Posts from the “Uncategorized” Category

Stop Making Me Like You, Social Media

Posted on December 23, 2022

I’m in the middle of making some decisions about my own level of screen time and every single time I get to this point, social media goes and does something great. A few weeks ago, I posted a simple question: “How many of you grew up eating oatmeal with salt and butter like I did?” I received 80+ comments highlighting the many different ways we all eat oatmeal. I spent a lot of time thinking about this (probably more time than I should admit). How can the world be filled with so many different oatmeal variations (especially considering all I’ve ever known is butter and salt)? Guess it explains a whole heck of a lot about this big, wide world. I ended up trying a few of the suggestions and decided to mix up my oatmeal strategy and added in some almond milk, cinnamon, bananas, peanut butter, blueberries, and more. There are days I only want the butter and salt, but I’m thankful for the new variations as well. Well done, social media.

I decided to try another question this week: “What’s your favorite holiday treat?” I received plenty of links to recipes, photos of recipe cards, and I found some new ones to try on my favorite blogs. After a busy year, it was nice to stand in the kitchen and bake. As I made some of the recipes recommended by others, I also thought about them! See? Social media has done it again. Now, I just need to figure out how to find some balance (with everything, right?)! Until that happens, here are a few recipes to inspire your holidays!

Alexandra’s Kitchen’s Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

I fell in love with this website during quarantine and since I had to quarantine myself this week (don’t ask), I decided to revisit why I fell in love with this website in the first place. Look no further than these Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread. Bonus: I dusted off the cute cover I ordered from her website (see here) way back in 2020 and used it again. If you want the satisfaction of feeling like you are making bread from scratch successfully without the hassle of actually making bread (ha), this is your recipe. I accidentally snacked on a few before I took a photo of the finished product. Ooooops.

Alexandra’s Kitchen’s Better Than Classic Pound Cake (One Bowl, Hand Mixed)

Yep, you heard that one right. One bowl? Pound cake? Mini loaves? Why not? That’s the blurb and all there really is to say about this situation. I probably should have left them in 10 minutes longer, but who doesn’t love a gooey middle? Here’s the recipe!

Robyn Hyden’s Contribution: Betty Crocker’s Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

My friend, Robyn, commented on my thread that it isn’t Christmas unless her mom makes these Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t trust Robyn on many things (including policies to make our state better) so I’m sure not going to question her recipes. I’m glad I didn’t because these were fun to make and absolutely delicious. Thanks, Robyn! Adding this recipe to our list and will think of you every time we make them!

Carol’s Contribution: Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies

Another friend, Carol, posted a link to these Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies! Carol also works on policies to make our state better. She has been a pioneer for all things food access and has been an inspiration for so much of the work so many of us do around food equity! I thought about all of her work as I made these cookies and am so glad I decided to make them. They are perfectly sweet and savory and the orange zest is everything. Super festive and fun and easy. Thanks, Carol!

Pillsbury Chocolate Cake Mix with OREO Cookie Pieces

Shout out to Pillsbury for this inspiration! The branding called to me from the shopping aisles and it went in the cart. Mae picked cupcakes and they didn’t let us down!

Simple, Classic Shortbread + A Ted Lasso Biscuit Box for Gifting

I’m going to be honest, this recipe was just me wishing Ted Lasso was back. What can I say? I was browsing away on Alexandra Cook’s blog and I saw the little boxes and it was a done deal. That’s the blurb. And I mean how can you go wrong with shortbread? Here’s the recipe.

Chickpea Magazine’s Everything Granola Bars

Alright stay with me, okay? If you’ve talked to me over the last few weeks or months, you know I’m in a weird Nordic phase. First, I found Cecilia Blomdahl’s youtube channel (linked here) and I can’t stop watching. I also randomly found ANOTHER youtube channel (or maybe it wasn’t so random, right algorithm gods?) featuring Malin Nilsson, a vegan blogger in Sweden (linked here). Next thing you know, I’m searching airbnb’s and plane tickets and Christmas markets and polar nights and confusing everyone close to me. Anyway, hopefully you are still following all of this. Malin mentioned Chickpea Magazine and I downloaded a free issue and the magazine major in me (yes, I was a magazine major before the internet blew up that dream hence my love/hate relationship with the screen) found a JOY I haven’t had in quite some time. It’s the magazine of my dreams (even if in virtual form). The Everything Granola Bar recipe turned out great and I’m excited to try more. Here’s the link to their website and I’m asking Santa for a subscription: https://chickpeamagazine.com/

In Summary…

So, I guess I’ve got some more thinking to do when it comes to screen time. As you can see in this post, the screen had a positive impact on me this week. I connected with others, searched for some new adventures, found the inner nordic in me, discovered things I never knew I liked, and this magazine major is sitting here in front of this screen sharing it with all of you. Ah, I guess that’s how it goes. Wishing all of you peace and love wherever you are. P.S. If you have an airbnb in Sweden or Svalsbard, I’ll be right here waiting. xo

Categories: Community, Recipes, Uncategorized

Tagged: Alexandra's Kitchen, Cecilia Blomdahl, Chickpea, cookies, Epicurious, Food Blogs, Good Eatings, Holidays, Magazine, oatmeal, Pillsbury, Shortbread, Sweden, Ted Lasso

Making Room

Posted on November 27, 2022

I’ve been thinking a lot about this year’s journey. It’s been a deeply freeing year. I’ve had to let go of so many things to create space for new ideas and behaviors and personal (and professional) growth to emerge. I don’t think we give each other enough room for any of that. We are taught to operate as producers, but we are operating in a constantly shifting and changing world. After a year of letting go, I’m realizing I needed to give myself enough room. Room to grow. Room to make mistakes without holding onto them forever. Room to prioritize myself. Room to let go of big things and patterns and people. Room to breathe and focus and stop covering (for myself and others…

Categories: Uncategorized

Tagged: alcohol, bono, brene, consumption, room, unlockingus

Sit and Reach

Posted on November 5, 2022

Well, I’m here to tell you that maintenance is possible. I’m a month in and I’m still unlearning all the things but paying way more attention than I ever have. I think that’s been one of the biggest gifts this year: paying attention. I got so used to the grind that I convinced myself that if I just didn’t pay attention (or conveniently distract myself with chicken wings and wine) that whatever this pace I was trying to keep up with would eventually solve itself. I guess what I didn’t realize was that I’d have to eventually deal with the consequences of not paying attention and that the energy it takes to actually pay attention took far less energy than the energy I spent feeling bad about NOT paying attention. Funny how that works, huh?

I also tested some new things these last two weeks, which included getting back in the kitchen and cooking and baking a ton of things. It’s kind of why I started this blog 10+ years ago (how has it been that long?). Plus, I’ve been listening to my friend T. Marie King who keeps reminding me that I NEED a hobby, so I’m rediscovering my hobbies of cooking and writing again and that’s been nice. (See? I listen sometimes.)

I also tried a new thing, which is definitely becoming a hobby of mine: Pilates! Where in the world has Pilates been all my life? My kiddos were talking about the fitness test at school and I’ve been passing along my hate for all things school fitness tests. When will we find a better way to embrace fitness at our schools? I failed the sit up, push up, one-mile run, and chin up test every year of my school life, I think. But do you know what I didn’t fail? Sit and reach. Do you know what my children are skunking everyone on? Yep, sit and reach. Pilates is the answer to my sit and reach dreams AND it is in air conditioning AND I don’t have to talk to anyone AND I have my own little area to be in BY MYSELF. So, take THAT, school fitness tests! Y’all run and sweat and shred while I sit and reach and shred in my own way. My kiddos don’t know this yet, but their sit and reach scores will come in handy when they turn 45. As my 10 year old says: “Bet.”

The biggest question I get is if I’ve gained weight since losing so much on Optavia. It’s only been a month, but I’ve held myself accountable by tracking my meals on ^Cronometer and I also consulted my friend Sonthe Burke (my favorite RD) on my goals. I’ve remained steady even while enjoying homemade s’mores with my kids and some of the recipes I’m listing below. I’m learning slowly but surely that if I’m paying attention, it affords me all kinds of options and choices I never thought were possible and that’s a big revelation for me. And so let’s get to the food, shall we?

Key to paying attention so that I can be balanced is sticking with a routine, which I so appreciate Optavia for helping me solidify. As a reminder, I got used to eating small meals every 2.5-3 hours on plan, so I’ve carried that with me into maintenance, which has been so helpful.

Breakfasts (around 6:30)

Almost ALWAYS some sort of toast (Dave’s Killer Bread Thin Seed or 21 Grain has been my go to)
1 tsp of Peanut Butter or Seed Butter
Half a banana (green) sliced on top
Always coffee with oat or almond milk

Mid-morning snack (around 9:30)

Always Siggi vanilla yogurt (2% / 5.3 ounce)
Fresh fruit (the other half of that green banana, berries, hemp seeds, drizzle of nut butter if I need it)
Sometimes an Optavia zesty lemon crisp bar

Lunch (around 12)

Always a salad I’ve prepped in advance on Sundays: Spinach or lettuce, roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash, quinoa, feta, tahini dressing or dijon mustard vinaigrette I make in advance for the week, some dried cherries or golden raisins or cranberries, and some kind of nut (pecan, walnut, sunflower seeds). If I’m feeling fancy, I add some feta.

Snack (around 3)

Just ask my colleagues about my recent obsession with persimmons. Here’s what my desk looks like around 3!
I also add in some Optavia cereal or a handful of nuts.
This is an important snack for me because if I’m not careful, I’ll be incredibly hungry around supper time and start the snacky snack snacking. EAT WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY to avoid the snacky snack monster. Trust me.

Dinner (5:30 or 6)

Whatever I cook for the family, just in smaller amounts. Some recipes we’ve loved lately:
Barefoot Contessa Meatloaf
Our Savory Life’s Creamy Lemony Chicken and Potato Soup
Half Baked Harvest’s Creamy White Chicken Chili

Snack: (8 or 8:30)

Always always always my Optavia brownie with whipped cream. Always.

Other snacks we’ve been enjoying:

5-Ingredient Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles
Barefoot Contessa Triple Chocolate Loaf Cakes
Barefoot Contessa Apple Pie Bars

Did I mention Halloween was last week? I had to try a few of the winning pieces my kiddos brought home, BUT… those Minimalist Baker’s Peanut Butter Truffles were so much better than anything I found in their bags.

INSPIRATION

Alexandra Andersson’s Meal Prep Videos

WHAT I WANT

Vitamix Explorian Blender
Rubbermaid 4.7 Cup Brilliance Food Storage Container 5pc Set
Baloray Lunch Bag Tote Bag
Tatcha The Starter Ritual
Sorel Women’s Out N About Slip-On Wedge Bootie
Sorel Women’s Evie Pull-On Bootie
All the things on Wolf & Badger
Chandelier Candle
Fearless Candle
Cereal Candy
Bold Awakening Candle
Dear Mama Candle
Hanger Rack in Metal and Wood
Reusable Straws
Felt Coasters
World Market Christmas Decor
French Mauve Jacket (I wear the black one three times a week)

WHAT I’M READING

Black Food by Bryant Terry

Clinton teaches teens about going hungry at home
https://www.riverdalepress.com/stories/clinton-teaches-teens-about-going-hungry-at-home,79960

Billionaire No More: Patagonia Founder Gives Away the Company

‘Slow Cooked’: How Food Policy Expert Marion Nestle Persisted

Uplifting the Student Vote
https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/fall-2020/uplifting-the-student-vote?fbclid=IwAR23TF0dWWsq3Tcf1JtujfbbPi1Ik9bspYIIOeBLtgOSv-fjgetKv20sbvk

I Was the First Black Man in America to Earn a Michelin Star and I Want to Make Sure I’m Not the Last
https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro/gerald-sombright-michelin-star-black-chefs

The Ideas That Inspire Us
https://hbr.org/2022/11/the-ideas-that-inspire-us

This video and more specifically this quote: “With gratitude, optimism is sustainable. If I can find gratitude in whatever I do, in whatever situation I am in, if I can find one little thing I’m grateful for, then it reverses the whole situation. It allows the possibility of grace, of something fantastic happening.” “https://people.com/tv/michael-j-fox-opens-up-about-painful-injuries-recovery-and-kind-acts-that-changed-his-life/

Hope to be back next week with another update…

Categories: meal prep, Optavia, Prioritizing Me, Reading Lists, Recipes, Uncategorized

Tagged: balance, Barefoot Contessa, half baked harvest, Health, lists, maintenance, meal plan, Optavia, Pilates, recipes

Consistency, Discipline, and Execution

Posted on October 16, 2022

Alright y’all, I’m three (maybe four?) weeks in and maintenance is working. I am convinced that it’s because of the internal work I’ve been doing alongside Optavia. I am remaining consistent and disciplined while also creating space for the unexpected, but what’s been so interesting is that I prefer to make choices that I know will make me feel better. This is a completely different mindset so I often feel like I’m on a bike with training wheels these days. I’m also realizing that this is not just a “diet phase,” but a daily choice I’m making, which is also a very different mindset than I’m not necessarily used to. For example, I used to go on diets that I would think were temporary and I’d lose the weight during that temporary time period and exercise while in that phase, but internally believe I could just “go back” once I hit my goals. I think going through COVID-19 impacted this mentality more than I even knew because I realized that “going back” might not be the answer. What does “going back” even mean if it wasn’t working in the first place? Still tying to understand ALL of that — personally AND professionally.

I’m also learning as I go. This past week was definitely one of those weeks where I could have gotten completely consumed by our Jones Valley Teaching Farm’s annual Twilight Supper. In years past, I would operate without a lot of boundaries because hosting 350 people on the downtown farm just isn’t an easy thing to do. But, this year was a completely different experience. I managed to stay true to my plan while enjoying the treats my friends brought by. I welcomed Rob McDaniel’s Angel Biscuits Friday morning and Emily Nabors-Hall’s Breakup Cookies Friday afternoon. I also normally rely on wine to get me through this event as well, but guess what? This year I preferred Harvest Root’s Kombucha instead and then quickly found myself on the dance floor.

More about the Twilight Supper a little later because it was absolutely incredible. So incredible that I still haven’t found the words. We were wrapped in love and support from so many people and we felt every single bit of it.

Now here’s a curve ball so get ready: I was listening to Nick Saban’s press conference today (I’m not sports ball person, but I always like to listen to his press conferences even though I can’t understand 3/4 of it what with all the receiver, safety, tackles, tips, running and blocking talk). Told you it was going to be a curve ball. I heard him say this: “You can’t have consistency without discipline and execution.” And so after feeling rather proud of my balancing act during such a stressful time last week, I got back in the meal prepping and planning game today. I was short on lunches a few times last week and needed more gas in my tank, honestly, so I’m taking Nick Saban’s advice and working on the discipline and execution part even when it is hard.

Lunches will be a spinach salad with orange bell peppers, feta, sunflower seeds, quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, a sprinkling of cooked center cut bacon, and vinaigrette. Got it all prepped and ready to go.

For dinner, I made Green Healthy Cooking’s Low Carb Spaghetti Squash bowls and they were delicious. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buvE9NpT_Hs

Feeling grateful after a very full week!

Categories: Community, Jones Valley Teaching Farm, Lunch Adventures, meal prep, Prioritizing Me, Uncategorized

Tagged: recipes

My maintenance journey (2 weeks in…)

Posted on October 2, 2022

Wanna know what the hardest thing is about losing 57 pounds? Fear. Especially after utilizing a program that takes care of most of the prepping for you. You have to constantly navigate the glares of others just waiting for you to gain it back (listen, I gave the exact same glares so I have no room for judgement). You also have to be careful not to overthink because most of this work is in your mind, so we don’t want to overstimulate, over-calculate, double-guess the mind because that can backfire quickly. You also can’t retrain those altered taste buds to accept salt and sugar like they used to. And finally, you can’t stop prioritizing your health just because you aren’t “on a program.” This is serious stuff, y’all, and I don’t think we talk about it enough. In a society that asks so much of us on a regular basis and then turns around and provides quick and easy tricks to make it all work, it’s a battle every day to remain focused, consistent, and disciplined while also leaving room for spontaneity. So before I go on, I just want to name all of this out loud just in case it resonates with you and admit that all of this is harder than it needs to be and some of that has absolutely nothing to do with us, but with the systems that operate all around us. I see you. I see those systems. Choosing to go against the tide is hard, but when we do it, the rewards show themselves in time.

It’s been two weeks since moving to maintenance after 6 months of being on Optavia’s 5 & 1 plan. Oh, and let me address the elephant before we move on. Some of you may have issues with planned programs and that is absolutely okay. There are numerous plans that have worked for some folks and not worked for others. I felt the exact same way for two years while watching others go on the program as I enjoyed ranch dressing, queso, and wine. I had all kinds of feelings about “going on a plan” but ultimately, I had to face that head on because what I was doing while judging “those plans” sure wasn’t helping my mind, heart, or body. So…will the weight stay off? I watched others keep it off for years and years and I believe based on where I’m landing after experiencing the plan work for me AND doing the internal work needed to make it work (that was the big work I had to do), I believe (and hope if you are reading this that you will believe with me) that I can accomplish even MORE than keeping the weight off. I hope you will join me in believing that I will continue to prioritize my health because of how it has made me feel and show up differently. That part matters even more than keeping the weight off, so I’d appreciate that kind of support more than anything. Deal? Deal!

So here’s how I’m maintaining with food: As I get used to adding in more whole foods during the day, I’m using the free website Cronometer. No, I do not plan to log everything in for the rest of my life, but for the last two weeks it has been helpful to see what intolerance I have and also what foods keep me energized and satisfied throughout the day. Cronometer also lets you decide what percentage of protein, fat, and carbs you’d like to aim for in a day and that has also been helpful. In my first week on maintenance, I lost 3 pounds which told me I needed to increase my calories (and I did). In the second week, I found my stride and have been super steady and satisfied. I also haven’t had an adult beverage since February and that has made all the difference in the world. Finally, I’m still trying to stick to eating small meals or snacks every 2-3 hours like I did on the 5 & 1 plan, which means I’m still using Optavia fuelings during the day. Honestly, I’d be lost without the decadent brownie with reddi whip at night.

Here is how I’m maintaining with exercise: I am doing Pilates 2 times a week and walking at least 30-45 minutes 3-4 times a week. I credit this schedule because of the following reasons: 1) It finally feels like fall in Alabama and I know it won’t last long, so I’m taking advantage of it. 2) I no longer have 57 pounds competing with me. 3) Due to a better diet, I have way more energy than ever, so that helps. Exercise has long been a challenge for me and I’m proud of where I am right now. I used to think I had to do an insane amount of cardio to see any meaningful changes, but after doing the internal work I’ve done this year, I am seeing the benefits of choosing a healthy, manageable, and enjoyable exercise routine. Who’d a thunk?

Let’s talk breakfast:

I’ve been watching a lot of plant-based folks on YouTube, and I think their love of overnight oats is a little unsettling. I haven’t drank the overnight oats Kool-Aid, because the oats are…cold? I’ll get there eventually, but I’m not there yet. Plus, chocolate in my oatmeal? Woof. I have, however, found something that works: Steel-Cut Oats made with Almond Milk (with a little splash of it after heated up) or low-sugar vanilla yogurt, a teaspoon of flax seed, a tablespoon (or two) of Sunbutter, and some bananas and blueberries.

Lunches

I was so thrilled with my lunches last week, I’m at it again (see previous post). This week I’m prepping the following combo bowl: Kale and Spinach for my base, roasted butternut squash / sweet potato, sliced apples, chickpeas, quinoa, dried cherries, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, and tahini dressing. I see you, fall, and I am not playing with you. I’mma make this Harvest Crunch Salad to the 10th power, mmmmmmmk? I also made an egg salad combo with Bitchin’ Sauce (Original flavor).

Dinners

Listen, I’ve been sleeping on Trader Joe’s. I know, I know. Y’all are like, “Where have you been, Amanda?” Well, I’ve been ordering lemon pepper chicken wings fried hard from Door Dash, thank you very much. Back to Trader Joe’s: I found these gems right here and went ahead and baked them in the oven so that we can use them in meals throughout the week. I’ll pair it with some rice, black beans, sauteed brussels sprouts, and whatever else I find.

Bonus Points: I’ve been keeping up with my writing on this blog, which fills me up. I appreciate all the ways you continue to support me and my many journeys. I’m grateful for the space for us to share and learn together.

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”
—Theodore Roosevelt
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

Categories: meal prep, Optavia, Prioritizing Me, Uncategorized

Guess Who’s Back? (back again) Meal Prep’s back. (tell a friend)

Posted on September 26, 2022

Buckle up because it is technically Fall and it is Sunday and that means I’m meal prepping and planning and cooking and everything in between today. If you need some inspiration like I always do, let’s just go ahead and dive in, shall we? I went ahead and prepped for the week because who has time to cook during the week? I’ll wait. Nope, me either. Does my meal prep take a lot of time on a Sunday? Sure, but that’s how I have to do it, which may be different than what you need to do. That’s a beautiful thing. It takes all of us to get through a week, right? So here’s the plan:

Breakfasts

Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix (I chose muffins and added dark chocolate chips)
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Hash with scrambled eggs
Trader Joe’s Buttermilk Biscuits
(this post is not sponsored by Trader Joe’s, but maybe it should be?)
Sweet Potato Toasts with avocado + eggs (for me) (and btw, the toasts should be thicker)
Bacon

Lunches

Spinach, Quinoa, and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Sunflower Seeds and Lemon Tahini dressing
Leftovers

Dinner

Sunday: Fish tacos, cole slaw, rice, and black beans (I got it all done but none of us ate it tonight)
Monday: Hopefully, Gran will come to the rescue since we have a work event
Tuesday: Steak Tips, rice, peas, and Trader Joe’s Aloha Rolls
Wednesday: I got a request to make what Chef Ama made at Camp Grow this Summer! Though I wish I could pretend that I am as talented as Chef Ama, I decided to get some frozen meatballs from Trader Joe’s, add some Rao’s pasta sauce, and call it a day. And… the kids absolutely noticed. Help, Chef Ama!
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Let’s just see how the week worked out, shall we?

Extra

I also decided to make a few items for back up. Don’t we all need a back up?
1. 99% ground turkey with less sodium taco seasoning (3 pounds) for my favorite turkey bowls, the kids’ favorite nachos, and quick taco salads

2. Banana Oatmeal Cookies (I had two rotten bananas and I found this 3-ingredient recipe)

Snacks:

I will be snacking on fresh fruit, That’s It, 2Good Vanilla Yogurt, boiled eggs, and Skinny Pop (White Cheddar, please).

Obsessed

I discovered these new YouTube channels and can’t stop watching them:
Good Eatings
Jess Beautician
Cecilia Blomdahl

I think that’s about all for this week. I was so inspired these food blogs, and favorite things lists, and youtube channels that I decided to make my own little centerpiece (if you know me, you know that this happens once every ten years). My 7-year-old thought we needed a wee bit more drama.

Wishing all of you a wonderful week ahead. Next Sunday I definitely will not cook this much.

Categories: Family, Prioritizing Me, Recipes, Uncategorized

Tagged: Meal Planning, meal prep

Yes, I’ve Lost Weight, but I’ve Also Gained Much More.

Posted on September 19, 2022

It is no surprise that my personal blog involves food given its name and that’s because I believe wholeheartedly that food is the foundation for so many things in our lives. And just like anything, our dependency on it can get a but out of whack at times. Just look through my pages and you will see vastly different posts about the different ways food influences me. From finding Jones Valley Teaching Farm to adapting my diet when I got gestational diabetes during pregnancy to my love of cooking to my Weight Watchers stint to everything in between. My work is about food. My hobbies are closely tied to food. We mourn, celebrate, heal, comfort, and care for each other with food. And we have to have it to survive. So for those of us who have a tendency to SWING on our own little wrecking balls (okay, maybe pendulum is a better description?), food can sometimes swing right along with us.

Let’s go back to 2019, shall we? It was an interesting time on that pendulum. I launched a capital campaign at Jones Valley Teaching Farm to build a sustainability plan for the organization — buying the downtown campus and then building a Center for Food Education on it. I had two kids in elementary school. Then…COVID hits. Just as most of you did, I put my head down and laser-focused on just getting through. The kids had to learn. The organization had to survive (after all, we were BUILDING A FACILITY during COVID so, you know, no pressure). The food we grew on our farms had to get to people. The kids we taught through our Good School Food educational model needed us. And there was this virus circulating that nobody knew anything about. And so, I did the best I could with what I knew then. I think most of us did.

When I looked up in February 2022, I could see and feel the toll those years took. I didn’t feel good most days, but I put on a good show. I was worried about the level of lemon pepper chicken wings fried hard with ranch dressing I was consuming on the regular. I was consuming more than my fair share of adult beverages . I was avoiding decisions that needed to be made across so many levels. I forced myself to look up and out. It wasn’t easy.

I took a two day retreat gifted to me and spent two nights at Pursell Farms and made a decision to change. I called Christiana who I had secretly watched for 4 years lose weight and keep it off. Truth be told, I was just waiting on her to gain it back and she NEVER did. So, I called her and I said, “Whatever you did, sign me up coach!”

A week later, my Optavia box arrived and I committed to just ONE month and in that one month I lost 15 pounds. Now, here’s where I know you are going and I was right there with you, so there is NO shame in that game. Did I think it was a hoax? Yep. Did I have trouble explaining this to people — me, the person that runs an organization that grows food — who will suddenly be eating packaged food mailed to my door? Yes, I did. But here’s the thing: In all of that was a hidden desire to change. I also made the decision to shift my adult beverage consumption and when I say shift, I mean not have any at all (by the way, this is not a requirement to do Optavia).

Did I hear the concerns? Yep. Did I question this decision? Of course. But, here’s what I also knew: I could NOT continue to funnel lemon pepper chicken wings fried hard with ranch at the levels I was consuming. That wasn’t working either. So, how could I question this program if I was actively engaging in large levels of consumption that also wasn’t doing me any favors?

I had to reset, restart, relearn, re-everything. And I did. I never once got off plan for 6 months. There was something about the discipline and structure that I needed — for my health, but also for my clarity and work and home life. Here’s how it went: Well, I can’t because… COVID. Well, I can’t because… I’m busy. Well, I can’t because… life.

I’ve lost 54 pounds since February 6th. I have not had a sip of an adult beverage since then. On this plan, you have to eat every 2.5-3 hours, five of those times are a fueling provided to you and you learn to make one lean and green meal a day. Even though I can honestly say the weight loss has been motivating, I’m here to tell you I’ve gained so much more than just that.

I found myself making everyone’s meals first and me snacking (more like scavenging) at the kitchen island. I tried the mantra, “You are not a garbage disposal, Amanda” but somehow that never really clicked. I was eating stale goldfish (the snack, thank you very much) for no reason, random turkey pepperonis that fell off someone’s plate, and left over peanut butter found on spoons left and right. I was taking meetings during lunch and barely eating, never drinking enough water, never actually visiting the restroom because of the water situation, and just running running running until I could get home to raid the stale goldfish and my glass of wine. Brilliant plan.

Let me tell you what forcing yourself to commit to 5 small meals a day every 2.5 hours does for you: It forces you to prioritize YOUR needs first and foremost. I got used to pulling out my bar to eat in the middle of a meeting or fill up my water bottle (did I mention you need to drink at least 100 ounces of water a day?), and I had to LEAVE MEETINGS TO GO TO THE BATHROOM because…well, water. I had more energy. I was sleeping better. My skin looked better. I was fueling and keeping to a schedule. Most importantly, I was re-imagining how to center MY needs in EACH day. That may be something you already do and congratulations if so, but for me, this was a complete game changing moment.

It was weird. There were really awkward times. I fumbled all over myself to make these choices and gave too much info to friends, hosts, waiters, and chefs (note to self: turn the glass over if you keep getting asked if you’d like wine over and over and over again at a dinner). I traveled with my waffle maker, fuelings, and tablespoons on every trip. I stayed focused even when a lot of people didn’t want me to (remember when I said I second-guessed my own coach for years?). I get it.

We are entering a new journey on Food Revival — one that involves growth and change (that’s nothing new, right?). If you noticed, I didn’t really blog about it this time. I would answer the question if asked, but I didn’t spill my guts on social media or my blog. It feels a bit strange to be doing it now, but I’m learning that it’s important to tell your experience because you never know who is sitting in a room like I was ready to make a change. Oh, I’m also coaching a few folks now and it’s been a gift to share what I’ve learned.

This is where I am today. I made some pretty big decisions to change my routines and choices. I started working on focus and consistency and discipline (which are all in the bottom five of my Clifton Strengths Finder results, by the way). I am most proud of my decision to choose me — even when it was hard — because if I don’t do it, who will?

I’m starting my transition to exercise and maintenance this week, which is a big deal and it has me in my feelings a bit. You see, the pendulum can still be an issue for me and I’m really working on that balance part — not having anything be so extreme that I’m constantly swinging back and forth. For example, it can’t be me with my head in a bowl of queso every night to a ground turkey bowl every night. I’m seeking to find where to land in all of it and maybe that will also be helpful to you?

We don’t really talk about how COVID affected every part of our lives and bodies and minds. We should. It was (and is) hard. We did the best we could with what we knew then. As Dr. Maya Angelou says, now that we know better, we can do better. I’m trying to do better.

Categories: Uncategorized

Things that are reviving me…

Posted on September 5, 2022

The last time I wrote on my blog was a little over a year ago and things have definitely changed since then. Maybe I’ll talk about that later, but for now I’m just going to post some of the things that have been reviving me lately: Recipes I have a food routine these days and it includes 5 fuelings and 1 Lean and Green meal. More on that later (maybe). One of the things that has stuck for me is being consistent, structured, committed, and being less afraid of a tried and true routine. My go-to dinner includes: 7 ounces of 99% fat free ground turkey breast with low sodium taco seasoning, 1 cup butter lettuce, 1 cup of cauliflower rice, Bitchin’ Sauce, and…

Categories: Uncategorized

Birthday Boat Ride

Posted on July 27, 2021

My parents divorced when I was 3 and so I spent every other weekend and every Wednesday of my life with my Dad. Or thereabouts. When I was super young, he lived at Peachtree Apartments and it was there that I practically lived at the pool. I drank Barqs Root Beer from the coke machine, swam more hours than I could possibly count, went to wrestling matches at the Municipal Auditorium on Wednesday nights, and ate mustard and/or cheese sandwiches (Daddy wasn’t much for keeping anything stocked for my visits besides the basics. Oh, and Hamburger Helper).

A little later, we moved to a mobile home in Harris County where I used to jump in the back of the pickup truck bed for our 30 minute ride from town and I’d watch the clouds and the big sky. We trained my pet rabbits how to walk on a leash (all Daddy’s idea), and I learned to shoot beer cans with a BB gun. It is also the same time Daddy confessed to buying a boat at a boat show. Now that’s an entirely different story and one that may have included some of those beer cans I mentioned before.

Lake Oliver wasn’t far away from our mobile home, so we spent a good amount of time attempting to get the dang boat TO the water. We hopped over curbs, scraped up the sides, and almost lost the boat a time or two (again, don’t ask). I made a habit of sitting in the front seat of the boat (left side) while parked in Daddy’s driveway and hoped he would figure out why in the world we have a boat sitting in our front yard.

Some years went by and that’s when I got another call from Daddy. This time with an even BIGGER move: We were moving to Lake Harding. Daddy found a house right on this peninsula off the Long Bridge. Our small 2BR /2BA house had water on both sides. He planted fruit trees and day lilies (stella d’oro to be specific), tended to his garden, and we started this new phase of our life.

It wasn’t perfect by a long shot. None of it. But, when I was on that boat sitting in the front (on the left side) with the wide open water ahead of me, none of it mattered. You lose time on a lake. Time just passes and in many cases, that was just what I needed as Daddy and I tried to figure out time and time again how to do the Father/Daughter dance as I kept growing up. It wasn’t perfect by a long shot. None of it.

On the water I was free. I loved hearing our boat slow to an idle and the sound it made when it would hit the waves just right. The sound of my Dad’s truck’s wheels turning on the gravel parking lot and the sound of the boat trailer’s wheels backing in the water. I secretly loved getting a whiff of my Dad’s cigarette smoke while speeding across the lake. Those cigarettes caused way more complications down the road, but it’s how I knew he was there if that makes sense.

Lake life for me was totally normal. I’d take off on the wave runner by myself. I loved finding a quiet slough or waterway where nobody went so I could watch the wave runner cut the water like glass. I also loved being WIDE open in the middle of the big water where all the boats were. And especially all those waves. The perfect mix of being alone and surrounded by people, but not having to say a word.

The lake is where I learned to face my fears and I learned to ski. I learned to drop a ski and then to slalom. I learned to feel safe in something that felt way too big, which is still a struggle. I learned how to spend time with my Dad by not saying a word and just riding in that damn boat for hours. That worked for us. Probably because words and emotions were too hard.

And so we rode on the boat and we were quiet. Or, we’d turn up the music and he’d dance and embarrass me. More often than not, he’d stop at different homes to hang out with his friends and though I loved his friends, those stops always signified the end of our easy, not-having-to-say-anything-but-just-being-together time. It wasn’t perfect by a long shot. He wasn’t. I wasn’t. I think deep down I always just wanted my Dad to know and see me. The me that was free on the lake. The me that said all the things I wanted to say to him out on that big open water but couldn’t say it to his face. It could be a lot.

In between the “a lot,” Daddy was sure to have a HUGE pot of boiled peanuts waiting for me and I’d eat them until I felt sick. When I think about the lake, I think of Peach Nehi, boiled peanuts, and vinegar and salt potato chips.

My Dad died in early February 2014 in his bedroom in that same house on that lake. I wasn’t there. From his house, you could see the Long Bridge, which was the perfect landmark to describe where my Dad lived. Our lawn was the perfect place to watch fireworks on holidays. So, when I had to go back to the house in mid-March to collect a box of my photos, my grandmother’s crocheted blanket, and a few other items left behind — I took this photo.

Somehow I knew it would be the last time I’d be there and that this was a goodbye. What I didn’t expect is that I would be willing to say goodbye to that entire experience by not setting foot on a boat to confront those feelings in almost 7 years. Maybe I was scared it would make me confront the hard feelings attached to the big, open water? The not-perfect-by-a-long-shot part. Maybe it was because I didn’t know how to BE on the water without my Dad? Phew. A lot to unpack here.

Today I am 44 years old and yesterday a dear friend invited me and my kiddos for a boat ride. On a big lake. In a pontoon boat like my Dad’s. This was a first boat ride EVER for both of my kids which seems so impossible that they aren’t connected to the very thing that meant so much to me for all of those years.

Yes, it was a different lake than the one I’d only ever known. Yes, it was a different boat. No, my Dad wasn’t there. But I was. I found that part of me that I thought had to go away because my Dad did. I found that I still need that open water to process my thoughts. I found that each of my kids resembled me as a kid — Mae wanted to go as fast as possible and Martin Everitt was a bit unsure. On the way home I stopped and got some Vinegar & Salt potato chips and I told my kids about Crazy Popa’s house and how I used to experience the lake when I was younger.

I wasn’t afraid anymore. I actually reclaimed the joy I missed all these years. It’s a funny thing what going fast on big, open water can teach you — and I’m obviously still learning.

I guess I’ll end with this…

There are painful memories associated with many things in our lives, but there’s also joy. I was so scared of the pain I might feel that I didn’t give myself a chance to nurture that part of me that NEEDED to be back on the lake. Because that’s the very place I found my strength and made peace with the things that weren’t perfect a long time ago.

My hope is that you find the strength to rediscover the thing that brings you joy and healing and care for yourself. Happy Birthday to me.

Categories: Family, Uncategorized

Tagged: Lake Harding

A Journey I Wouldn’t Trade

Posted on February 9, 2021

Way back in the late 1990s when Rolling Stone cover stories were all the rage, I decided to major in Magazine Journalism. I also decided to earn a Women’s Studies Certificate. When I announced this to my Dad he said, “Now what in the hell are you going to do with that?” and “Women’s Studies sounds like some kind of feminist or whatever they call it kind of thing – you mean to tell me you are studying women? What does that even mean?!” I was adamant that both of my focus areas would work out in the end, but if I’m being honest, I didn’t know “what in the hell I was going to do” with either one of them. You see, the…

Categories: Uncategorized