Lauri-b

I got the idea for these brownies from a recipe for PB&J cookies but I am an evil genius when it comes to turning desert into a real guilty pleasure! Here is the recipe: 1 1/2 cups plain flour 1/2 t baking powder 1/4 t salt (omit if using salted butter) 1 13oz jar Nutella 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Chocolate Chips (I used about 3/4 of a bag) Cream butter, Nutella and sugar together. Add egg and mix well. Mix in dry ingredients. It will be thick, almost like a dough. Grease and flour a square pan, maybe an 8x8. Press half the mixture in the bottom of the pan. Cover with about half a bag of chocolate chips. Spread the rest of the mixture on top, covering the chocolate chips. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Enjoy!! You will need a fork- they are to ooey-gooey to hold in your hand!!

I'm in, but can someone explain the +1STA to me please? I don't understand what any of that stuff means!

I know the end of the school year can be crazy! It's okay that you have been struggling a little- it is a challenge after all!! Just keep going! Glad to hear you are healing well!

I am still amazed at how this mindfulness challenge is having a positive impact on me each day. Yes, I have lost weight ( I am down to 150.5 now!!) but I feel better and WANT to do better for my body. It really has lead me to understand the whole 'lifestyle change' idea. I am calmer and less stressed throughout the day, I am sleeping better and thanks to the yoga my body just feels more...comfortable? I mean I am not all stiff and creaky like I usually am. Also, I am not only mindful during my meals, but also about what my meals consist of. I have largely replaced my coffee with tea, though I still enjoy a cup of coffee if I want to. My breakfast on most days has been a green smoothie made of 1/2 a cucumber, half an avocado, spinach or other greens, a banana, water and two stevia packets. I enjoy it and it helps me feel really great!! I am still enjoying treats and sweets, like the Nutella Chocolate Chip Brownies I made yesterday, but instead of hogging the entire pan like I usually would, I had one brownie, enjoyed it and went on with my day. I really usually make myself sick from eating so much in one sitting when I have something sick, but yesterday was the first time in a long time that I haven't. It hasn't been much longer than a week, so I am really excited to see how I feel at the end of this challenge!

I am usually a coffee junkie but since adding in a green smoothie in the morning I was able to stop drinking it! It sounds like you are making great progress on the headstand already, only 80 degrees more to go!

Well, I took all my measurements this morning. The tape measure showed a loss of about 1/8 of an inch in my hips, but that is really too close to call. I have however lost 3 pounds! Also, I feel like I have been in a better mood and have been much calmer during the day. That means more patience with my little ones which has helped us all have a better week! I do believe I am a full one meditation and yoga addict! I have also started having a wonderful green smoothie for breakfast and cut out coffee. I am loving this challenge and I am feeling great!!

Yoga and meditation have been helping me tremendously! I have bee much more relaxed during the day and my mood has improved in the evening. I tend to get grumpy because I am tired at the end of the day. I have still been tired (that is unavoidable with breast feeding and starting my day around 4 a.m.) but I have dealt with it much better. I have enjoyed my meditation so much I actually meditated for nearly 10 minutes this morning! I feel like I am not doing as well with mindful eating but I am improving. Stopping when I am full is difficult for me not matter what I am eating- whether it is broccoli or chocolate. However, I have been eating much less and not binging in the evening. So far so good! I am not striving for perfection, just improvement!

Thank you for the advice- I know I am still recovering. It is just difficult at times to be patient because I am so self conscious! But that is why I started this challenge. I am hoping to gain a better awareness and a more positive view of my body, not just for me, but for my daughter as well. I know that no matter how hard I try to hide it, those insecurities can rub off on someone so impressionable!

I started this challenge officially on Sunday, which went well. I meditated and did 30 minutes of yoga- both of which flew by! I felt great and did an excellent job of listening to my body. I ate when I was hungry and did so slowly, really focusing on my food. Of course, things are always much easier when my husband is home to watch the kids long enough for me to take some time out. Yesterday I was not home all morning then my daughter came home from school early as these are the last two days of the school year. (She just graduated Pre-K! I am super proud!!) I am excited to have her home more, but it will take a re-adjustment of my daily routine. I tried doing yoga and meditating in the evening yesterday and it really did feel so good because there is too much going on then. I finally decided that I have to get this done in the morning before the kids are awake, or if I am lucky enough for them to nap at the same time. Yesterday was also rough in the eating department. I knew it would be because I had promised to bring a dessert for my daughter's last day of school party. I made these treat that are like rice crispy treats but are Smore's style. Delicious. I did really well by only eating half of one. I was satisfied and knew my body had enough. Then the evening came and I knew they were there and eventually broke down and ate another even though it did not make m body feel good. The evening has always been difficult for me. I think I get tired and just have an urge to pig out even if I am already completely stuffed! I don't expect to make any more treats like that during this challenge. If I do have a treat, I think I will have something away from home so there are no left overs to tempt me. I am not going to dwell on my mistakes because this type of thing requires practice and I am sure I will get better at eating intuitively! Anyway, today has started out great! I actually did about 8 minutes of a free guided mediation I found here: http://www.soundstrue.com/guide/meditation/#!state_list_page So I am starting this day feeling great and I think I am going to do a short ten minutes of yoga because I have a few extra minutes.

I'm in Texas so I get your struggle with the heat. We try to get out early in the morning and late in the evening! Good luck with this challenge!

I like goal #4 too! I tend to get stuck in the house with school and house work but now that summer is here I am going to be out in the garden! Good luck with this challenge!

Congrats on finishing your student teaching! Music at the primary level sounds like a lot of fun! I know my student teaching will be challenging but I am eager for that experience in a classroom. I have only seen bits and pieces, short group lessons mostly, because I have completed the majority of my courses online to stay at home with my children. That's the biggest challenge- my youngest will only be 5 months old when I start my student teaching! But I know it will be worth it!

Thanks for the tip! A mantra sounds like a good thing to use if I am having a rough day! I did my second meditation yesterday and I actually don't find it all that difficult! I was surprised! I read something that said to acknowledge your thoughts without judgment then trap them in a bubble and let them float away. I think it helps. But mostly I just visualize my breathe. I guess I have a pretty great imagination and I can kind of 'see' my breathe as swirling colors and shapes! I also feel so good afterward I am planning on trying 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening today!

I feel the same way!! I have to fight with myself a little and remind myself I can eat more later when I am hungry! I think I actually end up eating about half or, more often, less than half of what I usually eat! It's amazing. I am hoping mindful eating is one of those things than gets easier as I practice it. Thanks for replying, it is always good to know you are not alone in whatever challenges you face, even if it is just not over eating!

I start in the fall. I am very nervous but very excited!!