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Category: Wellness

Staying healthy is just as important for Christian single women, because God reminds us many times throughout the Bible that our bodies are temples. So here are some women’s wellness ideas about staying fit, eating well, and maintaining our overall health.

Career /

10 Ways to Build Your Self Confidence

woman with self-confidence

Self-confidence is a fluid thing. We don’t always have it, and sometimes it is stronger in one area than another. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. The way we see ourselves has a profound impact on our relationship with God, other people, our work, and the world around us. So I’m wanting to talk a little about the ways to build your self-confidence.

As promised, here is the list of ways you can build your self confidence:

  1. Take care of your health
  2. Stop comparing yourself to others
  3. Take a review of your relationships
  4. Listen closely at how you talk to yourself
  5. Do one thing that makes you happy
  6. Face a fear
  7. Accept compliments
  8. Celebrate yourself and your accomplishments
  9. Clean
  10. Do a nice thing for someone else
Wellness /

Meal Planning: How Long Will Food Last in the Freezer

Freezer Times

When you make meals for one, there always seem to be leftovers. Or you shop, and you have to buy enough for a family of four. So what do you do with that extra? Freeze it of course, because no one wants good food to go to waste. But we always end up questioning how long will food last in the freezer. I mean, can we really keep that chicken in there for 9 months and still eat it (cook it first, but sure)? Or should we freeze that salad (no…just no…salads do NOT thaw well, ladies!)?

There is a major food safety issue to consider for us. It’s not just not wanting food going to waste that we want to consider, but will that food be safe for us to consume after a period of time. We want to freeze things, because there’s only so many times you can eat some of that ONE meal throughout the week. And if you’re like me, you don’t know how to make a small batch of chili. It’s just NOT possible.

Wanting to know how long will food last in the freezer is important, but we can’t always keep the list memorized. That’s why I gathered together a handy list below:

Freezer Food List

Food ItemLength of Time
Poultry (raw)12 months
Beef (raw)4-12 months
Raw Fatty Fish (e.g. salmon, perch)2-3 months
Raw Lean Fish (e.g. haddock, sole)6 months
Raw Shellfish3-6 months
Ground Meat (raw)3-4 months
Pork (raw)4-12 months
Tofu3-5 months
Egg whites (yolks can freeze, but not well)12 months
Soups2-3 months
Cooked meat leftover2-6 months
Frozen pizza1-2 months
Cheese (excluding: Cottage cheese, cream cheese, feta, goat, fresh mozzarella, Neufchâtel, Parmesan, processed cheese)6 months
Butter6-9 months
Ice Cream1-2 months
Yogurt1-2 months
Fruit12 months
Avocados3 months
Bananas3 months
Citrus Fruit4-6 months
Fruit Juice8-12 months
Fruit pies (baked)2-3 months
Fruit pies (unbaked)8 months
Breads (yeast-based)6 months
Dough (yeast -based)2 weeks
Cookie Dough2 months
Luncheon Meat1-2 months

Featured /

The Covid 19…Pounds! Getting Healthy Again after Pandemic Weight Gain

Exercise

As offices, restaurants, and churches reopen, how many of us have stripped out of our leggings and realized our pre-lockdown work clothes are just a little too snug? Well, I’m raising my hand pretty high right now. According to health experts, the average person has gained somewhere around 29 pounds since the pandemic began, and a lot of women have been binge eating while men have been taking out their frustration by exercising (so guess who is gaining those 29 pounds, ladies!!). So it’s time, I suppose, that we look at getting rid of this pandemic weight gain.

I do have to point out that this post is not about body shaming or fat shaming or anything. It is about looking at all the pretty pretty things in the closet and wanting to wear them again. It is also about making sure we’re being healthy, which can be done at any weight, size, or shape. All the Bible says is that our body is a temple, so we should take care of it. It doesn’t say we have to be a six foot tall supermodel with no cellulite or saggy breasts or hair in weird places and so on.

The second caveat to getting healthy is that everyone should discuss what healthy means with their doctor. For instance, I have hEDS (Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) as well as some other conditions. These issues limit the types of exercises my doctor allows me to do (like no more yoga. I’m so upset) and what foods I can eat (no rice, no lettuce…I so miss salads). So I have to be extra careful how I get back into those work clothes. As much as I love shopping–and I do soooo love shopping–I also really love the things I already own. Some of you may not have issues like I do, but since we’ve had all this down time with Covid, its good to make sure you’re checking with your doctor first before starting any diets or exercise routines. As we get older, things happen to our bodies.

Now, what can we do to get healthy as the world reopens? Here are some ways we can start getting rid of that pandemic weight gain:

  • Eat better. Yes, we know you love that whipped coffee from the online videos. Ooh, and that feta pasta recipe. They were so so good. However, we need to make sure we go back to eating more fruits and vegetables. Balanced diets are so important.
  • Avoid crash dieting. There is a reason they’re called “crash” diets, because you crash and burn at the end. Sure, you might lose weight fast, but it always comes roaring back–and sometimes worse than before. So stick to the healthy, balanced diet that works for your body.
  • Clean out the pantry. If you’re like me, you have a shelf with a few too many boxes of Girl Scout Cookies sitting there waiting to be stress eaten. Or a bag of Bambas. Take a couple hours to clean out your pantry and get rid of the temptations. If they’re there, you will eat them. It’s just a fact. God talks about a lot of temptations in the Bible, but not sure why chocolate and peanut butter wasn’t at the top of his list!
  • Get moving. An exercise routine is just what you need. Gyms are reopening, so as long as you feel comfortable working out with double masks, you can go. Otherwise, there is walking, online videos, and even just cleaning the house, garage, etc. can get  you moving more than before.
  • Be accountable. As Christians, we know the power of being accountable. We have had mentors in our church lives or prayer partners that help hold us accountable in our daily devotionals, Bible studies, etc. The same goes for being healthy. Having someone to turn to when you really want that chocolate cake at 10pm (a person who will actually talk you out of it, not that person who will go with you to get it…we know who you are!), can go a long way in meeting your health goals.

There you go. 5 ways to get healthier and lose some of this pandemic weight gain. Seems so simple, right? I wish. None of it is simple, but we’ve been pretty lackadaisical about taking care of ourselves for the past year. Now we pay the piper. So let’s get Biblical about it and take care of the temple that is our body, and regain our health.

Share your health tips and stories in the comments or on our Facebook page. I’d love to hear your ideas, struggles, and successes.

 

 

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