I purchased spaghetti squash after seeing numerous recipes on blogs using it. I had no idea what to expect. What it would taste like. Whether I would like spaghetti squash.. no idea. But no way for me to form my own opinion if not by buying it and making it, right? So I did! It sat on the counter for about a week… or maybe two… until finally, I decided to make something of it.
While I had a bunch of recipes saved and pinned that used spaghetti squash my silly brain decided not to use any of those but rather to just go with the flow. I did what I remembered from them and just went for it. First, I poked some holes in it and tried to cut it in half to cook in the microwave. It didn’t go all the way through… the knife got stuck! Finally after getting it out, I stuck it in the microwave for 2 or 3 minutes to cook. Then I tried to cut it again and finally after a whole lot some difficulties, I managed to cut it in half. Kinda. So I got all the seeds out and stuck it in the microwave again for another 2 minutes. Then I saw it was pretty warm and I was afraid it would explode… especially since I didn’t remember how long I was supposed to put it in for. Why didn’t I use Google for this? No idea.
None of you know this (many of my friends don’t either) but I have been dealing with anxiety for the past year and a half. I was diagnosed with panic disorder back in February 2011. I’m pretty sure I have gotten it well managed and under control and I have been panic attack free all year (some times, it’s gotten close to one, but I managed to keep it at bay). Most of my anxiety that I deal with comes from heightened sensory perception. Ironic, huh, since the name of my blog is sensual appeal..
Having a heightened sensory perception basically means that a person is overly conscious of body functions that usually go unnoticed because they are automatic, for example breathing. When I was in the beginning of dealing with my new-found anxiety, I found it hard to manage. I was overly conscious of how I was breathing, constantly thinking I wasn’t breathing the right way – which freaked me out further, making me think I’m gonna die, which would in turn spiral me into panic mode. It was a never-ending exhausting cycle. It was terrible. Eventually though, I have learned to control it more and more. I am happy to say that I have been a lot less anxious over the past couple of months, which I am also indirectly linking to this blog. It has helped me talk about whatever was on my mind and focusing on being healthy instead of sitting in my head and overanalyzing everything that might be wrong with me. It’s needless to say that I have also become a hypochondriac over that time and still am to an extent. Google is not helping here, of course. With searching for symptoms and their possible reasons and the diseases that could be linked to these symptoms, anxiety can only get worse, not better.
The reason for writing this post is because I was feeling pretty anxious tonight. I felt light headed during my second workout, slow cardio (which I don’t really even call a workout, it’s just a way for me to get more movement in my day since most of my day is spent sitting). I got home after ending it a couple of minutes early and I went straight to the fridge to make myself food. Food helps. It’s comforting and I have been on a lower calorie range (but not too low) and I thought it might have been because my body is adjusting to the increased movement and decreased calorie consumption. Thankfully tomorrow is a rest day and I am not planning on doing anything but walking (when necessary). I need the rest.
So I wanted to share with you guys some ways in which I deal with anxiety, especially when I start thinking about my body reaction and sensations and my hypochondriac self starts thinking I might be having a heart attack/gonna pass out/etc, so that I don’t freak myself out further and therefore not going into panic mode. Here are some things I do that help me take control of my anxiety in those situations:
Drink some cold water, making sure you don’t gulp, take small sips instead.
Breathe in and out… slowly. Close my eyes and slow my breaths out to make them relaxing and soothing.
Do some calming yoga poses. I usually just do some simple hatha poses and stretches. I especially do forward folds and this pose a lot. Not sure why, it just calms me down a lot. I tend to stay away from child’s pose when I feel anxious because scrunching up in a ball makes me even more nervous. I need to feel more open instead in order to release the tension.
Make myself a warm cup of caffeine-free tea. There are calming and relaxing tea blends out there as well but I find that any warm tea works well for me. I’ve been drinking Throat Coat tea lately because of its delicious sweet flavor; it’s comforting.
Smell some relaxing scents. I purchased a relaxation essential oils blend (which includes lavender oil, balsam fir, needle oil, patchouli, palmarosa oil, geranium oil, and chamomile) that I sniff and put a few drops on my wrists so that I can smell it as I go about doing my activities. As far as I know, the best and most well known relaxation scents are lavender and chamomile, but there are many others with calming powers as well.
Tell myself that it’s just me freaking out for no reason. I’m too young to die and I am too healthy for something to happen (like a heart attack, come on, now, really?)
Listen to music that relaxes me. Sing along. I usually listen to Lykke Li, the XX, Radiohead, Bon Iver, Sigur Ros, or Explosions in the Sky. Pandora mixes it all up well for me. (Hope you enjoy the songs I posted up in here 😉
First things first… I created a NEW fanpage! I decided to keep my photography fanpage separate and created a Sensual Appeal Blog fanpage that will deal only with food, health, wellness, and fitness related posts. So PLEASE like it if you have a Facebook, that would mean a lot to me 🙂
So getting healthy and getting in shape is a pretty common occurance and goal among people. And we all know the basic reasons for it: so I can look better and be happier with my body. I decided to take a look at this a bit more and break up some of the reasons for getting healthy and fit into a more unconventional goals (some of them) but then some regular goals. Either way, there wasn’t a whole lot of thinking going on here, but just stuff that sometimes goes through my head relating to getting fit and in shape but I just never actually wrote them out before. So here goes:
So that everyday I wake up feeling happy and excited to workout.
To no longer have any sick/lazy/blah days.
To live till I’m 100 years old.
To start craving exercise like some people crave chocolate.
So people are able to tell right off the bat that I work out and have muscle in my body.
To inspire others to get healthy and active, that anything is possible.
Do a silhouette photoshoot with ME as the model.
To be considered as the “fit girl” in the group, instead of the “chubby” or “average” girl.
Not have to be embarrassed to go to the beach/pool and gladly take all of the layers of clothing off while stunning everyone around by the amazing body that you have.
So I can get a fitness instructor certification for boxing/pilates/yoga.
Do the P90x program again but this time giving it my all. And get a free shirt for completing it 😉
Wear crop top shirts so I can show my belly button ring and tattoos.
Wear short shorts without being afraid my thighs will jiggle as I walk.
Be able to wear a shirt like this or this when working out without feeling weird. (photo of Powercakes)
Be able to sing “Sexy and I know it” out loud without feeling like people are looking at you like “Yeah, okay, I’m SURE you workout….” Which also goes along with wearing a shirt like this.
Go to the gym during rush times and do chin ups and tricep dips with ease, as it shocks the men in the weights section.
Get gorgeous shoulders so I am able to wear tube tops/dresses.
Be one of those girls at music festivals. As much as they annoy me, they also make me jealous of their bodies. Shit, I’d show it off too if I had a body like that! And I was still young. And drunk.
Go to a Health/Fitness Blogger Retreat and be eager to do all the crazy workouts because I know I won’t be dead afterwards.
I have a strong online presence and I am very active on Twitter and Facebook, as you guys might have noticed. I also follow a number of fitness and health professionals (not to mention fellow bloggers, but I think that’s a duh). Recently one of the local fitness pros I follow, Andrea Metcalf, tweeted about a complimentary event happening in Chicago which is a workshop to take control over our health and fitness. It was a LifeBook event, which I’ve never heard about before but I was curious to check it out. Might as well, it’s a FREE 3 hour workshop, I’d be silly not to take advantage of an opportunity like that, when I had nothing better to do that evening anyway.
To tell you the truth I was kind of nervous about attending. The event page didn’t provide very much information and left everything pretty open and vague. I was actually kind of afraid this would be kind of like a brainwashing event to make them join a cult. Haha don’t laugh but I’m gonna be honest here! I’ve probably watched and read too many books and movies about this kind of thing, haha. But no, it was not a cult gathering, thankfully. The event promised the following: “You’ll gain immense clarity on what true vitality is, why it matters and how it’s created. You’ll examine your beliefs about your health, define exactly how you want your body to look and feel, and outline what you need to do to achieve the levels of vitality you’ve always wanted.”
Hey guys, thank you for all your entries to my Balance Bar’s nimble bar and Quickie Chick giveaway. Today is the LAST day to enter, so hurry over there and enter now 🙂 Thanks! Winner will be announced tomorrow morning!
Unfortunately, I am not participating in my regular Wednesday post of WIAW. I didn’t realize that I forgot to record my full days’ eats until yesterday afternoon and by then it was already too late. For me, anyway. So I’m gonna share with you guys what I did last night instead! While I was at my internship, Facebooking and whatnot, I stumbled upon an event that Whole Foods in Lincoln Park was hosting: a ride-in bike movie. First of the three series and the movie of the night was The Breakfast Club. This made me happy because I still have NOT seen the movie (I know, I know) but I knew it’s about time I submerge myself in the classics. I’m usually not a big fan of older movies so I’ve been straying from watching any older classics but I thought last night that was about to change.
I asked my current and prior roommates to come with me and they excitedly agreed. I haven’t been to that Whole Foods before but it was in a neighborhood I like (lots of shopping!) so I was open to checking it out anyway. We got to the store at 8pm and were surprised to find a legit BAR! People were hanging out and drinking and eating at a freaking Whole Foods! How cool is that? Seriously, like, I was so amazed. We decided to buy some beers in the store for ourselves to drink on the roof and went upstairs, got our chairs and beers and were ready for the movie to begin.
Well, I guess what I got wouldn’t be considered beer by some, but whatever. Crispin Natural Hard Apple Cider (5% alc) was freaking delicious! Meredith and I got a four pack to split. Ashley got some other crazy beer but I don’t remember the name.
Well, I guess what I got wouldn’t be considered beer by some, but whatever. Crispin Natural Hard Apple Cider (5% alc) was freaking delicious! Meredith and I got a four pack to split. Ashley got some other crazy beer but I don’t remember the name.
Sensual Appeal 
