Pancakes are life...and back to basics
Happy Friday, friends!
Since my post last week about my jeans getting tighter (and since I feeling uncomfortable in my clothes the last couple of weeks), I wanted to share what I've been doing to feel more confident and healthier (and a new 3-ingredient pancake recipe I tried!).
If you know me well, you know I don't believe in diets, so that is not something I've returned to. What I am focusing on, is listening to my body. Before I tell you what that means for me, I want to tell you how I find it funny that I can even say that! That, "I'm listening to my body"....Before when I heard people in the fitness and/or nutrition world say, "listen to your body"..."it will tell you what foods feel good and don't"...blah blah blah...I would laugh and think to myself, "ya ok...my body says I'm fine. Pizza feels great. Ice cream is my friend. Margaritas and Mai Tai's make me happy! So, yup, I'm listening to my body just fine. And no, Doritos don't make me sick. So, I have no idea what you mean." I also related this concept of "listening to my body" as to what makes me sick. Some people, like my husband, have a sensitive stomach and get sick after eating certain foods. I don't have a sensitive stomach. I don't get sick from food (unless I overeat, which is different). So, I always equated "listening to my body" to "does that make me sick? No, ok then I can eat it."
Fast forward to now and I've figured out what LISTENING to my body is - for me, it's "checking in" with my body on a regular basis:
Checking in with myself frequently while I'm eating (Is this satisfying? Do I need to slow down - am I eating too fast? Am I enjoying this meal? What does it really taste like?)
Slowing down while I eat and checking in to see when I am satisfied, before getting to the point of feeling full
Stopping when I'm satisfied and giving myself permission to eat again if I get hungry
Eating when I'm hungry and not waiting until I'm starving (regardless of what "time" of day it is - if it's not lunch time, who cares? I'm hungry. I'm going to eat.)
What do I want to eat that will make me feel good and energized? Sometimes it is a healthy sandwich or salad. But if I want a cookie, chocolate, or chips, I ask myself, "do I really want that right now?" I imagine the taste, how it will feel in my stomach, etc. Sometimes, I realize I don't really want it, but other times, I say, "yup, I want some chips", and I eat them. No guilt.
What do I really feel like doing today for exercise? Do I just want to walk on the treadmill? Do I want to life some weights? [sometimes just getting started then leads me to what feels good for a workout that day]
What outfit will make me feel confident and joyful today? [I don't care if I'll be overdressed or out of place somewhere - I want to feel great and so I'll wear what makes ME feel great. This is something I've been working on because I would worry about what others would think of me or would be wearing.]
Getting up early to pray, meditate and do The Miracle Morning, even when it's hard, because I feel amazing, confident, accomplished, happy, at peace, and ready for the day.
These last couple of weeks I've been creating affirmations to remind me to listen to my body and to just go back to the basics: Focus on my water intake, my hunger scale, and slowing down to be present while I'm eating. No phone, no computer during meals. No rushing through my meals and I try to add fruit and veggies where I can (a smoothie, at breakfast, or snack).
Some affirmations I repeat are:
I am happy and healthy right now.
I am strong.
I listen to my body.
My body loves when I treat it kindly and eat foods that make it work best all day, therefore I listen to my body and do just that.
I stop eating when I'm satisfied.
(and there are more - if you want them, email me at sandra@faith2fitt.com and I'll send them to you!)
So, listening to my body with food, exercise, and what I'll wear that day, along with my daily miracle morning routine (prayer, affirmations, etc.) has made me more confident and joy-filled.
Ok, now onto the pancake recipe I tried this week. I LOVE pancakes! And I love being able to make them with only a few ingredients. I came across this 3-ingredient recipe on pinterest. Link. I used frozen bananas I had and I added cinnamon to the recipe for extra taste and anti-inflammatory properties. They were so good. Separating the egg whites definitely made them fluffier than some of the other protein pancakes I've made. As you can see in the photo, I topped the pancake with almond butter and blueberries and paired it with some egg whites and avocado. Healthy fats (nut butter and avocado) and the protein (egg whites, eggs in the pancake) help me stay satisfied longer and deter me from wanting to snack. And the blueberries are a great anti-oxidant! I hope you'll try it and if you do, tag me on social media @faith2fitt!
Ok, well, I gotta run. Kids are almost home from school. I hope this blog post blesses you in some way. And I hope you'll have an amazing Friday and weekend. Stay positive and know that every day you are a new creation. Never give up, because God's love for you never quits. He's there to pick you up when you're down. He's there to give you rest when you can no longer stand. Seek Him and rest in Him, the rest will fall into place.
Love and peace,
Sandra
PS: Want to follow me on Pinterest? Here's my link. https://www.pinterest.com/sandramfreitas/
“But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit." – Psalm 86:8-15 (MSG)
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17