Okay, all of you who mentioned mixing hot chocolate and coffee together are genius! I will have to try that soon. Sounds delicious.

And, I know you all don’t really care, but I’m too happy to not share – the car is finished and gone! Peter’s friend stopped by last night to pick it up after Peter got everything fixed for him yesterday afternoon. Oh, thank goodness. Now I can hopefully have my husband back in the afternoons and weekends.

Last night, like most Tuesday nights, I participated in the #fitblog chat on Twitter. I really enjoyed last night’s discussion as its something I feel incredibly strong about – Is Diet a 4-Letter Word?

The first prompt for discussion helped me realize something. The word “diet” finally does not bother me. Now, I simply use it as a way to describe my eating habits instead of something I need to “go on” or do to lose weight. I think the difference lies in whether or not we view diet as a noun, aka our dietary style, or as a verb, aka “I’m dieting right now”. In my opinion, the verb dieting is not healthy and implies deprivation or making changes for a set period of time instead of for life.

Something about the chat helped me reaffirm myself. After I give birth, I will work hard to take care of myself so my body can get back to a place where I feel strong and optimal in my health. A “diet” will not be part of that. I will simply return to the ways of eating I know suit me best because it truly is my personal eating style…my lifestyle…my “diet as a noun”. That means the way I currently eat, being okay with pregnancy cravings and all, is still part of that lifestyle and can fit into the big picture just fine. A few months out of my lifetime = a blip on the radar = nothing to worry about. In short, #fitblog chats will really get you thinking. 😉

All of this reminded me of an article a friend recently shared as well – “6 Food Mistakes Even Healthy Eaters Make”. Funnily enough, the list all sounds like actions that go along with being on a diet.

• Eating extra added sugars found in popular “health foods” – Things like yogurts, cereals, bars, or even breads can have way more sugar added than originally thought.
• Not getting enough fat – Our bodies need fats to function properly and they help keep us satiated.
• Eating only egg whites – To me, this ties in with eating fat, but the article also mentioned missing out on other important nutrients of which egg yolks are a quality source.
• Waiting too long to have breakfast – Important to refuel after not eating for an extended period and help keep energy levels stable.
• Missing a post-exercise snack – Helps body with recovery.
• Relying on processed/packaged “diet foods” - Not as many nutrients.

Some of the article shares old-school ways of thinking that I don’t completely agree with, but on the whole I can agree that those types of actions can hinder achieving a balanced eating style suitable for life. I agree that taking steps against each of those could improve my eating habits. Luckily, I have no problems with most of them…with the exception of the added sugars one. I know I don’t pay attention to that and likely consume quite a bit extra sugar because of my lack of awareness. Seems like it basically boils down to eating a variety and abundance of wholesome, natural, un-processed foods. Sounds like duh, but it definitely takes practice. Eventually though, those habits become our diet. And not diet in a 4-letter-word way either.

• Does the word “diet” have a negative connotation for you?
• Do you agree with that list of “healthy eating mistakes”? What would you add, subtract, or sub out on the list? Do you struggle with any of the ones mentioned?

FFF Featured Blogger (chosen from your comments): Eat Drink Breathe Sweat – Jess is a fellow Kick lover (and certified!). She also loves to run. I always love her posts because they truly show heart.

So, it’s time for me to be real again. Although, when am I ever not on this blog? I sometimes think I’m physically incapable of fudging the truth in the slightest. A good thing, I suppose. Or bad, if you’re sick of hearing me talk about the ramblings from my head and the randomness of my life.

I had another moody day today. Score for it having been almost three weeks since my last one though! That may earn a new pregnancy-hormone-moody-day related record.  I just felt in a funk all day long. I’ve already harped on the many ways I don’t feel fully like myself during pregnancy – change of tastes, missing fitness goals, less energy, more pain to complain about, blah blah blah. Those all bothered me today along with just a sense of not caring. About anything. I had thoughts like why do I even bother to blog because it doesn’t mean anything? / do I really have to get up out of bed and care for a needy two year old today? / what good will trying to accomplish anything today have?

Those thoughts bother me more than anything else in the world. If you’ve read my blog for awhile, you know that I battled some depression and suicidal thoughts back in college. Depression and anxiety run in my family, so I never feel that I have completely broken free from this struggle. Fortunately, though, I can recognize those thought processes and stop them before they get too deep.

In the midst of today, I had an empowering moment. I had no desire to turn to food for comfort. My old coping mechanism always came in the form of a binge and stress/emotional eating. I still turn to other outlets to just get lost from my emotions for awhile, but they certainly aren’t near as detrimental. I now simply keep myself occupied. Today, I got in a workout, did laundry, washed dishes, cleaned the kitchen, vacuumed, read kiddy books, read blogs, and anything else to keep my mind off the bombs flying in my head. Then, once I calmed down, I took a deep breath and sat down to reflect on the thoughts.

I honestly do not know what triggered today. I didn’t face a stressful situation. I didn’t feel run down or exhausted since I have done my fair share of sleep in the past 72 hours. I didn’t feel unloved or emotional about any one particular thing. I believe it was just one of those days. The moments where old demons try to find their way back into my heart and mind to discourage me and make me lose sight of the blessings and new life I have in my faith.

It sucked, but at the same time, it rocked. I don’t have to fear myself anymore. I hold more than enough power to overcome these moments, thanks to the strength of God in me showing me hope and mercy. I can hold on tight and find my way through unscathed. I don’t need to doubt my life or my worth because I can look around me and witness the many ways I do have value – to myself and others. (Hence, all the apparently random pictures.) So instead of hating on life and wishing I could be anywhere but here, I can enjoy the fact that I’m already at a better place. A beautiful place.

• What ways do you “get lost” when facing tough emotions? Or do you grab the bull by the horns so to speak?
• Don’t forget to ASK ME ANYTHING for a Q + A series I hope to begin in November. 🙂