Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary...

This post isn't as depressing as the title, quoted from Edgar Allan Poe, but it is 5:00a.m. and I'm lying wide awake. I've been thinking much about life and what is really important inside of it. I have spent so many years looking at others' lives and wanting what they have and doing what they do to try and be happy.

How can someone be happy being someone other than themselves? It can't be done. That person will always strive to be something better than what they are and be too busy to see themselves as they are. 

                      

I truly believe that in order to be happy, one must be 100% true to themselves. One must not look at others' lives and compare his life to others'. It is not a healthy way to live. In order to be truly happy, it is important to live vicariously through yourself. Challenge yourself to be greater. Do and see the unknown. Do things because they are what you want to do, what you have never done.  

I want to challenge myself to try new things. Whether it be food, places, or activities, I want to live vicariously through myself. One goal I have is to go ziplining. I have always wanted to try it, but was too scared because of my back problems. I have learned that I cannot be scared. Another goal I have is to be comfortable as myself in front of others. I constantly find myself being too quiet in larger crowds. I feel like the elephant in the room literally. I want to eat healthier and says active. This is something I strive for every year, but as I've said in my previous post, I feel the need to be healthier.

I hope this somewhat inspires you to be a vicarious individual through your own self and not others. Do what makes yourself happy.

No-Bake Energy Bites

Happy New Year! 

My New Years' resolution is one that has inspired this post and I am proud to say that my husband and I are jumping into this new year with everything we got. We are busy with fixing up our house (still), student teaching, full-time work, and other odds and ends. With our busy schedules we are going to make this new lifestyle stick. We want to be healthy, happer, and we hope to be leaner. 

This is my new Favorite recipe!

...But first I would like to share with you what made me search for these.

My husband and I vowed to change the way we live our lives. No more fast food, no more coffee stops, no more junk food. We decided our lives together are much to fragile to spend them living in an unhealthy way. 

Due to my health conditions, I have to learn to eat better:-First of all, my family has a history of diabetes type II and were diagnosed during their 40s and 5os. This in itself requires a whole new change in lifestyle, so why not start early? If I can work hard enough, I can avoid the doctors. 

-With my Degenerative Disc Disease, advanced joint arthritis, and Piriformis Syndrome it is important that I choose a healthier lifestyle to lose weight so I am carrying less around and to avoid inflammation. Fatty foods such as carbohydrates cause inflammation of the joints and muscles causing aches and pains and my nerves get pinches. This results in the inability to sit, stand, or move. (It's fun to be me- but I know I can get this under control if I just work hard at it.)-Last, I found out this year I have Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome. This cause is unknown but it can be due to high stress levels, hormonal imbalance, or genetics. At any rate, cysts on the ovaries can cause excess belly fat (weight gain), acne, and other factors. You can read the article for all the details.

All of these things have lead to my personal decision to become a better person, a healthier person. My husband has struggled with other health issues and has chosen to do this with me.

Along with this recipe, I will post other recipes that are Paleo related. We will be eating only whole, unprocessed foods. This eliminates sugars, carbohydrates, and saturated fats. Please enjoy!

No-Bake Energy Bites

yield: ABOUT 36 BITES




prep time: 10 MINUTES

cool time: 1 hour in refrigerator

INGREDIENTS:

1 c. quick oats (use gluten-free oats if you want to for these to be gluten-free)
1/2 c. crunchy or creamy natural peanut butter (or any nut butter of your choice)
1/3 c. natural honey or agave nectar
2/3 c. coconut flakes (unsweetened)
1/2 c. flax seed, ground
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Other optional add-ins: raisins, nuts, dried fruits, chia seeds, etc. Whatever you can think of!

DIRECTIONS:

1. (This step is optional, as I created it so that I could make everything smaller) In a food processor, put the oats, coconut, chocolate chips, flax seed, and also anything you'd opted to put in you'd like chopped up. Chop it to your satisfaction.














2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients, including food processed ingredients, until well-combined. 










Mixture should stick together to be able to form balls. Mix it well
and don't leave out any of these ingredients: honey & PB)

The photo to the right looks like a small amount because I cut this recipe down to 1/3 of the original. Instead of 36, this made 12 bites. 


3. Using your hands, roll the mixture into balls. I used a cookie dough scoop (makes about 1 inch balls) and then shaped them to these very imperfect balls, but they are still edible!


4. Place the bites into an airtight container and cool for 1 hour. Then store in the refrigerator. These will be good for about 1 week.



SERVING SIZE: 1 BITE; CALORIES PER SERVING: 90; FAT PER SERVING: 5.3 G