Baby it's cold outside

Like really really cold. Like eyes watering, nose running, fingers falling off cold! And my skin is so dry! I can’t keep enough coconut body butter on it. It just soaks right up and I’m crackly again. I limit my exposure to the elements as much as possible, which means I pretty much get into my warm SUV in my warm garage and stick to running errands that only require drive-thrus. If I have to leave my heated seats then it must be really important like toilet paper or coffee. I’m pretty sure I haven’t had much fresh air in quite awhile. I kind of miss it. I tried to go outside to just breathe and enjoy the beauty of the dead grass and bare tree limbs but my lungs seized up and nose immediately started running so hauled back inside to my cozy stale air.

And to make matters worse my body is trying to make me fat! It is like my brain has sensed that it is cold and has officially signaled my body to add layers…not with adorable camis, sweaters, jackets, scarves, legwarmers, and boots but with actual adipose tissue.  I feel like all of my will and determination to eat healthy and stay physically active has completely disappeared.  All I want is to do is sit under a blanket, next to a heater and eat sweets and drink hot drinks with lots of sugar added. What is wrong with me??? This isn’t normal. I am that crazy health nut that scoffs at the idea of desserts on a weekday and here I am sneaking into the pantry three and four times a day to get a few pieces of Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips. And I’m pretty sure I am eating more than normal. My portion control is out of control. I am pretty sure I justify it because being fuller makes me feel warmer….really, it does.

And my crossfittiness has disappeared too. I just don’t have any desire to freeze until I start to sweat and then freeze some more because my sweat freezes when I leave. And it doesn’t have a drive-thru! I actually have to get into the fresh air to walk from car to box and that just seems unnatural. Plus I am covered from head to toe in all those adorable layers so whether or not my arms are toned goes completely unnoticed so I lack the motivation to even try. And even if my arms did show having muscle tone would be the last thing anyone noticed because they would all be shielding their eyes from the blinding glare from my pale and pasty white skin.

It is just so much easier to be healthy in the summer! In the summer I actually leave my car. I wear thin single layers and because I actually see sunshine my skin isn’t quite so blinding and doughy looking.  Plus there is always that added motivation of bikinis. And herein lies the bigger issue. We only care about taking care of our health when 

a.) we lose our health or

b.) we want to be aesthetically pleasing

So what in the world do we do about this because I for one do not want to wait to become sick before I decide health is a priority and I need something more to motivate me other than the fear of a muffin top over my bikini bottoms. I think I personally need to reevaluate my priorities. My focus needs to be about the way I feel, my energy levels, my joy and feeling of contentment, feeling strong and powerful, being confident in my body and its ability to perform the tasks needed.  And really I have noticed that since I have turned into a heavily layered hermit that all those things have really suffered. I actually had to get Levi to open a jar for me the other day and that is just not okay!

I needed to write this post to remind myself why I choose health. Why I choose to buy high quality but more expensive foods. Why I spend so much time planning, prepping, cooking and cleaning in my kitchen. Why I resist my urges to drink warm sugary drinks and eat those gluteny (it’s a word, don’t look it up) sweet temptations. Why I risk the fresh air blowing me over for the sake of sweating with my favorite people and getting stronger and more competent in my jar opening abilities.  Why I take my vitamin D so that I don’t bah hum bug my way through the rest of this season. Why I am recommitting to being a more healthy, thriving, strong and joyful me.

I am not going to wait until January 1. I’m doing this today. I have no electricity. Not really sure how I’m going to cook anything or how I’m going to ever leave this cozy spot on the chaise lounge in front of the fire to actually lift something heavy or work up a sweat. But I’m going to CHOOSE to do it. And yes, I will mess up, get lazy, succumb to the lime jello salad that my Momma makes at Christmas with marshmallows and cheddar cheese (it sounds gross but it is soooooo good).  But I really believe as long as I remember why I choose health then I will naturally consciously make good health choices too.  

I made this yummy bison chili and paleo mini corn muffins the other day while it was still nice and in the 80s outside…you just never know in Texas and once your meat is thawed you have to just go with it. But I’m excited because tonight I’m using the same paleo cornbread recipe but I’m going to turn it into cornbread dressing and serving it beside a beautiful pork tenderloin cooked in hard cider and seasoned with rosemary and thyme. Ooooh. Can’t wait! (Imagine girly clapping and bouncing here) I’ll post that recipe soonish. But now that it is frozen over outside this chili recipe will hit the spot.

BISON CHILI (Because Bison is cooler than beef…but you can always use beef too.)

Ingredients:
4 lbs. grass-fed bison, browned  and drained (found at the Sunshine Shoppe of course.)

1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes, undrained

1 6 oz. tomato paste

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 organic green bell pepper, chopped

1 organic sweet bell pepper, chopped

3 celery stalks, diced

2 green chili peppers, seeded and chopped

2 bacon strips, cooked and chopped small

1 cup beef broth

½ cup red wine

¼ cup chili powder

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

1 TBSP minced garlic

1 TBSP dried oregano

1 TBSP Franks Hot Sauce

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp basil

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp cayenne pepper

Dump all of these ingredients into your slow cooker and cook on low all day (6-8 hours). If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can cook this in a dutch oven and let simmer all day.

PALEO CORNBREAD MUFFINS- slightly modified from  paleocupboard.com

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut flour, sifted

8 free-range eggs, at room temp (if you are like me and forget to set your eggs out an hour in advance, just submerge in warm water for 10 minutes.)

1 cup coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup organic, unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup raw honey

4 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

Coconut oil spray

Blend eggs, applesauce and vinegar in food processor. While blending slowly add honey and coconut oil through that little spouty thing on the top. Stop you blender for a second and add your flour and salt. Blend again…cover that spouty thing. Once everything is nice and combined pour batter into greased muffin tin. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes if using mini muffin pan and 25 minutes if using regular muffin pan.

I doubled this recipe and we had these muffins the next morning drizzled with honey butter. It was lovely.