Mrs.Kunde: LIFE

Showing posts with label LIFE. Show all posts

Showing posts with label LIFE. Show all posts

Blank pages

I love tuning into a radio station and get The song, a song that fits so well for a moment. Music can add so much to an experience... Like driving through the Redwood forest while listening to Bon Iver. Or, watching a documentary about the ocean and just as the music build up the most - humongous whales fly out of the water for a few seconds before they hit the ocean and makes the biggest splash you`ve ever seen.

As I was driving home from the gym, tired, thirsty and hoping for a "second wind" this morning, a song came on the radio that completely picked me up. The song is called Unwritten, it`s by Natasha Bedingfield, and it was the perfect moment to hear these lyrics:

"Unwritten"

I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten.

Singing along, loving the lyrics - inspired me and made me feel empowered to go after more, to fill the blank pages of this day with more accomplishments! I got home and threw on my running shoes and went for a run. It was an awesome run. I think I`m sharing this to say that we all can take this day and fill it with great things, great accomplishment, great love. Make this day be lived to the fullest.

My May play-list has several up beat songs like this, watch out - some of these songs can be a little "too" catchy ;)

1. Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield
2. Stronger - Kanye West
3. Hanging by a moment - Lifehouse
4. Viva La Vida - Coldplay
5. Marry You - Bruno Mars
6. Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the waves

7. The cave - Mumford and Sons

Happy Saturday!
-Kathrine-

Lists

My breakfast tasted exceptionally awesome this morning. Fueling up on oat meal porridge made with banana-hazelnut milk and cinnamon prepares me for a day of vigorous work outs and other challenges that comes along.
It might sound silly but making a choice to eat a good breakfast gives me a sense of accomplishment and belief in myself for the day. I know I`m setting myself up for success. When it`s time to work on housework, paperwork (bills) and relationships I will have enough energy and capacity to pour in to those things.

I don`t know about you, but I`m a list person. What to pick up at the grocery store. What to do for the day/week/month/year. Sometimes I write out in full sentences what I need to be doing throughout the day; 5am wake up, get dressed, 5.20am have a banana, make breakfast and pack the bags, etc.
This morning I`m thinking about lists and how they can be a tool for great success. Some people could use a list over what to Not get at the grocery store. Or how about a list of things you wanna speak over yourself. "I can do this, I am beautiful....".
There is also unwritten lists. It`s a list over things we do most every day but don`t have to write down to remember. It can also be a list over things we tell ourselves - things we believe about ourselves most everyday. This can be a positive list.

Then there's the negative list - it includes shame, guilt, doubt, fear, anxiety, anger, blame, ignorance and pain. For example, a person trying to loose weight feeds this list with shame and blame after a meal. Another example can be someone who is dealing with a messy financial situation and feeds his or her list with doubt and anxiety.

We all have areas in our lives that are challenging, but we decide every single day what direction our life will take. If you have a list that keeps filling up - without feeding your success (personal, relational, spiritual, financial etc) then start dealing with it. If the "old way" does not work, try something different. I don`t want the person trying to loose weight to hop from one diet to the other, or the messy finance person to go rob a bank. But rather take those negative lists and work through them. Then take courage and make new decisions that will fuel you towards your goals and dreams.

The sun is shining, the day is ahead of me and it`s gonna be a good one. Bring it on!

-Kathrine-

a little update and laundry

Wow all of a sudden things got really busy! My days have been packed with instructing classes and training people.
I am also working on a new website that will be replacing my blog - it is so so incredible and I cannot wait to show you all!!!! =) I`ll let you know when it`s ready to launch...

Laundry. That thing that we always have to do, that thing that we will never run out of =). Lately I`ve refreshed my times of laundry by adding a little scent. It`s weird how such a little adjustment can make a boring tasks very ...nice. It started when I bought an unscented laundry detergent. I was hoping to escape the added chemicals. But without any scent the laundry was just clean - without the clean smell.
I decided to add some drops of equalyptus oil to my laundry and instantly my whole laundry experience changed. The garage (where my laundry machine is) smells fresh and nice and our clothes too! Love it. I`m pondering on getting a few more scents like lemon, mint and vanilla to add to my landry ;)

-Kathrine-

Mango.

I just really like that word. Mango. A few years ago I traveled in Vanuatu for six weeks and one of the places we stayed at had a huge mango tree in the front yard. It was incredible to go and find a ripe fruit at any time of the day, pull out the knife and eat it. Ah - simplicity. We ate an enormous amount of amazing fruits during those weeks - coconut, papaya, mangoes, bananas, pine apple... good times.

This Saturday morning is gonna be good. I am getting ready to go to the gym - gonna get my work out on! Then off to the newly-opened-for-the-season farmers market before I head back to the gym for my spinning class.

Juicing fresh vegetables sure makes vegetables go allot faster then if I was to eat them all. This morning all I could find was carrots, a pear and a mango. So I juiced the carrots and the pear. Then I blended it in my high speed vitamix with the mango. A little bit of fiber, a lot of sugar (! pre work out meal) and at-least it was all natural foods.
Changing up my diet (when I say diet this does not mean micro dieting. It just means that I am referring to what I am eating) this week has been incredible. 4 cups of fresh vegetable juice until mid-afternoon. Then a normal lunch, and a lighter dinner later on. I am full of energy =)

Have a beautiful Saturday Loves

- Kathrine -

Coast goodness

This weekend J and I took a little vacation on the coast of California. We stayed at Glass Beach Bed and Breakfast Inn in Fort Bragg and got to relax and just enjoy life for a few days. (The place we stayed at provided a really nice breakfast - even for a gluten free girl!)

The ocean is very special to me as I grew up on a tiny island on the coast of Norway. I love waves and the ocean breeze. One thing in particular that was exciting, was finding hidden hiking trails in the midst of the tallest trees on earth. J and I hiked, took pictures and had a really amazing time together.

In Fort Bragg there is a raw food diet cooking school (Living light culinary art institute) that also has a little cafe. They serve raw ice cream and cakes, soaked and dehydrated grains, smoothies and juices and such. I had a tasty piece of raw cherry pie with chocolate sauce. This week I want to make a few alternative cakes/pies that are free from dairy, eggs, gluten etc. My first one I have already started making, it is a raw cheesecake. It will be really really good. Ill post it here later today =)

Happy Monday Everyone!

Sunny day!!

Wooh! I am so happy to see the sun today =)
I have been working allot at the gym lately and have not been a very good blogger, sad story - cause I LOVE posting fun recipes, pictures and such. But I will get back into the groove of it starting today!

Another thing I am starting with today is that I am going all dairy free, again. Again because a few years back I was dairy free for 2 years. When my digestive track got strong (being GF and DF) I introduced dairy, but as of late, maybe since being sick and taking antibiotics(?), I don't do dairy well at all. So here we go - no whipped cream goodness, no buttered anything. Good thing there are so many substitutes these days, rice cheese, nut milks, coconut etc.
This morning my breakfast consisted of a delicious fuji apple with raw almond butter, then a bowl of GF toasted granola with hemp milk. mm so satisfying =)

Have a beautiful morning

Do something different

Today is a busy day as I am instructing a few very different classes and have meetings etc. I just wanted to share what was on my heart this morning before I have to run out the door........:
When we pursue fitness and health in our lives, we want to be able to see measurable goals. If we don`t see the change we want - we need to do something different. I am all about variety and will rarely be found doing the same work out two days in a row.
If getting a six pack is your goal, and your 300 sit ups a day is not cutting it... you have got to do some different exercises. If loosing weight is your goal, but the 3 classes a week of some activity is not getting you there - then change it up! Do something you haven`t done before, new work out classes, new schedules, new exercises, new type of food... and have fun with it =)

-Kathrine-

Getting back into the swing

As the last month has been a bit of a hold-back month as far as training goes - dealing with painful knees and then bronchitis, I now feel ready to get going with training again! =)

I have instructed a bunch of classes in the last few weeks, but that is different. My first real work out was done yesterday and it was allot harder then I expected. Usually I love going from one exercise to the other and pushing really hard. But all I wanted to do yesterday was to quit. I felt weak.

At times working out is not all that fun. Not having a work out rhythm can become and ongoing cycle. Always having to do a "first work out" in a while is not awesome, especially finding out that our fitness level is not all that it could be.
I think once we have established a rhythm, working out feels allot easier, more fun and our fitness level will always improve.

Anyway, when I finished up my work out yesterday and felt "down" about it, I made a decision to look ahead. I told myself that after the next work out I will feel a little stronger and a little more fit. Immediately I started looking forward to my next work out..
This morning I got up and hurried to the gym, I had already decided to be challenged in a EFX (Everyday Fitness Extreme) class at Everyday Fitness. (A high intense interval circuit training class that goes for an hour.) Sure enough, I did the work out and felt 10 times better about it today compared to yesterday`s work out. I remember now that I do love to exercise.

-Kathrine-

Monday Morning

From a sugar loaded weekend with baked goodies, back to the gym and back on the treadmill. I cannot wait to get my sweat on this week in many work outs! I instructed a Spinning class this AM and it felt so right. Now I`m enjoying a plate of banana oatmeal porridge.

For this week I am hoping to get started on more weight training again, plus I wanna tackle a few runs outside.
I love how our bodies can just get right back into things when we set our hearts on it. Whether it is starting over with a work out routine, or simply adding a few activities that will help us feel healthy and well.
What are a few things you wanna do this week for your health?

-Kathrine-

Heavenly pancakes!

Yet another successful Sunday, never seems to fail to be my favorite day of the week.

There is this well known breakfast place a few miles away that we decided to go to this morning. Well known because of it`s fabulous coffee and pancakes.
I prepared with packing sliced apples, bananas and a little jar of almond butter just to make sure I would be able to eat something.
To my big surprise, the waitress informed us that they can make gluten free pancakes...
Emotions stirred up in me and I found it hard to believe. So I asked her "how gluten free...?". Silly me. Despite the insecurity I went ahead and ordered one gluten free banana blackberry pancake.
Years, maybe even more then 10 has it been since my last pancake. There has been attempts to make them, but nothing very edible.
This pancake thou was something else, it was sweet and flavorful. It was soft, not too chewy. It was absolutely the best pancake I have ever tasted in my whole life! Thanks to The Sin of Cortez in Chico, California for your well brewed coffee and delicious pancakes ;)

Good night!

Bike ride day

Sunny and 61F/16C calls for a bike ride. Luckily we have a cruiser in the garage just waiting to hug the road. To me there is something so romantic about a bike ride. Feeling the wind in my hair, going at a comfortable pace, the freedom to go places I normally would not get to in a car.

I think of flat European country roads with fields and coffee shops and old men selling strawberries by the side of the road. I think of those people as the most hospitable loving people I will ever meet - those that just enjoy life by the side of a road. I also think of a basket hanging on the front of my bike and what I would fill it with. Bunches of herbs, some fruit and maybe a bottle of water. Some other necessities like a game of Yahtzee, swim trunks and a map would be in there too. I would hope to see castles, beaches, Switzerland and lavender fields.

One day I`ll take a bike ride vacation.
Today I am making gluten free lasagna. And brownies. I have also prepared tomorrows dinner which will be tandoori chicken. The traveler in me wants out =)

-Kathrine-

On a Thursday

Today I got my sweet tooth back after having been sick. I baked some simple vanilla cupcake, followed by almond crumb cake. I have also spent the day preparing for classes - spinning and body sculpt. Earlier this week I posted that this week was gonna be "super-foods" week, and it has been nice to enjoy simple spinach and banana smoothies for breakfast, grapefruit, pumpkin seeds and coconut water for snacks and good old normal healthy dinners.

I am truly enjoying the growing community of gluten free foodies. Simple e-mails about GF baking, sharing of experiences and learning from other people is becoming a part of my daily life and I love it.
Thank you so so much for reading my blog by the way. I appreciate every one of you! ;)
I hope to have all my creativity and energy back in full swing by tomorrow so that I can bake more fun gluten free goodies and share it with you all.
Have a wonderful evening...!

3 Challenges/Motivators

Being healthy is more then looking "perfect/healthy". Just saying the word perfect makes me break out a little sweat =) For me, choosing to be healthy is natural and fun - it`s tiny steps to become the best I can be.

Having a few tools on hand can be just that little thing that got me from sitting on the couch, to lifting weights at the gym or going for a run. Here are a few motivators and challenges that have helped me stay motivated to keep working out:

1. A goal - Wanna get more defined muscle? Have an event you wanna be strong for? To reach goals we have to write them down, create small steps to get us there and and keep them in front of us.

2. A little reward - give yourself credit every now and then for where your at. Buy yourself new work out clothes, get your nails done or get a tan. These can be small little gifts that brightens up a normal day.

3. A work out buddy - Having someone to work out with can be a huge motivator. Not only can you talk and laugh through the work out, but there are also a broad range of exercises where you need two people involved to get it done.

Our genes and our cultural background plays a huge part in our current state of health, we cannot change those things. But we can shape our future and decide how it`s gonna look like. Be confident in your choices for health, and don't let others belittle your attempt.

-Kathrine-

...

On Sunday evenings I like to plan my week ahead. I pull out my day planner, bake some raisin buns, sip on water and I decide on work outs for the coming week. Sometimes I write lists of things to remember, fitness goals for the week and to-do lists.

Beautiful week ahead.. But first - A restful sleep on a soft pillow. Good night ;)

4 Favorites

Today has been a simple and beautiful day. Here`s a few of the things I`ve been digging on lately..

Kickboxing Work outs - Helps tone muscles as it targets arms, shoulders, core and the buttocks at the same time as it can burn fat if you keep working at a cardio level. It`s a work out you can do alone, or with someone. Either way it`s allot of fun.

Mache Lettuce - It`s without doubt a superfood, it carries vitamins like iron, vitamin C and beta carotene. This lettuce is pretty and goes well in any salad or to use on sandwiches.

Balsamic glaze - yummi flavorful sauce that goes on top of salad, potatoes, quinoa, meat, fish and pairs phenomenally with cilantro. It even works on desserts, like ice cream and chocolate.
The song Stereo Love by Edward Maya and Vika Jigulina - awesome to work out to.

Have a wonderful evening! I am off to spend it with my best friend, she is a star, a beauty and simply incredible.

-Kathrine-

I win..

...At the end of the day, this is what you wanna be able to say to yourself: Making the choice for a higher level lifestyle is worth it. Lance Armstrong once said: "pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever". We can apply this to many circumstances in life like training or cutting the rope on certain foods.
Here`s a little secret for you that gave me hope when a restricted diet was hard to deal with.
It`s easy to think that someone with a sensitivity to gluten (including people with celiacs) has a compromised immune system. That is absolutely wrong. The opposite is true! The immune system in people with celiac disease is working way harder to fight the "bad guys" like gluten.
Yey for having a great working immune system! ;)

Practically, what does it look like to "win". When you are faced with a challenge, you don`t have to take the easy turn that will feel good only in the next few moments. You can take the road less traveled.
In my spinning classes (which everyone in Redding should come and try by the way!) I challenge them to work through what feels impossible in the moment. We are on our bikes, headed up a steep hill and we can barely "see" the top. It`s heavy gear and our muscles are aching. Giving up seems like THE solution. Just take off the gear and quit. Or, keep working, keep looking to the top, and reap the benefits once you get there. In the end of the day you can stand in front of the mirror and say "I win". Maybe you had to say no to try those nachos your friend ordered at Logans Roadhouse, or say no to your other friends birthday cake that looked like heaven on earth. Its the choices in those moments that defines who you are. The kind of person I wanted to be was a healthy, vibrant, gorgeous, creative and exhilarating person who loved life and everyone around her.

One small choice at the time, one meal at the time, one day at the time will get us closer to where we want to be. Here are a few of my tips on how to stay gluten free on the GO

Choose your friends wisely - Spend "eating" time with people that are flexible, kind and maybe on the same road as you in a way or the other. Avoid people that are grossed out by salad and healthy choices. No joke, I have had to defend my diet so many times.
Choose restaurant wisely - opt for places that serve fresh produce, brown rice, corn tacos and salads. Mexican food works well.
Avoid foods like - french fries (they batter foods in bread and fry them in the same oil), meats/fish with sauces that might have gluten in it, pasta, pizza (BJ`s brewery offers GF and so does a few other places in bigger city's), chinese food (PF Chang`s has a GF menu, and it`s amazing too), sushi, Buffets are the worst.
Stop - going to McDonalds and those kinds of fast food places. You will never get a satisfying gluten free meal there.
Ask questions - don`t be afraid to have a conversation with your waiter about the food they serve - how it`s made, their work space and such.
Get familiar - with the farmers markets and health food stores where you live, the GF aisles and the GF, DF, no soy, eggs etc products. Even on your travels - inform yourself ahead of time on what the options are for food. For instance, I always know where the next Wholefoods is..
Snack! - I`ve said it before, but your gorgeous purses will come in handy for this one.. keep a bag of almonds, raw/GF bars, apples, bananas, tea bags (no joke), GF chocolate and airborne with you at all times.

It might seem weird to people that you have strong preferences when it comes to these thing. But stick to your plan and you will reach the goals you have set out to reach. In the end.. you win =)

-Kathrine-

Gluten Freedom

The sound of rain pouring down woke me up, kindly introducing me to a new day. Another day full of opportunities and time to pour our hearts out.
I wanna come back to the subject of going gluten free, which is neither quick nor easy - but many of you that try it, tend to feel allot better. And that alone makes it worth it. This is not just cutting gluten out of your diet, but embracing a whole new lifestyle. For example, where to grocery shop, what to order at a restaurant, or even facing social events and dealing with the emotional challenges specific to living a public gluten free lifestyle can all be new experiences to face. Gluten freedom gives you the opportunity to discover more about nutrition, to be a part of a growing community of fellow GF`s and to be in full control of the diet that your body needs.

Dear friends, eating is NOT suppose to hurt. It`s not OK to live in fear of how the next meal will make you feel. Food is supposed to give us energy and make us feel good.

Humans have one stomach, and that is the only chance food has to be digested. Wheat = hard to digest. Cows have four stomachs, four times to digest, and they thrive on eating wheat.
A little lesson for today: Our small intestines has walls of cells that material cannot pass through. When important vitamins and minerals are present, a protein called zonulin "tells" the passageways in the intestine wall to open up so those nutrients can pass into the bloodstream. This protein is produced when we eat wheat which produces too much zonulin and makes the gate open too wide. Now all sorts of stuff and in various amounts can get in the bloodstream, including toxins. This is called a "leaky gut".

"Allergic, sensitive or do I have celiac disease? - There is no such thing as being allergic to gluten, but you can be allergic to foods that contain gluten, wheat for example. As with any allergy, the affects are different from person to person (sneezing, nasal congestion etc).
Gluten sensitivity/intolerance is the in between diagnosis - basically your body is not reacting well to gluten. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease where the immune system responds to gluten by attacking the molecule and in doing this, also attacks our body cells.

"In Europe the average time between discovering symptoms and diagnosing celiac disease is six months. In America, it takes an average of 11 years (!!!!) after symptoms develop." - Excerpt from the book "Gluten free for dummies".

Why is this extremely common disease so miss-diagnosed? Other than the symptoms being numerous, can it be the fact that there are no drugs for it or maybe it`s because of the cost of proper testing? (On the subject of testing: a routine blood test will not pick it up. A proper testing includes looking at the levels of iron, potassium, bicarbonate and protein levels. Stool and urine tests are common. Furthermore, a endoscopy/biopsy read by a knowledgeable doctor will give you true results). Fact is that undiagnosed - it can severely compromise our health.

Gluten free does not necessarily mean healthy - what kind of foods you choose will determine that. For instance, going on a GF diet by replacing all the products you usually ate with a GF substitute is a start, but processed food is still bad for you, gluten free or not. As with any weight loss diet, snacking on gluten free brownies will not help you shed pounds =)

Food has become an obsession that holds many people back from becoming everything they were born to be. Unhealthy cravings, compulsive eating, or an unrelenting appetite can all lead to crippling self image issues. In fact the thought of eating can turn into something extremely stressful in itself.

I believe that there is full freedom to be had in this whole area! The kind of freedom where food is "just" fuel, but it`s also enjoyable. The kind of freedom where you are healthy, thriving and pouring out your heart - whatever that looks like.

-Kathrine-

Gf Banana Bread

J loves banana bread. He was telling me how his mom would leave bananas in the freezer till they turned black and then bake the most incredible banana bread. Up til two days ago I had never tried it. A few years back when I worked at Starbucks, I was constantly reminded of sweets, treats and pastries I would never taste. Fortunately the aroma of coffee made me come to appreciate just that - aromas. The smell of fresh baked bread, or a lemon peel, the whiff of something sweet in the air.

Now after having baked banana bread, I would do it again almost just because of the scent it leaves in the house. The spices mixed with sweet bananas makes for a perfect treat on a lazy Saturday morning.
Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cup extra fine brown rice flour
1/3 Cup potato starch (not potato flour)
1/4 Cup tapioca flour
2 beaten eggs
5-6 mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 Cup canola oil
1 Cup sugar
1 1/2 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp baking soda
1/4 Tsp sea salt
1/2 ground cinnamon
1/4 ground nutmeg
Optional: Chopped walnuts and vanilla beans

The oven should be on 350F. Mix the dry ingredients together. Beat eggs and sugar, blend the bananas in a mixer till smooth, add all wet ingredients together and add the dry ingredients in the end. Fill a bread pan, cupcake cups, cake pan or whatever pan you want to use 2/3 full. Bake in the oven till you can stick a toothpick in it and have it come out clean.

-Kathrine-

Good morning

I am just stoked, thrilled and very happy this morning. There is so much to be happy about. My breakfast for example, apples with raw almond butter, pear sauce (my new food love as of late) and a couple of the protein bars I made yesterday.
Another thing I am grateful for is the feedback and the comments I`m getting for, and on this blog. Thank you sweet ones - I appreciate you so so much.

Here`s my little to do list for the day:

Go to the park, enjoy the sun
Bake?
Blog about "what kind of foods to eat to heal a hurt stomach"
Make an incredible, romantic dinner for my incredible Husband ;)
Got to church
Relax...ah yey
Watch The Biggest Looser (did not get to it yet)

Kisses

mirepoix

Sundays at the gym are usually a bit more calm, meaning; there`s lots of space, plus, I can growl and sweat unashamedly. That`s exactly what I did on this very Sunday morning. I did plank, jumped rope, dead lifts, assisted pull ups.. Loved it.

You know those cold winter evenings, when you just wanna stay warm, so you pull out your wool socks and crank the heater - It was one of those, last night. A fireplace would have been so perfect. But a big pot of homemade soup worked just fine. A light blend of mirepoix (french name for a combination of onions, carrots and celery), rutabagas and a dash of coconut milk was all it took. Next to it; a blue cheese shrimp salad. it was good.

Cannot wait to eat left over soup in a little while, but for now it just feels so right to sit all cuddled up on my couch, reading beautiful blogs like Eldrid`s.

Kisses

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