Growing up, I hated dogs. Or at least, I was very scared of them; I’d run away or cross the street whenever I saw one. Over time, that fear lessened to skepticism. By the time I was in college, I used to snark, “If I wanted a dog, I’d just have a baby.” I saw dogs as a nuisance and an obligation that reeked of dependence. At least babies grow up to feed themselves, I thought.

But my feelings about dogs changed overnight. After coming to terms with my anxiety disorder, I learned that ESAs can help mitigate the stress of having a disability, particularly a psychiatric one. I would spend hours looking at cute videos of puppies running and snuggling, and just that little bit of connection would bring me immense joy. I began wondering what it would be like to have an ESA of my own, so I took the leap and decided to find out.

Any domesticated animal (yes, including that duck wearing a diaper) can be an emotional support animal. This is the major difference between ESAs and other service animals; while a service dog for a person who is visually impaired must be able to assist them with very specific tasks, ESAs offer support simply by being there.

When I stopped watching puppies frolic on YouTube and starting doing concrete research, I settled on an adorable little dog I named Giant. Sometimes I get down on myself for being sick, and on these days, Giant is the only thing that seems certain in my life. He can sense when I’m having a hard day, and he’ll curl his 5-pound body right beside mine to comfort me.

Before Giant came into my life, there were mornings I couldn’t get out of bed. I was overwhelmed by pain, illness, and resentment about that pain and illness. Once I started to get my health back on track, those sensations lessened, but I would still easily become sad and filled with self-pity. Now that I have Giant, that has changed drastically. I wake up to him patiently waiting for me to say, “Good morning, Giant!” — his signal to wake up and play.

My dog makes me feel more motivated to recover and safer on those days when recovery seems impossible.

Each day with Giant by my side makes me feel safer. I know I have an ally to give me love, kindness, and support whenever I need it. My dog makes me feel more motivated to recover and safer on those days when recovery seems impossible. No matter what, I know Giant will be jumping on his hind legs and smothering me with love the moment I walk through the door.

There’s been an upsetting rumor lately that emotional support animals are frequently shams. Although I can understand how it may seem laughable that I take Giant on car rides with me or cry when I have to leave him, my relationship with him isn’t a joke. Giant is my anchor, my constant reminder that everything will be okay and that I deserve health and happiness. When I see people being critical about the many Americans who benefit from emotional support animals, it’s upsetting.

It’s easy for people to acknowledge the validity of a service animal for someone with a physical disability like blindness. But for those of us who are functionally disabled in a way that’s less visibly apparent, the negative rhetoric around the rising number of emotional support animals reminds us that our culture refuses to treat neurological disorders the same as we do physical disorders like blindness or deafness. Mental illness is physical, and physical illnesses are not always visible. The conversation about emotional support animals and neurological disorders in general has to change.

I’m often scared when I travel or take Giant in public because I know what people are thinking: What is this able-bodied young woman doing pretending to have a disability? In fact, strangers have brought this up with me directly. Although I try to take it in stride, some days I can’t help but feel attacked. A quick glance in my handbag would show you the prescription medicines I need to take daily; I may look healthy, but that’s because I work damn hard at it, and my disability is medically documented and federally protected.

This is not to say there aren’t a few bad apples who abuse the system; on the contrary, I fully acknowledge that happens. But arguing that emotional support animals need further regulations because some people abuse the system is like saying we shouldn’t have shopping malls because some people shoplift.

Other people have turned their nose up at the fact that Giant isn’t a rescue. But an emotional support animal, like any other service animal, serves a purpose. I couldn’t adopt a dog who may have behavioral issues or a traumatic history; that would effectively negate the point of having an ESA and potentially endanger civilians I encounter when traveling with Giant or when people visit my home. I chose my shorkie (that’s a mix of shih tzu and Yorkshire terrier) for a number of reasons related to their temperaments but also because they are hypoallergenic, making them a safe breed to take around those with pet allergies.

Of course, everyone has their weaker points. My “designer dog” can’t handle being outside unless the weather is perfectly moderate, and he has the picky palate of a Michelin-starred chef. But his flaws are the perfect reminder why I have him in my life in the first place. We should not be defined by our faults but by the love we give the world. Giant has a heart so full of love — not just for me but for every person he encounters. Because of his endless love, I happily put up with his diva behavior when it comes to food or the weather. Giant not only eases the side effects of my illness, but he also inspires me to be as loving as he is.

Much as I’ve learned about how wonderful having a dog in your life can be, I hope critics of emotional support animals can understand that ESAs provide a very real service and assistance to people with invisible disabilities. I am lucky to have a wonderful support system full of family and friends, but an animal bond is different. Giant doesn’t have other plans when I need company, and he never wants to rush my recovery or ask a million questions when all I want to do is curl up into a ball and cry. All he wants is to be by my side. There is not a single day I don’t acknowledge the beauty and magnitude of such a purehearted companion.

Alexis Dent is a writer and cupcake aficionado from Western New York. Follow her on Twitter @alexisdent.

Originally published at greatist.com on January 3, 2017.

Why My Emotional Support Animal is the Most Important Part of My Life was originally published in Thrive Global on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

There’s only one person on earth who could give me a happiness planner without insulting me, and that’s my best friend. She knows I’ve always struggled with feeling happy, mostly because I’ve had a hard life. There have been a lot of ups and downs, including spending my teen years in foster care. These sorts of traumas have been known to mold the mind, making it hard for me to really grab onto good moments, because I’m always expecting the worst. I’m sure that no matter your situation, you might feel the same at times.

By giving me this planner, my friend wasn’t trying to imply I’m some miserable scrooge or new-age hippie (although I sometimes come close to the latter, if you catch me on the right day); she just knows I need a little push when it comes to making myself happy, truly happy, deep in my soul. The particular planner she gave me focuses on positive thinking and personal progress, with 100 open-dated pages (no feeling guilty for skipping a day!) and spaces for reflection and goal-setting. Basically, you list the things that make you happy, and then you list the things that make you unhappy. Knowing all of that, you intentionally set your 100 days going forward. It sounds simple, but the process is actually so, so, so hard.

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, happiness works sort of like this: In order to have it, you need a basis from which to work (food, water, sleep). You then need safety, love, esteem (success), and self-actualization, which I think is the hardest to master. At this point, you need a bunch of abstract concepts: morality, creativity, spontaneity, lack of prejudice, problem-solving, and acceptance of facts. It can be difficult to know what real-life actions help you meet these intangible needs, especially when those actions are things so obvious, you tend to forget about them.

I began wondering, “What the hell does make me happy?” I sat there looking at the planner and thinking, “I truly have no idea.” My mind went to all the things we’re taught to think make us happy: money, a nice apartment, life in a city of opportunity. They all have one common denominator: They buy into the idea of success, not actual happiness. I was functioning on autopilot and fulfilling a sense of achievement, which is contingent upon working hard all the time.

In the end, I didn’t need some abstract, momentous, deeply mysterious aha moment to unlock my happiness.

It’s easy to get addicted to the feeling of success, especially if you’re lucky enough to have food, safety, and love. But I got to the point where success wasn’t cutting it for me anymore; the drug had worn off. I started feeling like a hamster on a wheel, spinning and spinning into oblivion — constantly tired, overwhelmed, and oversaturated with negative emotions.

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I might not have known precisely what makes me happy, but I realized what was making me sad: having no wonderment, no downtime, no moment to just experience life. It was frightening to realize I was filling my day with busy time; with things to do; with jobs, responsibilities, and opportunities that made me “me.” I was faced with this huge emptiness — were there things that could fill me with a sense of joy and peace? Did I actually, truly not know them? It dawned on me that I had spent my whole life running on that aforementioned hamster wheel, which never truly fulfilled me.

So I started to write down things that made me feel good, and the first things that came to mind were so simple and obvious that I doubted their usefulness in my quest for happiness:

• Setting aside time to myself
• Reading a book
• Sitting in silence without my phone
• Taking a walk in nature
• Exercising

After reviewing this list, all I could think was, “What a cliche, Lisa!” But the reality is simple: I don’t exercise enough, I rarely let myself have actual nonwork downtime, nature is a mystery to me, and I tend to scroll endlessly on social media as though my life depends on it. In the end, I didn’t need some abstract, momentous, deeply mysterious aha moment to unlock my happiness. I didn’t need to achieve zen or find myself in a foreign country. I just needed something simple, something that let me focus on who I am, outside of the “me” I’m supposed to be in society or at work.

As I went forward with my happiness planning, I noticed that the more time I allotted myself — an hour to read a book in my neighborhood park, time off without my cell phone in hand, a half hour to work out or meditate between work sessions — the more my world started to really, truly clarify and open up to me. I began to see the beauty in ordinary things (how the flowers bloomed, how their colors were bright). I fell deeply in love with quiet moments, allowing me to access my creativity. I was inspired by the small things, like a story I’d overheard or the view from my window.

I felt like I wasn’t just running through life at full speed but really experiencing it. I gave my body the sleep, time, and self-care it needed to work well. In short, I was able to understand the mechanics of happiness by slowing down and appreciating being alive. To realize I am a heartbeat and a brain — not just an employee or a person with things to do — was both freeing and saddening; I’d wasted so much of my life not paying attention.

While my happiness items may sound a bit trite, they actually make perfect sense, since studies have shown that “regular physical exercise, cognitive behavior therapy, and ancient contemplative practices lead to a range of positive psychological outcomes such as improved cognitive performance, enhanced emotional regulation, and even plasticity-related alterations in the brain.” What I take from this: The more good things I do for my body and mind, the more I adapt to doing good things, making it easier for me to accept and perform them.

I was able to understand the mechanics of happiness by slowing down and appreciating being alive.

And let me tell you, not scrolling through Twitter is difficult, and I need major help rewiring that need. It’s so easy for me to fall into a whirlwind of social media statuses (like an intravenous drip into other people’s realities), to do “a little extra work” during my time off, or skip working out or turning off in favor of being “productive.” That’s where the happiness planner really did change my life.

If I had kept going the way I had been, the hypertension and exhaustion would have truly made me both physically and mentally ill. A happiness planner seems like a silly thing, but as the saying goes, if you stare into the abyss, it definitely stares back at you — and that can be frightening. The thing is, the abyss contains the sort of truth we all need, and I’m so glad I chose to face it. In my own handwriting, I’d formally acknowledged these basic, simple things that I knew would make my time on earth more real and more nourishing. It doesn’t always take a planner to find happiness, but it can sometimes take that extra, intentional push to figure out what happiness actually looks like.

Lisa Marie Basile is the founding editor-in-chief of Luna Luna Magazine and moderator of its digital community. Her work has appeared in The Establishment, Bustle, Bust, Hello Giggles, Marie Claire, Good Housekeeping, and The Huffington Post, among other sites. She is also the author of three poetry collections. Basile holds an MFA from The New School. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Originally published at greatist.com on December 30, 2016.

I Used A Happiness Planner, And The Results Weren’t What You’d Expect was originally published in Thrive Global on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By Sophia Breene and Madison Flager

The word detox tends to bring to mind scary-intense juice cleanses or a gluten-dairy-meat-grain-sugar-caffeine-free diet that will make you run away screaming (and hungry). But never fear — when we say detox, we’re talking about refocusing the mind, body, and palate on healthy, tasty, and nutritious foods. Instead of going crazy restrictive and nixing all food groups except kale and steamed fish (not exactly a sustainable diet), let’s explore new tastes, textures, ingredients, and cooking techniques.

Most of these recipes are based on healthy staples like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and both vegetarian and meat protein sources. They’ll get you psyched about eating well again (and might even help kick that cookie-a-day habit you picked up over the holidays). For a super-easy meal plan, just pick one recipe from each category per day.

Kick off 2017 on a fruity note with this flavorful, baked version of steel-cut oats. Since it’s a baked oatmeal dish, you can make it the night before and heat it up for on-the-go mornings.

Start the day right with a healthy dose of chia seeds, which are loaded with protein, calcium, antioxidants, magnesium, iron, and potassium. Not bad for a bunch of tiny seeds, right? Whip up this tasty breakfast-worthy pudding by mixing them with a cup of almond milk, a dash of vanilla, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Let the mixture sit for a few hours (or overnight), and watch the chia seeds create a creamy, pudding-like texture.

These Paleo beauties are far from ginormous (gut-busting) bakery muffins. Instead of a carb-fest of processed sugar and white flour, these healthier little guys are made with almond flour, honey, and coconut oil. They’re sweetened with blueberries and vanilla extract, and are healthy enough for seconds, we think.

Is your breakfast style more savory than sweet? With just a tiny bit of olive oil and plenty of veggies and protein, this bowl is the real breakfast of champions. Pro tip: If your stomach isn’t ready for so much protein (egg, cheese, and quinoa) first thing in the morning, this dish would make a killer lunch or dinner too.

Fresh, healthy, and tasty, these Mediterranean tostadas combine hummus, scrambled eggs, veggies, and feta cheese for potentially one of the best breakfasts in the books. Eggs and hummus are an unlikely combo, but trust us — it’s a welcome surprise.

Elevate your breakfast ritual with this flavorful take on eggs and toast. Slather slices of whole-wheat toast with avocado, then top ’em with charred tomatoes, garlic shrimp, and fried (or poached) eggs.

Who needs sugar or white flour when you can make delicious, healthy muffins out of buckwheat flour, applesauce, Greek yogurt, and not much else? With plenty of fiber and healthy fats, and a bit of protein (from the eggs and buckwheat), these wholesome pastries will keep you full all morning.

With just three main ingredients, this superfood breakfast is easy as pie to make and can be topped with any (and all) of your favorite fruits. Bananas, apples, peaches, and blueberries all make great additions. Since most of the prep work takes place the night before, it’s ideal for busy mornings.

Prepackaged granola (and granola bars) are often loaded with sugar, preservatives, and other unsavory ingredients that won’t exactly help you recharge after a decadent holiday season. The solution? Make your own! This easy recipe contains whole grains, a tiny bit of oil, a touch of maple syrup, nuts, and dried fruit for flavor.

The best way to eat healthy (without thinking about it too much) is to make sure there are a variety of colors and hues on your plate at every meal. This one-bowl salad takes care of that. Chopped romaine lettuce, purple cabbage, red pepper, and avocado provide a veritable rainbow of produce. Add sesame seeds, salt, and pepper on top to bring out the flavor.

What’s in a name? This recipe title says it all. Made with raw broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, sunflower seeds, and a lemon ginger vinaigrette, this salad is a nutritional powerhouse that’ll have you feeling strong and healthy (and satisfied) in no time.

Fall’s definitely over, but we’re not willing to forget about pumpkin just yet. This flavorful soup blends potatoes, lentils, onion, pumpkin puree, and spices like dried mint and cumin. Pomegranate seeds on top add a pop of color and a tart crunch.

This salad has something for everyone. Love crunch? You’ll enjoy the pomegranate seeds, cucumber, and chopped pecans. Need something more filing? The cooked squash rings and creamy avocado slices will keep you satiated all afternoon. Live for spice? The arugula and gingery dressing will keep your taste buds happy.

The cool crunch of the lettuce and the warmth of the rice and beans make these lettuce wraps a worthy alternative to Chipotle any day of the week. Add corn salsa for an extra kick of spice and go for Bibb lettuce over iceberg to kick up the nutrients.

This savory lunch option is reason #58,462 that detox doesn’t have to be synonymous with hungry all the time, boring, or juice cleanse. Top quinoa with roasted sweet potatoes, crispy romaine lettuce, fennel, and chickpeas for a healthy, filling lunch (or dinner).

For a hearty, healthy lunch that comes together in a jiffy, look no further. Simply roast a sweet potato (if you’re short on time, pop it in the microwave for seven to 10 minutes), fill it with sautéed spinach, kale, and fresh avocado, and top with scallions and chopped cilantro and a lemon-turmeric dressing.

The fresh lunch dish contains kale, lemon, filling kabocha squash, pumpkin seeds, and pomegranate seeds. Top it all with a creamy Dijon-maple-syrup-almond-milk dressing.

On days when you’re hungry like the wolf, a light veggie salad is not going to cut it. Instead of inhaling the contents of a vending machine, prep this super-filling, super-healthy chicken salad. Loaded with quinoa, chicken, and almonds, this nutritional powerhouse will satisfy even the heartiest of appetites.

This salad might just be the definition of fresh. With baby spinach, avocado, strawberries, onions, almonds for crunch, and cheese (because always cheese), it’s everything we could want in a healthy salad.

Sick of blah-looking salads? Mix things up with this homemade vegetarian sushi. Pick your own fillings (crunchy veggies, tofu, seitan, or even scrambled eggs), cook up brown rice, and get rolling.

For cold winter days, there’s no better lunch than a cup of homemade soup. Kick it up a notch with this spicy, veggie-rich chili. The stew gets its unique flavors from a variety of spices and herbs, and is extra filling thanks to quinoa, sweet potatoes, and black beans.

The weather outside may be frightful, but these grilled chicken bowls are delightful (and well worth a trip outdoors). Combine grilled chicken, red peppers, and zucchini with rice (choose brown for more fiber), easy homemade guacamole, tomatoes, and a sprinkling of cheese.

This filling, grain-based salad combines dried fruit, wild rice, butternut squash, kale, leeks, and fresh basil. Blend together olive oil, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar for a light dressing with a hint of sweetness.

Warm up after a long day in the cold (or at the office) with this rich, hearty, and 100 percent vegetarian stew. With carrots, onion, lentils, and kale (and plenty of room for more), this is a flexible dinner option to keep in your back pocket for long, dark winter nights.

Pretty much anything tastes better when it’s served in a bowl, which is probably why this dish (basically a deconstructed burrito) is so darn appealing. Layer quinoa, corn, greens, and black beans in bowls, and serve with orange slices, avocado, and a spicy homemade dressing.

Cauliflower, potato, and a truckload of herbs and spices make this curry dish immensely flavorful. Light coconut milk (added to vegetable broth) strikes a balance between creamy, savory, and filling.

When life gives you lemons (or cold, gloomy days), make lemon stew. This rib-sticking concoction features dark meat chicken, celery, carrots, leeks, onions, garlic, orzo pasta, and, of course, lemon. Make it more of a one-pot meal by subbing in a heartier whole-wheat pasta like penne or rotini.

Get psyched for this fancy-looking Mediterranean-inspired dinner that takes only 30 minutes to make and only 10 minutes of active prep time. Roast the eggplant in the oven, cook couscous, and mix in sautéed onion, garlic, tomatoes, diced eggplant, and chickpeas. Once the eggplant is done roasting, scoop some couscous filling into each eggplant half, and top with the flavorful tahini dressing.

Healthy enchiladas? Nope, it’s not a joke. This Tex-Mex entrée features lentils and veggies, and a lighter sauce made with vegetable broth, apple cider vinegar, and whole tomatoes. Rev up the flavor by adding more chili powder, paprika, and plenty of pepper.

Fish and vegetables, the mainstay of any detox program or low-cal diet, gets the royal treatment in this exotic recipe. Coconut oil, coconut milk, cilantro, fresh ginger, and red curry paste make this light, fish-focused meal far from boring. Feel free to sub in tofu to make this dish a vegetarian option.

Store-bought veggie burgers can be filled with preservatives, so we’re all about making our own at home. It’s as simple as mixing up sweet potato, quinoa, black beans, flour, minced garlic, and spices. Once you’ve made the “meat,” shape patties and refrigerate for 30 minutes before baking for 15–20 minutes. Top it with a to-die-for avocado spread made with avo, cilantro, garlic, and white wine vinegar.

Whip up a batch of these tasty chickpeas to ensure plenty of healthy snacks for the week. With a drizzle of maple syrup, a sprinkling of brown sugar, and a touch of cinnamon, they’re a healthy way to enjoy a sweet treat.

For those times when you’re just sick and tired of plain old hummus or salsa, this fresh dip hits the spot. Blend chickpeas, avocado, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil in a food processor or high-speed blender until smooth. Dig in with homemade pita chips, veggies, or thin slices of whole-grain baguette.

This slightly more substantial snack is ideal for the 3 p.m. munchies. Made with quinoa, eggs, plenty of veggies, and cheese, these little nuggets are loaded with protein and will keep you full ’til mealtime.

Looking for something crunchy to eat with your favorite dips and spreads? These healthy crackers contain just five ingredients — compare that to your favorite brand of store-bought crackers. Plus, with flaxseeds as the main ingredient, these crispy crackers pack a nutritional punch.

Dates, oats, cranberries, pistachios… these handy little snacks are chock-full of tasty ingredients. Fifteen minutes in the food processor, 30 in the fridge, and these healthy bites are ready for you to eat (how many depends on willpower).

It’s no secret — we’re pretty obsessed with all varieties of hummus around here. This tasty variation gets an extra boost of fiber and beta-carotene from a baked sweet potato. Bake sweet potatoes, then blend them with white beans, tahini, turmeric, olive oil, lemon, and spices in a food processor, and you’re ready to snack.

Kale chips are the perfect solution when you want to eat junk food but also feel good about your choices. They’re super easy to make at home — just toss chip-size pieces of kale with a bit of olive oil and let them crisp up in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. This version, reminiscent of salt-and-vinegar potato chips, gets its flavor from olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and a sprinkling of sea salt.

Turn regular old raw fruit into a fancy snack (or dessert) with this simple cooking technique. Cut fruit into bite-size chunks, put them on skewers, and cook them on the grill until they’re golden brown. Drizzle with a honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon glaze. The recipe calls for pineapple, watermelon, and peaches, but other similar-size fruits would probably work just fine.

Underdog beets get the star treatment with this coconut oil recipe. Just 35 minutes in the oven take the three-ingredient snack right to the edge of caramelized and crispy, where we’d like to spend our lives.

Move aside, cheese and crackers. These grilled eggplant stacks are full of flavor and a major upgrade from your typical snack. Layer eggplant slices with fresh mozzarella cheese, basil leaves, and tomato sauce or fresh slices. Pop in the oven for 15 minutes and drizzle with a little balsamic.

Get excited about eating healthy with this fresh and bright, simple salad that’s far from boring. Combine asparagus, grape tomatoes, walnuts, and feta, and top it all with an easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Crispy, herby, and slightly sweet, this side dish hits plenty of flavor high notes. With just a few tablespoons of olive oil in the whole dish, it’s a super-light way to take advantage of everything cauliflower has to offer.

Loaded with grilled veggies such as peppers, zucchinis, and eggplant, this salad makes a delicious side dish or even a light lunch. Chopped dill and parsley add even more pop.

Green cabbage, beets, and kale come together to make this super-bright, super-healthy raw veggie salad. Drizzle the shredded vegetables with lemon, sunbutter, ginger, and apple cider vinegar to give it some bright, nutty flavor. You’ll feel healthier after just one bite!

Take advantage of these slightly sweet winter root vegetables by making this side dish, stat. It’s simple — just roast beets in a sauce made from olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and thyme. When the beets are cooked all the way through (about 30 minutes), slice them up and sprinkle with creamy goat cheese.

Did you know citrus fruits are at their best during winter? Brighten up cold, gloomy days with this summery (and healthy) salad. Peel and slice up two oranges, two mandarins, two blood oranges, a grapefruit, and a lime. Drizzle with honey and vanilla to balance out the tart fruit.

Roasted artichokes drizzled with lemon, garlic, olive oil, and salt make for a simple snack or an easy, healthy appetizer everyone will enjoy. Mix Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, and fresh dill for a dipping sauce that will make you forget all about boring mayo.

Need a break from all those mashed potatoes, buttered rolls, and breakfast breads? Squash is here to save the day — it provides some healthy (and satisfying) starch but doesn’t send you into a carb-induced coma after one bite. This acorn squash recipe, which features shallots, parsley, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil, will wake up your taste buds in no time.

For some reason, cabbage is not exactly the season’s hottest vegetable. Join Team Cabbage for good with these crispy roasted “steaks.” Seasoned minimally with just salt and pepper, olive oil, and a touch of red wine cooked with the mushrooms, this easy recipe lets cabbage’s texture and flavor shine.

This smoothie is kind of like a piece of art, and while we’ve had mixed luck achieving such a beautiful gradient, it tastes so good we’re willing to overlook our failure. Banana, mango, raspberries, lemon, pineapple, and coconut water? Close your eyes while you picture the beach.

Get your daily dose of antioxidants with this berry-rich blend. Mix up blueberries, raspberries, a banana, beets, and almond milk for an energizing (and pretty!) way to start the day.

While juice cleanses aren’t really our thing, we won’t turn our noses up at a glass of green juice first thing in the morning (as long as it’s not the only thing being consumed all day). This pungent beverage features cucumbers, cayenne pepper, lime juice, parsley, and ginger — it’ll definitely wake you up.

This green machine manages to be that elusive combination of healthy and tasty. To make it, just blend together baby spinach, lime juice, lemon juice, coconut water, and a drizzle of maple syrup (to keep it from getting too sour).

This smoothie is chock-full of the good stuff (kale, pineapple, avocado, chia, and more), and the taste is just as on point — it’s sweet but not over the top.

Feeling like Santa himself after one too many trips to the holiday dessert table? We’ve all been there. Feel fresh ’n’ clean after just one sip of this superfood-filled green smoothie. Combine spinach, half an apple, pomegranate seeds, honey, and coconut water, plus a few ice cubes, and hit reset on your diet.

This blended drink is loaded with healthy fruits and veggies, from banana and berries to red cabbage. Pump up the texture with yogurt and your favorite nondairy milk, and add in a few red grapes for even more purple goodness.

Adding beets to your smoothie is a super-easy way to up your veggie, fiber, and vitamin C intake all at once. Combine with banana, strawberries, raspberries, almond milk, and a touch of maple syrup for a pretty-in-pink breakfast to go.

Prepare for pineapple with a kick. Lemon, cayenne, and ginger also get in the mix — the perfect partners in crime, especially when warding off a cold.

Originally published January 2013. Updated December 2016.

READ THIS NEXT: 30 Easy and Delicious Whole30 Breakfast Recipes

Originally published at greatist.com on December 29, 2016.

Clean-Eating Recipes That Will Get You Through January was originally published in Thrive Global on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I may not be in full-fledged recovery, but this season, I have a plan for dealing with my eating disorder.

In the throes of my ED, I’d spend hours staring at the fridge, moving containers into and out of plain sight, planning what I should and shouldn’t eat. But the holiday season posed an even more an anxiety-ridden daily routine, which broke down a little like this:

Challenge: Choose between a post-work meal cooked alone at home, where it’s easy to control every ingredient, or drinks and a “dinner” exclusively made up of fries, but spent with friends at a bar.

Challenge: Abstain from the baked brie and artichoke dip on the appetizer table while coworkers happily munch and look at you to join in.

Challenge: Go to a dinner party at your friend’s house to find they’re making fried chicken (and serving literally nothing else, except wine); try not to freak out.

It may sound whiny — privileged, even — to speak of food this way. But while dealing with an eating disorder, every snack, every party — even one bite — was a test. The holiday season made me feel isolated, not festive.

I may not be in full-fledged recovery, but this season, I have a plan for dealing with my eating disorder.

1. I will know my limits and say no when I need to.

The reason I won’t be texting back about going out for after-work drinks isn’t because I’m a flake; I just know that if we go out, we’ll order deep-fried appetizers. I also know my compulsive-eating tendencies mean I’ll eat a whole plate of fries… and then only celery tomorrow. I’ve felt the most out-of-control after such hangouts, and spiraled back into disorder because I thought it too rude to turn down another holiday invite. I’m not afraid to say no anymore.

2. I won’t skip meals before a party.

Having played the “how little can I eat before I’m around people” game far too many times, I’m even more tempted around this time of year to eat less before an event. I feel pressure to fit into the holiday dresses I bought a size too small on purpose, but I also feel pressure to casually fill my appetizer plates with five mini-hamburgers and knock back mugs of mulled wine like my friends inevitably will. However, these warring impulses don’t have to affect eating nutritious meals. This year, I ate breakfast on Thanksgiving Day — it was the first time I’ve done that in nine years. I’ll try to have lunch every day, even if there’s an office party this week. And I’ll recognize that even if I eat more snacks than I’m hungry for that night, the important thing is that I was healthy and in control earlier.

3. I have a response ready for those who may comment on my eating habits or body.

This is the ninth year I’ll go to holiday gatherings a noticeably different weight than the year prior. My more out-of-touch relatives — the ones who were first to say how thin I’ve looked in years past, when I was really struggling — might say I look “different.” Last year, that was enough to send me sobbing to the bathroom, to want to hurt my body in ways other than depriving it of or binging on food. This year, I know I have two options: a) I can explain why their language is triggering, and hope they’re respectful enough to hear me out or b) I can calmly walk past them, eat one of those no-added-sugar cookies (or maybe even one of the real ones), and start a conversation with someone else.

4. If I binge, I won’t be hard on myself the next day.

Whenever I felt like I’d eaten too much at a holiday party, the real problem came the following morning, like an inevitable hangover: I’d go back to my own kitchen and think: The only thing I should have today is vegetables. And two years ago, I would’ve done just that, dousing my steamed kale in soy sauce to make it taste better. This year, even if I binge, I’ll make a real dinner with which to eat those greens, even though I already ate cookies and drank wine. The binge is just one day (or maybe a lost weekend), and it’s not cause for spiraling.

5. I will set aside time for self-care.

I still tend to confuse self-care with selfishness. But deep down, I know that without self-care, I’m not a very pleasant person: I feel angry all the time, make snide comments to people I love, and compulsively organize my refrigerator (my roommates must love it). I’m finally starting to feel comfortable buying the chocolate-covered biscuits I love — and try hard not to look at the nutrition facts before eating one. I’ll stay in bed for an extra 20 minutes sometimes, just because the pillow is cool, and the blankets are warm. I’ll put on running clothes, but browse a fancy kitchen tool store instead. They’re not monumental proclamations of self-acceptance, but anything that says “do this because you deserve to feel happy today” is a start.

Disordered eating is a deeply personal illness; what works for me may not work for you! If you’re currently living with or in recovery from an eating disorder, consult your support system before drastically changing your routine.

Rebecca Firkser is a writer and cook living in New York City. She also happens to be Greatist’s assistant food editor. She’s never more than a few feet away from a cookbook. Follow her on Instagram @ruhbekuhlee.

Originally published at greatist.com on December 13, 2016.

5 Ways My Eating Disorder and I Are Going to Get Through the Holidays was originally published in Thrive Global on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

OK, OK, you know all about zoodles. You’ve maybe even riced a cauliflower a couple times. Since you’re such a pro, it’s time you try transforming other vegetbales into your favorite carbs. Yes, zucchini does a lot in this department, but check out these 14 ways to use mashed beets, shredded broccoli, sliced parsnips, and more to get your daily fix of pizza, fries, and all the lick-your-fingers-good kind of carby foods in-between.

So you want to use something other than bread to contain that burger? You actually can use veggies (just please don’t use half an avocado… ). Take those frozen burgers out of the freezer and start ricing or spiralizing.

Don’t even get us started on our deep feelings for pizza. We’d eat it every night if it wouldn’t start to feel redundant… but now we can. Thank the food blogger gods for playing around with mushy vegetables in order to make the most satisfying pizza crusts ever to be found in the produce aisle.

Oh, bread. We love you so! And while we always have an emergency loaf of Ezekiel in the freezer, we’re way into breaking down our favorite veg into a loaf these days. Though possibly a little weird on PB&J, nearly every other sandwich topping would be at home nestled between two slices of carrot or broccoli flatbread.

Tots, fries, chips — potatoes are basically in everything we want to eat. In order to not feel like a stuffed potato every day, we’re super pumped about these veg-ified versions.

We know you’re about to say, “Does my gluten-free pasta really have more carbs than these veggie versions?” Answer: Maybe not, but we guarantee way better flavor and texture… and isn’t that why we eat pasta or a giant grain bowl anyway?

READ THIS NEXT: 7 Spiralizer Recipes to Get All Wrapped Up In

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Originally published at greatist.com on December 13, 2016.

14 Brilliant Ideas for Replacing Carb-Heavy Foods With (Just as Tasty) Vegetables was originally published in Thrive Global on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Here’s a fun fact: Your glutes are the largest muscle group in your body, so nearly everything you do with the lower body is powered by your backside. So if you don’t know what the heck a #belfie is (but epecially if you do), carve out 10 minutes of your day to try this quick butt workout.

After quickly warming up the hip flexors, you’ll perform each move statically first and then with pulses — this is where you’ll really feel the burn! The best part is that you’ll also be simultanouesly working your core with each exercise, so you get two targeted workouts for the price of one. Grab a mat to get started.

To recap, you will need an exercise mat for this class. Each move is performed for about 30 seconds.

• Hip Circle
• Donkey Kick
• Donkey Kick Pulse
• Fire Hydrant
• Fire Hydrant With Pulse
• Side Kick
• Side Kick Hold and Pulse
• Bicycle Kick Abs
• Side Bend, Legs at 45 Degrees

Looking for more short and effective at-home workouts? Grokker has thousands of routines, so you’ll never get bored. Bonus: For a limited time, Greatist readers get 40 percent off Grokker Premium (just $9 per month) and their first 14 days free. Sign up now!

READ THIS NEXT: This One Small Change Makes It So Much Easier to Stick With Your Fitness Routine

Originally published at greatist.com on December 9, 2016.

This 6-Move Workout Takes Only 10 Minutes was originally published in Thrive Global on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

One thing you don’t see in those photos? The body dysmorphia she struggles with on a daily basis. In a recent post, Linde reveals that losing weight led to an obsession with stepping on the scale. She usually weighs herself three times per day, and she admits she lets the number on the scale dictate how she feels about her body. This isn’t what Linde bargained for when she committed to living a healthier life, so now she’s taking a stand: No more weigh-ins until January 1, 2017. Check out her emotional and empowering Instagram below:

Originally published at greatist.com on December 8, 2016.

She Lost 130 Pounds, but No One Told Her It Would Come at a Cost was originally published in Thrive Global on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

After interviewing more than 200 of the world’s most fascinating people for The Tim Ferriss Show, I believe more strongly than ever that 10x results don’t always require 10x effort. Big changes can come in small packages. To dramatically change your life, you don’t need to run a 100-mile race, get a PhD, or completely reinvent yourself. It’s the small things, done consistently, that are the big things.

Want proof? For my new book, Tools of Titans, I sifted through hundreds of hours of interviews with billionaires, icons, and elite performers to discover some of their most successful (and sometimes surprising) tactics, routines, and daily habits (all of which I vetted and tested in my own life in some fashion).

More than anything, I longed for the chance to distill everything into a playbook. Here’s a small sample, designed to help you address three everyday problems. Borrow liberally, combine uniquely, and create your own bespoke blueprint:

The Problem: You Woke Up in a Bad Mood
The Tool: Meditation (or 5-Minute Journal)
The Titan: Tony Robbins

Oftentimes, people make meditation or mindfulness harder than it needs to be. Tony Robbins simplifies the process by suggesting that you focus on something simple near you or within sight. I use two types of journaling and alternate between them: Morning Pages and The 5-Minute Journal (5MJ). The former I use primarily for getting unstuck or problem-solving (what should I do?); the latter I use for prioritizing and gratitude (how should I focus and execute?).

The 5MJ is simplicity itself and kills a lot of birds with one stone (including forcing me to think about what I have, as opposed to what I’m pursuing): 5 minutes in the morning of answering a few prompts, and then 5 minutes in the evening doing the same. Each prompt has three lines for three answers.

I am grateful for…

1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

What would make today great?

1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

Daily affirmations. I am…

1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

The gratitude points shouldn’t all be “my career” and other abstract items. Temper those with something simple and concrete — a beautiful cloud outside the window, the coffee that you’re drinking, the pen that you’re using or whatever it might be.

The Problem: You Feel Anxious or Stressed
The Tool: Stargazing
The Titan: BJ Miller, palliative care physician at the University of California at San Francisco and an advisor to the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco.

“When you are struggling with just about anything, look up. Just ponder the night sky for a minute and realize that we’re all on the same planet at the same time. As far as we can tell, we’re the only planet with life like ours on it anywhere nearby. Then you start looking at the stars, and you realize that the light hitting your eye is ancient; [some of the] stars that you’re seeing, they no longer exist by the time that the light gets to you.

Just mulling the bare-naked facts of the cosmos is enough to thrill me, awe me, freak me out, and kind of put all my neurotic anxieties in their proper place. A lot of people — when you’re standing at the edge of your horizon, at death’s door, you can be much more in tune with the cosmos.”

The Problem: You Can’t Get to Sleep
The Tool: Tetris
The Titan: Jane McGonigal, a research affiliate at the Institute for the Future and the author of the New York Times best seller Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World.

Having trouble nodding off? Try 10 minutes of Tetris. Recent research has demonstrated that Tetris — or Candy Crush Saga or Bejeweled — can help overwrite negative visualization, which has applications for addiction (such as overeating), preventing PTSD, and, in my case, onset insomnia. As Jane explains, due to the visually intensive, problem solving characteristics of these games:

“You see visual flashbacks [e.g., the blocks falling or the pieces swapping]. They occupy the visual processing center of your brain so that you cannot imagine the thing that you’re craving [or obsessing over, which are also highly visual]. This effect can last 3 or 4 hours. It also turns out that if you play Tetris after witnessing a traumatic event [ideally within 6 hours, but it’s been demonstrated at 24 hours], it prevents flashbacks and lowers symptoms of post- traumatic stress disorder.”

The Problem: You Don’t Have Time for Breakfast
The Tool: Intermittent Fasting
The Titan: Dr. Peter Attia

Peter rarely eats breakfast and has experimented with many forms of intermittent fasting, ranging from one meal a day (i.e., 23 hours of fasting per day) to more typical 16/8 and 18/6 patterns of eating (i.e., 16 or 18 hours of fasting and only eating in an 8- or 6-hour window). Going 16 hours without eating generally provides the right balance of autophagy (cellular regeneration and healing) and anabolism (muscle building). Plus, an added benefit (if you adjust to hunger pangs) is increased mental clarity.

The Problem: You Have Difficulty Completing Tasks
The Tool: Write Your Plans
The Titan: Paul Levesque (a.k.a. Triple H)

“[Evander Holyfield] said that his coach at one point told him, something like his very first day, ‘You could be the next Muhammad Ali. Do you wanna do that?’ Evander said he had to ask his mom. He went home, he came back and said, ‘I wanna do that.’ The coach said, ‘Okay. Is that a dream or a goal? Because there’s a difference.’

A dream is something you fantasize about that will probably never happen. A goal is something you set a plan for, work toward, and achieve.

“I’d never heard it said that way, but it stuck with me. So much so that I’ve said it to my kid now: ‘Is that a dream, or a goal? Because a dream is something you fantasize about that will probably never happen. A goal is something you set a plan for, work toward, and achieve. I always looked at my stuff that way. The people who were successful models to me were people who had structured goals and then put a plan in place to get to those things. I think that’s what impressed me about Arnold [Schwarzenegger]. It’s what impressed me about my father-in-law [Vince McMahon].” If you want to stop dreaming and start planning, write down what you hope to achieve and what you’ll do to accomplish your goals.

The Problem: You Have Trouble Feeling Happy
The Tool: The 10-Second Test
The Titan: Cheng-Meng Tan

In many of my public talks, I guide a very simple 10-second exercise. I tell the audience members to each identify two human beings in the room and just think, “I wish for this person to be happy, and I wish for that person to be happy.” That is it. I remind them to not do or say anything, just think — this is an entirely thinking exercise. The entire exercise is just 10 seconds’ worth of thinking. Everybody emerges from this exercise smiling, happier than 10 seconds before.

This is the joy of loving-kindness. It turns out that being on the giving end of a kind thought is rewarding in and of itself. . . . All other things being equal, to increase your happiness, all you have to do is randomly wish for somebody else to be happy. That is all. It basically takes no time and no effort.

Tim Ferriss is the author of Tools of Titans, and has been listed as one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People,” one of Forbes’s “Names You Need to Know,” and one of Fortune’s “40 under 40.” He is an early-stage technology investor/advisor (Uber, Facebook, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ others) and the author of three №1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal best sellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, and The 4-Hour Chef. The Observer and other media have called Tim “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of The Tim Ferriss Show podcast, which has exceeded 100 million downloads and was selected for “Best of iTunes” in 2015.

READ THIS NEXT: How the Most Productive People Start Their Workday (Hint: It’s Not Email)

Originally published at greatist.com on December 8, 2016.

’Tis the season for stuffing our faces. Whether it’s with a few extra slices of pie here or several celebratory glasses of wine there, we all know the feeling. And while there shouldn’t be any guilt for enjoying it all, there’s no denying that those little indulgences can add up to a sluggish start to the new year.

But instead of taking extreme measures that are destined to fall flat, like boycotting carbs or counting every last calorie (there’s a reason 80 percent of health and fitness-related New Year’s resolutions don’t last beyond the first month!), here are 29 more realistic — and more fun — ways to get back on track: I’m talking about simple, sensible meals that require just five main ingredients (or less), making it even easier to stick to your healthy-eating plan come January.

1. Breakfast Sausage Egg Cups With Spinach and Parmesan

Cook once, eat all week — aren’t those the best kinds of recipes? Packed with spinach, cheese, and sourdough, these muffin versions of scrambled eggs and toast save you from dirtying dishes every morning and provide a complete, balanced breakfast that’s portable too.

2. 5-Ingredient Italian Sausage and Kale Baked Ziti

If you’re going to use only five ingredients to make a meal, making sure cheese, sausage, and pasta are three of them is a good start. In the absence of tomato sauce, kale lends the dish its veggie component, while lots of garlic is really all you need for extra flavor.

3. Thai Peanut Beef

When peanut butter is involved, you don’t really need much else, which is why it takes only three other ingredients to make a fantastically flavorful sauce for beef strips. Unlike other super-sweet peanut sauces, this one calls for just a tablespoon of brown sugar, while Sriracha gives it a spicy kick.

4. Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

Even with the addition of tortillas (or lettuce wraps, or your other taco vehicle of choice), this recipe clocks in at just five main ingredients. Plus, the slow-cooker method means that you don’t have to be around to babysit the beef as it simmers down to shreddable tenderness.

5. Honey Dijon Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Tenderloin might be one of the leanest cuts of pork, but when it’s slathered in a homemade honey-mustard sauce and roasted, getting crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, it tastes totally decadent. Oh, and it needs only five minutes of prep before the oven does the actual cooking.

6. Shredded Crock-Pot Roast Beef With Pumpkin and Salsa

Healthy conveniences such as canned pumpkin and ready-made salsa make up most of the ingredients in this shredded beef recipe, making prep time a cinch. Throw everything in the Crock-Pot to make the cooking process just as easy.

7. Slow Cooker Apple Butter Pork Chops

This recipe takes a fruity but buttery pork chop dinner from stove to table in just 15 minutes. No-sugar-added applesauce and caramelized onions give the meat just enough sweetness, and whole-grain mustard adds just enough zing. See? Making a healthy meal is possible even when you’re short on time!

8. 5-Ingredient Chorizo Spaghetti Squash Pasta

Light strands of spaghetti squash balance out the richness of chorizo, while soaking in the flavors from the tomato and basil sauce. It may be lower in carbs, but the dish still makes you feel like you’re digging into a hearty pile of pasta.

9. 5-Ingredient Chicken Feta Pasta

From the fettuccini to the herby tomato sauce, all the ingredients in this light but filling dish cook in a single pan (yay for easy cleanup)! Plus, each serving provides an impressive 19 grams of protein and six grams of fiber; how’s that for a well-balanced dish?

10. 5-Ingredient Caprese Chicken

Who says only salads can get the caprese treatment? The tomato, basil, and mozzarella combo tastes just as good on top of chicken — don’t forget the balsamic drizzle!

11. Mango Chicken Breakfast Sausage

Little chunks of mango are like sweet surprises between the savory bites of chicken in these adorable mini patties. Pile them on a bed of greens for a light meal that comes together in just 20 minutes.

12. Rockin’ 5-Ingredient Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Many chilis require a ton of ingredients (not to mention a lot of time chopping all those veggies). This one strips the comfort food recipe down to its bare essentials — but packed with sweet potatoes, black beans, and ground turkey, it’s as hearty as ever.

13. 5-Ingredient Turkey Meatballs

Using almond flour instead of bread crumbs for binding, these turkey meatballs aren’t just lean and protein packed, they’re also gluten-free. Chopped peppers thrown into the mix give them a burst of color along with added vitamins. Eat them any way you like your meatballs.

14. 5-Ingredient Lemon Yogurt Marinated Chicken

Most marinades require hours of soaking time, but this one has so many tangy, spicy flavors from the Greek yogurt and lemon juice that the chicken needs to sit in it for as little as 20 minutes. Quick and easy, it goes perfectly with pretty much any side dish, from rice to salad.

15. Honey Garlic Shrimp Skillet

When you’re working with a literal handful of ingredients, you’ve got to make them count. Ginger, garlic, honey, and soy sauce are all definitely bold enough flavors — use them as a sauce for shrimp, and you won’t need anything else.

16. Honey Mustard Pecan-Crusted Salmon

Crusted fish of any kind sounds complicated, but this recipe, which calls for just five ingredients and fewer than 20 minutes, is anything but. Super healthy and super elegant, this one’s a keeper for both busy weeknights and weekend entertaining.

17. Mediterranean Tuna Salad

This salad may look like it’s got a long ingredient list, but trust us — there are just five main components, and the rest are spices you’re likely to have lying around already. Even better is the fact that there’s literally no cooking involved. Just toss everything in a bowl, mix thoroughly, and call it lunch or dinner.

18. 5-Ingredient Baked Cod

Garlic and sage together make a pretty dynamic duo. Put them on thick pieces of cod and let the oven work its magic. Just 20 minutes later, you’ll be digging into a perfectly flaky and herby fish dinner.

19. Shrimp Salad With Zucchini Noodles, Lemon, Garlic, and Feta Cheese

If end-of-year indulgences leave you feeling kind of blah, pick yourself back up with a meal full of protein and fresh produce, like this one. Spiralized zucchini, shrimp, and low-fat feta are topped with a no-cook sauce of olive oil and lemon for a dish that’s a refreshing antidote to all the heavy holiday fare.

20. Orange Maple Salmon

If you’ve never tried pairing fish with fruity flavors, start easy with this recipe. Just a tablespoon of fresh orange juice goes a long way toward giving the salmon a sweet, citrusy tang without being overpowering.

21. Quick and Easy Sumptuous Salmon

Who wouldn’t give a recipe with a title like this a shot? It’s not all talk either — pan-cooked and topped with a sauce made from chili paste, soy sauce, and honey, this salmon is fast, simple, and sumptuous indeed.

22. Kale Butternut Squash Salad

Here’s a recipe that proves it doesn’t take much to make healthy eating easy. Toss in some cranberries, roasted veggies, and some crumbled cheese, and even people who scoff at salads will want in on it.

23. Easy Swiss Chard Stir-Fry

Stir-fries are fast and easy by definition, but many involve chopping lots of veggies and complicated sauces. This one is on a whole other level of simple, using just Swiss chard and garlic and calling for a mere five minutes of cooking time. Speediest stir-fry ever.

24. Vegan Roasted Tomato Pasta With Garlic and Basil

When pasta isn’t doused in creamy sauce, it can most definitely help you get your healthy eating on. Take this spaghetti recipe — tossed with lots of fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic, and basil in a light olive oil base, it’s highly unlikely to send you into a food coma.

25. Roasted Potato Salad With Dijon Vinaigrette

Potato salad isn’t just for picnics! Here’s a healthy version, best served warm. The spuds are baked instead of boiled, while the dressing swaps out the mayo for olive oil, and the addition of chopped red peppers give the dish a welcome pop of color.

26. 5-Ingredient Vegetable Frittata

Fair game for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, frittatas are the ultimate convenience meal. This one goes classic with cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and peppers, but really, go with the veggies you have on hand. After all, the beauty of a frittata is its versatility.

27. 5-Ingredient Mexican Quinoa

Canned beans and corn plus a jar of salsa (check out our favorite all-natural brands!) help dress up this quinoa dish in just 15 minutes. Stir it all on the stovetop, and it’s ready for serving. Putting a hot meal on the table doesn’t get much easier than that.

28. Healthy Kale and Quinoa Bowl

Even counting the cooking time for the quinoa, this recipe comes together in fewer than 30 minutes. Plus, there are really only three main components here, leaving you room to toss in slivered nuts or cheese and still come in under the five-ingredient mark.

29. Cauliflower and Tofu Curry

Craving Thai curry but not in the mood to shop for (or cook with) all the ingredients it requires? Don’t deprive yourself; just make this. Red curry paste is the main flavoring agent here, and just two tablespoons can make cauliflower and tofu taste like a dish straight from the streets of Bangkok.

READ THIS NEXT: 11 Ways to Keep New Year’s Resolution

Originally published at greatist.com on December 7, 2016.

29 Easy Recipes to Help You Stick to Your Healthy-Eating Resolutions was originally published in Thrive Global on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

“But am I allowed to do that?” my client asked during an (emotional) life-coaching session.

“Allowed? What do you mean allowed?” I asked, answering a question with a question.

“But… I mean… I started. Don’t I have to… finish the damn thing?” she asked, angst-ridden and confused.

“I don’t know. Do you?” I responded again.

My client is an entrepreneur who spent every waking moment of three years and hundreds of thousands of dollars developing an app that, before it could be released, had been created, improved upon, and made ubiquitous by multiple, larger competitors. Her idea was original three years ago, but since her initial concept, the market had advanced, and her business was no longer viable.

But, like a dog with a bone, she refused to give up. In many cases, this can be a rockstar quality. But in this particular situation, her ship had sailed. It had already made its way onto millions of smartphones without her. Her investors knew it. Her friends knew it. She knew it deep down too, but found it impossible to admit defeat. Now she was reaching a breaking point. To quit seemed an impossibility after the years, money, and all-nighters spent building the business.

So what to do now? In marketing, there’s an expression, “Don’t throw good money after bad.” What does that even mean? It means don’t spend more money on something that has already failed. Plenty of opportunities begin with a smart investment — hours, energy, money — but sometimes, there comes a point when that investment is no longer a savvy decision. And even worse, out of stubbornness, desperation, and yep, even ego, we refuse to acknowledge it.

Money is the currency in this example, but “investment” can easily refer to time, effort, emotion, sleep, and countless other things that are important to us that we’ll regret “wasting” after weeks, months, or even years of devotion.

If you have a sneaky suspicion that you need to quit a project, a relationship, or any type of goal, consider the following:

1. It’s not fun anymore.

When something causes more frustration or pain than joy, it’s a massive sign that it’s time to hang up your hat. This doesn’t simply mean you’re exhausted from training for a marathon; it means the end goal no longer inspires you, and thinking about the big day depletes — rather than energizes — your spirits.

2. You are losing.

Whether it’s your hard-earned dough, your well-being, or your ability to just enjoy some time off (especially if other people have voiced this to you with love), you may already be losing a lot and gaining nothing by keeping up the charade. Ask yourself: Would my life simply be better if I just called it quits on this thing?

3. The opportunity-to-cost ratio is off.

Every time we do something, anything, it’s at the cost of not doing something else. Are you forsaking something else that could be more valuable? Is there a better “investment” you could be making instead? This can include a better job, a more suitable S.O., or even a freakin’ vacation this holiday season.

4. Your priorities have shifted.

Hey, it’s OK to change your mind! Life changes. We change. Other people change. Like the shifting seasons, we have to be flexible as external circumstances change. A client of mine just put her side hustle on hold when she delightfully discovered she was pregnant. She was nervous to tell me, but I couldn’t have been more thrilled for her as it’s exciting news, and she’s proving she can be agile in her life.

5. You feel meh about it.

As best-selling author Seth Godin says, “Quit or be exceptional. Average is for losers.” When you are doing something to ‘check a box’ and just get by, it’s a red flag that it’s just not essential to your success anymore. And I don’t know about you, but I consider my time on Earth a little too precious to just get by doing sh*t I don’t love. Reject complacency, my friends!

6. You’re doing it for other people (and not yourself).

This is a toughie, especially in a world of social media where much of our lives are on display. My client felt ashamed to give up because of how she thought she’d look to the people around her. Truth is: They were relieved too. People who really care about you want the best for you. And the people who don’t, don’t matter.

7. You think you have something to prove.

You don’t. End of story. Next.

When it comes to deciding to quit, do what feels like freedom. Relief is one of the biggest indicators that you are making the right decision in any area of your life.

Sometimes you lose a little — you lose face, you lose money, you lose a goal that you’ve clung to — but in the long term, when you plug the drain, you gain a lot more. I love that Arianna Huffington says, “Did you know you can complete a project by dropping it?” It’s not true that winners never quit. Winners do quit. In fact, they’re winners because they know when to quit. Will you?

Susie Moore is Greatist’s life coach columnist and a confidence coach in New York City. Her new book, What If It Does Work Out?, is available on Amazon now. Sign up for free weekly wellness tips on her website and check back every Tuesday for her latest No Regrets column!

Originally published at greatist.com on November 8, 2016.

How to Know When to Quit Something and Actually Feel Good About It was originally published in Thrive Global on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.