If you're "Hangry" and you know it.

Hi friends!  Can we chat today?  Too bad we can't all fit around my dining room table.  THAT would be the best!  Let's pretend  like those pretty sparkles in the picture above aren't from the extreme dust on my table and lean in close.  I've known I needed to write this post for months.  Even today I tried to get out of it.  I could hear God prompting me to write.  I quickly told Him that I'd written heart-felt post after heart-felt post and didn't the Rosy Life readers need a break?  Something light-hearted and funny? 

Then He brought to mind the faces of dear people who have asked me about this topic specifically.  The silence that has followed because I've been too nervous to put myself "out there" again.  So with a nervous "yes, Lord" here I am.  Let's talk food.  And health.  And weight.  And being "hangry"....which makes me laugh every. single. time. I read it.  

The definition of "hangry" is: hungry and angry, especially when the anger is induced by the hunger.

Let me tell you how I went from a bad case of the hangries, to happy and healthy. 

 I've written about food before and I find it interesting that it is one of the MOST asked about topics and most read and most pinned.  Generally those stats don't matter a lick to me.  But in this case, it tells me that people are hungry....for more than just real-life food.  I am most passionate about living a healthy lifestyle (whatever that looks like for you) for several reasons. 

One is that I truly thought food was my answer for a bad day or week, or stressful moment for too many years of my life. I can vividly remember a moment in college where I was let down by my then-boyfriend.  I was very upset and immediately opened some kind of snack food to keep from crying.  A small moment, but as I look back now-a sad one, and not because of the boyfriend either.  Sad that I didn't know there were other options for coping. Prayer, jogging, reading a book, calling a friend, taking a nap or bath...putting a new cd on, engaging in ART, the list goes on.  

I just didn't have that knowledge at the time and it took me a long, long time after that to get where I am now.  Also, my girls are watching me.  They are watching my every move and learning what I eat, when I eat, and why I eat.  They know when I exercise and when I don't.  I feel like I'm instilling ideas for success or a lot of heartache in them right now, at even such a tiny age.

(isn't this picture hilarious and cute?!)

And so, food and health matter to me.  I can say that 90% of the time I'm free from emotional eating.  I still struggle occasionally, specifically when I'm upset about something.  I'm praying to be 100% healed.   I still don't believe in starving oneself, or constantly putting oneself down.  I've been a number of sizes in the last five years, especially since having the girls so close together.  I'm at my most healthy self now but I am just as confident as I was 15 pounds heavier.  

 With that said, I have become a lot more strict with what I eat.  I was finding that even though I was a healthy weight I wanted to crash every single nap time and my stomach wasn't feeling too hot from what I was eating.  It was a bloated, yucky feeling almost every day.  This motivated me to change. Also, I like when my clothes fit better and working my stress out through jogging.  It leaves me feeling less anxious, energized, and strong.  

 What my "healthy" looks like now is a breakfast and lunch that stays consistent most days of the week.  I suppose it would be more fun to mix it up and perhaps I will soon.  But for now, I know what's working for my body as far as weight, energy levels, and feeling full.  If you want to know more specifically what I eat from day to day feel free to email me at sunshinebysara@hotmail.com

I'm being careful with my words here because I don't want someone thinking what works for me should work for them.  I believe our health journeys are all as different and unique as we are.  One size doesn't fit all.

 I've also upped the amount of water I'm drinking per day, after a month or two of being TERRIBLE about staying hydrated. I don't know about you, but when I get thirsty I instantly want to reach for the fattiest, most processed food I can find.  

 Oatmeal, smoothies, coffee (of course), fresh fruit and vegetables, hummus, almonds, Greek yogurt, Triscuits, cocoa powder, hot tea.....are all things I'm loving right now.

I love looking through Pinterest to find healthy recipes, or look at the cooking blog my sisters and I write, Thrice the Spice.

I usually treat myself on the weekends to dessert and a wonderful, un-healthy breakfast at least once.  We also eat out at least once on the weekends and I order what I want. 

Peanut M and M's will probably always be a weekend staple in my diet, no matter how healthy I think I am.  They're my favorite.  

 I've also gotten more disciplined about jogging each night. My goal is to jog 3 miles 4 or 5 days a week.  I actually do a combination of jogging/walking on the treadmill while the girls are sleeping.  I listen to music while I run (Katy Perry's ROAR really keeps me going).  

If I'm feeling sick and too run down I don't run.  A few times lately I've been so exhausted I was close to tears and I took those nights off.  I'm learning to choose kindness to myself over following a rigid schedule.

I'm not perfect, but I'm feeling so much better.  To be honest, I didn't know it was possible to feel good from what you ate, and not because it was a sugar rush.  I'm healthier and in better shape now than before I had kids.  Also something I didn't think could happen.  I'd heard so many times that people had kids and everything changed and they never lost the weight or got back to being healthy.  And I believed it.  I would look around at other examples of strong, confident, healthy women and think they just must have some trick up their sleeve that I didn't know how to get. 

It's not true.  What I've realized is that they are working hard, just like I am.  These gals exercise and try to cook healthy and mess up just like I do.  There's no trick up the sleeve, it's mostly just a lot of hard work.  

Hard work that feels happy and healthy....so I'm in.  I'm really enjoying food.  I can actually run longer than a minute now!  I'm doing things I never thought possible, health-wise. 

Most importantly, I'm learning to take care of the body God blessed me with and also give myself grace.   To me, food is one of the most silent sadnesses for women.  Comparing ourselves, hating ourselves, and never feeling like enough is sad.  I think it must grieve Jesus's heart.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made.  I am so thankful for a God who hasn't given up on me even though it's taken me 30 years to figure that out.  I'm thankful for a wide array of food that tastes delicious AND is good for me.   We have so much good to pick from and I'm not just talking the food. 

A little food for thought. 

If you have more questions or thoughts for me, 

leave a comment or feel free to email me. 

(see the "Contact me" tab above)

And now, let's eat!