Thoughtful Thursday

     For those who celebrate it, Happy Halloween. It's been a minute since I posted anything (October 8th to be exact). A lot had happened between then and now. I applied for an extension to finish my certified personal training certification.  I also have to finish those two project I need to be "fluffed" for my finally class so I'm done with my Masters. There should be enough time for me to finish all of that now. As of last Wednesday, October 23rd,2019 I no longer have a job.

I'm not going to go into the whole thing online but I have been feeling like I needed to leave there for a while. I think with any job, you have positive & negative aspects. I feel as though since I wouldn't make the move on my own, God did it for me. For myself, my ultimate goal was to eventually work for myself using all my degrees. Beginning this week (the end of last week I just hungout trying to figure out my next move), I have been trying to get organize & all that jazz. 

With it being the last day of the month & the first post I've made in a while, I decided quotes about new beginnings would be fitting. Here are some of my favorite quotes that I found:

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In the next few weeks, I will be able to write more since there is time to now. Writing has always been a calming, peaceful activity for me. One positive is that I've back to journaling & exercising regularly again. Another pro that came out of the getting "let go" situation is that I feel so free & more relaxed. I'm not running around or as if I have the weight of the world on my shoulders anymore.

I can honestly say that this is the happiest I've felt in a long time. Yes, I'm still am running late sometimes to places. I know that there is a reason for everything that happened & I'm super excited to see what is to come next.

Peace & Blessings all!!! Have a fantastic Halloween & be safe out there.

Fitness Tuesday: Advantages of going meatless

Tuesday is here meaning that it's Fitness Tuesday. Today, I'm going to piggy back off of what I posted yesterday about going meatless. People have their reasons for being vegetarians or vegans. Some do it for religious or health reason while others do it because of the way it makes them feel or it's the "in thing" at the moment. Regardless the reason, there are good benefits for cutting back on meat.

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Here are a few benefits of cutting back on meat even if for one day a week:

-Aid in normal bowel function

-Add variety in nutrients to ones diet

-Lowers risk of high blood pressure & diabetes

-Adds different textures & color to meal

-Saves money

-Reduces risk of heart disease & stroke

These are a few articles that I found helpful in researching about the meatless/vegetarian topic:

Why Meatless

Vegetarian Glossary of Terms

Meatless Meals: The benefits of eating less meat

Building a Healthy Vegetarian Meal Myths and Facts

7 Day Vegetarian Meal Plan & Grocery

And if you are wanting to still eat meat & fish this article from healthline is a good place to see which ones are the best to eat. Also, if you are more of a podcast person Dr. Michael Greger, the author of the Not How Die books & cookbook has a podcast called Nutritional Facts that is super informative. Maybe on Wednesday, I'll share a few (meaning three or four) of my favorite nutritional podcast.

If anyone has suggestions on how to wan yourself of eating meat daily, I would love to hear them.

Until next time: Peace & blessings all & have a fantastic Tuesday!!!

Meatless Monday

Is any glad that it is starting to feel like Fall at least if it's only for a day or two?? I guess rain & a cold front will do that to sometimes. With the change of seasons I usually try to change my eating as well. I've decided (along with one of my co-worker's) to do a one day detox. The main thing about the detox is that I'm not eating any meat.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the average adult should have 5 1/2 oz of proteins a day in their date. In terms of meat this means it should be no more than 3oz. Most people only focus on meat as protein sources. Good protein substitutes include seeds, beans, legumes, tofu, peas, soy products, & unsalted nuts.

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Starting today on Mondays, I'm going to start posting meatless recipes that I find along with some that I make. Some of them are going to be easier to make than others but, it's all in the name of better health. Here are a meatless recipes I found on Cooking Light:

Broccoli,Cheddar, & Brown Rice Cakes

One-skillet Vegetable Lasagna 

Roasted Veggie Mac & Cheese

Basil-Ricotta Ravioli with Spinach

Greek Chopped Salad with Grilled Pita

Tomorrow, I'm going to share a few of the health benefits of cutting out meat even if it's one day a week. Also, I'm going to give some options/suggests on the types of meat that is best to eat health-wise.

Peace & Blessings all & have a great start to your week!!!

Fall for soup

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Happy Fall, y'all!!! Hard to believe that today is the first day of Fall, even though it is still in the high 80s/ low 90s in Alabama. I've been MIA for a few weeks (par for the course at this point). Life happens as usual & I have to find a way to make time to blog/post on social media regularly. One of the things that I love about Fall (besides the clothes) is the food.

My go-to meal the is quick & you can make to freeze are soups. I love making soups in the Fall since they can be kept in bulk, kept for a couple of meals, & be filled with a variety of ingredients. Food Network always has some great recipes for those who are short on time. Here are a few of the ones that I want to try making this Fall:

Tuscan Vegetable Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

French Three Onion Soup

Rustic Fall Vegetable Soup

Healthified Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Best Tomato Soup Ever

This Fall seems like the perfect time to get back in the kitchen. Yay to Fall! Peace & Blessings, all.

Books I read in August

I know we are already eleven days into the month but I wanted to share some of the books that I read in August. For those who do not know, read a wide variety of books from Nutrition to True Crime to Non-Fiction. At the beginning of the summer, I was going to try to read some of the books that I bought earlier this year. Epic fail!!! At the end of July/beginning of August, I got around to reading some of them. Every other Wednesday, I will share three books that I have read over the previous two week. Here were the books that I read from mid-August to the beginning of September:

How to Sleep Well

Recently, people have started becoming more concerned about their health, in particular sleep. If you ever had questions about how sleep effects you and why it is important, there is as lot of valuable information in this book. It breaks down some of the myths about that we have all been told about sleep & includes some facts we should all be aware of. Who knew sleeping in separate beds from you significant others could improve your health & sleep.

The People Factor

Moody uses examples from the bible to go over what type of relationships & people we need/should remove from your life. One of my favorite quotes from the book is to have people who "promote you, not demote you". The message I got from the book is that our relationship with God is first but it is important to have the right kind of relationship in your life. Having bad relationships can affect other areas while good ones can enhance it.

An Appeal to the World

This book is more of a question-answer interview between the Dalai Lama & journalist/author Franz Alt. For me, there were two main points that I gained from the book. First, in order for people/countries/the world to have external peace, there needs to be internal peace. I think that is a message that can be used in our day to day lives. Many of us put on a happy external face but dealing with a number of internal battles. 

Second, compassion, tolerance, and respect for others would resolve many issues. Problems arise when were one decided to go with our prejudices and stereotypes. He feels that is we should show our humanity when deal with our enemies and those who different views from ours. This point can be carried through everyday when going through our daily task, interacting with others.

With today being the anniversary of 9/11, I think we all of  should feel blessed & thankful for being alive, getting to experience life & gain new knowledge. It is crazy thinking that 18 years ago today I was a freshman in college, getting ready for one of my first college communication classes when the planes hit. All of it makes you realize that life is bigger than the small things we stress about daily. So, everyone tell your family & friends that you care & love them because tomorrow may not be given to you. 

Not to be a downer. I anyone have any question on any of the three books, just let me know.

Peace & Blessing, all & have a great Wednesday!!!

Thoughtful Thursday

It's Thursday, meaning two things: the week is almost over & it's time for some thoughts. This year has gone by way too fast. Can't believe it's about to be September & I got some fun trips planned #livin'life. This is short is sweet today, so here are a few thoughts for all of you:

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Peace & blessings all!  Happy last Thursday of August and have a great, fantastic day!!!

Fitness Tuesday: Best foods for energy

Happy Tuesday!!! After the weekend, I always feel blah/have low energy when I start the week. I have been taking some supplements, which I'm going to talk about next week. Below are some of the foods that can give you extra energy along with benefits of the food. Also, there are some articles linked below for more information about why to increase you energy through food. 

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Apples

Releasing sugar into the bloodstream slowly, helping increase energy. antioxidants could slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, so they release energy over a more extended period of time

Bananas

Source of slow-release energy, helps regulate nervous system. 

Steel-cut oats

These oats are never cooked, starting from the whole grain. Slicing the oats into slivers, the use of steel blades help the oats keep more fiber and protein. The fiber present in oats helps blood sugar stay level by releasing the sugars slowly. 

Lemons

Contains vitamin C which helps with fighting infections, mental alertness & memory.

Almonds

Almonds are rich in monounsaturated fats. They are also full of protein, manganese & copper ( both help with keeping energy flowing in the body) & riboflavin (helps with oxygen-based energy production). 

Salmon

Salmon contains protein, vitamin B6, niacin, & riboflavin which help with converting food into energy.

Yogurt

Yogurt is great source of protein. It contains magnesium, which is crucial for the release of energy. Yogurt helps in providing basic energy for the brain.

Eggs

Eggs contain protein and healthy fats. Consuming the whole egg helps to keep blood sugar levels stable.

Beans

Beans help keep blood sugar levels steady to keep you energized.They contain protein & are a complex carbohydrate.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes contain fiber, complex carbohydrates, along with vitamins A and C that provides an immune boost.

Water

Water aids in dehydration while providing a boost of energy helping fight off fatigue.

23 Best Foods for Energy

8 Food That Give You an Afternoon Energy Boost That aren't a cup of coffee

Top 10 Energy Boosting Foods and Drinks

More information can be found in one of my favorite sources:

The Vitamins & Mineral Bible. 

I actually bought this book at Books A Million for around $7. It's a great source to find what foods are best to eat based on the vitamin or mineral you're looking for. The book also contains some recipes ideas for that vitamin or mineral.