Tag Archives: craving

Squashing cravings, making sunshine

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After a busy day, I was hungry and while I have plenty of tasty options to cook in my freezer (fish, turkey, etc.), I was craving the squash creation I ate pretty much every other day this winter. So I made it and loved every bite.

I also just knew I was craving chocolate today and that something was going to need to be done about it. I had a few of the peanut m and ms I got for Easter this afternoon and some more after dinner. They might be perfection–nuts, candy, chocolate. I’m set!

I had a legit reason to dig in–it’s better than digging into the cake I made for tomorrow’s Sunday Funday dinner!

I was trying to recreate one I made a couple times when I was in the deep of my cake decorating obsession. Naturally, I’m a bit rusty. But I loved decorating this thing!

One rule I have for my cake decorating…

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You must make a mess.

The bigger the better!

This might be far fetched, but I think decorating cakes is a way for me to get in the zone. I felt the same way painting that mug yesterday. I always assumed my kind of “zone” would be sports or training. But I think it’s actually making something. Time to get down to work on that latch hook maybe? Or to learn how to crochet? It helped that I was just OKAY with having a handful of m&ms instead of feeling bad for sneaking a few here and there while I was decorating (something that I used to beat myself up over when I’d decorate them!).

I can remember too many times when I’d “overeat” and then end up feeling miserable, staying home, and beating myself up! Tonight I am going to keep my plans with friends, probably have a drink or two, and remember that it’s all about balance. I am not bingeing, I’m not eating all junk food all the time, and I don’t have to feel ashamed! Freedom.

What’s your favourite way to get crafty?
What kind of candy do you LOVE?


Spring is in the air and some injury insight

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It’s a BEAUTIFUL day. Regardless of the fact that Wednesdays are kind of a blah day — long, the middle of the week, things are starting to build up usually — I’m making today a happy one!

It helps when I get a glimpse of these every time I look down…

And when I started off my day by making homemade Clif bars of the chocolate coconut variety — inspired by Kath’s recipe for Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars but as always, with improvisation (stay tuned for my recipe, if they taste good!)…

I probably could have slept a bit longer, but whatever. I am tired but the sunshine’s giving me some energy.

I had this thought on the way to school today: “Today is kinda perfect…IF only I could run.”

Oh, then I told myself to SHUT UP. Today is perfect anyways. Running is ONE thing that I could do.

Nearly nine weeks into this hip injury, I am finally feeling like it’s resolving itself. There’s been lots of physio (but I should do more to commit to doing the work at home/on my own, admittedly) and plenty of tears and over-reacting about it. But there’s also been a lot of lessons:

  • I can be happy without running.
  • I am a better swimmer than I thought.
  • I’m still an athlete even when I’m not training as I’d like to be.
  • I have no core (see my post about this from yesterday).
  • I am not out of shape/lazy/fat for not running.
  • Not being able to train as much opens up free time to figure out where else I can find my happy, gave me time to spend with people I’ve been neglecting, and has kind of reignited my passion for living. Yeah that’s a big one!

And the latest addition to the insight list…I am CRAVING training. There is a big difference between CRAVING and feeling COMPULSIVE about this. I know in the past my compulsivity might have driven me to “test” my hip today–it’s nice out, it doesn’t feel “too bad”, and I wanna run–but now I realize something–that comes from an unhealthy place. Any time I feel like I have to run or train, it’s probably NOT the best thing. Exercise should be something we get to do, look forward to, and that no questions asked makes us feel better–not risks we will be hurt again. So yes, it’s tempting and I have a craving to train. But I can keep that desire in mind and save it for when I am recovered from this injury. Think about how awesome this summer is going to be — I have never WANTED to train so badly. This is HUGE. So sitting in the car I’d say I shifted that feeling of “if only…” to a feeling of excitement and anticipation. Success! :)

That’s all…for now, except a quote:

“Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Viktor E Frankl

What have you learned from an injury?
Have you ever tried making your own granola or energy bars? How’d they come out?
Are you enjoying some nice weather today?

Enjoy the sunshine–whether you’re running, walking, laying, sitting, whatever-ing–it feels good on your face!