Annyshay Takes Up Her Quill

[annyshay]

Annyshay stumbles into her home and lets her pack fall heavily to the ground. Dragon greets her with his usual warmth and demands to be fed. Once Dragon's needs are attended to, Annyshay sheds her cloak and boots. She sinks into her well-worn chair and reaches for the scroll emblazoned with "For the Rebellion!" She sighs as some scenes from the last few weeks flash in front of her eyes - political unrest, friends consumed by despair, and harsh words that cannot be unsaid. The flashes of memory threaten to fill her mind with regret and worry, but Dragon jumps onto her lap and tries to insert his muzzle between her hand and the scroll. This movement reminds Annyshay of her intention, so she repositions Dragon and opens the scroll. She moves past her brooding to share these moments with her friends in the Rebellion. As always, the scroll lets her share in the struggles and victories of her fellow rebels. An all-too-familiar thought comes to her - you will never change. Annyshay notes the thought and renews her commitment to be the author and editor of her own legend (follow the link to my battle log and backstory), instead of heeding the thoughts that have so often overpowered her. She scratches Dragon's chin, takes up her quill, and begins to write...

 

 

Quest the first - Post Daily on NF

My rebels are my tribe. I value all of your kind words and love. Whenever I stay away from NF, I cut off my support system. That's the worst plan. Time to re-establish the habit of showing up here each day.

 

Quest the second - Journal about Eating

Nutrition is a big challenge for me, as my body composition currently shows. This is largely rooted in emotional eating driven by chronic stress. No diet or habit tweaks will complete this boss battle if I am not willing to examine myself without judgment and address my boss battle's root causes.

 

Quest the third - Mindful Moments

I'm stealing this from Headmaster Amy Clover of Strong Inside Out. Basically, I take a moment before any eating to check in with myself.

 

Quest the fourth - Choose Love

Cynicism and bitterness are natural responses to the challenges we rebels face, but with Jesus' help I will choose to act out of love. Love will be my modus operandi and will inform my choices instead of fear, anger, or despair.

[annyshay]

I'm experimenting with how to use my battle log and my challenges, again. I think I'll do more journaling here and keep the hard cold facts in my battle log. Battle log posts will approximate those under the spoiler.

 

Daily Log - 11/27/2016

Spoiler

 

Established Habits
X move all joints
X quiet time with God
X healthy breakfast
X meditate
X no screens in bedroom

 

NF Challenge Goals
X post on NF
X journal about eating
X mindful moments
X choose love

 

Today's Tasks
X get home
X unpack
X post new challenge
X sign out from Emily
- handstands
X pay bills

 

Eating journal
- so hungry for dinner
- distracted by Dragon
- said grace/mindful moment
- will attempt to be mindful
- distracted by tidying
- hungry late at night, so made a sweet potato with butter and pumpkin pie spice

 

 

[annyshay]

w1d1 = Week 1 Day 1

(Sunday, 11/27/2016)

 

Post Daily on NF - done

 

Journal about Eating

- breakfast was eggs, bacon, chocolate cake, and Earl Gray tea with my former roommate before I had to leave

- pinkberry peppermint chocolate froyo for second breakfast (was hungry, but wanted to have lunch later for time zone reasons)

- lunch was a chicken cobb salad (veggies!)

- iced tea and PB M&Ms for afternoon snack

- still was super hungry for dinner - said grace/mindful moment, distracted by Dragon and tidying, but returned to mindfulness
- hungry late at night, so made a sweet potato with butter and pumpkin pie spice

 

Mindful Moment - only remembered before dinner

 

Choose Love - listened to my hunger without judgment and tried to make reasonable choices

 

Travel makes me hungry. Not a bad start!

[Mrs Van]

reporting for support and friendship duty pleasure

[annyshay]

11 hours ago, elizevdmerwe said:

reporting for support and friendship duty pleasure

Welcome friend! Love your new avatar by the way. You have an awesome smile!

[Lightning]

What a lovely challenge!  You are so, so right about Nerd Fitness being a support system.  I'd do well to remember that myself.

 

Congrats on a solid day 1.  The sweet potato sounds like a great snack.

[Mrs Van]

2 hours ago, annyshay said:

Welcome friend! Love your new avatar by the way. You have an awesome smile!

Aww, thank you! ***Hugs***

[Elastigirl]

Love all your goals. I love sweet potatoes with pumpkin pie spice!

[annyshay]

9 hours ago, Lightning said:

What a lovely challenge!  You are so, so right about Nerd Fitness being a support system.  I'd do well to remember that myself.

 

Congrats on a solid day 1.  The sweet potato sounds like a great snack.

So tasty. Glad to see you're starting the challenge early too.

7 hours ago, elizevdmerwe said:

Aww, thank you! ***Hugs***

*HUGS*

7 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Love all your goals. I love sweet potatoes with pumpkin pie spice!

Right? So tasty!

[annyshay]

w1d2 - Post Daily on NF - done

 

Journal about Eating

- Breakfast - mindful moment, slightly distracted by posting on NF, quite hungry so made three eggs... still hungry...
- had sardines and peanuts for second breakfast, much better
- ate my lunch at 2:30 - quickly without a mindful moment, had 3 sugar cookies
- ate two bags of Fritos (headache, still typing, Emily disgruntled)
- bought a bag of dark chocolate sea salt caramels at Wedge... ate them while doing meal prep
- dinner of steak and green beans, mindful moment, grace, very tasty

 

Mindful Moment - breakfast and dinner

 

Choose Love - instead of stewing about less than perfect food choices, I used that energy to go grocery shopping, meal prep (chop all the greens), and make butternut squash soup. Yum!

[Akura]

18 hours ago, annyshay said:

had sardines and peanuts

 

Together?

[Mad Hatter]

Lovely goals!

[Lightning]

The moment I read that you were still hungry after the eggs I thought "add some fat".  Then I saw that you did exactly that AND it worked.  Maybe more yummy fats will help with the Snacking Boss battle?  Fat bombs help me get back on track so that is just my 2 cents.  That being said...stress eating and an 'all or nothing attitude' are my two biggest boss battles.

 

Great job using your energy to get some food prep done.  Loading up on vegetables and food prep is part of my master plan too.  

[annyshay]

5 hours ago, Akura said:

 

Together?

In close succession? Fats. Like Lightning said.

 

3 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

Lovely goals!

Many thanks!

3 minutes ago, Lightning said:

The moment I read that you were still hungry after the eggs I thought "add some fat".  Then I saw that you did exactly that AND it worked.  Maybe more yummy fats will help with the Snacking Boss battle?  Fat bombs help me get back on track so that is just my 2 cents.  That being said...stress eating and an 'all or nothing attitude' are my two biggest boss battles.

 

Great job using your energy to get some food prep done.  Loading up on vegetables and food prep is part of my master plan too.  

Yes. Veggies + Fats = Winning. Ideas for portable fat bombs?

[annyshay]

w1d3 - Post Daily on NF - done

 

Journal about Eating

- Breakfast - mindful moment, no distractions, very tasty
- 1/2 bagel with cream cheese in mid-morning
- lunch with attending, no mindful moment, 1 sugar cookie
- leaving lunch she told me not to have a cookie... sort of struck me the wrong way even if I know she meant it kindly
- dinner mindful moment, watching superhero TV, glass of wine 

 

Mindful Moment - breakfast and dinner

 

Choose Love - had a low key evening since many of the others this week will be busy

[Lightning]

1 hour ago, annyshay said:

 

Yes. Veggies + Fats = Winning. Ideas for portable fat bombs?

 

 

 

A lot of my fat bomb recipes need refrigeration because they have coconut oil or cream cheese. Pizza fat bombs with cream cheese, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes and shreds of pepperoni. Lots of almond butter based treats.  http://dietketo.com/keto-food/fat-bombs/  (I freeze them so they last longer outside of refrigeration).  I also use avocado a lot.

 

Items that don't really need refrigeration....

My favorite are Cheese crisps (little mounds of shredded cheese baked on parchment paper).  

Homemade "granola" with nuts and coconut http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/crock-pot-grain-free-low-carb-sugar-free-granola/

 

 

Bullet Proof coffee or butter coffee/tea is another staple.  Night time is when I struggle the most so a cup of chai tea loaded with coconut milk and a little unsalted butter is amazing.  I use a hand held milk frother to make it foamy and delicious.  

 

@elizevdmerwe may have other ideas for portable fat bombs.  I'm trying to think of quick things since I know you are crazy busy.  But, if you want more recipes let me know. 

 

 

 

 

[Swampling]

Portable fat bombs (unless you are allergic, of course): nuts. 

[Mrs Van]

Glad you had a low key evening. They are so needed when you are always on the go.

I can't really add to Lightning's quick suggestions, and I need to actually jump in and make us some quick-to-grab fatty snacks again as well. What might help with "refrigeration" is if you have a smallish cooler bag with a freezer pack to keep your food in during the day. I do that with hubby's food (without the freezer pack) and they last as he is in an air-conditioned office every day (and you know South Africa's heat).
Oh, gluten-free pancakes! You can make a batch of them (flat, thin pancakes like crepes) and either add a bit of cinnamon sugar (1.5tsp per pancake), or other fillings like grated cheese, fish, finely diced nuts with maybe fruit or even veg. Then roll them up.

Or if you have a bit of time, make fish cakes with the tins of fish (sardines, salmon, tuna), freeze and take out the morning when you pack your lunch, or have them ready for breakfast. The fish with coconut/almond flour, eggs, etc. will definitely keep you full for longer.

Oh and a sweetish fat-bomb are the microwave chocolate cup-cakes. You literally mix everything in a mug, put in mw for 1min. and you have a chocolate treat. It consists of desiccated coconut (or flour), an egg, cacao and 1tsp sugar. I'll have to look it up as well. AND cacao helps with serotonin release, which helps you to calm down, without the high of lots of sugar, which negates that hormone release.
I'll look up the recipes for you, as I've got them written down, but lost my internet links. Unfortunately some preparation has to go into most of the things, but it saves time for later in the week, as it is then ready to grab and go.

[Lightning]

18 hours ago, elizevdmerwe said:

Oh, gluten-free pancakes! You can make a batch of them (flat, thin pancakes like crepes) and either add a bit of cinnamon sugar (1.5tsp per pancake), or other fillings like grated cheese, fish, finely diced nuts with maybe fruit or even veg. Then roll them up.

 

Oh and a sweetish fat-bomb are the microwave chocolate cup-cakes. You literally mix everything in a mug, put in mw for 1min. and you have a chocolate treat. It consists of desiccated coconut (or flour), an egg, cacao and 1tsp sugar. I'll have to look it up as well. AND cacao helps with serotonin release, which helps you to calm down, without the high of lots of sugar, which negates that hormone release.

 

2

 

Love making crepes with coconut flour as a weekend breakfast.  I put warm berries inside and roll them up.

 

I'd like that coconut flour mug cake recipe.  I've seen several but, its hard to know which recipes are actually good.  @elizevdmerweIf you have one you like please share.

 

[Mrs Van]

Chocolate Mug-cake: makes 1 cake

1x egg

1tsp vanilla essence (5ml)

1Tbsp melted butter (15ml)

1 Tbsp cacao (15ml)

2 Tbsp desiccated coconut (30ml)

1-2 Tbsp sugar (or sweetener to taste - I use a flat tablespoon because it is otherwise too sweet)

1/2 tsp baking powder (2.5ml)

 

Mix all together. Put in a biggish (tall) mug because it boils up high. Heat in microwave for 2min.

 

Paleo Crepes: makes +-4-6 crepes

2 Tbsp coconut flour

4 large eggs

1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted over low heat

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp coconut oil for cooking

 

Mix together flour and eggs, till no lumps remain.

Add coconut oil and water and mix thoroughly together.

Heat coconut oil in pan/skillet over medium-low heat.

Scoop 1/4 cup of the batter onto the skillet to spread the batter to the edges of the pan.

Cook until small bubble form and burst on the surface of the crepe, then flip and cook the other side, 4-5 min total.

Transfer crepe to a plate.

Repeat with remaining batter and serve.

[annyshay]

Droooooooooooool.

[lucky fire dragon]

Beautiful challenge by beautiful Lady!

 

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts, also in your battle log, they helped me regain a lot of my why's and what's important, too 

Aiming to be steadier support again

[Lara]

Following! 

[Son of Rylos]

Now that's I've finished getting lost in the Forest, it's time to come back and watch all the successes that I know you have in you!!  

[Elastigirl]

How's it been going?