Shal – TRANSFORMATIONS FITNESS AND COACHING

H.A.L.T.

Posted on by Shal

H.A.L.T

(First published on FB in MAY 2020 at www.facebook.com/TransformationsFnC)

I recently put out a challenge to those who subscribed to my monthly emails, to “attack the snack attack”.

I bring it up here, because I know from both personal experience and people I talk to, that on one hand our current situation has resulted in many of us getting more walks in, and being more active. That is absolutely fabulous.
{And here in New England, even though we’ve had some bizarre weather patterns such as snow in May (thankfully just a tiny bit), overall the weather has been great to get outside most days.}

On the other hand however, a common challenge is that snacks are being consumed a little bit too frequently for our liking.

So how do we deal with that?

-We could just refuse to buy any snacks. (unrealistic in my house with other people too)
-We could exercise a ton of self control – (which only works for me personally for a few days)
-Or we could HALT.

When we open that pantry door, or refrigerator, – before grabbing the first yummy goody that catches our eye, we can ask ourselves a few quick questions.

Am I HUNGRY? (i.e. it’s been a while since I ate- will this item will satisfy this hunger?)
Am I ALWAYS opening these doors when I walk into the kitchen?( i.e. Is this a habit?)
Do I LOVE the idea of having a little bit of this right now?(i.e. do I really want it? )
Am I TIRED/Stressed/Angry/Upset/Excited? (i.e. is this an emotion driven response?)

If you’re genuinely HUNGRY and you feel this item will satisfy your hunger, or if you LOVE the idea of having some of this right now, go for it- serve it in a bowl/plate, walk away and enjoy your snack GUILT FREE.
(Hint: One more step you could perhaps, take at this point is ask yourself, “what is the smallest quantity I can have that will satisfy me?” – You might surprise yourself.)

And if those are not the answers to your HALT questions, then give yourself permission to walk away.
It really is freeing not to have to stress about self control.

My sister who read the monthly email I had sent out shared with me how when she opens her cabinet to get something and sees the packets of chips, or other goodies, she hears my voice saying “Am I hungry?”… decides she’s not and walks away!!
I’m not sure whether to feel excited or to say “Oh no!!” …
I’m relieved to say though, that when she shared it with me, she sounded rather pleased and triumphant.

Try it some time.

#tfcmaychallenge #tfcattacksnackattack

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A New Way to Approach the New Year

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I am generally not very disciplined, “wing it” a lot, and do things based on “if I feel like it” or “it’s due TONIGHT”. So it is often difficult for me to get all the things that I want or have to do done. That would frustrate me. I would feel guilty when I’m not doing something that appears to be productive. I have measured myself or the value of my day based on how productive it was.
But I have found myself at the feet of God multiple times acknowledging and confessing that I had made an idol out of productivity- and He has been so gracious to me. He knows that being productive is not going to give me joy or peace; accomplishing all the things isn’t going to make me a better person, or enable me to be a blessing to my family or those around me.

He reminds me that He is the true source of peace and joy and that connecting with Him enables me to become a better person and bless those around me.

I can still do practical things to grow, or use tools to manage my time better, but it is with a different kind of mindset or approach than just the white knuckling, which is exhausting.

So as I’ve been pondering, thinking, and praying about the direction for this year, God has been showing me this: Consider being PURPOSEFUL vs PRODUCTIVE.
What does that mean?

Putting all I do in the light of purpose changes how I approach it and gives meaning to the tasks I do.

Brick wall with the words Purposeful vs. Productive

Going to the idea of goals or resolutions, I think one of the reasons we have a hard time following through is that the purpose is unclear. This affects the goal we set and the way we go about it. We set big long-term goals like “lose 50lbs this year” or a big daily goal like “Exercise for 1 hour every day”. But do we truly have a purpose for this, or just feel “I should do this?
This month I am focusing on doing core exercises most days, which I am recording on my goal tracker. I color the box on my tracker every day that I do it.
I could approach it as: “I know we SHOULD do core exercises, so I have to do core exercises every day”. There is the feeling that “it’s something I am supposed to do”. Then I’m annoyed with myself when I haven’t got it in.

But looking at it with the purpose says:
”I am building my core strength and stability a few bricks at a time. Every day that I do the exercises I am adding to that building”. (Due to some back issues, it is super important for me to strengthen and train my core muscles to “do their job”.)
On days that I don’t do it, I can look at myself and say “I haven’t been able to add any bricks today” rather than look at myself as inefficient or as having failed.
And I can be more intentional to add some bricks tomorrow.

Then there will be seasons where I may have to say “Right now, I can only add 1-2 daily bricks” or even “The work has to be on hold”- NOTE: it’s not going to be left as a condemned building- it’s just on hold.

So I invite you to think about the PURPOSE that you want to do something this year.
If you are a praying person, ask God to show you, to direct you.
And let it be a year that you are not just checking off boxes, but are getting closer to accomplishing those things that you truly want to, or need to do.

Beloved

Posted on by Shal

I was reading my beautiful GraceLaced Devotional by Ruth Chou Simons the other morning and the page title was BELOVED.

It lead me to think about how often we call ourselves different things.

There can be a distinction that you may think of as just semantics, but I do think it makes a big difference in the long run.
“I am a Failure” ….Without realizing it, I am calling myself something, making it part of who I am. That feels rather hopeless, discouraging, or overwhelming- as in “I need to pull myself up by the bootstraps and change who I am”.

“I have failed” or “I feel like a failure” however don’t put pronouncements on me. Rather it separates the event or the feeling from who I am. This gives the opportunity to explore and ask questions: “What went wrong? What did I do wrong? What can I do to address this situation or my feelings?” This feels more hopeful.

Going back to the heading of that day’s devotional. Beloved.
Now that’s WHO I AM. If I am loved by the Creator of the Universe, well then…. Do I need to say more?

What are the names that you are calling yourself today?
Name the situation or the feeling.
Change the statement.
And then call yourself the Truth of Who You Are, in Him.

1 John 4:10 says this is Love: not that we loved God, but that He sent His Son to die for us as a sacrifice for our sins.

Photo by Erriko Boccia on Unsplash

THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

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Pretty Christmas lights everywhere.

Isaiah 9:2 says: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.
John 8:12 Jesus said “I am the Light of the World”

In a dark tunnel, just seeing a ray of light tells us that there is an end in sight. The “Light at the end of the tunnel”.
What do we feel at that moment?
Relief yes.
More than that though- HOPE.

And that’s what Christmas is to me.
The comfort and peace of HOPE.
The relief and reality of HOPE.
Thanks to the LIGHT.
And this is one of the main reasons I love Christmas.

We sang this song in church last Sunday. Do give it a listen.
The lyrics are in the description of the song.
I hope it encourages you and fills you with that glimmer of the
Light at the end of the tunnel-
the reassurance of HOPE.
HOPE HAS A NAME

APPLE CINNAMON DESSERT

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Warm Apple Cinnamon Dessert

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Course Dessert

Ingredients

4-6 Apples cored and sliced (you can leave the skin on)
1-2 tbsp Brown sugar to taste
¼ tsp nutmeg powdered
¼ tsp cloves ground
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ cup raisins (optional)
¼ cup walnuts broken into small pieces (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F
Grease a large baking dish
Combine all the ingredients in the large baking dish
Bake for 30-40 minutes until apples are soft

Notes

This dish can also be made in a slow cooker on high for 2 hours.
It can be served with vanilla ice cream or is delicious by itself.

Keyword Dessert, Fall, Winter

Single Serve 5 Minute Apple Pie Snack

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SINGLE SERVE 5 MINUTE APPLE PIE SNACK

This is an easy, nutritious dish that can be a quick snack or a light, yet warm dessert.

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Prep Time 4

Cook Time 4

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Servings 1

Ingredients

1 Apple cored and thinly sliced (leave the skin)
1 tsp Cinnamon powder
2 tsp Greek Yogurt (for optional topping)
½ tsp Honey (for optional topping)
½ tsp Vanilla extract (for optional topping)
1 Walnut broken into small pieces (optional)

Instructions

Combine the sliced apple and cinnamon in a microwave safe bowl.
Cook loosely covered in the microwave for 3minutes and 30 seconds. (microwaves vary)
While the apples cook, lightly whip the Greek yogurt (with a spoon works) with the honey and vanilla extract in a small bowl
Caution: The dish and apples in the microwave will be very steamy and hot. Leave it for a couple of minutes to cool down slightly.
Serve the entire chopped, cooked apple in a fresh (cool) bowl. If adding, scoop a dollop of the whipped up Greek yogurt and top with the chopped up walnut.

Notes

You can sweeten the Greek Yogurt with a little more honey. If you like the apples sweeter, stir in a drizzle of maple syrup.

You can get creative with other little “addons” like raisins or different nuts.

Keyword Breakfast, Dessert, Fall, snack

“Sleep like a baby”…???

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Have you ever had the thought that “whoever came up with that statement didn’t have a baby”?!!
I certainly had during the infant years. Now that my kiddos are much older, except for the occasional “I’m scared” nighttime visit from my 11 year old, we don’t usually get disturbed at night.
But I still have a hard time getting up in the morning. I have good intentions. But when my alarm goes off at 6:05 in the morning, I am just not ready to get up. I remember reading a line in a book (not sure who or where though) where the author said that we need to catch up on our sleep- on the other side of the night. Instead of sleeping in, in the morning, “sleep in” by getting to bed earlier.

I know that this is what I struggle with. I know many mums who say that once everyone is in bed and they have the silent house to themselves, they just want to stay in that and enjoy it.

The reality is though, with so much talk about self care- one of the absolute best ways we can take care of our skin, our body, our mental, physical and emotional health is get enough sleep. Some of the great things about this are it’s free, it requires no babysitters, and the reality is that we are anyway tired. When I finally get to my room and lie down on my bed, I let out a sigh (usually inaudible since my husband is already asleep!) Aaaah, it feels so good just to lie down.

So why do we have such a hard time getting to bed early enough to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep that has been found to be the amount of sleep that our bodies actually do need? (If you are in the season of little ones who do get you up in the night though, I know it’s hard. 8 hours may feel like an elusive dream. It does get better though- mostly!)

I just realized last night, that in order to get that 8 hours of sleep and get up at 6:00, I actually need to be asleep by 10:00.
Oh goodness! That really feels like it’s cramping my evening!
Doing the math: asleep by 10:00, so stop reading and close eyes to sleep by 9:50, so get into bed and start reading by 9:30! That means I need to start my “pre-sleep” routine by 9:10. What? Get off the couch by 9:10? Noooooooo!!! And that is THE KEY- the ONE THING.

James Clear in his book Atomic Habits talks the ONE THING. Instead of focusing on all the things you need to do, often there is a ONE THING that if you do that, all the others fall in step. In my case it is “get off the couch”! It’s the “button” that gets the sequence going.

This month, this will be my focus. Getting off the couch between 9 and 9:10. During weeknights. The days when the kiddos have late activities, I know this is going to be ultra challenging. But perhaps, I need not be too concerned about all those details just yet. This is my month to experiment with this ONE THING, and then go on to repeat it day after day after day. While I’m usually an optimist, I can’t imagine that this will ever get easier, but at least in the process, I will hopefully be getting more sleep and thus finding it easier to get up when my alarm goes off at 6:05.

I’ll keep you posted.
How about you? Are you able to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep? If so, I would love to hear what you do to make it happen.
If not, what is the ONE THING that will help you?

May 10th 2022

Photo by Bastien Jaillot on Unsplash

OATMEAL PUMPKIN BREAKFAST BARS

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OATMEAL PUMPKIN BREAKFAST BARS

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Course Breakfast

Ingredients

1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
¼ cup Ground flaxseed
¼ cup Chia seeds
⅓ tsp Baking Soda
1 ½ tsp Baking powder
1½ tsp Cinnamon
1 can Pumpkin Puree 15 oz can, not pumpkin pie filling
3 Eggs beaten
1 Banana mashed
¼ cup Chocolate Chips Semisweet or dark

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line the base of a rectangular baking dish with parchment paper and lightly grease the entire dish.
Mix the dry ingredients together.
Combine the eggs, banana and pumpkin well.
Add the pumpkin mixture to the oat mixture and stir well.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour and spread the mixture in the prepared pan. It is rather thick.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Keyword Breakfast, oatmeal, pumpkin, snack

OATMEAL BANANA BREAKFAST BREAD

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OATMEAL BANANA BREAKFAST BREAD

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Course Breakfast, Snack

Ingredients

2 ¾ cups Old Fashioned Oats
¼ cup Ground Flaxseed
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Baking soda
½ cup Milk
¼ cup Greek Yogurt beaten
3 Eggs beaten
3 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Banana well mashed
½ cup Chocolate Chips
¼ cup walnuts coarsely ground or chopped (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line and grease 2 loaf pans with parchment paper.
Grind 1 1/2 cups of the oats to a fine flour.
Combine ground oats with the remaining oats and dry ingredients.
Add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts if using them.
Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Notes

This can be made as muffins. Be sure to grease the muffin tray and/or liners well. A lined, greased cake pan will also work. Adjust cooking times for these. (I haven’t tested the cooking times for these)
The batter only partially fills each loaf pan. This is for more even baking.
This recipe is modified from https://andianne.com/banana-oatmeal-muffins/

Keyword Breakfast, oatmeal

WHITE BEAN SOUP

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White Bean Soup

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Equipment

Pressure Cooker / Instant pot (optional)

Ingredients

1 bag White beans Cannellini or Great Northern if possible
1 Onion
1 tsp Garlic, chopped
2-3 Carrots small cubes
1-2 Stalks Celery small cubes
1 tbsp Avocado or olive oil
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 Bay leaf
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Tomato paste mixed with a little water
5 cups Water

Instructions

Soak the white beans overnight, if possible
Drain, rinse and cook the beans with salt in a pressure cooker/ instant pot or on the stove until they are soft. About 10 minutes in the electric pressure cooker with natural pressure release.
Drain and set aside
Heat the oil in a thick bottomed deep pan.
Add the onions and sauté until they are translucent.
Add the minced garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes, stirring so they don't burn. If it is getting stuck to the bottom of the pan, add a tiny bit of water.
Add the chopped celery and carrots. Cook until softened.
Add the tomato paste. Keep stirring. Add a little water if it is getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Once the tomato paste no longer has a raw smell, add the cooked beans, water, salt, pepper and bay leaf.
Allow the mixture to come to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.
Allow the soup to simmer for about 20 minutes. If it is getting too thick, add water 1/2- 1 cup cup at a time. If it is too "liquidy", allow it to boil a little longer, stirring so that it doesn't get stuck on the bottom of the pan.
Once it has cooked for about 20 minutes, adjust seasonings and allow it to reach the preferred consistency.
Discard bay leaf and serve hot.

Keyword Dinner, Fall, Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker, Soup, Winter