How’s your month going?
I’m not usually a fan of January. I’ve always hated the New Year’s hype, along with its unrealistic expectations and pressure to “make change happen…NOW.” (You probably know by now how I feel about New Year’s resolutions.)
The second half of January might be one of my favorite times of year, though.
With the New Year’s insanity behind me and the rest of the first month of the year still to come, I can finally get back to basics and “reset” for the year.
(Funny thing is that the basics feel like indulgences now rather than chores. Isn’t it great how things just flow when we take a little pressure off?)
Here are some of the “basics” I’m focused on right now.
- Water. I’m all about water at the moment: drinking water, breathing water, soaking in water. In the winter, it’s easy to forget how important water is to our body’s overall happiness. The air is dry, but we don’t feel thirsty in the cold. So I make more of an effort to drink up – sometimes plain water, sometimes herbal or green tea. I occasionally add Nuun All Day to my water if I want a little kick of flavor, too. (Go easy though. Nuun All Day has vitamins added. If you’re taking other vitamins, check to make sure Nuun All Day won’t send you over your daily dosage.) Humidifiers are GREAT for making the dry, heated air in your home more comfortable to breathe (no more waking up with a scratchy throat!). Not only that, but the flu virus prefers dry and cold conditions; so I figure a little moist air couldn’t hurt. And oh, the joys of soaking in a warm tub or snuggling up in bed with a hot water bottle at your feet. Love.
- Breakfast. I love breakfast any time of year (and encourage you to eat breakfast every day if you don’t already…here’s why). Recently, I’ve been experimenting with different options, just to see what makes me feel my best right now. Oatmeal with almonds and apples. Scrambled eggs with chives. Smoothies with berries, bananas, and greens (a little too chilly for my taste most mornings). Beans and veggies. I even had fish for breakfast the other day (okay, so it was fried catfish for brunch at a Southern restaurant, but whatever). It’s a good time to get out of whatever breakfast rut you might be in and see if something else might make you feel even better.
- Lovin’ my bod. I’m also experimenting with different “body care” routines. I recently added FlyBarre – a strength training workout with elements of weight training, Pilates, yoga, and ballet barre – to my regular exercise schedule. I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to strength training – I’m more of a cardio girl; but strength training is so important for increasing metabolism and protecting joints…I’m glad I finally found something I like. I’ve also started getting regular acupuncture treatments, something I’ve wanted to try for some time. As my acupuncturist, Inderjeet Ramgotra, says: “Life is more comfortable with acupuncture.” So far, I couldn’t agree more.
- Winter cooking. Fresh produce is hard to come by this time of year (at least in the northern hemisphere); so I’m finding as many ways to use apples – available pretty much all year from cold storage – and root vegetables – like beets, carrots, and potatoes – as possible. Apples in my oatmeal. Apple slices dipped in almond butter. Diced apples sautéed with onions, garlic, chicken sausage, cooked farro, and a little sprinkle of red pepper. (Found that little recipe on the back of a Trader Joe’s 10 Minute Farro bag the other day. It was yummy!) Carrots and other root veggies make great stew material. Check out my quick “recipe” for winter stew at the bottom of this post.
- “Visioning.” I bought a big wall calendar the other day, the kind that lets you see the whole year at once. I’m using it mostly for business planning, but I’ve also added the weeks I’ll spend in NYC and other possible times for vacations and other travel adventures. Every couple of days, another idea pops into my head – either business or personal – and I add it to the calendar. Each time I shuffle something, my year – and my priorities for it – become clearer. It’s like a Vision Board for Miss Practicality. 😉
- Connections. My “word of the year” for 2013 is Abundance. Part of creating the kind of abundance I mean is connecting with the communities of which I’m a part – like women business owners through CRAVE, fitness lovers through Flywheel, health professionals through industry events, neighbors at the coffee shop where I hang out a few days a week – and with friends and family more often. This means going to events even when I’d rather be curled up on my couch hibernating. It means taking the initiative to plan outings with friends so all they have to do is show up. It means factoring other peoples’ schedules into my travel plans so I’m sure to see them when I’m in town. And it means disconnecting from electronic devices at least one day a week (I call it “Screen Free Saturdays”), so I can have more uninterrupted time with people I care about.
What’s one thing you’ll do this week to “get back to basics”? Share it in the comments.
P.S. Only 3 days left to register for 6 Weeks to Effortless Eating & Ultimate Self Care! If you’re tired of second guessing everything you put in your mouth, don’t wait. It’s time for you to feel confident, energized, and in control of your food choices every day. I’d be honored to have you!
Lara’s Winter Stew
Serves 2 – 3. Prep Time: 30 minutes
Note: This “recipe” is pretty free form and designed for experimentation. You really can’t mess it up!
- Saute chopped onions and minced garlic with olive oil in a soup pan until soft.
- Add additional chopped veggies like carrots, red bell pepper – really whatever you have on hand – and saute for another minute or two.
- Add some spices to complement the flavor of your main ingredient – bay leaf and fennel go well with white beans; or try bay leaf and rosemary with chicken – and saute for another few minutes. (Pick up a copy of The Flavor Bible for an amazing “encyclopedia” of flavor combinations!)
- Add 2 cups of water or vegetable stock along with cubed potatoes.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add some cooked chicken or a can of beans and gently re-heat. (You could also throw in some leafy greens like spinach, chard, or kale at this point if you like.)
- Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Enjoy!
