Perseverance is HARD

Today was a hard hard day. But I am so glad it's over, and that God helped me push through.

It all started with a wonderful quiet time this morning! All the passages I read had to do with following God when he calls (from Abram to the disciples) as well as the concept of perseverance and to just keep going. I started the day praying that God stays with me and knowing that with Him, I can persevere and make it through anything.

BOY was that tested today!! I got to work, and it was just one thing after another. One mistake, one problem, one unhappy client, one frustrating counseling session, just one negative and challenging thing after the next. I found out about a mistake I made last week, about which I became very sensitive. I hate making mistakes in any area of my life, even though I am pretty good at it (hey I'm human). It was still hard to get through. All I wanted to do is clock out, come home, cry it out, and give up on the day.

But I had also had this awesome quiet time with the Lord this morning all about persevering, pushing through, and following Him no matter where He takes me. I was torn. Do I wallow in my miserable day and give up? Or do I hold on to the promises God revealed to me this morning? I kept reminding myself of what God had taught me. To push through the day. Even when the day was pulling me down.

And before I knew it, it was time to clock out. I was able to leave. I finished up my day, and even left work with a smile on my face. And it was ALL God. All His work in my heart, and Him reminding me of who He is and that He is with me. I am so glad I didn't just throw in the towel and run away from the day.

Sometimes, we have no choice but to keep doing the things. And by "the things," I mean the everyday things we have to do no matter how we are feeling. Like going to work, doing your work, helping and loving others, having lunch, driving, etc. We have to be strong. And the only way to get through the tough times is through Christ and His strength.

I encourage you all to just keep pressing on. Even when it seems impossible. My day was rough, but I know it must be nothing compared to what some people are going through. Nothing at all. But I do know that God promises to be with us no matter what. Let us persevere through the good and bad times, knowing all along that God is with us and for us, guiding us the whole way.

"Lead me to the Cross"

 

This is my song today. This is my prayer today. That God would lead me to the cross where Jesus died. That I would recognize how much God loves me and gave His own Son for my forgiveness. That His love pours out and is immeasurable...more than I could ever imagine. That what I am means nothing without Jesus Christ saving me. That, just as Luke 9:23 says, "Whoever wants to be my [Christ's] disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me [Him]."

How could I pick anything or anyone besides Jesus? How could anything take His place in my life. I pray that God "rids me of myself," all my selfish desires, and all the clutter that gets in the way of my relationship with Him. Because it isn't worth it. I belong to HIM. I want to be rid of myself. I want to be filled with more of Jesus, less of me. I want my faith, hope, joy, and love to be increased in Him. I want Him to be shown through all I do today. I am asking Him for His strength to help me lay myself down, surrender myself to Him, and truly belong to Him each and every day through my words, thoughts, and actions. Amen. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdq9Q8wJdjc

Zucchini Stew & My Last Day of "Freedom!"

Well, today was my last day of unemployment. Everyone keeps saying it's my last day of freedom, which I accept. I won't be able to spend hours at the gym anymore, cook long drawn-out meals for myself, read a book a day, or go see 10am movies for $7. But, I am beyond blessed to have gotten this job and am so excited to start my career as a Registered Dietitian! I woke up around 5:30 this morning and immediately got up to get a head start on my day. I had things that I had to get done today, such as cleaning my closet and organizing my clothes, so I didn't waste any time! As I've mentioned before, one of my goals this year is to read through the entire Bible in one year. I finished the book of Genesis today, so one book down and 65 to go! I especially love Genesis 50:20, when Joseph reconciles with his brothers that sold him into slavery and says, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." (Genesis 50:20 ESV)

I love this verse because it basically sums up God's redemptive work in our lives. There is a lot of evil and hard situations in the world we live in, so we definitely need the grace of God to get us through the life He has given us on earth!! But what is meant for evil towards us, God can redeem and work out for our good! I've experienced this countless times in my own life. When things are going horribly or I have no idea why something is not working out, I remember that God means for things to turn out for good according to His plans and purposes! It fills me with peace and comfort, because even though I may have no idea what I am doing, God always knows, and His plans are way better than mine! Just check out the following verses!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8, 9 ESV)

After my quiet time, I had a quick pre-workout meal before going to the gym. I had my favorite halloum cheese again melted in one of my grain-free tortillas! Check a few posts back for the link to the recipe I used by Against All Grain!

I still felt a little hungry after my cheese sandwich, and I didn't want to run low on fuel during my workout! So I had a few of our many macadamia nuts before heading out the door!

My workout was pretty good today! Which is great because I'm definitely going to have to tweak and adjust my workout schedule once I start my new job tomorrow!! This morning, I did 3 miles on the elliptical, and 12 miles on the bike (which is the equivalent of 4 miles for my 150 miles by valentines day challenge)! I'm at a total of 83/150 miles so far.

After my cardio, I did some deadlifts, the lat row machine, and the tricep machine! I'm excited because I've definitely been feeling stronger and needing to up my weight, which is a sign of progress! The minute I got home, before losing motivation, I also did my TIU Love your Booty routine for the Love Your Body challenge I am doing with Tone it Up!

After my workouts, I made some egg tacos and used my last two grain-free tortillas to wrap them up. I was so sad I was out of tortillas, but I'll definitely be making these again on a regular basis because I just loved them!!

It was almost 9:30 after my breakfast, but I was still not feeling motivated to clean my room. I decided to do the quick TIU Beach yoga routine instead before showering and attacking my closet.

The yoga routine is 20 minutes, challenging, and gave me the right balance of relaxation and motivation to get to my closet. But, after my shower, I skyped with one of my best friends that moved away a week ago, which was a definite necessity since I miss her like crazy! Then, I finally turned my attention to the clothes! It felt so nice weeding out things that I've had since high school but NEVER wear, and organizing all of my shoes and outfits. It also helped me see that I really DO have ample clothes for a business casual wardrobe, and will not be needing to go shopping for work clothes...drat! :)

After packaging up by clothes to give away, I looked at the time and it was almost 1pm! I reheated the remainder of my turkey chili and sliced up some cucumbers into little "chips" to dip into my hummus. I was STUFFED by the end of this meal! Something about the protein, fat, and veggie combination in that chili makes it a nutritional punch and fills you up, setting you up for an energetic afternoon instead of a slump! Check a few posts back to see my easy peasy turkey chili recipe!

After lunch, I decided to spend some time out of the house. I wanted to do something fun on my last day as a free woman, so I decided to head to my local Peet's coffee shop and enjoy some time outside while reading and sipping on my favorite Masala Chai tea! The weather has been beautiful here, so I wanted to enjoy every minute of it! And I was even able to wear my cute green shorts in January...and what could be better than that!??

I spent over 2 hours at Peet's reading, journaling, and doing some Bible study homework. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and I didn't want to tear myself away, but knew I had to get home. After cleaning up my room a little more, I got to cooking dinner with my Mama! My family makes an amazing zucchini stew that is usually served over rice, but since adopting a more grain-free diet, I've eaten it just by its lonesome without the rice, and have never looked back! I don't even miss the rice because the zucchini, beef, and tomato sauce give so much flavor to this dish that is still tastes delicious even on its own. It is the perfect bowl of comforting goodness, which is why I put it on the menu for tonight! I wanted to make a meal that was warm, nourishing, and would make enough for leftovers for me to take to work tomorrow. This meal was just that!

Zucchini Stew (makes 6 servings)

2 T olive oil

1 cup diced onions

1 lb ground beef (we used the grass fed 85/15 from Trader Joe's)

6 medium-sized zucchini

1 15 oz diced tomatoes

3 T tomato paste

1 t salt

1/2 t red pepper

1/2 t black pepper

1/2 t all spice

Start by heating up the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add the ground beef and chop it up into tiny pieces until it is cooked through.

While the beef is cooking, wash and slice up your zucchini into thin disks!

Once the meat is cooked all the way through, add the zucchini, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings! Mix all the ingredients together, then leave the pot over medium heat for about 1 hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes. There should be enough liquid in the pot since zucchini release a lot of moisture, but if the mixture ever gets dry, add a bit of water to it!

Once the zucchini cooks through and gets mushy, the dish is done! It should resemble a stew-like consistency.

We thoroughly enjoyed this meal tonight; my parents added rice to theirs, but I enjoyed the stew as is! I hope you all get to try this dish this winter; it's perfect for cold and cozy nights! Not to mention it is gluten/grain free, paleo, and Whole 30 approved!

Well, my last evening as a free woman is coming to a close! Now I have to pack my lunch for tomorrow (that's going to take getting used to!) and run a few errands before bed! I need to find a purse that is cute, professional, but still big enough to hold my nalgene water bottle, notebook, and any other necessities I may need at work. It's definitely hard to find a purse with all of those qualities, but I am determined!! I hope you all have a wonderful night! The next time you hear from me, I will be a working girl! :)

New job!!! Lemon-mint salad dressing, and Daily Manna!!

Hello everyone! Whoa look at that, two posts in a row! I am so excited today to announce that I finally got a job!!!

I have been in the interview process for a job at WIC (a program for women, infants, and children that provides supplemental food and nutrition education) for a few months now. Since first learning about WIC 6 years ago, I have been wanting to work there! How amazing is it that you get to empower and support women and kids to get the right nutrition and have access to healthy foods?! I am beyond blessed that this job came to me and I have been thanking God non-stop for this amazing opportunity! I officially start training this Thursday, January 16th (ahhh 1 day left!) and I just cannot wait!

My day was quite a busy one! Even though I still feel like I haven't done much. I have been wondering if I will miss the life of unemployment, but I think I am way too excited about this job to ever look back! Dear Home, it's been nice, but I am SO ready to get out there!

I woke up around 5:30am this morning and did some quiet time. Some people are amazed at how I wake up so early, but let me tell you, it's taken years of practicing how to sleep. I'm serious! From the time I was a child, I was a chronic insomniac and was never able to sleep. I would be up all night, tossing, turning, reading, walking around my room, or just staring blankly at the ceiling praying that morning would somehow come sooner...just this once. About a year and a half ago, when I began to cut out gluten and some other inflammatory grains, I noticed such a huge difference in my sleep! I was able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer (I sound like a commercial). I also learned that I MUST pay attention to my body's cues. If I get sleepy at 9pm, I have to take advantage of that window of opportunity, and actually sleep at 9pm! If I fight my sleepiness, I end up staying awake all night long. So now, if I am sleepy at 9pm, I sleep at 9pm! I try to listen to my body, not only when I eat and when I workout, but also for rest and relaxation. I know that the only way I will be able to be the best version of me is when I am healthy, active, and rested!

So anyways, after my quiet time, I had 2 of my paleo tortillas from yesterday with a bit of almond butter smeared on top. These tortillas are absolutely amazing and are from the Against All Grain website if you want to check it out! I included the link in my post yesterday! :)

I had an okay workout today. I was feeling really low energy for some reason, so I didn't push myself speed or resistance-wise. I still did about 30 minutes on the elliptical and 25 minutes on the bike, but I definitely didn't try to challenge myself. I broke a sweat and burned some calories while still going easy on myself, which is what I needed! I also did some shoulder and bicep work, along with the chest press machine and the lat pulldown machine.

I got home and felt so exhausted, and was starving! I decided to not only have my usual veggie omelet, but also have yet another paleo tortilla (I'm telling you, I love these things!) with some of my favorite Middle Eastern cheese melted inside!

Halloum cheese has been my all time favorite cheese every since I was born. I blame this cheese for the reason why I can't stand cheddar, monterey jack, or any other typical American cheeses. This cheese is just THAT good. It's made from sheep's milk, it's pretty high in fat, and I really don't care one bit! :) I melted two sticks of it in my tortilla this morning, it was delicious, and I enjoyed every bite of it!

After breakfast, I finished up a great book I have been reading called "Lazarus Awakening" by Joanna Weaver about really enjoying your personal relationship with God, believing that God loves you, and living as an ALIVE person in His love and promises. It was such an incredible study, with questions and journal reflections at the back of the book! I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a bible study/devotional book!

Around 10:45am, I headed out to an appointment I had, which was about a 40-minute drive away. The appointment also lasted a while, so I didn't get to have my lunch until about 1:30pm! Boy am I glad I had a filling breakfast! I reheated some of my yummy turkey chili (recipe is in yesterday's post!) and had some veggies with hummus as a side!

I started reading an article on green tea after lunch, but about halfway through I decided to get up and do the new Tone it Up Love Your Arms and Abs routine! I had crazy amounts of energy after lunch, which is ironic considering I was exhausted this morning, and atypical of the usual afternoon slump that people suffer from. So I wanted to take advantage of my energy and do the workout two times through, but my sore muscles were not having it. My arms and back were still sore from my workout a few days ago, so I just did the routine once. I absolutely LOVED it though, and will definitely be doing it again!

The afternoon was busy with some errands: picking up my car from the dealer's and going grocery shopping! My mom and I made fish and salad tonight, with some leftover roasted potatoes from her dinner last night! It was so cute because I walked into the kitchen and my mom was busy portioning her almonds in little containers for work! How cute is that?! She is definitely the mother of a dietitian...in some respects haha :)

We usually get the pre seasoned Cajun salmon from Trader Joe's on fish night! This salmon is so delicious, has good ingredients (nothing funky!) and is so easy to make! We just popped it on the stove top in some foil for about 25-30 minutes while we chopped up our salad, and dinner was served!

Everyone asks us about our homemade lemon-mint salad dressing. Honestly, I have no idea how to explain this recipe, because it's definitely one of those "eye-balled" recipes the women in my family have been making for generations. But, for a standard sized salad mixing bowl (about 8-10 inches in diameter) filled with lettuce and veggies, we use approximately these measurements of the following ingredients!

Lemon-mint dressing:

2 T lemon juice

2 T olive oil

1/4 t salt

1/4 t red pepper

1/4 t crushed mint

1 clove garlic, crushed (OR use 1/4 t garlic salt for both the garlic and salt)

Pour the ingredients straight onto the salad, toss, and enjoy! This dressing is light, healthy, and tastes great with pretty much any salad combination!

After dinner we had Bible study, and then headed back home! Now for some Downton Abbey before bed...unless I get sleepy, in which case it's bed for me! I hope you all have a wonderful night!

Trust me, I'm a Dietitian!

Hello everyone! Sorry for the silence lately. I have some hard news, as well as some good news to share. Isn't that funny how life works? God always strengthens us to go through the hard times and sometimes sprinkles some blessings right on top! He is so good and faithful in all circumstances. I don't know how I would have gotten through the month of November without His strength, peace, and comfort. On Sunday, November 24th, my sweet and beautiful aunt went to be with her savior Jesus Christ. It has been such a hard time for my family and I, but we have comfort in the fact that we will see her again!

With that being said, it had been very difficult to study for my RD exam last month, especially while my family and I were going through this time of grieving and loss. I was so sad, could not focus, and just wanted to be with my Medzmama (grandma), aunts, uncles, and cousins. I had already scheduled my RD exam for Monday, December 2nd, but I had pretty much thrown in the towel on studying the few weeks leading up to it. I felt so "done" and did not even want to look at my review books anymore! After my aunt passed away and I was not able to study the week leading up to my exam, I had accepted the fact that I would use this test as a practice run and would do better on my second try. I didn't think I would pass, and was finally coming to terms with that fact.

SO! On Monday morning, December 2nd, I groggily woke up (having been sleep deprived for about a week) and got ready for my exam. I prayed and prayed that God would help me remember all the things I had learned, not just from studying for my exam, but from my undergraduate and graduate nutrition classes as well! Of course, I wanted to pass this exam, but did not see any glimmer of hope that this would actually happen. But, I prayed the whole way to the test center and finally sat down at my designated computer to take my exam. After a few computer glitches that I experienced (of course, this would happen to me!) I was finally able to start my exam. After about an hour, I saw this pop up on the screen...

I almost fell out of my seat! I wanted to scream and jump up and down and hug each and every person in the testing room with me. I blinked, rubbed my sleepy eyes, and checked the screen again. And it STILL said congratulations! I could not believe it. I was finally an RD! I knew then and there that God had His hand on me the whole time and helped me remember and recall all the things I needed to pass my exam. He gave me focus, determination, and grace throughout the whole process. I thank Him and Him alone for helping me and strengthening me to pass this exam, because truthfully, it was against all the odds that I would pass!

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not naive enough to think that I answered all my questions incorrectly that morning, and God still happened to make the screen say "congratulations." I don't think God hands us things on silver platters, while we sit on the couch and put zero effort into the process. But, I do believe that God helped me remember all the things I had studied those months and weeks prior to my aunt's passing. I do believe He graced me with His peace and strength, while giving me calm and wisdom to get through each question on the exam. I am so thankful to Him because even throughout this difficult time in my life, He blessed me with this miracle!

I am officially a registered dietitian! And I still can't believe it! I have been waiting for this moment for almost 8 years and it has finally come. I can't wait to start my career as a dietitian and help as many people as I can. I thank God for helping me achieve this accomplishment, and I pray that I can use it all for HIS glory!

Arm Blasting Workout and Dining Out Tips!

I am finally going to share with you what I have been calling my "random" or "arm" workouts! I am seeing the doctor soon and canNOT wait to figure out what is causing all of this pain in my knees and hips! In the meantime, I have been trying to keep myself busy and active in the most pain-free way that I can. I also thought I'd share my meals on a day where I did not have the chance to cook all my foods and dined out instead! There are ways to eat healthy and still enjoy your meals while dining out! Read on to find out how! :) This morning, I woke up and started my day with Jesus! Everyone spends time with Jesus in a different way, but I feel that I am at my best in the mornings and want to begin the day with God before I do anything else. I spent some time reading and reflecting on 2 Corinthians 3-4 and wrote down some verses that stood out to me. I especially loved verses 17-18 in chapter 3 where Paul writes that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM! Which means we can be free from anything that is weighing us down once we accept Jesus and have his Holy Spirit living in us. Because wherever His Spirit is, there is freedom; freedom from habits, worry, guilt, shame, (ahem, text anxiety) or any other feelings or situations that have a hold on us. I just love the freedom that God always promises His children, and the peace that inevitably comes with that freedom!

After my quiet time, I made some breakfast, which consisted of my usual scramble with kale, peppers, and a side of avocado. Yum!

I studied for a little while after breakfast and then decided to do my short workout that I have been doing lately since I have been out of commission. This workout got my heart pumping and my arms burning! I finally jotted the exercises down today (picture below). I do each exercise for 1 minute and the whole list for 2 rounds, for a total of 20 minutes. The faster you do the moves, the more calories you burn. In just about 6-7 songs, this workout is accomplished!

After I was done, I was drenched and out of breath! And produced a nice little calorie burn!

After studying some more, I decided to take a break and get out of the house to walk around my local mall. I knew I wouldn't be having lunch until later, as I was meeting my cousin around 1:30. I decided to pack a small snack with me to eat at the mall. Even though I know the mall has food and I could have gotten a snack from there, I definitely didn't want to give in to the smells of sugary pretzels, salty popcorn, or sweet cinnamon rolls! I know my body pretty well, and knew I would get hungry at the mall. I always make sure I have a small snack with me at all times so I can have something to fall back on while I am out and there are limited healthy options! SO! I packed one of my gingerbread cake squares (recipe posted!) and some grapes.

This was the PERFECT snack while I was walking around and enjoying all the Christmas decorations!

After spending some time at the mall, I drove back home and studied some more (surprise, surprise). When it came time for lunch, I decided to walk down to the restaurant where I was meeting my cousin. I bundled up (yay for fall weather, FINALLY!) and took the short 10 minute stroll down to the restaurant.

The restaurant we went to had a wide variety of foods ranging from salads, sandwiches, wraps, pastas, and grilled BBQ options. For lunch, I had a salad with a ton of yummy veggies and some tri-tip! I asked for the dressing of the salad on the side to regulate how much dressing I was using. This place usually brings their salads swimming in dressing, and I definitely didn't want that. The tri-tip portion was HUGE, so I could only stomach a few slices! This was a great meal that left me feeling comfortable and full. They brought out two breadsticks with my meal as well, but I didn't even feel like eating them. Protein with veggies is such a satiating and satisfying combination, which is why I usually stick to these options while eating out.

For dinner, my parents and I decided on Cheesecake Factory. I usually get the same old chicken lettuce wraps, salmon, or salads every time I go to Cheesecake, but this time I wanted something different. This is also a very important factor when going out. Try new things! This way you will have a variety of healthy options instead of feeling stuck with only one healthy dish per restaurant, which can get mundane. It is always possible to tweak meals and ask for special orders while going out! Your health is important, so don't be too shy to ask (politely of course)! :) My friend gave me the suggestion to try the turkey burger, so I got it lettuce wrapped with a side salad! It was DELICIOUS!

Overall, this was a great day for healthy choices. I was able to get a short workout in even with my injuries. And I did not let eating out stop me from making healthy choices! To summarize my tips below:

*I have a healthy snack on hand while I am out, just in case hunger strikes...

*I have mostly protein and vegetables when dining out...

*I ask for sauces and dressings on the side, and...

*I am always up for experimenting and trying new things!

Boredom with food is such a sad place to be, especially if you are a foodie like me! That is why variety and FUN are so important when it comes to making healthy choices.

I hope you all have a wonderful night and get a chance to try the arm blasting workout!

Arm, arms, arms...and Cheesy Black Bean and Avocado Salad!

Happy Monday everyone! I can't believe there are less than 2 weeks until December! This is my favorite time of year and I am definitely already listening to Christmas music and enjoying seeing all the decorations! :) This morning started out pretty typical. I woke up, spent some time with the Lord, and decided on what I wanted to do for my workout. "Workout" is a general term, since I have basically had to stopped all activity including my legs :( My hip and knee injury has progressed to a point where walking causes strain, pain, and even numbness. I am hoping to see an orthopedic in a few weeks and figure this out once and for all!

I had a hard-boiled egg while I searched YouTube for some arm routines...

...and lo and behold my favorite trainers popped up as the first hit! I had never seen this TIU workout before, and I was so relieved that it didn't involve my legs. I did this workout (about 8 minutes long), followed by some boxing punches with my 3 lb weights, making my workout a total of 13 minutes long. Even though it is not my usual 6 mile run, I am grateful for the fact that I can still MOVE and do some sort of workout. But I honestly cannot WAIT to incorporate my runs back into the toning routines I have been doing!

I made myself a kale, sausage, and egg white scramble around 10:30 as a mid-morning snack. Yes, the scramble was my snack :) I always try to make my snacks protein and veggie packed in order to get as much nutrition as possible!

This scramble definitely kept me full until almost 2pm, which is when I whipped up this delicious Cheesy Black Bean and Avocado salad! I knew I didn't want to go shopping or eat out; I've been very committed to using up whatever is in the house lately. This is probably because I am still studying for my RD exam and have yet to find a job, but it is also very smart and leads to less food waste and usually much healthier choices! Anyway, I'm so happy I stayed in for lunch, because this salad tasted great!

The base of this salad was romaine, kale, tomatoes, yellow pepper, and carrots:

I used the Cuban Black Beans from Trader Joe's because they have a spicy kick to them! I melted a little pinch of light mozzarella cheese (also from TJ's) in the microwave until it became a cheesy and creamy consistency!

While the beans and cheese were melting away, I mixed half of an avocado with some pico de gallo to make an avocado-y type of salsa! I left it pretty chunky because I love my salsa chunky, but you could definitely mash it until it reaches whatever consistency you enjoy!

I added the avocado salsa to one side of my salad, and the cheesy beans to the other! And here is the finished product!

This salad was so refreshing and filling! I absolutely LOVED the flavor of the beans with the cheese, and the avocado addition was perfection. I hope you all get to enjoy this salad soon!

After lunch, I continued studying (of course). I just took a break now to ice my knees and hips while blogging! I am so excited to be making tabbouleh with my mama tonight for dinner, which one of our favorite recipes! I have that recipe posted if anyone is interested!

I hope you all have had a great beginning of your week!

Just keep walking, just keep walking...

Happy Tuesday everyone! I have been such a bad blogger lately, but I am determined to get back at it! One reason being I miss writing and it is such a stress relief for me during this crazy time of studying! And also because I want to try some new recipes soon and get back in the kitchen! It's been hard to cook lately since my schedule has been taken over by studying for my RD exam. But I'm hoping to get back to the cooking and baking soon!

Update on my hip/knee situation: Basically, all I have been doing for the past week is walking, walking, walking. My new shoes have been working out really well for me!

I still have some aches and pains, so I am continuing my walk/stretch/ice regimen for a couple more weeks. I'm hoping to maybe be able to start running by December...Christmas present to myself?? Here's to hoping!

My days have been pretty routine lately. Basically, I have been waking up in the mornings, having my quiet time, then heading to the gym. This song has been in my head for days and days, and I have had it on repeat all morning! I highly recommend it :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VRUU8UBXCk

Yesterday morning, I woke up and made some banana peanut butter waffles. My dad had the day off, so I decided to make us some breakfast before heading to the gym!

I walked for 30 minutes, then did the TIU shoulder routine (I've posted this before, it's great! Just look back a few posts for the video!)

I came back home, showered, and hit the books with studying for my RD (registered dietitian) exam. There is so much information I need to know, and I am feeling pretty overwhelmed! But I am studying the best I can and praying for focus! Around 11am (I know, early, right?) I made a quick lunch for my dad and I. I seasoned some canned in water tuna with some olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper, and garlic powder. It tasted great in our flat out bread! We also had a side of carrots with eggplant hummus (my favorite kind from Trader Joe's!)

After lunch, my dad and I headed to Peet's to have some tea and study/read. It was so nice having my dad to hang out with yesterday. I am usually home alone during the days studying and just keeping myself busy. It was such a blessing to have some company! I got the Masala Chai tea and munched on an apple later on in the afternoon. I knew I'd get hungry before dinner since we had lunch so early, so I planned ahead and brought a juicy and delicious apple!

  

I also had a small handful of nuts when we got home from the coffee shop. I was still feeling hungry and knew I wouldn't make it until dinner. 

  

I was contemplating just staying home for dinner so I could continue my studying, but my parents convinced me to get out and spend some time with my family, which I'm so glad I did! Life is all about balance, and I knew that I would just burn out if I continued studying through the night instead of getting out. We went out to one of my favorite restaurants, Pita Jungle! This place uses such fresh and healthy ingredients, and I can always count on their food tasting delicious. I got the broiled chicken pita wrap!

 

After dinner, I studied some more but could not keep my eyes open after 9pm! I know, grandma status. I finally decided to sleep around 9:30. I tend to listen to my body when it comes to sleep and not fight it, because if I do, I've found that I miss my window of opportunity for good sleep and end up staying up all night and being very restless!

So that was my day yesterday! I am hoping to do some baking and cooking soon and get back on here to share some recipes with you guys! I hope you all have a fabulous day! :)

Rest Day: Daily Manna 10/17

Soooo this Daily Manna is being written a day late, but that's okay! It's also probably not a very exciting one, because yesterday was a rest day. I am not a fan of rest days! I know I may be a rare breed but I literally wake up in the mornings excited for my run and my workout! But, I knew I had to take a rest day yesterday because of my hip/knee (and possibly today too...icing my injuries at the moment). My pain has progressively gotten worse over the past week, to the point where my entire right leg feels like dead weight. I regretfully decided to take a rest day yesterday, so this is what my day looked like! I woke up early per usual, since my internal clock believes the day will go to waste if I wake up after 6:30am. However, I've always been okay with this because it makes me feel very productive. I am a morning person through and through. After my quiet time, I decided to channel my usual morning energy from my workout to some study energy! I took my mom to work and was at a coffee shop by 7:30am with my RD study book studying away.

As you can tell, I was very sad to be taking a rest day, but decided that my Mickey and Minnie shirt would obviously make me feel better! :) I also thoroughly enjoyed my new and improved pumpkin bread recipe! I am trying to decrease the amount of protein powder I am using and increase the almond flour to help with how fluffy the baked good is coming out, and boy was I successful! I'm going to do the same thing with my brownies today and see if it will make them equally as moist and fluffy! And I can hopefully post these new and improved recipes soon!

ANYWAYS! I got to coffee bean and studied straight for about 2 hours...

I then decided to take a break for my apple and 100 calorie pack of almonds!

I read some of my book during my break as well ("Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis) and then continued to study until about 11am. My brain was definitely feeling tired at this point. I went to Chipotle to grab lunch for my friend, my mom, and myself! I then headed to my mom's work to have lunch with them!

Lunch was kind of disappointing. I haven't had the meat at chipotle for a few weeks every since I tried the barbacoa (which usually tastes great) and had an awful experience with it. But I also don't like just getting beans and rice because, even though it tastes great, it doesn't fill me up as much as the protein. I decided to be brave and try the bowl with 1/2 barbacoa and 1/2 chicken...which was a bad idea since I got sick again...ohhhhh Chipotle. SO good but so bad...I guess I will have to stick to my beans and rice and make sure I have substantial protein and go easy on the grains during the day!

I ended up staying at my mom's work and studying there for a while longer until my brain just could not take it anymore! I had my snackie snack while reading some of my Bible. I love having some Bible time mid-day. My quiet times in the morning are so special to me, but sometimes I need that little reminder during the day of God's promises and how much He loves and cares for me! :)

We had an early dinner last night and I forgot to take a picture of it even though we went to one of my favorite pizza places! Yes, I said pizza! I love this place and the gluten in the crust is definitely worth it to me! They make their pizza so fluffy and fresh and delicious. We usually start out with a yummy and light salad, followed by our pizza! My mom and I shared a "personal" sized veggie pizza, which is actually enough for about 3 people! I had two slices and definitely savored every bite of each slice! I've realized that, if I space out my gluten enough, it doesn't bother my tummy as much. But if I have too much of it in one day, or all day for a few days in a row, that's when the problems occur. I am happy to report that last night's dinner did not bother me and I enjoyed every single bite! I promise to take pictures next time, because the pictures definitely portray how yummy this pizza really is!!!

Currently, I am icing my hip and knee, which is really helping with the inflammation and pain. I was planning to take a rest day today as well, but I am contemplating going to the gym to do an easy elliptical workout and some weights. I guess I will see as the day progresses!

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and weekend! :)

A Day at Disneyland! Daily Manna: 10/11

Disneyland!!!!!! That is basically how I sound/act every time I go to the happiest place on earth. I love everything about this place from the music, characters, rides, princesses, and just the Disney feel of being there! I was blessed to be able to go yesterday with a bunch of my cousins, and I couldn't have asked for a better time!!! Thank God my hip was doing better or walking would have been a nightmare. I think walking actually helped open up my hip a little more by constantly moving it throughout the day.

I wanted to write this Daily Manna post last night, but was so exhausted by the time we got back from Disneyland that I decided to save it for today! I was very pleased with the day, including my food choices (maybe minus lunch, which I'll get to!) But overall, I felt that I was able to enjoy what I wanted throughout the day while making health conscious choices and not depriving myself! Here is my Daily Manna Disney edition!

As you may have read a few days ago, my hip and knee have been giving me some trouble. After icing and elevating my leg multiple times on Thursday, I woke up Friday feeling really good and wanting to get a short run in before heading to Disneyland. I had a couple squares of my pumpkin bread (same recipe as the posted muffins!) and headed out the door. We were meeting there pretty early, but I was able to fit in a 3 mile run and some push ups before picking up my cousin!

Most people think I am kind of crazy for working out on a day when I will be walking all day! But, running has become more for me than just a workout. It has become a stress reliever, a time with just me and The Lord, and a time to clear my head before the day begins. That's why I love to start every day with a run or some kind of movement to get my body and brain moving in the right direction!

After my run, I didn't have time to make a nice big breakfast, so I just grabbed a quest bar and carrot sticks and had them once we reached the park around 10/10:30!

These snacks held me over well, but I was starving by the time lunch time came! We usually eat at the Pizza Port for lunch, so I had already decided to get the pizza salad that I love from there (and NOT the pizza, which is pretty good too). However, (surprise surprise) the line was CRAZY long, so we decided to go to one of the many burger joints Disneyland has to offer. My cousin and I saw a grilled chicken sandwich with avocado salsa on the menu that looked good. We love avocado so we decided to get the sandwich lettuce wrapped! However, when the meal came, there was no avocado anything...just a piece of chicken with lettuce :(

I would have taken a better picture but seriously, the picture basically says it all. We were both so sad but didn't feel like getting back in the long line. Luckily, my other cousin was feeding her toddler an avocado (yay!) so we were able to eat some of that, which helped add some healthy fats and fullness to our meal!

After a few rides, one of which being the Little Mermaid ride (one of my favorites!), we decided it was ice cream time.

I love the ice cream at Disneyland! I don't think it's a special one-of-a-kind brand, but for some reason, it just tastes better there. Last time we came to Disneyland for my birthday, we got brownie sundaes from Ghirardelli's in California Adventure. That sundae was amazing, but I definitely didn't wanna go all out again! This time, I got a scoop of cookie dough ice cream and that satisfied me perfectly!

After ice cream, we went on the Haunted Mansion ride, which is presently decorated as "The Nightmare Before Christmas." I loved all the decorations on this ride and the fusion of Fall and Christmas! I love coming to Disneyland around this time of year; it is definitely my favorite! :)

Around 6pm, only my cousin and I were left (we had originally come with about 10 of us!) and we were already hungry for dinner. I decided to get tacos at one of the Mexican places in California Adventure. I got beef tacos in flour tortillas (should have gotten corn but I had already ordered before I realized they had a gluten-free option!) with some rice on the side. I was starving by the time we ate but focused more on the tacos and less on the rice. I was definitely satisfied after this meal! Much better choice compared to lunch, but I definitely need to go the corn tortilla or tortilla-less route next time since my tummy is feeling it today...but it was well worth it because it tasted amazing!

By the time we finished dinner, California Adventure was packed! We wanted to do a few more rides but didn't want to wait the 45-60 minutes each ride demanded. We decided to head home around 7, which ended up being a good choice because we were so exhausted! Overall, I had an amazing time at Disneyland with my family and was glad to be able to have a healthy but balanced day as well!! Now for a relaxing Saturday! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!