Monday Morning Motivation

Monday morning is here again and for most of us it is hard to get the old head in gear and motivated especially when you know the weekend is a whole 5 days away, ouch!!!  

Be grateful!

I think sometimes when we are on the treadmill of life, we are always rushing, our minds racing thinking of what we have to do next and will we ever have time for any of it. We often forget to  step back and take a moment out to appreciate and be grateful for what we have in our lives and the people who make us happy.

Take a second to think about yourself!

Most of us run around thinking (or worrying) about other people, especially those with children. You probably never have time for a thought for yourself. We often worry about what other people think of us but we rarely stop to check in with ourselves. How are we feeling today? By just stopping to take a moment to make sure we are doing okay and a quick mental note to approve of ourselves can turn your mood around.

Anyway, you are probably thinking this is all a bit much for a Monday morning, lol! So, I have put together a collection of motivational sayings and affirmations which might make you think, smile and be grateful for just a moment.

Enjoy your week and don’t forget to pop back later on the week when I post my next blog.

Steph ;-)

Easy Peasey Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup

Happy Friday!

Here is my first recipe that you can try over the weekend. I didn’t realise how hard it would be to post a recipe, but I found writing it down difficult as I often don’t measure, I guesstimate!!!! So the measurements can be a little relaxed and it won’t effect the soup. I also need to work on my food photography skills. So for today’s post I have just used a lovely pic of someone else’s delicious looking squash soup ;-)

This soup is yum, thick and creamy and perfect for making at the beginning of the week and portioning up for lunches or for last minute meals from the freezer. Butternut squash is rich in the antioxidant beta-carotene, which will mop up free radicals and prevent them damaging cells and therefore is an anti-ageing nutrient.

Lentils are high in fibre and contain lots of the B vitamin folic acid. Remember it’s not just important for pregnant women it has many functions in the body and can help reduce the risk of age degenerative diseases. So to the recipe...

You will need!

• 1 tbsp of coconut oil (olive oil or butter would work too)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 medium sized onion
• 2 celery sticks
• Half a butternut squash
• About 200g of red lentils (don’t forget to rinse)
• 1 litre of hot veg stock (use the measurements of your stock cube. If you using Marigold Veg Bouilion powder it’s about 2  - 3 tsp’s)

What to do!

1. In a large pan sweat the onion for about 5 minutes throwing the garlic in half way through.
2. Pretty much start adding in all the veg as you have chopped them, then add the lentils and stock.
3. Give it a big stir, bring to the boil then simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.
4. Blend until smooth.
5. Season with pepper and serve.

Serve with bread and hummus or a dollop of crème fresh on top. Enjoy!

Hope you have a good weekend.

Steph

The 80 / 20 rule

We are very good at putting our minds and bodies under pressure and I think when we are trying to achieve healthy happy bodies we have to feed it the best nutrition we can afford, move as much as we can fit into our schedules and not beat ourselves up when we over indulge.

Often when we set off on a new healthy venture with such enthusiasm it’s all or nothing. For example this year Billy (who loves Maccy D’s) decides he is only going to eat raw food and never drink again starting January 1^st. However, he is living in Ireland and it is freezing, he can’t cook and all of his friends meet up every week in the pub. This leaves Billy, very cold, hungry, and depleted from only eating raw carrots, apples and bananas and a Billy no mates.

I’m not saying a raw diet or being tee total is bad, much the contrary I think we all should eat more raw food and drink less. However, throwing yourself in 100% is a recipe for disaster, setting yourself up for failure. Don’t worry I have been there on many occasions being so strict with what I eat that the next thing is that I have devoured a whole loaf of gluten free bread (which wasn’t even nice by the way) and half a jar of peanut butter. I know, you're probably thinking this girl is grosse but we have all been there, be it with a tub of ice cream, followed by a packet of biscuits, pizza…..or whatever.

Remember Bridget Jones? 

You don’t have to be perfect all the time.  Many people believe that one piece of cake you had over the weekend caused you to blow your diet. Physiologically this never happens but from a psychologically point it happens all the time. People will often completely fall off the wagon and quit their healthy eating plan when they think they have eaten something they shouldn’t have.

The important thing to remember is we are only human and there are times when you’re going to slip up…it's ok! All you have to do put it behind you and move forward.

So what is this 80/20 rule? You may be familiar with the 80/20 rule in a business context like 80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients. In a similar fashion, the 80/20 rule is a great guideline which can be applied to what you eat and drink.

I think if we all tried to consume whole, natural foods 80% the time and left the other 20% for sensible moderation we would have far less health problems in the world.

So what is your 80/20? 

My 20% is open for things like a wine, dark chocolate, yummy raw chocolates treats… or even better coconut chocolate treats, home baked chippies or pop corn..... yummmmmmmie!!

Bottom line is don’t freak out and panic if you slip up. Simply get back on track and move forward.

About me

Hi I’m Steph and welcome to my wellness project.  I'm a Nutrition and Health Coach; a Manx (born on the Isle of Man) living in Dublin, Ireland and a 20 something finding my path in the world.  I'm basically a bit of a health junkie but I still have a bold streak and like to indulge now and then which is healthy right?  The 80/20 rule is my thing.

I am using this blog as a way of connecting with the world, meeting people like me and unlike me, sharing my stories, and documenting my journey and challenges in becoming even healthier and fit.  I hope that my love for fitness and healthy eating inspires you.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy my blog.  If you don’t, thanks for stopping by anyway!

Steph