Thursday, May 31, 2012

a foodie penpal reveal and {some reasons to recover}

I won't lie, I've been putting off writing a post for some time now. I can't seem to find the words to describe how things are going lately. I'm not sure how to explain that some days have been so crazy good and then others I just feel like I'd rather be dead, it's so bad. 

To explain lightly, I am feeling overly gross and disgusting. Luckily, the herbs my acupuncturist gave me are helping with the bloating after meals and also with anxiety, so that isn't as horrible as before. It's just feeling "fat" that has been sucking the life out of me. 

Ben has been a huge help, though. He's such a sweetheart. 

Also, I've just been super busy and I am having a hard time finding time to write posts. I look at other blogs and wonder how they can post everyday and sometime even twice a day! How the hell? 

I started a new job that is during the day and I don't get home until five or so and by the time I have dinner, it's already seven. I have a hard time concentrating on things so when I don't feel like writing, it's difficult to get anything done besides watching tv and talking to Ben. 

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Okay enough with that stuff. I have a foodie pen pal to thank! 


Brooke over at Living on Love and Leftovers sent me a pretty sweet package full of things from Texas! I've never been there so it was cool seeing some different food and trying them. 


Lots of spicy foods! My mom loved the honey and was excited about trying the crab boil, as we've never heard of it before. 
Ben and I used the campfire dust that was made by Brooke's friend's dad on our burgers one night and it was very good!
I'm excited to try the other things when I find recipes to make. 


A lovely card<3 

  
Ben couldn't stop eating these spicy mango slices. They were seriously one of the best things in the world. I never knew mangoes tasted so good with chili spices on them haha!


My package that I sent off to Jennifer! Loaded with lots of different types of snacky foods :)

 If you want to find out how to be a part of this monthly wonderfulness head over to Lindsay's blog and check it out!

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On a completely unrelated note, since I've been feeling kinda down today in terms of recovery, I thought I'd list off some of the reasons to I have to recover.

1) To be free. No more going back and forth relentlessly with Ed about what I can and cannot eat. I will be free to have whatever I want and be okay with that. No more being chained down, I will be able to fly. 

2) To be able to have children. It's my biggest dream in life and if I mess it up by listening to Ed, I will lose it. 

3) To be happy. This means that I am happy with who I am, with my life, and with my relationships. Ed makes me focus on only the negatives, but life is only lived when your focus is on the positives. 

4) To be strong. I am sick of being seen as weak and fragile. As much as Ed loves it, I hate it. I want to be seen as strong and athletic, and someone who is healthy, not sick. 

5) To love myself. I'm slowly learning to love the real me, the me without Ed. I want to love myself and be my biggest fan. It'll get me so much farther in life, than any negativity will. 


There are more, but I'll stop there. I hope these will keep me going. One day at a time. One second at a time. Recovery is not easy, but since it's so hard, it must be worth it.  I hope so. 

Take care <3

Monday, May 28, 2012

{hiking again and sweating pink}

Good morning friends. I hope you are all enjoying your three day weekend. It's been nice over here in my neck of the woods, sunny for the most part. I haven't really been up to anything too exciting. My life seems pretty boring mostly. Besides the fact that I go hiking, but that is nothing new. 


Ben and I ventured out again on Saturday. Starting around ten thirty, we hiked seven miles to the top of Sunday River Whitecap (Maine), maintaining three miles an hour. We got to the top around one thirty. Lunch consisted of cottage cheese with peaches and blackberries and some yummy chocolate bites! Just what I needed. 

Yums!

 It was a perfect day. A few clouds but nothing serious. I tried to get my tan on, but I don't really tan. 
I lobster. 

  
I felt pretty good after we got back, considering we just hiked fourteen point two miles in just under six in a half hours, but I will never work out my legs on the day before. Man was I sore. 

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In other news, Sunday I woke up at noon. I can't remember the last time that ever happened. Maybe it was because I didn't go to bed until three thirty in the morning. Hmm. 

Anyhoo, Ben brought me home so I could get some school work done, but instead I went for a nice walk and got in a super sweet shoulder, chest, and tricep workout!


I be a growin'!! 



I also made myself this fabulous drink. I first got the real version in the mail from the generous folks at Bragg, then I found a recipe from Katie for a homemade version. I had to try!


Basically it's just water with some apple cider vinegar and stevia to taste! It was pretty awesome and I love knowing all of the benefits this stuff has. It's so great. 

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Shoelaces! (Ignore the gross shoes.)
Another great thing I got recently was a nice package from Fit Approach. I think I forgot to mention I am a new member of their ambassador program! I'm pretty excited. 

So yeah, I got a box of goodies including like ten pairs of bright pink shoelaces (email me if you would like some haha!) and a cool sweat pink tank top

Sporting my new gear!
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So since it's Memorial Day today, I am spending it with my Mom. I was in need of some good Mom time for sure. I missed her and our walks/talks.

I'll leave you with s new song. Ben introduced me to it and even though it's not exactly upbeat, it's an awesome song. 

Brantley Gilbert-Play Me That Song

 (: Have an awesome day :)

Friday, May 25, 2012

...another five {ten} things Friday..

It's Friday, you better be excited!!


1) I have a love/hate relationship with fruit. You never know when you will get a really good blueberry or raspberry, it's so annoying. I always need to end on a good note taste wise, so if I end with a tart berry, well that just ruins my whole fruit eating experience. I know you know what I mean. 


2) Chocolate mint tea? Count me in! Anything with chocolate and mint is my kind of thing. I swear, it's what heaven is made of. Whoever came up with this awesome combination is completely genius. Hats off to them. This was amazing by the way. I mean how could it not be?


3) I was totally proud of myself yesterday for just flowing along with whatever was happening. Ben had a lot of errands to get done which included switching the cars tires from snow to regular ones, mowing his dad's lawn, changing the oil in the car, and going to the gym. Not only did I actually enjoy the gym (ten mile bike), I also got a nice weights workout in as well (while Ben mowed the lawn)!! I also learned how to change oil in a car...quite interesting! I enjoyed watching Ben get all greasy haha just kidding!

4) I completely failed with picture-taking on Tuesday. Ben and I drove up to Bangor, Maine to check out an apartment for August. Since Ben is transferring to UMaine, we need a place to rent near the campus. The apartment was teeeeeny tiny. One room and a bathroom. I mean we don't need much but it may have been a little bit tight. It really put everything into perspective though. Ben and I will be on our own in three months! That's a scary thought. I know I'm scared as hell, not gonna lie. 


5) I ate something I LOVE the other night. Quesadillas! These are a major fear food for me, but I absolutely love them. We ordered dinner from Margaritas which could have been a huge disaster for me but Ed was luckily on vacation somewhere and didn't give me any trouble. Unfortunately, they weren't the greatest I've ever had but I was pretty proud of myself for eating them and being okay!



6) While we were getting the tires switched on the car we walked to Wal-Mart for some Monsters and I found this wonderful gum. It's the new flavor and I couldn't pass it up! Gum messes with my stomach but sometimes it's worth the goodness of root beer floats haha. 

7) I read a pretty good article which really helped to remind me why I must keep plugging along. It was from the Muscle and Strength website and it talked about the essentials of weight training/eating in order to gain lean muscle and lose fat. You can check it out here.

8) Shorts update: I have been wearing them non-stop and it's awesome. I can't believe how much comfort I've been missing out on from not wearing them before. Like I said, my legs and I don't always get along but in order to love my body I have to take steps in order to do so and this was a huge one for me. Of course I started out easy by wearing longer sports shorts, but hey, it's a start! I'm proud of myself for that. 

9) Some good songs this week? Jake Owen and Chris Young have new songs out and they.are.great!



10) Last but not least, I always love ending my posts with positive quotes I find on pinterest. I hope you had a great week and that your weekend is full of sweetness!!



Wednesday, May 23, 2012

wiaw: ostrich meat and chocolate bread!

Happy Wednesday! 

I finally saw my Mom this week after like two weeks apart (this never happens haha)...we took a trip to Freeport, ME to go grocery shopping, the thrift shop and to check out a new health food store! It was really hot but super fun :) 


When Pigs Fly bakery! So many unique breads, it was overwhelming!


The new health food store! It was so awesome...I could've spent all day in there ahhh :)



Our list for the store and my big envelope of coupons haha! I come prepared to SAVE!


On to the good stuff: what I ate durr!!
{as always thanks to Jenn!!}


Breakfast:
yogurt, oat bran cereal, strawberries, and chocolate chips.
Lunch:
salad greens, kobucha squash, perky jerky and feta cheese.

 Banana Cake for One:
Adapted from this recipe.
Ingredients:

1 half banana (the browner the better)
1 egg white
2 tablespoons of coconut flour
1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed
stevia to staste

Step 1:
Mix egg whites with mashed banana.

Step 2:
Add coconut flour and flaxseed.

Step 3:
I added blueberries just for fun!

Step 4:
Stick it in the microwave for about two minutes and wah-la!!
I topped mine with better'n peanut butter and it was super good :)

Snack:
When Pigs Fly (Freeport, ME) chocolate and spinach bread! 

Dinner:

Finally found ostrich meet! I had to beg my mom to let me get it but I did and I was ecstatic!

Ostrich burgers with ketchup and kobucha squash.
 Weeeeee! I had a good day! 
How was yours??!!
<3

Monday, May 21, 2012

scenes from the weekend {and bananas}

Happy Monday!

It 'twas a good weekend over here...how about for you?

Ben and I hiked! GASP I know, I know it's such a surprise haha. We headed up Goose Eye Mountain in northern Maine and IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!

Looking back from where we came from.
At the top...Ben is such a model. 
And moi...being weird. 
The Appalachian Trail heading north.
Pretty waterfalls.
The hike was awesome. About four and a half miles up which made for a nice nine mile round trip. We left around noon and got back down around five! We pretty much rocked it. I had so much fun. It was by far my best day in a while and I was so high on energy that everything was just amazing. The energy came from food of course!  Food is fuel. Something I am finally starting to recognize! 

My snacks for the climb! Let's see, we have: 

Navitas Naturals power snack nuggets
Pizza Marinara Journey Bar
Chocolate Coconut LaraBar
Turkey Perky Jerky
Ostrim Ostrich and Beef Jerky Stick
Beveri Energy drink powder
Amy & Brian's Coconut Water with lime
YouBar great date with chocolate (not pictured)

I loved the Journey Bar and the powder snack nuggets! So good and full of awesomeness! I had massive amounts of energy after the nuggets...just ask Ben, I was literally running and bouncing down the trail haha. 

The coconut water was pretty awesome as well. I drank it on the way up and I definitely could feel the good energy it was providing me with :)

I never ended up having the LaraBar but I did try the YouBar with my lunch and that was fabulous! It was one of the popular bars and the ingredients consisted of only dates, whey protein, honey and chocolate! Super yummy!


The Ostrim stick was one of my favorite things ever! I received a package from them a while back and loved everything they sent me...I'm due for  trip to GNC to pick up some more of their products!!

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Anyhoo, after the hike, Ben and I were pretty tired so we headed to his Mom's house and had a nice dinner of pork fried rice made my his Mom. It was super good and I was proud of myself for actually eating it because it was unknown and scary for me. I had no clue what went into it (besides rice and pork!) and no idea the amount of calories it contained, but who cares right!? My body needed it! (We might have also had some shots of vodka but nobody needs to know that.)

Sunday was fun too...we got up semi late (around nine), had breakfast and then Ben headed to the gym while I took a walk/run on the Spring road near the house. It was such a beautiful day and I wore shorts all day. I actually spent the whole day in all of Ben's clothes haha...I didn't plan on it being so hot and only had pants and long sleeves so his over-sized t-shirt and shorts worked fine!

Thumbs up man!
I have been pushing myself to wear shorts more. One, because I am in a desperate need for a tan...my legs are as white as my shorts haha...and two, because I need to start loving my legs and showing them off! haha. 

After the gym we got STARBUCKS! And then headed back to my house to clean and eat lunch. I made one of these bad boys! Recipe tomorrow!!

Banana cake for one!
We played some bananagrams (so many bananas!) and I WON like always haha! Eat it. I'm so good at that game. Not to brag or anything. 



Afterwards, Ben went to play basketball with his friends while I worked out (legs baby!!) and had my writing class (ew gross) and that was that! 

A good day indeed <3