What I Ate Wednesday - WIAW

Wednesday's not over yet but I was just discussing my lunch with a co-worker and realized how different my meals look than they used to.  Being a nutrient seeker (or at least being aware) makes food combinations look a little funny!

Breakfast was rushed this morning so I had my typical Via, Vital Proteins Collagen and Grassfed cream iced coffee. Instead of my usual smoothie, I had to make due with an Exo Bar.

Lunch today had to make up for my lack of greens at breakfast so I had 2 cups of spinach, a container of Good Foods chunky guacamole and sardines. Thank goodness for Costco! I topped it with some Himalayan pink salt and a bit of rice wine vinegar. I was prepared to choke it down but it was actually pretty good! I love anything that resembles tuna salad I guess.

 

 

I'm trying not to drink much while I eat to make sure my stomach acid isn't diluted but I'm really looking forward to heading to Starbucks in a bit for an iced Passion Tea! I'm also really enjoying the Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Honey Mint (only 3 ingredients) that I'm eating right now to get rid of my fishy breath. Tonight, I'm making The Domestic Man's Shepherd's Pie for dinner, mmmm! So good!



Morning Routines

Its June? Huh?  So much for blogging resolutions.  I feel like I've made many changes over the last year and I've done very little to track them or the effects they've had on my life.  The idea of doing that all now seems too overwhelming so I've decided to take some snapshots of different areas of my life as they are now and decide what's working and what could still use some tweaking.

Let's start with Mornings! I think this is where I've had the most success making changes but that is possibly because this is where there I needed them most. Since I'm focusing on Nourishment this year, its a very good place to start.

Currently Working:

1. Weekday wakeup - spending ten minutes or so laying in bed with the sunlight streaming in. I feel like this is helping me adjust to the day.
2. Pre-Shower - Dry brushing all over and oil pulling with coconut oil for the first 10 minutes of my shower.  I'm adding these things to my morning to promote detox and liver support. My teeth seem whiter and my gums are much less sensitive to flossing. We'll see what the dentist has to say soon.
3. Shower - Using Dr. Bronner's for body soap, just my Clarisonic and some baking soda (when I feel like my face needs it), and I'm currently using Acure Organics Peppermint Shampoo and Conditioner.
4. Oral Health - Using a copper tongue scraper either before or after brushing (again to support Liver detox).
5. Morning make up routine is very simple: Yes to Grapefruit tinted correcting serum, some blush, eyeliner, shadow and Burt's Bees Pomegranate limp balm.
6. Morning supplements -Thorne's Berberine (hormone and GI support), Adapt from Interplexus (adrenal Support), Green Pastures Fermented Cod Liver Oil and Biogenesis Methyl Factors.  Just this morning I added in some potent probiotics (one month supply) and an ayurvedic jam called Amla which apparently does everything but I'm using these both to support my gut after some recent test results.
7. Breakfast is usually an organic protein powder blend with 2 Cups of spinach and coconut milk or some pastured eggs from my backyard with breakfast meat and veggies and Bubbies lacto fermented sauerkraut. Can't forget my coffee (sometimes Tea or Yerba Mate) with Vital Proteins Collagen and Grass Fed Cream with a little maple syrup.
8. I try really hard to be positive and kind in the mornings with the boys. I want us to start our days with love and good feelings toward each other and the world.

Eating from a primal template has made the most tremendous difference in my health and energy levels, skin and nails and my lab results and hormone balance too... but I guess that's a post for another day!

Needs Improvement:

1. Notice there is no actual meditation happening here, nor is there early morning yoga or other exercise. 
2. I should really spend some more time oil pulling but time is valuable and this works for now.
3. Shampoo and hair care is something I've really struggled with.  My hair really seems to be changing and is thicker but still as oily as ever.  I do need to shampoo everyday even through I've tried to skip days, go "no poo" primarily by using baking soda and apple cider vinegar or alternating between a few other methods.  My styling products are still not very good for me (Big Sexy Hair, Its a 10 etc.) but I have to hang on to something since my hair is so different right now. This is another area for exploration.
4. Brushing - still using commercial toothpaste (Kirkland brand) but should make a transition soon.
5. My make up is pretty good, all checks out okay through the skin deep database. I am trying to use up a lot of old products from my Ipsy Glam Bag days.  I did recently purchase a few new products from Primal Life Organics but haven't been able to make them work to my preference yet. I really want to try some products from Fat Face Skin Care too. 
6. I want to keep to as much of a "foods first" rule as I can to avoid additional supplementation but considering I'm not on ANY medication, that list doesn't seem too bad.
7. I would like to wean myself off of smoothies but the convenience and time factor can't be beat.  Plus, I love my Blend Tech blender and need a reason to use it every day!
8. Sometimes this is a struggle, not all of us are morning people in the Prock Family! I do need to be very intentional to make this successful and sometimes I just don't make the effort. Life is so much better than just a 2 years ago though and for that I am very grateful!

Resolutions - What are they really and do they even work?

I've never been a big resolution maker.  I like to say its because I'm realistic but maybe its because I'm lazy. And January never really seems to be a great starting point for me, there is always just so much going on.  Perhaps its the school geek in me, but September always makes so much more sense as a starting point. 

I've made quite a few fundamental changes in the last six months I'm going to use the traditional January kickoff to articulate them and my intentions regarding them versus start something new.  I've been reading that focusing on habit creation is much more effectives and produces better outcomes than setting a large goal.

I've also chosen One Little Word or Word of the Year before but haven't attached that word in a concrete and global way to my life.  I think a valuable word or mantra as a focus will be so much more meaningful if it can be applicable in various areas.  I'm going to spend some concrete time focusing on my word and how it can help me to define goals or habits in many areas of my life.

Areas that I'd like to address should include things such as Health, Career, Family, Friendship, Love, Happiness, Spirituality, Creativity, Travel, Money, Education etc. The word that is speaking to me the most right now is NOURISH. Hopefully I can use that word to define and put some new good habits into place.

Today - January's Modified Present Participle List

Wow, its been 6 months since I've done an update - perhaps a modified list is in order.

Outside My Window: This winter cannot decide what it wants to do. Snow on Sunday and 55 degrees and windy today. It is either 10 degrees or 45 here this year!

Eating: Starting out the year pretty well. Five months of primal eating and feeling great. So many more veggies and rarely any grains or legumes.  Still #teamwhiterice in this family or I might get hung but everyone is adjusting pretty well to the meals I make as long as there is popcorn and wheat free cereal or oats in the pantry. Down 20 lbs. since August and my skin is clear and hair is thick.  Sleep is so much better too!

Reading:  So happy with my reading success last year. The digital selection from our library is really great and having book club every 2 months gives me a reason that I must read. This puts me into a habit so that I stay caught up which usually gets me an extra 2 books in before book club rolls around again. Plus, continuing to read with the boys regularly ensures that we have down time together.  Currently reading: My Life in France by Julia Child, The Blood of Olympus (#5), and Homespun Mom Comes Unraveled. Just finished Daring Greatly (a must read), The Look of Love by Sarah Jio (always love her books), and The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown which was a beautifully written book. As my mother in law says - "WWII and the Pacific NW, how can you go wrong?"

Working: Having such a hard time getting back into the groove of work after the holidays.  Glad I am doing Leadership Tri-Cities this year to help learn about our great community and do great things in it. I do feel like I need to work hard on my personal mission and figure out what I want to do with my life. Darn that economic security! I'd prefer to go back to school or drop out of the workforce completely and homestead but alas, neither is really an option without major risk taking. And those risks affect so many more than just me so I'll just continue to find the passion in the work that I do. So grateful that I CAN do that!

Listening: Haven't really fallen for any new music lately.  I've been listening to lots of podcasts and even an audiobook. Josh had a download that needed to be used so I bought Eat the Yolks by Liz Wolfe. Highly recommend (audiobook or real book) if you are interested in debunking the garbage science that we've been fed regarding our food (and its actually a light read).

Planning: Need a getaway with my hubby! Would love sunny, sandy trip somewhere to celebrate our 15th year of marriage.

Feeling: Like I'm getting to know myself this year. Enneagram, Meyers Brigg, monthly work for Leadership Tri-Cities, bi-annual counseling appointments, reading and exploration...its all contributing.

Today's Present Participle List

Outside My Window: It is HOT! It has been over 100 degrees for days now and will continue to be until the weekend!

Reading: The Bomb - with Josh and the kids. The first book we've all read together in a really long time. Brody is a little bored but he's tolerating it.  I'm really trying to get into this book since it was MY suggestion for book club. 

Making:  List after list because that is what I do. 

Working: Trying to get everything done so that I can be off for just over a week.  So looking forward to time away!

Listening: To a few new podcasts:  The Art of Simple and The Read Aloud Revival.  We (I) read aloud a lot with our boys and plan to continue to, it is a ritual that I can't imagine letting go of. 

Hoping: That I can get my butt in gear and start running again so that I can do a September 5k with Amy.  I really need to run but can't make myself get up in the morning...struggling with a little indulgence issue I think.

Planning:  Our back to back trips that start this week.  A very long weekend in Pacific City, Oregon with one group of friends followed up by another long weekend in Hood River with a different group.  Josh and I are finishing that my cashing in my Christmas White Water Rafting gift certificates.  So excited!

Wanting: To get caught up or at least restarted on my photo album/Project Life; or really even just blogging again. I feel the need to capture our memories and retain a little bit of who I am.

Loving:  My husband - that's not news I guess.  I'm just very happy with where we are and the work we put in to get here.  He's the best partner for me and father for our boys.

Wanting: Well not really wanting because its ridiculously priced but I'm admiring the new Fitbit Bracelet from Tory Burch. It's already gone from the Tory Burch site so I can't even link there.