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Why am I not blogging anymore?

Not sure how to start this post… with hello?

Over the last few weeks i have been getting quite a few messages from people wondering why i am no longer blogging on here… or why it is mostly recipes.

First off, it is lovely to hear that you care and miss my posts… it does mean alot!

And well, the short answer to the question is…there is no time.

But if i am honest with myself, that is not the real or full answer. Sure, not having alot of time left for blogging is definitely one of the reasons i haven’t been able to blog. But if i truly wanted to blog, i would make time for it. If i can write and share recipes, then i should be able to write a few non recipe related posts as well?

However, i just haven’t been motivated or inspired. There hasn’t been any creativity left for blog posting recently. Haven’t known what to write about, and sometimes it feels like i end up just writing about the same things over and over.

Many want to read more about eating disorder recovery posts, and i understand that. But it also feels a little like i have done that in the past, and one of the reasons for changing blogs was to not write so much about it. Sure, i still want to help and share advice posts… but i am also trying to do that in video format on my YouTube at the moment. (My channel, HERE).

It also feels like i have written so many posts about eating disorder recovery, shared all the advice i could and it is easier to just refer to old posts instead of writing new ones.

And with nutrition posts, which have also been requested… well i just haven’t known what to share. I’ve been stuck in a battle of… what could i share that isn’t already available online? As well as feeling…How much free information can i give away? For the past 10 years i have been blogging for free, so much time and energy dedicated to writing blog posts, sharing advice, answering emails and of course… helping people is SO MUCH MORE important than money. But there also comes a time when I have to realise that i can’t give away all the information i learn at my university course and from all the hours spent studying… because in the end, why would anyone want to hire me as a health coach or a lecturer(?) or even to buy ebooks from me if everything is already available online for free? I hope that makes sense! Of course… that doesn’t mean i will never write nutrition or advice posts again… most of all i just need to find inspiration again and find my creativity.

For those of you who don’t know, i am writing my bachelors thesis right now which is taking up the majority of my time. Preparing, reading articles, writing, rewriting things and the list goes on. And then on top of that i am also trying to keep creating recipes and content for my IG and on here (recipes anyway) and trying to post a YouTube video a week… even if that isn’t always possible as editing can take 8-10 hours and i don’t always have the time for it. And then on top of that i work some evenings and weekends… and somewhere inbetween i want to try to meet friends and have a social life, work out and also get time to clean my apartment, do laundry and actually just watch series.

Somedays it can feel like i don’t actually get any time for myself or that i am working on something from 8am to 10pm. And otherdays… i am so exhausted mentally and have 0 creativity or motivation.

Of course i must admit… i sometimes feel bad about the fact that there are people out there who are running businesses while also writing their bachelors thesis (or even masters – which is much tougher), people who can actually post several youtube videos a week while going to Uni or writing their thesis essay.. and people doing so much more than me while still able to do their Uni work. And it makes me feel bad… like i should be doing so much more. Why can’t i also run a business or post several YouTube videos a week and still do everything else i do… or why can’t i just write a few extra blog posts a week.

However, i am trying to remind myself that we are all different. And adding more to my plate isn’t going to help me. I am already incredibly sensitive to stress and easily get anxiety when i have too much on my plate… so even if i want to do more and often feel like i am not doing enough or good enough, i also need to realise there is only so much i can do without breaking down.

Anyway… so that was the long post as to why i am not really sharing so much on here right now. My goal is to be more active on Youtube and try to show more of my personality and to also sharing some advice and inspirational videos on there.

And in time, i do hope to start blogging on here again and sharing more than just recipes. But i hope you all understand why it has been a little empty here recently. Just trying to balance everything in my life and figure things out!

April 30, 2019April 30, 2019

Its a healthy lifestyle1 Comment

You have to start somewhere – it is ok to be a beginner

Two days into my internship and i can tell you i am feeling rather mentally tired. Though pretty much everyone told me this beforehand… there is alot to take in, new faces, new information, new work routine…. so even if the 9 hour workdays days aren’t so tough, i.e i am used to working those hours. It is all the new information and impressions that take alot of energy.

But so far so good. And i don’t plan to write so much about my internship or what i am doing or where it is etc, but hopefully in the next few weeks i will begin to get to do coaching with clients and even write nutrition/meal plans. So i am looking forward to that.

But one thing i am learning to accept is that it is ok to be a beginner…. And you don’t always start off amazing or perfect. But to get better… you have to start.

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I am – unfortunatly – the type of person who doesn’t like trying new things in the risk of being bad at whatever i am trying. This does hinder me in life. I don’t want others to see me failing at something and i don’t want the negative feeling i get when i am bad at something… even if i have never tried it before and there is no reason why i should be good at it.

But i am now realising that to get better you have to start and just do it…And you get better the more you do it or practise.

Just like with ex pull ups or pushups or even running… for most people, when they first try push ups or pull ups they might not even be able to do one, but over time the more they practise they will suddenly be able to do 5 or more in a row. And it is the same with other things.

So if i compare myself to my work colleagues who have been working in the business for years, and i am new to this business (i.e i already have the nutrition and coaching competence) they have different qualities which are good to have at the workplace. And i know that within time i will also develop and work on them.

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But for now i just need to accept that it is ok to be a beginner…. and that just means i can only get better. Hopefully.

I know this post may be a little weird to read, especially when i can go into the different things i mean. Also the fact that this idea and topic came to me yesterday at work, but i didn’t have time to write it then… so my thoughts aren’t as sharp as they were right when the idea hit me! But hopefully you get something out of this post as well…. To learn that it is ok to be a beginner and ok to not be good at things. But if you want to get better… then you have to practise and work on them.

I hope you are all doing well 🙂 I know i haven’t been writing or sharing so many posts that aren’t recipes the past while… but that’s just life. There just hasn’t been time or energy to share other than recipe posts. But hopefully i will be back to blogging or sharing nutrition or vegan related posts in the future 🙂

Otherwise… feel free to recommend YouTube video ideas i can do during the weekends so you get to know me better and can follow me on that social media platform where i am more than just words 🙂 My Youtube channel.

February 27, 2019

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November goals, life update & life thoughts and my current inspiration

Hello and good morning everyone 🙂 Or well, not sure it can still be considered morning when i am writing this post.

It feels like a long time ago i actually wrote anything about my life on here or maybe that’s just me. As usual, there really isn’t much to update about my life, hence why i haven’t written much about it.

Just trying to get through my school work load, which has consisted of far too much work and litteratur reading – but that’s what happens when you love learning and decide to study 3 courses at once. But soon it will be over.

At the moment it is full focus on studying for an exam which i have next week, and after that, my next course starts which will be in exercise nutrition. And hopefully i will have atleast a little more time for other things – because right now i am mostly spending my days infront of the computer taking notes and studying. This of course means that pretty much everything else in my life hasn’t been a priority. But that’s just life at the moment!

Now it is a new month and only two more months of the year left…. a year that has flown by incredibly fast. I am looking forward to 2019, but it will also be the year of changes…. in spring i will be done with my bachelors and hopefully get my degree. Maybe start working – where i don’t know. Having to move and find a new apartment if i stop studying. Where i want to live… i don’t know.

Yesterday (Thursday), i met with my step dad and had dinner and we began talking alot about the future…. how things happen and change which you have no idea or had never planned for. My goals and plans which i have now, may be completely different in 10 years time. Where i think i will be in 10 years time, i may not be there at all. I mean, if you had asked me at the age of 16 what i would be doing with my life – or where i would be at the age of 22, i would have said something completely different.

I know what i want and what i want to achieve, but i am also open to new and different possibilities and the fact that things might not go the way i had planned or thought.

What i do know is that i want to have my own apartment – somewhere, not sure where. I want to adopt a beagle (one night i was up until 3 just looking at dogs to adopt, and found the cutest beagles from Ireland which needed to be adopted. And i was very close to sending an adoption application. Realistically i could have a dog now. Though i also need to think long term, and the fact that i might want to travel or live somewhere else. And i don’t know where i will live in the future and if i will be allowed dogs. Of course, my parents could take care of the dog. But it is a huge responsibility as well as costs alot with food, insurance etc and you need to have the time, which i don’t know if i have. But in the future i know i will adopt atleast one dog.)

Also i want to help people with their health, mindset, balance. Whether i do that through my own business or through another company ,i don’t know yet. But i know that in someway i want to help people – and just to start believing in myself that i can help people.

Sometimes i feel like i am not doing enough and i think, “why don’t i have a successful career like other people?” forgetting the fact that i am only 22 and in school, studying for my bachelors. I don’t need to have my own business and successful career on the side. It’s easy for me to compare myself to people who are 30+ and are doing what i want to do in the future, and i think….”why don’t i have that as well? Why am i not doing what they are doing?” forgetting that they are focusing 100% on their businesses and career while i am still in school, focusing 200% on studying. Not to mention that they are older and have had their failures and sucesses – but all i see are their successes, forgetting that they have had set backs and tough times and failures.

Sometimes i think i am far too hard on myself – i am definitely an overachiever. But i am learning to be kind to myself and knowing that i am doing my best, even if i often think i am not doing enough. But that just leads to stress and negativity and not taking time to think about what i am actually doing and giving myself credit and praise.

One thing i am so thankful over is my family. The support i get from them is amazing, and the conversations i had with my step dad was exactly what i needed. To give me some perspective and also my mum who reminds me that i need to just take a moment to be kind to myself and give myself praise – instead of always thinking about the things i am not doing or thinking about what i haven’t achieved. My family have always supported me, and been there for me, as well as they all give me so much inspiration. We may have different paths and careers in life, but my sister is inspiring me so much with all her hard work with both her studies and now career. And my mum and step dad inspire me by always wanting to grow, continue to learn and progress in everything they do. Studying courses to keep learning and getting more knowledge!

So after this long post – needing to share my thoughts.

What are my goals for this month and rest of the year?

To be kind to myself. To give myself praise and credit. To take time for self care weekly. To stop doubting myself. Also keep being social and meeting new people – not letting my anxiety get the better of me. Keep staying positive. Stay in contact with my family – talk to them atleast once a week and not let it go several weeks like it has the past while. Also try to get into a regular sleep schedule again i.e there have been far too many late nights which has led to me sleeping past my alarm.

These are just some of my goals.. .i would love to know some of your goals for the month and rest of the year?:)

**Attached are some of the inspiration pictures i have found recently and wanted to share*

November 2, 2018November 2, 2018

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My thoughts: The importance of sleep and rest! | Sleeping in and resting from workouts

Hello 🙂

I know that this may be a recipe-vegan-nutrition blog, but i almost feel like apologizing that there are so many recipes all at once, hahah. I prefer to try to find some type of balance with the posts so that it is not just recipes or personal posts or just posts about veganism.

I know i can’t please everyone because some just want personal posts, some don’t want any nutrition posts, some want more nutrition posts, some only read/want my recipe posts etc That’s why i think having a balance of all those type of posts is bests!

(If you have any post suggestions just comment below!! Whether it is nutrition, veganism, questions, ed related, self love, personal etc!)

My life is so far from exciting as can be right now. I feel like i barely have time for anything and the days are just passing by so quickly…..

Two things i really want to share and remind you of is how important sleep and rest is.

I am the type of person who has my alarm on every night no matter what day it is. Even on Christmas and my birthday i will set an alarm… of course what time i set the alarm varies depending on the plans for the day. Some days i wake before my alarm and somedays i sleep past my alarm…. and recently (well the past few months) it has mostly been the latter. I.e i set my alarm for a certain time but end up sleeping past my alarm, sometimes for 30 minutes other times 2 hours.

And it has always stressed me out to wake up 2 hours after i have set my alarm – even if i have nothing planned for the day. I feel like there is “not enough time” in the day, even if i wake up at 9am i can feel stressed. And that is not a good way to start the day.

So instead what i have begun doing is setting my alarm for later on my free days. On my work days i have lots of alarms to make sure i actually wake up in time. And also to just accept that if i sleep in later than i wanted to, it is not a big deal… i needed that extra sleep. Also if i fall asleep at 2am it is not so strange that i don’t naturally want to wake up at 6am and instead wake up at 8 or 9am, which would give me 6-7 hours sleep.

What i have noticed though is that i function best and wake up feeling most rested after 8-9hours sleep.

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Sometimes i find it crazy to think that i used to get up at 5am and be at the gym by 6 or 6.30am, and i used to naturally wake up around 6/6.30am and now i don’t feel fully awake until atleast 8am. But that is just life and your current energy levels change over time…. i.e sometimes i have energy 24/7 for several weeks and other times i only have energy for 1 or 2 things each day and need extra sleep.

So remember to get enough sleep. DON’T skip out on sleep. Infact the less you sleep and the more tired you are, the higher your risk of injury from tiredness but also you lower your immune system and can easier catch a cold and get over stressed.

Which brings me to my second point… the importance of rest. I know i have mentioned this several times before, but resting from the gym and strength training is so important.

Now a days i only have time to strength train c.a 3-4 times a week (which yes, is the normal/average amount for most people. But sometimes i compare my current workouts to when i used to workout 6 days a week.) What i have noticed though is that when i have 2-3 rest days… (which aren’t always “rest” as i might go for a walk, or i have a full day at work where it is movement and activity for c.a 7-8hours [If i am on the floor]), is that i feel energetic and strong for each strength workout i do.

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When i used to workout 6 days a week after a while i got tired, i didn’t always feel energetic, strong or rested for my workout. But now i feel refreshed, stronger and more energetic for each strength workout i do. Of course as i love going to the gym and working out i would gladly workout 6-7days a week just because i love it…. but the older i get the more i realise how important rest is, and even if i would like to – and could – maybe working out everyday isn’t always the best. Or atleast, if i do workout 6 days a week then i vary what i do and sometimes it is stretch, othertimes high intensity and other times low intensity for variation anyway.

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But i do want to remind you all to not be scared of resting. Because it is when you rest and fuel your body that your muscles will grow and you will get stronger. When you workout you break down and tear the muscles. Sure to get better at the sport you are doing you need to train and practise i.e you get better at what you do, but overdoing it won’t help you either. So find a balance and don’t be scared to rest. Example now in summer, if you are on holiday don’t be scared to take a week or two away from the gym and training. Don’t panic over not being able to workout, instead see it as the perfect time for your muscles to get the rest they need and you will get back to your workout routine when you are home again and feeling stronger and more motivated than ever!!

This was just two things on my mind that i wanted to share with you all! You may or may not need the reminder, but who knows… maybe someone needed a reminder of the importance of sleep and rest! It is easy to want to be productive and go-go-go 24/7. But both the body and mind need rest!!

July 12, 2018July 12, 2018

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Taking a break from social media?

I got asked about what my opinion on taking a break from social media (or doing a social media detox)? And whether i would/will take a break from social media.

My opinion on a social media detox is that it is great for those who need it. It is easy to get consumed by social media… even those who don’t have social media as their “Job” can be consumed and obsessed by social media. Infact, i have noticed that it is sometimes those who don’t have social media as a “job” that get the most negatively effected by social media and by comparisons etc

I think it is just healthy to take a step back from social media and focus on actually being present in life and living life. I mean, how many times have you done stuff with friends or family or done stuff such as concerts, parties etc and you just spend your time taking lots of photos and videos that you never really experienced what was happening? Or you spent so much time using your phone and updating social media that you forgot to actually speak to your friends/family/partner? If you aren’t addicted to social media then you might not relate to those scenarios. I can say.. i have been there. Where i have spent more time on my phone than being in the present. Spent more time speaking to people online than i did with my own family, or friends. And it was not healthy.

The more time you spend on social media the easier it is to compare your life with others. Also it is easier to get caught up in likes and numbers if you are far too consumed by social media and if you put your worth and validation in whether others “Like” you or not.

One thing i have noticed when watching others use social media, especially instagram and facebook, is that many don’t actually like photos or posts. They look at the picture/video/text and then scroll by… sort of ghost followers. Likes really don’t mean much either and comparing likes, followers etc will just lead to negative feelings and mindset. You’re worth is NOT in numbers or whether others choose to like your picture/text/video or not.

In the past i also felt more pressure to post often. Several posts a day on instagram and my blog… but now i just post when i have time and feel like it. If i don’t have any motivation to write posts or no inspiration, well then my blog won’t be updated and i refuse to feel guilty over that. And with instagram, well if i feel like taking photos of my food or posting in my stories then i will but i don’t pressure myself to post. Though considering that i eat several meals everyday it is not so hard to share atleast one picture a day or have “Back up pictures” (Meaning, that i take a picture of both my lunch and dinner one day and then just post them on two separate days. So to those wondering, no i don’t take pictures of my food everyday.) I enjoy posting to instagram and scrolling through IG, it is not something i pressure myself to post on and it is not something that gives me a negative feeling.

Also i spend alot less time on social media now a days than before… of course, somedays i can spend alot of time online, so it varies alot. But whenever i am with friends or family i try to just put my phone aside and be present. I don’t need to document everything. Just like when i workout or do other stuff in life, i no longer (i.e for c.a 2 years now) feel the need to share it online… i can do stuff and can workout without having to tell everyone online ahahha. So i only choose to share small parts of my life, just so that i can be more present in life and living. Just like many days i go for walks and just leave my phone at home, or atleast keep it in my pocket for the whole time and don’t check it.

Also one of the things i have started doing recently is to NOT check my phone/social media the first thing i do when i wake up. For years, it has always been the first thing i do and can lie in bed for 10-20 minutes after i wake up just scrolling through social media. But now i wake up, turn off my alarm, maybe put on a podcast (not sure if that counts as social media?), drink some water, make coffee, eat breakfast if hungry and just take 10-20 minutes before checking my social media. And also not replying to any messages until 2-3 hours into my day has started. And this makes ALOT of difference for me, and helps to take a step back from social media.

I know that alot of social media is “fake” or atleast an altered view of reality. I have stopped comparing my life, my body or my goals with others. Everyone is different and i know that most people have bad days, body photos just show the good sides and angles and that behind goals achieved is alot of hard work. And the best is just to focus on myself. But most importantly, to focus on my own life and living life.

I enjoy social media, but i know that it isn’t real life and that the important thing is to focus on life and living.

So will i take a break from social media? If i feel negatively affected by social media or i don’t have time for it or it begins to stress me out then yes, i will. But for now i don’t see any need to take a break just for the sake of it.

I do recommend that everyone does a little self reflection over their own use of social media. Ask yourself, who do i follow on social media? Do they inspire and motivate me? Do i follow any accounts that trigger me or give me negative feelings? Why do i follow the people i do?

You can’t change what others choose to post, but you can choose to unfollow or block people if they trigger you or give you negative feelings. I personally have certain accounts which i don’t agree with what they post or the message they send out, and certain accounts that just give me a negative feeling afterwards and i don’t follow them, or i just block them if their pictures are always in my recommended page.

And no, don’t ever feel offended if someone unfollows you or blocks you. I have had people block me in the past and that is ok… if they find that my content triggers them or makes them feel bad about themselves, then blocking me is what is best for their health and i don’t take it personally. It is worse when people who don’t like what i post or what i do choose to send me hate messages. It is better to just block and move on.

I do see social media as part of my hobby/job and something i want to grown and expand. So posting is not only for enjoyment, but also because it is something that helps my brand grow and can give me more opportunities in the future.

The fact is that now a days you sort of need social media, or you are seen as “Outside” if you don’t have it. Which is kind of sad as kids and children are using social media at such a young age… i mean there are kids who are instagram stars and youtube stars and aren’t even 10 years old. It is kind of sad, but i think the important thing is to self reflect over your own social media usage and be honest to yourself about why you use it and how much you use it and whether you need to take a break from it.

Anyway, i hope this answered your question and to anyone else wondering.

July 10, 2018July 10, 2018

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