intentional living Archives - Everyday Chocolate

May 15, 2024May 9, 2024 by Libby

Glimpses of My Week & Some Daily Eats

Hello friends!

How is your week going so far? I think May + June and September + October are my favorite months! I love ALL the long stretches of sunshine I can get… plus the beautiful trees in either peak spring or fall.

I’m sharing a general life post today with some glimpses into a typical week for me… most things in my life tend to be pretty low-key and simple.

I tend to like a lot of routine and simplicity but also need a hefty dose of adventure thrown in there too in order to feel energized and inspired. I very much resonate with this concept of being a “high sensation seeking and highly sensitive person.” (You can also read more about high sensitivity in my blog post here.)

Speaking of adventure and sensation, this week we are perusing and adventuring around Idaho! So this post reflects aspects of a typical week (last week) back at home in Michigan.

Catching up on last week:

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December 27, 2023December 15, 2023 by Libby

2023: Year in Review

Hello friends!

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas! I’m closing out the year of blog posts with a 2023 year in review… sharing some of what’s been happening in my life this year in high-level, summary form! I find it useful/fun/encouraging this time of year to take some time to reflect on the year we are finishing before heading into a new one, and I would encourage you to consider doing something similar if you haven’t tried it before! 🙂

2023 Year in Review:

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May 31, 2023June 6, 2023 by Libby

5 Nutrition & Exercise Goals to Consider (Other than Directly Pursuing Weight Loss)

Something I talk about with clients a lot is the idea that we can’t DIRECTLY control our weight or body size… however difficult that may be to accept, we can’t go out and magically choose to automatically be our perfectly desired size.

That doesn’t mean throwing all care about our health and wellness out the window… far from it!! On the contrary, I see pursuing life-giving healthy behaviors (which we can generally control) as the best path to improved health, not first and foremost fixating on weight loss or changing your body size.

Letting go of fixating on weight is not the same as letting go of caring about your health!

Actually, I see fixating on weight as generally being detrimental to health. You can read some more about my thoughts on weight here.

“Weight loss” or “body change” are not actions we can go out and directly “do” or make happen. Nor do those things necessarily mean improved health! When we instead choose to focus on caring for ourselves well physically through behaviors we can actually do and control, we can trust we are on the path to improved health. When combining this approach with addressing any underlying root issues (such as environmental toxins, hormonal imbalances, gut issues, etc.) that are preventing our bodies from being in balance despite healthy behavior changes, our actions are likely to lead our bodies to the sizes at which they are the healthiest. This could mean losing weight, gaining weight, or staying roughly the same. I see the point as better health, not a specific weight or size goal.

I am all about self-improvement and setting intentions. Not focusing on weight does NOT mean “giving up on health progress.” Instead of pursuing weight loss as a goal, here are 5 behavior-oriented nutrition & exercise goals to consider! Maybe one or two will resonate with you depending on where you are currently at in your own health and wellness journey.

5 Nutrition & Exercise Goals to Consider (Other than Directly Pursuing Weight Loss):

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January 4, 2023January 3, 2023 by Libby

10 Intentions to Pursue in 2023 (Instead of a Restrictive Diet)

Welcome, 2023! Crazy that we are already starting another new year.

While there is obviously nothing “magical” about starting a new year, I personally often find the beginning of January to be a relatively encouraging and hopeful time. It feels encouraging to me to think about the year ahead, what it could hold, ways in which I want to grow, etc. I feel inspired thinking about what I can focus on in my own life despite what may be going on outside my personal sphere.

I am not one to make new year’s resolutions, but I do like to take time at the end of the year and start of a new year to reflect on the past year and consider ways I want to grow, be intentional, and engage with life more broadly-speaking going forward. I consider it a time to pause, “take stock” of how life is going, and think through ways I want to move forward in greater alignment with my values and desires.

I’m sure that you have already likely seen no shortage of resolution-type posts or articles on the Internet related to the best way to diet/eat, lose weight, change your body size, or exercise more effectively in 2023. Maybe you have seen segments on TV related to this or have heard a friend or family member express their intention to lose _____ amount of pounds, try the _____ diet, or up their exercise by doing ______.

I don’t think the intentions behind these pursuits are necessarily all problematic… I can understand and relate to what is in at least some ways likely a desire to feel healthier in one’s body and to take care of oneself physically. This is a great intention (on its own) in my opinion! What I don’t promote or agree with is what I often see as “quick-fix” solutions to food/exercise/body issues and/or the focus on physical appearance as a direct outcome at the expense of one’s overall health and well-being.

I am much more in favor of focusing on life-giving, sustainable behavior changes that consider ALL aspects of health and well-being – mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual included. I am a fan of ADDING foods whenever possible, not restricting. Exercising and moving one’s body in ways that bring JOY, not obligation. Eating in ways that bring SATISFACTION and NOURISHMENT, not constantly looking for the “healthiest” (typically code for low cal, low fat, or low carb) option. (A method that is sure to backfire).

In the spirit of thinking about health and well-being in a well-rounded way, here are ten intentions to consider pursuing in 2023 that DON’T involve restrictive dieting or directly focusing on manipulating/controlling your body size. Instead, consider joining me in focusing on doable changes that may bring you greater LIFE, JOY, and OVERALL HEALTH. Maybe one or all of these ideas will spark further thought and ongoing interest for you this year. You may want to grab a journal for whatever thoughts come to mind!

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December 28, 2022December 21, 2022 by Libby

2022: Year in Review

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! As we close out 2022, I wanted to take some time on the blog to share some highlights/reflections as I look back on the year.

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November 30, 2022November 22, 2022 by Libby

Experiencing Rest + Presence This Christmas Season

I know that for me, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas always seems to go by too fast. Anyone else??? Every year it feels like there is so much to do, so much to fit in. How can we approach the holidays in a way that feels more life-giving and restful and less hurried and distracted? How can we enter the new year feeling more present and centered rather than feeling like we need a few weeks time off from our so-called “vacation”?

Gifts to buy, family plans to be had, decor to get out (and to put away…), seasonal food to make – all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season is enough to make anyone’s head spin. What’s more, the holidays can be an even more challenging time if you are struggling in your relationship with food. There may be get-together after get-together featuring festive holiday food as well as family time + plans less outside of our normal control. Even if you are reading this and don’t consider yourself someone who struggles with disordered eating or an eating disorder, you may still experience some of the anxiety + guilt surrounding food that is so common in our culture, especially at the holidays.

For me, this is the first Christmas I have had in a long time where I wasn’t in school or (last year) my dietetic internship. “Christmas break” was always intermingled with finishing grad school projects, dietetic internship applications, dietetic internship work, prepping for a new semester, etc. etc. THANKFULLY I am done with all that. With the heightened pace of work in December and/or work I had to get done over the break, it was hard to feel rested over the Christmas + New Year holidays.

Even if you are in school or a place of increased busyness for whatever reason during December, how can you create (even just slightly) more rest and presence for yourself this holiday season? How can you experience more of what you truly want over the holidays (whatever that may be for you) and less of what leaves you feeling drained and discouraged heading into the new year?

I’ll share some thoughts that come to my mind heading into the holiday season, and hopefully you will feel encouraged or inspired to think creatively about rest + mindful presence for your own holiday season in whatever way that might realistically look like for you given your current circumstances, challenges, and life season.

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August 10, 2022July 23, 2022 by Libby

Evening Yoga Sequence for Winding Down

Having a nightly routine to help wind down and prepare for sleep is one of my top tips for improving sleep. Ever since I started incorporating STRETCHING into my evening routine, I can’t imagine not stretching before bed! Taking a couple of minutes to relieve built up muscle tension from the day has had me feeling significantly better once I settle into bed to read, rest, and relax. Continue on below for some of my favorite nighttime yoga postures!

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June 2, 2022May 25, 2022 by Libby

Top 10 Favorite Things at Trader Joe’s

Let’s go on a mini tour of Trader Joe’s together, shall we?? I have been an avid shopper at TJ’s for the last 10+ years – while they don’t have everything that I’m looking for (therefore I do a lot of my grocery shopping at Costco and sometimes other places as well), they do have certain products that I absolutely love and would be sad to live without! I thought I would share ten of my favorite Trader Joe’s products – keep in mind that while the post says “top 10,” there are really too many favorites to choose from!! Hopefully you will find a new favorite food item to enjoy from this list!

I was recently introduced to this amazing toscano cheese which quickly became a new favorite. I recommend pairing it with some fig and olive crisps or your other favorite TJ’s cracker of choice!

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November 3, 2021November 24, 2021 by Libby

Small Steps & Living with Intention

Something I try to keep at the forefront of my mind is the question, how can I be living with intention? With my health, finances, relationships, work, faith, and other areas of life, are the actions I am taking now on a trajectory that will likely lead to where I would want to be 5, 10, or even 50 years from now?

In a quote that captures this idea well, Annie Dillard wrote, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

We can only be in one moment at a time – now – and each moment fills up each day. How we live each day, in turn, fills up how we live our lives. Each present moment, each day, is of significance.