is comparing yourself to others a good thing?

hey hey buddies. it's tuesday, jess!

i had a bombtastic day today. i acted like a blob all morning, read a little, went out to lunch with christie from honoring health (again! love her!), and knocked out a killer strength training workout.

yep. all in a days work :)

just a quick thought for you all tonight... i was reading some older posts from two awesome blogs and came across posts about how many calories they consume.

usually, i'm not really into other people's diets, but that day it struck a chord with me. i guess i was blown away by how active these girls are, and how little calories they actually ate (compared to me).

my first reaction was intrigue. they are both so healthy, and their diets really seem flawless! i'm amazed at their endless creativity and dedication to health.

... but then, i started internalizing. you know, comparing myself.

i started thinking about how beautiful and active these girls are, and how i move so much less, but eat so much more! it blew my mind.

i wouldn't say it made me uncomfortable, but i definitely had a few moments of uncertainty. how could this be? am i eating the right amount? am i overeating? 

i quickly came to a shocking conclusion: i am not either of them.

brilliant, i know. the important fact i lost sight of was that we are all unique. what's good for me may not be good for you, or anyone else for that matter. we are individuals, and we require different things to feel and look our best.

i know what i normally eat, and if i was to eat less, i would definitely lose weight that i don't want to lose. if someone else ate like me, however, they might gain or lose weight. or just feel like crap. or be bored. or not think i have very good tastes in snacks. whatever.

it was eye-opening, to say the least. i realized even when i think that i've conquered a weak area, i can always be taken off guard! i'm not immune to insecurity, that's for sure.

so i decided to do my own "day of food" post.

this is not meant to encourage more comparison. please, don't look at me as the standard. i'm quite the opposite, actually.

it's meant to be a declaration of self-acceptance: i am rebekah. this is what i eat, and i'm totally ok with that.

let's get started, shall we?

5:05am - must. drink. water. now.

5:31am - oatmeal time! oatmeal time! oatmeal time!

in the mix: chocolate chia tahini oats. yum.

6:00am - decaf coffee (and assume i am pounding water the rest of the day from here out)

9:20am - post-run recover smoothie (recycled picture, i ate too quick!)

in the mix: hemp protein, hemp milk, banana, strawberries, blueberries, + spinach

p.s. - you can tell it's finally daylight! lol.

11:40am - leftover amaranth savory pancakes

mix it up! try substituting leftover cooked grains in your next pancake recipe. blend them up a bit in the food processor first if you like a smoother texture.

+ snow peas and copious amounts of (unpictured) carrots

intermission: i just had to show you guys this shelf on our freezer.

i love my little brother! he's 16... can you tell?

1:30pm - gala apple + almonds + rooibos tea

second intermission: look at my mom's cute plants!

2:06pm - second snack. because apparently the first one wasn't enough.

(on a book up for review - coming soon!)

4:07pm - dinner, part one.

mom's homemade whole wheat bread + homemade hummus

5:15pm - leftover baked potato + homemade 3-bean chili

... where are my leafy greens today???

taa-daa! y'all sleepin' yet?

who cares what everyone else does? you are really quite lovely just how you are.

i want you to look at your body and what you eat, and promise not to judge yourselves, either. deal?

-rebekah

passover dinner eats!

do you guys celebrate passover and easter?

although i'm a baptist, i got the pleasure of participating in my very first passover seder (educate thyself). i'll try to explain the experience correctly, but please let me know if i'm not accurate!

my friend hunter's dad is a converted jew, and invited a few of us over to celebrate his heritage. we read the traditional passover Haggadah, which is basically the passover story from the book of Exodus.

clearly we're super-traditional/reserved about this meal.

i'm on the end with two friends, new to me (me, sarah, andrew)

the group, some serious, some... not so serious :)

i had never heard of the seder plate before, but what an experience. we read the story of the israelites and the suffering they endured, and how it symbolized the story and suffering of christ.

each part of the story had a symbolic food we added to our plates: bitter herb, drops of wine, charoset (apple salad), lamb bone, parsley, and an egg.

sidebar: charoset is heavenly!

hunter's mom is an AMAZING decorator, and went all out for our meal.

it was gorgeous!

worth noting: the dessert table!

i brought the strawberry lemon curd trifle... so good. (recipe below!)

two new beautiful faces.

i tried to wear an easter color... and how cute is their wallpaper?

our "real dinner" was delicious, as well, but decidedly more modern:

grilled chicken

green beans and tomatoes

strawberry almond salad

sweet potatoes and baked apples

spoon rolls

and for heritage: jewish noodle kugel

the dessert menu:

chocolate eclair truffles

cannoli cake

jelly beans

my trifle

and chocolate covered matzos!

my plate - apples and sweet potatoes, strawberry salad, and green beans and tomatoes.

my seder plate.

the group:

nathan, andrew,

me, elisha, sarah, hunter, heather, and (another!) andrew

what better parting gift than a chocolate bunny!?!?!

strawberry lemon curd trifle:

y'all, i wish this sounded more impressive, but it was TOO easy!

remember that cake i botched royally the other day?

i saved the parts that baked all the way through in the freezer in a ziploc, figuring i could use them for strawberry shortcake sometime this summer. as it turns out, they were perfect in this recipe! score.

disclaimer: this recipe is neither nutritious or a clean eat. don't justify it, just enjoy it :)

recipe:

1 storebought/homemade/failed pound cake (mine was smitten kitchen's)

1 jar lemon curd (they sell this at my kroger in the international section)

2 pints strawberries + 1/2 c sugar

1 box instant pudding (i used classic vanilla because i already had it, but lemon, cheesecake, or vanilla bean would probably be amazing)

directions:

1. wash and slice up your strawberries in a bowl and mix with your sugar. let rest in the fridge until strawberries release juice (maybe an hour? i went shopping and came back to them when i got home!)

2. cube up pound cake into dice-sized chunks and reserve.

3. prepare your pudding mix as directed. RIGHT after so it hasn't set up yet, whisk in your lemon curd to combine.

4. layer it up! i layered enough pound cake to cover the bottom of the bowl, then added a third of the strawberries, then the pudding/curd mixture to cover. repeat two more times, ending with strawberries on top for show :)

serves eight college kids previously stuffed with passover dinner.

and randomly:

breakfast.

the best green smoothie i've ever made:

1 frozen banana, vanilla extract, green tea, ginger, hemp protein powder, 2 small carrots, packet stevia, frozen spinach, and xanthan gum.

and you guys? if you're jewish, is this tradition? if not, do you participate?

i really enjoyed my experience tonight. it was so nice to be able to participate in a part of culture i hadn't been exposed to yet, and to honor how my religion came into being (jesus was a jew).

and the eats were off the hook!

- r

a few eats, and product review

hello lovelies!

my computer crashed (AGAIN FIFTY THOUSANTH TIME!), so i lost a terrific post on dietary fat i had saved in a document for you guys. i will post that this week :)

how was everyone's weekend??? eat anything good?

mine was ok. i ate sushi, so how bad could it be!?

foodie review: coconut oil

first up, i HAD to share my favorite body product ever with you guys. i just recently got turned on to coconut, in body care and in food. i've been missing out!!! my lovely mother bought me some cocnut oil from wf a long time ago for my hair (when it was down to my belly button!), and i used it - once. i HATED putting thick, oily stuff in my hair and then SITTING around forever... anyone else against hair masks??? anyways, a couple of months ago i was looking for something to soothe my rough, wintery hands (thanks virginia weather) and out of desperation, i grabbed the jar and smoothed it on.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

thank you whole foods for saving my skin! i use it everyday now on my hands and feet during the winter to help rough skin. the oil absorbs into your skin, but protects you for days. try it please!

now, fooooooooooooooooooooooooooood.

friday night snack - homemade refried beans with jalapeno hot sauce and salsa! ole :). as my dipper, half of a leftover panera whole grain baguette (love 'em!)

om nom nom.

apparently, i was on a bean kick this weekend -

i think this was first lunch on saturday, but i lose track! bell peppers, beans, onions, tomatoes, raw almond butter... still working on that jar of nut butter!!!

made a salad for my sister... i'm the mastahh.

spinach, arugala, apple, sun dried tomatoes, crackers, carrots, mushrooms, and raisins.

snack on saturday night - strawberry-lime chai pudding!!!

frozen strawberries, chia seeds, juice from 1 lime, water, ice, stevia

and..........

because my brain is NOT FUNCTIONAL today, i can't really remember what else i ate. i had a big salad on saturday, and some sushi that wasn't earth-shattering, and a random pear.... i don't remember. sue me:)

and todayyyyyyyyyy,

i'm a really intelligent person and thought it would be cool if i went to the bathroom while i was microwaving my oats.

clearly, it was in fact, not cool.

however - the salvaged oats turned into this!

OIAJ!!!

i got them twice this week! i finally finished the trader joe's raw almond butter!

you guys don't even know. it's been in the fridge for probably 2 months... steadily getting less and less. i don't move too quick through the nut butters but i really enjoyed this one! i love the wholesome taste the raw nuts gives it (how lame am i?)

to make this beauty, i used this -

raw almond butter, waldon farms caramel, 1/2 cup oats, pinch salt, stevia, vanilla, and cardamom

twas sooooo tasty... even if i did christen the microwave.

hey, my momma taught me to share.

before church, i had an egg white wrap with avocado, scallions, and spinach.

you guys, i am SOOOO on a wrap kick right now. i seriously eat two a day.

also, an apple. yes, i ate the apple, but i forgot to take a picture until this point.

oops. i'm a greedy monkey.

HEAVENLY salad for first lunch. o.m.g............

feta, strawberries (YAY SPRING!), roasted chickpeas, red onions, salt, spinach, slivered almonds, and mandarin oranges.

(see the computer in the background? my dad's in IT and was desperately trying to remedy it's stupidity. no such luck.)

second wrap for second lunch.

hello, my name is rebekah, and i'm an addict.

the green innards - spinach, onions, garlic

innards already hiding in pan - sunflower seed butter, salt and pepper, quinoa, and kidney beans

viola - she is finished.

i love the ONE defiant bean that hopped out.

you go, girl.

so, there's some of my eats. i PROMISE i will start mixing it up some... i know you guys are tired of oats, wraps, and smoothies!

weekly workouts -

this week, i got in some really good workouts. two interval runs, three days of good full body lifting, and a chill day on the stationary bike.

the plan is to up my miles GENTLY as i get back into running shape so i can do some longer runs once the weather cooperates! keep me accountable, guys!

i hope you guys had a great weekend! since this month is eating disorder awareness month, i just want to let you guys know how BEAUTIFUL it is to be different.

you know that part of your body you hate? try looking at it in new eyes. it's yours, it works, and it's unique... what could be better? NO ONE ELSE has it!

- rebekah

this is a random post. you've been warned.

happy friday blogosphere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


first, i wanted to let you guys in on some things i had been thinking about randomly:
1. i am still really unfamiliar with blogger. please pardon my ignorance.
2. i haven't felt super the last couple days, so i have a few pictures, but not many.
3. i just got my computer fixed and back from the shop (i had been using my mom's) so i messed with my pictures on my edit software. so no, i don't normally photoshop my food :)
4. i have been reading a book called "Foods That Fight Pain" by Neal Barnard, M.D., so i will give you guys a little review in the future.

OK - the eats!
here's the deal with the eats. the meals i've eaten at home this week have basically all been the same... so i'll save you guys scrolling through 1098403 of the same pictures of oatmeal. basically, every day i've eaten oatmeal, a salad, a wrap, and some other stuff i took pictures of. so i've eaten more than what i put up... i just wouldn't insult you guys like that!

I DIGRESS. without furthur ado -

 

cinnamon caramel oats... made like wednesday's with egg whites. heaven!

then i was off to the gym for my last day of the week! it was a full body day, and it's safe to say now my FULL BODY feels it :)

 workout recovery - strawberry, peach, flax, hempmilk, carrot, spinach, ice!

again... any of you guys use hempmilk!? love it! i got it on sale at kroger for $1.99.

that's all the eats i have from yesterday (told ya it was a bad day.) i also ate amazing black bean soup, one of my kitchen sink salads, MORE oatmeal, an apple, and veggie wrap. i didn't take pictures 1) because i didn't feel like it, and 2) because you guys have seen them before!

and p.s. - i'm avoiding dairy because i think i'm sensitive to it... but last night i hadn't eaten NEAR enough calories, and i didn't feel like eating anything, so i kinda made myself eat something (check out the bottom of this post). i ended up eating reese's ice cream because i had craved peanut butter, but it was GROSS. i think i've lost my sweet tooth, which is helpful in avoiding sugar :)

on a more positive note, here's today's eats.

brekkie - i made an sweet-egg white burrito (wrap, egg whites, vanilla extract, stevia, pinch salt, cinnamon), but was so hungry i didn't take a picture. which is just as well because it looked gross... but tasted OMGGG.

a bit later, i made some cookies as a thank you to a friend of mine. he lent me his stephen king book "under the dome." it was pretty good! dark, but good. he is a creative writing major at vcu and wants to do a guest post soon! (he's also a closet foodie!)

BANANA-WALNUT (OR PEANUT) CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

(recipe courtesy of martha stewart, my changes in italics)

Makes about 3 dozen

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (i used an extra 1/2 c white flour)
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (i'm not gonna lie, i just dumped some in there)
• 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into 1/4-inch chunks (i used tj's semisweet baking bar)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (about 2 ounces), toasted (i used left over salted peanuts from my little sister's science project... hey, she didn't experiment with those!)
• (i also dumped in a about 1/4 cup white chocolate chips because they were sitting there from something my mom made last week)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flours, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add egg and vanilla; mix until combined. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chunks, and walnuts.
2. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers up to 2 days.

i have no idea what the junk i did to formatting of these, but here they are.