When the Wall Hits Back

Greetings, fellow wanderers.

Have you ever wanted something, but found you struggle on the journey to get there? That is how I feel about my path toward weight loss and good health.

I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. In high school I tried weight loss classes, nutritionists, shakes, you name it. And even though my doctor said I only needed to lose no more than about 10 pounds, I felt like he was crazy and I actually needed to lose 50. As time wore on, I was the classic yo-yo dieter, losing and gaining the same pounds over and over. I have been as high as over 300 pounds (not sure the exact weight since I refused to get on a scale) and as low as 170, but my goal weight has always been elusive. (I am 5'9", so 170 was close, though.) I have started countless diets and they work for awhile, but then the allure of a donut or a cookie becomes too great. Or I don't feel like cooking, so I stop and get fast food.

I also another struggle that kind of goes hand in hand with my weight loss struggle - I don't like how I look. This has been another life long struggle. There have been days I think I am looking cute, and then I catch a glance of myself in the mirror and that good feeling changes in an instant. It's not even the extra weight I tend to carry. For me, I am unhappy with the whole package. I know weight doesn't always negate attractiveness because there are stunning plus-sized women out there. I am just not one. Sometimes I think I might reach cute status, put then my low self esteem squashes even that. I sometimes wonder if I keep the extra weight on so I will have something to blame my feelings of worthlessness on.

I have tried the past few years to switch my focus from being skinny (which due to my body type I will never achieve) to being healthy. I even recently became a vegetarian to help that journey along. I know there are certain things I should stay away from due to my body being intolerant (wheat, I am looking at you), but the siren call is too great sometimes. My other Achille's heel is working out. I HATE it. I will find a routine and do it for a bit, then get bored and stop. Sigh.

So, what does this all mean? I have often heard the phrase "hitting the wall". In my case, I have not only hit the wall, but it has hit back and decided to bring friends. I know I need to get my focus and willpower back, but I admit it's been a struggle. But when I started this blog, I did it with the intention of this being an open forum, a place where people could feel safe and not fear they will be judged. I wanted people to know I, too, struggle on this path.

So, fellow wanderers, of you have any tips you would like to share, please feel free to. This is your blog, too.  :-)

-Buffy

Pizza, Pizza

Hello, fellow wanders.

Have you ever had a craving for something, but, when you looked in your cupboards, you didn't have all the ingredients to make it. So, you have two choices - go without or improvise.

I was really hungry for pizza one day, but did not have the money to order one nor did I have the necessary ingredients to make a crust. What I did have were eggs. That got me thinking and this recipe was born.

This recipe below is for my favorite mushroom version, it can be made with whatever ingredients you have on hand. It is also gluten-free, but, to me, the "crust" tastes like a homemade wheat one does. And it takes less time than waiting on pizza delivery and/or cooking a frozen one.

So, I say, now you can have your pizza and be able to eat it too.

- Buffy

Truly Supreme Pizza
Crust
- 3 whole eggs or the equivalent in egg whites
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (I liked the shaved kind, but shredded works, too.)
- crushed red pepper.

Toppings
- pasta sauce
- 1 small can mushrooms
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375°. Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray. Beat whole eggs and then dump them in pan. Sprinkle in parmesan cheese and the red pepper flakes to taste. Bake "crust" for 10 minutes or until eggs are set up and firm. Take out of oven and let set for a few moments. Ladle on a thin layer of pasta sauce, and then add cheese and mushrooms. Bake until cheese is melted, around 12 minutes. Take out, let cool slightly, and then enjoy.

A Vegetarian By Any Other Name

Greetings, fellow wanderers.

I have a confession to make. Now, promise not to judge me too harshly. And I hope we can still be friends after I admit this. So, here goes . . . I am a vegetarian. I hope that does not change how you see me.

Okay, maybe the previous paragraph was a tad dramatic, but that is how I feel sometimes when I tell people I am a vegetarian. They suddenly look at me like I either have two heads or I have some contagious disease. "I've caught vegetarianism. NOOOO."

I became a vegetarian after watching a show called "Yogi Cameron: A model guru." (It's all about this guy who used to be a supermodel but now goes around using the principles of Indian medicine to help people overcome their medical issues.) Yogi Cameron mentioned in several episodes that a vegetarian lifestyle can help issues such as digestive and skin issues. At that point, I was only eating meat once a day anyway, so I figured why not limit my meat intake to once a week. But since I started I have only had meat once and that was just a few bites of fish.

I really don't know why people look at me so strange when I tell them I am a vegetarian. Do they think I am going to judge them? Do they not know anyone else who is a vegetarian? I think in some cases it is definitely due to lack of exposure. When some people hear that I eat eggs or cheese, they are all like, "But I thought you were a vegetarian?" I am, but I'm not vegan.

So, I guess I am sharing this because, as I said, I am just confused why my eating habits bring up such debate and, dare I say, distaste. I promise, I am still a normal person. I still saute my tofu in vegan butter just like everyone else does.

Okay, another confession. I don't even like tofu and I use real butter.

-Buffy

Breakfast of This Champion

Okay, fellow wanderers, I have a confession to make. I hate breakfast. There I have said it. It is truly the one meal I could do without. Oh, don't get me wrong. I love breakfast foods, I just don't like the early timeframe in which we are supposed to eat them. But I eat breakfast for one reason and one reason only. I need to. You see, I am pre- diabetic. If I skip breakfast, believe me, my body lets me know it isn't happy with me.

A few years ago, eating breakfast wasn't something I enjoyed, but I could deal with it because I normally was eating at  a "normal" - sometime between 8 am and 9:30 am. Then, my scheduled changed and I had to be at work at 7 am. Now, I already not a morning person, so the thought of getting up early to make breakfast just wasn't going to happen. Plus, my body just does not like eating right after I wake up. I tried protein powder in my coffee (which actually does taste good of you get the vanilla kind), hard boiled eggs, and healthy protein bars. They all worked but I worried I wasn't getting enough nutrients, especially after I became a vegetarian. Then, my sister sent me a recipe for these oatmeal bars. They were sugarless, but made with bananas and applesauce, which was supposed to provide the sweetness. It didn't. But I kept playing with the recipe, adding some Stevia and swapping out the applesauce for canned pumpkin to add in a veggie. I kept playing around and came up with a recipe I actually enjoy. It's vegan, gluten-free, AND sugarless, but does not taste it. And you can add in whatever "fixings" you want. Feel like chocolate chips, add them in. Want more of a trail mix bar, have add it. Want more of a peanut butter thing, go crazy. I even had the idea today of adding in protein powder to make it a complete meal bar. (I usually eat mine with a cup of coffee and a Greek yogurt.) The idea is to make it your own.

I have posted my basic recipe below. I hope you make them and get your day off to a healthy start.

Enjoy!!

-Buffy

Healthy Oatmeal Bars
(yield 12 bars)
-3 ripe bananas
-1/2 cup canned pumpkin (I have also used canned, mashed sweet potato which is easier to find year round)
-6 packets Stevia
-1 teaspoon cinnamon and ginger
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-2 cups rolled, old-fashioned oats
-1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°. Mash bananas, then mix in pumpkin, spices, Stevia, vanilla, and pecans. When well combined, mix in oats and cost well. Pour onto 8x8 pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes. Take out of oven and let cool before popping out of pan.

Life is a Banquet

Greetings, fellow wanderers.

When I started this blog, I really struggled to come up with a name that would fit what I wanted it to be about. Yes, it will sometimes be me giving tips on holistic living, but I wanted it to be so much more than that. I want this blog to be like a conversation between friends. I wanted to post the things I struggle with, things I am learning that work, things I would love to chance. I wanted to let those who might also be struggling with certain issues - be it weight, skin care issues, depression, shyness, anger, whatever - know they are NOT alone.

As I said in my first post, I am a curious person by nature. But I am also a skeptic and critic in some ways. When I started battling depression a few years ago, I went on traditional medications, but I hated how they made me feel and what they did to me. I have always been an avid writer, however the meds I was on stripped me of that ability and desire. Now, please do not think I am anti-medication. I am not because I know there are people and conditions that require certain medication. Conventional depression meds just did not work for me. I knew there had to be a better option out there. So, my journey into the world of holistics began.

The world of natural remedies has been an interesting journey for me, one of trial and error. I, in no way, have all the answers. That is where the title of my blog came from. I am on a journey, one of constant discovery. To quote the show Mythbusters, "Failure is always an option". But so is success. That is true in anything we endeavor to do. Life is full of fabulous new things just waiting to be experienced. We just need to find them.

Life is a banquet, fellow wanderers. So grab your fork and spoon and together let's go find what is out there for us to enjoy.

-Buffy

The Joy of Wandering

Ever since I was a little I've been extremely curious about the world around me. I used to take my toys apart just to see how they worked. (Thankfully, I was able to get them back together.) I would read whatever I could get my hands on and loved going to various museums. I would watch documentaries to learn more about the past and about the current world around me. I watched science programs to learn about new discoveries. I would read obscure news articles. Okay, I'll admit, I still do these things. My family calls me the Queen of Trivia. But I realized one day that I devoured all these things because I view nothing as trivial. I simply love learning. And I love sharing what I have learned.

People have long told me I need to write a blog about the things I have learned. Maybe they are just sick of me sharing everything with them and figured this would a good outlet for all I have learned. Lol. But whatever the reason, I figured I would give this a go.

So, welcome to my journey, fellow wanderers.