Welcome to Wisdom Wednesday #1

Wisdom Wednesdays Mission Statement: to impart tidbits of wisdom, whether large or small, serious or silly, that I've learned, noted, or observed throughout the week.

1.  If you can't cash out sick days upon retirement...take.every.one.of.them.  I'm at home writing this blog because I have a little cold very brutal sinusitis infectionosis streptococus syndrome.  I need my rest, people.

2.  Those girls on Teen Mom need to come to my 4th grade reading class.  I guess they were too busy smoking pot or getting pregnant during the lessons on fluency.  Didn't anyone teach them to read with expression? Those dialogues are horrific.

3.  Catfish the TV Show host Nev- aka Grizzly Bear.  If you insist on not maintaining that forest that is growing on your chest, keep your shirt on while filming.  Signed, one violated viewer.

You're welcome.

Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Low Calorie option)

Well, I had high hopes for this recipe.  There's good news and bad news.  1- If you make it the low calorie way, it tastes just that..low calorie.  2.  If you make it without using low fat/fat free ingredients and especially using normal pasta, it will be amazing!  I will share the exact recipe I used, but if I make it again, I will probably compromise a few calories for a better taste. 

Garlic Shrimp Pasta
12 oz. whole grain linguine
9 oz. shrimp (I got the frozen/deveined small size from Walmart.)
8 oz fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup parmesan
5 cloves garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth

Cook linguine as directed on package.  Heat skillet.  Put in garlic (I used my garlic press so I could pretend to be all "cheffy." And yes, I made up that word.  I like it.  Don't judge.), onion, and shrimp.  Fry 1-2 minutes.

Add cream cheese and chicken broth.  Stir on low heat until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended.  Add parmesan cheese.  Stir.  Drain pasta and add to shrimp mixture.  Stir well and serve.

Makes 7 one cup servings.


***I was too hungry and forgot to take a picture of it plated.  Prepared as above, one serving is 257.2 calories.  THAT IS ALL!  Now, if you want a really tasty treat, forget the whole grain linguine and use normal fetticine.  Also, use normal cream cheese.  It will make a ton of difference....and a ton of calories. :)

Funday Monday

I tell ya, it's amazing what one can accomplish on a day off! I've done two loads of laundry, baked a cake, vacuumed, caught up on a few of my reality tv shows, created my new blog template (you like??), and am about to make a new low- calorie recipe for dinner.  If it's good, I'll post the recipe.  Hint: shrimp+pasta.  All that combined with the fact that my boyfriend the Bachelor comes on tonight....I couldn't ask for a better day.

I've been perusing through a few awesome blogs today and, I'm still struggling with a bit of jealousy.  I want my blog to be one that excites people when a new post pops up on the sidebar.  I need some topics.  I need some suggestions.  I've been thinking of a weekly post, something I can always post on a certain day of the week.  For now, I think I'm going to being Wisdom Wednesdays.  I want to share, for myself in particular, what God has taught me that week, what I feel convicted to change, what I want to work on, etc.  Some may be serious, some may be humorous.  Hopefully this idea will stick...we will see.

Have a great week!

Back at It

I’m at it again, folks.  I’m on a health kick.  I’m determined to eat healthy and stop feeling guilty about my diet.  I’m on one 24/7 and there’s not a day when I’m not trying to eat well (okay, maybe one or two every now and then if I’m honest).   I still feel like screaming from the roof tops that while I may looks as if I do, I don’t eat four double whoppers , two large fries, and three milkshakes for every meal.  I actually eat fairly well, but my body fights everything I do to hold on to the weight I want to lose.  I need a re-wiring and an extra dose of metabolism.

 While I was feeling so bad at the end of the year, I could barely manage to put one foot in front of the other much less concentrate on making healthy recipes and counting calories.  But now that I feel myself again and like I’ve re-joined the free world, I feel like I can focus more on my diet.  Here is my plan.

1.       I’ve downloaded the My Fitness Pal app.  I’ve used it multiple one or two times but I never stuck with it.  Until now, I also had never connected with friends for accountability.  It's similar to facebook in that you send "friend" requests and once approved, you have access to others' information.  They can view my daily food diary and see what I’ve eaten every second of the day.  That’s HUGE for me!  And don’t worry, your weight is kept secret or this girl definitely would not be joining.   You can leave encouraging notes for each other and comment on food entries as much as you'd like.  In addition to the accountability,  the app also gives me a target daily caloric intake based on my goal weight and the number of pounds I’d like to lose weekly.  My goal is 1470 calories a day.  That may sound like a lot, but it’s not.  (Yesterday I had over 200 I didn’t use!)  If you’d like to be My Fitness Pal “friend,” leave me your email address in the comment section and I will send you an invitation email.  I really think you’ll love it. 

 

2.     I not only want to lose weight, but I want to incorporate more healthy foods into my diet.  I’ve started making smoothies again.  I use about two cups of fresh spinach then add frozen strawberries, blueberries, or bananas, a few cubes of ice, and a cup of water.  No, it doesn’t taste like an Orange Julius by any means, but it’s super healthy and actually doesn’t taste bad at all.  I’m going today to by milled flax seed to put in my next one.  There are many benefits from flax seed: cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, etc.  I’m also looking into additional recipes that I will be happy to share soon. 

3.       Water. The End.

4.      Slack off on the Carbs.  I love carbs.  Carbs. Carbs. Carbs.  I’m a picky eater and in my dream world, I would eat Cheesz-Its, Wheat Thins, Chips, and drink Sweet Tea for every meal every day.  That’s terrible.  I never even buy Cheez-Its because I know how tempting they are for me.  I use Stevia drops to sweeten my tea because I think it’s ridiculous to drink my calories.  I’m not saying I will never have carbs here and there, but overall I am trying to reduce my intake. 

There you have it.  I’m writing this more for myself than anyone else, but hopefully I can accumulate a few more accountability partners on My Fitness Pal.  That is helping me more than anything else right now to stay on track.  Also, I’d love to hear your low-carb or smoothie recipes.  Share if you’d like. J

CanNOT Believe It!

Can it really be true?  Can two of my most favorite things in the world be combined into one??  It looks like that's the case.  For all my fellow bachelor fans and blog lovers- visit SEAN LOWE'S (aka the Bachelor) sister's blog!  She is a baker and takes one recipe and makes it 52 different ways.  She also has some Favorite Things posts, Entertaining Tips, and crafts. I mean, I guess this means Sean has no choice than to dump all those crazy women he met last night and COME FIND ME!  I think I'd fit perfectly into the family.  Just sayin'.

Mix and Match Mama

Finally

Praise God that I'm feeling better since my last post.  I went back to the doctor and changed medicines again, this time to have finally found one I think will work.  I am feeling more myself than I have the past six weeks.  I am still having bouts with anxiety but not anything compared to what I experienced a while back.  I  couldn't be more thankful to laugh again and look forward to life.  It's a process- but I see the light that I knew was coming!

Stay well, my friends.  I know there are some of you dealing with the flu or other viruses, and I hope you recover before the holidays.  I'm taking Vitamin C, drinking grape juice daily (read online it prevents the stomach virus), and am washing my hands a million times a day.  I'm determined that no sickness will keep me from my sweet niece and family on Christmas.

If I don't post before, Merry Christmas!  Let us always be thankful for life, regardless of the trials it entails, and cherish every single second.  Celebrate Jesus, who is the only hope we have of relieving this world of the evil that lives in it.  Praise God of His mercies and spread His joy!

Blessings...

It's Just Real Life

You may find this post different than most of my others.  I typically don't post things too personal and attempt to keep my blog light hearted and fun.  But, this is real.  And somtimes I think we aren't real often enough.  The truth is, my life isn't all rainbows and gumdrops.  I don't sit at home and make new pinterest projects or try out new recipes 24/7 like my blog may depict.  My reality is this:  I am a sufferer of generalized anxiety disorder.  It pains me to admit it, and I'm really not quite sure why I'm choosing to write about it.  I just feel like maybe someone somewhere will come across this post at just the right time and find some sort of light from my momentary troubles.  I don't know what God's plan is, but I feel led to share my thoughts.

If you've never experienced anxiety attacks or panic disorder, get on your knees and thank God now.  It is the most debilitating and miserable thing I have ever experienced in my lifetime.  We've all gotten stressed, frazzled, feel frantic, and want to scream.  Hear me loud and clear.  That is NOT what I speak of here.  When you feel you have lost touch with all reality, struggle to hold on to the rope that is life, feel it almost impossible to get out of bed and begin the day, and experience the feeling of impending doom- that at any moment your life will be gone- then you've had the type of panic attacks/depression/anxiety I'm talking about. 

I had my first panic attack in 2000, and with the help of medicine, have been pretty successful in treating them...until about four weeks ago.  Those of you close to me know a good friend of mine was in a car accident and was med-flighted to Huntsville for treatment.  Praise God she is recovering and will be okay, but the trauma and stress I suffered in being at the hospital and witnessing her experience is what I believe triggered my "relapse," if you will.  (***Very important note: In NO way am I attempting to imply my struggles are in any way equal or worse than hers or anyone else's.  To assume that would be an enormous misconception.)  Since my dad died a few years ago, being inside a hospital brings about anxiety.  As is my fashion, I maintained my composure in the midst of  the "madness," and dealt with it days after.  I don't know why, but my anxiety tends to have delayed reactions.  After visiting with my doctor, we decided it best to change my medication.  That was 25 days ago, and my world has been rocked to the core.  Unfortunately, with SSRI's it takes up to six weeks for your body to become used to the mediciation and for it to take effect.  This period of time for me has been almost unbearable.  Sure, I've had small fleating moments where I laugh and can find joy in certain situations, but for the most part I've become a poster 'adult' for anxiety.  I have become scared to leave my home for fear of having an anxiety attack.  I have felt void of hope that my future would look anything unlike what I see in the midst of this.  I have cried more tears than I care to admit.  I have felt as if something in my body has gone so awry that it was going to literally self destruct. I have questioned why in the world my God would want His child to suffer as I have.  I don't know the answers to any of these just yet, but here's what I know for sure.

1.  My God is MIGHTY and He is FAITHFUL.  In my struggles, He allows me to see just what He can do and as He says- "His power is made perfect in my weakness."
2.  He gives me an opportunity to comfort others.  I fear some will misunderstand this post as my search for pity.  Please hear me again...that is NOT what I seek.  I believe through this, God is and will use me to comfort someone else. 
3.  He has provided an opportunity for the suffering of Jesus to flow into my life.  It connects me to Jesus in a way I haven't been before.
4.  I know, for a FACT, I absolutely, positively cannot rely on myself anymore.  The One that sustains me and helps me keep going is the one that raises the dead! He breaks my independent spirit and makes me dependent on His Holy Spirit and His grace.  I have never, EVER felt more dependent upon my Father than now.

I don't know that I've ever been tested in my faith as I have through this.  But if you're suffering and Satan has tempted you to question God- don't give in for a minute.  Just hang on......

"I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on, and there will be an end to this trouble.  But until that day comes, STILL I WILL PRAISE YOU..."