Instead

Posted: July 27, 2011 at 7:00 am

Another week. Another Wednesday. Another chance to share meal ideas, food inspiration, and delicious creations through a What I Ate Wednesday post. That was the plan at least.

Peas and Crayons

INSTEAD…no notable food worth blogging crossed my lips yesterday.

Yesterday morning I told my “I Feel Fat” thoughts to be damned and move out of the way so I could get on with life. INSTEAD…I battled the migraine of the century and still felt “off” all day long. I didn’t practice negative self-talk like the day before, but I certainly didn’t have the positive, healthy day I hoped for either.

I had no appetite, but finally decided I needed to eat so had my standard bowl of oats at a late 10 am in hopes of feeling better.

Instead…those oats made a reappearance less than an hour later. In the shower. Ick.

I knew then I needed to take it easy and even set out to nap for a couple of hours when the kids laid down for their naps.

P1140520 P1140521

Instead…neither child thought naps sounded like a good idea yesterday. Of course!

In the afternoon, I had a Skype chat with Love Grown Foods planned.

Instead…I spent my afternoon curled up in a ball on the couch waiting for the migraine to subside, which it finally did around dinner time.

Last Friday night I had the genius idea to go ahead and meal plan out an entire month of dinners. I took our staple meals that we have at least every few weeks – such as enchiladas or stir-fry - and scattered them across four weeks. I penciled in an easy night each week with things like breakfast for dinner or sandwiches. I accounted for one “entertainment night” a week for date nights, dinners out for social gatherings, or grabbing a pizza. I then dubbed one night each week as a night to try a new recipe. I adored this plan because it meant the inevitable Friday night anguish of meal planning and grocery list making wouldn’t have to drive me so crazy anymore.

For this week’s plan, Tuesday night equaled Mama Pea’s noodle bowl because we have already dubbed it a “staple meal”. 

Instead…the last thing I wanted to do was cook. The last thing I wanted Peter to do was cook and leave me with bedtime duty. 

Yet once I had my appetite back, I wanted FOOD. I wanted food like 10 minutes ago after only eating a bowl of oatmeal that didn’t stick and a couple handfuls of Kashi cereal the entire day. I wanted comfort. Instead of my planned bowl of vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains, I ended up with…

abc sandwich
chicken salad sandwich and chips from Atlanta Bread Company

So much for the meal plan this week. So much for getting back to “feeling like myself” yesterday. So much for a What I Ate Wednesday post that shares meal ideas, food inspiration, and delicious creations. But life doesn’t always turn out so nicely. Instead…it may hand you lemons disinfectant for your shower.

  • Ever suffered a migraine?
  • Give me an “instead” moment you’ve had recently. 🙂

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45 Comments to “Instead”
  1. Ugh I feel yeah girl! some days you just cannot cook and are not hungry. I dont think I have ever had a bad migraine. I only get really bad headaches when I am overtired or hungry. That oatmeal looks amazing 🙂

  2. Mandy says:

    Hope you are feeling better today!!!

  3. Jill says:

    My mantra is make lemonade! It sounds like you had a make lemonade kind of day!
    I hope you are feeling better today!!!

  4. I get migraines a few times a month and they are the worst. They definitely make me reach for the comfort food… hope you feel better today!

  5. I hope you’re feeling much better today!! I’ve actually never had a migraine–I’m very fortunate. I have a friend who suffers from them frequently and I feel so bad for her!

  6. Erica says:

    oh girl! I hope you are feeling 100% better. I don’t know how you managed to push through all that with the two kiddos- super Mom.

  7. I’m so sorry to hear about your migraine and the trials you went through with it. I’ve never had a migraine, and it sounds like I should thank my lucky stars. I hope that’s a very very very rare occurance for you!

    I’ve head plenty of those “instead” moments, both in the positive and negative side. Too many to count.

  8. Um migraines utterly and totally suck. They totally knock you off your feet. I suffered from migraines for years and years, only to discover that gluten was the culprit!

  9. I like to call myself a ‘recovering’ migraine sufferer. I used to have them all the time. They got so terrible at one point i ended up in the hospital due to dehydration from puking. They also got so bad i had a standing prescription for vicodin. Crazy right?! It wasnt after switching docs that she challenged me to write down whatever food/meal i had right prior to migraine onset. After doing this for a few weeks i was finally able to figure out my triggers. Now I cant even remember the last time I had one. Hope you feel better today!

  10. ugh, migraines are the WORST. i haven’t had one since college, but they really are one of the worst things in the world! although i haven’t thrown up with one, praise the Lord!

  11. awww, hope you feel better!!!

  12. Oh yeah, I used to get debilitating migraines up to 4 times a week in high school. They went away mostly with the removal of my wisdom teeth and now I get about one a year. Love your idea to plan out an entire month worth of food. I hate it when I get to the end of the groceries I’ve bought and have to come up with something out of the blue to feed us.

  13. Suzanne says:

    Yes, I have had them and I know some people that have them weekly! Invest in some good peppermint oil. You put it on a cotton ball and dab it on your temples and lightly sniff it. I bet you would be surprised!

    My “instead” moment is well every other moment.:)

  14. Khushboo says:

    Hope you are feeling better today- I hate when I lose my appetite! I planned to go for a run this morning, instead i spent the morning curled up on my sofa and then shopping around 🙂

  15. Kara says:

    I’ve had migraines that made me puke and I know how much that sucks!

    Every time I decide to nap when the baby does, then she won’t nap. Little hooligans!

  16. Rachel says:

    So sorry you had a migraine! Nothing wrong with not cooking sometimes – that sandwich looks tasty. I loooove chicken salad.

    I have been battling migraines for about the past year. We have been having a really hard time finding a migraine med that works for me, nothing is even remotely effective except the Immitrex shot. I had a migraine last week that dragged on for four days, so my Dr. gave me a prescription for Lortab. Scary strong meds but it did get rid of the migraine!

  17. I definitely feel your pain. I had my first migraine last year and I would never ever wish that pain on anyone. The worst! I’m glad you’re feeling better and have your appetite back! Those oats look superb. 🙂

  18. jobo says:

    Yuck, that migraine sounds atrocious, I am glad you are feeling better! Good idea to lay low the best you can on days like that. Let’s see…instead of dinner last night, I had ice cream. How’s that for a yummy instead??

  19. Oh Tina I’m so sorry to hear about your migraine — I get bad headaches and I know how it can just take over your whole day. My dad used to get migraines quite a bit and he’d have to stay home from work and stay in bed all day. I hope you feel better today!

    Last night I wanted to go to bed early — instead I stayed up way too late reading my book!

  20. Migraines are the worst! But hey – don’t feel down on yourself about a lack of “inspiring” food for WIAW. The cool thing about your post is that you still showed an honest view of what your eats looked like when you weren’t feeling the best. An honest blog is always better than a “perfect” blog!

  21. My worst migraine ever had me lose vision while I was driving, puking at my cello teacher’s house, and ultimately at the hospital getting shot full of who knows what because I couldn’t get it under control. Ugh! Glad you feel better!

  22. I hope you feel better soon!! I get migraines far too often (I was almost in the ER once), so I totally understand your pain. Mine sideline me for a few days, it’s awful. I hope you feel better soooooooon!

  23. Mellissa says:

    Unfortunately migraines are something that I really struggle with, I have a prescription for Maxalt and that is about the only thing that works. It is really hard on your body so I only take it if absolutely necessary.

  24. I was supposed to go to a presentation from some amazing guru in the yoga community last night, but instead I went home and passed out. My body was just saying…you’re done for the day. LOL

  25. Ughh migraines are the bain of my existence 🙁 I am sorry to hear you were not feeling your best!

  26. I’ve never had a migraine, but I know people who have and they certainly aren’t pretty. I hope you are feeling better!

  27. Ugh sorry to hear about your migrane, Tina! I’ve never had one, but my Dad used to get them all the time. They are the worst! Hopefully today is better! 🙂

  28. Kelley says:

    Awe, I definitely sympathize with your migraines. 🙁 I get them often and it’s a struggle to find ways to cope with them without excedrin for me. Glad it went away, mine last for days!

    I love chicken salad! YUM!

  29. Jen says:

    Hope you’re feeling better! Migraines are the worst and can really just throw everything off- including meal plans. At least you have a month of meals to make up for it with!

  30. I so feel your pain. I had the worst headache in the afternoon yesterday (too much soy sauce and not enough water), a sinus/stress combo headache today and my stepson just refused to talk in a soft voice during the whole thing. I hope you feel better soon!

  31. I get horrible migraines weekly, to the point where I can’t see and somtimes my face and arms go numb. I definitely feel your pain on how terrible they are. I’m actually on an anti-seizure med now, which is supposed to prevent migraines (i take it strictly for the migraines, i’ve never had seizures)
    two things that really help me:
    1. drink a whole can of regular old-fashioned coca-cola: not diet or any others…drink the whole thing
    2. freeze a wet washcloth and put it on your forehead: at first your brain will freeze up but then it’ll help the pressure

    Good luck!! Hope you feel better soon, I know migraines can last days sometimes.

  32. Ashley says:

    On Sunday I definitely had an ‘instead’ moment. I was planning on going to the gym after I arrived home from a weekend trip away. Instead…I curled up in my bed with my 2 dogs and took a 3 hour nap…and then woke up and went out for ice-cream. But Monday morning I woke up ready to tackle the world!! 🙂

  33. Yes I have had a migraine. I think today has been a solid “stress-induced” migraine. I wish I could attach a photo of my awesome 4 LARGE pimples smack dab between my eyes.

    My instead? Instead of practicing positive self-talk today I am succumbing to the force of negativity 🙁 I thought I had it warded off this morning…http://www.navigatingnorth.com/2011/07/humpy-bumpy-morning.html but I was a little mistaken. Lets hope for no migraines for you and a better day for me, deal?!

  34. Helen says:

    Ugh headaches are the worst thing in the world to have to deal with. You literally can not concentrate on anything because of the pain 🙁

    I totally do eat out nights if I am sick or exhausted. The hubster loves to take advantage of it and order pizza….so cruel of him right?

  35. Aw, I’m sorry you’ve been feeling so crummy. I hope you’re feeling better!

    I had an ‘instead’ yesterday. I had planned to mow grass, but I couldn’t get the mower started. Instead, I cut up and bundled branches to be hauled out. I hope my husband can get the mower working!

  36. Lindsey says:

    I hope you feel better! “Instead” days make you appriecate the “Goal Met” days that much more!

  37. I hope you are feeling better! I get them every so often but never to the point where I throw up. I had an “instead” moment last night. I couldn’t fall asleep for an hour and a half which meant that I couldn’t go for a run this morning. I can’t run/function on 5 1/2 hours of sleep. So I slept an extra hour and feel pretty good. There is always tomorrow!

  38. Paige @ RAN says:

    Fortunately, I don’t suffer from migraines, but my poor husband does! He gets them so bad that he has to be in a dark room and is down for the count for the entire day.

  39. Aww, I really hope you’re feeling better, Tina! That doesn’t sound fun at all. 🙁

  40. I wanted to be happy but instead the USMC threatens to steal my husband right before we move into our first house. great =/

    I hope you’re feeling better!!!!

  41. I’m so sorry for your horrible day 🙁 No I’ve never had a migraine and from what I’ve heard from others, they’re just downright awful. I hope you’re feeling better soon! 🙂

  42. […] have eaten a fair share of meals out of the house. Tuesday, when my first migraine hit, Peter picked us up Atlanta Bread Company for dinner. Friday, when Peter received a special reward at work, we headed out to one of our favorite BBQ […]

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