Brighter Days are Here Again
Whew! It has been a whirlwind of a week! It’s so weird to see how things have a way of working themselves out with time. If you read my last post, you know I was a tad bit stressed and overwhelmed last week, but after taking some initiative to solve some of my problems, everything else started coming together. And now, I am so excited to start focusing on myself for 2020! We’re starting this new healthy journey with Lemon Coconut Power Bites!
A Sweet Treat to Eat
Now, don’t expect to gain superhero powers after eating this. No, you wont be able to suddenly run a marathon or lift a car, but it’s a great snack to keep your energy levels high. I love eating a few of these alongside a cup of coffee of tea. It makes for a healthy and delicious mid day pick-me-up.
And just to be real with ya’ll, these Lemon Coconut Power Bites taste healthy — if you can even imagine what healthy tastes like. I’m not trying to pass these off as a lemon bar or a brownie bite. They’re simply healthy little snacks that you can pack and take with you wherever you go. I, personally, enjoy eating healthy foods, so I really love the taste and texture of these Lemon Coconut Power Bites. However, if you’re doing a complete 180 on your diet and are not accustomed to eating healthy and whole foods, I can see how these may be a little strange to you. With that said, it definitely should not discourage you from trying these. Who knows? Maybe you’ll love them!
Nutrition At Its Finest
These Lemon Coconut Power Bites are made from all natural and whole foods. We’ve got oats, almonds, pistachios, chia seeds, hemp seeds, coconut, turmeric, medjool dates, and lemons. Nuts, chia seeds, and hemp seeds are a great source of protein and healthy fats, oats are filled with fiber, turmeric has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, medjool dates are a delicious natural sweetener, and lemons provide you with a load of vitamin C.
I like to make these power bites the day before I actually eat them. Doing so allows the oats to soak up some of the moisture so that it softens and isn’t so gritty. So, I’ll whip up a batch then store them in a container in the fridge over night. The next day, they’re good to go and ready to be eaten!
Getting Your Health On
Because it’s the new year and people have been getting their health kick on, I thought I’d share a few words of wisdom. Around this time, you’ll see article after article stating things like: “The Top 10 Ways to Lose Belly Fat!” or “How to get Jennifer Lopez’s Legs!” I hate these types of articles because it makes people forget that everyone’s health journey is completely individual to themselves. Yeah, the article may have some helpful tips you can try, but they’re not guaranteed to work for you. If an article says that the best form of cardio is running but you hate running, it’s most likely not going to work for you. You’re not going to feel motivated to do something you hate it. So find something that you love even if its not in one of the top 10’s!
You’re No JLo
And I know it’s easier said than done, but it’s important to stop comparing yourself to other people. No matter how hard you work, you’re never ever going to get Jennifer Lopez’s legs. You’re going to get your legs and whatever form they take on. As I said, everyone’s journey is individual to themselves — you’re trying to be the best version of yourself that you can be both mentally and physically! You’re you. You’re not Jennifer Lopez and never will be, and that’s more than okay!
Do Not Fear the Scale
Another hard thing to overcome is feeling defeated by the number on the scale. Ladies and gents, we cannot let numbers define us. There are so many variables that can be causing weight fluctuation, so the idea that we suddenly gained 5 pounds is not always the case. There would be days where I would feel great about myself, but once I stepped on that scale, my entire day was ruined. And that is just so dumb! At some point, I had to ask myself: am I really going to let my happiness or sadness be dependent on a number that a machine spewed out? So, let’s try our best to not beat ourselves up over a number.
Balance is Key
Lastly, living a healthy lifestyle is all about balance. It’s not about exercising everyday and never having a single chip for the rest of your life. You don’t have to have an intense workout every day of the week. Maybe workout 4 times per week and go on a leisurely walk on the other days. Instead of having 5 cookies per night, try lowering it to 2.
Be mindful that you can also be on the other side of the spectrum. You may find yourself planning events around your workout, and it shouldn’t have to be that way. We shouldn’t cancel plans or skip events just because they conflict with our workout schedule. You can reschedule a workout or have a rest day, and I promise that you’ll make it out alive and won’t suddenly turn into a blob.
A Lifelong Journey
I’ve gone through and am still going through my own health journey. I really started seeing the changes I wanted to in the latter half of this past year, and it was due to the fact that I changed my mindset. Your mental state is so crucial in guiding you down the right path, and that’s honestly the hardest part of it all in my opinion. I know I’m spewing all of these tips like I know what I’m doing and have surpassed all of these conflicts, but I’m still working on all of these things too!
Getting healthy shouldn’t be a goal — It can be, but it shouldn’t have an endpoint. Being healthy is a lifelong journey, so we’re in it for the long haul! I hope that you found some of the things I said to be helpful and that my ideas were clearly conveyed. If you’re trying to incorporate whole and healthier foods into your diet, definitely try these Lemon Coconut Power Bites! They’re an easy sweet treat that you don’t have to feel guilty about eating! With that said, I wish you the best in your journey, and I’ll talk to you in my next post!
Lemon Coconut Power Bites
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
- 1/2 cup Sliced Almonds
- 1/4 cup Shelled Pistachios
- 3 tbsp Chia Seeds
- 3 tbsp Hemp Seeds
- 1 cup Desiccated Coconut
- 3 tsp Turmeric
- 10 Pitted Medjool Dates
- 1/3 cup Warm Water
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
- Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and spread the desiccated coconut onto it in an even layer. Place the sheet tray in the oven to toast your coconut. This should take 3-5 minutes and the coconut should be slightly golden brown. Be sure to keep your eye on it, as it can burn very quickly. Once the coconut has toasted, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.
- In a food processor, combine the oats, almonds, pistachios, chia seeds, and hemp seeds. Pulse the ingredients together until they are finely ground. Once they have been ground, pour the ingredients into a large bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the toasted desiccated coconut and the turmeric until they are well incorporated.
- In a small blender, combine the dates, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, and kosher salt. Blend the ingredients together until they form a smooth paste.
- Add the paste into the bowl of dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to mix everything together until it is all combined. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of toasted desiccated coconut into a shallow dish. Begin rolling the mixture into balls, about the size of a heaping 1/2 tbsp. Then roll the balls in the desiccated coconut until the outside is covered. Continue this process with the remaining mixture then enjoy!
