This post is by Quaker Oats, but all opinions are my own.
My head begins to spin just thinking about 2017. It was a whirlwind year for me, both personally and professionally. Plus, I was still finding my bearings after relocating to Florida. Last year I didn’t put much emphasis on healthy habits and found myself getting sicker more than usual. I’m done with that. With this new year upon us, I am feeling restless and so excited for all of the things I have planned. In order to accomplish these goals I am definitely going to need to take better care of myself. I’ve decided that 2018 is going to be “the year of me” as I focus on getting healthier and doing more of the things that I love.
I’m going to spend this year focusing on things that will make me a healthier, stronger, happier, better person. I want this to be YOUR year too, so I’m sharing my strategy for making 2018 the year of me:
Help start the day off right with a good breakfast.
At some point last year I fell into the very bad habit of not eating breakfast, and was fueling my mornings with just 2 cups of coffee. During that period of self reflection that most of us have at the end of the year, I realized something important. In order for me to be my absolute best, I would need to start my day with a nutritious meal.
Adding a nutritious breakfast to my day has been a real game changer for me. Oatmeal is one of my favorite foods to eat for breakfast, and not just because it tastes great. Because oats are a good source of fiber, they may help support a healthy digestive system. Also, oats may help you feel full. Be sure to check out the fruit and nut oatmeal bowl recipe at the bottom of this post. I know you’re going to love it! It is delicious, simple to prepare, and a nutritious way to help start the day.
Do more of what you love.
This is a tough one for a lot of people, but so important. You might be wondering how in the heck you are going to find the time to do one more thing. You’ll have to trust me on this — just do it — even if it is just five minutes for yourself. It doesn’t have to be something that is time consuming either. Pick up the phone and call a friend. After the kids go to bed, sit down with a cup of tea and the latest book from your favorite author. Spend an afternoon at an art museum, if that’s your thing. I also like the idea of choosing one day a month that is yours to do as you please.
What will I be doing more of? Music is something that I love, and I have a playlist for just about everything. I used to attend a lot of concerts and have really missed doing that. So far this year, I’ve picked up tickets for 10 concerts and music festivals. So, I might have been overly enthusiastic about this whole “year of me” thing when I purchased all those concert tickets, but I am going to have SO much fun.
Be more active.
Having more physical activity in your life will benefit you both physically and mentally. Get a gym membership or sign up for a fitness class. Take the dog for a walk. I got a gym membership for the purpose of using the treadmills, and discovered that I like lifting weights too.
Don’t feel guilty about focusing on yourself.
As someone who has always had a caretaker personality, changing my mindset to put myself first took some effort. I know how easy it is to let ‘mom guilt’ creep up on you, but putting yourself first will help make you the best person you can be. Everyone else in your life is going to benefit from that.
As a mom, it is so easy to get caught up with taking care of everyone else and neglect self-care, but I plan to live my life to the fullest! Starting the day with this delicious fruit and nut oatmeal bowl is a simple way treat yourself well.
The star of this fruit and nut oatmeal bowl is oats which contains important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Next, power it up with a variety of toppings, including: banana, blueberries, raspberries, almonds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, flaxseed, and honey.
Eating this fruit and nut oatmeal bowl with #ExtraordinaryOats for breakfast is such a fantastic way to live a better, and healthier life. To learn more about the power of the oat, visit www.quakeroats.com.
Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Bowl

ruit and Nut Oatmeal Bowl
Ingredients
- ½ cup Quaker Oats
- 1 cup water or milk
- ¼ cup blueberries
- ¼ cup raspberries
- ½ banana sliced
- ¼ cup almonds
- ⅛ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Prepare oatmeal according to package directions. Top with the remaining ingredients.
No one else can play your part, so take care of yourself.
You are more important than you realize.
I’d love to hear about some of the things you’ll be doing for yourself in 2018! Please share below in a comment. Let’s discuss!
If you like this recipe, please Pin It and share it with your friends!
This looks so delicious and healthy! I’d love to make this for myself to enjoy!
This is looking good and tasty
This sounds so delicious and healthy! I love this kind of oatmeal. 🙂 I am so exicted for berry season! Thanks for sharing!
The bowl you made is beautiful! I just microwaved 1/2 cup oats with 1/2 cup almond milk for 2 minutes, then mixed in brown sugar, cinnamon, and a dash of salt. I garnished mine with a sliced banana and that was filling enough for me. Thanks for the idea.
Sounds delicious!
I love oatmeal anyway. This is just a treat for me.
I so love “bowls!” This is a wonderful one because I am also a huge fan of raw oats. Thanks for the inspiration!
What a great recipe! I love berries so much. They do wonders for skin health.
I’m not much of a breakfast eater & I’v been looking for a nutritious & delicious way to start my day. It not only looks god, It sounds so yummy as well! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
This looks super easy and fun to make!! Looks very healthy too!
This looks so pretty! I have such a hard time getting myself to eat breakfast and this looks perfect for it because it looks so good.