The Joy of Something Different

It's true that most people, at some time of their life, fall into a rut. This could be with what they wear, what they eat, who they talk to, or just about anything. It seems to me like little rut-avoiding life changes can really make a difference in helping to lead a happy life.

For example, this weekend my boyfriend and I decided we wanted to drink some beer before going out. Normally, we like light, cheap beers that go well with citrus, such as Shocktop or Blue Moon. He likes Amstel or Stella, but they're still pretty light. So, last night we decided to try some different, flavored beers. One tasted of raspberries and chocolate, while the other was thicker and a bit sweeter than others. It was so fun tasting the new flavors, and it made this night "the night we tried those different beers" instead of just another night that we went out with the same people to the same places.


Of course, doing this all the time ruins its novelty. Not every moments has to be the most memorable moment ever, but switching it up every now and again makes life interesting.


Here are some ideas for "Rut-Avoiding Activities':


1. Eat a Completely New Food - This can be done at home or at a restaurant. Trying something, whether it is a new ingredient or a new dish, will make any day stand out from the rest, whether you love it or hate it. I suggest leeches, bok choy, fondue, or dragon fruit.


2. Change Your Workout - Try running somewhere you've never been or taking a kickbox class. You'll still get a great workout, but it will help you avoid boredom in your exercise schedule. Sometimes driving 10 minutes to be able to run somewhere completely new for thirty minutes is worth the extra effort, especially if it means a new set of hills to conquer or an ocean-side adventure.


3. Wear Something Out of the Ordinary - For me, this includes any and all forms of hats. I love them, but rarely find time in my strictly work and workout clothes daily attire to fit them in. Wearing something that you don't normally wear often gives you a sense of being someone else or playing a role. It could be fun to go to dinner in heels if you wear flat shoes 7 days a week, or if you spend your whole week dressed up, it could be a nice change to spend one day entirely in sweat pants - to Starbucks, to the grocery store, and in front of the TV.


4. Go Somewhere Different - Instead of the same old bar or restaurant, take a night out of the month to try a karaoke bar or a piano-dueling bar. There is no doubt that when you look back at your month, those nights will be remembered much more than the countless nights at the regular bar. Some bowling alleys serve drinks and have DJs which could be a nice change, too.

How do you avoid getting stuck in a rut?

xo
Toni

Getting Up in the Morning

Last night, when I was filling out a job application, I was particularly intrigued when one of the questions stated "What gets you up in the morning?". I told them that honestly, my coffee wakes me up in the morning because without it I would be somewhat of a zombie. However, on a deeper level, I said that I am inspired to wake up and live my day so that I can work hard now and play hard later.

Most of my days start early, either for work or school, but I get up each day because I know that what I'm doing is worth it. I work hard so that I can play hard, both of which I am going to have to be awake to do.

Of course, the fact that I can enjoy my coffee overlooking the ocean is also a perk, making it easier to leave my dark room when there's such beauty right outside. I know, however, that everyone struggles once in a while with "why even bother?" and wants to spend the entire day in bed. Believe me, I know. I know that the world is cold but the bed is warm. So warm. But if you can find one reason, whether it's the fact that you're going to see a loved one today or work on a project you care about or eat something totally delicious, there is always at least some little inspiration to get up. 

If there isn't, give yourself one day to stay in bed. I tend to choose Sundays for this (less consequences than during the week), but it's glorious. However, one day is usually enough. 24 hours later you will be ready to roll again, thinking of all the great things that can be accomplished by getting your butt out of bed and living your life purposefully. And hey, if you need some coffee to help you see the light, go for it!

So, what gets you up in the mornings?

xo

Toni

Why Food?

When I decided to start a blog, I thought I wanted it to have a theme. I thought about the fact that my main goal and the thing I'm most excited about in life is being a mom one day, so I made that my title. However, my daily (ok, let's be honest... more like weekly) posts had to be about my life in general because how much can I really write about motherhood since I have, you know, zero experience. 

I find, then, that I like to write about food. While looking through other blogs, I find that most other people like to write about food as well. In fact, in my very little although extremely enjoyable research, I've found that the 3 most popular blog topics are food, exercise, and fashion. Why these? I mean, people could write about relationships, their jobs, their childhoods, their nightly hygiene rituals... pretty much anything. I think people like to write about food for the same reasons we write about exercise and fashion; creativity, sense of accomplishments, and solidarity. 

Creativity - Food is endlessly creative. There are an uncountable number of different possible combinations of all the ingredients that the world has to offer. For example, check out my OIAJ (Oatmeal in a {peanut butter} jar) that I had for breakfast yesterday. The OIAJ idea was stolen from Emma at www.sweettoothrunner.com, but the idea to eat it overlooking the ocean on my deck was my own. Just looking at all the blogs about cupcake decorating... I mean it could take YEARS to try out all the creative recipes for both the actual cupcakes and the decorations. It is inspiring and exciting.

Sense of Accomplishment - Like running and fashion, there is a sense of accomplishment with food when you find the PERFECT recipe or you finally find a way to make a vegetable dish that the whole family enjoys. Most people that I read about try to stay healthy, so it can be so rewarding to upload pictures of healthy recipes and feel proud that you ate so well that day. Also, making the food look good enough to photograph is an accomplishment on its own, although I am still working on this aspect. I think that when you make a really good meal, snack, or dessert that you are proud of, you want to share it with others. So, people make food blogs to share all their triumphs (and sometimes failures) on their blog as a way to show others and themselves what they have accomplished.

Solidarity - Food is the one thing that literally every single human being has in common. Yea, we may wish that all people also had a desire to exercise (hello, rising obesity rate!) and a need for good fashion, but that is unfortunately not always the case. Food brings families and friends together, and for many people it is more of a hobby and a passion than a necessity. For example, I've written posts about my late-night eating habits and my love for yogurts and berries. While I've also written posts about life struggles as I leave college and about deciding what to do with my life, I tend to get the most comments about food posts because EVERYONE can relate in some way or another. Whether you hate yogurt and berries (HOW DO YOU LIVE?!) or you love them, you have an opinion because food matters to everyone. 

I'm not saying that from here this blog will be only about food, but it is interesting to notice what gets people talking. I learned in a class one year that one of the most innate human needs is the need to belong. So, if people want to belong and people need food... obviously the food-blogging community is going to be a fast-growing one that is helpful to individuals who are bored of their eating habits but also helpful to society as a way to make people bond over something that is all-inclusive as long as you are a hungry human.

Why do you like writing about food (or fashion or exercise)?

xo

Toni

The Perfect Bite

Sometimes I wonder what my perfect bite of food would be. I would have a really hard time deciding between a fork-full of fresh chicken salad with boiled eggs, sweet peppers, and corn or a taste from a perfect bowl of pasta. I also love a good bite into a grilled vegetable panini with goat cheese and whole wheat bread. 

Lately, however, I seem to be just trying to fit in as many veggies as possible wherever possible since I feel like college-style living is not healthy and I need to compensate. Does beer count as whole wheat? Just kidding! Kinda..  Anyway, I just don't have as much time, space, or money as I would like to create unique, healthy, well-balanced recipes.

So, a few nights ago, I made one of my favorite veggie-packed meals. It was very similar to one of the meals I described in this post about balance that I wrote during another time I was feeling crunched for time but was insatiably craving vegetables.

The dinner consisted of a salad with spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta cheese next to a Trader Joe's Reduced-Guilt Primavera Pizza. I feel like it's the best way to easily get a large amount of veggies in a cheap, quick, totally yummy way. The pizza costs $1.99 and is 250 calories, and the salad probably costs about $1.00 and has about 150 calories. Very satisfying. Plus, the pizza provides some carbs to get me through my workout the next day.

The perfect bite perhaps?

How do you get veggies in your diet when you don't have much time? 

xo

Toni

PS: I heard that Starbucks already has holiday cups! Is it true?! They're just the best. It's illogical, I know, but the coffee just tastes better and cozier in a holiday-themed cup!

4th Meal - - Why The Bad Rep?

Whoever said that the day should revolve around 3 meals was not someone that I would probably get along with. I eat all day, every day. Well, I guess it would be more accurate to say that I snack around my meals all day, everyday. I wake up hungry, and  I normally go to sleep dreaming about what I can eat the next day.

One of my favorite meals of the day is what a popular Taco Bell commercial calls "4th Meal". I haven't eaten Taco Bell in over 3 years, but I do like where they're going. Dinner is sometimes not enough for the night, and sometime between 8 and 10 pm I tend to get a little craving for either something sweet, salty, or both.

Tonight I went to the gym after dinner and did 3.5 miles on the elliptical and 30 minutes lifting weights and doing ab exercises. Obviously, I needed more nourishment when I got home. I've heard that milk is a good recovery food, so I chose non-fat milk, Trader Joe's Honey Nut O's, and fresh raspberries. Raspberries are also meant to be a great recovery food. Plus they're delicious!

I do understand that "4th Meal" gets a bad reputation because many people probably choose to eat potato chips, entire bags of M&Ms, or indulge in 2 or 3 servings of mac n' cheese before bedtime. These late-night foods are ok occasionally (I can't be a hypocrite), but not a good habit to get into, especially if you are watching TV or going straight to sleep after. Your body's metabolism naturally slows down at night when you are relaxing, and these foods are doing you no favors.

There are benefits to eating snacks after dinner, though. For example, if you are not hungry when you go to sleep, you are less likely to wake up hungry and therefore more likely to eat reasonable portions throughout the next day. Basically, the more often you eat, the higher your overall metabolism stays, helping you lose weight (or maintain your healthy body weight) more easily.

Here are my Top 5 Choices for Late-Night Healthy Snacking: 

All of these options offer nutrition and taste without giving you energy, so you won't have trouble sleeping.

1. Cereal with Milk and Berries - The milk helps induce sleep, and the berries are packed with anti-oxidants. It's light and has a good balance of nutritional properties.

2. Oatmeal with Melted Chocolate and Banana - This is great if you want something sweet. Melt a small piece of chocolate into hot oatmeal, and chop a banana into pieces for a perfect pre-sleep snack that will keep you full and satisfies into the next morning.

3. Wheat Crackers and Low-Fat Cheese - Perfect if you want something salty. The wheat promotes healthy digestion, and the calcium in the cheese promotes done strength. Win-win!

4. Veggies and Hummus - If you don't want to eat something warm, veggies are a low-calorie snack that can incorporate a large variety of flavors and textures to keep you snacking all night, guilt-free! Dip them in some hummus for extra flavor without the fat that dips like ranch dressing bring. I recommend Trader Joe's Eggplant Hummus or Trader Joe's Tomato & Basil Hummus.

5. Wheat Toast with Raspberry Jam and Nutella - This is for the hungrier-than-just-a-small-snack late-night eater. The toast is a great way to fill up, and the sweetness of the Jam and Nutella is unbelievably satisfying. Plus, you are getting some fruit from the jam and some calcium from the Nutella. Delish!

I hope this gave you some good ideas, and I hope you think before judging the "4th Meal" next time you brush your teeth at 9pm just to keep from eating more. (We all do that!...right?)

What's your favorite late-night healthy snack? Your favorite late-night guilty indulgence?

xo

Toni

To Blog or Not To Blog -- Not Even a Question!

So, since I'm still really new to the world of blogging, I constantly find myself asking "Why am I doing this?" I also just recently started a twitter page to complement the blog (@NotYetAMommy), and it makes me think the same thing.

Don't get me wrong, no one is forcing me to keep a blog or twitter page, and I am thoroughly enjoying the whole experience, but I can't help but wonder why blogging has become such a phenomenon.

I realize that the main thing that pulled me into blogging was that I LOVED reading other people's blogs. I work at a PR firm that sometimes does promotions through bloggers, and I would find myself engrossed in their posts - learning about their lives and seeing their pictures and experiencing the amazing food and fashion adventures that they had. My first main inspiration was Sweettoothrunner.com where I felt like I was reading about someone I had known for years. No one that I had actually met knew was so into exercising and so into sweets like I was. Then I found more similar blogs. And more. And I knew I wanted to join the community.

I also felt like I had something to add to the blog world. I tend to be an introverted person, keeping most of my thoughts and observations to myself (with the exception of my boyfriend who pretty much knows my life better than I do). I felt like blogging could be a good way to express some of my thoughts, and maybe other people would find them as fascinating as I found theirs. Since I am in a unique time of my life with school ending in 2 months and the real world basically knocking on my door, the timing seemed perfect. 

I feel that some people would (I say would because pretty much no one I actually know in real life knows that I do this) say that it's narcissistic. They would ask "Why do you think people care about what you're doing with your life?" or "So what that you're not yet a mom?", but I think that the world of blogging has taught me that every single person's opinion and life story can and should be valued. We shouldn't rely on Google or CNN or professors to tell us what's important and what works in life. We've all had experiences, and I don't think that there is anything wrong with wanting to share them.

I'm sure, as fellow bloggers, you often get people asking why you do it. It's not going to make you a huge fortune and most likely won't bring you fame. But it does give you a way to "meet" people that you would never get to otherwise. It gives you a way to see different perspectives and share ideas, challenges, and successes with people who have similar goals and interests. Plus, obviously, the amount of recipes I now have access to is unreal. My always-hungry stomach really appreciates the time I spend looking through blogs.

So far, the response I've gotten as I've tried to nestle a spot for myself in the blog world has been incredible. I've gotten such great feedback and encouragement. I still have a long way to go, but I have enjoyed every second. 

What's your favorite part of having a blog?

xo

Toni

PS: I know the picture I chose may seem kinda random for this post. However, I saw it as a good way to represent what I think about bloggers. On some level, we all have something in common just in the fact that we all keep online diaries of our outfits, our meals, or just our thoughts, and we feel comfortable sharing that information with the universe. AKA, we are all the "umbrellas". However, each blog is slightly different, just like each umbrella is of a slightly different shade or height. Ok, maybe I had too much red wine with dinner, but I hope you can see what I'm saying.

Inspired, Healthy, and Happy

In my experience, being healthy helps promote happiness, and being happy helps promote health. I like being healthy. I like being happy. So, when I find things that make me both healthy and happy, I LOVE them. Here are three of those things:

1. Swimming in the Ocean

There is nothing more soothing for the mind and the body than a dip in a cold ocean on a warm day. The rhythmic ebb and flow of the waves relaxes your bones so much that you won't even realize that you are burning calories as you swim. The salt water is great for your skin, and the sun gives you a beautiful tan. Sounds like a win, win, win to me!

2. Berries, Yogurt, and Granola

This is my favorite food combination by far. The health benefits are unbelievable - yogurt helps digestion and has calcium for strong bones, berries have antioxidants and anti-aging properties, granola (if you buy the right kind - I suggest one with flax seeds) provides carbs and sugar for energy. The combination is sweet from the berries and tangy from the yogurt. There is a great contrast of smooth and crunchy. In essence, it is the perfect breakfast or snack that is as healthy for your body as it is delicious for your taste buds. Yum!

 3. Going Out Dancing 

 

I'm sure plenty of people would disagree with me, but I think going out is healthy. Being social is good for the spirit and stimulating for the mind. My favorite thing to do when I go out is dance. A lot. So, I figure I'm burning calories, indulging my soul, and having fun at the same time.  Also, if you stick to minimum late night eating and avoid sugary, calorie-laden drinks, going out can sometimes be even healthier than staying home, watching a movie, and pigging out on junk food. Score!

If I could wake up one day and go for a swim in the ocean, go home and have a snack of yogurt, berries, and granola, and then go out dancing all night, I would have pretty much the happiest and healthiest day I could imagine. If I could have my family and boyfriend with me, I would be even happier, and therefore even healthier. 

What's your favorite happy and healthy activity or snack?

xo

Toni