What I ate on a two day Road trip: Dairy free & Gluten free

As you might know, last month was my sister’s wedding in Connecticut! My husband and I decided the best way to travel was by car so we had to drive from Florida to Connecticut on a two-day journey.

To make the trip even more interesting, Daniel ended up having to go up early and I was left to drive by myself. Of course, I wanted to take on the challenge but also dreaded the thought of being by myself for two days. I was able to persuade myself with the ideas of figuring out what snack to bring, where to stop, and how much coffee I would be able to drink!

To accomplish eating healthy while on a road trip you have to do a lot of pre-packing because when your only option is a gas station, you won’t find many dairy and gluten-free options that won’t upset your stomach.

So for me, it was like a fun game of how many snacks could I find on sale to stockpile before the trip!

My criteria.

1. They had to be easy to eat in case I wanted to just snack without pulling over.

2. They had to contain a variety of nutrient wise because I wanted to feel satisfied

3. They had to be FUN so I wasn’t tempted to indulge, making me feel sick...

So I put my head together and here is what I came up with!

BREAKFAST

• Collagen coffee made the morning of click here for the recipe!

• I threw together some chocolate overnight oatmeal the day before and packed it for when I stopped for breakfast.

• Spoon (This is important)

LUNCH

• Packaged tuna

• Simple Mills crackers (I got these for free on a thrive promotion)

• On the go packs of mustard and ketchup (like what you get free from McDonald's)

• Baby carrots

• Fork (this is also important)

SNACKS

• Hu Chocolate gems and mixed nuts: I was given the chocolate, but you can buy chocolate chips to save some money!

• Kombucha, two for one special!

• RX Bars (The best price I found for these is buying a box at Walmart!)

DINNER

· For dinner, I stopped at a friend’s house to sleep overnight, and just ate there. This worked out perfectly because I left early enough to make it each place in time for dinner!  

Stopping for coffee was the only time I ended up spending money and it was a very good choice. I decided to plan out where I would stop for coffee to make it more of an experience than just a shell station cup of coffee. 

 I picked a little place in Savannah the first day and it allowed me to get out and stretch my legs while also picking up a delicious almond milk latte!

The second day of my trip I settled for Starbucks, but only because I didn’t have the time to stop for anything more. I stopped the second day in Washington D.C. and had the opportunity to visit the holocaust museum. I wandered around for almost 2 hours before realizing it was probably time to go.

Overall the trip offered deliciously cheap food, a free museum, high-quality coffee, and maybe a few unexpected tolls...

*Note to self! Always choose no toll options for going through New England… 

Let me know your favorite travel snacks, or how you would switch up the menu!  

Thank you again for stopping by! 

Love always, 

Sonya 

How to Make a Workout Routine and Stick to it!

I don’t know about you guys, but when it comes to fitness I can kind of be all over the place. Creating a schedule is hard and sticking to it is even harder.

I always wonder why there seem to be certain people who can hit the gym like a beast, train for a marathon, accelerate in sports, etc. while others have a hard time even imagining an activity that doesn’t involve sitting down…I used to believe that it was ONE thing that physically active people did differently and I tried extremely hard to figure it out. I figured that if I could understand the one thing everything else fitness wise would fall into place. As you can probably guess, I have come to realize that there is no single element that can do this.

After all this digging and searching, I finally figured out fitness was all about a combination of choices working together to create the best results. Basically what you are doing is setting yourself up for success. For example, if you want to work out in the morning you could just set your alarm to wake up early, but neglect to go to bed early choosing instead to have dessert number three. The outcome of these three choices are obvious, so why is it so hard to see these on a bigger scale?

When it comes to working out and staying in a routine what matters are the choices you make outside of working out. It depends on the people you surround yourself with, what you believe you can do, how you fuel your body, the boundaries you set, and the food you use for fuel. Since these things are so important and I have found an interest in figuring myself and how I am motivated here’s a little example of how to figure out what works for you!

THINGS TO KNOW

• Early Riser or Night owl?

I have most of my energy in the morning therefore if I make sure to get to bed on time and set my alarm early enough I can smash out a workout, do my meal prepping and get ready for my day all before 9am. If you’re not an early riser then go for a schedule where you’ll be most energetic and excited to workout. Exercising should feel like a treat, not a punishment so work with whatever internal clock you have!

• What drives your motivation?

I tend to be more self-motivated, but a large part of what motivates me is other people. I can easily do my workouts no problem, but there’s not the intensity or drive to finish what I started unless I know someone is counting on me. I know that if I start a program I am more likely to finish if I do it with another person. Because of this blog, I make a conscious effort to make my workouts happen because I know it can be a source of motivation for someone else. I don’t want someone to feel less, to do less, to believe in less all because I helped them put a cap on what is achievable.

• What food makes you feel your best?

We all know about the trending low carb-high fat diets out there and I am not knocking them, but what I am saying is that each body is different. I have seen people who thrive off of carbs, who eat a perfectly balanced diet, who don’t incorporate many vegetables, who rely on proteins like sardines, etc. You don’t have to eat what everyone else is eating to feel your best. It’s great to observe, obtain new ideas and try new things with some inspiration from other people, but you are you! Try testing out different things and record how you are feeling throughout a workout, or even if you had the energy to even start the workout. I always know something is off when I wake up in the morning groggy and without any energy to work out because I know that’s now what my body is used to doing.

• What workouts haven’t you tried?

For a long time, I focused on running, running and more running. Running is an excellent workout, but it’s like only ever eating chicken, or only wearing the color blue. None of these things are bad, but you end up missing out on a lot that can really add so much value. Instead of investing all your time into one workout, try switching things up. You might feel great after a run, but what about a HIIT workout? You might hate weights, but why not try resistance bands! If you have a hard time getting yourself in a gym, why not try a dance class? Working out is kind of like taste testing. Not everything will be for you but if you find a favorite that helps you incorporate every part of your body!

Let me know how these tips shape your workout routine!

Thank you again for stopping by!

-Sonya

Prioritizing Health and Wellness

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to health and wellness things usually turn out the best for me when I focus on it as an afterthought in life.  

I know what you might be thinking, because hello Sonya, isn’t health and wellness what you are all about? And to answer the question, Yes it is what my main focus is here and I believe it is my calling from God. The thing is, I believe that when our lives are focused on the right things in the right order, everything begins to fall into place.

Think of your time like a budget, where people often assume the thing they put the most time into will be successful; therefore bringing with it true happiness. There, of course, are several different types of investments, but the one thing that people (Myself included) need to realize is the only way to gain true balance and success is to first invest in your relationship with Christ!

In John 3:30 the bible says “He must increase, and I must decrease.” This doesn’t mean you as a person have to give up on everything brings you joy or makes you feel good. What it does mean is that what you invest in first and foremost in life is God.

My life did not reflect John 3:30 at the beginning of college when all I truly cared about was getting healthy and fit. It sounds innocent enough, but because I was putting myself as my main investment I began to act as though I was the only thing that could provide happiness in my life. I became so obsessed with obtaining happiness that I became a slave to myself. I stopped eating, was over-exercising, and lived for the high of loose fitting pants.

If you read Proverbs 27:19, it says “So as water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” My life reflected a selfish and broken system, a life dependent on self. I believed that in turning to myself and leaving God at the bottom of the list I could make everything right when in reality, my life was a disaster.

In Proverbs 21:2 it says, “A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart.”  

My ways were not right, and even today I don’t always invest my time properly, but my end goal is to first and foremost focus on the LORD. I know that when my heart is not invested in him, my relationships, work life, and health suffer. 

So the next time you dive into a self-help book, blog, Instagram page, make sure that before working with these tools find out what's going on in your heart.

Thank you for stopping by, If you have any questions please let me know in the comments below or dm on my Instagram handle at @sonyasopencupboard. I would love to talk to you more about the freedom and LOVE which comes from God!

Love always,

Sonya

New Year New You

New Year New You. 

So I know this is coming a little late in the season, and all of you probably are killing your new year’s resolutions but I wanted to just take a minute to write about the whole New Year new you.

New Year new you, is something I have seen all over social media and it got me to think about what New Year new you actually means. For me, I tend to fantasize January 1st seeing a perfect version of myself. Waking up before the sun to smash out a workout, reading my bible, blending THE PERFECT chocolate smoothie, etc. 

When in reality, I might accomplish this the second or third day because January 1st means waking up late, reaching for the leftover chips and chocolate, and chilling. This lasts for a few days and then I get serious and start to attempt to work towards what I want to happen for the next year. As you might have guessed this also lasts for maybe longer than a week and then I am back to plain old me.

Now I don’t know about you guys but this whole New Year new me doesn’t seem like the most productive plan. Therefore; this year I decided to nix the New Year new me and stick to plain old Sonya Peacocke, the aspiring wellness blogger, and awkward situation maker. I know that In order to accomplish my bigger goals in life I have to stay focused on living a life that is honoring and pleasing to God. In Colossians 3:23 it says “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men”.

We are created perfectly by God and there’s no need for a “new you”, but there’s always room for growth. For now, I will simply look at goals like they are a continuation of my whole life and morals. I don’t need to lose 15lb this year, but I want to continue being active and eat well to honor the body God gave me. I don’t want to earn a certain amount of money, but I want to continue encouraging others because of my desire to share Gods love.

I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want to feel like every January I have failed just because the world is telling me I need to be or do something better. I want to always feel the desire to grow and change so that I am ready for whatever God has in store for me.

Missed you all and hope you had a wonderful Christmas/Thanksgiving!   

Thanks again for stopping by,

-Sonya

How to Enjoy the Small Victories

I don’t know about you guys, but when it comes to accomplishing goals I go 110%, up until about the half way point. For example, I started an eight week fitness program and the first four weeks were fantastic, but the last four have been a struggle. It’s not that my body can’t do it, but it’s my mind that tells me to stop. I haven’t seen or felt the drastic change so I try to tell myself it’s not working or I decide to neglect a workout because I convince myself I have too much to do. Of course this is all while I lay on the floor watching IG stories on how to make Halloween cakes…It is a good trait to think big, but when I don’t see the big change immediately I give up, thankfully I have my husband to keep me grounded when it comes to these things.

He constantly reminds me that in order to get where you want to be, your confidence is going to drop and spike and you have to push through. What you’re passionate about will drive you to learn more so you can overcome the down slopes and keep moving forward. And in order to see the big results I have to give it time, effort and consistency without letting the fear of failure or inability getting in the way.  

A big part of what gets in the way of doing these things is not recognizing all the little victories along the way. Think about having a clean house. You don’t just pull out the dust pan and brush, stand there for an hour and poof your house is clean. You have to individually approach each part of the house. When the floors are cleaned you move on to the windows, and from there the messy drawer, and so on.  You would not have a clean house with all the small victories of different areas of the house. It is the same for our lives, weather your looking to get healthy, change your habits, improve relationships, etc. It’s not going to happen overnight, but when you take time to appreciate the little victories you will come to see the value in what you are doing.

If you feel unmotivated to finish or even star working towards a goal, take some time to journal some of the little victories that have helped get you this far. You might be surprised at how many victories you have accomplished that have helped you reach that point.

After you write down your accomplishments take some time to make a list of small victories you would like to accomplish to help you work towards your goal. This will help you get excited and help you to see as you go along just how much ability to accomplish what you set your mind on! 

Give it a go and let me know what you guys think!

Thanks again for stopping by!

-Sonya Peacocke