Health and Wellness

Lunch Hacks for Lazy People Like Me

Posted by Erin — No Comments

In order to achieve some balance in my life, I want eat a little better. I mean who doesn’t right. It is a new year after all. However, this doesn’t only apply to the kinds of food I’m eating, but also eating at regular intervals.

Since I started working from home, I have to admit, I got into a really bad habit of eating lunch 2 out of 5 working days a week. This means that after a breakfast of coffee and maybe a bagel or a banana, I am waiting until dinner to eat and by then I’m famished from all the things that I accomplished that day.On the days that I was eating lunch, I was grabbing anything that was within my reach (ie donuts). This is not healthy, balanced, or a good example to set for my kids.

Part of my struggle with lunch, is I am the only one home all day and I’m working through lunch, taking my lunch break to go for a walk, or take care of another responsibility. I am trying to maximize the time I have while the kids are at school, so that when they are home, we can enjoy each other and not spend it doing other things.

Also, truth be told, I’m super lazy. To me it seems like a lot of effort to break out a bunch of stuff, dirty some dishes, heat something up, and put it all back again for one person. I know that is like the epitome of laziness, but I know I cannot be the only one who feels this way. Right? I hope. I mean, if that were the case, fast food restaurants and convenience foods would not be in business.

So, I made a list of Lunchtime Food Hacks for Lazy People Like Me that I think will help me get out of this skipping lunch rut.

1.) Make lunch when you make the kids lunches in the morning. Pack up a lunch for yourself too. Even though you may not be leaving the house, it is nice to just be able to grab pre-washed fruits and veggies and some cut up cheese right out of the fridge.

2.) Make lunches a week at a time. If you go on Pinterest, this is a hot trend right now. Take a few minutes on Sunday night to wash and cut up veggies, fruits, make a pasta salad, or pre-measure things in a container to grab and go.

3.) Pack up dinner leftovers in smaller containers. When you’re putting away leftovers after dinner, put lunch sized portions in smaller containers or even mason jars to reheat the next day.

4.) When prepping dinner, prep lunch too. Sometimes when I’m making fajitas or stir fry, I cut up additional veggies and then put them in a container to grab and go the next day. I already have the cutting board and knife and all the food out, I might as well chop away to save time later.

5.) Keep foods on hand that don’t need any prep. Clementines, apples, bananas, and greek yogurt are some of my favorite whole foods that take no time prep. They are already grab and go!

6.) Keep small sized containers, snack size resealable bags, mason jars, and other food storage solutions on hand.

7.) Double up recipes. This is one of my favorite tricks to do for meals like chilis or soups. I serve some for dinner, and then freeze the rest in smaller containers to thaw and eat for lunch.

This hacks have already helped me keep some balance in my life. I’m eating lunch again!

What are some of your favorite lunchtime hacks?

Mon
02 ^nd

Here’s to 2017 and No More Rules

Posted by Erin — 1 Comment

I stopped making resolutions a long time ago. When I did, New Year’s Resolutions honestly gave me more stress than actually helping me accomplish anything.

Resolutions to me feel like rules.

Lose weight. Read more. Save money. Get organized. Work more. Work less. Drink water. Less sugar. Write letters. Pray more. Write more. Watch less TV. Do this. Do that.

All of these pressures made me feel like I was back in Catholic School trying to remember the uniform code. Longer skirts. Tucked in shirts. Socks pulled up. No earrings. No makeup. No patch pockets. No gym shoes. I don’t need to put more pressure on myself to follow a laundry list of rules as if there is some sort of “New Year’s Nun” who is marking my accomplishments and failures somewhere.

I am all about efficiency. Which is why this whole word of the year thing has grabbed my attention. I like the idea of focussing on one word in every area of my life, and this way I’m not distracted, I stay focussed, and I feel more accomplished at the end of the year. ONE WORD is way more efficient than a bunch of rules.

I also feel that focussing on one word is a much more positive way to approach the year than with being constantly worried that I am not living up to a list of long expectations each and every day. Even if I apply living out my word in only one area of my life each day, at least I accomplished something.

So, now, I bet you’re wondering what The Word is.

Drumroll….

The past year was kind of a whirlwind for me, and while my family and I are blessed with many opportunities to remain busy, it is time to strike some balance amongst this chaos. I specifically chose this word, because I can apply it to every area of my life. Whether it applying it to my health…

…or striking a good balance amongst all my other goals. It is time to find some balance so not only am I more physically and emotionally healthy, but also the people I love most are taken care of too.

Happy 2017, readers! I hope you find some BALANCE too.

Tue
03 ^rd

One Week at a Time {FREE PRINTABLE}

Posted by Erin — No Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DailyRepairDifference #CollectiveBias

When I was ~~young~~ younger, I used to be an all or nothing type of person. If I was trying to lose weight, I would be eating, exercising a couple of times a day, and going to bed early. If I was taking a class, I would be doing all the assignments including extra credit and cramming every night. If I was working toward any sort of goal, it was all or nothing with me. Now, that I am ~~old~~ older, I have learned that this sort of living has become exhausting, and often left me burning out way too fast. This is why I have decided to take one day at a time, which has lead me to one week at a time. With some inspiration from New Colgate Total® Daily Repair™ toothpaste, I have finally decided to make some small daily steps that have made a huge difference.

New Colgate Total® Daily Repair™ toothpaste can be found right in the tooth health aisle at my local Walmart.

When used every day, it can help to prevent gingivitis, plaque buildup, and can even remineralize teeth to prevent cavities. Just making the small change to New Colgate Total® Daily Repair™ toothpaste in my daily oral hygiene routine over my previous toothpaste, makes me feel like I am already taking better care of myself. I also have fresher breath too! You can follow Colgate on Facebook and Twitter for more information.

After making this small daily switch I was wondering what else I could do.

Even though I am the self proclaimed Thirsty Thursday queen and I love to make fun beverages, it was time for me to focus on staying hydrated the healthy way. So, I dedicated myself to drinking 64 oz of water a day for an entire week. Then, after completing that small goal, I decided I could add a few other small changes to my daily routine that when put together would really make a big difference.

I decided to add a little more exercise to my walking routine.

I replaced my 3 p.m. white chocolate mocha, or vanilla latte, or “hey, wanna bake cookies!” craving for a much healthier snack.

I made myself start going to bed a little bit earlier each night.

I thought in order for me to make some of these new changes into a real daily habit, it might be fun to keep track of them. I thought it also might keep me motivated to going down a size or adding a mile to my next walk. I made a cute printable for myself, and I am so excited to share it with my readers! Each week has a goal, and each day that a goal is completed I can check off the day. I even left a week where we can add our own goal.

Daily Challenge Printable — TO DOWNLOAD PDF CLICK HERE

What small steps do you take in your own life to make a big difference? What will you add to your Weekly Goal Printable? Will you drink a little more water? Will you add a salad at lunch? How about adding New Colgate Total® Daily Repair™ toothpaste to your daily oral hygiene routine? †Remineralizes enamel damage and helps prevent gingivitis with continued use.

Wed
28 ^th

Just Keep Going

Posted by Erin — 5 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. You must be 21+ years old to try Poise Impressa Bladder Supports. #MySizePoise #CollectiveBias

Many of my readers know that I gave birth to my three kids in a span of 33 months. When I look back to when my kids were babies, that time was a blur of nursing, changing diapers, laundry, and mom and tot classes.

I did have one solace after each my children was born, however, and that was exercise. Whether it be walking, running, or even doing a quick YouTube workout in the living room before everyone woke up; it really seemed to help with those baby blues and keep me motivated.

Among the plethora of other changes my body had gone through, I did notice after the birth of my second child, and a particularly long walk where I ended up ruining a favorite pair of yoga pants, that it was time to shorten my workouts. I couldn’t help having to hit a locker room or bathroom to change my yoga pants during my exercise routines. I guess when you have three kids that close together, you just keep going. In more ways than one.

Now, that the kids are older and have headed off to school, the actual time I have to workout is increasing, but out of fear, I had found places where I could exercise that have bathrooms nearby for when I felt I might leak. I would workout on the treadmill closest to the locker rooms at the gym, or I would walk on a loop close to home.

Then, I heard of Poise Impressa. On my weekly trip to Target I decided to check it out, and found it in the feminine hygiene aisle. Poise Impressa is not meant to absorb leaks, but meant to prevent them all together.

I started out by using the sizing kit, and learned which is the right size for me. I found out the size is not about how much you leak or how much you weigh. It’s about the best internal fit for you. Poise Impressa is inserted like a tampon. A woman can start with Size 1, and if she still leaks, move to size 2, then size 3 if necessary. Poise Impressa Bladder Supports are right for you if you leak urine when you laugh, cough, dance, sneeze, or if you are like me, when you exercise. If you leak urine when you have a sudden need or rush to urinate, Poise Impressa Bladder Supports are NOT for you. Try Poise liners and pads for Urge Urinary Incontinence. If you have SUI like me, however, you might want to try Poise Impressa.

Finally, I don’t have worry about changing my pants midway through workouts or shortening my time on the trail . My leaks have been prevented, and me and my yoga pants couldn’t be happier.

Now, I can just keep going. This time it’s not to the ladies room or locker room to change.

If you have shortened your workouts, or if reading about me ruining my yoga pants made you laugh so hard you ruined yours, check out the Poise Impressa sizing kit at Target and see what is the right size for you. When you find the size that is right for you, join the Poise Impressa Reward program for a $25 Promo Code for a Cloud9Living.com experience by submitting a testimonial of your experience with Poise Impressa.

Then, you will be able to keep going too.

Mon
08 ^th

Why You Should See The Eye Doctor Every Year and Some Gorgeous Iristocracy Frames

Posted by Erin — 2 Comments

Iristocracy will be compensating me for this post, but the thoughts, opinions & story I am sharing are my own.

When we ring in 2015, I will look back on 2014 on a year that was full of firsts, fun, and co-pays. While I know my family and I are blessed with good health, there have been a few scares, and now that I know more about what is going on I want to share with my readers a little bit about what happened.

I wear glasses for driving, and for seminars or class or going to church. Things like that. I have for about three years now. Every year, I get my eyes checked to see if there are any changes in my prescription. It is a once a year appointment.

This year, my optometrist noticed that my optic nerves were very swollen. She looked back in my chart and saw that she had made a note that she noticed that she had noted in my previous appointment that my optic nerves were slightly swollen the year before, but this year the problem seemed to get worse. She asked that I go see a specialist that day. She made an appointment for me to see an ophthalmologist nearby for a second opinion on my swollen optic nerves.

After a consultation with the ophthalmologist, he agreed that my optic nerves were indeed swollen and asked that I do a vision field test. This is basically test my peripheral vision. After this test, we found out there was a tiny bit of peripheral blindness.

If you’re like me, I bet you’re wondering what all this means. At this stage in the game, it can mean any number of things, and a lot more testing needed to be done. You see, a lot of health conditions can be diagnosed through your eyes, which is why it is so very important to see (see what I did there) your eye doctor every year. Swollen optic nerves and some loss of peripheral vision is known as papilledema and can be an early indicator for anything from brain tumors to multiple sclerolsis or it can be nothing at all, but it is important to have it checked out.

So, I was referred to a neurologist, and had an two MRI’s, a lumbar puncture, and a few more field vision screenings, and was diagnosed with a mild Psuedotumor. Apparently, the spinal fluid that my body makes is in excess and was putting pressure on my brain and therefore causing my optic nerves to also be swollen.

The prognosis is good. I am on a medication now, and have check ups with my ophthalmologist and neurologist. However, had this gone untreated, I could have lost part or all of my vision. My vision is fine, and my eyeglass prescription has only changed slightly. In fact, after a few months of being on the medication, my peripheral vision is back to normal.

Because of this though, I need some new eyeglasses. Last week, I was invited to attended the Sassy Moms in the City Back to School Media Soiree and Iristocracy was there. I, of course, made a bee line for their display because after the year I have had, I have been in search of the perfect pair of frames, and Iristocracy has some of the most gorgeous and trendy frames out there.

Photo courtesy of KH Photography

After trying on dozens of frames at the event and loving a pair of Jean Renos (seriously, how adorbs are these?).

I thought I would give their Virtural Look technology a try at home too just to make sure, the Jean Reno frames were the ones I like, and I do. They are so adorable, and for the first time in awhile, I took a selfie I love!

We all know that you have fulfilled your child’s school physicals, filled out all the forms, and gotten the vaccinations. Now, it is time to take care of yourself. Make your appointments, and get all of your check ups taken care of INCLUDING THE OPTOMETRIST. Please go to the eye doctor, and who knows you might end up with a cute new pair of frames from Iristocracy to boot.

If you like this post and would like to read more about all things domestic with a touch of humor, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write such as ChicagoNow or Chicago Parent follow Home Everyday on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Thu
10 ^th

Take Care: Goals for 2013

Posted by Erin — 12 Comments

So, since the rest of the blogosphere has shared goals for 2013, I thought I should join in on the fun. There is something about writing down goals, and declaring them to people that lights a fire in you to actually get some things done.

I tend to like themes. Theme gifts (like the wine Bridal Shower gift I put together), theme dinners (Mexican Night, Mom’s favorites, etc), theme parties (this was big during my college days), theme movie marathons (John Hughes is my favorite). So I thought it might be nice to have a list of theme goals for 2013.

The theme for 2013 is Take Care. When I say goodbye to people I typically say, “Take care!” and I really mean it. So this year, I thought I would go with this as my theme. Here goes:

1.) Take care of me! 2012 was a year of getting back on the wagon when it comes to eating things in moderation and getting back on track with fitness. I was able to run a few 5K races as well as an 8K and a 10K. Also, I was able to drop some pounds with healthy eating and cutting out some things that are not needed (daily coffee etc.). While I came a long way in 2012, I want to do even better in 2013. I would like to try some yoga practice while trying to create some healthier food options and share them with you too! I also would like to get back in the good habit of early to bed and early to rise. No more late nights of writing with a bowl of ice cream sitting next to me.

2.) Take care of my family! I do this every day, and I try very hard to be a good wife and mom. However, in 2013 I would like to focus on being more regular about date nights with Brian. While we spend a lot of time together, very rarely is it alone and I would like to try and make time for us about once a month. When it comes to the kids, I would like to take some time and focus on doing more spontaneous fun and less scheduled activity. They are only little once, and I should be taking advantage of this time before they would rather spend more time with their friends than their parents.

3.) Take care of this house! Since we moved into this house, I feel like we have tackled a lot of big projects, and there are still more that I would like to do. While all the projects are not huge or life changing, they are definitely projects that would make our house feel more personal and sentimental. Also, I would like to have a regular house cleaning routine (hopefully I can find something on Pinterest).

4.) Take care of my writing! Over the last few months, I have been amazed in myself and all that I have been able to accomplish. To be honest, I have never liked something this much. I am finding while I may not be the next Maya Angelou, I really love writing and seeing the response that people have to what I write. It is exhilarating. Every day, I am writing down more and more ideas I have for Home Everyday as well as South of I-80. I would really like to be more consistent in my posting and hope to write a little more out of my comfort zone once in awhile.

So there you have it. My theme goals for 2013. What is on your agenda for 2013?

P.S. I posted a little something on South of I-80 today as well if you’d like to check it out.

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