Holidaze

How’s everyone doing? Not sure about you and yours, but our crew has been all over the place this last month - between work and no work, school and no school, sports and no sports, seeing friends and loved ones and distancing… With the holiday season upon us and the end of 2020 approaching at lightning speed, it’s hard to tell up from down anymore, get everything planned (or canceled), and cultivate the giving and hopeful spirit of the season. So I thought to myself, what might resonate best with all of you? What might help you close out 2020 with a little less stress and a little more peace or joy amid the chaos?

1. Control what you can control. Begin with your mindset: I am able to change what I can control. Consider what elements you have the most control over in your days: your job, your nutrition, your hydration, your fitness (time, intensity, how many a week), your sleep, your flexibility/lack thereof in schedule…then, commit to taking the time needed each day to achieve your desired outcomes in those things. In the same breath, be OK with imperfection. If the last 10 months have taught us anything, it’s that things can change on a dime. So, do what you can to prioritize based on your desired outcomes, put the big rocks in your jar first, get in what you can with the rest of your time, and let go of the rest – for now.

2. Remember your why. Why do you prioritize what you do? Why eat healthy? Why exercise? Why put so much of ourselves into our jobs? Because it’s more worth our time if we try our best to be our best (that’s meant to sound less perfectionist-y than it does – our best changes moment to moment and day to day, but we go to bed with ourselves and wake up with ourselves every day, and we can feel a heck of a lot better about ourselves if we try to be the best version of ourselves each day, whatever that might be)… And now, this time of year, with all the added hustle and bustle, well, we do a lot of what we do for those we love, whether they’re with us right now or not.

3. Adopt an attitude of gratitude.So many things have not gone as expected this year. And each day seems to present another set of struggles. But in the darkest times, there are still things we can be grateful for. Where I am all for honoring the struggle, give yourself a break from time to time, pause, and notice the little things – a warm fire, kids getting a good grade, someone taking your hand to hold, a colleague paying you a compliment. Allow yourself to be present for those moments – that’s where the magic is.

4. Lead with kindness. If you can be nothing else in this world, be kind. It’s that simple. Especially in these crazy times, have compassion for others. We don’t know anyone else’s story, and most don’t know ours, so offer a hand or a little extra. Share leftovers. And when you can’t, then extend a smile, and wish others the best.

5. We can carry a lot of stress with us – walking around with closed fists rather than open palms. Nothing helps our bodies and our minds greater than breath. Conscious breathing is known to put us into more desirable mental and physical states. Spending a few minutes a day, even just before bed, drawing attention to our breath, can reduce both mental and physical signs of anxiety, while promoting quicker, more restful sleep. 4-7-8 breathing is a great example of something we can do to center and draw attention to our breath.

Where OvaEasy Comes In

Need a partner in chaos and nutrition management, we’re here for you! When thinking about meal planning and prep, consider OvaEasy Egg in a Cup. It’s our little effort, no mess way to enjoy scrambled eggs. Just add water, microwave, and enjoy. Each cup packs approximately 12-13 grams of protein and comes in three delicious flavors – Mediterranean Frittata even boasts the colors of the season. Add this to your breakfast meal plan or even as a snack option, take it to work, and just pop it in the microwave.

OvaEasy Egg Crystals are all natural, whole, dried eggs that taste just like their fresh counterpart, only they have an extra-long shelf life and don’t require refrigeration. Keep them as a pantry staple, so if you run out of eggs from the holiday baking, you can still make a nutritious and delicious hearty breakfast for your crew. Scramble them or make a quick omelet, try them in fried rice, or even steak and eggs. You’ll feel better knowing you’ve filled up on nutrients and complete proteins rather than too many processed sugary treats.

If you or yours prefer smoothies (great way to sneak in extra fruits and veggies for the littles), OvaEasy Egg White Protein is the perfect addition to your cupboard. Our protein checks all the boxes: it has all the amino acids needed for muscle recovery/growth, tastes delicious, and mixes well. Whether you’re making a nutritious snack, meal substitute for your family, or trying to hit your macros after a tough workout, it doesn’t hurt to keep a bag or two of this around.

The Bottom Line

We can feel overwhelmed by all of the tasks we need to accomplish this time of year, especially with seemingly less time and more people in our space – it’s 2020 after all. I’m not sure about you, but as I’ve felt my stress level reach an all-time high, and I’ve noticed myself struggling to find joy in the people, places, and things I usually do, practicing the few tips I offered above has started to shift my perspective, little by little. I’m still dazed, but the joy is creeping back in, and it feels really good. So let me pay it forward and share what’s working for me, with you, and when it comes to your kitchen, let OvaEasy help. Happiest of holiday seasons and almost 2021! Check back in next week for a quick note and a fun holiday recipe.

A little bit about our author:

Kerry is a writer, nutrition coach and consultant. She’s an active runner, skier, triathlete, CrossFitter, and a crazy busy mom of three. She dreams of being able to spend more time outside doing the things she loves with those she loves – hopefully in snow…and eggs of course, she dreams of eggs. This week, Kerry’s working on finding her joy, deadlines and kids, and wrapping up the last of her tardy holiday shopping. If you have questions for her, let us know - she loves a good question, especially one that has to do with mindset, nutrition, or eggs!