Jumping.

I don't jump well.  But I'm trying.  I think its mostly my gimp knee. 

Yesterday I did this workout...

It isn't too difficult but I walked/ran 3 miles before hand.  I wasn't jumping very well the first part.  Part two I hated everything and said every curse word in the book.  My sister was coaching me from the couch, "Butt down!  Push it!  Come on! 10 seconds!"  That helped. 

I always feel good when I've completed the workout.  It is hard to get mad at Zuzana, she seems so nice and she is pushing herself through the workout too.  But during the workout, that is another story.

The fresh air yesterday was glorious!!!  My skin felt great and my lungs felt clean and as if they were expanding more.  Maybe it is my choice of profession that makes me particular observant of air reaching the ends of the bronchial tree...

Now I have to figure out which workout to do today. 

Ugh.

Ohm? An update?

Although I haven't been keeping a log, which maybe I should for the next 30 day challenge, I'm about half way through my meditation a day thinga-ma-whootsy.  It has been a challenge.  I have yet to make time in the AM for myself or a mid day re-charge, the schedule doesn't quite allow.  I wonder if I could find somewhere to hide during my lunch on those 12 hour days...

Anywho I thought I'd share with you some challenges I've run into as well as so benefits...

Challenge numero uno:  Anxiety.  Sometimes, if I'm not able to initially focus on my goal of meditation or truly exhale it all away and just listen, I get worked up.  This could be a number of factors including MYSELF and my ENVIRONMENT.  Lesson to  be learned, don't force it if your heart isn't into it or if you are not physically in the right place.  It has proven to be more harmful than good.  I'm sure we all could apply this lesson in more situations than meditating.

Benefit numero uno: Rest.  Since I typically do this before bed, I fall asleep easily and even though I still whimper when I hear the alarm in the morning, as soon as I am up I do feel more together.  I've been abstaining from my afternoon coffee on most days also. 

Challenge numero dos:  Voices. I mentioned I prefer guided imagery meditations, and I guess even just tranquil musical journeys, rather than pure silence.  With that said, if the voice guiding you is Sylvia Browne, how relaxing can that truly be?  I once did a "Find your Spirit Guide" meditation from her archives and in her rough and husky, even hasty, voice she said, "Now ask the person in the gazebo what their name is."  You know what I saw and heard?  A blonde lady who told me her name was Bob.  Maybe my subconcious thinks "Sylvia" should really be a "Bob."  For Christmas, my love gave me a CD/DVD/book reiki kit that included reiki music and a guided imagery CD from William Lee Rand.  I've been mostly practicing my meditation this time around with his guided CD.  His voice is adorable.  He just seems like such a gentle and loving man.  I also love, love, love Richard Lanza's hypnotherapy CD. He is an amazing person.  I've had the pleasure of being his student in both classes he offers through his yoga studios and his learning center.

Benefit numero dos:  Excitement.  I look forward to meditating.  I never know where I'm going to go, what I may encounter within myself, but I almost always truly enjoy the journey.  Especially after a yoga class.

I'm sure there are more, but I'll leave it at that.

Last night, my love and I decided to watch Eat, Pray, Love on demand over the well produced Lifetime movie The Craigslist Killer.  Maybe we made the wrong choice.  I read the book many many  moons ago and I was swept away in Elizabeth Gilbert's journey.  Maybe because I myself was on the road of "Who the f- am I? And what am I f-ing doing here?"  The movie cannot convey the journey as well as the book.  Maybe because the book is Liz's internal process and a movie would be visually boring if it was just her thoughts.  I think Julia did get some of Liz's struggles across, but not quite her growth and acceptance.  It was a hard role I'm sure.  Why do we always love the books more?  Is it because we invest more time in them?  We spend days with them rather than 2 hours?  One thing I can't complain about in the movie is the scenery.  I just want my own meditation hut in Bali.  And I want to smile with my liver.  Maybe that is my next meditation move... the smiling meditation... smiling from my liver.  My gallbladder might get jealous. 

A little gross...

The snow that is.  Thankfully, I was not scheduled for work today.  So I actually get to be snowed in!  I don't think I've ever worked for a company that closed on a day that snowed.  The future is looking the same.  I guess I'll have to invest in 4-wheel drive and some tire chains.  Ha, I can't imagine myself putting chains on my tires.

Today I plan on cooking and storing leftovers.  I'm sick of work's cafeteria food.  The food isn't bad, but I'm over it.  I'm done.  I'll be sure to post some recipes and goodies!

But right now I want to talk about my first 30-day challenge.  I won't talk about how last night I failed and fell asleep while watching Veronica Mars.  That's why it's challenging, right?  You have to deal with yourself.  Either way, it's one week into the challenge.  What is my first 30 day challenge of 2011?  No picking wedgies in public. Meditating daily.  Instead of digging in my bum Instead of cruising the net and reading a page turner before bed (I guess I'll have to add instead of watching Veronica Mars), I've been listening to a reiki guided meditation CD.  This next week I'm going to work on a more conscious meditation rather than falling asleep during it.  I guess the relaxation part is working.  Whateves, I work on my chakras and my reiki.  No dreams I can speak of, but I had a nightmare last night when I didn't perform reiki on myself!

I find guided meditation initially works the best for me.  It's easy to get anxious and void out any therapeutic response to meditation while wondering if you are doing things right.  When concentrating on commands and the guided imagery with a tranquil ambient soundtrack, it can be easier to get in sync and cast out other thoughts.  Your intentions get the most focus.

There are multiple free podcast meditations to get you started.  Even some on youtube.  I think on demand tv even has a meditation channel.  Challenge yourself with me!

Talk amongst yourselves...

What are you doing on the snow day?

Ever watch Veronica Mars?  I'm hooked!  So is my baby sis, Chrissy.  I won't tell you how many episodes she watched yesterday. 

Do you meditate?  What's your meditation set-up? I typically just like music.  I like laying down too a la shavasana style.  Incense and oils are nice, but I don't typically use them.  Crystals are also nice too.  Once I used a crystal on my third eye and that helped me focus on "opening" up that area.  During my challenge here I plan on doing a little research.  There are many types of meditation.  I especially like the Hemi-sync's metamusic.  You can almost feel the music dancing through your brain.  My love and I once went to a party with all these ivy-league intellectual professor types (he has networked a lot through his writing) and we met this one dude in a velour suit who proclaimed the meditation he teaches is the only correct meditation!  There is more to that story, for another day.  Funny story.

Do you listen to podcasts? I think podcasts are fabulous!  Free and fabulous.  I've learned much about vegetarian health through podcasts.  I've attempted to brush up on my espanol.  As for meditation podcasts, I've only listened to a few.  Meditation Oasis has been around for a while and has many meditations for specific purposes for all lifestyles. 

I can here my sister starting to stir upstairs.  Time to make some pancakes!

Writing it down…

Making it happen?!
I hope so. If I publish some New Year goals/intentions/ideas/resolutions maybe I'll stick to it. I usually do well with resolutions. I gave up french fries for a year and I think after the year of completing that goal, I only indulged in fries if the restaurant was indulging as well, i.e. using peanut oil or truffle oil. I eat fries now, although about once a month. They are never as good as I remember them. Potato chips and I have an unhealthy relationship. Maybe I should find a meeting…
Last year I went vegan. I had quite the cheese hangover on January 1, 2010. No, it wasn't the wine. I had half a glass. It was the cheese. Every course of my meal had cheese as the main attraction. Two weeks into veganism I had withdrawals and wanted the comfort of a grilled cheese sandy. But no. I worked through my cravings! And then, I discovered Daiya. At this time, Daiya was not provided by supermarkets but that soon changed. Hopefully it will be available in all supermarkets one day, not just Whole Foods. I also discovered other foods that did not involve cheese at all and fell in love with being a vegan.
2011 begins a whole new decade. So many exciting things are going to happen in the next ten years. Instead of dreading of the big three-oh, I'll be looking for cheap botox and the newest thigh master to beat the big four-oh. What will be the shake weight of 2020?
I thought maybe I should kick things off with a resolution to be friskier. That was quickly shot down as I don't quite have a handle on appropriate times to be more frisky. Why is it not always appropriate to repeatedly slap your partner's behind?
Here are some goals I will work on this year. These will not get shot down…

1. I want what I have.
   Be present. Although the future is exciting and life would be easier if I was already finished with school and well established in my career, I will focus on enjoying day to day life. This will be especially challenging for a dreamer like me, but it is probably the most important thing I can work on.
2. Bike and run a combined 500 miles.
   I hate running. But I love how I feel after running. I want to run a race this year. At least one race! Originally I thought I'd like to run 500 miles this year but once the warmer weather arrives I'm going to want to spend more time on my bike. I'm excited to see what I'm capable of!
3. Spend 200 hours on my yoga mat.
   I've already spent 1.25 hrs there. 198.75 to go! Yoga is something that helps keep me well and fit. It pushes my physical, mental, and emotional boundaries like nothing else. I've meandered off the mat the past few years and I'm looking forward to getting back on. My spring semester schedd seems to welcome this challenge. J
   
4. Thirty day challenges!
   Last year began with this challenge and it was a unifying event. Andrea did a thirty day yoga challenge. I've already begun one 30-day challenge, but that is for another post. These challenges will range from anything I want to work on from a fitness goal, spiritual goal, and maybe even some fashion goals! I should be on What Not To Wear and hopefully some challenges I put myself through this year will change that. I found a new-to-me fashion blog, Kendi Everyday, and she issued a 30-for-30 remix challenge where a heck of a lot of other bloggers participated and documented. I think I'd just need help getting those 30 pieces.
5. Push boundaries with yoga and spirituality through trying new things and taking classes.
   Group and guided meditations really help me sync into myself. I think it is something about the collective energy in the room. I need to do this more. This past year I took two different yoga workshops and am looking forward to doing more. Maybe I'll finally get my Reiki II! There are many possibilities…

Of course there are the read more, create more, healthy more ideas. I'd like to focus more on classics but I'd really like to find my reading niche. I often get caught up in a series, and then mourn the loss once I've closed the last book. At one point in my life I was really into film. I'd like to rekindle that love. Lack of time and a partner that doesn't quite have your taste in movies kinda put a damper on time with the big screen. When it comes to being healthier, I just want to cook more for myself. I've conquered many bumps, and quite frankly pot holes and boulders, already on the "be-more-healthy" road. Now I just need to find more time and energy in meal prep.
Any ideas for 30-day challenges? Anyone want to run a 5k with me? Who wants to redo my wardrobe?
xoxo

I'm terrible at blogging.

Well the vegetarian challenge is over and although I haven't talked to everyone myself, if people aren't sticking with the vegetarian diet they definitely will no longer rely on meat as their food staple. My sisters are sticking to it, which is great to have the family support. I remember when I first made the switch, they found me weird and just didn't get it. They'd get embarrassed and express how I shouldn't make a big deal about how my pasta ended up with a meatball on top or I took a bite of spinach that was sauteed in chicken broth. We are all waitresses, so we know what the server is then having to go through if a customer complains, even if it is the most polite complaint. But now I not only have my sisters' support, I have my Love's support and his family's.

School has started up again and this semester seems much more manageable even though my workload my have increased. On top of my text books, I'm reading a lot. I'm reading a lot about the food industry and I have my Sookie Stackhouse books to let me escape. One of the veg friendly books I'm reading is "Eating Animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer. I like how it isn't a "how to" book (I've read plenty of those) but more a book, a story of one's journey. The material is presented in a way that you feel like you are discovering it for the first time with the author. I recommend it for veteran vegans and those who've never thought about vegetarianism, never mind veganism, but are interested in their food.

Now I'm off to the library for some not so fun reading...

Happy New Year!

A week late...

2009 was eventful and there is no doubt in my mind 2010 will be as well. Could it be better? It is off to a good start.

Michael has been working on a new project recently and for it he has gone vegan. At least for 30 days. Since vegan-hood has been something I've been easing into for years I'm also taking the plunge with every intention of maintaining this lifestyle beyond 30 days. You may not think so, but I feel quite liberated. It's like I'm part of some giant boycott that in turn supports animal rights, human health, compassion, environmental resources, the fight against global warming, and so so much else. I may be just one person, but I have and I am planting my seeds, so to speak.

With this new project, Michael has talked up to 30 day challenge to his siblings and almost all of them (and their significant others!) are joining him on his challenge. One of my sisters has recently gone vegetarian, while the other hardly ever has the desire to eat meat. Both of them joined. I can't tell you how exciting this is for me. I just hope my heart doesn't break when the 30 days are up and they run to the arms of a cheeseburger. I really hope they don't. They'll probably get sick.

I put together two pep-talks/lectures/discussions for all in our families that could attend. Seeing how its a complete overhaul of consciousness when it comes to eating, a lot of info was shared and meaningful discussions were had. We made a completely vegan menu. One night was a bit of a smattering of things and I had grand plans, but I need a triple oven, never mind a double oven. We had pizza made with soy cheese, peppers, onions, and a tad bit of garlic; sweet potato fries made from two different kinds of sweet potatoes (I tried one with a lighter flesh tone so people wouldn't feel too freaked out if they are used to white potatoes); and I made a brown rice dish full of veggies, nuts, and edamame. For those who wanted, there was an unfiltered red wine available. **More on the filtration of wine and beer later. The next evening we had a breakfast theme with a breakfast smoothie, french toast (substitute vanilla soy milk for egg dip), and some veggie bacon.

The discussions have since led to other discussions and talk around the dinner table has become more meaningful. Not that any time we've had together has been meaningless, the awareness of all has just been heightened. Even led to some funny talks about human breast milk cheese. Try putting that on your cracker.

These few weeks preparing and doing have enlightened me even more to the whole food-psychological-emotional connection. Food patterns and habits are cultural and learned. We all have many emotional attachments to what we eat and why we eat it. We love that particular cookie because that is what grandma made every holiday. Although we know cookies in mass quantities are not good for us, it is hard not salivate and slip something extra in our cart while in the bakery section, unconsciously brought back to a time of love and togetherness.

Everyone picked a moral, ethical, emotional reason to pledge these 30 days to vegetarianism. A reason that would make them feel good about making a stand. I don't want anyone attempting vegetarianism to do it just because its a "diet." Diets are over thought and all about restrictions. Yes you are restricted to only eating plant based things, but it is so much more then that. One person picked world hunger as their reason to pledge. Over 70% of the worlds grains are used to feed livestock. Only one pound of meat for human consumption is produced by 16 pounds of grain. Very inefficient. If those grains were used for human consumption, that would be enough food for 800,000,000 people. It's estimated that 30,000,000 people die each year of hunger related illnesses. Those deaths wouldn't occur on a plant based diet.

No matter what happens at the end of the 30 days, there is no doubt in my mind we all will be looking at food differently and feeling food differently as our bodies try to digest. We still will have that attachment, that reason why we pledged to go veg for 30 days.

Are you up for the challenge?


Thanks for reading.


**Beer and wine - sounds vegetarian right? The finished product, generally has no trace of animal products/byproducts but how its filtered/clarified is another story. It can be filtered with gelatin (boiled collagen - bones, skins, connective tissue, and sometimes intestines - of slaughterhouse animals, usually of pigs,cows and horses), isinglass (dried fish swim bladders), chitosan (the exoskeleton of crustaceans), and casein (protein found in cow's milk).

Here are some links for further reading...

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/resources/why_go_veg/
http://www.compassionatecooks.com