Eating Intentionally

Hello There! I have not blogged in a very very long time! I have been so busy and haven't had a chance or much inspiration but today I do. Lately, I have been so busy I have not worked out much. I also have found that upon arriving home from work around 3:00 pm every afternoon, I get a serious case of the munches. I think this is due to eating a somewhat small lunch at work consisting of a salad and a small snack. Now, don't get me wrong if I am hungry I know that I need to eat. Being a vegetarian can be tricky in that way because if the food you are eating is not particularly filling you find yourself hungry a lot. (Note: I've been a vegetarian for almost 5 months! crazyyy) 

Going on these snacking binges has proven to be anything but successful. I think that being a vegetarian can seem like a healthy thing to do but I believe it's only healthy if you approach it in the right way. Let's say I get home from work after having a salad for lunch and I'm hungry. First thing I go for are some pretzels. I snack on them while watching TV. Once I get sick of them I move on to a bowl of cereal (Kashi w/ almond milk), after that I am still hungry and have not satisfied my hunger so I go for a piece of fruit. Do I stop there?! Sometimes. 

Although all of the items I just listed are considered relatively healthy, they are not however sustaining. Hence, why I feel the need to continue to eat. Living a vegetarian life style is not in any part easy, that is if you want to do it right. I have started taking more vitamins such as B12 and Iron and I am more conscious of getting enough protein. If you don't do these things you can find yourself tired and lethargic. 

For me all of these things have been a learning experience for me. I love being a vegetarian but I think I need to start working at it and eating more intentionally. By this I mean thinking about what I'm putting into my body based on energy and nutrition. I love this article by NoMeatAthelete because in it he outlines all of the non-meat foods from which one can obtain protein. (To read article Click Here) I realized that I am not getting enough and that in order to do so I need to balance out my diet and use my brain instead of my stomach to make decisions. 

Today, I chose a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter because they are both great protein sources. I am going to a cardio class tonight so I know I will need the extra boost. Also, I'm not still hungry! I gave my body the nutrition and energy it was seeking to hold me over until it's time for dinner. It might take more thinking to eat this way but I believe it's worth it! 

I hope you enjoyed my little insight for the day and even if you aren't a vegetarian, eating intentionally is still something that can work for you. It's all about doing what's best for your body. 

~Jessenia