Hey Guess What?

I moved!

Come here...

Summer Playlist

Rolling In the Deep, Adele

You Should Be Dancing, Bee Gees

Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It), Beyoncé

Meet Me Halfway, Black Eyed Peas

I Gotta Feeling, Black Eyed Peas

Shut Up, Black Eyed Peas

My Humps, Black Eyed Peas

Waiting for a Star to Fall, Boy Meets Girl

Come On Eileen, Dexy's Midnight Runners & Kevin Rowland

Lose Yourself, Eminem

Low, (feat. T-Pain) Flo Rida

Cool, Gwen Stefani

Become You, Indigo Girls

Tightrope, (feat. Big Boi) Janelle Monáe

On the Floor, (feat. Pitbull) Jennifer Lopez

Just Another Day, Jon Secada

Sexy Back, Justin Timberlake

Teenage Dream, Katy Perry

I Run to You, Lady Antebellum

Bad Romance, Lady GaGa

Born This Way, Lady GaGa

Telephone, Lady GaGa

Are You Gonna Go My Way, Lenny Kravitz

Ray Of Light, Madonna

4 Minutes, (feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland) Madonna

Lose Control, (Featuring Ciara & Fat Man Scoop) Missy Elliott featuring Ciara & Fat Man Scoop

Raise Your Glass, P!nk

Go All the Way, The Raspberries

Disturbia Rihanna

S&M, Rihanna

Only Girl (In the World), Rihanna

Suerte (Whenever, Wherever), Shakira

Goodnight Moon, Shivaree

Rapper's Delight, The Sugarhill Gang

It's My Life, Talk Talk

Hey, Soul Sister, Train

It's a Beautiful Day, U2

It's Not My Time, 3 Doors Down

108 Blessings: A List of Gratitude

Thanks to Spoiled Yogi for this! I read her list and decided that it was just what I needed to do as well.

I have been in a funk and desperately trying to make my way out of it...so counting my blessings seems like a great way to open to gratitude, compassion, and love, rather than to shut down and bow under the pressure of negativity, anxiety, and fear.

In no particular order...I am grateful for:

1. Where I am at this very moment.
2. This house...my home and retreat.
3. My job.
4. My partner.
5. My family.
6. My friends.
7. Riley and Maddie.
8. This blog.
9. Treadmills.
10. My gardens...the rain garden, the Peace garden, and the little veggie patch.
11. My kitchen...where I am able to create delicious things.
12. Yogaglo.
13. My yoga practice...however sparse it may seem to, some times, be...I have grown it so much over the past two years.
14. My health.
15. My 47th birthday weekend.
16. Sitting on the back patio and just listening to the neighborhood sounds.
17. Free airplane tickets.
18. Yoga Journal, Clean Eating, Spirituality & Health magazines.
19. Cake.
20. Chocolate.
21. Fresh pineapple.
22. My caprice salad with an amazing baguette and olives.
23. iPad, iPod, iPhone.
24. Music!
25. Tracking my workouts.
26. Air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter.
27. Our firepit on the patio in October.
28. Good wine.
29. Going to wine tastings with Cathy.
30. My office.
31. Walks through the neighborhood.
32. Feeling good.
33. My cellphone.
34. Being able to touch base with friends and family though teh interwebs!
35. Being able to visit family and friends in person.
36. My travels.
37. Comfortable shoes.
38. Laughing at awful commercials.
39. Friday night dinner and a movie with my partner.
40. Weekends we spend doing yardwork and hanging out.
41. My spiritual practice.
42. The beach.
43. The ocean.
44. Snorkeling.
45. Photography.
46. Going to the farm market.
47. Planting things.
48. My car...transportation is great!
49. Learning about my body and what works for me (like probiotics! not eating tons of sugar!).
50. Have I said, "comfortable shoes"?
51. Pajamma like clothing...NOT pajamma jeans.
52. Humingbirds.
53. Bees
54. Polar bears.
55. Dolphins.
56. Horses.
57. The perfect little black dress.
58. Giving presents.
59. Hiking and camping.
60. Yoga retreats.
61. Pedicures and manicures.
62. Massage (both giving and receiving).
63. Huge, hilarious, belly laughs.
64. Earl Grey tea.
65. Coffee with organic sugar and So Delicious Coconut Vanilla Coffee Creamer.
66. Grater's ice cream.
67. Watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, berries, apples, cherries...
68. Cathy's spaghetti.
69. Organic veggies.
70. Being green...
71. Mosquito repellant.
72. Incense.
73. The smell of fresh citrus!
74. Grilled cheese sandwiches.
75. Sunny days with cool breezes.
76. Fridays.
77. Saturdays.
78. Holidays.
79. Malas as a meditation tool.
80. My spiritual altar.
81. The awesome Kroger with the great organic section that is just up the street from my office.
82. My body as it is right now...at this very moment.
83. Jillian Michaels' podcasts.
84. BPA free cans.
85. Organic, free-trade coffee.
86. Black grapes.
87. People who keep their word.
88. Magical movies.
89. Floating in a pool.
90. Kittens.
91. Moisturizer.
92. Airplanes and good airfares.
93. Recognition when I've done a good job.
94. House plants.
95. Trees.
96. The light at late afternoon.
97. Illustrator, photoshop, inDesign!
98. Fires in a fire pit.
99. Roasting marshmallows.
100. Making Christmas fudge for presents.
101. 30 Rock, Community, Parks & Recreation, Happy Endings, shows that make me laugh.
102. Slow dancing.
103. A very cool room, cool pillows, and comfy bed for sleeping.
104. Being able to say, "I'm sorry."
105. Forgiveness.
106. Small moments of JOY in an otherwise dull day.
107. Fun dinner parties with friends.
108. Knowing that it's never too late to make things better.

Begin Again

I've written about this before but thought I would post again...on beginning again.

A new moon rises tonight...an auspicious time for new beginnings. If you've been working on something and have hit a point where everything has ground to a halt, now is the time to renew, start over, begin again.

I don't know if it's still on sale but about 3 or 4 months ago, I bought a Yoga Journal special edition called Yoga for Weight Loss (by the way, a fantastic magazine that I read cover to cover, several times!). Anyway, amoung all the great columns and features, there was one article that really stood out for me. Titled, Begin Again, by Phillip Moffitt (pps 114-117), it explores the practice of starting over through meditation and being present.

I feel like, to really change my life, I have to embrace beginning again...it is consistency that is going to erase old habits and replace them with healthy ones. What helps me, when I've gone off track, is to pause, notice that I've gone off track and begin a meditation practice with the mantra, "Just start over.."

I've written, in my last 2 posts, about my struggle to stay on track during the month of June. That time proved to be difficult and, yes, I've had a minor setback, but it's nothing I can't turn around.

It's July! A new month of getting my walk on in the mornings! I enjoy them so much and am excited by the prospect of getting back to my walks. Though I didn't make it to the Greenhills Pioneer walk this morning (puppy drama - see my Facebook page for the backstory), I intend to go for a 5k walk of my own today (or treadmill if it rains). And I already have a race schedule set up for the rest of the year. The next one is the Lady Distance Classic (a 10k) in August.

These races serve as such a huge motivation for me to keep up with my exercise regimen. I like the competition and the race SWAG, and the whole ritual of it all...it keeps me motivated. So I will be training throughout July for my August race. I can get back to tracking on my favorite exercise website, Daily Mile...bet I can add 25 more donuts to my balance before August 1st.

Another way I'm going to begin again; I'm going to start taking Probiotics again. I gave them a 2 month trial and got good results but, for whatever reason, stopped taking them after that (maybe it was that I simply ran out). At any rate, will pick up a new bottle and start taking them again. I think my digestion is so much better and it helps me to keep my diet clean.

Foodwise, I'd like to keep it fresh, cold, juicy, and bright for the summer...so lots of salads, fruits, cold dinners and lunches...simple, fresh, local, and organic, that's how I want to eat. Oh, and lots of color...all the colors of the rainbow means that you are getting really essential vitamins and minerals.

And finally, I think, I am looking forward to renewing my yoga and meditation practice. I think, it is essential that at the end of a workday, instead of rushing home to cook dinner...I should slow down and take a deliberate pause to do yoga and/or meditate...to break with all the anxiety of work BEFORE I prepare dinner...to yoga.

When life gets in the way...

I'm not really an every day blogger. I often write when I'm excited about something. And since this is a healthy lifestyle blog, my posts generally coincide with when I'm loving my healthy lifestyle.

When I don't post for long periods, then it usually means that I've fallen off the wagon or am struggling with my healthy lifestyle journey. It's almost as if real life...the life that is going on while I'm focused on my health...jumps up and says, "hey! right here...no time to focus on all that now."

It's been 14 days since I last exercised. I have been eating more and more processed foods. I have been overeating.

So what's going on?

Symptoms: anger, depression, boredom, stress, anxiety, feelings of exhaustion, alternating between feeling like I'm "starving" to not hungry at all, grasping, feeling like I just want to be alone and "in"...

So what is going on?

Rationalizations: I got a sinus infection, we had a death in the family (and it was surprising and will take time to accept and make peace with), work is hard and I'm feeling overwhelmed and under-supported...

Scripts: I'm not smart enough. I'm not professional enough. I'm not perfect. I can't do this. I'm never going to succeed. I have so much to do, I don't know how I'm ever going to get it all done. I'm a loser.

When those scripts are running through my head...they are very loud and very persistant. They lead to the symptoms I listed above.

Quieting those scripts or changing them seems impossible.

Flipping the script helps.

I'm a smart, professional who is capable of performing the assigned tasks. I am successful. I have a lot to do and will get it all done within the set deadline.

I need to repeat that a few times today. And tomorrow. And the next day. Until I feel motivated again.

In the mean time, I need to take a little time to do a detox. My midsummer detox will be from Thursday (tomorrow) thru Sunday evening.

Kim's Doable Detox (following various sources, mainly the Quantum Wellness Cleanse without all the unfermented soy):

• Clear diet of the following - alchol, caffeine, sugar, wheat, and dairy
• Consume lots of clean water, veggies, fruit, wheat free whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, millet, steel-cut oats), and clean sources of protein - all of this will be organic
• Some supplements
• Physically - dry brush, steam/sauna, walking, yoga (restorative and meditative), meditation

Want to participate? If you're in the neighborhood, perhaps we can do a yoga class or go for a walk together or even share a meal. If you're long distance, maybe we can offer each other encouragement through email or chat.

Slow Down, You Move too Fast...

...got to make this moment last...

Often, I think, we somehow get the notion that we have to lose weight and we have to lose it fast. We crunch the numbers and set impossible goals...like, "I want to lose 30 pounds in a month".

I think that we get to a point where we are upset with where we are, on the scale, and a feeling of desperation sets in...then we grasp at anything that will provide some relief.

I see this time and again on the weight loss blogs that I read. People resorting to stupid weight loss gimmicks and "quick fixes"...like the HCG diet, the Medifast diet, etc., all to lose 25 or 30 pounds so that they can then get the lapband or gastric bypass surgery.

I read this stuff and think, "slow down, man...slow down." They put all this energy into trying to lose weight fast enough to get surgery to lose weight even faster...and I think, why not channel that energy into simply eating clean and being active?

Because really, that's what usually leads to optimal health...and is what real beauty is all about.

Slowing down has been key for me...it keeps me consistent. Yeah, I have times where I "fall off the wagon"...for example, these last two weeks have been a bear for me. We have experienced death in the family and, subsequently, I picked up a sinus infection somehow...I haven't exercised in about 10 days. But, rather than let this snowball into months of reclining on the sofa, I'm going to start back today (with a yoga class tonight and a nice walk through the neighborhood this weekend).

While I have indulged in a few not so healthy foods (re: highly processed!), I haven't completely given up on my healthy eating plan.

There's simply no need to panic and become reactionary. This is a process. I accept and love myself right where I am in this moment. I can extend the same compassion I feel for others to myself. I see that I'm starting to feel better and while I don't feel like I need to go on a 5 mile walk, I can get back to my yoga practice and walks in a gentle way. I am on my way to health!

Craving

I am trying to sit with a craving today.

It is so hard. I keep wanting to go eat a whole bag of chips with some french onion dip.

I am not hungry. I don't think that I'm thirsty. Though maybe I should drink a big glass of water just to be sure that what I'm feeling isn't thirst.

So sitting with the craving...

And drinking some water.

If it doesn't go away after the water, then I'm going for a walk.

Okay...edited to add: It's about an hour and a half later and I feel much better. I ended up drinking two glasses of water. As I was drinking the first glass I realized that I had a bit of a headache. It went away on my second glass.

I am actually proud of myself for sitting with this craving and not automatically just thinking, "Nothing is going to change. I'm going to give in to this craving and eat now...just this once. I'll be better tomorrow."

Instead, I flipped the script...and I said, "I'm going to sit with this uncomfortable feeling. What can I learn here?" I made a mini plan to drink water. Then, if that didn't work, I was going to go for a walk as a distraction (even if today is my rest day).

I'm so glad I am sitting here typing this instead of numbing out with a bag of chips!

Costa Rica, Yoga, 3-Day Weekend, and other random thoughts...

Wow...it feels like it's been a long time since I last posted. Wanted to catch up...

So I got back from Costa Rica on Monday night, just about midnight. Drove up the street in complete darkness. A storm had rolled through College Hill, leaving 100k people without power and a huge old tree downed on my street. I had to park at the top of the street and make my way down to my house. It was nerve wracking because I couldn't see anything and was worried about running into or stepping on a downed powerline. Fortunately, I had the little Four Seasons flashlight in my purse and was able to use it to light the way.

Costa Rica was fantastic. I love planning events like that. It was a lot of work but the Four Seasons staff makes it hard to screw it up. Though there were a couple of tiny hiccups, the event was close to flawless and, I think, everyone had a blast. That place is beautiful and I thought, many times, how I would love to take my partner (and my family!).

While I was in Costa Rica, I was able to take a couple of yoga classes. They were really good classes and made me more certain that I want to find a vinyasa flow class that is right for me.

On the subject of yoga...I finally hooked up with Yoga Tiffany again! At least, I set an appointment so I'll be seeing her on Sunday. I love yin yoga and Tiffany is such a great teacher. If you live in the Cincinnati area and would like a private yoga session, you should contact her. She's fantastic and so wonderful about working with you and your specific needs.

I am looking forward to this 3 day weekend. I am going to use it as an opportunity to reconnect with my health goals and my motivation. I have been progressing oh so slowly and have probably (with respect to the numbers on the scale) gone backwards a little. But all is good. I am growing more into my healthy lifestyle with each passing day. My commitment to reaching my goal of optimal health grows stronger...


Oh there's this one thing that I want to try for a month...started this week...it's dance as release. I'm not talking disco or bumpin' at da club...I mean dance of the Gabrielle Roth, Sweat Your Prayers type. If you haven't tried this before I would urge you to give it a shot. Just google her and read up about it...if it's something that peaks your curiosity, then give it a try and let me know what you think!

Hoping you have a wonderful, blessed, and peaceful weekend...

Namaste Yoga Weekend with Crystal

I can't believe I was anxious about going. That unrelenting anxiety is why I need to go to more yoga retreats. By Sunday afternoon I was as relaxed and peaceful as I could get or had been in a very long time.

Hope Springs is a peaceful oasis just a short drive from Cincinnati. The space was perfect for this retreat. I stayed in a room in the Studio...shared with 2 other ladies (there were 4 sleeping rooms and 4 bathrooms in the Studio). The farmhouse held the other attendees...there were 22 of us all totaled. And, surprisingly, there were 2 men in attendance. I guess I've gone to so many woman-only retreats that I just assumed this one would be too. It was a refreshing change...and both men were wonderful...peaceful, respectful...honestly, I didn't feel as if they were anything but a great addition to the group.

We spent time at the Spirit House in meditation as a group...but I also spent time there alone...often in meditation or journaling. I consider it a sacred place though it was just as welcoming of the women who wanted to sit and chat and laugh!

And there was a labyrinth...since we had a break in the rain for a few hours, we were able to walk the labyrinth as a moving meditation. It was beautiful...lush with little flowers...and quite magical.


The menu was very good...clean, often local and organic...I ate vegetarian, but there was a chicken option at one of the lunches. We ate a lot, it seemed. Breakfast at 8am, lunch at noon, and dinner at 6pm. I don't really like my meals spaced that way...I'd prefer to eat lunch between 1-2pm...I'm a little hungrier then and not starving by the time dinner rolls around. 

The yoga was fantastic. I really enjoyed Crystal's yoga sequences. I liked the music and I liked the mixture of static and slow flow. I especially loved the Saturday afternoon class. Crystal was well prepared and offered classes that were challenging to me but also rejuvenating and restorative. I was a little worried about being able to physically do 5 classes in 2 and a half days. But, I don't know what I was worried about...I loved it and really want to figure out a way to do yoga daily (in addition to my cardio workouts).

There was also massage! On Saturday, there were massages after lunch and into the evening...this gave us plenty of time to sit around and talk or, in my case, read. I sat on the porch and read for awhile or went over to the Spirit House to meditate. It was a rainy weekend...perfect weather for such a retreat. My massage was fine, if a little too hard and hurried. The room was a bit chilly too but, you know, as a massage therapist, I'm probably a tough critic. Looking forward to the massage I have scheduled for Friday (at the Four Seasons!).

All in all, I had a really good time. It was the perfect birthday present from Cathy! I am going to have to schedule another one of these for the end of the summer.

Hey, if you want to see more pix from this trip go here.

My Yoga Retreat

Cathy got me an early birthday present (thank you, Honey!)...a yoga retreat! I'm so excited...it begins on Friday and goes through Sunday.

I'm heading out early on Friday because I have another dermatology appointment but when it's over, I'll head down to Hope Springs. The retreat is full...and that's great because it sounds like an amazing weekend. My intention for the weekend is to reclaim my yoga practice...I want to feel good about yoga all the time...I want to find my own daily practice, my go-to practice that I can jump into right out of bed.

This is the schedule:

Friday

• Registration & Free Time
• Orientation - Farmhouse
• Supper - Farmhouse
• Circle Time – Spirit House
• Yoga – Studio

Saturday

• Breakfast – Farmhouse
• Meditation & Pranayama – Spirit House
• Labyrinth – Spirit House/Meadow
• Yoga – Studio
• Lunch – Farmhouse
• Massages & Free Time
• Supper – Farmhouse
• Yoga – Studio
• Campfire

Sunday

• Breakfast – Farmhouse
• Meditation & Pranayama – Spirit House
• Labyrinth –Spirit House/Meadow
• Yoga – Studio
• Lunch –Farmhouse
• Yoga – Studio
• Depart

Sounds fun to me! Though I have to say, I'm feeling just a tad intimidated. (Not about my body!!! Fat women can do yoga!) I have been practicing, on and off, for more than a year. And I'm getting better at it. My stomach and breasts don't get in the way as much as I used to feel they did. (Sorry, it's true! Lots of women of size feel that yoga is hard because our bodies can make it hard to settle into a pose.)

But I tend to still get really pissy about 1/3 into most classes...usually because I am frustrated with myself for not being able to get into a pose or for not being able to breathe right. So I know that the retreat is full and I am thinking that all the attendees will be these long, lithe, perfect yoga bodies...and there I will be, a bumbling beginner (still!) who can barely touch her toes (why are my hamstrings SO freaking tight?????????? I was so limber when I was a kid!).



first attempt



I'm going to skip over to Curvaceous Woman Yoga and read some of Lisa's blogs to inspire me and get my courage up! :D

In the meantime, I was inspired by Tara Costa and decided to make my own mantra bracelet...I love it and want to make a couple others! This first one, I was just trying to figure out how to make it. For the second one, I will use an actual mantra. :D

After the retreat, I'm back home for a couple of days before I have to go on the road for work. Will try to post photos and my impressions of the retreat when I get back.

The day I walked 13.1 miles...

I woke up Sunday morning around 4:30. Got up and made some coffee...got my running clothes out of the washing machine and tossed them into the dryer and went about getting ready to go. The race was set to start at 6:30. Around 5:15 I was looking online at where I should park when I noticed, for the first time, that the lots close to the start line closed at 5:30. I scrambled to leave.

Of course there was a lot of traffic...I'd forgotten about that. But I actually found a pretty good parking spot and got down to the start around 6:05. By then it was raining pretty steadily. The crowd was huge and slow moving. I tried to make my way to my starting corral or pig pen but it was very slow going and my pig pen was the very last one.

We all stood there, in the pouring rain, waiting for the count down. Honestly, being so far back I couldn't even hear the gun go off. I just started moving when everyone else did. Even though I wore a poncho, the rain trickled down my back and my shoes were soaked by the time I crossed the starting line. It was still fairly slow moving because the crowd was so dense, but I managed to weave through and pick up my pace.

At about a mile into it, I took off my poncho and tossed it aside. The rain was a drizzle at that point and I didn't really care about it any longer. I was already in my zone...there was no doubt that I was going to go through with this. I wasn't going to stop, I was just going to keep picking them up and putting them down until I reached the finish line.

There were, I think, 7 hills total on the course. Several were on the bridges we crossed during miles 1-5. But those miles went by fairly fast, for me. I like that part of the race. The crowd was up and cheering us on.

Miles 6-10...not good. The problem was, I didn't have time to eat breakfast (I had half a cup of coffee!). I felt out of energy just as I hit the big elevation rise at mile 6...straight uphill until mile 10. I'd brought one GU packet and ate it at the bottom of the hill. Wish I'd brought 2 packets.

At mile 10, I poured it on to make up some time...but when I hit my last mile, I also hit my wall. I could not make myself go any faster and, in fact, I know I slowed down quite a bit. The spectators were plentiful on that last mile but weirdly quiet. There weren't a lot of runners at that point so maybe they just thought that all the walkers were no big deal. It was kind of a let down when I could have really used some energy...but I turned up my iPod and focused on the finish line and tried to get there as soon as I could. I knew I was going to finish faster than I had predicted so that made me happy!

One thing this race gave me...the sense that I can do anything I set my mind to.

Number of Finishers: 1,261


Number of Females: 1,069

Number of Males: 192

Average Time: 3:31:49


Kim Davis


bib number: 11996

age: 46

gender: F

location: Cincinnati, OH

overall place: 9596 out of 1261

division place: 566 out of 710

gender place: 5785 out of 6862

time: 3:22:19

pace: 15:27

6.8mi: 1:42:39

Flying Pig Weekend!

The Flying Pig Poster

I picked up my race packet today. Got lots of FP swag! Took a few pix...next year, it would be fantastic if someone would do this with me!

Part of the racer packet is a Flying Pig poster. I have 4 of them! Was just thinking, maybe I should frame them and hang them up in my home gym...that could be pretty inspiring!

The Pig is kind of awesome because you get some cool swag - the technical shirt, a backpack and a poster. I bought the shoe jewelry, the GU, the teeny tiny Glide, a vintage FP technical shirt, and the little, tiny runner's pouch.

Flying Pig SWAG (stuff we always get!)

The runner's belt: It's like a super tiny fanny pack...just big enough to carry my keys, my phone, and a packet of GU. It's the thing that says 13.1 on it.

Just walking through the Expo I picked up a reusable Rumpke bag (this is going to be a GREEN run - I'll follow up with statistics when I get them) and the magazine.

Shoe bling! Too cute and super cheap...how could I not?

My bibb! I'm in pig pen E!!  :D

So I am a bit nervous because I wish I'd trained harder. I am hoping that the weather cooperates...though I  think I should be fine if it rains. I'm not wearing cotton. I will be wearing a hat and carrying a disposable poncho.

The only BLING that I really care about is the piece they give you when you cross the finish line...the medal. ;>

Can't hardly wait...

I was in savasana last night...at the end of my home practice, when the thought came to me, "I'm so tired of telling myself 'I can't'."

I guess I was thinking about some of the poses that I want to do but can't quite get there (backbends...I used to do them so effortlessly when I was a kid). And then I thought about how often I say to myself, "I can't do that because..."

I woke up this late this morning. Too late to workout. As I was trying to decide if I could squeeze in a workout, I realized that I need a rest day. Then workout Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday but off again on Saturday because Sunday is The Flying Pig half!

My weekend retreat...

I had such a relaxing weekend...

I did my workouts...cardio on Saturday and Sunday. Also did some yoga...a longer session on Saturday than Sunday but both satisfying.

I ate healthy and drank lots of tea and water.

I got lots of rest...and, in general, had lots of quiet time.

I did not finish my mala...got started on it and then decided that the beading thread I had wasn't thick enough...so hoping to work on it this week.

So I have something to tell you, dear readers...

During the week of Cathy's birthday, on that Monday, I weighed in and wrote about hitting my 10% lost goal. By the following Monday (last Monday) when I went for my annual physical, I was shocked to see that I'd gained 10 pounds. 10!!!! So okay, I didn't exercise a lot that week and by Friday, I wasn't eating as clean or low calorie...I mean, I made fried chicken and mashed potatoes for the big birthday dinner, for crying out loud. And then had a hot dog and peanuts and nachos and beer at the Reds game. But still, 10 pounds???

It was eye-opening. My portions weren't that much bigger...it was, rather, the processed stuff (and probably alcohol that I drank) that blew me up like a balloon. I was so full after that weekend. So bloated!

By yesterday, after a week of clean eating and a little exercise, I'd taken off 7 of the 10 'pounds'...

It's weird too because most of the weight loss blogs that I read and some of my friends have recently experienced a similar loss of motivation/momentum. This was one of the reasons that I wanted to have a Renew You weekend.

I'm going to plan another one for late summer, wonder if anyone would be interested in joining me?

Resources for your retreat...

I posted these videos on my What's Eating You facebook page but also wanted to post them here.

One key component of the retreat is yoga. I have been practicing yoga, on and off for the past few years and, I must say, it's a fantastic, healing form of moving meditation that can open your mind to whole new worlds. Change your mind to change your life, indeed!

Today's recommendations - Tools for transformation:

Sarah Powers Insight Yoga DVD. Or you can find her on Yoga Journal and YouTube.

Another resource for today's agenda - How to Make Your Own Mala - check out this series of videos from YouTube:

Vegetarian Menu for today - Just for today, try to make everything you eat a conscious choice - make it organic and local, if you can - make it cruelty free if at all possible. Be grateful for the food that nourishes you. Make it delicious...

• Breakfast - a fruit salad and Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin toast with a tablespoon organic nut butter. Earl Grey tea...
• Lunch - watermelon, beet, balsamic salad with roasted root veggies (will post detailed recipe later!)
• Dinner - homemade veggie/black bean chili

Hope you are having a peaceful day...one more thought for today...have you seen the trailer for this movie, Yogawoman...

Retreat Agenda

Is that weird? Retreat Agenda? Should you really have an agenda on a retreat?

I don't know...maybe I'm doing it wrong but I want to have a plan of what I want to do this weekend so that I follow through...otherwise this weekend could easily deteriorate to lying around, watching bad tv and grazing. I want this weekend to be about Renewing myself...to refill the well...to feel good about myself and my journey to optimal health.

So, that said...here's what I plan to do:

Friday:

• Vegetarian Menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Cardio (3 mile walk)
• Steam, Sauna, Detox/Relax Bath
• Renew You Ritual (you can find the link on my What's Eating You blog)

Saturday:

• Vegetarian Menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Cardio (6.5 mile walk)
• Steam & Sauna
• Sarah Powers Insight Yoga Sun Salutations practice and Guided Meditation
• Craft - Making a mala (108 beads, thread to string, needle, floss to make tassel or a special "buddha" bead)
• Reiki Share or Yoga Nidra
• Movies!!! Something really funny and uplifting!

Sunday:

• Vegetarian Menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Cardio (3 mile walk)
• Steam & Sauna
• Sarah Powers Insight Yoga Vinyasa Flow practice and Guided Meditation
• Craft - Making a Recipe Box - What's Feeding You? (recipe box, note cards, markers/pen, old magazines, scissors, glue stick)
• Reiki Share or Yoga Nidra

The "Renew You" Weekend

Starting Friday, after work, through Sunday evening, I'm creating a "Renew You" weekend. This is the first of many retreats to come because I intend to grow a community of women who are focused on creating optimal health for themselves.

This weekend is, simply about renewing my commitment to myself. It is about starting over and beginning again. It's about ramping my motivation up to full power. It is about creating a lifestyle in which optimal health is the focus.

Recently, I read an article on the concept of "starting over." It's called Begin Again by Phillip Moffitt and it can be found in a special magazine by Yoga Journal, Yoga for Weight Loss (page 114). About starting over, Moffitt says, "Starting over practice is like this - you attend as best you can to the immediate situation that is challenging you, keeping yourself firmly rooted in the present. You shift your focus away from dwelling on those circumstances and characteristics that limit you and redirect it toward recognizing the strengths from which can realize your potential. You become a more effective person by simply learning to use your time and energy to do what you can do right now."

I will be incorporating the concept of starting over into my weekend of renewal.

On the agenda:

• How to begin a daily Yoga practice (asana, meditation and yoga nidra)
• Cardio (both fast walking through the beautiful neighborhood and zumba!)
• Restorative yoga classes (yin yoga and gentle vinyasa flow)
• A supportive detox (eating from a vegetarian and vegan menu), steam room and sauna (a modern sweat lodge, if you will), detoxing herbs/teas, and lots of peace and quiet
• A Renew You guided meditation

If you'd like to join me for any part of the weekend, let me know!

10%!!!

Hit the 10% lost mark today...that means, I've lost 20 pounds since January.

I feel so much better. I feel stronger and more energetic. And I feel lighter, emotionally.

Is my life perfect now? Hardly. Will it be when I lose the remaining 30 pounds? Doubtful. But I expect that I will feel even better! I expect to feel strong. I expect to go through a vinyasa flow class without thinking "Damnit! I hate this! I just want to lay on the floor!" I expect to sleep soundly at night and wake up with energy to get me through the day.

I am thrilled with the results of my effort. I know it's just a number on the scale. I know it's not an accurate measure of health. It's just a marker. But I don't care...for today I am going to celebrate this milestone! Goodbye 180s! Hello 170s...see you next week!

My 30 day probiotic trial...

has been a success! I couldn't be more thrilled and have bought another bottle of this amazing supplement.

I was fairly faithful...there may have been a day or two here and there when I skipped my morning regimen...but for the most part, I took them consistently.

Warning: This next bit is not for the squeemish.

Before I started taking probiotics, I had a major issue with having bowel movements. Now anyone who knows anything about the body knows that it is crucial to have at least one healthy movement a day. For me, it was maybe 2-3 times a week. No wonder I often felt heavy and sluggish. I was heavy and sluggish! It wasn't that I wasn't getting enough "roughage" (aka, fruits and veg) because, seriously, I eat a lot of fruit and veg.

So I bought another bottle of the stuff and am going to take it for another 30 days. Though I may adjust my intake to every other day.

By the way...like all my product reviews...this is completely my opinion based on my experience. I was not paid or given free product.

The Great HUGGING Experiment!

Yesterday, when I was out for my long walk, I listened to the two latest Jillian Michaels' podcasts. On one of them she had a guest speaker, endocriologist, Dr. Van Herle.

Dr. V talked about 7 things that will boost your energy. One of them was intimacy with your partner. Not necessarily, sex...even a hug has been proven to raise oxytocin levels. Oxytocin is also known as the love hormone and has been shown to reduce anxiety and increases energy, lessens depression, and helps to combate cardiovascular stressors.

Hearing this got me thinking that maybe a good long hug everyday might help me in more ways than one. Maybe this would be one thing in my day where I felt like I was just receiving unconditional love...something to fill that well.

So I decided to ask my partner to take part in an experiment. I asked her if, every morning, she would give me a 1 minute long hug.

Just thinking about asking for that was kind of scary for me...because asking for it would make me vulnerable...saying this is what I need to feel supported and loved...I don't know, maybe I felt a little stupid, a little less than for asking.

But, of course, I have an amazing, emotionally generous partner who immediately got it and was on board with the experiment. As soon as I asked for it, she got up, walked over to me and gave me good long hug.

So, I'll let you know how this 30 day experiment goes...stay tuned!