The Flu Is Upon Us

My nightmare has come true. I have less than one week of vacation left and I am SICK. I theorize my body always knows when it has time to shut down. Not during the school year, not during the holidays, but now. In the lull of the season and smack in the middle of my relaxing week. Fortunately, I am holding up better than my family and fiance; and my fiance never gets sick. Literally. I have been drinking organic cold 911 tea from David's Tea in an attempt to prevent myself from getting worse. I also have been watching lots of Amazon Instant Video and am debating which book to read. Because, you know, I hear that wards off illnesses like none other. 

So on this freezing cold New Year's Eve Eve, I wish nothing but health and energy for each one of you. I shall now immerse myself in blankets and tea.

Clean It Up After The Holidays

Oh. My. Gosh. I do believe I am done travelling for the next few days. Words cannot describe how relieved I am. My schedule has been frantic for the last two and a half weeks and I feel a mess because of it. If there is anything I cannot stand, it is feeling out of control and overwhelmed. I have been doing much better at going with the flow and enjoying small moments but, honestly, all I want to do right now is clean and organize everything, get my butt back in shape, and maybe even find a minute to relax. The good news is I have accumulated a somewhat massive to do list which should embody most everything I am looking to accomplish! The bad news is, I am fighting my gnat like attention span to get it done. So how can we clean up our routine after such holiday madness???

1. Keep good food, eat good food. I always get made fun of due to my obsession with regular grocery shopping. Last night, after travelling three hours back to the city and being utterly exhausted, I headed to Trader Joe's. I grabbed some produce, salmon, and chicken to get through the next few days.

2. A cleanse will do you good. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of juice cleanses. They get pricey, I get cranky. Disaster. However, when your system is rebelling against you and you are just craving pure nutrition, do some juicing. I have a coupon for some Suja juices from Whole Foods. I will pick them up this week and spend a day relaxing (napping and watching tv...) and sipping on juices to help my system recover a bit.

3. Write it down. ALL of it. A lot of people do regular food journals. I am not one of them. If I'm out, I will check out nutritional information on MyFitnessPal app periodically. I do like to meal plan though. I think more clearly when I can see things on paper, plus this helps me not overspend and throw away groceries each week. Something I have been guilty of far too often this month. I also encourage you to do a huge "brain dump" whenever you have a moment. I am so at fault for being quite scatter brained when I really began wedding planning. Adding that to my full routine was beyond overwhelming and left me freaking out from anxiety attacks. Now, I have a note book, my calendar, and I use the notes app on my iPhone to write anything and everything down as soon as it enters my mind. Just be sure to compile the lists every day or two! This has helped me a lot.

4. Goals. Think goals are too cheesy for you? Tell yourself you are writing an ideal long term to do list. Same concept, but the rephrasing may help. I love trying to improve and better myself. Why not?

5. Plan your workouts by the week. My workout schedule did not happen at all last week. At least, not how I wanted it to. Now, I feel bloated and have some catching up to do. But that's okay. This week, I am aiming for five hour long workouts and one yoga session. I have specific workout written down for each day. I may switch the workouts around if I need to, flexibility is key.

6. Don't forget about the money! Often we go financially overboard around the holidays, with the best intentions. Luckily, I had a lot of gift cards and my spending didn't get too crazy. I do need to tone it down though, thus I am buying my juices with a coupon. Yay saving money! The days of the check book register are over, and you don't need to go all anal retentive spread sheet if that isn't your style. I've started a few and never follow up... You do need to log into your account at least a few times a week, know how much you spend on groceries and gas, and reel in your shopping habits.

7. Too much of anything is bad. This will be my final thought on the subject. Excess gives me anxiety. Think about it, it's applicable no matter what. Too much food, good or bad. Being obsessive about food, exercise, or pinching every last penny. Too much worrying or feeling your daily life should only be going a certain way. Life owes you nothing.  Buying too much, thinking Pinterest inspired outfits and knickknacks should fill every corner of your living space. There's something very beautiful about living a more simple life. Clean, delicious food. Orderly living space. Well used and maintained belongings. That, to me, sounds like perfection. 

Merry Christmas, All!

Christmas this year was a bit nontraditional for me. For the first time in eight Christmases, I finally spent this year with my fiance. My immediate family traveled up to the city for the day and we had breakfast/brunch at our place while we exchanged gifts. I served pomegranate mimosas, fruit salad, and toast with jam. Delicious, yet not too heavy of a feast. We then did a large family Christmas with some of his relatives and it was a great time. I did, however, eat too many cookies. I am drinking some herbal tea in an attempt to counteract the sugar... We have the rest of my family Christmas to attend this weekend. I am giving my cousins kids, my flower girls and ring bearers adorable ornaments to ask them to be a part of our wedding. I can't wait! Merry Christmas and enjoy spending quality time with your families!

Dairy: A [Tragic] Love Story.

My favorite meal for as long as I can remember has consisted of a delicious, healthy salad and a bowl of ice cream. Now the ice cream has turned on me. So has yogurt. Lattes. And creamy soups. I seem to be entering a stage of my life where dairy may no longer be an option in my diet. I haven't been to a doctor or allergist to get tested for an intolerance or allergy but I do know my almost daily yogurt and some what regular latte has been causing my stomach to hurt. As I sit here, I am eating Greek yogurt and peanut butter as my temporary/final goodbye to milk products. 

I am more than willing to make a dietary change if it is right for my body. A little over a year ago, I followed a vegan diet for just over a month, but that was a bit too much for me at the time. I've cut out meat entirely a few times as well. Ultimately, I settled on eating reduced amounts of meat, processed foods, and sugar and it has been working. Until now.

The next week or two I am going to cut milk products out of my diet and see how I feel. I, as always, have plenty of almond milk on hand for my oatmeal and smoothies. I also picked up some coconut milk ice cream from Trader Joe's. Yum. On the down side, substitutes such as coconut or almond based options are two to three times more expensive than their dairy counterpart. That is definitely a bummer and not so great for my grocery budget. While I don't look forward to being overly cautious about my eating this time of year, it will be far better than the alternative of horrid stomach cramps and feeling grotesque...

For any dairy/lactose allergies out there, do you have any great tips or suggestions for snacks and treats? Do you notice a difference in how you look and feel?

Gift Ideas For Your Fave Teacher

The holidays are all about spreading joy and the season of giving. As a teacher at a private preschool, I have been very fortunate with a lot of the gifts I received last year, this year the outlook isn't so good. Allow me to provide some inspiration on what to get the teacher in your life:

Starbucks/Coffee Shop Gift Card: Yes, it may seem obvious but when you teach coffee = life. If they don't drink coffee, they can grab a tea or snack instead.

Spa Gift Card: I am getting a free massage over break thanks to the extreme generosity of one of my parents. Spa finder is a safe bet, a lot of salons will accept them. Or, go to a manicure salon near you and pick one up.

LUEY Gift Card: This is my last suggestion in the gift card category, promise. This one is really great for Chicago area teachers and many people may not be aware of it. There is a whole list of really nice restaurants that are a part of this program. My fiance and I paid for a few dates this past year thanks to these gift cards.

Baked goods: If you have a signature treat, whip up a batch and bring it in. Some teachers I know will hate on homemade treats, but I am not one of them. The picture is linked to my oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe if you want to give it a try!

An ornament: I received this one my first year teaching preschool from a student who moved up briefly after I started. They wrote my name and the year on the back. It meant a lot and still makes me smile every time I see it on my tree.

The quintessential initial mugs: Anthro has cute ones, but even DIY a white one with some sharpies if you're crafty. White mug + sharpies + baked at 350 for 30 minutes = DIY mug!

Something personal: If you know them on an at least casual level, don't be afraid to get them something you think they would like. I got engaged this year, so one parent was super sweet and got me a ring holder. Something I would not have purchased for myself but I use it almost daily. Include the gift receipt just in case!

Other good go to's are obviously most gift cards (I just got a huge one to Amazon), a coffee tumbler filled with treats and classroom goods a la Pinterest, or, honestly, a holiday thank you card. This time of year is crazy for everyone and I know we teachers are overwhelmed with holiday parties, creating gifts for our students, and attempting to tackle lesson plans from now and into the new year. Many teachers will spend their holiday breaks working on things for school and now is a great time of year to show your gratitude and appreciation for all they do.

Overcoming Holiday Weight Woes

Nothing is worse than having to calorie count at a party or turn down a lot of the delectable treats that come around this time of year. I have read on average we gain one to two pounds during this time of year. I could deal with one or two pounds, but I think in reality, how much we gain is much higher. This is the first Christmas in two years where I am feeling great about myself and my body. I gained 10+ pounds when I moved to Chicago two years ago, it took me longer than I would like to admit to lose the weight and I am looking to improve my fitness this holiday, not backpedal. However, I also don't want to choose between my health and a bowl of eggnog and dark chocolate ice cream. The ice cream would win. So how do you beat the gain and impulse eating? 

--You HAVE to prioritize. For me, I get more satisfaction from a homemade, low calorie treat than something more costly financially and nutritionally. I've been swapping out my somewhat regular gingerbread latte with a  skinny spicy hot cocoa when I'm at home, or a coffee or tea if I am at work. Some people prefer the full fat, real deal latte. That's fine, just keep track of how many you're drinking in a week, or day even! They do add up. Sometimes you need those cookies or french fries or a hamburger. Go for it, just enjoy your nosh and eat more produce your next meal.

--Also, portion control. With a huge wedding just under nine months away, watching how much I eat also saves me money. I have started menu planning everything. My breakfasts, snacks, lunches, dinners, and the lunches my fiance pack three times a week. I've been throwing away a lot food recently or eating my entire allotment of hummus, lunch meat, or pretzel thins by Wednesday. This makes for a very hungry end of the week.

--Keep it moving! I am very fortunate to have a job where I can be as active as I would like. My preschoolers love nothing more than an impromptu dance party when I need some mid morning cardio. If I have to park on the third or fourth floor of the parking garage at work, I take the stairs. I also aim to workout six times a week, I average five which is pretty good!

--Remember: working out will not keep you thin! This is a HUGE issue for me. Until recently, I thought I could work off those extra cookies with two a day workouts. False. I ended up exhausted, extra hungry, and I wasn't feeding my body with the right kind of nutrients.

--Distraction! If you're at a party, grab a plate of veggies, a glass of wine, and get lost in a great conversation.

--Eating out? If you know the restaurant before hand, you can run some of the dishes you are eyeing through an app like MyFitnessPal or research the calorie content online to see what info you can find. Often, the lighter sounding options, seafood, salad, wraps, are loaded with calories. This has saved me a few times!

--When in doubt, eat clean and listen to your body. I need a lot of food to keep me full most days. This means a lot of vegetables, yogurt, water, fruit, and lean protein. The less processed the better. However, my body is also sensitive to large amounts of dairy so I use almond milk when I can and keep on eye on how many lattes, yogurts, and ice cream scoops I am consuming.

The holidays are my favorite and my focus will be on spending time with family and friends, creating new memories. It is the most wonderful time of the year!