Let the Love In

Hello World! Today is Valentine's Day...you must have known you were going to get a post :) A day entirely dedicated to love is clearly one of my favorite day's of the year. I mostly believe this because I am a Pisces- a dreamer, lover, romantic at heart...oh and because this is my birthday month! Any who- this Valentine's Day, I am more than grateful to be spending a 2nd consecutive Love Day with my man in uniform :) Something else has also been stirring inside of me today that I had to share. I am learning that the difference of speaking and acting love are entirely unique concepts, and when experimented with, can be life changing. Let me give an example. Many of us (myself include) have come into the habit of saying we are going to do nice things, or think about doing nice things. Many of us read nice quotes and may even view nice project ideas for loved ones on sites like Pinterest. But how often do we act on these nice ideas? How often do we ask someone a questions like "Hey, how are you?" and genuinely listen for a response and interact? Better yet, how often do we just hug a friend....for no reason, or touch our hand to another's in conversation? The need for human touch, love, and affection- all relationships and holidays aside, are imperative for human survival and happiness. For some reason, in our culture, though sex may be glorified, personal non-intimate touch is, well, never really "touched" upon. When I 1st landed in Florence for my study abroad program years ago, I will never forget how odd it seemed to me that women would stroll down the streets, hand in hand...and were not in fact dating one another. And men too! Point being, humans have a lot of love to give- it is within us, and it is something we not only need to give but receive. Today, I was reminded of how good a hug feels when thanking someone for something as simple as a card. Or actually engaging someone in conversation; without checking email and Facebook simultaneously. Today, my message is to just spread the love. Very similar to the pay it forward idea. Putting love out into the universe not only enables us to open and expand our relationships with others, but also fill the need of human interaction, connection...oh and hugs :)
xoxo AA

Green Smoothie Mayhem

Well folks, it has been a week and I successfully consumed a green smoothie before work everyday this week. Additionally, I went 2 or 3 days without any meat (fish, red meat, chicken). I also started reincorporating vitamins into my daily regimen. Here are my results- I have a sinus infection! Seriously...but, that is not the only thing (and there has been a bug going around the office). This week I felt more satisfied and full then over before. And for those of you that know me- I didn't have a stomach ache all week (that is a really big deal)! My findings lead me to believe that I was less hungry as the day went on because I was eating more in the earlier parts of the day- when the body is more able to digestive foods successfully, and had less cravings because I was feeding my body nutrients, not crap. For example, many times, when we are craving chips, our bodies are actually craving salt, and associate salty foods with chips. Because I was essentially pumping my body with nutrients, my cravings had subsided almost completely. I continued to eat my normal oatmeal breakfast, but this week incorporated a larger lunch that was higher in calories, healthy fats, and nutrients. For example, I prepared a quinoa tofu stir fry with veggies. Because the meal wasn't high in oils or unhealthy fats, I did not feel weighed down come 3PM and actually felt more energized. By dinner time, I found that I wasn't sprinting through the door after work in complete starvation, throwing whatever food in my mouth that was most readily available. Instead of mindless eating, I took the time to prepare my dinners, and when it was ready, I was hungry and enjoyed each bite. I also only had dessert once or twice this week, which is HUGE for me, and manly just because I wasn't hungry. One of my favorite findings from this experiment is that I didn't feel left out! Because my cravings had subsided, I didn't feel as though everyone else was partaking in the fun and I just wasn't allowed to join in. I had no desire to join in. And in fact, I brought my own meal over to friend's house this weekend (the gluten and dairy free version of their meal) and was able to be social and enjoy with everyone, but still feel great afterwards! Many people asked what I was eating, which sparked an interesting conversation that I was happy to take part in. My main lesson for the world through this experiment- try incorporating something that is high in nutrients into your diet, without replacing anything else- and see how you feel. Begin to investigate your cravings and what they really mean (are you craving sweets because you are tired and looking for a boost of energy, or because they are a comfort food to you and you've had a bad day). Exploring with these kinds of foods can enable you to feel great, get to know your body better...and feeling left out will no longer be :)
xoxo AA