The Power of Hitting Pause

My life often feels like I’m living in fast forward. With three young children who I swear are growing up at some sort of warp speed, a demanding full-time job and a husband with a pretty intense career of his own we just seem to race from commitment to commitment. It always feels like it’s going to slow down just around the corner…but then that anticipated lull evaporates like a mirage in the desert. When I do find myself with an unexpectedly free hour I usually hustle to fill it with a bunch of tasks that wouldn’t have gotten done otherwise. Sound familiar?

But what if you viewed that free hour differently? What if you looked at it as a chance to hit the proverbial pause button in your fast-forward life? What would change?

You initially  might  think, “Gasp –  I’d never get caught up!” But taking a moment to recharge your batteries may actually allow you to get MORE accomplished when you step back into action.

I took my own advice this week when I found myself with an unexpected hour in an airport. Normally I’d haul out my laptop and work through the hour, thrilled to be making a dent in my never ending to do list. But this time, I actively sought out the XpresSpa (which, for the record, may be the greatest airport concept EVER invented) and got myself a 20 minute express manicure while reclining in a massaging chair. When I emerged from that chair I was refreshed and rejuvenated…and my nails looked pretty darn good, too! My whole outlook on the unexpected delay had shifted; I was a happier woman.

I don’t think the particular activity mattered. I could have browsed the magazine rack at the bookstore, or ordered a latte, or called a long-distance girlfriend to catch up. Any restful moment would have worked; what mattered was simply that I hit that pause button.

When can you do the same?

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Oatmeal-Apple Crisp

I have an annual fall cooking ritual that makes me giddy with anticipation. On the first weekend boasting real, honest-to-goodness fall weather, I make my interpretation of chicken pot pie and a warm apple crisp. Football games are on in the next room and the whole house fills with the intermingling scents of savory chicken, flaky phyllo dough, and cinnamon laced apples. Amazing stuff.

The key to the ritual is to avoid making the menu too early in the year (when the weather might still be warm) and to make sure the schedule for the afternoon is pretty light so that everyone can enjoy those heady smells before dinner.

There’s nothing particularly healthy about  traditional chicken pot pie (I mean, those healthy pieces of chicken and vegetables are swimming in cream sauce and baked between two sheets of pie crust if you hadn’t noticed.) Undaunted, I discovered a way to make the filling with a creamless white sauce that is every bit as good as the full fat version, and then to top it with a sheet of puff pastry instead of pie crust. I think it’s even better than the original.

Since apple crisp is crustless to begin with, it’s essentially a healthier version of apple crumb pie. Keeping the sugar out of the filling and limiting the sheer amount of crumb topping helps to make this particular version even healthier. But honestly, if you’re craving Grandma’s recipe to celebrate the arrival of fall, I say go for it.

 

Oatmeal-Apple Crisp

Adapted from Cooking Light, March 2001

 

Yield: 8-10 servings

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (white flour will do in a pinch)

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats (1 cup granola works well also)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces

6 cups chopped, peeled, Granny Smith or Macintosh apples (about 2 1/2 pounds)

(Granny Smith will be more tart and will remain firmer after baking when compared to Macintosh)

Cooking spray

3 cups light vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine flour, oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. Combine  1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and apples in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with oatmeal mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until apples are tender when pierced with a fork. (If crust begins to darken but apples are not yet soft, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.)

4. Top each serving with a scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt.

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Get ready to thrive

Hello Gorgeous –

Are you ready to step into the life you know you deserve? To leave behind the weight of old habits and unhealthy practices? To discover all the things that having more energy and a thriving sense of well-being can put within reach?

Then you’re ready to be Nourished.

My greatest wish is that you will realize the potential within yourself and allow our team to help you bring it forth. We’re here to help you eat well more consistently so that you’ll have the energy you need to do all the things you were meant to do.

Explore the six Lifestyle Practices we advocate at Nourish. Feed your well-being.

Get ready to thrive.

Are you ready? Is this your time? If so, you can schedule a FREE initial consultation with a health coach by contacting us here or by calling  513-245-4224 x 4. We often conduct coaching programs by phone so if you don’t live in Cincinnati, don’t despair!

 

Eat – Feed Your Well-being.

Experience the joy of mindfully eating real, clean, whole food every day, throughout the day. Let food be a pleasure. Resist the urge to connect food to deprivation and denial. Question fad diets that ultimately drain and disappoint you. Establish food rituals that bring beauty to your eating. Notice and appreciate the look, feel, and taste of your food. Connect what you eat to how you feel. Make eating well a priority. Every day. No excuses. You’re worth it.

Move – Learn How To Move.

Move your body. Learn how it feels to exercise with intensity and vigor. Learn how it feels to move gently and gracefully. Try new things. Explore yoga or Pilates or stretching. Push yourself hard as you run or bike or swim. Compete. Dance. Add small movements throughout your day. Stretch. Feel the blood pumping through your body and become aware of where your muscles are and how they connect to one another. Open up your joints. Move.

Rest – Discover How To Fully Restore Yourself

When you exert, you must also rest. Build rest into your waking hours. Discover how much sleep you need to fully restore yourself. Seven hours. Eight? Nine? You deserve the life that you will live when fully rested. Learn to wind down before bed so you can sleep more soundly. Sit in silence. Breathe. Meditate. Slow down. Choose stillness. Turn off the TV and the radio and the computer and the phone. Unplug. Create space in your life to just be.

Connect – Family & Friends

Relationships matter. You were made for love and intimacy so settle for nothing less. Cherish your family. Cultivate friendships. Invest in people. Join a movement. Find your flock. Make time for conversation and a personal touch. Love with wild abandon. Forgive routinely.

Strive – Play To Win

Commit to a lifetime of growth. Set goals. Regularly step up to challenges. Practice saying “Bring It On.” Be willing to make the effort and invest the energy required to live your fullest life with intensity. Stretch yourself. Play to win.

Thrive – Know and Use Your Talents

Listen for your calling. Relentlessly seek to understand your purpose and unleash your power. Be able to name your passions. Nurture your creativity. Deepen your spiritual practice. Know your God. Allow yourself to experience deep satisfaction. Find ways to be in flow. Let your light shine. Exude joy.

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