Embracing Your Inner Tortoise

Greetings fellow wanders.

This blog is about a fable, one I like to called The Instant Result.

As I mentioned in a previous blog post I have struggled with weight issues most of my life. But my struggle for instant results isn't isolated solely to my weight. I struggle with not getting a toned body after a few workouts. I struggle with not being able to save enough money for that European vacation from one paycheck. I struggle with not meeting the man of my dreams after one day of on-line dating. Basically, I want it all instantaneously. Sadly, though, life does not work that way.

So, where did this lack of patience and persistence come from? I would love to blame it on the world of high technology where we have millions upon millions of pieces of information available to us in an instant. But, if I am honest with myself, I would admit I was like this long before the creation of the internet and smart phones. (Yes, there was such a time and, yes, I do remember it, but, no, I am NOT older than dirt. Maybe a dust bunny or two, but not dirt.) The fact of the matter is that I want the results, but I really hate the work it takes to get there. I don't want to have to work out every day for a month just to see the tiniest chance in my body. I don't want to have to practically live on salads just to lose a pound. I don't want to have to go on a bunch of bad dates before I find Mr. Right. Been there, done that. Got the T-shirt and the souvenir mug. So, where does this leave me?

In the story of The Tortoise and The Hare, the hare had my mentality. He thought he could just coast along and the race would be handed to him on a silver platter. The tortoise, on the other hand, kept a steady pace, keeping the mindset that any progress is just that - progress. He kept his eye on the prize and didn't let himself get distracted. And we all know who won the race.

Slow and steady is not always easy and it sure as heck isn't always fun. You will get discouraged. You will get tired. You will sometimes want to just give up. But that is when you need to embrace your inner tortoise and remember that slow and steady wins the race. You got this.

I always knew there was a reason I loved tortoises so much.  ;-)

-Buffy

When Life Gives You Lemons, Drink Them

Hi, fellow wanderers.

I have struggled with skin issues for years. Oily skin and breakouts have plagued me for as long as I can remember. It is so bad that about five minutes after washing my face, you can see the oil already starting to form in the pores of my nose. And don't even get me started on trying to wear makeup. But no matter what I have done, nothing seemed to make it better. I tried products for oily skin, products for acne prone skin, products for sensitive skin. I tried organic, natural products. I bought that well-known acne clearing system endorsed by celebrities. I even tried visiting a dermatologist. Most products did nothing. Some made things better for a little while, but then my skin would get used to it and I would be back to my skin issues. Some even made things worse. I just figured I would be one of those people doomed to have bad skin. Well, imagine my surprise when I found the answer to my struggle was as simple as raising a glass.

In my quest to be a little more green and healthy I tend to do a lot of research. Well, I kept hearing about all the benefits of drinking a glass of warm, lemon water every morning. It was supposed to have many benefit from waking up your digestion to detoxifying your organs to helping improve the look of your skin. Of course the last one caught my attention, but I knew I really could use all the other things as well. Plus, even of it didn't work, I would simply be getting extra water, so I really wasn't out anything for trying. So, I started drinking a glass of warm water with a tablespoon of lemon juice every morning and night. I also added a little raw honey for sweetness and even more health benefits. I actually noticed a difference in clarity pretty quickly and after about a week, I noticed a reduction in outbreaks. My skin also appeared less oily. I have now punched up my morning lemon water by still adding the honey, but I also add in a 1/4th teaspoon of turmeric and a sprinkle of red pepper. After washing my face with a little black soap, I use a toner made of witch hazel mixed with lavender, tea tree, and lemon essential oils. (I had been using this toner minus the lemon oil prior to starting to drink lemon water to no big results. Again the trick, for me, was the lemon.)

Now, I am not saying that lemon water is some magical elixir by any means. I mean one of the "health" claims is weight loss and I have not lost one pound, despite following a healthy "diet" plan. But what it is doing for my skin is reason enough for me to continue drinking it twice a day. I mean, who knew lemons would be the thing that made my life sweeter?

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