Monthly Archives: August 2012

Aug30

Things I’m Loving Lately! Yoga Teacher Training Edition!

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I’m beyond excited to get back into the studio this weekend and pick up where we left off with yoga teacher training! I miss my fellow teacher trainees and the peace and calm the training brought to me.  As you can imagine, 9 days of intensive training in the studio without air conditioning in 90 degree heat wasn’t easy but a few of my favorite things made it much more manageable!  I trust that they will do the same this weekend and the many more to follow!

Lululemon Legendary Duffel. 

Every girl needs to bring her gear to the studio in style and this bag definitely does that! I love that it has about a million pockets to hold everything from lip balm, to deodorant to sweaty workout clothes!  I also like the long strap that lets me put the bag across my body while the short straps and perfect for carrying.  It even has a pocket for my shoes so they don’t get dirt and grime all over my clothes! Love that!

Lululemon Legendary Duffel

Lululemon Yogitoes Towel.

I sweat in yoga.  I actually I sweat alot. My mat can get wet and slippery as the practice goes on and well, that can be dangerous.  Enter Yogitoes.  This towel provides plenty of grip and keeps me from slipping.  Plus as you sit on a mat all day it’s nice to have something soft between you and the mat.  And the pattern is adorable and makes me smile during forward folds!

Lululemon Yogitoes!

Athleta Skills and Drills Tank.

I’m in love with this tank! The top is really supportive and the bottom is so light and breathable that it keeps me cool even in the hottest of yoga classes! The other thing I love about this is that it’s nice and long so it covers my bum on the way to and from the studio.  This teal color is a new look for me since I always pick out pinks and purples…I’m kind of digging it!

Athleta Skills and Drills Tank!

Athleta Pilayo Zippy Headband. 

Every girl needs a headband to keep their hair out of their face during yoga! I particularly like this one as the shape agrees with my head.  The narrow part in the back accommodates my low ponytail and the wide part at the top keeps everything away from my face.  It even has some grippy rubber on the inside so it never slips!  The pattern is super cute and reflective which makes it great for running too!

Athleta Pilayo Zippy Headband!

Yes To Cucumbers Facial Wipes. 

I love these! They are perfect for cleaning up after class before we get to anatomy and sutras.  The scent is light and refreshing and the wipes are very mild.  They leave me feeling fresh and clean without any residue or stickiness…need I say more? I don’t think so!

Yes To Cucumber Facial Wipes!

Yoga Books. 

You can’t learn without reading! The Trail Guide to the Body is the ultimate for learning the anatomy of the body, something we take very seriously in yoga teacher training (we even have Skelly the skeleton!).  Light on Yoga by Iyengar is pretty famous in the yoga world.  I haven’t started reading it yet but I’m really excited to!  The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times by Pema Chodron is incredible.  I’ve only just started this but the wisdom and insight that is shared is very powerful!

Yoga Books!

Beyond these books we have an amazing manual that we work out of during training.  It has everything, poses, flows, reading, sutras, meditation, breathing and more!

What yoga things have you been loving lately?  What helped you get through yoga teacher training or your most recent hot class? Anything you can suggest I try?

Aug29

What I Ate Wednesday! Craving Comfort Foods!

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Can you believe it is the last Wednesday in August? Seriously where does time go?! This also means it is the last Wednesday for the Summer Staples theme.  That just makes me sad…summers always seem to go too quickly now and I often find myself longing to be a kid again playing 4-square after dinner on a warm summer night and spending the entire day in the water and sun.  Oh such a nice day-dream….

In reality I’ve been craving lots of comfort foods lately.  And smoothies but they aren’t really a comfort food.  In fact the other day I made a good old-fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a glass of milk for lunch.  It did not disappoint and I might just have to have another one for lunch one day soon!

Breakfast. 

I found my all time favorite smoothie recipe over the weekend…strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, 1/2 avocado, apple juice and coconut water.  So so so good!

Smoothie!

Also this weekend…a warm bowl of oats with almond butter, jam, raisins and blueberries.  Yep, it was finally “cold” enough to be craving oats!  Truth: those oats made me excited for the fall and cool weather!

Lunch. 

Lunches have been boring lame.  I did spice up a wrap with some breaded chicken tenders, lettuce, cucumber, cheese and honey mustard.  That was pretty good.  Goldfish (comfort food if you ask me), red grapes, Chobani yogurt and a granola bar to go with it.  I usually chose between the Chobani and the granola bar for an afternoon snack.  Morning snack has been water and fruit salad (yum!).

Morning Snack!

Lunch!

Dinner. 

Homemade baked breaded chicken tenders, Alexa sweet potato puffs, coleslaw, and salad with a glass of milk.  Comfort food at it’s finest. Ya know, the more I type comfort food I’m realizing it’s really foods I ate as a kid and can’t get enough of lately.

Chicken Tenders, Sweet Potato Puffs, Coleslaw, Salad and a Glass of Milk!

Dessert. 

We had some friends over for a barbecue on Sunday.  We made cheeseburger sliders, crab cake sliders, cucumber tomato salad, coleslaw,and homemade sweet potato fries for dinner.  For dessert we made s’mores but dressed it up a bit….s’more pizza!  It was delicious! On to the crust went some butter, graham crackers that I blended in the food processor, chocolate chips and mini marshmallows.  It was so good! Not health but so worth it!

S’more Pizza!

What have you been craving lately? What comfort kid foods do have to have every now and then? Can you believe it’s the last Wednesday in August?!

Aug28

Tips to Finding and Loving New Running Routes!

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With the good comes the bad and when you move that often means saying goodbye to your favorite running routes.  In June when Michael and I moved in together I had to say goodbye to running on the Esplanade and find new places to run.  While I was beyond excited to move in with Michael, I wasn’t so excited about finding new places to run but I embraced the process.  Now, two months later I have running routes that I can rely on and really enjoy.   With September being the major moving date in Boston and students getting back to school and  I thought I’d share some tips to make the process as easy as possible!

1. Check out Map My Run. 

When we moved to Stoneham I had no idea where the closets coffee shop was let alone a safe running route.  I went on to Map My Run and searched the public maps for the Stoneham area.  The idea wasn’t to pick a route to run but to get a sense of what roads runner’s were running on and what ones everyone seemed to avoid.  The other upside of this is that you can quickly determine any “fun” running areas like a lake or pond close by that lots of runners take advantage of.

Source: mapmyrun.com via Whitney on Pinterest

2.  Drive the roads.  

I took the time to drive some of the routes I was considering.  I looked for areas that weren’t well-lit at night-time, areas without sidewalks and intersections that look hairy to cross so I knew to avoid those areas.  It’s also good to look for dogs that aren’t on leashes or other obstacles.   It doesn’t take too long to do this and it can be really smart, there is nothing worse than being mid-run on a busy road and to see the sidewalk disappears!

Source: piccsy.com via Whitney on Pinterest

3.  Run without an agenda. 

Yep, you read that right.  The first few times you head out for a run in a new area don’t plan to do speedwork or a tempo run, just focus on getting out and running.  You’ll be more relaxed and if you need to alter the route on the fly you won’t feel like it ruined your workout.  Plus it gives you an opportunity to check out the businesses and sites in the area!

4.  Be Creative. 

We live in a cluster of roads that all loop together in one way or another.  I’m often creative with the last mile of my run and choose a different way home every time! It adds variety to my runs and gives me the option to finish my run on a flat or to challenge myself the last .1 mile on an uphill.  Don’t be afraid to try a new road or explore a little bit, you might just find a loop that you absolutely love this way!

5. Tweak it ’til it works!

Sometimes I’ll head out on a run and think it will be close to 5 miles but I get home and I’m a half mile short, I’ve learned to tweak my routes until they work.  That may mean running an extra half mile in one direction and cutting off a part of the run later on.  To make this a little easier I often look at the map after I upload my run from my Garmin.  I’m able to easily see where I ran and can identify places to extend or shorten my miles.

Use Maps To Tweak Your Routes!

6.  It never hurts to drive. 

If there is a great runner friendly park or lake close by don’t hesitate to hop in the car and drive there to get your run in! My favorite places to run tend to be parks or at lakes with paved paths.  They are usually safe for runners and void of crazy intersections and cars.  If running from your house doesn’t feel safe or makes you nervous, drive to an area where you can park and run.  It’s always best to practice safety first when it comes to running!

It’s Worth a Drive to Run Here!

7.  Have fun!

Discovering new running routes should always be fun and feel like an adventure! Embrace the change and live outside the ordinary, before you know it you’ll be bored of your new running loops!

Source: google.com via Whitney on Pinterest

How do you find new running routes? Do you use Map My Run? Do you prefer to run from your house or drive to a park or path to run? What is your advice to someone who is looking for a new running route?

Aug24

Yoga= Pure Happiness!

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Remember yesterday’s post about faith and hope? Yep, that feeling is still flowing through my veins and I’m loving it.  What is better than yoga, friends and my better half to keep me feeling inspired and hopeful?  Pretty much nothing!  On Wednesday night Lululemon hosted an outdoor yoga class at the Prudential Center.  Todd Skoglund, one of the owner’s at South Boston Yoga and one of my teacher trainers, taught along with Joanna Benevides in the square.  It was a gorgeous summer night, warm but with a cool breeze and perfect for practicing outside.  I was thrilled to see some of the teacher trainees, it’s amazing how much of a bond we all formed in just 9 short days!

I’m pretty sure the big grin I had on my face never disappeared throughout the entire practice.  I couldn’t help but think that this is what pure happiness feels like.  

Setting up for an amazing flow!

Warrior 1 Anyone?! (source: http://nurtureyourbliss.tumblr.com/)

A view from Updog!

Rest Between Backbends! (source)

Savasana View!

Teacher Trainee Love!

More Teacher Trainee Love!

Love that we practice together!

There is something amazing about practicing among the buildings with a busy street behind you and people milling about and taking pictures of you.  To find peace and calm within that craziness makes it so much more satisfying!  Every time I step on the mat I can’t help but feel that this journey I’m on is exactly where I am supposed to be!

And ending the night with dinner at one of my favorite restaurants and fro yo with my love just makes it all that much better!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend and can take your mat outside to get your flow on! xoxo

Have you practiced yoga outdoors before?  Did you love it? What kind of workouts do you love to do with your friends and significant other?

Aug23

Faith, Fears, Yoga and Running!

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Today I’m feeling inspired, motivated and hopeful.   One of the things David said to us during yoga teacher training is that if we constantly hold on to our pasts, our fears and our worries and fill our calendars and schedules how will there be room for the things we want in life?  He encouraged us to make space in our lives for the life we want.  I remember going home that night and thinking about his words.  I vowed to myself to let some things go, to make room for the things I wanted.  Well, maybe the universe heard me or maybe it’s just fate or maybe I’m just more aware but it seems more and more opportunities are coming my way.  I’m a believer that once an opportunity presents itself it’s up to you to make the most of it.  I’m trying my hardest to make the most of all of this.   The funny part about this is that, just maybe, there are signs that the world likes my new outlook on life.  Just recently my friend Erin and I were talking about my yoga journey and sharing all that we have going on in our lives, she’s said multiple times how she has good feelings about this journey I’m on.  My mom said the said the same thing too.  And then yesterday there was not one but two posts by a couple of my favorite bloggers talking about faith and releasing our fears.  Jess talked about having faith in all that we do and letting our faith be bigger than our fears.  Katy talked about re-framing our fears so that we don’t manifest them and we give the universe a chance to reward us.  Coincidence? Maybe.  But I’m going to take this as positive reinforcement that the universe likes the way I’m thinking lately.  Or at least a girl can hope. 

Source: via Whitney on Pinterest

Likely adding to my inspired and motivated mood today is the fact that I’m still riding a high from an amazing 9 mile run on Tuesday.  It was my first long run since training for Boston.  I was a little nervous about building my miles up again and on Sunday I couldn’t help but feel like maybe running the BAA half wasn’t a great choice.  After all, I’m completely immersed in this journey to become a Yoga instructor and felt that maybe training and running was taking me away from that.  But after a 4 mile “free run” on Monday I was reminded that this journey is only adding to my joy of running and if anything yoga is making me a better runner.  To add to that running gives me the time to think about all I’ve learned in yoga teacher training and how I’m applying it to my life.

I had originally planned to tackle these 9 miles on Saturday morning but somhing inside me knew to head out on Tuesday night instead.  Maybe it was the fact that Michael had his own things going on that night and I knew I’d have the night to myself, maybe it was reading the inspiring post by Jess about her PDR 20 miler (<—this girl is seriously writing some amazing stuff lately as she chases down 26.2 miles!) or the post by her sister Jo and her 9 mile “sherpa” run to support Jess.  Or it may have just been my own inner desire to get out and run.

I planned a new route since I’ve not run more than 6 miles at the new house and mapped it out so I could run to the nearby lake.  This made me even more excited! Something about running around water makes me so happy!  The loop consisted of 3 miles to the lake, 3 miles around the lake and then 3 miles back home.  Perfect.

I set out around 6:30 when I got home from work and planned to keep the pace light and easy.  It wasn’t my fastest long run but man did it feel good.  The weather was cool and it was just a gorgeous late summer night.  The first 3 miles were the hardest.  I couldn’t mentally get over the fact that I had to run 9 miles and started to doubt myself but then I realized I was only a mile from the lake and it gave me something to look forward to.  The 3 miles around the lake were peaceful and calm.  Something about the water relaxes me and by then the soreness in my legs began to subside and I found my groove.  The final 3 miles home were probably the best.  I had a rhythm and felt awesome.  The miles ticked on by and before I knew it my Garmin said I was at mile 8.  The sun was setting by the time I finished out that last mile.  As I walked up the steps and into the house the sun had completely set and I was so proud of myself and the 9 miles I’d run.  There is something about sacrificing an entire evening after work, and eating dinner at 8:30 just to fit in a run that makes you feel so proud.

9 Mile Long Run!

As I was stretching I realized, that was the longest run I’ve gone in over 3 years without my knee strap or tape.  I’ve been running since Boston without my knee strap but tackling 9 without it felt like such a big deal.  I made sure to stretch and foam roll post run so as not to jinx myself.  Thank goodness I did…my IT bands were tight, tight, tight!   I think I owe yoga for that run, for running 9 miles with no brace.  Yoga really is making me a better runner both physically and mentally.  My body is stronger, balanced and flexible and my mind can find peace and calm within the pain of running.  More than anything I have a new level of respect for listening to my body and now days that means so much more than it used to.

So perhaps I owe this feeling of inspiration and motivation to my fellow bloggers who always seem to say just the right thing at the right time and to yoga for making me a better a runner and in time a better, more aware person.

What inspires and motivates you lately? Do you have room in your life for the life you want? Tell me about your latest long run! How has yoga helped your running?