Good Monday, Slimmers!
So, I did it. I turned 40 this week. I did it up right with lots of friends, delicious food, good wine, better chocolate, and a big fat smile on my face. There were lots of favorite things about my birthday…two of which I wanna share with you. One is a realization and the other a really cool gift I got.
First the gift.
My in-laws hooked me up right with a panini maker. And OMG! It is divine. Just think of all the quick, healthy, yummy food I can make! Last night we made pot roast. It was pretty good…but throw down a bit of bread, some spinach, tomatoe, and the leftovers. Press down the lid and MAGIC….left overs become gourmet munchables.
Now part of my eating plan is to eat mindfully. Duh! With this panini maker, food gets really exciting. More crunch, more flavor, more creativity. I have found when I enjoy my food, I need less. The more enjoyable the less I need to eat. So with the panini thingy, I am eating less.
Then there are the veggies. The more veggies I eat, the more vitamins and fiber. Panini makers are great for sneaking veggies in. Grilled veggies that are just cooked enough to enhance the flavor, but not so much that they are mushville…then match that with whole grain/multigrain bread. Wah fricken la! LOVE IT.
If any of you have a panini maker I would love to hear about your experiences with it.
NOw for the realization.
I was so tired the last couple of weeks that I had a hard time organizing my food, exercising or getting enough water. Now if you have read my blogs you know I talk a lot about self-love. I don’t know…one day I somehow knew that loving myself and having a healthy relationship with food were connected. But the other night as I was about to collapse into bed, I understood it a bit deeper. I wasn’t organized or exercising because I hadn’t been taking care of myself. I had been pushing myself to stay awake at night and had not been getting enough sleep. BALANCE. Yah, I can stay up and have fun. But rest has to be a priority or the other stuff falls away and my food and exercise suffer.
It may not sound huge, but I understood it in a powerful way. I have to sleep. I have to rest and relax. Sometimes I can’t because I am worried about how I feel physically…like ahh, I been overeating…or I sure wish I felt good enough to ride my bike. So I worry and don’t sleep….then because I don’t sleep, my food and exercise are off. It is circular. One thing leads to the other.
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Well slimming ones, thanks for listening about these two things. I wish you a blessed week. My you have the perfect balance of things you need to make your life work.
With grace and peace,
Rae
Wow a panini press is awesome hope you enjoy your helthy meal fresh from the panini press. Have a great week
Happy 40th Birthday! And awesome on the panini maker
So, I have a few things, because your blog really touched me. First, the panini maker sounds amazing and I want one!! My boyfriend loves paninis and I think it would be a great addition to average lunch, dinner, breakfast fare.
Second, I had a similar relization this weekend. I had been eating a lot of salt this weekend along with a few other things that were not healthy for me. Right before I was about to make another unhealthy choice, I thought about my body and this word “healthy.” Most of the time I think about healthy in terms of what will make me lose weight, but then it hit me, it’s about my organs, my mind, what makes me feel better. It’s not just about how thin I am. It was a pretty powerful moment for me.
Thirdly, HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY!! I hope it was amazing, it sounds like it was.
Have a great week!
Happy birthday! I agree completely. If I am tired, I don’t make good decisions or choices.
I was given a gift of a Cuisinart Griddler 4 in 1 for Christmas.. OMG Talk about love love love! I make almost everything on it.. From meats.. fish..veggies..sandwiches ect ect ect! I think everyone should have one in there house.. For those of you who don’t have one.. INVEST in it.. they rock! You can probably find some good deals on ebay.. HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY!! Good luck on this week..
Happy Happy!! Sounds like you had a great time!! I was looking at a panini maker last week in the store, actually had my hands on it and was pondering whether I really needed one… after seeing that pic .. I DO! lol.
Self love and just an overal balance of things in your life are the key to everything. Sleep is very important to me to and I don’t hesitate to get into bed at 8.30pm if I feel like it. I think we should just listen more to our body period! Not only to see if we had enough food, but also if we are tired or if something we do or eat doesn’t feel right. It’s all about being in tune with yourself I think. Atleast that’s how it works for me right now. Enjoy the paninimaker *drool*
Happy 40th!!! The panini press sounds great
Enjoy the panini press… that sandwich looks so enjoyable and I agree, preparing and taking some time to make things yummy is so satisfying and rewarding.