Holistic Fitness

So, another fail. I've been shooting for 3 posts a week and making 2. Maybe I should shoot for 4 posts a week, and then I'll make 3. This sounds like a good plan, right? The trick is to out-psych yourself.

A lot has happened in the last 5 days. A lot of meals have been consumed. A lot of workouts have been completed. Here's a taste of what I ate in the last 5 days. (Get it? Taste?? That was completely unintentional and awful!)


Here is the recipe for the pumpkin protein pancakes (pictured above). I have about a zillion GF pancake recipes, though I normally stick to one, but tried this one for the first time yesterday. It was really good! Best of all, it make 2 pancakes, which meant 2 different toppings! I topped one with chocolate protein "frosting" and raw pumpkin seeds, and the other with raw almond butter and Chobani apple cinnamon yogurt. I could seriously eat pancakes for every meal.

 

 

Other blogger recipes that I've tried (and loved) lately:

 

• Lindsay's GF Tostada Pizzas (2 Sundays in a row! The fam and I can't get enough!)
• Jill's GF, Egg Free Pumpkin Bread (had this for dessert last night and breakfast today!)
• More Purely Twins Pumpkin Fudge (it lasted 2 days this time. My kids and I LOVE it!)
• Heather's Baked Pumpkin Spice Apple (my snack lately...it's fall in food form) and Harvest Quinoa Salad (my lunch today...and tomorrow!)

One of the best things about find recipes is tweaking them to make them my own. Aka to "Brooke-ify" them. I highly encourage making dishes your own. Take ownership of your kitchen and of what you make in it!

My workouts have been the usual. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday are gym days (20 minutes of HIIT or 30-40 minutes of cardio plus 40 minutes of weights). Tuesdays and Thursdays are work-out-at-home days. Last week, I did bodyweight exercises in the morning (legs on Tuesday and core on Thursday), and then went for 4 mile runs in the afternoon. The weather here finally cooled down and dried out a little, so I was loving my runs!

On Thursday, the air was warm and sticky but the breeze was cool and strong. I was tired, but the wind energized me. About a mile into my run, I started praying and kept praying for the remainder. Something about the wind in my face, the leaves blowing around, and the water being whipped up on the lake spoke to my soul. I feel closer to God when I'm outside than almost any other place. This is one of the reasons I love to run outside--it calms my spirit and quiets the noise in my head. I am forced to be present in the the moment and just....be still.

Lindsay's post on Friday about "Soul Muscles" got me thinking. Sometimes my only "alone" time during the day is during my workouts. I often listen to the Pandora worship station in the morning at the gym (and then realize that I'm singing out loud! oops!), and I love to pray during my outdoor runs. Spending quiet time with God, during or outside of my workouts, makes my soul and body feel freer, lighter, even stronger. I used to love going to Group X classes, but I've gravitated away from those lately and am really loving my solo workouts. Granted, I'm often "solo" in a gym full of people, but my headphones block out some of the noise and I get in sort of a "zone". I even feel like I've been using my outdoor runs less as physical exercise and more as spiritual exercise.  I feel incredibly refreshed and renewed after my workouts, physically and spiritually. And so thankful! It's so hard to block out noise...whether it be work stress, family obligations, personal struggles, or even those nagging voices (both internal and external) that tell you you're not good enough, not strong enough, not thin enough, not....enough. USE this quiet time to shut those voices up.  Exercise yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually at the same time. Yes, you should take time out to exercise your spiritual self alone, but why not work them all together too?

I challenge you, the next time you're in the gym, don't put on your typical workout mix. Put on music that soothes your soul. And if you're outside or at home for a workout, try just working out in silence. Be thankful of what your body is capable of, of it's growth and the positive changes you see and feel. Be greatful for the peace, for the break. Just be still.

Question: What do you think of the idea of "holistic fitness"? Do you think that your mental, spiritual, and physical fitness are all connected?

And, my question to other BLOGGERS:  Any advice on how to clean up my blog, spread the word, etc.? (Obviously I need some web design help...but don't have the resources for that right now!) My goal with this blog is not to make money off of it...I just want to encourage and inspire as many people as I can. This has been a long and difficult journey for me to wellness, and I want to use that, and my passion for nutrition and fitness, to help others! Your thoughts? Advice? Thank you!!! <3