Age

Everyone reading this who is older than me is going to roll their eyes.  They will say, "you have no idea…." BUT this is my story and the world as I know it.  Life as I know It in fact :)

I'm 35.  30 wasn't a big deal for me, I never feared it.  I never worried about getting older.  And then all of a sudden I realized that I was getting older, things were changing and life would never be the same.

While you can workout for hours on end, it's not practical.  I run/own three companies and I don't have a lot of free time on my hands.  I need to fit it in, when I can.  And I need to love that I'm doing.  I'll end up missing some days, there is nothing I can do about it.  Life calls and I have to answer.

On the flip slide, I also need to learn to take care of myself first.  Putting on my own oxygen mask is necessary before I can take care of everyone else better.  Once I put the dogs, clients, businesses, and household chores before myself, I start to feel "used up" and overwhelmed.  I do much better when everything comes after my self care.

And you know what?  Everything is still there when I get out of class, back from my run or off the bike.  And it all makes more sense.  It all seems easier.  I will always be hard pressed to leave the clothes unfolded before I head out the door, but that's my own cross to bear.

Can I do as much as I used to?  No, I don't have as much energy.  My asthma is worse and fitting into a size two isn't as easy as it once was.  However, I know that I am a better me now than I ever have been before.  Knowing what I need to work on, knowing what I need to do and working out as part of a whole life plan, has changed my experience with fitness.  I workout now for longevity.  I want to fit fit to live longer, take care of my body and be able to experience more life.  It's not about the pant size or the abs.

And food?  For the first time I can remember, I love it.  I eat to fuel my body and those treats I love, I let myself indulge in.  They are ok.  I'm feeling my soul.  It's okay to love food and to embrace it.  (Just not a lot of it.)

I'm sure this journey will continue for me, but in my mid 30's I have to say, I'm thrilled at where I am and pleased at the possibilities of the future.

Meditation Station

I've been meditating on and off for a few years.  However, I've never given myself a dedicated space for it. I've always lived in small spaces and I've never wanted to take space away from other things just to create a spot for myself.

I have a very good friend who has been encouraging me to meditate more frequently.  That, combined with a few physical items coming into myself recently, encouraged me to create space for myself.

I cleaned off a surface where I has some household decor items and accessories and gave it a good cleaning.  I then looked around my space for things that made me happy and blissful.

The same friend who was encouraging me to meditate had sent me an adorable mini pillow for my birthday and another amazing friend has sent me a crystal ball. These were no brainers to include in my space.

I also included an amethyst stone, a mini mala (http://www.jewelsofsaraswati.com), a candle holder (and candle inside) and a Buddha head that I had received as a sample recently.  (Wayfair.com).

I also placed a chime there to ring in the start and end of my sessions.  I left some of the picture frames there to remind me of places and times I love and feel calm.  The lamp had to stay as it's a very dark corner.

I have a Zafu on the floor too :)  (http://thejoyfulorganizer.com/2012/12/13/meditation-cushion-review-do-you-zafu/)

Overall, I'm happy with the space I created.  I know things will come and go from it as time goes on.  It's a little oasis in my life.

Busy

Lately I've been under a lot of stress.  I know, everyone is. However, it's even more than usual.  My instinct is to push through, tackle my lists, and be super productive.  BUT, stress is not just mentally demanding, it's physically demanding and I needed to realize that I couldn't just push through.

I started to think about something my yoga teacher says a lot, "Be kind to yourself." and what that means.  Being kind to yourself means not mentally beating yourself up over those little things you don't accomplish.  It means being ok with what you ate today and even taking a nap.

To me, being kind really means I can take a break when I need to.  It means that instead of focusing on how much I can get done, focusing on how well I take care of myself.

I think it goes back to what we value as a society.  We are always talking about how busy we are.  We don't talk about how we pamper ourselves or eat healthy.  We don't discuss things we love to do and how we fit them in.  In fact, if you tell friends or family you read a book or took a bubble bath, they often reply with something like "Must be nice."  Or "I wish I had time for that."  If we really valued healthy and wellness, we'd say, "Good for you!"

So, I'm posting this: Stop the glorification of busy!  Let it be okay to take a break.  Instead of feeling guilty, feel successful.  You've done something no one else knows how to do.  Taking care of yourself in every way possible, makes you a better you and better able to take care of others in your life.  I promise you'll be glad you did.  Be kind :)

Lip Scrub

I recently ran out of my favorite lip scrub.  I use it not only to deal with chapped winter lips but to take care of my skin.  My dermatologist told me to exfoliate my fave twice a week, including my lips.

Not wanting to go out to the mall to buy more (I know I sound horribly lazy!), I decided to see if I could make some.  I spent a lot of time online looking at different "recipes"  I decided to go off on my own with what I had in the house.

I started out with brown sugar, honey and coconut oil.  I happened to have a small packet of coconut oil ready to use for a project like this.

I got a bowl out and measured out 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.  I used the back of the measuring spoon to break out the clumps and make sure it was smooth.  I then added 1 tablespoon coconut oil.  If your coconut oil is too thick, microwave it for a few seconds.  I also added one tablespoon honey.  It took a little while to come together but it created a nice consistency.

I then put it in a glass jar so I can use it in the morning.

It works great, tastes good and is dirt cheap to make. What a great present idea too!

Faux Food

This week I made two imposter meals: "mac" and cheese and Philly cheese "steaks".

The first was shockingly easy and a little too good.

Add a table spoon of flour and a dash of butter to a pan. Let it melt and start moving the flour around.  Then, add 1/4 cup milk.  Make sure it's creamy.  Then, add 1/4 cup cheese.  Melt it thoroughly and then pour it over cauliflower.  Yes, the vegetable.

I added panko bread crumbs to the top, and baked it for about 20 minutes at 350.  It was amazing.  And almost healthy.  Almost.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  I imagine you could use any type of cheese.  It's close enough to mac and cheese to satisfy that craving and you get a lot of veggies in this meal.

The second meal was a new favorite for my husband.  It's made in the crockpot….chicken phillies
First of all, melt a little butter in the crockpot (olive oil would work too)
I used four boneless frozen chicken breasts
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 table spoons worcestershire sauce
A few dashes italian dressing
I used a mini food processor to chop up a green pepper and an onion
Salt and pepper to taste

I stirred this and "pulled" the chicken a few times.  When it was done, it was so moist and flavorful!  Toast some rolls, add cheese and pile the chicken on. It's amazing.  And easy.

Challenge

This week I decided to challenge myself to work out six days in a row.  I considered going for seven, but realized everyone needs a rest :)

So, I attended three spin classes, and three yoga classes.  In the meantime, I got lots of sleep, ate lots of amazing healthy food, and even took a little time to take care of myself.  This is the first time in as long as I can remember I was this kind to myself.  So often, I don't have time for myself or I simply feel guilty for doing it.

I tried some amazing new recipes including beignets, crockpot chicken phillies, red lentil coconut soup, and even avocado hummus.  I've had chia drinks, aloe, vitamins, and some amazing coffee drinks :)

How do I feel at the end of the week?  Tired, happy, and inspired.  I will read in bed with a cup of coffee in the morning and relish in my day off.  However, I will also think about what I've learned this week.

First of all, I thought that my age, a little weight gain and not getting outside for workouts meant I was "losing it".  Just the opposite happened, I was still able to surprise myself, learn and challenge myself.

I also saw a different in my workouts as the week went on.  I was able to accomplish more, strive for more and at the same time, learn to let go.  There are so many days I'd attend yoga and think of it as a workout.  I'd sweat and bend and really try to do the poses the best I could.  On day six of my workouts, I thought I'd "take it easy" in class and just do what I felt like. I would use modifications when necessary.  And to my surprise, once I stopped thinking about it all so much, my body just went along with it and I was able to really find the calm in my mind.

I'll do this all again next week and I have high hopes for the weeks ahead. Spring is on the way and my spring cleaning is starting with my mind :)

Super Race

I love theme races.  They are so much fun and the racers always seem to be a little happier than a traditional race.  

I recently found out about The Super Run.  You get to dress up like a super hero to run the race.  In fact, it's encouraged! 

The Super Run is a national series of events that partners with non-profit organizations to put on superhero themed events to help raise funds and awareness for their cause. We provide logistical support, site selection, volunteer management and more. We do the heavy lifting, your organization just needs one coordinator to be the primary contact for that local event and the primary recruiter of additional volunteers. That’s it! We’ll help figure out site selection, manage the processes involved and so much more. So if you’re charity is looking to raise funds and awareness through a superhero themed event, then The Super Run is here to save your day!

April 28^th is National Superhero Day and to kick it off right – we’re having our inaugural Super Run® event

in Detroit, Michigan on April 26^th 2014.

Race dates are being set and you can find a race near you on their locations page. 

Need a cape?  Check these out! 

New Food

This week I decided to get creative with recipes.  I love to cook and while I'm not a traditional "follow the recipe" person.  However, I love to plan and create amazing tasting and healthy meals for my family.

This week I created a few new favorites:

Red lentil coconut soup

This was a quick one to throw together and it cooked in the crockpot while I went to yoga and out with friends all day.

I put the following into a mini food processor:
1 onion
1 pepper (I used yellow, but red also works)
2 garlic clothes
One small "chunk" of ginger

I then added all of that to the crockpot PLUS
1 can chick peas
1 bag of red lentils (it was about 2 1/4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
Squeeze of lime juice
1 can of coconut milk
7 cups of water (as it thickened I added a tad bit more)

I stirred it a few times and in a few hours it was ready to go and amazing.  It's a thick soup.  Add a little more lime if you want. Serve with pita bread or tortilla chips.

Avocado Hummus

I've been crushing on avocado lately and hummus is always a favorite.  SO, I combined them, and created my new favorite snack to go with tortilla chips or pretzel chips.

I used a food processor and threw in:
1/4 cup of olive oil
Salt
2 avocados (ripe)
1 can chick peas
lemon juice (squeeze)
2 clove garlic
1-2 tablespoons tahini
Turn it on, let it go and eat!

More are coming!  I'm inspired and since it's Lent even my husband is eating veggie only meals!

Doggie Cupcakes

So, this weekend I'm doggie sitting a total of five dogs.  Three are border collies.  Yes, it's a lot.  Yes, it's going to be crazy.  And yes, I'm willing to bribe them into goo behavior.  So today I baked some doggie cupcakes.

I've made a different version of these before but I really liked the way these came out.  I changed up some of the ingredients so they looked a little more like cupcakes.

I used a regular muffin pan and cupcake papers.  When you fill the cupcake papers, fill them higher than you would with cake mix as they don't rise.

I combined the following in my mixer:
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tea spoons baking soda
2 tea spoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy).  Make sure it's all natural!
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup honey or agave
2 cups shredded carrots (you can buy them shredded, but they lack moisture)

Put into cupcake papers and bake on 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  I then tucked a mini Milk Bone into the top (partially to let my family know they were doggie cupcakes).

I think they came out really cute and as the first two were devoured in seconds flat, I know they are a hit!

Two Smoothie/Juice Infographics