Foodie for a Day Wednesday

So I had this idea that I was going to have another “day in food” post for this week’s Foodie for a Day.  I don’t really have anything fun planned to make today and quite actually I’ve somehow planned out and filled just about every hour of my day today (and it’s my day off! How does that happen?).  Anyway, the day in food did happen but I didn’t really eat anything out of the ordinary yesterday.  It’s definitely my typical fare.

Snack: 1/2 banana with peanut butter (before going to yoga)

Breakfast: Coffee, toast with almond butter + 1/2 mashed banana

Lunch: Green smoothie (1/2 banana, frozen spinach, soy milk, spoonful peanut butter, 1/2 scoop vanillla rice based protein powder), a few handfuls of mini rice cakes

Snack: Grande soy misto, chocolate brownie mini Clif bar

Dinner: Tempeh + jam + spinach sandwich, orange, vanilla bean Greek yogurt w/ granola

Snack: small bowl of shredded oats w/ soy milk upon getting home from work at 12:45AM (I couldn’t help it, I was starving!!)

It’s funny because I was just telling my mom the other day how I eat all day - snack, meal, snack, meal, snack, meal, snack - and this really shows that.  The good thing is, I’m generally not eating so much at one meal that I end up overly stuffed and uncomfortable, I listen to my body as to when it needs more food or has had enough (or at least I try to do this...) and I always try to carry snack bars on me for those just-in-case hunger strikes moments.

Mmmm...nom nom nom. :)

Full of it

I made an attempt to go shopping the other day and I’m not sure yet if I deemed it a success.  I set out to buy some new clothes that would allow for improved self-confidence and breaking out of my same ol’ $8 tshirt from Target that I have in 6 colors (no joke!).  

Well that wasn’t quite what I left with...instead, I bought a new pair of yoga capris + workout built-in tank top, 1 tank top, and the coolest mug ever!

Fun isn’t it? :)

It made me laugh and I decided I had to get it.  I mean, who wouldn’t want to start their day with a delicious cup of coffee and a good laugh?

It's a mental challenge too....

Officially 11 days in and I think the initial “glow” is wearing off and this challenge is becoming more mental for me.  I succeeded at my task to focus and let go during last night’s Restorative Flow but was definitely looking forward to getting back to a nice sweaty flow.  My morning started out rather rough and I feared for the direction my day was going to go and was pleasantly surprised when it turned itself around, making this morning more of a minor setback.  I found I was being calmer and getting less frustrated with people and events that generally really aggravate me.  Instead, I was being open to taking on additional responsibilities that I thought would help everyone, including making my life easier down the road.  I left work in a good mood, stopped at the bank and continued onto yoga.

...I think I forgot how difficult last week’s class was with Chani.  I looked back at my post-flow notes and I definitely noted the difficulty of the class, but boy it got me today.  It was physically challenging for sure but what I struggled with today was the mental challenge.  The process of letting go, focusing and breathing felt like a nearly impossible task.  My brain kept floating away and going to another thought (including craving frozen yogurt?!).  It was strange.  I left feeling like a got a decent workout but frustrated and without my usual yoga glow.

I decided to stop and feed into my frozen yogurt craving (I’ve been good so it was okay) and then came home.  After a frustrating drive home, making me realize just how much I dislike driving since I moved to LA, I paused to question if selling my car is an option.  Maybe? But not now.

And THANKFULLY I had good news awaiting me today: Tracey and Laura are coming to California at the beginning of June!! :-D 

It’s such an awesome coincidence that Tracey’s best friend from high school (ME) and Laura’s best friend from high school (Jenny) both live in the LA area and have requested their presence, AND they were able to make it happen!  I’m super excited to have a couple days off in the beginning of June and be able to spend time with the two of them, especially before they leave for Spain later this year. Thank you to Tracey and Laura for making my day - I needed that! 

Tracey and I when her and Laura visited me while I was living in NY

Tracey and Laura during their trip to NY :)

I can't wait to see you guys soon!! :)

Momma's Day

I’m going to make this short and to the point.  Part because it’s simple and part because I’m exhausted and ready to hit the hay...

Happy Mother’s Day!  

A Happy Mother’s Day to my own Momma! (Yes she got a real phone call, not just a shout out on my blog!  The poor woman has had to deal with me for the last 24 years, the least I can do is call.)

A Happy Mother’s Day to all your mothers!

A Happy Mother’s Day to all of my motherly relatives and to all of yours!

A Happy Mother’s Day to all of my friends who are mothers, will soon be mothers and who recently found out they’re going to mothers!

And finally, a Happy Mother’s Day to all of the women out there who are mothers or play a motherly role in someone’s life.  (yes that could be an animal, niece or nephew, etc). 

I hope you all know you’re loved and appreciated by all.

These are the flowers my sister and I sent my mom.  I hope they were delivered as beautiful as they are on the 1-800-Flowers website.  I have yet to get a real picture from my mom of them.  Hopefully she'll send one in the next couple days. ;)

My pretty momma in Paris on New Years Eve a couple years ago.  We celebrated in the hotel room because we had a flight back to the US the next morning.

My dad, me and my mom at my college graduation party in 2008.

I surprised my mom for her birthday in 2005 while my parents were in DC visiting my sister.  The look on her face when she walked into my sister's dorm room and saw me there was priceless.  :)

This was before my dad took down the swing set he built for my sister and I when we were little.  My mom joined me for one last hurrah! 

In Your Atmosphere

I'm obsessed with this song right now.  Absolutely, obsessed.


The last two weeks at the Yes Yoga Flow, Brianna has played this song and I loved it.  In general, she plays awesome music and sometimes I find I've stopped breathing and instead I'm singing along in my head..oops!  Anyway, I was trying to figure out what this song was and after hearing it again today, I knew I needed to look it up when I got home.  I knew it was John Mayer and it wasn't on an album that I had.  Turns out it was from an album recorded live in LA a few years ago.


I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. 

Benefits of Yoga

Well there should be no question as to how I’ve chosen to spend my month - a 30 Day Yoga Challenge and while I appreciated everyone’s support, this is an opportunity I’m taking for myself, with or without the support of the people around me as I’m looking to improve my life and health.  

Yoga is something that people think of as a healthy practice, knowing that there are multiple benefits beyond just the physical activity and mental clarity.  I thought I would take this challenge to research and share just how beneficial yoga can be on a person.  I found this article, 77 Surprising Health Benefits of Yoga.  It’s a long list and I don’t expect everyone to read every single one, I thought I would include some interesting ones below.  Some of these I knew, some I didn’t.  Some of these relate to me or my family history, some don’t.  But either way, it’s really interesting and if this snipet interests you, I recommend reading the whole list - it may just surprise you too!

Pain. Pain tolerance is much higher among those who practice yoga regularly. In addition to pain tolerance, some instances of chronic pain, such as back pain, are lessened or eliminated through yoga (see below for more on back pain).

Aging. Yoga stimulates the detoxification process within the body. Detoxification has been shown to delay aging, among many other health benefits.

Sleep. Because of the many benefits to both body and mind that a yoga routine can provide, many find that their sleep is much better. Read here for more on sleep and yoga, as well as some positions for helping induce sleep.

Stress Reduction. The concentration required during yoga practice tends to focus your attention on the matter at hand, thereby reducing the emphasis you may have been putting on the stress in your life. Read more about yoga and stress management here.

Self-acceptance. Focusing inward and realizing through your yoga practice that perfection is not the goal, self-acceptance begins to take over. This post describes how success is not measured by perfectionism in yoga.

Memory. Improved blood circulation to the brain as well as the reduction in stress and improved focus results in a better memory.

Social skills. In yoga, you learn the interconnectedness of all of life. Your yoga practice soon evolves from a personal journey to one connecting to to the community at large where your social skills improve along with your yoga practice.

Endocrine functions. Practicing yoga helps to regulate and control hormone secretion. An improved endocrine system keeps hormones in balance and promotes better overall physical and emotional health.

Eye-hand coordination. Without practice, eye-hand coordination diminishes. Yoga maintains and improves eye-hand coordination.

Alzheimer’s. A new study indicates that yoga can help elevate brain gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) levels. Low GABA levels are associated with the onset of Alzheimer’s. Meditation like that practiced in yoga has also been shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

Asthma. There is some evidence to show that reducing symptoms of asthma and even reduction in asthma medication are the result of regular yoga.

Cancer. Those fighting or recovering from cancer frequently take advantage of the benefits that yoga provides. Cancer patients who practice yoga gain strength, raise red blood cells, experience less nausea during chemotherapy, and have a better overall well-being.

Migraines. Regular yoga practice has been shown to reduce the number of migraines in chronic migraine sufferers. This post describes how yoga can reduce migraines.

Scoliosis. Yoga can straighten the curvature of the spine associated with scoliosis. Find out how this yogi cured her scoliosis and continues to help others as well.

Plow Pose : Source

Lesson Learned

It was one of those days that started okay but as I was sitting in front of my computer at work, I suddenly felt a sharp trickle of pain move from one side of my head over to the other.  While it happened really quickly, it felt like it was going in slow motion.  It was one of those moments that made me go “ohmygod, OW!!!” and my elbows went to desk,  hands to my head, fingers to my temples and I just stopped.  For a good minute or so.  The manager in the office was like “uh....you ok?” and I immediately hit my bag for some ibuprofen and went to Starbucks for some coffee.

As time progressed and hours passed, the pain remained and the side effects grew.  My senses were heightened to a whole new level and I swear every person in the store was screaming.  The door was shut to the office and I felt like everyone was standing right next to me yelling in my ear.  My patience was growing thin and I knew the next person to even kind of bug me, would either end up with a fist in the face or an onslaught of not nice words (whether they deserved it or not).  I knew then, it was time to take my lunch break.

I made the mistake of not taking my sunglasses to leave the store.  Outside wasn’t much better so I decided to grab my sunglasses, pop in my ear buds, and sit in the back hallway where it was hopefully quieter while I ate my lunch.  Sometimes it was.  Sometimes it wasn’t.  But it appeared that now that I wasn’t in the office, neither was anyone else so I went back inside.  Sunglasses stayed on.  Prescription migraine meds were swallowed.  Head back in my hands and then came the tears.  I was quiet and I’m pretty sure no one knew, but the pain and side effects were unbearable.  A quick trip to the bathroom to clean up my face and back to work I went.

I’m not exactly sure when the pain went away.  Or when the side effects decided to calm down, but all I have to say is thank God for pain medications when they decide to work! 

I was looking forward to my yoga practice this evening to unwind from the day I had.  ...I didn’t know what I was getting into.  It was a teacher I had the one time I went to this studio before my challenge on Thanksgiving so I knew it would be a hard class, good but hard.  But I was ready for it. Or so I thought.

This is where there lesson was learned.  I packed a pair of leggings + tank top.  When I got dressed, I was already feeling super self conscious and changed the tank top for the looser tshirt I spent my day in and continued on to class.  I spent the majority of the class feeling extremely self conscious and therefore couldn’t fully relax and be in the moment.  So what’s the lesson, you ask?  Despite the way others see our bodies and despite how we may actually look, we need to make sure we are constantly dressing ourselves so we feel good.  Because when we don’t, we aren’t setting ourselves up for success and end up feeling poorly even when we have no reason to.

And on a day like today, where my stress levels were high and I spent all day using “yoga” thoughts to get me through the pain and frustration, I needed this evening and I dropped the ball.  Then as I pulled into my garage, the waterworks began.  I’m not exactly sure why, other than a lot of personal frustration.  

So I leave you with the thought that I’ve been repeating in my head all night as I ate dinner and prepared for bed:

I’m just going to go to bed and end this day.  Tomorrow will be a better day.