Bringing Focus to the New Year
I’m not a new year’s resolutions kind of person. While I do regularly set goals, I hesitate to write them down and formally commit. I have two modes when it comes to accomplishing things. Mode one: pursue the task relentlessly until it’s completed. Mode two: completely ignore the task by sitting on the couch wearing the same sweatpants for multiple days. Based on this assessment, I do not intend to set any resolutions this January, but I do think it’s the perfect time to focus on the ways I can bring balance to my life.
November and December were months of excess. Excessive eating and drinking, partying, and (welp) spending. By focusing on balance, I don’t strive to eliminate anything from my life completely, but to bring more attention to areas that were overlooked during the frenzied holiday season.
I will focus this month on three areas in which I could use more balance: diet, physical activity, and self-care.
Balance, Not Restriction
It’s very important to me to strive for balance over restriction, especially when it comes to my diet. Like lots of American women, I grew up all too focused on my weight and dieting. As a result, I started trying to lose weight when I was in my early teens (mostly in hopes of gaining the attention of boys I perceived didn’t like me because I was too fat **insert face palm emoji here**). At that time, I thought the best way to lose weight was to severely restrict my caloric intake by eating packaged or frozen foods.
This mentality led to a long struggle with food, control, and self-image. I went from controlling (and counting!) every bite I took, to not caring what I ate, to, finally, maintaining a more balanced diet.
As I’ve matured, as has my relationship with food. The turning point for me was increasing my time in the kitchen. I used to think the only healthy foods were grilled chicken breasts and salad. As I’ve learned more about cooking, however, I’ve come to discover a whole world of healthy foods that are satisfying and full of flavor.
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I used to truly HATE cooking. Although I always wanted us to eat healthy, cooking drained my energy. I could not get excited about food from home, so we ate out…a lot. Once my passion for cooking was ignited, however, I lost weight, felt better about what I was putting into my body, and gained a fun new hobby.
We recently received a giftcard to a restaurant we used to eat out at often and went for lunch at this restaurant recently. As soon as we finished lunch, Sal and I looked at each other and said, “we used to like to eat here?” While I still enjoy eating out, I’ve come to love my home-cooking more.
My Balance Goals
We went a bit crazy with sweets, drinks, and eating out during November and December. As a result, we lost some of the balance in our diet. I’m not one to severely restrict my eating, but I do know I feel better when I eat more vegetables and fewer ice cream cones. To focus on balance this month, I am committing to eating fewer carbohydrates, drinking less wine, and making more items from scratch.
Like Oprah (and the rest of the world, basically), I love bread. I don’t want to never eat a baguette again, but I could take it easy for a few weeks.
When I want to cut back on drinking wine, I typically try and be more mindful about why I’m drinking. Drinking after work or drinking while cooking oftentimes becomes my habit. I find, however, if I pause for a moment before reaching for the wine, I typically make a different choice. Balance requires mindfulness, something that I definitely lost sight of during the last few months.
Making food at home is always my priority, but I’m actually working hard to cook even more. I am horrible about making breakfast, but it really is an important part of a balanced diet. If Sal and I do not eat breakfast, we are prone to “extreme snacking” before dinner. By getting up a bit earlier each day, I have time to make breakfast, which helps to curb snacking later in the day.
If you follow my Instagram stories, you know I love making homemade chicken stock. I’ve now branched out to homemade mayonnaise. My best friend Christina is a goddess of home cooking and always shares recipes with me. I always say I’m going to make them right away, but typically wait months before actually making them. It’s not because I don’t believe the recipes with be good, it’s more that I’m a creature of habit. I’m a devotee to a number of cooking blogs and so is she. When she introduces me to a new blogger, it takes me time to try someone or something new.
She’s been making her own mayonnaise for a while now, and I finally tried it. Not only is it extremely simple to make, but it tastes like silky heaven. Seriously. You have to try this stuff. It will blow your mind and make you reevaluate everything you thought you knew about mayonnaise. I used this recipe for Whole30 mayonnaise. My next new recipe will be bone broth. Christina has been raving about it for months, so I am aiming to try it soon (which could mean like six more months, but still).
While I have started experimenting more with my own recipes, I primarily stick to recipes from a small number of trusted sources. My favorites are:
I’ve recently discovered:
I’ve been reading about Whole30, and Paleo, but I don’t want to commit to any one plan. I like a lot of the philosophies and recipes associated with these lifestyles, but I want the freedom to pick and choose between them. I also can’t give up my morning coffee with milk and sugar.
Bring on the New Year
Unlike some diet modifications, I’m actually excited to eat a bit more mindfully in the new year. I like the way I feel when I eat homemade meals most of the time and I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen. My best life is a balanced life. To me, this means eating nutritious and satisfying meals most of the time. Does it mean never eating ice cream again? Not a chance.
Note: I’m not a dietitian, chef, or medical professional. I’m just a woman who has spent a lot of time thinking about food and how it affects me. I love sharing my personal experience, but it should never replace the advice of an expert.
Hilary says
Love this information. Can’t wait to try homemade mayonnaise!
Nickie says
I think you will really love it. I keep trying to figure out ways to put it on/in everything.
Marla | Because I Said So Baby says
Nothing beats homemade chicken stock!
Nickie says
I couldn’t agree more! It took me a bit to start making it, but now I’m obsessed. It helps that I also became obsessed with roasting whole chickens, so I always have bones around.