Nosh One. Wisdom.
Stretchy pants on and I am ready!
Tis the season to really invest in yourself, your family and friends and be present in what this time of year really means to you. Think of all the things that have changed over the past year and how you view the year to come differently. Think of all the great people in your life and be excited for the ones you haven't met yet. Be grateful for the little things, like a warm car to get you where you where you are going, blankets to be cozy under, and clean water to drink. Practice kindness as much as possible. Smile brighter than you ever have at everyone and say hello. Open a door for someone. Tell someone they look beautiful or handsome in that sweater. Eat the treats (because Stacey makes great treats) drink the hot chocolate, skip the gym and don't give it a second thought. Tell your parents and siblings you truly and deeply love them. Take a moment to breathe and focus on your breath going through your body. Hug your favorite weirdo so tight that they know how much you love them without saying a word. Be a part of something that is greater than you and continue it all year long.
Find the joy in each and every day, 'Tis the Season.
Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation.
My conversation today is with my strength training girl crush and Registered Dietitian
Nicole Rodriguez
I love the space of instagram because I feel this is the social media place for all kinds of people sharing great things, including glimpses into one's personal life. I started following Nicole on Instagram because her videos and explanation of strength training was something I wanted to incorporate more into my life. It is so awesome to see strong women lifting heavy weight and she inspired me from day one. I actually got to meet her in person at FNCE this year and my girl crush is even greater. Nicole is a kindred spirit and everything about her passions and philosophies is something you will want to hear more about.
Connect with on her beautiful website: http://enjoyfoodenjoylife.com/ and follow her on Instagram and Twitter @nrodriguezrdn
Nosh Three. Week in Review.
This will be my last blog post of 2017 and it is going to kind of be a list of all the things I have been grateful for over the past year. With my thought provoking wisdom today, the thoughts may be as random but there is true meaning behind all of them. 'Tis the season of my life to be paying attention to the shit that really matters.
I am grateful for communication and conversations. I learn more than I have have from the conversations I have. I have become a better communicator myself and it is something I work on purposefully. My podcast has opened up a whole new world of conversations and I am really excited about my new phone capabilities to chat all over the world.
I am grateful for another year of mole checks and no presence of skin cancer. I am also very grateful for pretty pink Hello Kitty bandaids that are still cool 35 years after my original childhood obsession.
I am grateful for new relationships coming from a surprise source, Instagram. I would have never guessed I would have encountered as much authenticity as I do on a social media platform. I generated #2017bestnine on Instagram and going back to each of those posts are where some life long introductions to new friends were made. I will never take for granted the power of energy and how it brings certain people together.
I am always grateful for the abundance of food I get to try, cook, experiment in meal planning and use in educating others. Food and nutrition is the lifeline to my profession. Food has also connected me with some amazing groups of like-minded individuals like Food and Nutrition Magazine and Midwest Dairy Association. These groups have not only given me opportunity to make new friends but to share one of the things I love to do and that is write.
I am thankful for technology and healthcare, as well as not passing out at my 2nd ever mammogram.(woo hoo). I know healthcare gets a bad rap, it's expensive, people are living without it and I cannot imagine the hardship it brings to those people without it. I am grateful to have it and I am also grateful for the people who take care of me when I am not well. A special shout out to the kind imaging expert who made sure I didn't end up on the floor topless this time. We all take our health for granted and not one single day is ever promised to us. You have nothing if you don't have your health.
I am grateful for smiles and laughter. Whenever the day is crap or I feel down, if I can find something to smile or laugh about, all will be right with the world. Sometimes all I need to do is head over to Facebook and find a fond memory as this to bring the smile out. There is no reason to smile, everyday, all day. If you catch yourself wearing your grumpy pants, it is the quickest way to snap yourself out of it. Besides, smile lines are beautiful and good laughter works my abs.
I am grateful for the kitchen table. Meals are where people conjugate, talk and connect. When we gather together over good food with good people, nothing can stop us. We are like the strongest fortress, even fire-breathing dragons couldn't bring down. It is also the place we can share our joys, our passions and our purpose in life with people who really care and want to listen. Some of my most memorable and impactful conversations happened at the kitchen table, that have lead me to who I am today.
And finally, I am thankful for fun. Fun is a definition you can create yourself. For me, I make fun happen everywhere. Fun happens at work, it happens at the gym, it happens at home, it happens at the grocery store and of course it happens at cocktail club. When things are lighthearted, encouraging smiles and laughter, this is what sets your soul aglow. But it's not always going to find you, you have to seek it out and make it happen. Life is too short to not have fun and you need to celebrate everyday.
Nosh Four. Workout Playlist of the Week.
'Tis the season to blast some fun holiday tunes, sing at the top of your lungs and shake your booty. Find my favorite holiday tunes on Spotify and Apple Music.
Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now (and ALWAYS).
And finally, what I love right now and what I love ALWAYS is my heartbeats. 2017 was another fantastics and wildly awesome year because these people are "present" in my everyday life. There are no words that can express my love for each and every one of them. I am seriously the luckiest gal in all the land and I look forward to creating a pretty damn amazing 2018 with this wild and crazy tribe.
Happiest of Holidays to all of you and your heartbeats....
~AE
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