Happy almost New Year! I am officially back from Christmas vacation, which means I have new recipes and tidbits to share with you, as well as a stocked refrigerator full of goodies. No matter how amazing a vacation is, it is always nice to land at home, get grounded, and begin fresh again. Especially at the start of a brand new year.
We spent most of our “Christmas Break” visiting family in Ohio – which ranged in weather from warm and rainy to cold and cloudy, with hints of sunshine peeking out every now and then. We spent most of our time there visiting my nieces and nephews, shopping and cooking for our Christmas dinner, taking the dogs (there were 5 total in the house) for walks, hiking through the park, and visiting landmarks (the Cincinnati Museum center is absolutely amazing!).
We also spent much of our time warding off the flu and raging winter colds, which hit 7 out of 9 of us in the house. The hubby got hit with a bt of cold right before we left, and I stayed sickness-free throughout. His cold finally let up right before we drove home, and right after he enjoyed a green juice and later a super fermented “sour” beer, which tastes much like a kombucha. I had been sucking down kombucha (fermented tea with probiotics) all week, and we are pretty sure that might have been what kept us relatively healthy.
And it got both of us thinking about the things we wanted to add or bring back to our diets and lifestyle in the New Year. I am not one to set resolutions, because they seem stiff, full of guilt, and hard to stick to. I instead like to think about crowding in more good stuff, so the less great stuff fades away overtime. For me, I set intentions to bring in more.
Here are a few things I intend to bring in during 2015:
More Water: I have noticed, especially on vacation, that I am slowly drinking less and less water each day. On a work day, I have plenty of water during my classes, and I drink it regularly. But on a non-work day, or while I am at my computer, I often reach for coffee or forget to drink anything. I am setting the intention to stay fluid and hydrated by having a glass of water with me at my desk all day, and refilling it a few times. Water helps to keep your digestive tract running smoothly, headaches at bay, and reduce dryness in your skin.
Fresher Plates: Basically, more vegetables and fruits. Since becoming un-vegan late last year (2013), I have noticed my tendency to reach for cheese, crackers, yogurt as my snack in between meals. I have also noticed a bit less vegetables being added to my plate on a regular basis. Part of this was incorporating more of these foods back into my diet and learning how to do so, but part of it was also from training for the half marathon. I had to eat so much food just to stay un-hungry, and it was easier to grab a high calories snack, such as cheese, a few times a day, instead of eating veggies all day long. But now, it is time to get back to the basics. I don’t plan on giving up cheese or yogurt, or even crackers, but I do intend to add more veggies, because truthfully, I really enjoy them and they agree with my digestion the best. Some foods disagree and give me stomach pains, but vegetables rarely do.I look forward to cooking more greens, snacking on a variety of fruits and veggies, and experimenting with soups this winter (recipe coming later this week!).
More Juice: Every once in awhile, I, like most people, fall off the juice wagon. I don’t fall far, just a little step to the side towards Smoothieland or perhaps Oatmealville. But juice is what makes me feel great. It’s refreshing, hydrating, and full of easy to absorb nutrients. It is the thing that keeps me full the longest and I look forward to it each day. It also helps to detox any yuckiness (technical term there) out of my system so i stay healthier.
Sprouted Grains: I’ve been mostly gluten free for about 2 years now. I discovered that gluten made my stomach swell and bloat for a few days, as well as cause some serious pains. I have been eating gluten free bread this year (and enjoy it), but would like to get back to Sprouted Grain breads, which are easier to digest than regular grains and contain more nutrients than most breads. Sprouted grain breads are also full of protein, which is great for a vegan/vegetarian diet. I had switched because I found some gluten free bread I enjoyed, but I am going to go back and see if this is something I can tolerate, as the health benefits are huge and open the door for some fun sprouted grain breads and mixes.
Fermented Foods: Sauerkraut and kombucha are on my list of things to add this year. Fermented foods contain good bacteria for your gut, which helps to you digest better AND keep the bad bacteria moving out. Kombucha and sauerkraut are my two favorite fermented foods and I look forward to adding them regularly.
Basically, most of what I will focus on for my health all boils down to digestion. If you aren’t absorbing and digesting all the goodness from your foods and pushing out all the toxins, your health will likely dwindle. Each of my practices for the New Year will help to keep my digestion on track, so I feel my absolute best most days. It all about bringing in the benefits of a detox into each and every day, which I explain further in my book, Detox 101.
There are a few more thing I plan on doing in the New Year, that pertain directly to you.
My book releases on January 5th, and I am hosting a FREE event on Facebook to give you a sneak peek of the book and get you detoxing along the way. You can join this event here.
In the next few weeks, I am going to be launching a brand new site. This is a completely separate site, with a separate blog and newsletter, that will focus on health and nutrition coaching, not just recipes and workouts. More details coming soon, but look for it and get ready to join in on the fun!
As I mentioned before, I like to set intentions rather than resolutions for the New Year. It helps to eliminate the pressure and guilt that often come in during week 3 or 4 of the New Year, once you slip up a bit and “miss” or “skip” a day at the gym or on your diet. Intentions give you freedom and the chance to relax a bit while you move forward.
Here is a little coaching practice to get you started. You’ll need something to write with and perhaps a journal or notepad (or, of course, you can type it out).
Start Fresh Resolutions:
Step One: Let go of the Negatives
Take 5 minutes to look back upon the year you’ve had. What moments stand out to you as moments that challenged you? Not in the “It was rough but in the end I learned so much” moments, but the gut-wrenching, makes you want to sob, feels like you’ll fall apart, when will it be ok moments. What got you through these? What thing did you do to make a change? How can you continue to grow from these and move forward in the New Year ahead. Write down 5 moments and 5 changes you made because of them.
Step Two: Bring in the Positive
Take 5 minutes to reflect the things that brought you the most joy and lifted you up during the year. What stands out the most to you? What made you feel like you could shine your brightest and fly freely? Write these moments down and brainstorm ways you could bring these things or these feelings into your life on a more daily basis. Try to think of 5 things you could easily incorporate for big changes.
Step Three: Intend to Shine
Now turn these into your intentions. Pick your biggest 1-5 moments and brainstorm an actionable way you intend to bring it in. It could be another similar moment, activity, or just a feeling. For example: I intend to treat my body like a temple on a regular basis through better food, movement, and self-care”, or “I intend to juice a few days a week when it is possible”.
Get the idea? Go forth and set your intention 🙂
Here’s to a New Year, a New You, and a fresh start for all.
Peace and Love,
Jessi
