goddess:body

Well hello there!

I've missed this little blog... this week has been busy with all things "life," as I'm sure it has been for you, too. When I get busy with work/kids, I have less time to exercise and take care of myself. Slowly things start to fall apart... I can feel my immune system weakening and I have a harder time sleeping when I'm not as active as usual. But the worst thing that happens? I start to worry about my appearance. It's normal to put on a couple of pounds if you can't do spin class or yoga for a couple of weeks. But to beat myself up over it can be dangerous territory for me. So I have to remind myself that we're all beautiful, all created differently, and all store fat in different places. And if my hips are a wee bit bigger than normal, my friends will still be my friends, and my family will still love me.

so a few "goddess:body" lessons here for me today:

1) take care of myself... eat well and be as active as I can be

2) don't beat myself up over a week of being busy

3) be kind to myself... I don't want to base my entire opinion of who I am on how big my butt looks (don't want to pass poor body image onto my daughter, either).

So lovely ladies... be grateful for what you have today... love yourself well!

I am beautiful as I am. I am the shape that was gifted. My breasts are no longer perky and upright like when I was a teenager. My hips are wider than that of a fashion model's. For this I am glad, for these are the signs of a life lived. ~Cindy Olsen, co-owner of The Body Objective

goddess:body

Today on the menu: LUNCH!

One way to nurture our bodies? To eat a great lunch. I think lunch has been hijacked by fast food... and I'm a huge breakfast lover... so I replace sandwiches with cereals and oatmeal whenever I can. My favorite thing to eat for lunch, which fills my belly and leaves me full and energetic for the afternoon hours? Oatmeal with peanut butter and apples (or berries). I cook my oatmeal with milk, for the added calcium, protein, and vitamin D. (obviously oats cook great in water too, if you can't do milk or are vegan).

I stir in yummy peanut butter (or almond butter works great, too)...

and add my apples! It is delicious, healthy, and full of good nutrition. Also, This is an easy thing to make at home OR the office if you work in an office... microwave a pack of plain oatmeal and have some apples and peanut putter on standby in the fridge. Added bonus- it's cheap!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

goddess:body

The brain is certainly a part of the body.

In college, I majored in Psychology, which was much more than just sitting around and taking personality tests. It involved a lot of really amazing research on the development of the brain, and the slow death of brain cells as we age. The knowledge of child development has been hugely important to me career-wise and in my life in general... but the most fascinating part of my studies involved cognition, awareness of the self, and dreams.

yes, dreams!

Dreaming, whether during sleep or when you're awake (commonly known as "day dreaming") is very important to our thinking and especially to understanding who we are in life and in our environments. Our dreams give us a chance to develop a deeper and more well-rounded sense of self, and simply having a dream about life/life goals can help you feel more confident in reaching your goals.

Isn't that cool? Thanks brain!

So, today I want to encourage you to dream, and I'd love to know about your dreams. What do you want to do with your life? What do you dream about accomplishing?

I have just stared to fulfill a dream I've had for a very long time. I've started to write a novel. It is fiction based on a true story.

Now, I realize that most people in the world want to write and be a published author. I'm not crazy enough to assume that anyone will want to publish my book. I hear that getting published is nearly impossible anyway.

But, I'm following through with a dream I've had for a long time. Just starting that process is empowering. I have to admit that I'm proud of myself for doing this. I'm shooting for the stars!

I'd love to hear from you. What is a dream you've had? Can you step out into the unknown and go for it?

Dreams are illustrations... from the book your soul is writing about you. ~Marsha Norman

goddess:body

Today for our goddess:body...

I really liked writing about breathing last week... so go to that post if you need a few reminders on how to slow down and cherish your breath. Also, Don't forget about the SUUBI BEADS giveaway! See previous post for details!!!

But for now... back to food, and nourishing the goddess body you've been blessed with!

Below is part of an article I wrote for a local magazine recently.... it's all about going meatless for one day a week!

Recently my husband and I have thought more about our food and where it comes from. It’s true that certain foods we eat create excessive waste and more stress on our environment. My ears perked up when I started to hear about a new trend called “Meatless Mondays.” Have you heard of it? Many people around our nation have decided to become vegetarians for one day a week, if they’re not already vegetarians, that is. Mondays are turning more and more meatless, and even the hardiest of carnivores are curiously eyeing some yummy vegetarian recipes.

But why, you ask, is going meatless, if only for a day, an environmentally friendly thing to do? According to Wikipedia, the meat industry generates nearly 1/5 of the greenhouse gases that are attributed to climate change. We also use far more fresh water to “grow” our meat as opposed to what is needed to water protein-rich plants like soy and other whole grains. If we ate just a little less meat, our streams and ponds and lakes would be far cleaner.

Going meatless just one day a week could also help our bodies. Meat has a lot more saturated fats than plant-based proteins. Americans eat about 45% more meat a day than what the USDA recommends, which could lead to poorer health and raise our risk of certain diseases. Plain and simple: eating too much meat actually decreases our lifespan. Bring on the vegetable lasagna!

I hope this little excerpt inspires you to take care of your body, as well as our planet! Below is my favorite veggie lasagna recipe... it is oh so delicious... and I've attached a picture as well. It basically looks like a huge wad of cheese, but it shows how yummy it is :). And, I've made this with plain noodles and rice cheese for my dairy-free friends, and it's just as good! Recipe from Real Simple magazine:

Ingredients

1 26-ounce jar pasta sauce

2 30-ounce bags frozen large cheese ravioli, unthawed

1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water

1 8-ounce bag shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat oven to 350° F. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and spoon in a third of the sauce. Arrange 12 ravioli on top and scatter the spinach over them. Top with half of each cheese. Cover with another layer of ravioli and the remaining sauce and cheese. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 to 10 minutes more or until bubbly.

goddess:body

Today:

Breathing.

If you woke up breathing, congratulations! You have another chance." Andrea Boydston

Do you ever realize that you haven't taken a deep breath in a really long time? It happens to me all too often. I'll be running around during a crazy day and notice that my shoulders are hunched over and my shoulder blades are super tight. I've let stress and shallow breathing take over for hours, and then it all catches up with me... I feel anxious and physically in pain (neck! shoulders! back! head! ouch!). I personally LOVE yoga, and try to attend a class once a week, because of the relaxation and stretching it teaches me. But I think the most valuable part of yoga is breathing, and learning how to breath.

I won't go into details here about all the techniques, but be sure to check out yoga classes in your area if you want to learn. It's a great way to nurture your body, outside and in.

Today I'm just going to remind you to take care of yourself by breathing deep. Try to remember every so often to stop and take a long, slow, cleansing breath in, and then slowly exhale. The clean oxygen that enters your lungs will clear out toxins, both physical and emotional, and then you can let it all go with the exhale. While you exhale, be conscious of your muscles relaxing, especially in your face, neck, and shoulders.

By breathing deeply and being aware of your body, your mind will function more clearly and you will take full advantage of the day that you have been blessed with.

breath goddesses! Have a great day!

goddess:body

So in order to be a goddess, you have to take care of your body. Right? How are we supposed to keep up with our goddess responsibilities, like loving others well, if we don't take care of ourselves? Our bodies are sacred spaces housing our dreams and wishes and hopes. But if we don't feel our best, we won't be able to chase those dreams or care for others well. So every week I'll highlight something having to do with health. Food, recipes, exercise, being still, meditation, prayer, being comfortable... whatever comes to my mind. Health is a passion of mine, and helping others stay well is definitely important to the goddess mission!

Our first Goddess:Body post is about: A vegetable. Cauliflower.

Guess what? I love it. My kids love it, and my husband loves it. But this goddess has to do it a very specific way (if I'm not hiding it in soup or sauce). I roast it. Just wait, you'll want to try this.

First, I take one head of cauliflower and chop it up. Then I put it in a bowl and toss it with about a tablespoon of olive oil and some garlic salt. Then I spread it onto a jelly roll pan and place it into my oven, which I preheated to 450. Then I cook it for 25 minutes. I swear, it is delicious! It gets to this awesome golden brown color. You will love it. Here's a picture (but nope. I'm no photographer like those fancy bloggers. This will just give you an idea):

Truly, it is yumminess. I serve it with fish and bread. It is a vitamin packed, fiber-filled, good-for-you, power food. It will fuel your goddess body with goodness to help you through your week. Here's to your goddess health! (and tell me your cauliflower recipes!)