: Whole Wheat Tortilla, Fried Egg, Spinach and fire Roasted Tomatoes w/ Mozzarella

 Breakfast Pizza: Whole Wheat Tortilla, Breakfast Ham, Scrambled eggs w/ spring mix and peppers

                                   Potato and Egg Scramble w/ Turkey Bacon and Strawberries

 Breakfast Sandwich w/ Fried Egg, Roasted Turkey Breast and spring mix on 45 Calorie Toast

                                     Veggie Rice and Egg Scramble w/ Pan Grilled Tilapia

                               Grilled Tilapia over Brown N Wild Rice w/ Steamed Broccoli