Clean Eating Update!

As I sit here eating spaghetti and chicken breast...don't judge me...I decided to make a post about clean eating and how has it been going. In a nutshell, its a process and I do not eat completely clean all of the time. I have eating 'unclean' twice that I can think of and I felt guilty every time. The one thing that I have to do when eating clean is plan. PLAN! If you do not plan out your means, you will be tempted to just eat out. I make mine out for all seven days, and stick to it.I have made several trip to Whole Foods for random items. It seems like every weekend I am making the 20 minute ride to Whole Foods for raw honey, tea, whole grain, spouted bread, and bison burgers--two of these items I couldn't manage to shell out the money or bring myself to buy--so I just window shop. I think that in my mind everything at Whole Foods is clean, when that isn't the case. It all boils down to reading labels...which I do alot now.

 I have tried some new recipes: one good, one bad. The good...Oatmeal Bars!




These amazing oat bars which are so easy to make! They are perfect for these cold winter mornings here in Western PA. I think that it took all of 20 minutes to put together and about 25 minutes to cook. Click here for recipe.

The Bad: Clean Reuben Sandwich from eating clean magazine

No picture necessary; its just sour, nasty, tasteless rachetness on two perfect pieces of rye bread. Ewh! Fear not, there are more posts about clean eating coming soon!

Late Nights & Random Thoughts...

I'm up at approximately 12:06am. Write this one down. Since my hours changed at work, I have been getting to sleep at 10:30-11 at the latest-to be sure that I am up to be on time. I told someone at my job that I feel like I'm a part of an elite team of workers who are up when its still dark and on the road when its still dark. Then my maintenance aide reminds me that he's up at 4:30am. [Egg on my face].

 Maybe its delirium but my mind is running wild and this is what I am thinking:

DJango [the J is silent] was a good movie. Those three hours just flew by.

I went to test drive a car and the dude was amazed that my current car passed inspection with a serious wide-eyed look, sitting on the edge of his seat like I was about to tell him the secret Coca Cola recipe, lol! He asked again, because he really wanted to know. He then proceeded to tell me that I really needed a new car and offered $1250 for the Yota.

I need some new UK artists to listen to. These are the times that I miss working at the GAP because I find out about new artists. If you know of any, let me know!

I cheated on eating clean, but I really feel bad about it.

I need to make a wish list.

My life is like a sitcom...or reality show.

I am torn between doing what I am told, what's right, and standing up for what I believe. I worry about the consequences, but it so wrong what they are doing. Since this pertains to my job, I will not go into details, but pray for me.

Shrimp is my new obsession. I eat so many shrimp I got iodine poisoning [in my Pimp C voice].

The One That Got Away friended me on facebook...and he is married. How do I feel about this? Not too bad, but felt that I needed to mention it. He looks old anyway.

I want to sew an apron and a pair of high-waisted pants. Have to figure out how to read a pattern...and sew.

I could be taking down my tree instead of writing this post.

Blue eyeliner looks better than black on me, when I am going for a casual look.

Why am I not married yet?!?! This is so puzzling to me. Ugh! Patience, Kara.

I'm thirsty. Off to get water.

No Buy Challenge: Phase I

This year I am going to save at least $2,000. I would like to save $5,000, but I got to start somewhere right?!?! I am starting a No-Buy Challenge. Yes, that is right, I will not be buying anything but the necessities for the next 60 days starting January 15th and lasting until March 15th. There are a couple of rules to this challenge, and they are as follows:

• No purchases other than food(from the grocery store only), gas, and monthly bills (i.e. rent, credit cards, utilities, ect).

• You are allowed two free passes--no more than $50 each.

• You are allowed to by the bare necessities. For example, you need to brush your teeth, so get some toothpaste. You are able to buy anything that runs completely out, so shampoo of the same kind or in the same amount that you paid for the product you are replacing. Why? Well, I have natural hair and there ain't no telling how conditioner that I will need. So, I will replace whatever that I have with something comparable or that costs the same amount of whatever it is that I ran out of. No NEW PRODUCTS!

• Try to use cash as much as possible. So, if you normally spend $40 a week on gas, then take out $80 when you get paid and put that amount in an envelope. Got some left over, save it for when you need have one of those weeks when you do a little bit extra running around.

To track how much you save, this is what you have to do. Take the amount of your checking account before you get your next check. Lets say it's $500. On March 15th, see how much money you have left in your account after you paid your bills.

This is just the first phase--there will be more to come! I am thinking about doing a no-buy clothing challenge in the summertime.

Want to join this challenge? Just leave a comment below and let me know that you're with me!

Spiritual Sunday...

Have you ever had a dream about you or someone you know being pregnant? The definition of this is giving birth to a dream or idea that you have been having for a while. Last week, I wrote a post about knowledge and being prepared, which kinda leads me into this, well not really. A vision board. I have one of these that I used to keep by my bed to help keep me focused. When I moved, it got lost in the shuffle and hasn't surfaced yet. While reading another blog, I seen where she had a post about making a vision board electronically through Oprah's Dream Board Website and keeping it somewhere that you can look at it all of the time. She said that she looked at hers and she had accomplished almost half of them without even knowing it, but it was always there right on her desktop.

This Sunday I invite you to make a vision board of what you would love to see happen in your life in 2013.

Eating Clean...

NO MORE DIETING!! With the new year here I am going to make a lifestyle change. This is something that I will be doing gradually: Clean Eating. Its basically eliminating all of the processed food from your diet. Yup, no more boxed, preservative filled, sodium loaded foods. It also involves using portion control and eating every 3 hours. To be honest, this will not be a problem during the week, but on the weekend...its going to be really hard. Hard? Yes. Impossible? No? This is just something that I will have to get used to...on the weekends. This weekend I will be going food shopping and stocking up on some 'clean foods' and making a meal plan for upcoming week. Stay tuned!

Upcoming Posts for the New Year!

Its a new year! Woohoo! 2013 is here! Well, almost. With a new year comes new goals, dreams, and opportunities. Here is a list of posts for the new year:

Hair Products & Reviews-I notice that I get more views on hair product reviews, so I guess people like them. If you are a company or small business and would like for me to review a product, please email me at walkingthroughhoney@yahoo.com

Clean Eating-A new lifestyle that I kinda do, but not all the time. I currently have the Clean Eating Recharge book, so when I finish there will be more posts about that and how I am doing, challenges and recipes.

Fitness-I know that I said that I wasn't concern with losing weight anymore, but I feel like I need to do something for myself. I am going to do a little somethin', somethin' in the new year, but once again a lifestyle change.

Books, on Books, on top of Books-In 2012 I seriously slacked on reading books, other than the bible, I got nothing. I really miss just getting away from technology and letting my mind run wild and reading a good book.

Money Mondays-Saving money, buying a house, no buy challenges, yup, its on in 2013.

I'm thinking about opening back up my 360 in 365 list again, because I didn't accomplish as much on that list that I wanted to. And also there will be the normal posts about life, dating, Words of Wisdom, and Spiritual Sundays.

What posts would you like to see in 2013?

Spiritual Sunday: Knowledge

This year has been almost blah for me. Not in a bad way, but just in a way that has made me take notice of the things that are going on around me and within me. It seems like the one thing that the Lord has been telling me is to seek knowledge. 

As many of you may know, I have been debating on several things in my life and it all boils down to knowledge. I have been debating back and forth about whether I want to buy a house and out of no where my coworker says 'Have you actually researched the programs out there for first time home buyers and single woman?' With a clueless look on my face, 'No, I never thought of that.' I looked online and there it was a program that will help me with closing costs and repairs. Something that I never would have known if I wouldn't have talked to her that day or about mentioned it casually in conversation.

At the end of this year I realize that there are some things that I want so very badly, but I am not quite ready for since I have not taken the proper steps to seek the knowledge to make my plan successful. Now, I know that there are things that you just have to trust and take that step of faith out there and do, but what you will find is that some things are just not in God's time since you don't have the knowledge to do it. And yes, there are mistakes that will be made, but learning from them and taking the knowledge that you have, and moving forward.

Leading into 2013, I am going to fill myself with knowledge, knowledge and more knowledge! There are so many things that I need to seek out and expand about my life. My friend said something that kind of inspired this post. She said that '[We] are the last generation that will actually have some sense. Most of these kids out here don't have a clue what do, how to make decisions, or anything that will help the world or make it a better place.' And the more I thought about it, its true. I thought about how wise my father is. He only has an 8th grade education, but he is really well-versed in many things, from politics to carpentry. Some of his habits consist of reading the paper daily, not looking at TV, unless its CNN or the local news, and seeking knowledge from different people and places.

For the next year, I invite you to be a sponge and soak up all that you can. Read the book of Proverbs.  Read the newspaper. Learn a new word every week, and use it. Think outside the box. Exercise your mind in ways that you never thought possible. Find a different way of doing things. Be aware and knowledgeable of things other than the newest IPhone out. Seek and you shall find. Make the right decisions knowing that you have thought about all possible options and looked at it from every angle, but most importantly seeking out God for his knowledge to guide you.