A New Approach to Weight Loss Resolutions

It's a new year, a new start, and as bitterly cold as it is outside, putting the Christmas decorations away is a harsh reminder that spring and summer are just three months away. Cue me standing in front of the mirror, groaning at the amount of work it's going to take to get my bikini body back.
The post-holiday thoughts running through my head are usually, "Crap, I really shouldn't have eaten so much cheese. Curse you, cheese! And all the wine. I drank too much wine. My pants are tight. I regret that fifth cookie. I don't even want to look at my butt right now."
But then I thought about my nieces and had to stop these thoughts dead in their tracks. While I've always struggled with the way I'm built, I don't want to set that example for them. My mother was anorexic as a teenager, and she still struggles with her food anxiety today. As much as she's emphasized the consequences of her disorder, I've still inherited the obsessive, intrusive thoughts that come with my anxiety. It's not healthy, and I hate that it has power over me. If I'm going to help the next generation or young women have a healthier body image, I have to start with myself.
I deserve to treat myself better. I've always been a believer that I shouldn't sacrifice joy and socialization in my life in order to maintain a perfect body, so it's time to cut myself a little slack. I'm a human, I have cellulite, and I probably won't ever achieve the perfect thigh gap. But who cares? I don't notice if anybody else around me is a size 0 or 12. Instead, I care about what kind of people they are. I value kindness, a sense of humor, intelligence, loyalty, and empathy so much more than I value their waist measurements. I need to be less of a perfectionist and treat myself the same way.

In honor of starting a year of new experiences, I think it's only fitting to start with myself. Instead of focusing on a physique goal, I'm going to focus on my fitness goals. I'm going to think more about how I feel, and less about whether or not my thighs touch. I refuse to regret my holiday feasting. That cheese was delicious. The wine was a celebration of my family's happiness. And most importantly, I am the same strong, smart, confident, capable woman regardless of whether or not I'm five pounds heavier or lighter.

Maybe you struggle with the same issues I do. If so, make these resolutions with me instead of focusing on losing weight:

1. I will take pride in my body
Instead of picking at my flaws when I look in the mirror, I'm going to pick out five things I like about my body every day.

2. I will love who I am
I will set personal goals and reach them. I will highly invest in myself as a professional, capitalize on my strengths, and work on my weaknesses. I will deepen my spiritual identity.

3. I will focus on what my body can do
Working out is my therapy. When I'm covered in sweat, struggling on the last few reps, pushing myself as hard as I can, I'm not listening to that inner demon. I'm focusing on how I feel. And when I finish a tough workout, I feel like a complete badass. It doesn't matter if I have the thinnest thighs at the gym. Mine just squatted two plates. It's empowering to discover what your body is capable of, and when you get hooked on that feeling, you'll naturally want to fuel your body the right way to reach new fitness goals.

I'll never forget how accomplished and proud I felt after completing my first half-marathon

Healthy doesn't mean bland! Gotta love sweet potatoes!

4. I will follow the 80/20 rule
80% of the time, I will eat well for optimal nutrition and energy. I'll eat plenty of fruits and veggies. I won't count calories. I'll listen to my body and drink plenty of water.
The other 20% of the time I'll indulge in chocolate, alcohol, too many carbs, and Chinese takeout. You only live once, and I refuse to give up my 3am Rice Cafe runs. Let yourself enjoy the occasional McDonald's small fries. They're totally worth the heartburn.

5. I will try a new form of exercise
In the grand scheme of sports and exercise, I really haven't tried a lot; but there are so many workouts I want to attempt: crossfit, jujitsu, a triathlon, hot yoga... I could go on for ages. Try a new form of exercise because it's a new challenge; don't worry about how many calories you're burning.

6. I will build up those around me
While I try to compliment, encourage, and help people when I notice something, I will always have room for improvement in this area. This year, I'm going to look for ways to better help and encourage. When you do something good for others, you feel better about yourself, and it puts what's really important into perspective.

7. I will surround myself with supportive people
I'm so lucky to have friends and family I can talk to about my anxieties, so I'm going to focus on reaching out to them when I am struggling with my body image. Sometimes all you need is a good friend to help you find equilibrium again.

Here's to a happier, healthier you this year! You're fabulous; don't forget to feel like it!

Skinny Falafel Pitas

Happy New Year, everyone!

Finished 2013 with a bang at Zedd's NYE concert

2013 was an incredible year filled with new friends, travel, and a lot of clinical hours. It's a bittersweet ending, but I'm so excited to see what 2014 has in store. I'm graduating in May, getting married in June, taking my board exam to be an RN, moving to Chicago, and hunting for a new job. My fiancé Matt and I will be ending two years of long distance and moving in together. It's a lot to take in. While I had many new experiences last year, my goal for this year is to try as many new things as possible, and capitalize on every lesson learned.
I've started my Year of Novelty by making two new healthy vegetarian recipes on the fly. Last night Matt and I tried my remix of  Paula Deen's Veggie Chili (I added poblano and caramelized fresh onions).
Tonight I tried my hand at these falafel patties. I've baked falafel balls in the past, but I wanted to use the oven to roast some veggies. I decided to see how the falafel would turn out if I prepared it more like I make a salmon patty instead of smaller balls. 
They held together well before they were cooked, but tended to fall apart a little once I flipped them on the skillet. If you want your patties to hold together better, you might want to try using a little more egg. I actually preferred that they fell apart, since the pieces spread out well in a pita.
The patties were tasty, but the real star of the show was the Tzatziki-inspired sauce. It was the perfect combo of creamy, herby and tangy.

To make the falafel, you'll need:
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 egg
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients, and use a hand mixer or food processor to mix (I prefer the hand mixer because it gives me more control over the consistency). Form patties from the dough, and place on a sprayed or oiled skillet. Cook on medium heat, and flip when the bottom is brown. Continue cooking on the other side until golden brown.

This should be your dough consistency

To make the yogurt sauce, you'll need the following ingredients:

1 6oz container plain greek yogurt (I used Fage 0%)
1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup finely copped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped cucumber

Stir all ingredients in a bowl until well combined. You could also throw all the ingredients in a food processor, but I'm partial to chunky sauces (and I was too lazy to clean more appliances).

Serve the falafel in a warm pita stuffed with some spinach, cucumber slices, and tomato. Split up the patty and layer the sauce throughout the pita, then top it all with more sauce. Don't be afraid to get a little crazy with the yogurt.

Mmmm, finger lickin' good!

The final product was good enough for even Meat-Loving Matt to give two thumbs up, and completely satisfied my craving for greasy Greek food. Next time you're in the mood for some good falafel, give this recipe a try, and let me know how you liked it! Here's to a fantastic year!